Get some XTR V-brakes secondhand for around £50 the pair and your folder will be transformed. I’ve done this with both of my folders and all the braking issues I previously had have just disappeared.

And Mani’s right up there as one of the best bass players ever!

You were doing so well up until then.

Maybe John Entwistle might have a say about that, or John Paul Jones? If you want to get all muso about it, I’d put Tony Levin right up there, Bootsy Collins, Bernard Edwards, Donald Dunn…

Or from just a few years earlier than the Stone Roses, is there anything Mani’s done that compares to the sheer brilliance of Peter Hook?

They’re OK, but parts availability (s/h and new) is much better for the Toyotas.

The Patrol and Land Cruiser are both hugely thirsty, so no great reason to choose one over the other. They also drive appallingly on the road but very well off-road.

Finally, A$10k for either of these? Might want to spend a little more and get something a bit younger. A 10-15 year old off-roader will not be in the rudest of health if it’s been actually used off-road.

Sadly, I’m on a plane tomorrow and physically can’t be there.

Thoughts will be with you though.

Just like wood pile building (which is very similar) you have to find a home for each piece – once you’ve picked it up, you can never put it back down again!

A lot of good stuff here.

I’d add that the kids need to have a routine and stability (i.e.it’s their room, they know where their teddy is, where their DVDs are, that sort of thing), so that they feel at home when they’re at your place. If they feel like they’re just visiting, it’ll be a lot harder.

Hora’s point on money is spot-on; be generous now, and accept that you’re going to be poorer than you were. You’re now running two houses between you, so no surprises there.

Make sure you’ve discussed in outline who will take them to the doctor, dental appointments etc – this come around with young kids with astonishing rapidity, so without getting prescriptive (no pun intended) you need to agree that you just take turns, but that sometimes either one will be unable to cancel what they were doing. Sounds trivial but this is the sort of thing that can often cause flashpoints.

You need to work at your (new) relationship with your wife just as hard as you did before; it’ll be more distant, certainly, but because it’s likely to be on the phone or email far more than before, be careful not to give offence where none is intended (and which would never be taken when it’s a face to face discussion). Remember that even though you’ve both agreed that it’s over, there’ll still be anger and recriminations to come, probably on both sides.

The instructor on my, er, safety camera non-optional learn-in session was insistent on decent tyres and changing well before the legal limit.

Summed up rather well below – I’m paraphrasing only a little.

“And if you can’t find an extra tenner or so per tyre to have something reasonable fitted, remember that the difference for all four tyres is probably less than a tank of fuel. Drive a bit less and find the money.”

tyrepress dot come?

not exactly peer reviewed that one is it?

There’s none as blind as those who won’t see! Sources below are not peer-reviewed, true, but the information sources are reputed motoring magazines (Autocar and What Car).

The big difference seems to be wet grip, and specifically, the stopping distances. My personal experience is that there’s very poor lateral grip and stability, but that’s rarely tested.

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/Autocar-Tyre-Test-Budget-Tyre-Performance.htm

http://www.tyreblog.co.uk/2010/information-safety-risks-buying-cheap-budget-tyres-517

The video below (again, What Car data) makes the point very well.

have also used various ‘ditchfinders’ on the back of mrs rocket’s Fiesta ST and they’ve been fine. There’s a marginal difference when provoked into a drift on greasy roundabouts etc but it’s not like they let go dramatically

I disagree

I had a Saab 9000 which had some Federal tyres fitted at the rear when I bought it. At modest (20mph) speeds, you could get full opposite lock on a damp roundabout. For sheer comedy value it was worth keeping them for a few weeks, but they weren’t just extra slippy, they seemed to be hugely unpredictable into the bargain.A dab of oppo is a laugh, a full spin is less fun.

A swap to some boring Dunlops – maybe £100 each – and suddenly the Swedish express was back to it’s normal boring self.

Buying the most expensive tyres you can is mostly pointless unless you’re a trackday god, but decent branded tyres are definitely worth it.

The fine’s negligible, so don’t sweat too much. But agree, definitely better to have some of the kits in the car.

I cry a little bit inside when looking at this one…

http://uk.weather.com/weather/10day-Chatel-FRXX0468

so much planning and time gone into this trip, I’ll be gutted if it’s a wash out lol

I’m only riding on the Saturday, thankfully!

Latest injury update – broken collarbone requires surgery, 2 months off work. Also broken wrist – 1 month in plaster, so can’t drive :-((.

So 2 out of 5 of us have fractured wrists. What can you wear to protect from this? Also, would body armour with shoulder protection help stop a broken collarbone? Just on the off chance I am ever allowed back to the alps???

Armour will only reduce the possibility of a broken collarbone. When I’m going for it in the Alps I always wear a pressure suit, full-face and neckbrace; land badly, however, and the collarbone will break, regardless. Maybe I’ve been lucky, though several dead bikes will attest to the fact that I do crash, repeatedly. And I’ve landed on my head/shoulder reasonably frequently.

Broken wrists? Nowt you can do about that, other than riding better. Sounds trite, but you have to stay on the bike more, and also learn how to crash properly/stop sticking your arms out. I’ve yet to break a wrist as I seem to have perfected the art of handing like a sack of spuds on my hip/backside/shoulder.

Finally, I tend to hang onto the bike at all costs. Even if it’s pretty much certain that I’m going down, I try to ride it out anyway. That works about 60% of the time……the others tend to hurt.

I NEVER USED ANY SPOONS

You may say that. You may even be right.

But if the Pavlovian reaction of shouting “spoons!” every time the name ‘Cynic-Al’ is mentioned is anything to go by, that’s what everyone believes……….

Remove the rose tints, and try riding a 900R….things have moved on a lot.

I’m still working my way through a very large load I got last year. Hard to say how heavy it was, ‘cos I didn’t weigh it, but it was around 8 tonnes of large chunks (up to 3 feet long, but mainly 1’ discs), which I’ve had to chainsaw and split. Mostly dry, too; 6 months of seasoning when split and it’s ready for burning.

Cost me the cube root of nothing (wood was basically free, just had to arrange transport with a grab hire bloke) and it’s brilliant. Ash, oak, cedar…there’s all sorts in The Pile Of Doom, which cost me a total of £200. I’ve been trying to hack my way through and I might have used a third in

If you have the space to store it, the desire to saw & split it, and the sheer determination to spend half a day a week in the summer grinding away at a Sisyphean task, I recommend buying a huuuuge job-lot of unprocessed wood, a good maul (Fiskars X27 is the best I’ve used) and a hydraulic log-splitter. Your wife will think you’re mad, your back will hurt, and you’ll be shattered after a full day of wood-working, but you’ll feel better for it, and it’ll also be a new thing to impress your friends with.

Of course, this means that you’ll be uber-niche; all you need to do now is grow a beard, ride a singlespeed and extol the virtues of a single malt in a bivvy, and you’re away.

I’d give Relate a shot. Makes all of you focus on how much you’re annoying each other, though be warned that there are no silver bullets.

I’ve used their services, though not for family counselling. Found them to be very good; we’re still together now, and weren’t at the time, so that’s a personal testament to counselling. That said, you all have to want to make things work; dragging disinterested parties along won’t be all that useful.

Oh, and if you’re looking for a decent mechanic, the Scott dealership (diagonally opposite the petrol station) is excellent, if it’s the still the same Aussie bloke. Not cheap, but not silly money either, and they do a good job.

Weather is not looking good for the PPdS

Really? Looks fine to me, at least for Saturday and Sunday.

http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Morzine/6day/mid

All depends.

Hugh Grant is a pain of the first order – he dislikes both acting and actors, and is reported (by many, many of the people he’s worked with) to be rude, discourteous, and exceptionally prickly.

Then again, he loathes Murdoch with a passion, doesn’t take himself seriously, and believes that he’s overpaid for what he does, though he’s not stupid enough to turn down what he’s offered.

Right, so my plan is one bike with Racing Ralph (‘cos we can hope for good weather), the singlespeed with a 20T sprocket and Trailrakers, and a spare set of wheels with Conti 1.5″ spikes.

Is it a singlespeed-friendly course?

I’ve always bought Miele, but recently got an LG for another property. Excellent, not badly priced, and with a good reliability record.

This is the most important 30 minutes if your life. Remember it, live it, cherish it! Ignorance is not an excuse!!!
Laws
1. The following Laws will apply at all times
a. Time Master
b. Dance Master
c. Freeze Master
d. Thumb Master
e. Elbow Master
f. Not saying the ‘D’ word
g. Not saying the ‘M’ word
h. Safety of beverage is paramount
i. No pointing
j. Wrong hand penalties with pinkie
k. Drink Cricket
l. Tip your glass
2. You will keep and protect your card and egg on your person at all times – the last person to present either upon request will be punished
3. There are no short-cuts; a beverage must be consumed and never abandoned
4. Everyone must remain in character for the duration of Saturday day and Sunday night
5. All punishments must be accepted and fulfilled if ruled by the majority

If anyone breaks the Laws, they will incur an on-the-spot fine. Fines will also be noted and collated to further punish repeat offenders.
Characters
Saturday Day and Travel – German theme
Sunday Night – Mario Kart – Double Dash
– Barney Webb – Princess Peach – Team Peach
– Ben Guzman – Wario – Team Wario
– Chris Fensom – Waluigi – Team Wario
– Chris Walton – Toad – Team DK
– Emyr Griffiths – Luigi – Team Mario
– James Kavanagh – Koopa Troopa – Team Troopa
– James Stroud – Donkey Kong – Team DK
– Luke Small – Yoshi – Team Peach
– Neil Martin – Mario – Team Mario
– Shaun Kavanagh – Paratroopa – Team Troopa
Double Dash
Double Dash is played in teams highlighted above. You are to drink whatever the other team member drinks and perform any punishment that your team member is punished with – this includes breaching of the rules or the selection of a card for either team member.

Cards
Cards must be shown by placing on your forehead upon request. Any 2 or more cards that are the same results in those individuals having to down their first beverage in every bar we visit. Cards will be selected at random where if the same suit comes up, the individuals have to down a drink of another’s choice, and if the same card comes up, they have to consume any alcohol they are given in one pint glass. Any ineligible cards receive maximum fine.
Helpful Spanish Words/Phrases
– Dáme una cerveza (beer me)
– Quiero mi mami (I want my mummy)
– Jodé el coño de donde viniste (I f*** the p***y where you came from)

I’d have run a mile from that; for pity’s sake, the first sentence has a spelling mistake. And rules……nah, not for me.

Off to knit some sustainably-sourced yogurt.

Effectively it’s a service item. I don’t know anyone with a Passat over a certain age who hasn’t had to have this repaired, though you’ve been stung a bit more than I was. Total cost for me was about £200, I recall, though that was through an indy.

Real every time. It’s not that fakes look bad, they just don’t move as they should, which is a very important feature of boobs IMHO.
If you have to, get them done to be as natural looking as possible and no bigger than a C cup. Because they’re so pert, they’ll look much bigger anyway

One young lady I knew some years back had her boobs taken to an E from a B; a very good job had been done, but then she hadn’t gone to a cheap cosmetic surgeon. Clearly you get what you pay for, and she was extremely pleased with the results. They looked and felt very close to natural.

There’s good riding if you head to Watlington or Christmas Common.

I must be the only person who thinks that stag events are massively overplayed.

Under no circumstances do I want to be handcuffed to a lamp-post. Nor do I ever want a stripper to turn up and do a not-even-remotely-sexy removal of my clothing. And I’m still angry, 20 years on, that someone shaved off my left eyebrow on my stag night. That oh-so-hilarious jape made the wedding photos just so much better.

so a hard working family can loose their home to some feckless benefit scroungers. Interesting concept.

Personally, I’d be happy with kicking out any tenants who can’t differentiate between lose and loose.

Dad’s side – France (via Lancashire)

Mum’s side – Ireland (via Glasgow)

I’ve had 4 Defenders and now I’ve got an ’03 Discovery. It’s newer than my last Defender by 3 years, cost £1500 less than I got for my 110, has electric mirrors/heated screen/roofs/locking/levelling lights, cruise control, parking sensors, self levelling suspension, aircon,etc etc.
All in all a much nicer vehicle to be inside and it does the same job, but better, 95% of the time. As a day to day vehicle I’d NEVER go back to a Defender.

Agreed. I’ve had very little trouble with my Disco 3 and it’s completely unstoppable (like a Defender) but also does the big-car-cruising thing very well. Fine to do 600+ mile days, which I’d not consider in a Defender.

Well done Warton.

team have been hard at work weatherproofing the course, re-routing some the the traditionally muddiest parts, so should the worst happen (it won’t! it won’t!) then the course will still be fun to ride.

Yeah, right……the “traditionally muddiest parts” include all of the flat bits, all of the climbs, and all of the descents. The first time I did it I was the only one in the team not to break a derailleur, and that’s only because I was riding a Rohloff.

When you see cars being dragged out on the Sunday because they can’t get up the gentlest of gradients, you know it’s a mudfest.

Great event, rubbish venue. And of the five times I’ve done it, only one has been properly dry.

How about you cooking a nice meal at home?

Not a bad call, but if the plan was originally to go out, I’d stick to that, though I’d probably say “if you still feel up to it” and be easily persuaded to cook at home if she mentioned that the cost might be a bit much, given the car damage.

The crash is annoying and expensive but it’s just a car. Driving lessons might be a good idea, and no, I’m not joking. Don’t mention that tonight though. Put your arms around her, tell her that you love her, and that you’re glad she’s OK. Take her out for that meal.

If you can’t bring yourself to do this, it’s time to think long and hard about leaving.

http://www.morzineshuttle.com are a decent bunch – reliable, not stupidly pricey.

The meat is very good quality and excellent value, though you end up buying much larger quantities. Beer’s better value than Tesco, even when they have a deal on.

Forget cooking – just get stuff from the food tent and take pre-cooked stuff. A stove should be for making a cuppa and that’s about it.

Alarm clock for waking you up at 3am for a hideous mud-miseried lap.

Loudhailer to shout “Mark! Maaaark! MAAAARK! Where are you?” at the handover point just after that 2-hour lap……..

Tax avoidance by people who bleat about how wrong tax avoidance is (eg Livingstone, Carr, Guardian, Milliband) = bad and hypocritical

Is this the same Miliband who said last night that rather than wringing his hands and blustering about morality, Cameron should either shut up or change the law?

Didn’t sound like bleating to me. And, after all, Cameron’s the Prime Minister; he actually has the power to do something about this, unlike Sixth-form politician Ed. The TV interviews yesterday were genuinely bizarre, watching the Tory bleating like an old-school Labour stalinista, and Dull Ed sounding (for the first time ever) like he had some gravitas.

For the record, I have no problem with Carr using every available opportunity to minimise his tax; I do the same wherever possible. I can’t think of a sane person who’d give the Chancellor more than they absolutely had to.

The Heckler, by a country mile.

If it makes you feel any better, I got a £1000 ticket (via a trip to court) some years back, purely for speeding.