just gutting
it’s a teary eye morning
RIP Mike

I have had one for some years already and it (still) does everything its supposed to….

For sure the USB stick download could be improved but it’s not really a problem. Way better sportwatch than my fitbit everyday wearer…

In a case of bizarrely unfortunate timing, I live nr Oudenaarde but have to come to the UK on Saturday. Tomorrow is usually a much nicer time to ride the course (with a reasonable turnout) but work obligations stop that plan also

I see no need for any special mods for the RvV – Paris-Roubaix on the other hand… Get the widest tyres that’ll fit

Indeed – didn’t really expect to see that gap when I woke up this morning

Fair play to Mike for pushing himself to the edge. Amazing how such a long endurance event can almost be nail bitingly tense

I was misdirected with ‘skipping on pavements’

Sounded so jolly

For me (as a Euro buyer) – bikecomponents.de has a cheaper price at 139 euro versus 149 from Merlin but maybe that small difference isn’t worth the bother…

They also have XT 8000 for just 175 euro

my eldest (12) is way way way quicker than I could ever dream of being on a BMX.

He also has zero fear on descents with the mountainbike which is downright scary.

(I get my own back when its flat or uphill – whilst I still can) ;-)

f*ckin flat tyre
far from home
spare is leaking

I race marathons in the Alps / Pyrenees and use 28 or 30 tooth oval with a regular 10-42 XX1….
I’m 85kg & an old man btw.

It’s surprisingly versatile gear set-up

Like a few of the folks on here, I’m a 10y+ Belgian resident hence I do intend to grab a second nationality.

Its on my list of things to do this year, as is get dual British for my kids (who are only Belgian at this moment)

I just don’t look forward to the admin….

Froome was out on the P-N stages by the way doing a bit training / spectating :-)

But back to the original point – finish was amazing. Its been a lot time since we’ve seen Bertie really attack like this.
Brilliant to see & I just hope he has the core speed to be able to do this in the Tour(s).

Found my love for him again

That’s a quite excellent piece of workmanship.

You clearly have far more skills than me :(
I hadn’t even considered making one myself. (I’m an apartment dweller hence don’t really have the environment for construction let alone the ability)

I think you’ve been waiting for such a topic to show off your creation ;-)

Go Zdenek :-)

In the same way Boonen has been riding discs as the ‘eye catcher’ & Specialized advert, I’d half expect Stybar as one of the favourites to be on them today but we’ll soon see

Tyre manufacturer.
Manager of the manager managers.
Engineer by study, generally disrespected by Salespeople until the point where I bit the bullet and became one. Now I just set strategy, chase up folks and protect my team from more senior folks who know very little about what we do except the sales KPI’s.

Not feeling very inspired by it……

Great start to the year in all the classes.
Won’t share any spoilers but fantastically close finishes.
The SSP is ridiculously close at the line

Good to see Melandri back in the sport. Always interesting to have a villain :-)

I renewed my passport in the London office 3 weeks ago

All went smoothly – they have forms available in the office there & a photo booth.

Get there in good time, a surprisingly large queue even though there is an appointment slot booked.

Not that strange? 1, 2 maybe even 3 flats isn’t strange but guys with 6 or 7?

Lars Boom ran out of spare wheels & had to stop.
Laurens Sweek used all his spares so they fetched his brother’s kit from the van.

What a strange race….
4 punctures for MvdP. 1 for WvA but right next to the pits.
WvA was riding old tubes apparently on the advice from Niels Albert. Clearly very good choice.
So much material damage though. Meeusen frame self destructed with 500m of the start. 3 of the top 10 crossed the finish with flat tyres and another 3 of the top 10 had to walk across the finish due to drivetrain issues.

Gutted for MvdP – he was interviewed on belgian TV full of tears :-(

Sanne Cant once smiled (or so it is rumoured)
(quality rider though)

Niels Albert was suggesting on the radio this morning that the enforced rest might have done WvA some good. Not sure if I believe it though.

Sven Nys video clip of this weekends Worlds course.
Looks like a great course but weather will be everything. Snowing In Belgium today so cannot imagine it isn’t in Luxembourg

http://video.hln.be/iframe.html?ec=1hcGMyOTE6kDIv8caMqSsGtJ6BhNkUz-&pbid=4e157796ad264708a9aa6dc4772d37b8&ad=62a109f659c64b15b91a3b714fb749c6

I was in Hoogerheide yesterday & indeed a very fast parcours but surprisingly technical. Couldn’t have been more different from the mud in 2016.
It was rock hard ground but very slippy with a lot of crashes, perhaps more than a muddy cross even.

Lars was fantastic though, and in his classic style, kept getting out of the saddle & pushing on even when he had a huge lead.

Matthieu VdP just looked exhausted after his Spanish training fortnight but it would take a very brave person to bet against him for the Worlds.

Vos was quite simply the fastest – she’s found her speed back after returning & no-one is going to beat her.

I was an enthusiastic motorcycle enduro racer when I lived in the UK.

The winner was who had the least penalties from the link sections & then it came down to the total of the special sections.

Depending on your class, the shorter the time allowances were for the link sections before penalties were applied. Links weren’t typically quite so technical but certainly were expected to be a challenge (or you were in the wrong class).

It’s a fantastic format & I’d really like to ride some MTB equivalent events.

Ardennes is lovely. Seriously hilly but not mountainous by any means.
Houffalize / LaRoche / Achouffe etc

Accomodation in a fantatic chalet 1km from the XC loop in Houffa?: http://www.chalet-houffalize.be/index.htm

Luxembourg similar options for trails – https://www.mullerthalcycling.com/mullerthal-trails/

Plenty of bike options in the region.

I think the dimensional difference is larger than that.
More like 20mm difference in OD.
Painful answer is some types will adapt to that difference – others will not.

Also; maybe a silly question but are you sure there is sufficient clearance between the tyre & the car?
(on my BMW for example snow chains only fit the smaller tyre / wheel combinations)

Like Leffeboy – also Belgian expat

In Brussels there are lots of English language positions but the further you get away from the city the more unlikely you would find something. I speak English, Flemish fluently & enough German to disgrace myself.

I’m based in Brussels but work all over Europe. It seems inconceivable to find skilled work in many countries if you don’t speak a local language. You would need a very specialist skill to overcome that boundary. English levels are very high in NL, DK, SW & NO hence its probably more feasible to work there (in English) if you have some work related skills.

No-one in my team speaks just English even though our corporate language is English.

I bought some Oakley Airdops (from Pretavoir) recently and my prescription is very similar to yours.
No issues with fish-eye on these at all but I have had it before with some safety-type specs.

Metro 6R4 – 2.5l international

(Preferably heard in the middle of the night over Otterburn)

Walk up to Pulpit Hill is also nice. Better views than McCaigs imo…
Fish & chips at Nories?

what’s ‘a few hours’ by the way?

Lovely car and so much better than a Ford Focus (much to Fords annoyance)

D5 auto is a lovely combination.

Rear space isn’t fantastic but its quite accessible even with the funky glass rear door

I got an earlier crossing a couple of months back without a problem.

bought an oval chainring from them & it was here in Belgium double quick

Paris Roubaix (but I am biased living in Flanders)

The atmosphere is way better. Old Flanders was better with the Muur

Contigo is the best one I have….
no spills and it keeps it hot as long as a flask does
(this is sometimes a problem ironically)

mine did the same.
Replaced axle and its fine again…

ordered new axle from superstar – delivered here (in Belgium) 48hrs later.

Mine broke (I believe) at the start of XC marathon. I could finish but it deteriorated throughout the event & eventually the bike wouldn’t freewheel anymore.

surprisingly common issue on many cars. (it is not the tyres…)
also, I would never consider TPMS to be a replacement for checking inflation pressure in relation to recommendations (particularly in case of loading variations). TPMS is primarily a safety device to warn in case of puncture.

Camber isn’t the only influencing geometry on shoulder wear & potentially there may also be some toe effect. Is the camber actually adjustable on a A6? Did the garage already measure & adjust the alignment?

25k is not bad life on a set of tyres on such a large powerful car & wheel alignment does wander with age & dynamic input hence the dealer is quite within their rights to not cover under warranty but I would have hoped they would be slightly more human (I’m assuming it’s a fairly new car & has always been dealer serviced – 2nd service visit?)

not ridden on many of the Livigno trails but I’ve ridden a few times from the Swiss side over into Italy. Was there again 2 weeks ago – it snowed :-o

These trails are beautiful cross-country type and super quiet. Bernina / Val Minor / la Colma / La Stretta / Val de Fain

if you want to reduce the amount of drive time, the area around Eiffel is fantastic

if you google ‘rurberg’ you can have a butchers of the area. Some lovely walks around the huge lake there.

another Belgian based expat biker here ;-)
Work in Bruss but live out West :-)

Welcome to the land of beer & chocolate.
(I’m teetotal & don’t eat chocolate) :roll:

When I’m working in Poland, I get to experience my locally based colleague using it in his car.
Locals share traffic and police control info on it so I’m told

you may well be checked on the way out in 2 ways (based on my expat experiences)

Eurotunnel enforces advanced passenger information (API) and this controls your passport details

Also, the French control are checking passports now. Maybe not 100% but far more than they used to.