I think you should take it down rather than just editing it: some of your comments in there are offensive and unacceptable on a public forum.

Try Charlie the Bikemonger–very good indeed for all your singlespeed needs

Have you started to come out in rashers?

IGMC

Mboy

A few of us ride out of Oxford every Tuesday evening–now that the days are getting longer you can just about manage without lights as well. There’s some decent stuff around here if you know where to look. You’re welcome to join us if you want.

Cheers
Matt

Nevegal Stick-E front and Nevegal DTC rear–2.35 on my Cotic Soul and 2.1 on my Superlight. Does the job very nicely indeed

It’s interesting that–RudeBoy apart–most people are prepared to accept the official construction of G20 direct action as that of radical, organized and violent groupings. It’s even more interesting given that there was a thread yesterday highlighting the liberal media’s silence around a right-wing MEPs attack on Gordon Brown. Seems to me that a similarly critical approach to the ways in which popular protest is represented in the liberal media might be appropriate here. Does anyone seriously buy the quasi-military language that’s used? Describing climate change groups as ‘commandos’ and presenting the whole thing as a ‘war’ between protestors and police might make sense for a very small minority, but that just serves to discredit the participation of large numbers of ordinary men and women in direct action because nothing else quite seems to work.

Just a thought.

So it’s only ‘crusties’ that can be concerned enough about climate change and Tibet to engage in some kind of direct action? Nice…

Good stuff. Out tonight with Trimix to check it out. If all looks good then we’ll be back next Tuesday with a few more bodies for a variation on our regular Oxford night-ride.

Great news. Bikes in the van time…

I”ll second on the Superlight. But you can’t run more than 120mm forks up front without invalidating the warranty.

Same as above. I switched from 32 / 16 to a 44 / 16 on my Inbred for commuting. That’s probably a bit excessive, but it means I don’t spin out on the flat and can get up the hills around here (Oxford).

Why not do the proper off-road one instead? St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay taking in the Lakes, Dales, and Moors on the way. Plenty of fantastic trails and a real challenge. The Tim Woodcock route’s the classic one. We did it in five days which was pretty comfortable–three or four is do-able.

Yeah that’s what I thought CrispedWheel!

Speaking of which, did you get yours un-crisped?

I spoke to a guy at Insure and Go just now who said they covered mountain biking unless it was ‘downhill racing and extreme terrain.’ Not entirely sure what counts as extreme terrain though–he said ‘rocks and stuff.’ But this is Moab…

Thanks guys–really helpful.

Thanks NBT that’s really useful. I think the problem we’ve got is that our account DOES think it’s a lot of work to run the scheme–and that’s the argument they’re using to not introduce it. I guess what I could do is present these two options (Cycle Scheme vs. in house) and see what they go for.

I’ve used in the past–good training schedules most (but not all) of which are free if you sign-up to the website. Takes the work of putting together a programme out of your hands.

– a big backlash against pension-guaranteed Public Sector employees

This really does p*** me off. Why turn against public sector employees when our current economic problems have been triggered by the money-grabbing selfish capitalists in the financial sector? Rapid economic growth = massive increases in salaries and bonuses for city executives–but the last time I checked those benefits didn’t get anywhere near the public sector. Public sector employees work very hard knowing that they will never get the same rewards as–in my case–a lot of those who left university at the same time. The flip side is that when things go belly up they are (hopefully) insulated from some of the immediate effects of recession. No one in the public sector made a fortune out of economic growth; the credit crunch started elsewhere. If you’re going to lashback against anyone, at least pick the right target.

Hello Ian,

A group of us have just started regular Tuesday evening night rides from Oxford city centre. There are decent singletrack routes on Shotover Hill and Boars Hill that can fill a couple of hours easily. You’re more than welcome to join us–email me on mhoulb@hotmail.com

Otherwise… Chilterns and Cotswolds for longer days out (though mud’s a problem). There’s some good singletrack on your side of Oxford around Long Hanborough (Pinsley and Bladon woods in particular).

Cheers
Matt

University lecturer / historian–bringing modern British history to assorted 18-22 year olds. With varying degrees of success, as it were…