Chumba URSA

Enjoying watching the emergence of George Bennett in the last few stages even attacking today. The crazy attempt to fit his front wheel onto Keldermans bike sideways when kelderman crashed only to have the team car turn up with a new bike for Kelderman and leave poor George with a wheel less bike was pure tragicomedy.

I hope it is the start of bigger things to come for him.

11604 miles (18675 km) damn beaten by Pomona by 71 miles and vinnyeh by 167 miles! I might have to move!!

Ming the Merciless got it right. Money no object there is only Syntace Titan 9 pedals. I have owned quite a few flat pedals and had my syntaces for nearly 2 years _ they are head and shoulders better then anything else I have tried.

Just counted – I have 5 bikes and all rigid. I have been riding rigid for so long I don’t really think about it – it just seems normal. My last full sus bike was a Rocky Mountain pipeline. Anyone who owned one or any other URT bike for that matter will understand why I went of suspension!

Chumba URSA ? For a steel 29plus admittedly.

I recently bought one of the new RHD ford mustangs. It has a totally unnecessary 435 horsepower, it is big, relatively impractical (only really a 2 seater), a bit juvenile (it has a feature to allow you to do burnouts!). I have put a removable towbar on it enable me to carry bikes on the back (a bit of a no no amongst mustang aficionados but hey ho).
One thing it is though is immense fun to drive and makes me smile every time I drive it. The sound and power of the 5.0 litre V8 and the sense of occasion you feel peering over the long bonnet is intoxicating. Life is short and you may as well enjoy it if you can.
Effeminate overly complicated and overly serious Euro cars like some of the German offerings do little for me and don’t give me much car envy.
But crude loud brash American muscle is different – I find them irresistible! Each to there own I suppose.

Schofield make some great looking watches and are worth a look. British company as well if that is something you consider a factor in your decision.

I have a Rega RP3 and am very happy with it. Not tried a linn admittedly.

This is not meant to offend anyone but I wonder when people say they don’t care about cars and just see it as a tool to get from A to B. Things that intersect your life, that you spend time in and interact with should be of some interest surely. It’s like saying I ride bikes but don’t really care what sort as long as it works or I don’t care about my house as long as it keeps the weather out and functions acceptably or I don’t care about food as long as it sustains me. Life is short shouldn’t we try to imbue it with some meaning, passion and style beyond function or should we accept it is all just a meaningless charade.

Lord Norman Foster without a doubt.

Chumba URSA is also worth a look.

Hmmm…..there is something satisfying about owning ‘physical’ music – vinyl, cassettes and CDs. Less convenient of course but we seemed to do ok with Walkmans in the day.
Analogous to fiat money vs physical gold I reckon. Gold will once again have its day when the GFC Mach 2 hits (it will be worse than Mach 1). Just as vinyl will have its day when the next big solar flare wipes out most of our electronics.

Not sure why the picture didn’t show? It was a yellow 2016 Ford Mustang.

With the steering wheel on the right side now!

The best flat pedals are Syntace Titan 9s. No compromise pedal that are very light, strong, durable and costly! I love mine.

Yes I have 3 mountain bikes all rigid single speeds. A cool old school 853 steel, 26″ wheel, carbon rigid fork, middleburn crank, square taper bb, bike. Also 2 black sheep single speeds – a 29er and a fat bike. Love them all!

Dannybgoode. Good luck finding a 3 litre V6 petrol. I think the diesels were by far the most common for a relatively uncommon car. They are cool in my opinion though. Even Top Gear put them at the far end of cool on their cool board from memory?

Dannybgoode – good question about whether any diesels are or will be classics? Not many come to mind. I do think the Citroen C6 maybe the exception though. The last of the great line of hydro pneumatic big citroens – DS, SM, CX, XM, C6. I don’t really count a C5 as a top of the line big mad Citroen (also more common than a C6). It is also rare only 23,000 made worldwide during its production. It’s a French presidential car -Chirac and Hollande drive them. It’s beautiful (in a quirky way). Full of gadgets. Things go wrong with it (it is French) which is also a sure fire necessity to be a classic.

Years ago I had a Rocky Mountain pipeline – very cool looking bike in the day and touted as a great free ride bike. It was horrendous! It was a unified rear triangle design (for those old enough to to remember them) which meant it sort of unhinged as it went down steep stuff pitching you forwards and steepening the head angle just when you didn’t want it too! I thought it was me that was crap (although I am a bit) but when I finally gave up and bought a giant XTC hard tail it was an utter revelation – it fit really well was responsive, light and fun! Made we realise how critical good bike design, fit and geometry is!

Jate I know it is often said he lost his way 1985 -1995 until the totally stunning Time out of Mind album but I personally really like his two covers albums from that period – ‘good as I been to you’ and ‘world gone wrong’. Strange to hear one of the greatest 20th (and 21st) century songwriters do two covers albums just on his acoustic guitar but they are superb in my opinion and totally underrated!

Citroen C6

I have two Ti bikes (mountain bikes). Love them but so far I have had a 9 breaks or cracks in the last 5 years. Three chain stays, 2 Ti seat posts, 1 seat post, 2 Ti handlebars (not Good) and a seat tube. Lifetime warranty so all fixed for free. Beware!

Chumba URSA is another good versatile option especially if you want to do a bit of bike packing at times.

Anything by Jack Kirby.

I used to have a charge spoon but now have a brooks cambium C17. Best saddle I have ever owned!

Plenty of bikes missing from the list probably because it is an ever changing field. How about a Chumba URSA for example or Niner ROS…….

Hilleberg Enan – great tent. Basically the lighter version of the Atko. A bit out of your price range but about as good as you can get.

Beej ……love the lounge kittens song!

Me

Big difference between artists listed on favourite tunes or most played albums threads to those who have had a true deep influence on music though. Bowie may not have had a large amount of number ones but you could easily say he influenced the direction of music and many peoples tastes (even indirectly) far more than a Slade, Oasis or Madonna. He was a musical and cultural trail blazer which does not always equal huge commercial success.

That’s why I reckon Dylan is the most important and influential musician still living today whatever you may personally think of him.

Gimme Shelter by the Rolling Stones for me.

Apocalyptic, otherworldly, dark as hell and the wailing by the female singer towards the end always gives me major chills. Put tears in my eyes when I saw them play it live a few years ago.

I see someone said we won’t mourn Jagger or McCartney the same way. Not sure about that – they are both very influential in their own ways. Made me wonder who is still living that has had a bigger influence on popular music than Bowie, McCartney or Jagger/Richards. It would have to be Dylan I reckon – can’t think of anyone else?

So many! Coming across Bilnd Willie Johnson playing on the streets in the American Deep South, Robert Johnson playing live in some juke joint, Hendrix at the Marquee club in 67, any gig by Robert Belfour or Junior Kimborough……etc,etc.

Satantango. – considered by some as one of the greatest films ever made but I wonder how many have watched it right through?
It is a black and white Hungarian film over 7 hours long with only about 150 shots set in some desolate spot with a cast of unlovable characters where virtually nothing happens.
I loved it!

I know I shouldn’t bite but to say the Rolling Stones are overrated shows total ignorance of the ground breaking importance of what they did in the sixties. Why not just say you don’t like them.

A lot of dull choices up there.

For me a custom Moonman.

I have been lusting after Schofield watches for quite a while now. Still found nothing I like better yet. Very understated but beautifully conceived and they have a titanium option! If I knew how to link to their site I would.

The supposedly improvised last words by Rutger Hauer in Bladerunner……tears in the rain….

Schofield watch or Gibson ES 345 1964 reissue would be my recommendations.