Not personally, but I have 2 friends, one who worked for GE in a consultancy role doing wind power, another who worked for a small wind turbine producer in Scotland and few years back, in a more hands on role.

I’m shooting the breeze with the first one this afternoon…

Glad it’s working out molgrips!

My perfect chain tension (with a half link) lasted about 3 rides on all new components. I was amazed when the chain first snapped into place, and then heartily disappointed when I had to put the tensioner on.

Hmmm, even though Finish Line suspension oil is Semi-Synthetic?

Someone here thinks they have 30wt shock oil, so I may go with that instead, if indeed they do have some.

Hurrah! We were up Top of the Rock at sunset on Xmas eve where a couple had just got engaged. Lots of congratulations from random people, which would have been nice for them. And it made me think of this thread!

Congratulations!

Thanks for the replies

It should stay separate from the actual damping circuits, although I’ve read the oil in the air chamber can makes its way past the piston and into the main damper, over time.

With my experimental hat on, I tried mixing a few ml of Finish Line 5wt and this 40wt motor oil in a can to see what would happen. It appeared to mix pretty well, and not separate when left to sit, so I think the (at most) 5ml in the 120ml in the main leg shouldn’t make too much issue.

Seals and things should be ok? Not really sure what motor oil encounters normally…?

Thanks Edric! That’s reassuring to hear.

Have you tried booting it in safe mode, shutting down and restarting?

Edit – double post

I’ve booked mine online before but with the now defunct National Express website. However, I did find another operator using exactly the same booking engine so was able to book with them. I think it was their successor http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/%5B/url%5D There is an option mid page after selecting a time and class, near seating preferences.

My experience on Virgin trains was mixed. I have a huge bike, and it nearly didn’t fit in their allocated space. I always preferred GNER/NXEC/East Coast with bikes going in the guards van. Never had a problem.

Worst ever train was a local train from Leeds to Todmorden IIRC. Bikes hung in the middle of the carriage, wheels to the wall so saddles and bars stuck into centre of the aisle, nearly blocking the way through. THAT pleased people in suits when my bike was muddy…

Ah yes, the infinite resolution camera. ‘Enemy of the State’ was a classic for this sort of stuff “Computer, hypothesize what might be in the bag”

Also, computer users randomly fluttering their hands over keyboards. See Swordfish.

And telephones dialing out preposterously fast. In a film press a button on the phone and the other person picks up within a second or so.

It’s Google, by a country mile!

Apples and Oranges to a degree. But Facebook is now more popular than Google. As evidence of part of this, from here[/url];

Facebook has now taken top slot from Google as America’s most-visited website in 2010, according to a new report from Experian Hitwise. With three other variations of Facebook making it into the top 10 as well : “facebook login” at #2, “facebook.com” at #6 and “www.facebook.com” at #9.

there are significant issues relating to personal security

There are significant issues relating to personal security in everyone’s houses! I mean, anyone can come into your house, look around, take anything they want. Unless you lock the doors and the windows.

Sure you can find people’s profiles easily – the information I publish on STW is enough to find me there for instance. But I publish what I want people to see, or don’t mind people seeing. You can find out a lot more about people if you know where to look.

It might depend on which ones you bought, although I can’t confirm. I bought a super expensive set in 2008 which came with cream and cleaner, and then a cheaper set in 2010 which didn’t come with either.

Non-conclusive I know but that’ all I can offer…

I get your point – to a degree. Normally there’s something to grasp onto though, too heavy/light, too much/little travel. Not as good as x, y or z. It just seems odd (to me) to want a change, almost for the sake of change? I get very familiar with exactly how each bike feels, so I wouldn’t want to swap bikes unless something was wrong. I tend to buy them new, change the bits as they wear out and ride them until they die. Then get another bike which suits my riding ambitions as they stand at that point.

I read a very favourable review of the Nickel in Dirt Rag and they mentioned the Butcher. I can’t seem to find it online unfortunately – only the first impressions http://www.dirtragmag.com/node/62

FWIW, I’ve only owned 2 cars. Had to get rid of the 1st one (a 23 year old warm hatch) as the wife insisted it wasn’t safe. I got rid of the 2nd when I moved abroad.

Excellent! Although it’s a shame to see that they are still allowed to sell them, just with a link secreted at the bottom of their website…

Whilst I have no problem with people enjoying the building and choosing aspect of a new bike – it’s certainly not what I do but that’s fine. However, I can’t see why you feel the need to change. Your existing bike is up to date, good condition and you can’t put a finger on why you want to get rid of it nor have you seen something that’s a must have to replace it. Difficult!

If you want the same but different – how about a SC Nickel or Butcher? From what I read, the linkage driven shock gives them quite a different feel.

Have you considered spending the cash on new bits for the existing bike?

A lot of people will probably say Genesis iO. I would.

What price point? And for what terrain?

I’ve bought a fair few bottles in store and online with
http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com

If you’re after cassette tools I’d recommend a Park FR5 and

The Park HCW-16. Pedal spanner and whip in one. I never saw the point of the standalone chain whip having the spanner hole for the FR5 tool as you need to use chain whip AND the FR5 to take a cassette off…

I’m a confirmed dropper and I’m partial to slipping a comfort inch on a lot of stuff. I’ve never been confident about getting behind the saddle. I do ride a bike that’s nominally too big for me, so I can get the saddle high enough. I’m cursed with long legs and a short body AND I keep my toes down most of the time so I need a silly high saddle.

Nan Bield down to Haweswater? Aye – that’ll be the saddle on the frame and the rear tyre flossing my cheeks

I left a full bag of riding kit on the pavement on a wall outside my house when packing for a race weekend. I had to race in borrowed shoes (2 sizes too big with several pairs of socks on), a borrowed jersey and helmet and casual shorts with no padding. With no gloves or Camelbak.

But all the kit was exactly where I left it upon returning home. Result!

Done

Question 3 would be better with square tick boxes so you can tick 1, 2 or 3; I have competed locally, nationally and abroad :-)

I subscribed for a few years from about Issue 4. Got back orders back to 2, but 1 was sold out. I recall one having a whole heap of pages duplicated and a matching heap of pages missing. Think it was #6.

I asked my mum for the subscription for Xmas or Birthday –

write the check to Gofar Enterprises, that’s ‘Gofar’ space ‘Enterprises’

So of course she wrote the cheque to ‘Gofar Space Enterprises’. Cue Tip-Ex – the cheque was still cashed :-)

I enjoyed it most when it was small, rustic and local – saddle stitched not perfect bound! I stopped subscribing when it went more international; I recall a photo special having about 2 pages of UK riding and the rest were shots from places I could never go. That wasn’t for me.

Edinburgh bicycle company cooperative

:wink:

That second picture of the soul is fantastic. What’s that front wheel?

I think that was about it CM. It was a, erm, lesser well known university that attracted a lot of foreign students. Dr(Mrs) M_B was working there for a term as they had a staffing issue.

Dr M_B asked me to check over some essays she was marking because she thought they read a bit oddly. <5 minutes with Google and it turns out the student had copied whole chunks from an non-course textbook, changing the odd word for a synonym. Essay was flagged up and sent back. Nothing happened on this occasion as they were foreign and their schooling culture allowed or even encouraged plagiarism, even though this was a UK university (not a very good one mind). Craziness.

Heathrow ordered de-icing stuff last year after the chaos, with the equipment due to arrive in January. However, the weather didn’t play nicely and arrived early. Oh dear.

Blimey some of STW ride a lot!

Me – about 100 miles, but 30 of those are road miles on a SS getting to the trails.

Rule of thumb = if drive is longer than the ride, reconsider

I’m a fan of this logic. I also extend it to ‘if road ride to get there and back is longer than off-road ride, find more off-road to ride’

The Gore Hannibal Lector is pretty good.
My issue with it is, wear it over the helmet straps for easy removal when you warm up, but it doesn’t stay in place. Put it under the straps for a secure fit, but then you have to stop and undo helmet to take it off.

I love it though, just the job for getting going before you warm up fully.

A beer? Or better, several beers. Have enough of them and anything has a wow factor…

Is no-one answering this? Or does it not serve to back-up their arguments to accept it is not illegal to run your car on your own drive with no-one in it?

Well, I was first to say it’s illegal. And then I went out on my bike. It was lovely.

I’m sure you can do whatever you like off the public highway as others have mentioned, however no-one mentioned it being on private property ;-). And aren’t sweeping generalisations de rigeur on here? :-)

Or dont leave you car running when your not in it, cheaper and more effective

AND not illegal.

Portland, Oregon – bike friendly it may be, but all the local parks and forest next to the city keep bikes to the doubletracks. Apparently there are no decent singletrack trails within an hour of the city.

I’m in the Mid-Atlantic, corner of Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Here it’s pretty flat, but hundreds of miles of singletrack within a short ride. Central Pennsylvania has some epic riding spots too.

I hear good things about the riding in Vermont and elsewhere in New England. I loved being in Boston too, very friendly city, very European feeling.

Bought this after nearly turning for home on Tuesday’s ride. I never needed one in the UK. I do here, and the winter proper isn’t even here yet :-(

OpenOffice here too. I like the fact it opens .docx and the like without a blink, amongst other things.

You could look at http://www.zdnet.co.uk/broadband-speedtest/%5B/url%5D which should give you an idea of what you’re getting.

I agree TJ! But people likeneed their toys; air con, multi-adjustable seats, electric everything, sat nav, ICE, *cough* side impact bars…

Give me a stupidly simple, lightweight car any day!

Depends on the trail. If grades aren’t too high, then a singlespeed in the right hands can be just as quick as a geared bike. Even on the ‘wrong’ trails I’ve seen folk* on rigid singlespeeds run rings around people** on geared full suspension.

If you’re not fast on a normal bike, I’d say you’re not going to be fast on a singlespeed – give or take a bit.

*expert racers mainly.
**’normal’ people