Can you get a Carrera Subway with Nexus for that money?
The Boardman would probably be my choice but hub gears on a commuting bike certainly appeals.

Second hand Giant XTC frame.Often go for pennies,and light too.

I have a 5 year old XT mech on my bike.Replaced the jockey wheels with £10 BBB roller boys and its like new again.

Silence of the Lambs

Not tried mnay saddles but I`ve used my Fizik Arione for a few years now and never experience discomfort.

Any opinions on the thin versions?I`ve never really got on with my midlight versions as I find them too bulky and they then restrict circulation.

For general riding my gf`s daughter has a Dawes Bandit.More towards a hybrid,but probably suits most kids of this age better.Cheaper than the alternatives too.

This is a very useful link.

http://www.cuttingyourcaruse.co.uk/addup.xls

Gobsmacked to discover even my humdrum 1.6 Focus costs me 47p a mile.I`m actually considering going back into the company car scheme having run the figures,as it would be cheaper.

I`ve worked from home for 10 years of which the last 8 I have had children,and now have 3.

If you are dsiciplined,and committed and don`t get easily distracted,(by stw….) I find it a great way to work,no delays due to traffic,lost time,I control the time,my environment,food and concentrate on when I am most productive.

At one time my office was a cupboard at the opposite end of the house to the kids but these days with a laptop,I tend to work wherever the most comfortable.

My kids were briefed from avery young age not to disturb daddy while he was working.Also if you start early,factor in the time youd spend commuting,and have just a 10 minute break for lunch,youll complete as much as you did when you worked in the office and can finish early to spend extra time with the kids anyway.

I generally get on well with my Gill Pro speed E vent based waterproof but even that can get a little clammy,so I`ve just ordered an Endura FS260 windproof jacket for £42 from CRC.

I just got away with it on my last chain swap.Chain checker would just catch going into the 1.0 slot.

For the sake of a cheap chain ,something like a KMC X9 can be had for little more than a tenner,I`d be tempted to give it a go.

I`m a grat fan of the books and the Swedish film.

I was also pleasantly surprised,this possibly a better representation of the book then the Swedish version,which though I loved for its dark atmosphere,I found was a little lacking in detail.This version seems to give more attention to Blomkvist`s relationships with the other characters too.

Rooney Mara is great as Salander.I was worried about a high profile actor being Blomkvist but after 10 minutes or so I forgot that it was Daniel Craig.

Very good I thought.Will be interesting to see how good the following 2 in the trilogy will be.

Superstar sintered.

Same with my 2 older brothers.We get on well when we are together,but can go weeks without contact.

New (secondhand) carbon road bike,brake pads,chain,jockey wheels for the mtb.About 900 all in.

Old skool rat trap or quill pedals would look best.V12s would look plain wrong!

No space for thick insulation on the inside? Insulated render might be an option,60mm phenolic insulationthen rendered will make a huge difference.

If thats not an option ,have a look at Sempatap.

Killed one once in 2 rides by over tensioning the preload cap.Rpelacemnt was fine and still is when correctly tensioned.

Ta chaps!

My diposable income has dropped a lot in the last 3 years,though having 3 children and then my marriage ending might have had an effect…….

However,pretty much everyone I know is in the same position,and there is a certain sense of achivement in learning to live frugally and within one`s means.

I paid off my credit card last month,now pay insurance premiums up front to save on the horrendous interest charges you otherwise pay,shop aound for utility,and insurance deals, have signed up for topcash,use a taste card or sign up for deals when eating out,etc.

Im still riding my 5 year old hardtail,and have sold off 2 of my surplus bikes,which in turn has saved money Id otherwise spend on unnecccesary upgrades.Now it more about the ride than the bike/kit.

I`m quite ashamed of how much money I used to fritter away now.

No.

Definitley worth trying dual control shifters.Very light shift action and gear changes are a mere flick up or down with your fingers.
Does mean you will need Shimano brakes if you don`t already have them.

As to correct tensioning.If you haven`t a torque wrench think of it like a headset.You are only aiming to take up the slack,no more.

1 week on a Shimano HT2 but that was down to mechanical ineptitude on my part.

I wonder how many HT2 bearing failures are actually down to over tensioning the preload………….

Corectly tensioned the latest one has been good for 3 years.

Going through divorce following separating from my wife after 11 years of marriage,last year so currently not believing in it.
I did used to though…… :lol:

Tick

Pal of mine has a 98 325 coupe coming up to 200k miles.Hes had it for years,rarely services it,think he replaced bushes and will drive it until it dies.

He says the parts aren`t much more than Ford bits and if he needs to get it fixed it can be done reasonably at an independent.

He`s going to buy another when it dies.

I recall On One went from Scandium to AL7046 with the Scandal.At the time they claimed it made no difference to the ride quality.
Though I note they didn`t change the name to the AL7046-dal…….

I have an XTC which is around 11kg.I`d concur with the view that its as much the geometry as the weight.

Mine`s great for the purpose for which it is designed,eg fast xc but is scary on more technical stuff.

As mentioned above for more control,try a longer fork,bigger tyres by all means but theres only so far that you can go.

Having said that taking out an internal spacer in my Reba forks to go from 85 to 100mm travel did make a noticeable difference for descending confidence.

Slightly less obvious choice but how about the Voodoo Wanga for £1000?
A couple of weeks ago there was 20% too making it a steal for £800 with Revs,mostly XT 10 speed drivetrain,Elixir Rs,decent Maxxis Minion tyres,etc.Think you might be able to sign up for offers if you subscribe via the Voodoo website.

Wouldn`t be put off by reports of bad reliability.I have a Focus which is fundamantally the same car.
Being a Ford Im sure it handles well,but if you want to lug people wouldnt you`d be better off with an S Max,if you wanted to lug bikes a Focus Estate would do the job aswell,or a Mondeo if you needed more boot space?

Or Isopropyl alchol.If you order from helitape.co.uk they send some f.o.c wipes with your order marked up as surgical wipes which are isopropyl treated.
Also available from chemists.

Through divorce and circumstances,since last year I have had to buy a lot of furniture all over again,and bought secondhand.Emaus which recycles furniture in aid of the homeless is a favourite haunt of mine.
Aslo got a lot of stuff free from Freeccyle and cast offs from friends.Some of it is surprisingly good and much better than Ikea.

Have a look on the OTT mtb club website for local routes near St Albans.They do a night ride on Tuesday evenings too at about 7.30 starting in Sandridge.
There`s some good xc routes round the back of Wheathampstead,via Lemsford,The Ayots and Kimpton.Theres also some routes round by Bedmond which we sometimes ride.You need to be preapred to link sections up with some on road though.
Aston Hill isnt far.Its a short route but,quite technical,and will involves lots of climbing so just because its short doesnt mean you won`t get a workout.If its wet its pretty treacherous too,due to the combination of chalk,tree roots and clay.
Woburn Sands is a bit easier on the legs,and OK whatever the weather but requires local knowledge to find the best trails.

This year I`ve bought 3 bikes for my kids via ebay.
2 Carrera Lunas for my daughters,one 16″ in as new condition for £16,and one less good 20″ but still vgc for £50.
And a 24″ GT Agggressor for my son for £50.
Without the high upfront cost,though I doubt I would have ever been able to afford the new price of an Islabike anyway.
And I bet the resale won`t be much less when I move them on…….
Not as good but plenty good enough,I reckon.

mk 1 fan,can you explain?
If you insulate the garage walL on the outside face,then the block/brick beneath is warm so you eminate any problem of condensation at source and eliminate cold bridging,no?Condenation forms at the interface btween the warm and cold part of the structure,in this case behind the insulation,within the wall desn`t it?

Bonj,what is this *magic* orange spacer to which you refer?
Is it the answer to all my front mech fettling ills?

Spent 3 evenings trying to get my fron mech fettled.
Stops set,cable reset,tension adjusted and still the bugger rubs when on the big ring.
More tension then its reluctant to drop down on to the middle ring.Grr!
Then there`s the annnoying ting,ting soundof a very slightly bent disc.
Tried gently truing it but,resigned myself to buying a new rotor.
And wheel truing,can get it laterally true then I get wheel hop……
But perversely rebuilding forks and servicing cup and cone hubs is strangely therapeutic!

No need for a third coming when you can go see the Clone Roses!

Voodoo Bokor is a good bet.Not sure but Voodoos had 20% off earlier this week in Halfords.