Edinburgh Bicycle Coop's Revolution Trail takes my 15" MacBookPro, and a change of clothes. It' made by Vaude so has the same aeroflex arched back as the others.

clicky

+1 for Endura Helium.

I have used mine in anger and it is great. It is cut fairly snug though – perfect for me, but wouldn't suit a more cuddly rider. Plus it's small enough to put in a pocket when 'out on the town' for the walk home.

I tried UFRaw in GIMP and it was awful! Couldn't get it to produce a useable image, but maybe that was me although I did try a few times with a few scenes. Maybe I was missing something…

Been using ACR in CS2, CS4 and now CS5. The latest ACR is brilliant, saves many unusable photos. Why? Because sometimes I can't expose for the whole scene. Sure, if I'm in the mood I'll shoot sets of exposures for HDR, but for moving scenes or when I haven't got a tripod, RAW and a bit of fill light works wonders for me :)

I did back to back comparisons with JPEG and RAW when I first got a decent camera (ok – not a decent camera, but a bridge model that could shoot RAW). The level of detail coming out of the RAW files was head and shoulders above the JPEG, which sold it to me.

We got some 'straight from the cow' milk a few months ago. Tasted good! For some odd reason it reminded me of the smell of the not-yet-aged-to-be-sold Kilchoman malt I had last year. De-yummy!

Normally, it's blue top all the way. Interestingly, now we're in the US of A, the blue is fat-free and red is full fat. Argh!

And never any milk in coffee. Cream yes, milk – NO!

Assuming I'd be using a frame with vertical dropouts & a fixed BB, what chain tensioner do people recommend?

I used to use the DMR STS, simply because it was unsprung. I had tried the old Surly design, but I couldn't get the spring tight enough to hold the chain on through the rough stuff. Sure, with the bolt in one, you have to adjust the tension every once in a while, but you'd do that if you take the wheel out anyway.

The DMR one, however, won't take a 1/8" chain – but a quick session with a hacksaw and a file opened the groove out enough to do it.

Then I bought a proper SS frame and it is lush!

That was awesome! Worth downloading Chrome for too.

Scotland is so poor for riding I moved across the duck pond. Wish I was in Wrexham though.

I lost all faith in testers after riding with one journo out testing a certain fork, which filled full of water and stopped working in the horrendous Yorkshire winter weather. When the review came out – not a mention of sealing problems, not even 'our first model had poor seals but we were sent another pair', but actually along the lines of 'sealing was excellent'.

Plus I know the same guy didn't bother setting up another bike up as the instructions said and then slated the bike for not working properly.

I was running a 42a DHF 2.35 on the back this summer, running the same way as the front IIRC, as it was 99% DH. Fine for dry trails, but perhaps the High Roller would be better if it's to run through the winter?

Just flown mine with me to USA. I bubble wrapped everything, which worked well for the components but at points of impact – the fork arch for example, the bubble wrap had burst all its bubbles from repeated hits and became useless. So I'm going for layers of cardboard on the most exposed bits next time.

I stripped the bike pretty much entirely (SS, so not that much). Old rear hub to brace the back end, forks removed and taped alongside frame. Brakes removed both ends etc. All pressure removed from air forks and tyres.

Only damage was where the edge of a hub rubbed up against the seatstay and chewed through the bubble wrap.

I got a 16T 3/32" ENO freewheel (I think anyway, I run a 1/8" chain on it now)

I've just moved from Edinburgh to Delaware. It's 29 over here, so I feel I'm getting the summers I've been cheated out of over the last few years :)

I was sick of people cutting me up when commuting and wanted to kill offending car drivers. Militant Islamists were just become mainstream news

That aimed at me SBZ?

Ian – get a White Industries – they are so worth it.

I popped one on the commuter years back cos I was sick of breaking everything else on the way home from Dalmeny. It's been flawless.

Think of it as an investment – or, just think how much you saved on the bike and re-invest that cash ;-)

Rick

Being in rowing boats.

I can do canoes and kayaks but rowing boats scare the bejesus out of me.

I've used a few. As before, when you get a clear frequency, they are excellent. For drives around the same area, one frequency will normally stay clear. On longer journeys I needed to change frequency. However, I have heard that 'down south' there are very few clear frequencies…

I hate cables in the car – can't stand having adaptors plugged into 12V sockets or aux cables or tape adaptors. With an FM transmitter, the ipod can be set and tucked out of the way. Short of replacing my stereo FM transmitters were the best option.

I rate it as a short but decent read. It's well put together, decent design – fair few typos mind. I reckon the T-shirts alone are worth the subscription price. In fact, it's the only mag I still subscribe to.

Hi All,

Thanks for the suggestions. The side buttons are a must – I have them set up for Exposé (show Desktop and show all windows) and find them irreplaceable now.

The Magic Mouse feels great, and seemed to be pretty responsive, but doesn't fit my needs properly.

I'll have a look into the Dell mice, otherwise I might just have to get a USB one and get a (powered) hub

Cheers!

There was an article in the Sunday Times about this (think it was the 25th). It gave a good set of instructions, at a glance, not quite the same as the lifehacker article above. Have to say, I had been considering updating my 3G to OS4, but won't bother now…

UK bikes used to have to be supplied with pedals as part of BS 6102:2 – now what the newer CEN (EN 14781?) standards demand is another matter…

We certainly used to have to supply cheapo plastic pedals as standard on bikes which didn't have any (e.g. high end stuff where you would fit your own choice of pedals) to make them compliant. Same as with bells and the reflector set.

As it was last week, if I recall correctly.

Morzine
Super Morzine side – back wheel hangs from a hook
Zore – both wheels slot into a side mounted cradle
Pleney side – hooks under the fork crown at the top of the stanchtion

Les Gets
Chevanne Chair from centre – front wheel lifted in a cradle on the chair in front
New Chevanne lift Nauchets? – side mounted wheel cradle
Mont Chery cabine – didn't ride it this year…

Montriond
French National Lindarets side and the new Chaux Fleurie, both are the new side mounted wheel cradles

Morgins
Two hooks, one under down tube, other one hooks under the saddle clamp or thereabouts

Chatel – Pierre Longue
Side mounted wheel cradle

None are the Fort William, nose of saddle in a loop style.

Indeed! I read a few posts and then just hit the search button. There're threads on there from people in exactly the same visa situation, suggesting an EAD work permit is not impossible to get once I'm out there.

Wow – that BritishExpats board is a brilliant resource, thanks for pointing that out. :)

Much appreciated

Rick

Konabunny – thanks for the info, I had thought this would be the case, but couldn't find it in black and white anywhere. Looks like it might be a year riding bikes for me then :/

infradig – thanks for the email – replied to it.

zigzag 69 – thanks for the info. It does seem massively complex, and it's something my employer hasn't had to worry about before, so it's all a bit crazy. I definitely want to keep up NI, as we may only be out for a year.

I've got me the Gilet and the Helium jacket (which has actually been around before it was named in the Equipe range)

Can't vouch for the durability yet, as only had them a few months and not used them that much, but fit is excellent for a skinny bloke (6'1", 70kg). Not quite Assos, but still pretty good.

MilitantGraham – Member

Nothing to do with politics, religion or animal rights…

I've been Militant_biker since the turn of the century, pre-September 11th, when militant islamists weren't on the news nearly as much. At the time I was getting really cheesed off with car drivers on my commute – I wanted a gun mounted to my handlebars.

Err – I can't recall! I'll check tonight. They are 29t & 42t.

I'd not want much for them, I need to get rid of loads of bike stuff and just need shot of them…

I've got a Duo inner and outer ring lying around, new and unused. I never got round to fitting them. Interested?

Dair – your work on Cyclescheme?

Thanks. It's got no cat, most AX's do, so I can believe that it's a problem to get. Car only done 38,000 miles so quite happy to spend cash on it. It might be heading for a strip out for track use… 1.4 engine, weighs naff all :)

Damn, wrong forum! Sorry :(

I sometimes stop talking mid sentence and remain silent, but stay on the line. Can be amusing listening to how long they'll keep asking questions. And trying not to giggle :)

Oooh – I recognise that trail :-P

I've been very happy when I've used http://www.loxleycolour.com/%5B/url%5D. Good prices, got good reviews in camera mag, quick turnaround, and lots and lots of size options.

I've got some 06 Boxxer Rides (7" with U-Turn) kicking around if you're interested? Got them TFT'd last year, new Motion Control damper fitted, then the bike broke so they never got ridden again.

Apparently you can convert them to Teams with a new spring assembly and top cap – or so I've been told.

DMR V12's with Terror Pins and 5,10s are almost too grippy! Bearing life on them is pretty good, only a little play in mine after 4 years.

derek – too late to buy travel insurance?

Girl at work is supposed to fly to New Zealand tomorrow – current line from their insurance is that they aren't covering the volcano…

We stayed for a weekend up near La Défense a few years back. Because it's a business area, there are some good deals on weekend trips, I think we got a more roomy suite via Expedia for the same sort of money as a double room nearer the centre.