Ineos are clearly in trouble. Losing riders left, right and centre and there is something going on in the management. Dan Bigham left quite publicly. Cummings didn’t go as DS to the tour.

Depends on you. Someone suggested blitzing things but I found that over whelming.

Do a small space at a time. Like, on cupboard or shelf. It takes a few minutes and if you make it a habit you get through stuff and keep on top of it.

You need to be ruthless. If I’ve not used it in a year then it can go. The odd exception is specialist stuff like winter camping gear if I’ve not been away.

If it is useful but of little value then charity shop. If it is valuable then sell it. I know what I earn per hour so use that as a crude estimate of what I’d get Vs how long it would take me to list it on eBay.

The other trick is one in one out. Buy, something new? Then get rid of something old.

If it’s just a challenging walk (trekking summit) then Mount Toubkal in Morocco might be an option. There are others on the area also over 4000m. Wife and I did it. Was similar to the lakes technically but harder to breath. We did it in summer. You could organise that yourself.

Ras Dashen in Ethiopia was an amazing trip. Highest point 4500m and a few other smaller peaks above 4. Expensive and harder to get to though.

Mount Ararat in Turkey is over 5000but no experience of it.

For inspiration have a look at the big “adventure holiday” companies like KE, Exodus, Explore. You may decide they aren’t for you but they do have inspiration.

General riding fitness. All the short more intense stuff will be fine as that’s all most of us have time to do.  Put together a plan that you’ll want to do. If you hate the turbo then only do it when needed. Build some miles into other rides – throw an hour loop onto the end of a weekend ride with mates who are more relaxed etc.

Not done this event but do like a long MTB or gravel race. You’ll need to get some big rides on. It’s not just your legs but your whole body that needs to get through. Also need to work out what gear you will use through practice. What food you will eat. Not being a race makes this a bit easier as it will be easier to replicate in training rides. You don’t need to replicate it 100% but get close. For the dirty reiver (200km) my practice rides were 150km ish for time convenience.

So I had surgery yesterday.  My appendix burst some point between scan and op. So I’m stuck here on IV antibiotics for a bit. I also have a lovely tube coming out my abdomen – I look like a human brake bleed.

I feel ok unless I move. At which point it is agony. Going for a piss is hell. Please tell me gets easier quickly.

When we bought ours we negotiated based on survey. In a couple of cases they agreed, in some they said it was reflected in the asking price and the rest we met somewhere in the middle arriving at a figure that made us feel better and get the house and them get enough money.

The buyers aren’t being unreasonable, it’s just a negotiation. I’d want to sense check 15k. If that’s from the survey and it’s anything like ours was it will be at the upper end of the likely cost.

Personally I wouldn’t mess around trying to rectify it. Probably a chunk of work and cost.

Feels timely as I’m lying in a hospital waiting to see a surgeon.

Been working hard for the national hill climb. It’s in 19 days. I’m probably not going to make it am I. More worrying is the 2 weeks in Cape Verde with my wife 2 weeks later. If I can’t go I guess insurance will cover me but not my wife :(

Also need to message my boss. Been in the job 8 days ?.

Amazing, been there for work a while ago. Big shipyards in south. Would love to go back on holiday. Time available off work means we probably want something organised.

Your max heart rate is sort of fixed. But you can train to improve your vo2 max even then so they don’t really correlate.

Fitness age and Vo2 max will correlate. Gcn are doing some good stuff on it right now.

I thought all the Scandinavian countries were expensive.

Not a skier but we went here last year for some introductory back country/XC.  There’s plenty in the area. Big with the Danes.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Meva5GYsvH6gAYT37

Telemark region in Norway. Some good history stuff there too.

There was some downhill stuff but I don’t think it was extensive. Lots of pisted XC but many were on touring skis going up into the hills off the main tracks or just where the tracks had been buried by snow fall.

Quite surprised how warm it was in February. Hovered around zero which wasn’t great. First couple of days were -10 and conditions were vastly better.

We considered eastern Europe but wanted guides and instruction which the trip to Norway had.

That sounds fine. The higher mounts for the stays will make it easier to deal with the calipers. You’ll just need to cut the stays shorter.

Bolt underneath also ok. Just put a rubber washer there to stop it rubbing.  You can drill a hole or melt one if plastic.

Yep, my dad spent the last days of his life in pain dying of cancer. Similarly my wife’s. My grandfather had a stroke, was completely incapacitated bedbound, helpless and confused, he died a few weeks later.

We use euthanasia on animals as it is normally the most humane option. Odd that we don’t do it for humans. In some obscure cases it can be done (removal of essential treatment) but that seems like an odd work around.

What enigmas says is a good point. Let’s look at the practical controls and safeguards.

We got our new car with all seasons. Can’t actually remember what they are, maybe the Muchelin’s. Not used in anger yet as we’ve only had it 6 months.

Up in Newcastle it seemed an obvious decision and surprised it isn’t the standard – at least now it’s an option at purchase. . We spend more days/time driving on cold, wet or snowy roads that we do on hot ones.  Also as someone mentioned up there. Doing MTB events and CX they will probably come in useful most getting out of fields after races.

I avoid driving in bad winter weather but occasionally have to. I don’t really expect to notice a difference as I’m fairly relaxed when driving. That said some years it’s been an adventure even getting off our residential street.

Vehicle is a caddy so a bit noisier than the car it replaced so didn’t notice the tyres. Even on the old car the road noise was more about the surface than anything on the car.

They seem to focus a lot on their core high performance products (beta fuel).  I wonder if they are just scaling back the rest? They are also part of a wider group so same approach there – little point having two products compete in the same market.

Homepage

Try the wayback machine?

I’m a medium in everything and the mediums came up fine for me. 32-33″ waist. They are sometimes a bit short for me as I often buy long legged trousers (33″ inside leg).  Don’t know if this helps?

I am trying to avoid refined sugar completely and cut right down (but not totally exclude) refined carbs like bread, pasta etc. I still eat rice and potatoes, though far less often and in much smaller portions than I used to.  I am still eating plenty of low GI complex carbs in the form of fruit, veg, oats etc.

I always struggle with threads like this. White rice, and potatoes, while not refined can have the same sort of effect? They are quite high GI and cause blood sugar spikes in the same way?  Equally, certain fruit and veg might as well be refined sugar. At least in those instances you do get the added benefit of fibre, vitamins etc.

The sentiment is probably right though.

The Zoe podcasts and books by Tim Spector can make for informative reading on this stuff. That said, I found a lot of the recommendation impractical but some stuff you can do without much effort. It talks a lot about what causes blood sugar spikes and how to avoid it. Sometimes things that are bad for one person aren’t for others and visa versa. Also not all food groups are equal. Someone mentioned oats, apparently it can depend on how they are prepared as to whether they are better than other carb alternatives. It seemed liked everything was bad for you. Perhaps with the exception of quinoa and similar plant families – if it took less than 3 hours of boiling it was a problem, which was, a problem.

The other thing I took away was about variety and processing. It seems intuitive that less processing is better and that certain processes are worse than others – e.g. making bread by the Chorleywood process is a less good option than a sourdough. When you look at added ingredients like emulsifiers (in particular) they have unknown effects on the gut which people are now suspecting to be detrimental. I think somewhere there is a recommendation for 30+ different types of herbs, spice, veg and fruit. Maximising type, colour and varieties to get a good mix of less common chemical (flavanols derivatives).

As above. It should probably look something like this and should just press back together by hand.

Here’s a video that might show it clearer.

Normally the bolt through holds everything together. I’ve pulled mine off with the chain once. Obviously when I wanted to actually service it, it was a pain to get off. Because I don’t want to loose the bolt through and I’m a bit nervous about losing bits in my car if it came apart I put the bolt through the hub when packing it so at least if things do come apart they are likely to stay together.

Maybe I’ll try some  gentle heating. Looks like the mudhugger can go on permanently right now anyway.

Uberbike have a regular sale back on.

https://www.uberbikecomponents.com/

I’ve got a rigid single speed inbred.  Bought when they were the latest thing on here. In fairness I used it loads for winter night rides. I had it refurbed a few years back but a move in job and doing some Zwift racing means that I ride less outdoors after work now in winter.

It’s decent enough. I’m considering splitting it as I’d probably get nearly as much for the brakes, pipedream fork (29er) and hope pro 2 hubs as I will the complete bike.

Not wanting to post it limits my market. It’s in the classifieds and I’m based in Newcastle if anyone wants a niche pink bike for £200. It’s gathering dust which is a real shame.

I found this

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_files/membership/halfords/Places_to_Ride_All_Awards_IMD_1.pdf

Which suggests it wasn’t just facilities that were built or improved but different types of grant.

Also this

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/funds/british-cycling

which lists some projects.

I might know something about the one in the North East (Barnesbury).

I think they’ve got the postcode wrong unless they’ve built a second BMX track very close to an existing one. Given they’ve called it “Barnesbury” I’m assuming that the post code relates to a correspondence address of Barnesbury CC who did the leg work on it. I only really know about it through friends and racing contacts.  The club also host the most popular “Weeknight 10” where I used to be a regular.

I think it is an improvement of the BMX facilities in Gallagher Park as seen in the link below. With directions from where the postcode point you.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Gallagher+Park+parking,+opposite+Aldi,+Schalksmuhle+Rd,+Bedlington+NE22+5BP/Horton+Manor,+Front+St,+Blyth+NE24+4SF/@55.1362745,-1.5840056,237m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x487e0d00255755a7:0xc07fcb2aaef2eee8!2m2!1d-1.5840463!2d55.136468!1m5!1m1!1s0x487e72d31993092f:0x24ad21be1d9ea84a!2m2!1d-1.5647318!2d55.1259098!3e0?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDkyMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Here’s some stuff from the contractors

https://www.clarkkentcontractors.com/tracks/regional/bedlington.html

Barnesbury’s website is out of date and their club Facebook page is private. There is one for the BMX and mtb stuff at Gallagher park though. IF you scroll through there is plenty of information.

https://www.facebook.com/BarnesburyBMX

If you want to talk to someone and don’t have much look using their website/facebook page. PM me and I’ll see if I Can put you in contact with the right person.

No, for the podium you have to buy the lid. I lost one of the rubber top hat things (that sits on the underside to let you lock it closed) somewhere in the alps and I emailed to ask. I haven’t bothered as locking is nice but not essential. Will just replace the whole thing at some point.

Most warm or softshell jackets focus on the body. I rarely get a cold core but my arms and hands get cold. So I’d like the reverse. Normal fleece body, wind proof, warmer sleeves.

A  waterproof glove that doesn’t absorb on the upper outer fabric. I don’t care about breathability in very wet conditions. Saturated material acts like a heatsink in the wind.

That and saddle bags. I like the castelli ones but it needs to be a little bigger and about 20cm long to fit a mini pump inside rather than underneath. The Vel ones are pretty close. I’d like one a touch larger for gravel inner tubes.

Vitus have posted on socials and some bikes appeared. Not clear if it is the old business or just trying to shift some stock, perhaps frames that were ordered or in the process of being shipped.

Depends on how far you want to travel. Sounds like you are driving with the dog which narrows it down. I’d do what someone up there suggested and go where the weather is best. Could be the UK, could be Northern Europe (Ferry from Tynemouth/Hull?).  Have a few ideas and plan last minute. I doubt places are booked at this time of year.

You’d think the south and southwest would be best for weather so I’d probably plan some stuff down there. Maybe look at options to split the drive. Somewhere like the Dales or Peak District. Back in covid when flying was hard my wife and I wanted to do some walking. All the obvious places were booked/expensive. But there is some great walking to be found off the normal tourist trails. It was quite fun getting to know some new places.

I’ve had the last 4+ weeks off, starting a new job Monday. I didn’t get away anywhere. I had loads of bike stuff planned for the weekend and went away at the end of July and am off again in November. I’ve just been enjoying riding my bike, stopping at cafes and generally relaxing. You don’t have to go somewhere to have a good time. You don’t even need to do anything.

Googles says they look quite similar to the ones on my Terrex trainers but I can’t find spares for those simply. What about just using thin paracord, would that last better?

I think those glasses have been on offer a while. Good site to keep an eye on though as there have been some good bargains on there. Tyres are worth a look.

Anyone know how thick the socks are? I was after thin merino ones as liners for hiking.

I use Rock-n-Roll wet most of the time on most of my bikes. It seems to keep things relatively gunk free and running smoothly.

I don’t find it lasts all that long so on really long rides that are likely to be wet, particularly off road I tend to use a wet lube. Currently go mucoff ceramic which is quite good. If I do this then I’d generally give the chain a proper clean at some point shortly afterwards. Things like Fenwicks foaming chain cleaner are much better than the generic spray on foam cleaners.

If it’s relatively dry, experiment with some of the options above. A dry lube might be a good option. If it’s filthy then put on something heavier. I don’t have any problems with gunk building up on my CX bike. Wet, muddy races are a very effective degreaser.

Not that ‘ve ever used them but Motorway would be an alternative to WBAC.

Otherwise advertise it honestly and price it fairly. I once sold a car on its last legs in this way. But the buyer only wanted it as a stop gap for a few months and was happy to have something cheap.

There are loads of guides online. At this point you want to be going with your head not your heart.

We got a survey, it was an old house now coming up to 130 years old. It has plenty of character (flaws) some of which we saw in the second viewing and quite a few things we didn’t.

There will be problems, its a question of how much will they cost to fix and/or can you live with them. So I’d be thinking about big jobs that might be disruptive – Kitchens, Bathrooms, Heating etc. as others have suggested.

That said, some of the rooms we thought we would be able to just move into, we really couldn’t. Carpets and walls looked a lot worse once the furniture was out.

We had little to no furniture/stuff at the point we moved in. But now, we have everything so I’d be taking a tape measure to understand what could be moved from our current place and what would need to be replaced (tables, wardrobes, beds and other big stuff).

This relates to the older model. 2021 I think. I would normally be between a med and a large. I’m 5’10 and also have long legs.

My road bike has a 790mm (I think) saddle top to BB centre as I’ve been looking at frames.

I went for a medium Lux trail and it was absolutely spot on. In general when I look at Canyon their bikes are larger than other manufacturers. Compare measurements. I ride 54cm road bikes with a lot of post showing. My trail bike, Whyte S150 is a large but I wanted to sit in that rather than on it to help me downhill.

Mine is Slx level.

It’s been brilliant. Was up at Glentress the other day and it was at home on the off piste black and jumpy stuff. Put the 2.4 Wicked Will on the front. Not that long ago I raced the GT7 and managed 5th V40. Put Barzo/Mezcals on.

It can feel like a race bike if needed or a lite trail bike with a few tweaks. My friend took his to Golfie and was ok on some of the harder tracks.

When it needs replacing I would be considering a handful of bikes.

Specialized Epic, Scott Spark and another Lux trail. The Lux has a massive cost advantage.

Not hit many snags that wouldn’t be present on other bikes. Internal routing is a pain but mostly in the wallet as I dropped it off for bearings, fork and shock so got them done at the same time.

Fox transfer post died and it was cheaper to replace with a brand x than repair.

I had some carbon bars to put on and the wheels DT swiss 1900 were a little heavy so they went on a different bike and I got some lighter ones.

Never tried Galfer but they make motorbike, car pads?

For me it has always been disco brakes or uberbike pads. Worth signing up to uberbikes mailing list as they regularly send out 20% off vouchers. You can then keep a stock. Obviously no use this time.

In the UK I tend to run sintered all the time as its more likely to be wet/muddy and a long descent is a few minutes.

I had that with an Acros headset on my Vitus. Took me ages to work out why it kept coming loose!

Had spares as it’s often cheaper to buy a headset than bearings, annoyingly. Replaced everything above the bearing and it worked well.

Problems started after a service. I guess the plastic bit get damaged over time and when preloading so it simply can’t be refitted?

No, but consider having a look at both spa cycles and sjs cycles. If you can’t find praxis ones there is a good chance they will stock ones that will work. I used to use them all the time when we used road kit for cyclo-cross and I needed non standard sizes to fit Shimano cranks.

It was much quicker to do the cables this time. Mostly because I knew I had to drop the forks and take out the BB straight away! Still cost me a press fit BB as it came out in bits. Probably a sign it needed to be replaced anyway.

Put in the Jagwire stuff above. Massive improvement. Last time it didn’t feel great immediately after new cables. Now it seems to work normally, just slightly heavier than my other bike. Both times I did the inner and outer.

I suppose the answer with internal gear cables is fit expensive ones that will last. It’s not like it is something I want to be doing regularly. Hopefully I can do a simple refresh with just an inner at least once. I like internal cables for looks and keeping things clean (during and after a ride) but they are a faff. My next expensive mountain bike will almost certainly be wireless sram!

It could be many things. In fact I’ve just been trying to get rid of a creak/crack sound like that myself. On my road bike.

It probably is related to something that you’ve done. I’d methodically go back and check/clean/grease things.

Drop the fork, clean the bearings, races and frame to remove any dirt (not degrease etc. just give a good wipe).
Pop the forks in and set everything up. It might help to use carbon assembly paste.

regrease the headset bolt and tighten up – check whatever contraption is used to preload the headset. I think that was the cause of mine as it was dry and showed a little bit of corrosion.

Same for the stem.

It can also be the bars rotating in the stem (or at least moving a very small amount).

Check grips if lockons

I assume it is obviously not a rattle? In which case cleaning, greasing, lubricating and torquing normally fixes it.

I was there last year in October and it was lovely. Needed a jumper in the evening and probably wasn’t the weather for sitting on the beach. Dry though.

The place is nice I’ve been a few times. Family friend has a place there. Nice base for riding, walking and sightseeing.

Went to Majorca March once and it snowed!

You could try Spain, Rhonda. Costa Blanca, Calpe and places all down that coast. The further south, normally the warmer and drier.

I understand the same. In the road world they are ok I understand it. At least those that Shimano had to make in a hurry for the dodgy ones.

The risk is in shifting. So not a problem in 1x. Basically the pins do or don’t pick up the chains as they should.

I am currently running a surly single speed chainring with an 11 speed group set. It’s fine because it works with 9speed which also has the same inner dimensions.

If you are going to build it yourself then there is a Felt Breed 30 on merlin cycles in medium for about 1k. There;s a slightly cheaper one with a chip. It might work? Chainset has smallish rings on but you can ger 2x grx with a 48t relatively cheap, selling the other one. Same for the wheels. Becomes a hassle but might be a budget option?

https://www.merlincycles.com/felt-breed-30-grx-gravel-bike-boxed-bike-316151.html?utm_source=PHG&amp%3Butm_medium=AffiliateMarketing&amp%3Butm_campaign=phg-GB&amp%3Bucpo=216110&source=PHG&utm_medium=Affiliates&utm_campaign=kelkoo_uk

Currently got some money to spend, thinking about a winter/allroad bike. Not sure how much I’d actually ride it though. Got a gravel bike and race bike along with XC bike and trail bike. Right now leaning towards the colibri rival mechanical and going down the cheap route and saving the rest to maintain the others.