That's ok, i thought i was being a wusser, when i nearly stalled it at the lights (can you stall a bike?)

Just been over the road to my LBS and he is getting me a 22 for the rear.

I don't have monster thighs, but i'd have legs like Arnie if i could ride that thing all winter!

The night vision looks quite nice actually, i'll probably get one payday.

I like the sticky tape idea too, my winter hack bike is a ghastly machine so a few stickers can't hurt.

cheers for the advice guys

Contact the local press.

Corruption in the council would make a great story for a hungry journalist.

And after a bit of bad PR the council would be climbing all over themselves to help you out.

I play airsoft regularly (once/twice a month) and it's a great hobby as long as you don't take it too serious.

I gives me a chance to run around pretending to be Jack Bauer, shout things like "Tango down" and just forget about the weekly 9-5 job.

Yeah sure it's geeky, but then i've been known to wear lycra.

Games are held on private land and are very well supervised, there will be an extensive safety briefing, and strict limits on the power of the guns (marshalls will remove and ban anyone caught with a gun over the legal limit).

However, be careful about buying him a gun. The law has changed in recent years (violent crime reduction act 2007) and buying a replica/airsoft gun is now illegal. The only way to legally buy an airsoft gun is to prove that you regularly play airsoft, this is usually done by attending several games and getting them signed off by the marshalls (google UKARA for a better explanation than i could give you).

This might help you find a local site
http://www.airsoftmap.net/UK/

My 97 Audi A4 avant 1.8t has nearly 170K on the clock and is going fine.

They are solid engines, and well looked after ones will run forever. Sure the performance won't set Jeremy Clarkson's pants on fire, but it will leave most boy racers at the lights.

Yunki – some consider politeness mildly offensive

Like who? I've heard Germans suggest that the British politeness, and our fondness of forming an orderly que, is weak character trait but not quite offensive.

Thank you for all the advice guys, i must admit i'd not really considered the V70 but after a quick look on autotrader it does seem a nice car.

Storage capacity is probably my main concern, so by the sounds of it the A4 just won't be big enough.

Ah, maybe it's just the roadies then?

But they never wave at anyone do they 😕

I love these threads.

There always seems to be plenty of people ready to launch themselves kung fu style through the passenger window and show any aggresive teh car driver the error of their ways.

Bicycles (with an average speed of say 15mph) on the road are always going to be considered an annoyance, so convincing other road users that we have every right to be on the road will always be an uphill struggle.

But do wonder how many cyclists thank the nice car drivers?

I mean, sure, i've had my fair share of arguments with bluetooth headset wearing middle managers driving their BMW shaped penis extensions. But when a car driver is couteous and waits behind me before overtaking when it's safe to do so i always give them a raised hand as a thank you, and alot of the time will get an aknowledgment back from the car driver. now surely this must have a positive effect on that car drivers opnion of cyclists.

So could the answer be 'we all need to be nicer' and perhaps show our appreciation when a car driver gets it right?

My wife bought me some Fox 3/4 shorts for Christmas, I opened them up and and was horrified. I couldn't imagine anyone over the age of 16 and not a piss pot wearing dirt jumper wearing them.

But they are the most comfy and well designed shorts i have ever ridden in, they even have a special hanky attachment for wiping your glasses ( 😕 at least i presume for wiping glasses)

Well my map reading skills are very poor so i tend to stick to trail centres where i can just turn up and ride, or ride with locals in-the-know.

although saying that i have just been checking out the Exeter Mountain Bike club website and quite like the look of the Dartmoor loop.

I'm not really into epic slog fests (long grassy climbs are the devil), i'm happier on more technical stuff – does this sound like Dartmoor?

Head wind the entire way.

It was all i could do to keep moving on some of the more exposed country lanes, standing up on the pedals, quads burning, gurning like fool, was not impressed!

Although some bloke commuting the other way (probably doing about 40mph in the tail wind) thought it was well funny. I hope i see him tonight, i'll be the one laughing*.

* hopefully – fingers crossed the wind doesn’t change

The top of the Helly Hansen route at Glentress (the top of the switch back climb before Britney Spears,…..i think)

Ooo thats pretty, Micheal Anderson clearly has too much time on his hands!

Nimrod – i'm actually writing a new cv now, and am some what lacking in design inspiration, care to share your format?

My daughter is now 2 weeks old and we are using re-usable nappies(Bum Genius).

And we are getting on fine with them, she gets through between 6-10 a day and they go in the wash ready for the next morning. (we have 20 nappies in total and havn't yet got to a stage where they are all dirty/wet/drying on the line)

As for being more eco friendly i'm not so sure, but they are definatley saving us money.

H Lloyds. thats the one i tried, he has a pretty big catalogue but no pictures.

I have a top pull on my 2008 frame.

Does anyone actually make hard tail frames with cable guides to fit down pull anymore? what with all the mud problems?

Give them a fake credit card and ID?

Not that i condone it or am planning such a devious heist, but it wouldn't be too hard to get away with surely.

You telling me you've never thought of doing that?

Taking a posh new test bike out for a ride and returning empty handed, "Oh sorry Mr Orange/Gary fisher/Mr Trek, i got bashed on the head and now the bikes gone"

disclaimer – Unless of course he was testing his own bike, in which case i hope the bike turns up soon, and the culprit has a nasty accident.

I’ll pass on the rolled up denims thanks, although a playing card wedged in the spokes might finish off that 80’s look 😉

I’ll cobble it together tonight and try it on the commute tomorrow.

Then if i don’t like it I can sell on ebay to some fakenger for £200 😉