I'd say it has lots of 'flow' – you just need to hit at speed! As an xc rider I tend to incorporate it into a bigger loop of the area.

Great singletrack from your door!

Quite a few mtb riders round them there parts too.

I used to live under Manchester's flight path, and yes, you get used to it. I used to lie in bed and see the next 5 planes lined up which I thought was kinda cool. 🙂

MBR is terrible, I haven't read MBUK for years. ST takes all of half an hour to read and is generally utter garbage these days, and I'm a subscriber!

Bolt the lockring tool in place using the quick release, avoids slippage and maintains a good contact. If you've got a big secure vice put the tool in the vice with the wheel on top. Apply chain whip.

Lots of geologists on here then! Who does what?
I'm a research fellow at Leeds working on deep-marine sedimentology (outcrop and fluid dynamics).

apart from this mornings 10 mile road commute, I took an offroad diversion from Leeds to Otley on the way home last night. I have never, ever, ever, got that wet in my life. Reminded me what it's like to use rim brakes in bad conditions anyway! Scary!

There are two main types. A noraml brick hammer type has a square 'hammer' end and a thin chisel-like end, these are the most useful as a general pupose hammer, or specifically for sedimentary rocks that you need to split along bedding. Hammers for igneous rocks tend to be heavier and have a pointed pick-shaped end, to apply lots of force to a small area – igneous rocs are generally hard.

Contrary to popular belief geologists don't go round smacking the *uck out of outcrops, most of the time the hammer is used on fallen blocks, or as a scale in photos!

still not built? I did another hundred or so miles over the weekend. The weather was great! Standard chainset has now been tested on all of the biggest local hills and I can confirm it is hard work – but the bike makes me want more!

Agree with Zaskar: I'd say in my particular area a PhD is pretty much the standard requirement – but it probably wouldn't help much outside of that area.
I'm a post-doc at the mo', getting a few papers out before I go into industry, and the salary is very good and competitive with industry – however, I know others on much less. You need to negotiate and a suprising number of people don't!

Started 2004 on £12k rose to £12.5k in the final year. I think funding is generally £12.5 – £13k for science PhDs, inline with NERC funding.

Worth bearing in mind that different funding bodies will have very different approaches to funding travel/fieldwork/conferences/lab costs etc

Ahh, the age old argument. Anticlockwise is best. That way all the descents are the correct way round. 😀

And no longer getting flyers for trendy clubs thrust into my hands on a Friday or Saturday night anymore

LOL! I'm 32 and work in a university – there are loads of these guys and I can see their minds working as I approach, some kind of half hold the flyer out then withdraw it.. only a matter of time 'til I don't get a look in!

Mine would be buying a pannier bag and rack for commuting this year.

When I found out Sainsburys were opening a store in my village I was dismayed, as it has a flourishing market and several butchers bakers etc. I had a chat with one of the butchers a couple of weeks later. He thought it was great – no need to drive 8 miles to the nearest affordable supermarket! I didn't know what to think then. Turns out nearly all the local shop owners and staff do their shopping at Sainsburys!

hopevalley. That's outrageous. How long's it take?

FWIW I do 2 x 10 miles x 5 commuting
Maybe twice a week extend that on the way home to a couple of 2 hour off road rides.
Short ride 1.5-2 hours on Saturday
Long ride on Sunday (3-5 hours on or offroad)
And a couple of 1 hour interval sessions on the turbo a couple of evenings.
But I don't race!

Can't help this time. I'm on the old Kilauea commuter today. I'll get some pics of mine loaded up tonight or tomorrow. I can tell that since I bought it I've completely destroyed myself. Had a hard time cycling in today!

Phillips Idowu appear to be really straining for a dump in that first pic, and apparently trying to catch it. Dirty Boy.

As you reach the summit of Edale Cross (after the Ladder climb), head downhill then fork R onto a FP.

Come on, it's a pretty sensitive area and there's absolutely no need to cut the corner on a FP, just carry on down to the bridleway. You still get a fast rocky descent, plus a bit of nice singletrack across the moor.

Noo, the track that runs across Middle Moor from the Shooting Cabin, the one past Spray House Farm – never seen it – is a classic and riding really well at the moment.

Totally agree. I often think that in all my time mountian biking this is the one track I'd like to take to a desert island with me. It's the best. Make sure to ride the ford at the bottom.

Are you sure you don't want to miss Mam Tor and waz down Chapel Gate?

That'd be a big mistake in my opinion! The descent of Mam Tor to Edale is another classic! Chapel Gate is just fast and average (apart from the top peaty bit which is great).

Tescos is a clever company

They are flipping geniuses. They're open at times when I can go shopping, unlike the greengrocers, butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers who all shut at 5. Just need the bank and post office to get their act together now!

richpips – I don't think the bottom section is in doubt, that's the 'easy' bit (although as pointed out not as easy as it used to be). We need a video of someone cleaning the cobbled steep stepped bit at the top.

You won't regret it. And it's cp's fault if you do!

Well I tightend the headset up the other day and took the topcap off for a quick look, it had some kind of machined aluminium thing in it which I assumed was an expanding device of some description. The reason I knew the f/mech size (your last post) was that the Centaur equipped bike came with a crappy veloce braze on mech with adaptor. Which looked a bit naff.

SPDs everytime!

Well it's not that hard to do nearly all of it in one go (for an experienced rider such as myself like 😉 )

However, I'm of the opinion that the top bit is impossible. I've heard claims against this over the years, and have ridden it with Nick Craig/Fred Salmon/John Shaw (ex pros) and have never seen anyone do it. I'm happy to be proven wrong though!

Pre-steps it was closer to being possible but I never did it.

I've not ridden an Allez but have ridden quite a few aluminium and carbon back-end road bikes over the years. Got my Sportive last friday and have done a couple of 4 hour rides plus a couple of 2 hour rides. Feels stiff as anyting when out of the saddle on steep climbs or sprinting, but also feels very comfortable, not harsh in anyway. I don't want to start spouting complete bolllocks but it does feel 'compliant'. I love mine anyway.

F/mech is 34.9 mm, not sure about the seatpost but it's bigger than 27.2.

Sorry!

not restricted to biking, but I hate 'rocked up'.

Yep defo normal socks. I've had a few good close up encounters with them. In either case, I'd argue against the cool factor! Of course I'd be wrong as I've not yet ridden in Le Tour 😉

If you've ridden 'cross for 7 years, I would have thought you'd be familiar with all this. Is it getting lonely under that bridge?

It was a serious question. You can turn it from a question to a personal attack if it makes you feel good. I take it you wear said socks 😉

FWIW I wear overshoes in winter, as they serve a purpose. Just never understood the white terry sock thing. Hence the post.

When you reach roadie fitness, you'll be able to wear some warmer kit in summer and not raise a sweat

LOL! Mustn't rise to the bait….

I love the bald man goatee compensator. Yeah, that looks really cool.

That's one hell of a helmet. I'm not talking about those types of overshoe. It's the cheap polyester sports socks I'm talking about.

So, apart from 'the pros' who might wear them for aerodynamic puropses in time trials, do these 'bling-retainers' wear socks over their running trainers and work shoes etc, keep plastic sheets over their car seats and blankets over their new sofas? 😉

I did wonder about bling retention but when do they reveal the bling? I've seen 'em wearing them in races too…

Ha! I'm certainly not fashion police – i just wanna know why!

Bombing along the Middlewood Way (a disused railway line), trying to get to the start of the Macclesfield Supacross cyclocross race on time, I rode flat out into one of those double railway sleeper stile things. Just didn't see it at all. I must have flown about ten metres, past the obligatory ramblers having a coffee stop. Didn't hurt but I was in shock for a while!

Cool, I thought they'd all be dead by now.

I've bivvied at Derwent Edge. Great spot, great views, and start the day with a great descent (in either direction). A bit exposed but there are plenty of nooks and a few crannies you can shelter in. You could have a small fire but we didn't bother.

Pubs? Again, are mountain bikers known for knocking back 10 pints each after a long day in the saddle and another the next day?

Now that is funny!

Nishiki Alien in green for me please. That and a Yeti Ultimate (why oh why did I sell that?).

tragically1969 – Member
myfatherwasawolf:

In short it's amazing to ride

What else have you ridden ?

I've had 3 Cannondale road bikes over the years, 5 different steel road bikes, kinesis, kona, M&B, Specialized cross bikes, a Giant Cadex 980c, a Vitus 979, and probably some others I've forgotten about. Plus about 20 mountain bikes, several bmxs etc etc. Why?