Space Hoppers, Clackers, Rubik's Cubes, singlespeeds…
Fads come and go.
Not that I've got anything against them. They're OK for peasants who don't like derailleurs, but can't afford a Rohloff.

Even when supermarkets mark stuff in metric, they don't get it right.
I was looking at some flour once and couldn't work out why the shelf was marked 1kg 500g, yet there was only one price and one size bag on the shelf.
It took me a while to realise they were probably marked by someone more familiar with imperial measurements, and just as they wouldn't mark a shelf 1.5lb or 24oz, they would mark it 1lb 8oz, they had done the same with the metric weight.
1kg 500g = 1.5kg or 1500g. :roll:

This repeated focus on RLJing by those who make and enforce the laws is what makes me despair of democracy.
Not that I can come up with a better system.

Living in the land of milk and honey is not so good when you're vegan. :evil:

Thanks, njee, the staggered starts are a relief. I could just imagine a group of 12 year olds getting all excited and racing off at the start, then getting in the way as everyone who had paced themselves a bit better caught them up.
I'm familiar with the practice of shouting "On your right/left". I ride 12 hours solo, so I've heard it a few times. :-)

I've downloaded the whole Transport Policy now and found this bit…

10.2 We believe that there needs to be a better balance of rights and responsibilities for pedal cyclists, with too much aggressive abuse of red lights, pedestrian crossings and a lack of basic safety and road courtesy.

and

10.8 Cycling on safe cycle routes, lanes, tracks and trails should be actively encouraged, particularly as a leisure pursuit.

So it's the usual vague waffle about wanting to promote cycling, as long as we don't get in the way of their cars.

This is the only bit on cycling I could find.

Support responsible pedal cycling but have zero tolerance on dangerous practices such as running red lights. We will consult on proposals for cyclists to display a cheap 'Cycledisc' to deter theft and give 3rd party insurance for car damage

From here.
http://www.ukip.org/content/ukip-policies/1430-transport-ukip-policy

I knew that and also that it is 1/640 of a square mile.
I just found it amusing that someone who was so vocal in his dislike of metric measurements didn't.

I had a look at a UKIP stall at a show once.
The guy started talking about how we don't need Brussels telling us to buy apples in kilograms, we should stick to gallons, etc. etc.
I asked him how many square yards there are in an acre.
He didn't know.

Destiny Angel.

I was looking to buy a new rear light recently and was quite surprised to find that even Halfords don't censor negative reviews on their website.
Example 1
Example 2

Glad you both enjoyed it, and 14th is pretty good for a first attempt.
Are you doing any more ?
I'm helping to organise the Alveley event on May 23rd, maybe I'll see you there.
http://www.midlandtrailquests.co.uk/event_details.php?e=105

Crash at 27km/h on that last stony descent.

100kg doing 12 hour solos on a Fizik Gobi.
Just bought a second one for the other bike as I find it so comfortable.
Various seat posts used. Never bent one yet.

Today, while commuting, I…
Rode on a footpath
Rode the wrong way down a one way street
Rode on several pavements
Rode the wrong way down a dual carriageway
Rode the wrong side of a keep left bollard
Rode through a red light
Rode in a bus lane
Exceeded 30mph in a 30mph limit

I'll probably do the same tomorrow because I don't trust car drivers and I don't live in a fantasy world where cycling within the rules gets rewarded with safe roads.

I see your point, cookeaa, I just don't think real life works like that.
To get from my house to the nearest town in either direction, I've got to either ride on a narrow B road with a 60mph limit, steep hills and blind bends, or a footpath along the river bank. I ride on the footpath.
I can't believe that even if every cyclist in the country suddenly started obeying all the rules, the council would provide a proper, safe cycle route.

If we want truly fair and equitable access to the Roads…then it’s right that we abide by the rules and legislation as they apply to us…

Are you suggesting that if all cyclists stopped RLJing, local councils and the Highways Department would then provide proper facilities for cyclists ?
Or, to put it another way, are you suggesting that they don't provide proper facilities because some of us RLJ ?
I can't see the connection.

GSuperstar, I get what you mean now.
It's just that there's no mention in the article about causing injury or damage, so £700 seems away out of proportion for the original offences. Like TJ says, the failing to stop bit must have had something to do with that.

GSuperstar – fined £700

on this occasion…

dickydutch, although I quoted you, my reply wasn't aimed at you personally.
I just don't get this idea, that is common amongst cyclists, that if cyclists stopped RLJing, motorists would somehow magically stop killing cyclists, as if the one provoked the other.

I got overtaken by a red car, followed by a blue car, followed by two silver cars, followed by another red car.

I think I should point out that I'm an old fogey and object to the excessive and inappropriate use of the word "random" by the younger generation when they mean "unusual" or "unexpected".

So it's a £700 fine and "serves him right" for riding harmlessly through a red light or a £500 fine for "careless driving" and killing a cyclist.

Spend the £500 on getting to more races this year and get more experience.

I think I ought to mention that, despite my criticisms, I still use Eggbeaters, I've just come to accept their limitations.
I've given up any ambitions of riding a proper downhill track. For normal XC riding, with at least one wheel on the ground at all times, they seem reliable enough with regular greasing.

There was a comment earlier in this thread about regreasing them via the end cap.
The outer bearing has got two rubber seals, so any grease applied while the pedal is assembled won't get past the first seal to the bearings.
CBs current advice is to dismantle the pedal and grease the inner bush manually and rely on the outer bearing being sealed for life.
My method is to prise the rubber seals out of the bearing, fill the end of the pedal and the end cap with grease, then slowly screw the cap on.
This works like an old fashioned grease cup.
It might take two or three goes, but you will see the new clean grease pushing the old dirty stuff out past the seal.

Don't cyclocross riders get off and carry their bikes over the bumpy bits though ? :P

Do the finishing times get published at all ?
I know it was a reliability trial, not a race. I just wondered how much more or less reliable I was than other people.

I've posted this picture before, but as CB don't appear to have any intention of modifying their product to make it fit for use, it's worth posting again.

100kg rider doing nothing more extreme than a couple of runs down the Cannock red downhill route (one 18" drop off).

With the current trend of people claiming compensation for anything they can, I'm surprised that CB are still selling a product that will inevitably, one day, cause a serious injury. I'm just lucky that both mine broke at low speed.

A great day out, finishing in 5:29 on a hard tail 29er despite getting involved in a 3 bike pile up on the last descent.
Thanks to all the marshals and organisers.
A good atmosphere too. I found myself chatting to singlespeeders, full suss and CX riders. We were all in it together.

martyntr, I take it from your location you're the guy in the MTB Wales jersey who asked me about my Go Vegan shorts.
The ambiguity is intentional. We employed an advertising agency at great expense to come up with a slogan that was both memorable and thought provoking.

I wasn't there, I was at HONC.
Yes, come on. We all want to know how lost you got. :-)

DavidB – Member
Chortling at Trailquest and Vegan fitness on same thread

:?:

Any chance you can go back and do it again with a helmet cam on ?

I'm taking this deadly seriously.
I've been reseraching data from the Met office, the organisers, past participants and Google Earth and, after much deliberation, have decided to ride the bike I've been commuting on this week, with the tyres it's already got on it.
I've been carb loading all week too. Mmmm, chips. :-)

If you see a big fat beardy bloke in Vegan Cyclists kit going for the "Most Niche Bike of the Day" award with a purple Gary Fisher 29er with white rims and a Rohloff hub, say hello.

Thanks. My ambition of a sub 6 hour time is slightly less unrealistic now the course has been shortened a bit, so I'll plan on carrying 3 or so hours worth of water.
Met Office are predicting 9-13 deg. C with winds of 10-14mph.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/sw/cheltenham_forecast_weather.html

How far apart are the water stops ?
I'm trying to work out what capacity of camelbak or water bottles to take.

I've used a dibber once on an EnduranceLife event.
MTQ use the old fashioned bingo card and punch method.

Rightplacerighttime, you sound like you know your stuff. Are you with the MTQ or TCA?

I wrote a bit about trailquesting and map marking on my training log if you're interested.
http://www.veganfitness.net/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=9189&start=627

I'm currently 6th in the Midland Trailquests[/url] Spring series and I'll be glad to give any advice I can.

The most important thing is make a map board. I did my first event with the map stuffed down the front of my jersey and wasted loads of time getting out to have a look and then stuffing it back in.
My map board is just a thin plastic chopping board cable tied on to the bars.
A watch or some other means of timing is essential. An odometer is very useful.

I've always ridden solo. Some people ride as a pair, others enter as two solos, but ride together so that if one gets a puncture, the other can carry on alone. For your first event you might as well ride as a pair for mutual support.

The procedures can vary from event to event, but normally you will get the map with the control points marked on it when you book in. Generally the harder to get to CPs will be worth more points.
You will need to have some idea of how far you can ride in the time allowed. Say, for example, you can maintain a 10km/h average, plot a 35km route on your map with a highlighter pen taking in as many high value CPs as you can.
Once the clock has started, then you get the control point values. If there's no surprises, set off on your route.
Keep an eye on the time and your average speed and be prepared to alter your route on the fly.

Use your local knowledge to your advantage. Bridleways all look pretty much the same on a map. If you know that one is a hard stone farm track and another is a muddy strip across a field, that will help in your route choice.

Where is the event ? There's a 3.5 hour MTQ event in Surrey tomorrow, so I guess it's that one.
If you look at previous results you will see there's a wide spread of scores. There's some proper fast guys (and one fast grrrl) doing the MTQ trailquests, but there's also a lot riders just out for a fun day on the bike. Don't worry about what everyone else is doing, just go out and enjoy it.

I wouldn't rely on a thorn staying in the hole indefinitely. One day it might fall out and the tyre will go down unexpectedly.
If they are big thorns, say more than 2mm at the hole, I'd pull them out and plug the tyre.