Berlin. Particularly good if you have an interest in WW2 or Cold War history, Also good museums, art galleries and some of the nightclubs in Europe

I wouldnt spend that amount until they were in their mid teens. That isn’t because im a cheap bastard, nor is it beause i wouldnt want the best of them it is just a different philosophy to parenting.

Looking at my own childhood the most fun years i have ever had on bikes was spent riding a rigid appolo from halfords. No doubt it would be considered utter crap now but it is still my favourite bike ever and played its part of some great childhood adventures like jousting on bikes with bamboo canes as the lance, doing ghosties off the back, or cycling out to the countryside away from the city, or being the first to ride over to the other side of the river at the ford without falling in (a feat which i imagine the kids of today still talk about) or racing through the woods to set up a guerilla ambush against the invasion by the Russians or Germans. Would not have had anymore fun doing this than had i been riding some pimped out quality bike and i hope any kids i have can experience this uncomplicated fun too.

the lincoln lawyer is suprisingly good – particularly considering it stars matthew mcconaughy!

the cheaper version of the xtr pedal is the M530 trail, think it is due in May

I’ve not signed up for it either.

Part of the reason is that when i talk shite on the internet i like to do so behind a username rather than my real name, prefer the degree of anonymity it allows. Back when i first started using the net (around about 1997) i contributed to a few websites using my real name…alot of what i said is still around and the top google results if i search my name are book reviews.

The first return is Mein Kampf, the review was originally about how crap the writing was, that nazis are bawbags and how they should follow their leader and shoot themselves. But the text of the review is gone, what that remains is a link “Mein Kampf reviewed by….” so it probably makes me look like a nazi 😐

His whole youtube channel seems to be of him ‘interviewing’ police and he comes across like a tosser every time!

for a long ride (4-5 hours) then peanut butter and jam sandwich/roll, couple of bananas, clif/mule bars, and gels for an emergency. Longer than 5 hours and then i usually stop at a shop or cafe.

for a medium ride (about 3 hours) then a banana and a clif or mule bar.

for anything under 2 hours then dont usually bother, although always carry a bar and a gel incase i need them

I love these signs when on the bike, if i see the sad face pop up i feel like throwing my arms in the air and celebrating like i’d just won on the champs elysees 😀

I did it a couple of years back and it was great experience (apart from the koppenberg which should have been a highlight but was ruined by those walking their bikes up taking the whole width causing those attempting to ride up to have to get off!) bike managed fine although my wrists hurt a fair bit even with gel bar tape and gel gloves.

The feed stations were a highlight, particularly the waffle things, i ate about 20 of them over the course of the day…very moreish!

I like..there is something quite majestic and graceful about them

In terms of efficiency frame mounted is best, but unless touring i just use the small pump plus CO2 and an airchuck. Tried the combination pump / C02 as well but i prefer having them seperate.

The pump to get a bit of air in to the tube and give it shape, CO2 to inflate. If i run out of C02 then still have the pump for an emergency, i’m sure it will be crap and take forever to get to a decent psi though.

Wonder if this is relevant to my interests and worth going to put the tv on for.

Is it pr0n?

great pics

I’d make my own trail centre with a helicopter uplift. Actually make that a C-130 uplift so people can parachute out to the top of the hill. Would still have the helicopter on standby incase i get hungry and need a sandwich and require the services of one the Swedish bikini model trailside chefs. Also re-tarmac and ban cars from all my favourite road routes

Was considering lining these roads with marble statue of myself but i think that might be a little extravagent.

seem to be great value for money and was a serious contender when i got my last mtb last year.

Strangely i’ve never actually seen one of the full suspensions being riden before (seen plenty of their hts and roadbikes and hybrids) so to me they are a bit of niche exotica!

thought it was going to be this video 😀

good video, deserves a bump!

wish i hadnt clicked to see the picture as im in agony here laughing with broken ribs 😀

+1 for a casquette.

I wear one even in sunny days the summer, keeps the wasps and bees from getting in a helmet vent and stinging my head, plus on a hot day if you soak it in water then it is good for cooling purposes too.

Trying too hard to be funny.

The POW shockers (2 in the pink 1 in the stink) gloves manage to pull off the puerile much better!

the project that was codenamed Aurora is probably likely to have been related to the B2 bomber. I wonder if the sightings of ‘Aurora’ at the time was also that of the B2 being tested – the B2 still half looks like an alien spaceship despite being public for about 20 years now, can easily see how people who witnessed before it was known about thought it would also have some secret miracle technology.

The US have been testing scramjet and ramjet aircraft – the x-43, x-51 and the falcon or something like that is due for another test flight this year. These tests are still at experimental stages and a fair way to go before they will be testing this sort of technology with a pilot (if they ever do have a pilot) never mind have a secret plane using it in operation service.

Colonel Hap Hapablap

Took me about 5 minutes to put my left sock on this morning 😀

I have no idea, i set it somewhere in the middle before i’d ever ridden the bike and havent touched it since!

What did you eat beforehand?

Wouldnt worry too much though if it was your first long ride on the road you will quickly get to know what works for you.

For 30 milers i dont need anything other than water, once up to 50 miles I find bowl of porridge beforehand keeps me going well along with a banana or clif bar after a couple of hours if i am flagging.

I dont eat/slurp them as a matter of course but nergy gels are really good things to have in reserve for emergencies, quick acting.

Depends how you judge greatness – if it is on longevity at the top then Giggs has very few peers in world football never mind British football, the only recent era outfield player who could compare would probbly be Maldini.

If however it is judged on the peaks that the player hit then Giggs, despite being a great player who has had a great career, didnt quite reach the heights that others managed – IMO at no point in the 1990s or 2000s was he the best player in the world, or even top 3. There are others, who at their peak can justifiably claim to been in that top 3 – Best, Matthews and Charles being the obvious ones.

i’ve got a pair of castelli ones (dont know the model name though) which have gripper on both sides of the fabric, one for the leg and one for the shorts…that is pretty effective at stopping slipping

I dont really notice any speed difference between 23 and 25, the comfort issue is very tyre dependent too (presumably to do with the stiffness of the sidewall) – i’ve had 25s with harsher rides than 23s.

for commuting purposes then armadillos on bontrager hard case have served me well over the years. Neither the greatest riding tyres but good pucture protection

there was a guy in the year above me at school who cracked one off to the ‘hello boys’ wonderbra advert back in the day (probably not an uncommon occurrence right enough – but this happened during school lunch hour right in front of the line waiting at the burger van!)

It can be difficult to access the most interesting bits to watch (ie the famous climbs) by car due to road closures, nowhere to park etc but if you are intending to get there by bike then it is alot easier and makes for a great experience.

Cycling up l’alpe d’huez before the riders were due is one of my favourite ever biking experiences. The sides of the road were already packed and you get drunken fans running alongside shouting allez allez allez and handing water out. Cyclists dont get told to move off the road until shortly before the race is due to pass so you can really savour the experience…like being allowed to have a kickabout on pitch at wembley 10 minutes before the fa cup final started.

is there not an increased risk of cancer if you use talc regularly?

thanks for the info, will give it a go.

is the white as difficult to keep clean as regular white tape?

great video and great riding…no margin for error at all there

shimano 105 spd-sl for me

although over the winter just been using my spds instead so i can wear my winter mtb boots

i’ve got a love – hate relationship with road pedals…they do offer advantages but the walking is a problem. Last year i slipped walking down the slipway to the renfrew – yoker ferry and my bike ended up in the clyde!

I’ve started a few blogs over the years, always give up after a few weeks and seeing the visitor count struggling to get into into double figures.

Last year i got an account on tumblr which started off with me posting pictures of people riding bikes but which quickly deviated away from the original focus and became more about boobs than bikes. My girlfriend then found out about it and i was in the doghouse and had to delete it….but i miss those heady days of 2000 hits a day. 🙁

it is very terrain and condition dependent but i dont get close to 15mph for cross country and trail centre riding like glentress etc – more like 8 or 9mph

Both are good but i’d recommend giving inners a go if you havent done it before. I’d also recommend the blue at glentress, dont discount it because it is “just” a blue, it is great fun too.

I seem to have noticed the roads a bit quieter when out for a ride on a sunday. maybe there has been a bit of a drop off in people going out for a scenic run in their car at the weekend. The roads in the city and towns seem as busy as ever though.

more and more cycle commuters too but that might just be with the lighter mornings

Bit harsh on those working for the foreign office, british council, humanitarian organisations etc.

However i do sort of agree regards some of those out there working in other fields though – Personally i could never voluntarily move to go work in (and in turn serve the interests of )a repressive dictatorship that has a long history of human rights abuses in order to make a bit extra cash. It is not so much the risk that is not worth the money, i just could not live with the ethics of it.