I've got the baush and Lomb monthrlys that can n theory be left in for a month. My optician told me not to do it. I have left them in overnight wearing them continuously for 36 hours etc with no problems.

But I think it's regarded as bad for the eye's health to leave them in all the time. I to suffer form dry eyes and use the preservative free solution.

The french is I think Paste de montage, or something similar.

There's a great hostel opposite the train station 'Banhoff Hotel' i think…<hang on> oh yes here it is:

http://www.hotelbahnhof.com/

Rinsing her lettuce?

shirt breast pocket? always a fave palce for me to lose things in. As I never use it….

hang on..how do the things end up in there? sigh. I don't know.

I've done it, and I'm certainly not a riding god, yes I was slow. Would I do it again? yes. but with brakes that brake…(I had badly set up, worn out hydraulic rim brakes).

Don't get dispirited by the very first 100m. It's not all that bumpy.

we use one of the armless sleeping bags even at home (except now in the simmer here in France).

He always used to sleep in the tent in just that, and if it was cold we'd put a duvet jaclet over him (again I'm talking France camping here).

When about 6 months he would sleep in his car bed (lie flat job, not a maxi cosi). Now he's 19 months he sleeps on a normal mat, in a baby gro, and in a kids sleeping bag, which is folded underneath him. The belt trick described above can also help.

When just in the kids sleeping bag he would wriggle out. The belt/folding underneath trick is more for conserving his heat in a sensible s ag area (i.e no pint heating up all the sack if he's not using it as he will get colder (a common trick for small women/ kids too).

AAAARGGGGHHHH first the UK, now France. The Roadrats are invading AAAARRRGGGHHHH <runs for cover with his Kaffenback>….

dialled

If they're climbers, are any of them in the BMC? If so, the BMC has access to lots of climbing club huts. Mostly in the lakes and Wales.
Loads of choice, but they do get booked up. SOunds just the thing that's needed to me.

Hey Andy P!

When I've worked freelance in UK as a Ltd co. status, I used 1st Contact. Think they charged me £25 for the off the shelf company, then they took a %age on every invoice to tell me how much to transfer form business account to my personal account(i.e 'wage) and did all tax returns etc etc for me. Never had a problem with them. Full of Aussies and Saffers.

belts are endless, so the rear trinagle will need opening up to get the belt threaded.

Is it me, or are 'short liners' just effectively lycra shorts?

I always wore lycra, but this week took delivery of my 1st pair of baggies: Endura Hum Vees. The liner is a lycra short with pop studs.

So effectively you are wearing lycra and then casual shorts… Are there better liners out there? maybe just like a boxer short, and not as tight and long as a normal lycra short?

15mm copper pipe offcut used as a drift (hit it with hammer) for me, the more you do with the same bit of pipe the better it gets as the end moulds to shape.

Nice to see a good bit of quality paint…

Is it a prototype?

"beat the the big ring like it was the metaphorical ginger step-child"

Sheer class. Chapeau to you on your amazing effort. Now you can put your feet up and look forward to telling the twins about it.

Gentlemen and Ladies,

It would appear you watched a different series to me.
The one I watched was about antarctic travel. Not arctic travel.

Hmm, they were very Scottesque rahter than Shackletoneesque.
Hero, milk tray man rubbish.

To be honest I spoke to lots of pepole, expert and not when I had really bad knee problems. I spent a lot of money. However I decided not to scrimp or save, and rather than going to see Joe Bloggs I went to see Cyclefit in London for a fitting. They are reputed to be the best according to some people, a bit strange by others, and downright eccentric by others.

I was shocked that my saddle height went up 45mm. I was ' no that's just stupid' but it seems to have helped. I'm sure my bike fit was not the only problem, as I had the same problems running etc, but what I wanted to achieve was to draw a line under everything, and be assured that AN EXPERT had set me up on my bike, and that my fit was condisered to be spot on, before looking at going under the knife and injecting steroids etc. No knife or steroids for me to date. I accept there could be a placebo effect. But who cares. I'm riding my bike for as long as I want so far and I'm smiling. Don't mess around yourself, don't get swallowed up into fitting systems which rely on bracketing you.

However I'm currently waiting for my custom frame to arrive which will give me the right fit without raised stems, stupid amounts of seatpost etc etc.

geoffj: I doubt the blogger who miketually quoted, Andy Kirkpatrick, has anything to feel jealous about towards Fogle et al.

I'm game. I was thinking aobut this the other day for my hack. It's got a WTB saddle which is very comfy and not available anymore, only it's tatty and ripped.

We've only camped near sualt in a basic campsite.
VeloVentoux good good reviews. Craig Entwistle or 'Enty' is the man there.

It's made me very happy to live in France, and feel that it has , and will be, all worht it. Not quite the alps. But nearest bits are about 1 1/2 hours away.

Carbon rims with a non alloy braking surface aren't that good at braking esp in the wet. DO you do any steep sportives? Seen lots of blowouts due to heat build up form carbon rims when the rider has been braking heavily on descents. They're fine for serious road racing, say cat 3 upwards and time trials but unless you mostly do these I'd just get a general purpose wheel set.

I got some hope hoops: pro iii hub on a dt rim trad lacing. v strong and repairable. I got fend up with writing off mavic etc factory wheels.

Argos apparently do a top notch service, but for a price, I think.

Is it steel or aluminum?

theoretically yes…

They don't come with Giant's 'wheels' do they?
If they do. Good Luck.

Having said that, Mrs Mugsy got £120 towards a wheel set of her choice from JE James after problems with the front wheel after having the rear re built on a Giant road bike with Giant wheels. I know of 2 other people who have got a similar deal from different LBS's.

Also they looked really quite puzzled when i tried to give way to them…

Do you mean when you flashed your headlights to indicate 'go on mate, your turn'. In France flashing headlights means the opposite i.e. 'Get out of my way boyo'

Mrs Mugsy est francaise.

I get to deal with her now and again.

Actually, is it mauve? am I being stupid?

Hairy,

They might be idiots, but look at it this way: If the scheme really takes off, and gets loads of publicity, then the LBS might be a bit miffed if they weren't given the chance. If you ask them, they decline, and it really takes off, well that's going to make them feel stupid isn't it when they miss out on all the publicity. So maybe making them think about themselves.

You might stand to win something. They might stand to win something, the scheme might get to win something. Give them the chance.

Interesting shade of 'Mauve'

So remote, it was in the eighties, pre Nirex, the proposed site for deep burial of radioactive waste. BGS did a lot of work there.

There is a Royal Lodge there, as the Queen Mum used to hang out in that area a lot. Fantastic place. Golden Eagles. Lots of Happy Memories as I stayed up there for the epic hot summer of 2002 whilst carrying out research at Dounreay.

I'd get a new bag. No questions. Are you anywhere New Mills? Magic Mountain factory shop usually has great deals on Mountain Equipment seconds and samples. Or there is the Rab factory shop in Alfreton.

Alpkit? CCC?

Marge,

check UK prices first! I live in france and just bought a thule system including 561 carriers. The carriers were about 120 euros in France, 70 odd quid in Uk, postage cost me £15! http://www.roofrackshop.co.uk

There is a classic coulags loop. It's fantastic. That's all I know about coulgas.

The Arkle Loop is sufficiently epic in our experience, but can't think of the nearest train station……

Altnebreac near Thurso is the most remote train station that I can think of. There's not even a tarmac road to it.

Have fun. MMMM Scotland. Proper wild. Proper place.

We picked up a Chariot Cougar 2nd hand from the classifieds here. We're really really happy with it. It's the roller of the trailer world it seems. We'd never be able to buy one new but for £200 we're laughing. Good resale value I reckon.

Altohugh it's only a oner, they do twoers in their range. They're modular so can use them as off road buggy, bike trailer, and even a ski pulk.

Attaches via qr, has leaf adjustable suspension etc.

I think Coastkid has come up with the best point, although not sure what CLS is. I would just fix battens on the wall, and then you can add hooks, screws etc whatever as the need arises for more storage solutions.

I've no problem with Timothy's on their £3000 Pinarello's. It was merely an observation. (says little punter me who has just splashed out on a custom carbon frame) Just like another observation to me that the more (to me) annoying contigent are on the more expensive bikes. Just like my observation that in winter, most old boys on a steel frame with mudguards and good sized flappage will be a well disciplined rider. Like I said IT'S JUST FOR FUN.

Finbar: I always thought the Rutland vs Other inter club banter was just like the old kids drama: Jossie's Giants!