Nibali has been asked about doping in his press conferences for the past week. This has included questions about his alleged — but proven to be false — connections to Michele Ferrari. I’m not sure if you would count that as being “put on the spot” but the questions are there. For what it’s worth he deals with it (in Italian) at length and very well. The Cycling Podcast have talked about this a couple of times.

Crisped Wheel speaks the truth.

The Trout is fine for a generic mass market drinking and dining experience. If you want somewhere more interesting and better than the Fishes is very good; the White Hart at Wytham is a bit further away but it’s a nice walk and the food is by far the best of the lot.

*waves at Macgyver* you’re welcome to them: just hunt me down and let me know when and where!

@SaxonRider you want to be talking to my old flatmate – very early medievalist. He’d be mad for that stuff.

Will do: thanks!

Yeah exactly that kind of boring stuff! Same old same old…

And thanks for the tip: embarrassingly I hadn’t come across that.

20s30s geek / obsessive here… Next book is on an interwar confidence trickster and international man of mystery; currently trying to sort out contract for something more general and accessible on the 1920s after that.

@ Stoner: sounds like you should start saving up for my forthcoming book on the period…

coughs//retirement fund//coughs

Perhaps they don’t say it because of the snide comments from homophobic idiots like you…

Cheers Ton – will do! Thinking about posting on Crazyguyonabike when we’re back.

Spoiler alert!

Good work! Lovely part of the world and I’m very jealous. Heading out there next summer so will be following this trip with interest. Hope it all goes well.

Setting off first thing tomorrow – two weeks down the Danube to Vienna! I can’t bloody wait

There are a good number of fantastic smaller Irish breweries whose stuff makes Guinness taste like water. I like the Porterhouse down by the Liffey – lovely oyster stout and a more traditional version called Wrassles I think – but O’Hara’s and Galway Bay also do some great beers. As well as the Porterhouse Against the Grain is the place to go in Dublin.

Blast from the past there! She was bloody awful.

+ 1 for Kayal: great food and lovely people.

Criterion is worth a visit but I prefer Taps for that pour-your-own novelty. Apparently I can’t be trusted there…

Very small world! What years were you there?

*waves at CrispedWheel*

Small world Rick! I grew up in Winterton and parents are still there.

@ rickmeister Ah nice! That’s where my parents go for a posh dinner with friends. I’m from the other side of Scunthorpe originally…

There’s a nice road ride alongside the Trent from Scunthorpe though.

No, seriously…

You probably can’t save them but I hear you can pick up some second hand brakes in good condition on the classifieds.

My Salsa el Mariachi–set up for the Welsh Ride Thing this weekend.

A mate of mine uses something like an 8l Alpkit dry bag on the back: roll up and straps then fasten around the seatpost + a couple of compression straps to tie it onto the saddle rails. He seems to have it sorted and has never had any problems in any of the stuff we’ve done.

And + 1 for the Anything cages: really neat solution and can fit anything up to a sleeping bag in them. I think Charlie the Bikemonger has in stock at the moment too.

I’ve used both the Hyper 2.5 and the Enduro for bikepacking in the past (though now carry everything on the frame). Both are good and far more comfortable than a conventional bag when you’re out for a couple of days. Even with the Enduro you won’t be able to fit in everything you need though. Works best in combination with a drybag strapped to your bars.

Come on Mark, you’re better than this: no need for you to get drawn into this particular little game!

😉

He makes a good cup of coffee too…

Does the average working bloke think todays universities are full of commies/beatniks/etc?

Well I’m a lecturer so probably don’t qualify as the ‘average working bloke’ you’re after… But from the inside my sense is that students are less politicized in the traditional sense than a decade or so ago. That is, although there are still careerist party hacks of all stripes far fewer students seem to identify as ‘political’ or affiliate to any particular party or are activists in the way that we’ve defined the term in the past. There’s a lot of tweeting-as / instead of-political action that I don’t quite get. What’s more interesting is their involvement in single issue campaigning or voluntary work on social issues like homelessness or the environment or with other charities: this is something that seems to have increased while I’ve been working in the sector.

So it looks like there are far fewer ‘commies / beatniks / etc’ but I guess I’m wondering out loud whether what counts as politics in general and student politics in particular is changing.

Nice to see so many experts on Oxbridge admissions procedures on here.

Are you a light or a dark blue CFH?

Word of caution on the Peak Elite: it’s very comfortable, lightweight and good value *but* there are issues with the reliability of at least one batch. Google turns up a number of people here and in the US who had problems with recurrent leaks. I loved mine when I got it but on two of the three occasions I used it in anger (bivvy trips to the Peak District in December and the Berwyns in March) it deflated. I tried using the repair kit provided and fixed one leak in the seam but the leaks kept appearing. After two very cold and uncomfortable nights out I decided to cut my losses and returned it / replaced with a Neoair. From Cotswold’s response it didn’t seem like this problem came as any surprise to them.

Not being challenged at work still TSY?

scaredypants – Member
blimey, half a page in and already I’e no idea who’s serious

True. But you get quite a clear sense of who is a self-absorbed and narrow-minded idiot.

Compulsive attention seekers.

Also there on Saturday in the company of Pedalhead and Crispedwheel *waves* along with my partner who will be keeping firm hold of the credit card all day.

There I am! Probably the only view you had of my back all weekend Mark.

Still think that climb up the Lawnt is do-able fully loaded.

North along Burton HIlls to Alkborough?

Patience (and trying things out for yourself) is a virtue.

Perhaps try a better question next time.

This OP is as mad as a box of cliches.

Hmm there’s a hell of a lot of inspiration in here! Starting to plan three years in advance now as the ideas accumulate…

More prosaically in the first instance though: has anyone any experience of touring in Dorset? We’re planning to get the train down to Bournemouth over Easter and then head west via Poole and the ferry through the Isle of Purbeck and along the coast. Any suggestions on routes and sights to see very much appreciated!