For my 50th I went to my brother in laws inquest!

I had to to pick up the widow and older offspring as they don’t drive, take them up to the inquest, buy the pub lunch, sit in the inquest hearing, drive them back, then drive home. 300 miles all in.

And I didn’t even mention that it was my birthday (wasn’t the right thing to do, really).

I will remember it though :-)

@ RogerMoore – I could be interested in the Eazzy 4 rack if OP isn’t.

New car has detachable towball so my (ancient) Pendle (two bolt bracket) won’t fit. And as it’s ancient and has lived outside a lot it’s pretty much dead.

Whereabouts are you based?

Pollen filters.

I will put you both up for a night in mid Wales. (Genuine offer)

We have the National Cycle Museum in walking distance. The largest collection of bikes from day 1 to modern world record setting carbon exotics.

I can arrange a guided tour. It is fantastic for bike nerds.

Can sort out some rides too. Night ride with the local shop crew or a day ride around Rhayader or somewhere. BPW and BMCC all pretty close by too.

Gravel rides available if desired. Or even road if you want.

Train station in Llandrindod if you really want to suffer.

Oh, and the new Dyfi bike park is a nice little drive over the mountains.

Sounds like it went really well mboy, and if you are happy with your performance then you can’t do much more.

Hope it turns out well.

Good luck mboy.

Wider bars. Obvs innit 😎

Surgeon said that my wrist looked like a paper bag full of broken biscuits on the xray!

I had an external fixator on for a while.

It’s a right manky shape now but I’m back riding normally. Took a few years to get it all sorted but got there in the end.

Keep your favourite bike so that you have something to get out on when you are ready.

Was gonna mention sag of suss forks. Plus the further compression as you go over stuff.

None of that with rigids.

I’ve been looking at putting rigids on a Orange Clockwork 100 frame that I have lying around to make a big tyre clearance gravel bike for the local forestry tracks, and this has been my thinking.

Bumped in to Mickey Flanagan this morning g at Reading train station.

Got chatting to a gent in the first class train carriage a few years back on the way from London to Derby.

He got off at Leicester. Apparently he was looking at some film/theatre scripts.

Only later did I realise it was Dicky Attenborough 😎 lovely unassuming bloke.

I am currently on 760s, previously always old skool 685 and didn’t like the wide bars.

But after a couple of years on 760s I am now keen to go 800 as the 760s feel a bit narrow.

I am 6’4″ though and broad shouldered.

I did have a legendary crash a couple of years ago clipping a tree, which I think scared my riding mates quite a bit!! But not repeated even on the same trail.

Yep, it’s a struggle to fit everyday in.

Tomorrow will be walking again as I have an early train to Reading for work followed by a day of meetings as and a train back.

Will get there early and walk for 30 minutes.

Planning a run and ride this afternoon, although the run will be short and slow with the missis, as I’m looking after a torn knee ligament that refuses to go away.

And yes, us oldies need to consider active recovery days rather than smashing a session every day.

And I think that it’s the spirit of the challenge that counts I.e. taking the long commute, or 29 minutes and 54 seconds ends!

Electric cutter.

Mines a pretty basic one with water bath for the wheel to dip in.

Must be 20 years old and still getting used.

Fatbikedog – Lon Las Cymru would be a decent shout.

Mid Wales has got some great isolated bits with gravel and forest roads linked by quiet tarmac back lanes.

A couple of bothys too.

Some decent climbs as well.

Whack some Dettol type liquid through it. Super hot wash if it hasn’t got a self clean program.

Does it have a removable filter?

Its ace.

I’m 54 got a 7 year old granddaughter and a two year old grandson.

Love em to bits.

Loudon Wainwright III – Cardboard Boxes

I’ve had good bearings from Aire Velo.

You could also try your local bearing stockists.

Muggomagic- yeah, I get a hard time from the mrs if she wants to go to the pub early doors and I say I’m gonna do a workout!

Bike parks and trail centres.

I think they make most sense there.

Was at Llandegka last week and there were a few out. It means that less fit folk can smash round a loop without dying in a heap, maximizing the fun descending bits. No navigation across scary mountains, and a cafe at the end.

A bit like fishing went a few years ago. It’s now all self contained featureless carp lakes stuffed with fish that you cant fail to catch.

I still like puffing and grunting up a big climb!!

I demoed an AM9 at Llandegla recently. Had a great trip round the flowy blue trail. Climbed surprising well and got me jumping off every little roller, which I just don’t do on my current stumpy evo.

It’s currently top of my list having also demoed a FlareMax, Scott Genius and a Hightower.

I’m 6’4 and have so far struggled to get a bike that feels long enough. So LLS 29er is where it’s at for me.

The AM9 on paper is too much bike for most of my local riding but it didn’t feel like that at ‘degla.

And take a look at a ruler to see how much difference there is between 120 and 150mm! I think it’s more about the bike than just the travel.

I’m in. New to strava but think I have cracked it!

My runs will be very short and slow for a while. I’m just starting up again after a year off with a torn medial meniscus, and the mrs has decided that she wants to run too but she hasn’t run in the last 40 years!

Good motivation as I’ve had a lazy 12 months after 10 years of triathlons.

Granddaughters 7th birthday today. Party on saturday which involves over 300 miles of driving for us. Getting something done that day was looking difficult, but it’s a trampoline party so I think that counts 😜

A couple of pubs near the old fruit and veg market in Nottingham used to open at 5am for the market workers as they finished then.

We used to go in for a late (early?) One after a proper night out BITD 🤩🍺

My missus loved it.

I thought it was dull.

But I didn’t remember the detail of the original, even though I loved it at the time.

My missus has a stellar memory.

I get in trouble a lot!

Demoing one on Friday.

XXL size.

Wasnt really on my list but been finding it hard to find bikes “big enough” and a sit on one in the shop convinced me that it’s a contender.

Will probably be the alloy S model, not sure that I can justify £5k plus

Did my first Ironman aged 49. Did IM Wales aged 52.

Mid 50s now and feeling good.

Can still get up the big mid-Wales climbs on the mtb and not at the back of the group of younger riders.

Bit of a medial meniscus tear had kept me off running for a year but just getting back on that.

Generally feeling good.

Just gotta keep getting on with it.

I only just heard of cisgender.

I am so out of touch and bloody pleased that I am.

I have something that sounds similar.

MRI shows torn medial meniscus.

Stopped running for three months, tried running and back it came.

Been a year now of no running and just started to get back on it very gently. All seems ok, but it’s taken that long.

Only you can tell but you need to look at the long game.

I’m an experienced keen runner IM ultras etc. Listen to your body. And when you think you are ready to run, give it a bit more rest!

Exposure TraceR.

Mine’s o er 5 years old. Used on mtb and road.

Great run time, programmable modes, no signs of weakness.

No allergies here!

Got a mate coming to stay this week. Vegetarian, allergic to vinegar and wine, peppers and celery!

What the **** do I cook?

I’m an unfussy omnivore!

On the way back to mid Wales from working in London.

Only a day trip but off for two weeks now so deffo demob happy.

Mate bought a scott spark with syncros wheels.

Easiest tubeless set up that I have ever done.

Ready taped.tube out. Tubeless valve in. Inflate. Valve core out. Sealant in. Valve core in. Inflate. Ride.

Zero faff.

You still put more miles and more overnighters in than I have.

Ooh an engagement party in lincolnshire which is a five hour each way drive for us.

On the best weekend in august.

No bikes or tents I sight :-(

Not eucalyptus, they grow massive and don’t provide much wildlife benefit.

can I suggest Cytisus Battandieri

Fairly evergreen. Fabulous yellow flowers that smell of cider.

I love them.

One of those and a cherry of some sort for the blossoms and maybe fruit if you pick the right variety.

Drip strip on front door could do with a coat of Ronseal.

Nice bike ;-)

I’m 6’4″ too and looking for a new bike. Off to have a look.

A hard foam roller sorted my piriformis out.

Feel the benefit within a week. Much better after 10 days.all gone in two weeks.

Just need to keep up a weekly roller session.

A couple of cable ties and a lolly stick will get you another couple of months out of that!

I prefer 1×11.

Only got the basic NX set up with N/W front ring.

Works perfectly and has been reliable for 3 years swapped between HT and FS bikes.

Not planning to go back to front derailleur.

My new ones are from vision express.

Oakly Varifocal transitions thin and light scratch resistant anti reflection.

Not cheap but as I wear them constantly they need to be good and comfortable.

I had the first set with a more curved wrap around lens shape and they were horribly distorted around the edge.

No problem. They just sent then back no questions and I went for a different model.

These are lovely to wear.

I popped in after a couple of weeks to get the fit adjusted a touch which they did there and then. They also said to keep going in until I am 100% happy, no problem at all.

Far from cheap but they are high spec …err…. specs and I would not have got this level of service online.

I will stick to high street for my specific needs.