Not that bad round here, only the size of marbles. Thinking of heading over to Hondarribia for a weekend soon, i´ll let you know.

I’ll second the Basque country, not just for the mountain biking, the road riding is damn good too, loads of quiet back roads that go thru lovely villages with spectacular views. I moved here partly for the mountain biking but half my riding is on the road now.

What were the odds of two people in the basque country posting consecutively?

FWIW, most people who drive Leons look like ****.

P7 – not 853, but tis a great frame.

Does your fram have a bolt-on slidy dropout like my P7? If so, check the tightness there, that may be cause, it was for me.

This shop is good for maps…
http://www.latiendaverde.com/

The tourist office should have a free guide (in English) about mountain biking in Andalucia.

Maps in spain can be pretty unreliable though, tracks that are on the map disappear, intersting looking tracks arent on them. If you are happy to accept that you may get slightly lost and waste time looking for a lost track than go for it, personally for a 1st visit i´d use a guide.

Sorry, dont know anything specific to Bubion.

Lucky sods, i dont even have a telephone line. Have to use mobile internet.

..and you need spare light bulbs and the tools to fit them.

Bloody awful program, the killer is always in the first 5 minutes of the program. Everyone is a smug git. The really hard interrogation goes a bit like this.

Chinese smug git: Who killed smug git X ?
Criminal : Not telling
Chinese smug git: If you dont tell me, i’ll pull a mean face.
Criminal: Still not telling

At this point the Mentalist walks in, smiles smugly, talks bollocks, does a lie detector test using the criminals pulse.

Criminal: It’s a fair cop guv, it was me.

All the cop smug gits smile smugly.

The End

I was with ITECS for 3 years in Belgium. No problems. You´ll get paid in Belgium, UK and Isle of Man. Their documentation always seems rather vague and you always have the feeling that they arent giving you all of your money, but all in all you end up paying about 19% income tax so cant complain really.

I´d rather people were shamed/beaten into picking up their own litter.

If you dont want to see her again, why does it matter if you upset her?

Tell her you´re gay.

I live in Spain too. (Well, the Basque country) I like it a lot. One of the best things is how diverse the different parts are. Malaga is a canny city, has a great old town with some excellent bars and restaurants. The biking of course is excellent too. One of the advantages of having britland down the coast is you can get a decent curry.

“Human organs in transit”

I use slime tubes. Previously was getting an average one puncture per ride (lots of thorns round here). The front one has lasted six months so far and I had to replace the back one just last week, so I like them a lot.

´Lets just hope they dont Bungle the comeback tour.

Buy two, they are made of Primula.

It´s like “Troy Lee Designs” – started out as pleasanmt enough designs now the “design” is just a big bastard logo that says “Troy Lee Designs”.

I live in Spain but my Spanish isnt good enough to enjoy programs on Spanish tv. BBC iplayer doesnt let me watch anything because i´m in the wrong region, it´s illegal for me to set up a satellite reciever and receive British transmissions, so what do they expect me to do other than download stuff. I dont mind paying for stuff but borders in europe still exist when it comes to television, so sod em.

cheers peeps

Cyclone outside.

I’m aware the “fact” that frames dont case chainsuck but i’ve never had a problem before or since the RC303. It just must be very sensitive.

The theory is that you are using a new chain on a worn chainring or vice-versa and you need to change everything. BUT, now a lot of people say that a frame has nothing to do with it but I had a PACE RC303 which chainsucked horribly no matter how new and clean everything was. So much so, i got rid of it. With hindsight i’d try sticking a spacer on the drive side bottom bracket to move everything out a wee bit, that might help, or at least help your frame.

No idea about the cycling, but what a lovely place it is.

A Pace fork.

Quite new to the SS mtb malarky but so far the experience has been good. Certainly a lot more reliable in the crap weather. I think that 9 speed transmissions are too unreliable, I didnt have half as many problems when using 8 or 7 speed. I think for the summer though I’ll try out the Alfine, for long all day rides being able to drop a gear or two when you’re knackered is a nice to have.

I just assumed this was a cunning way to get people to click on his adverts.

Hello.

Mine has just relocated into a very large building right in the middle of town. Its got a far bigger range of gear,a bar and a bmx track out the back next to which you can relax with a beer or coffee.

You went for a walk then?

Cannondale “Beast of the east”

Cannondale “Beast of the east”

always wanted the original manitou forks too.

Yes, definitely.

Doug, I live near Gernika.

I used to tell my boss that IÂ¥m not a resource but a human being. Didnt seem too bothered.

For the cycling and general ambience iÂ¥d recommend http://www.seasonallyunadjusted.com – its in a small, typical Spanish town, there are a few bars and restaurants, maybe not enough for you, but all other things considered its spot on. Its about 30 mins from Malaga airport. Its on the train line so A night out in Malaga is doable (and recommended).

Theres a new (at least to me) company thats started in Hondarribia in the Basque country, dont know about the company, but the place and landscape are perfect and it¥ll be a bit cooler than down south. Lots of great bars and restaurants, the Basques take drinking and eating seriously (I live in the Basque country BTW). Do a search for Basquemtb or something like that.

Used them a few times too, no problems.

The same thing happens here in the Basque country, people claiming not to speak Castellano, but these people are usually decribed as gilipollas even by the locals. More than once I’ve been given Basque separatism literature to read with my beer mind.

Not as nice as it used to be. Has a threatening vibe in certain parts.
Madrid is better in my opinion. It doesnt have te sights of Barcelona but the nightlife more than makes up for that.