I’d like to ride Mustang Valley in Nepal and the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.

Riding a bike for the first time is the best feeling ever and one of life’s great moments. Witnessing your child experience that joy must be amazing. Great clip, thanks for sharing.

Nice doggy

A lot my favourite albums grew on me with repeat playing. Favourite tracks get replaced with new favourites the more you listen. I definitely think that is being lost with the volume of music people have on their devices these days. Also it’s too easy to click next, rather than listening to the whole album. I’m not sure people live with their albums the same way as before the digital download era. It’s a shame because it probably impacts the way a lot of bands make music.

Saying all that, I wouldn’t like to go back to cassettes and walkmans.

I nearly got struck by lightening once. It hit a car about 2 metres away. I felt the hairs on my neck tingle before it happended.

£1300!! That’s a bargain, is that second hand? I need a replacement for my Canyon that was recently pinched.

EDIT: Just spotted that you’re in NZ. Are bikes cheap over there then?

You should be able to pick up some of the old style Sora levers fairly cheap. They’re 9 speed though so the rest of your drivetrain would need to be compatible.

Can’t beat the commute for getting you ready for the day. It’s a great buffer after work too.

My bikes have recently been stolen, so I’m temporarily using my Mrs pink shopper. It’s suprisingly quick and comfortable, I even overtook a roadie in full lycra (he was a bit portly).

Mark Knopfler
Jimi Hendrix
Eddie Van Halen
Vinni Reilly
Carlos Santana

This is a good article on when to use grease and when to use threadlock

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Tech-Tuesday-Thread-locker-Basics-2011.html

Edit: In summary…

Where to not use thread locker: Although blue thread locker can be put to use on many places, there are some where it shouldn’t be applied. It should be avoided when working with titanium bolts, especially when they are being threaded into a dissimilar metal, such as steel or aluminum. Anti-seize is your best bet here because it will prevent galvanization, allowing you to easily remove the fastener down the road. We would also recommend that you skip using Loctite on aluminum bolts as well for the same reason, but it can also make removing fragile aluminum hardware difficult, leading to rounded or broken off heads. Here are some other places that shouldn’t see thread locker:

• Chain ring bolts, especially aluminum versions (use grease to allow you to loosen them later on)
• Most crank set bolts (grease used here allows it to attain the proper torque)
• Pedal threads (pedals won’t loosen due to their reverse threading, but using grease will eliminate creaks and make them easier to remove)
• Axle threads on either front or rear thru-axles (grease here prevents the two aluminum surfaces from galling)
• Any small hardware that hasn’t repeatedly loosened (M3 sized bolts or smaller, such as those used to attach the adjustment dials of a fork. Using thick grease here will prevent loosening and make them easier to remove)

Cheers guys, much appreciated.

The tour passed through there one year. The chalet where I was stayed on my ski holiday was where Team Sky stayed, they had a signed jersery on the wall and a photo of Wiggins, Boasson Hagen, Geraint Thomas et al. Company is called RideandSlide and the chalet is called Chalet Guytaune. Really nice place.

I cringe when I hear that new beady eye tune

johndoh , security is getting seriously beefed up! I’m getting a proper monitored alarm that won’t be triggered by my dog. You’re absolutely right though! :oops:

This is a lovely campsite with great facilities and in a good location for walking Snowdon. It’s situated on the edge of Llyn Cwellyn and Beddgelert Forest.

http://www.snowdoninn.co.uk/

Another bump for the evening folk

Bump

Crazy-legs, Cheetham Hill (not the best neck of the woods)

Rob Dixon, cheers for the suggestion but she got it on 0% over 6 months.

Just hope the insurance don’t work their way out of paying somehow. I’m already going to lose out for the wheels and other modifications because I didn’t mention them.

I’m getting a seatpost just for holding my road bike in the stand. Cheers for the heads up.

Nikwax leather protector or Nikwax spray on if it’s not leather might work.

How do these compare to Avid Elixir 7? I’m happy with mine but they do squeal a lot and I really like the look of the Hope M4.

Glad it’s not just me. Can’t stand the guy.

Personally I think it’s always a good time to tell someone not to get financially and emotionally drained.

Agree about not posting sarcastic pictures and comments though. Also sound advice to go and see a professional.

Wow.. holy shit people. Someone is on the ropes and all you want to do is put the boot in for your own amusement?

Have a word with yourselves ffs.

I think people advising not to see a con man/woman is sound advice. These charlatans are dispicable, exploiting vulnerable people’s grief for money.

If it wasn’t real it’d be funny

thepurist, cheers for that. Tretwerk haven’t gone any in stock until 15/06/13 in my size but the price is good. I might just bite the bullet and wait, I’ve put up without one for this long after all.

BadlyWiredDog, I get what you’re saying, just after ideas for places to research at the moment. It’d be nice to have walks and rides nearby and be able to have a decent local boozer. The A6 is annoying but I wouldn’t let it put me off as I’d probably get the train anyway. Cheers for the suggestions so far.

petergee, my Mrs was born in Brum

Currently living in Cheetham Hill, so anywhere will be an improvement really. Probably like to be a bit further that Prestwich.

Last trip of the season for me tomorrow, I’ve done pretty well this year – 2 Scotland trips, Morzine and now Val Thorens. This skiing lark is costing me an arm and a leg and I’m not even close to being a rich man. Wouldn’t have it any other way though. Summer = mountain biking and winter = skiing from now on :D

Da Funk is a tune, video is top too. Always loved the intro to Reveloution 909 for getting in the mood.

“Why don’t you get a mo-ped or an electric bike?”

These are usually the same people who drive miles to a gym to ride a stationary bicycle. And they think I’m weird!

Clobber, but it’s three pages of egg chat.

Here’s how I do it:

Boil water, then turn gas down so it isn’t bubbling to much

Put egg in to a ramekin/small bowl/ladle and add a splash of vinegar (helps to keep the white from breaking up)

Using a whisk create a whirlpool in the pan of boiling water and gently place egg in the middle. The vortex stops the white from speading throughout the pan.

Pop your toast down, when it’s done scoop the eggs out on to a plate/wooden board to drain

Although this sounds like a faff (it isn’t), it produces perfect restaurant style poached eggs. I had two this morning with spinach.

Hollandaise sauce – now that’s a faff

Keep your chin up mate. It’s easy to pin your hopes on stuff like this and then get down on yourself when it doesn’t work out. Keep plugging away and good things will happen. I know it’s a cliche but get feedback and take the positives out of the experience for next time.

My mate makes me laugh, he has Sugar Puffs every day without fail but it’s method that cracks me up. He sprinkles a layer of sugar on them, eats that layer and then adds another and so on until they’re gone. He’s got teeth like Austin Powers but he enjoys himself.

It’s my favourite meal of the day. I wake up earlier so I can take my time over it. 2 x poached eggs on toast with spinach today. Sometimes I even have breakfast for my tea :D

I let my head rule my heart and bought a Canyon. It was too much cheaper and better specced to ignore.

Spent half a day riding at Kielder & Newcastleton today. 1 hour into the ride and I literally rip the arse right off my Humvee’s when moving back over the saddle.

It’s not a good look on the trail, a fellow biker approaching from behind being greeted by a pair of budgie smugglers and a flapping rag that was once a pair of Endura shorts.

This incident alone is justification for a dropper post

:D

I bought a Reverb to see what all the fuss was about and ended up selling it, there wasn’t anything wrong with it, I just thought it was an unnecessary luxury.

I was wrong, I really miss it now. Definitely on the shopping list when I get some spare cash. Think I’ll try a Lev though because the excess hose on the Reverb annoyed me a bit.