Anecdote time: all Londoners I know (friends and family) think that it is over down there, and are heading out of London to be with (elderly) parents over Christmas.

Anecdote time: I live in Lewisham (SE London) and everyone I know myself included is staying put, not seeing their families or house mixing with friends over xmas. London is like everywhere else some wear masks some don’t. Despite what the DailyMail says most the time tubes, busses are empty and the majority of the city is working from home.

I think what Hancock said that the rise in our area was due to school so its hardly like everyones out getting hammered and licking lamp posts.

If what you say is true and everyones leaving london to see their family the sensible thing to do would be travel bans for the city over xmas and stop everyone being super spreaders.

I have tried 3 or 4 sets of gravel tyres and gotta say gravel kings are the worst. Did like 4 or 5 rides in them and got a puncture on pretty much every ride them despite fully cleaning the wheels to ensure nothing was left in them or the tyre. Recently got some teravail rutland which were a dramatic improvements.

Royal Mail are pretty bad at the best of times but now stuff is super slow. Every package I have got over the last few weeks has been a week or so delayed. Recently tried to get some coffee sent to me last week from North london I love in SE london, a week later items still haven’t shown so the company are now doing a reorder.

good job dude! Extra deep front pocket is nice with the size of phones these days.

https://youtu.be/oVaBgcJwkI4

J.Cole – the climb back. Production is on point, beat on point, J.Cole… well just being J.Cole.

As a designer doing my own thing often rattles around in my brain so would be excited to see what you done tjagain.

Single plain colours that are not garish ( but perhaps contrast panels) No stripes, no spotty designs, no pink flowery stuff for her and most importantly we do not want to match!. NO LOGOS. No zips at the neck, raglan sleeves, Variety of weights and some with the long back but no back pockets Not full length sleeves but not too short.

I think this is a fair comment, there are a few brands that stop you looking like a power ranger but the problem is they are all expensive. No logos is a little unrealistic though what brand wont put some form or logo on something. As for back pockets though I can’t think of the last mountain bike jersey I got that had back pockets.

Tubolito I’d never heard of til this thread. The reason you favour them is simply their light weight, right? It’s about time I bought a tube so might get one.

For me its more space saving than weight. I have very small frame bags on my bikes so with a Tubolito I can get a tube, repair kit, pump and some darts in a frame bag and just forget about them. I just pray I never get a puncture because the things are bloody expensive.

I often ride 15-20 miles on my local trails with no pack, tools never mind a tube, yet to have the walk of shame!

Heres a question though do you ride solo or with mates? If so are you gonna be that guy who never has anything but is always borrowing stuff from others?

Ultimately my hands were tied since I needed the bikes out the house, I dont have a garage and needed somewhere safer than my shed.

Yeh, this is exactly where I am am. If I had my way the bikes would stay inside. But long term once a kiddie comes a long they will be outside. Cheers for the comments though!

I don’t think tyres can be recycled

depends what your calling recycled. My LBS send stuff tubes and tyres so a woman who turns them into furniture.

How safe are these sheds and has anyone been able to fit a ground anchor to one? im going to have to move my bikes outside soon and am looking for something to store them in.

Or maybe something like a Brother Mehteh or stroma?

Have you thought about the Kepler? its pretty much brothers do it all road bike.

Joepud sorry to hear that hopefully if you got the reg police can pursue it?

Yeh all good thanks dude, sadly no reg i was too mad to think of more than i need to stop this car. Reported it any way so maybe something will come of it, but unlikely. Im starting to think we are now in a world of strapping gopros to our head just to get some bread and milk from the shop.

Based on my experience this morning take her for everything. Go through insurance and if that doesn’t work police, lawyer and so on. A driver hit me this morning and refused to stop every time i got in front of him he just kept driving round me. I really wish I had a camera so I could send the footage to the police.

One thing i would say. (sorry if its already been mentioned) take photos of all your injuries and take daily photos as any cuts, dumps and bruises progress.

Tbh i find folks suggesting I dislike hamilton because he’s black pretty offensive.

I never suggested it at all. I simply said he gets called out more than others (just check twitter when he wins a race) and I think for some people there is an element of an unconscious bias in it and thats why its called unconscious. So its no surprise when someone calls it out those connections are made rightly or wrongly.

Given ask jeeves is no longer available I am forced to use Google yes. If we are saying that me calling out Louis Hamilton for tax avoidance whilst at the same time using (for free) the world’s biggest search engine is hypocritical, then unfortunately I’m guilty as charged..

I mean there are alternatives, but whatever. I guess when there are countless other people that do this (already mentioned jimmy carr) but LH is the persons whos name always comes up its no surprise when people mention it get accused of having an unconscious bias. Especially when its mentioned a in the same sentence as stuff like “my black life matters more than yours type of thing” by people like Orgi.

I never Use Amazon, refuse to go in a Starbucks, and don’t own any apple products. So yeah, my stance on tax avoidance is pretty consistent.

Im guessing Google too with their “head office” in Ireland when the majority of work is done elsewhere?

Here’s a thought, what proof do people have of LH paying or not paying tax or even how much he’s has paid?

I’m assuming the people moaning about this would ever dream if watching Jimmy Carr for the same reason?

I have been running the gr-531 for the last few months and its pretty much the best upgrade I made to my gravel bike. Not super cheap but they are wide so teh ride comfort and increased loads and the grip! but like most people I can’t say enough good things about dt Swiss rims got the ex511s on my big bike.

I think you need to take a long hard look at yourself when you say you “hate” him. My only conclusion is that, like it or not and you may not realise it, that you are being racist yourself.

BINGO!

last “thing” i saw of LH was a picture he posted of him and some friends about to fly off somewhere in his own or a chartered of my black life matters more than yours type of thing.
As he is now considered a paragon of virtue because he wins races driving one of only two cars that can win,I’ll leave it there.

haha wow, salty much.

Also why is the tax thing such an issue when it comes to Lewis?? im sure if you looked at any wealthy person a lot of them do the same, Im not saying its right im just saying there might be a reason why people choose to focus so much on this guy.

Anyone with more cricket knowledge than me tell me why Broad is on the list and not Anderson? Didn’t Anderson become the leading all time wicket taker for england this year?

Great coffee and cheaper coffee

Agree with this. If you ask me what size i want my flat white clearly you don’t know any thing, and if you hand me a flat white the size of a latte you REALLY don’t know anything.

The Plug has undergone some transformations over the years!

Sure has! I spent years racing through London on mine. First ever single speed and I bloody loved it.

A about in year and love both my bikes, both Cotics fit is perfect and had so much progression with them finally feel like I have a bike that fits. Although I have an itch for a 29er so may swap the Rocket for a Rocket Max in the new year.

It also absolutely eats through pivot bearings too, on it’s third set now. Compared to my Trek Fuel EX that gets ridden all year in every weather imaginable that has had one set in 6 years it’s a ballache

Thats crazy, My Rocket is a year old and I have zero play in the linkage and I check it all the time due to the annoying “headset like” pivot. I get your point on the CC it can be temperamental but I think thats due to all the adjustability of them. If I get another rocket I don’t think I would get a helm fork not because they are bad but simply because I never mess with the setting (just fit and forget) so am not getting the most out of it.

I recently for this from Albion their new Zoa jacket. really surprised how warm it is even on super fold days i stay really warm.

https://www.albioncycling.com/product/zoa-jacket-black/

I wonder what people think when they see someone ride past with a helmet, goggles and some knee, shin pads… likey the same people here seem to think about people into high fashion. Don’t be judgemental we all likely look like idiots on our bikes to non mountain bikers.

too soon?

For a video that was created like 10 years ago.. you’re way too late.

Will the English be allowed into Wales from the 2nd?

Basically only the 5 days around xmas where Covid is taking a day off after that keep out.

I have an extremely narrow taste in music my top 5 are but in no order

Knucks – London Calling

Verbz / Mr Slipz – Radio Waves

TrueMendous – Huh?

Conway the Machine – From King to God

Benny the Butcher – Bulletproof

Anyone else wetting themselves with eager anticipation at the release of this?

basiclaly yes, only thing im unsure about is do I hold out until I get a new xbox.

how do you keep on top of stuff like bolt checks? Every month? Before or after a big ride?

I generally check mine every few rides after a wash. Any play you can normally feel by just lifting the linkage in my experience any way. Cotics famous “headset like” link on the seattube is something that needs to be kept on top of.

One thing you may find with an out and out gravel bike is a lack of bosses which will limit carry options. I have a Brother Kepler which is a so called “all road” bike so loads of bosses and can take up to a 700×45 or 650x48c. I use mine for similar to you morning rides from the door and longer rides on the weekend when I fancy something different to a mountain bike ride. Original plan this year was some bike packing but lockdown stopped that.

https://www.brothercycles.com/shop/frames/kepler-disc/

Interesting comment, how so?

I think since Adidas took over they have got better. I have some of the adidas / 5:10 kestrels for gravel riding which are good, soles are stiff and the boa close is pretty decent. My biggest issue with 5:10s is how long they take to dry out, the soles either come off or just fall apart, I seem to go through them in about 6 months, once wet while riding they are so heavy its like you got bricks on your feet, and they seem to soak up water at a crazy fast rate. I honestly don’t get why people rave about them so much I think its just marketing and lack of bothering to try other options when there are now so many out.

These are hands down the best riding shoe I have ever had (OWN fr01) a winter (waterproof) and summer liner with a just a shell. Dry out by the morning really light and some d30 areas for some protection. I really wish they still made shoes. Even on the wettest days with the winter line my feet would stay totally dry. They were expensive but amazing. Mine lasted about 4 years of abuse before giving up.

God Boris is awful, how people thought this guy could run a country is beyond me. He never comes out looking good against Starmer but this one was painful to watch.

I wouldn’t want someone to lose their job just for driving like a **** (there’s millions of em out there), so police would be if the company didn’t respond correctly.

Granted life for most is pretty stressful these days and who know what’s going on in this persons life for them to react that way, but if the roads are safer with him not on it then he shouldn’t be doing a driving job.

this is in danger of getting extremely hypothetical but at what point do you draw the line. does someone has to be killed before they lose their driving job? 🤷‍♂️

Yes report the bloke I have done it a few times but sadly never had a camera to back up my claims.. Could have killed you then potentially racist too (unsure how he knew you was jewish?) sounds like a lovely bloke.

My preference is gravel…. does that make me a suppressed roadie?

Any word on amazon got a voucher from a past job I need to use?

I have the Powerlines and had the Hellions been running them for like a year or so I think and found them both a lot better than 5:10s, but personally I think 5:10s are awful. Powerlines are not as stiff and have a bit more grip than the Hellions so better for a day out on the bike. They dry A LOT quicker than 5:10s which is huge plus and the d30 insole has saved me a few times when I have hit a root or rock. Would be more than willing to buy another pair but always like to dry different stuff so might opt for the Leatts or Ion next.

I have so far been hit by cars twice when cycling, with quite a few close calls as well
I have so far never been hit by a car when walking along the pavement and have never even got close to being hit.

That suggests, in my experience over 50 years, I am very more likely to be hit by a car when cycling and you must have had some very bad luck when walking along pavements.

The issue here is you’re assuming your experience is representative of everyones. For example in London apparently (via here) 73 pedestrians and 6 cyclists were killed in 2019 which would assume you’re more likely to be involved in an accident as a pedestrian than cyclists.

I have lived in London the majority of my life been hit by a car 1s as a pedestrian and 3 times as a cyclists. But clearly. thats not a true representation of the real issue.