Sonder – Skoda
Whyte -Lotus
Orange – Toyota
Commencal – Citroen
Mondraker – Izuzu
Sick -SSangyong

Watched a few on you tube recently. Chainspotting is a great nostalgia fest. Tea and Biscuits is good fun

Merlin have some bits in stock. You may need to go to Bike Discount De or overseas for the brakes
https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-grx-810-gravel-groupset-1×11-speed-178173.html
In stock https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/shimano-grx-st-rx810-la-rx810-br-rx810-1×11-speed-disc-brake-set-870697
If you are a medium (not mine BTW) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sonder-Camino-Al-Gravel-Bike-Frame-size-Medium/303911951710?hash=item46c2905d5e:g:M-8AAOSw9DNgRS5z

I feel your pain (literally) Had back issues for a few years, most of it related to my job.
2018 was the worst point saw a (useless physio) and ended up paying for my own scan.
Disc bulge in L5 -S1 which was causing bad sciatica. As mentioned here pain relief etc.
Pilates really helped me, and my job were brilliant.
Through work I managed to get physio and treatment.
The MRI also picked up an endplate fracture (I used to do a lot of JuJitsu)

Sonder do the Calibri Carbon with SRAM Rival for £1749.00

I spent a few years working in the HM Forces and left in 95. Got a job with a Finance Company. Big Company with a few large offices across the UK.
The department I worked in was full of women…60 plus, and there were 3 blokes.
One particular lovely lady called Amanda used to come in each morning and say ” Guess what…?”
“Stockings or Tights? ” and would then give a lovely flash of leg….
It was also one of the most toxic nasty offices I have ever worked in. Constant bitching and nastyness.
Then there was “Sqeaky Joanne”…so I asked why is she called that ” because she squeeks when she orgasms”

Liked that. As a local it was nice to see some other bits of Cumbria other than the usual Lakes. (Caldbeck, Frizington…)
Rode up to the Caldbeck masts a few times, its really nice around there.
Anyway …Dads cars
Talbot Matra Rancho,
Volvo 240 GLT and then a Montego MG Turbo
After that he went all sensible and bought Mazda’s

my first car was a Escort Mk1 1.3L. With a metal steering wheel…..

Like you I was a huge fan of the Charge scoop, but recently used one of these on my Gravel bike.
https://www.merlincycles.com/prologo-kappa-rs-pro-road-saddle-218549.html?utm_source=PHG&utm_medium=AffiliateMarketing&utm_campaign=phg-GB&ucpo=135827&source=PHG
Found it really comfy for anything over 2 hrs
SDG Bell Air was also great (can you still get those?)

Sports Persuit have some Dakine and Alpinestars shorts on offer for less than £30
https://www.sportpursuit.com/catalog/product/view/id/2053594
https://www.sportpursuit.com/catalog/product/view/id/2099408

I’ve got a Camino Ti, lovely lovely bike. Its not the quickest on road, but it is very capable off road.
SRAM Force is really nice and smooth, the wheels are FSA 700c abd a bit heavy, so they are on the upgrade list.
I added some Ritchey WCS carbon gravel bars which are a great size and shape. I suffer from a bad back, so a more upright position helps me.
this is my 3rd gravel bike. previously I had an Orange RX9 and a Cannondale Slate with the lefty Fork. I loved the Orange and it was a bike I wished I hadn’t sold, but I hated the Cannondale. It just never felt right and had a really harsh ride, even with the lefty fork.
In contrast the Camino is great, 2 hrs plus rides with a mixture of on/off road are just great.

Did the Audi belong to Charlie Croker?

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4115584248451738&id=100000006107865&sfnsn=scwspmo
My Ti Camino

So, small update. Despite offering cash and to meet up immediately, the seller refused to speak to me or pass on any details. Reported to FB and posted on a few buy/ sell groups to, just to warn folk.

Just offered to drop a deposit off in person this weekend…Anyone got any bombers lying around???

They have asked for a deposit to hold them…..hmmmmmmmmmmmmm Leave it with me…..

I have some contacts in Cumbria police too, so I may be able to give you a local police contact.

Mate, I have a postcode. I have offered cash pick up on Sat, so asked for an address. i have a post code and I will PM you with the info.
If you report the fraud to Cumbria they may be able to help. I’m happy to help in any way I can

In conversation about pick up now….

Just offered to pick them up. If I get an address Ill pass it on

Hi Tuska, Im fairly local to workington. the Forks are currently still advertised on FB….give me a sec and Ill message the seller. Are they the orange 36 Fit 27.5/29, 160mm??

Prices are still nuts. I sold my old Planet X road bike (auction) on ebay for £575, which was far more than I was expecting.
Thinking of selling a Mint Sauce keyring to see if I can retire early….

“The owner’s comments about ‘cancel culture’, his ‘militia’ of fanbois and being a ‘real man’ give a flavour of who you’re dealing with.”
I wondered what Ant Middleton was going to do with himself.

https://shop.bmw.co.uk/INTERSHOP/web/WFS/BMWUK-21972-Site/en_GB/-/GBP/ViewProduct-Start?SKU=PID_696442&CatalogID=Lifestyle_Welt-UK&CategoryDomainName=BMW-Lifestyle_Welt-UK&CategoryName=StructureGroup_903886542955345

BMW’s attempt is slightly better….

https://www.biketart.com/clothing-c7/jackets-c46/ion-softshell-jacket-shelter-p53654/s178306?cid=GBP&glCurrency=GBP&glCountry=GB&glCurrency=GBP&glCountry=GB&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImcjW17qU7wIVB7TtCh0otwpFEAQYAiABEgIBcfD_BwE
I have used one of these for the past few years. Not too baggy and with a baselayer or 2 warm enough

Grew up in the North West, Maghull and then Southport. The 80’s were class..
Playing on skateboards, football in the park ( oooo isn’t it, marvellous….)
TV was great in the 80’s A Team, Knight rider, Airwolf, He Man, Thundercats, always a cartoon after school (Thank you Hanna Barbera)
I can remember the 70’s tho, they were really bad…
Strikes, Blackouts, Unemployment, Bad clothes, bad Cars…

But I still had a Chopper…

Biggest movie influence ..
1970’s – Batman
1980’s Quadrophenia

Fair play, you lasted longer than Boris’ water cannon(s).

Blatant threat hijack – Seadog, I have a 54 Planet X carbon pro for sale if you want to drop me a message

If Homer Simpson designed a bike…..also why £5768.00?? is thats its scap weight worth?

https://shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAwf39BRCCARIsALXWETxdjr3uRXZWO1Zz-CSmzsVNrSaYQU5W-bTMqZ9w7AastFeMrUglYAwaAnz7EALw_wcB
20% off at Ordinance Survey

Have a look on eBay. I just bought a Carbon planet X ,105 groupset, Vision 30 wheels for £400.
Rim brakes are unfashionable now, with most road bikes being disc, so as said probably worth splitting

Orange? Dartmoor?

Mixture of high and low.

Same as Winston, until recently I had a Salsa Mukluk. Loved it, used as my only bike, took it around the Lakes, Trail Centres. Could keep up with Full Suss bikes all day. Amazing thing, and always drew comments from folk. Mine had Mastodon’s and 4.8 Jumbo Jim’s. I really miss that bike but divorce meant it had to go. I would have another in a heartbeat. Smokestone would be my choice from Slam 69 or one of the Sonder For Fortis.

Orange Crush 29? Bikescene have some frames. Dartmoor Primal?

Yeah, I compared it to the Cannondale Slate which has an ett of 570mm (large) (Sonder is 616 medium) so I am going to try the shortest stem I can get away with to see how that goes.

These are the bars I have gone with https://eu.ritcheylogic.com/eu_en/comp-ergomax-handlebar
I’m hoping for a bit more of an upright position.

I spoke at length with Tom at Alpkit about the geo and my needs/type of riding etc. Tom agreed running drops would not be an issue. We even spoke about a custom option but I decided to keep the frame stock so if I wanted to I could use the frame as an MTB build. My MTBs are all hardtails and steel so looking forward to riding a Ti bike.
I live in the lakes so the bike will probably get some nights out bike packing too. The biggest challenge will be tyres, something ok on tarmack and gravel.

Also worth mentioning is the Ti 650b adventure bike from Ribble Bikes. Great value but it just looks really ugly. (Apologies to any owners)

Cheers. Alpkit have been great all through with answering questions about the build. (The Alpkit Ambleside store manager has a similar build but I didn’t manage to get hold of him)
I had a Cannondale Slate 105 a few years ago which I found really harsh. I also have lower back problems, so I’m hoping the larger tyres, ti frame and a bit more upright position from the riser drops will give me a nice riding position.

Evening guys. Interesting thread this. I had been looking for a 27.5/29er gravel bike. Looked at a few mentioned on here, NS Rag, Mason Bokeh, and numerous others. The bike that ticked most boxes was the Genesis Vagabond but they were sold out.
Anyway I have ordered a Sonder Broken road Ti monster cross. Broken road frame, Rigid Kinesis Forks, Ritchey riser drop bars, DT Swiss 29er wheels. Not picked it up yet, but if I don’t get on with the drops my thinking is I can run it as a rigid 29er MTB with a flat bar.