On bike – M Frames with Clear vented/Yellow/Black Iridium and VR28 lenses (VR28 the most versatile one ther)

Off bike – got some blue irid square wires and found my old set of MkII Froggies the other day (clear frame with black irid lenses)

I can earn a lot more money in my profession over the other side of the world – it's one of the few current hotspots of demand…

I know I won't need to drive form Lands End to John'O'Groats but It was an illustartiojn of how small the world is nowadays. People spent weeks travelling cross country a few hundred years ago and we can now do 12,000 miles in a day….

Interesting thread. I'd love to emigrate to Oz but it's actually the presence of our son that's made me want to go even more, I'd like to earn enough to help him on his way and even retire early – I really can;t see that opportunity happening in the UK unless I work to the extent that I don't see him much in the week. Even my missus has asked what we do when it's lashing it down in winter – he goes mad when house boudn all day (and I can fully sympathise)

I think the decision to move is definitely made easier when your parents know why you're going and what you're doing it for. I've had a friend over there for 12 years and I've probably spoken to him/seen him more over the years than I have with a mate just 25 minutes down the road from me. I also take the view that you can spend as long trying to get from one end of the UK to the other as you do on a flight from down under.

As for the culture/history thing I'm of the view that it may not have the history that is present in the UK but when you look at the natural history and the indigenous history than there's plenty of interest.

Anyway – I'll stop rambling, should do some work!

only worth going when the weather has been crap all week imo

Especially if you like that "covered in mud, trying to avoid the predator" look… :D

I'll get down to Visionexpress then – thanks for the voucher tip JamesD.

Cheers chaps – I already do the shades'n'contacts thing on the bike – it's for the day to day stuff in office (contact unfriendly environment) and non sports things…

Just getting over doing mine 4 weeks ago – still ache a bit when I sleep on them but I just took some Ibuprofen, didn't bother with the docs and took it frustratingly easy with everything – that's the key to recovery – don't try anything at all!

Yes – I've not got a strong prescription requirement, only -1.75 and -2.25, no funny eyeballs either…

I'd just slap a hard top on the MX5 – there's plenty of examples around with high mileages and still going strong – that's probably going to be the cheapest option if you get around 35mpg out of it?

Could D be a connection for a rev counter? I know many cars used to take this info off the alternator

I'd have thought just letting her drive one would be enough to change her mind. Try it somewhere busy and make sure she's got to find reverse! :D

More dangerously, she wants to be an MP at the age of 27 – that's gotta be wrong! Anyone who wants to be one, shouldn't be one IMHO….

No paperclip yet!!

Big thumbs up for Adam at Homer Cycles in Ellesmere Port here. I'd go for the tubed option – I've had some tubeless rims and I can't be arsed with all the faff of trying to get the tyres seated properly

Keep it – I've crashed my carbon Vertex twice now, just chipped paint to show for it – one of those stacks was a pretty big/fast one as well. As njee says, you're not going to get a tougher light race bike than a carbon one.

We stick ours in the middle. There's a few benefits – it's safer from side impacts – more space around seat to act as crush zone, the little man can see through the front window with no problems so is less bored, and 'cos he's tall he gets a bit more legroom (although my elbow isn't too fond of being kicked)

We don't use isofix in any of our cars and the standard setbelt fitting seems to be fine, only a small amount of side to side movement and if it's going a long way, then frankly I'd imagine that I'd be driving too fast roudn the corners

Audi do a diesel TT, don't know about a a drop top version though.

I wouldn't mind so much if it only rained when I was sitting at my desk. As it is, it just rains when I'm not at work… :evil:

Mmmm cakes, I might come along for a bite ride :lol:

Before you do any long sessions make sure that you core strength is up to scratch. A lot of poeople I've rowed with have had back problems due to lack of core stability, try to work some weights & sit ups into your programme.

Id' say go custom build all the time. I've just taken my Crosslands off my hardtail to replace them with something lighter. The bearings on the rear were done after 3 years (Hope's on other bike still going after 5yrs) I had a front hub failure on a spoke 'flange' after 18 months and upon taking the rear disc off I've found 4 fractured disc mounts on the hub. Not impressed really.. I know they weren't top end wheels but XT on 717's would have been better in hindsight.

I'll have to miss this one, ribs still giving me some grief and I don't need to risk another tumble onto them. Might have to go for a cyclepath amble….

Was seriously impressed by Wiggins today, what a transformation, looked like a pure climber…

I reckon mine are about 22 years old, used heavily for rowing in and then get the odd bike ride now and then.

I think they're made of the same material as cockroach shells – after a nuclear blast all you'll see left is cockroaches and ronhills :D

As Hora says – That's their first 'lets see what we can get away with offer' Hang out for closer to £4k, especially as prices are on the up in the 2nd hand market.

I was considering them but I've just gone and ordered some A2Z hubs on some 717's from Adam at Homers. The A2Zs are a bit lighter than the Hope's so I think I'm going to knock about 500g off the weight of the current wheelset!

Ahem…..injuries, however, were another matter :?

Future Stars…YoungStars….School Speedsters

IMHO it’s gotta be something positive in vibe to encourage them!

I don’t use anything on either of mine. I figure that they’re designed to put up with whatever they’re dealing with and they’ve been fine for several years.

Have you had them uspide down? If they’re like the XCAM’s that they’re evolved from then you may need to prime them – have a look in the manual to see if this is still the case

Rich

Thumbs up for the pines from me. Was at CP in March and for a blast out of the gate of CP I reckon it’s great. As above, ride it fast and it does the job, certainly gave me my fix and you won’t get into trouble after being out for just over an hour, you may even be let out again!

Blow the sand away slowly using a hairdryer!

Same as Nobeer here,if they ignore it, they’ll soon be back to eat when everybody else is in the kitchen having some food. Our little man has a spell of eating very little for a week and then whole horses go missing after it’s over. If they’re hungry then they’ll let you know, usually at 3am IME :D

Apologies for the state of the garden…

My mate over there seems to buy all his stuff from the states, says he saves a bundle on it all.

It should be okay – the only time you would need new ones is if you fit shorter springs, as they will put the shock in a different static positionand not enable it to use it’s full stroke. If you are carrying heavy loads then a heavy duty shock will perform more consistently, for longer, as they’re designed for that work cycle. The standard ones may get a little hot and suffer a perfromance drop off over a long distance.

Nice, I like Freo….How long are you intending to stay?

You lucky bastard! That’s all I can say, where you’ll view rain as a refreshing change and never have to clean your bike (although make sure it’s spotless before you take it in first time)

I might be in there, dunno where to watch it from though, I suppose it doesn;t matter as you’ll only see people for 10 seconds a lap..

I was about to put a few thing on there last week and then I read the fees page. Thought it was rather steep, I’d prefer to knock the money off teh asking price than pay 10% for a ‘service’ that’s very hands off…