No, don’t have a smart phone…..

I spent a while looking at the 405 (thanks Stoner) but am tempted by the simplicity of the 110…..thanks for all the suggestions.

Firstly, anything I say on this subject should be viewed as suspect as I have such a terrible history with relationships, but here goes anyway….

OP – I agree that generally it is very rarely just the fault of one party. However, if one party does decide to be abusive for whatever reason, it is easy for the other other to fall in with it (rationalising it as something minor until it’s accepted behaviour) and not stand up to it, I know I did. I got on tolerably with my first wife, but she could be a real demon and was certainly abusive in putting me doewn in front of others and with rages and occasional violence etc. She went away for a “weekend” with the office sleaze when I was away at a pre-agreed stag do, and reacted in fury to my somewhat indignant questioning when I found out where she’d been. I was too feeble however to issue ultimatums or whatever though at the time, and stupidly “let it go”. I do however still feel tremendously guilty as I was the one who ended it, although I still feel it was the right thing to do. Second one was a rebound, but she seemed (initially at least) to be a good friend and much better adjusted than the first one (if she kept off the sauce, sadly that was rare). How wrong could I be though…..she was off to have someone else’s kid within a few years and I now see just how manipulative she was. I was totally devastated when she left without warning after telling me it had been going on behind my back for a while and I pretty much gave up for a while.

I then resolved not to marry. Had a good time and basically learnt that everyone has faults, don’t put them on a pedestal, adjust to their flaws or walk away if you can’t etc. Then I met Mrs Ononeorange, and was so knocked over that I ignored my rule on non-marriage. I know now what a relationship founded on equality and mutual respect is really like, and couldn’t be happier.

I rationalise the above as me having learnt the hard way what most people learn when they’re in their teens, but I suppose the “moral” of this shameful story is the bit about mutual respect. I also realise that not having had any kids makes the decisions etc much easier.

Thanks all. djg – your link looks amazing, one question though – how does it produce the height gain as I didn’t think it had an altimeter on the 110?

What was the one with the kids who lived on a bus? Was it Doubledeckers or something?

And yes I remember the Water Margin – I loved it. “Ling Chung….they are many horsemen!” Wasn’t there a guy who could run faster than light or something?

The Clangers were a real favourite too.

Congratulations to both of you.

Riding it

Thanks 3 bikeman – good effort.

Brilliant.

(Although they mentioned a Camelbak – I thought consensus was that they’re unnecessary up north….?) 😉

I don’t see anything on the Friends of Quantocks site – where’s the place to put views, please? I just can’t see it.

Try Hiscox for general house insurance – they cover bikes.

I don’t work for them before anyone asks!

Pinches: Sorry only just come back to this. Yes that was me. Afraid I picked up a Pro II hub off the Classifieds here, but would have come back if he hadn’t posted the next day.

Cheers for the help. Keep up the good work and will be back in soon.

Myself + Mrs Ononeorange.

Absolutely superb. The only person to have got both Mrs O’s wheels off the ground (if that doesn’t sound dodgy). We went away just afterwards to Sardinia and were relative riding gods (well, sort of. In our eyes maybe).

Lots of things improved, all hard to define, but the easiest thing to say is confidence.

MTFU. Cheapest gel or foam used sparingly, nastiest plastic razor eked out for weeks and deal with the blood.

That freshly lacerated look discourages people from sitting next to you on the tube.

Duel by Propaganda here too.

I was in the Strype Street one a couple of weeks back and was pleasantly surprised at the enthusiasm and helpfulness of the staff for things mtb…..three of them at one point showing me the finer points of some shiny XTR pedals…..

Tootall – I didn’t make it clear – just the one wall was singleskin which we dealt with this year – I was really stunned at the dioffverence it made. Cheers

There are some interesting points on this thread. Our house (moved in fairly recently) is flipping cold in winter, despite the boiler hammering away like a crazed maniac. I want to put in a wood burner but can’t just yet as the roof is in poor shape and needs sorting first.

Over the summer I did all the calculations for radiator output, but they seemed close (if just a little under) and cost was high to buy new ones to replace. The front room is the worst, like a freezer, but it’s 1) North facing 2) Large windows and 3) Over a void, so no great surprise. We put in some serious insulation in the roof of the void, but it seems to have made precious little difference – still freezing and very disappointed with that project. Thick curtains are on the list but need to save up first. Loads of insulation already in the roof cavities – it’s like a wild jungle of orange fibres in there. Putting in a second skin (it was just a single brick thickness) on the bedroom wall though has however made a huge difference in there – very pleased with that. It got rid of a lot of damp too.

I think the biggest thing that I have taken out of this thread is to have the heating running a bit more – trying to save cash, it’s only on a couple of hours in the evening and 45 mins in the morning. Perhaps a little too Scrooge-like. Off to re-set the clock.

Cotic Soda, but would need a better motor!

Don – enough of the sarcasm please. I don’t like Facebook and don’t want it – OK?

Thanks Dan for the helpful suggestion. Just tried it as you said, but everything leads back to Facebook. I will look for something else. Thanks though.

No. I don’t want one. I don’t want people to know what I do – I just want to listen to music.

No options offered TJ – it just downloaded and then bang straight into “log in via Facebook”.

Bugger. Any alternatives to Spotify that I don’t need to be a teenager to use?

PS Crombiecraig: Soul with 115mm. In my drunken opinion.

Both – Bruichladdich – bought it in that London and just opened. Lovely!

Yes, in increasing frequency. It gets me by total intolerance of people around me followed by increasingly extreme panic attacks. I suspect most people go through the same in some version – as above, we find ways to deal with it. For me – and this may not apply to you – professionals can just stay right away.

Coyote puts it perfectly – manic, crazy highs and lows which swing around so quickly. That’s the point to try to find a few minutes for a run, anything. Exercise brings it all back from the precipice of extreme violence!

I’ve loved it every time – fast and flowing and a good hard climb afterwards. But I love climbing, me.

How do they compare to the new race xtr? Worth the extra cost?

He’s just going outside for a while. He may be some time.

Good luck!

It does look good.

He couldn’t let it lye. Or just let it wither on the vine.

Same old salad. Same every day, week in week out. And STILL my chloresterol stays high. Grrrrr!!!!!

Sorry Rogg but you do sound like the sort who (if you weren’t a cyclist) would take it out on a cyclist or pedestrian just for being there, while you’re all safe and protected in 2 tons of metal and plastic. You wouldn’t have had that ludicrous reaction if you’d been walkign along, would you (if you get my drift)?

I think your “bike tomorrow” comment is appropriate.

Oh OK thanks. Sort of thing Mrs O would watch while I’m out on my bike!

Cheers

We just stopped drinking in the week (see post above on “why do you drink?”) and I agree it makes a remarkable improvement on sleep patterns. Very easy to do in fact so long as you make the rule absolute. Made bu*ger all difference to weight for me though – still as fat as a pig.

All this bull has set them off now

Re-adjust CH to come on when your alarm goes off and simultaneously play music at high volume with the same beat?

What series? Yes but rarely watch it.

The Atacama desert is the driest place in the world allegedly, where some areas have had no recorded rainfall, and there is evidence that there was no rain between 1570 to 1971.

So that proves Drac’s point – even there, there is some rain, but you just need to consider the time period. So I suppose – given that caveat – Tracy and Ben were right in their line.

But the OP’s example is truly horrendous and meaningless. Agree that you should have put it down there and then and backed away slowly.

I thought he disappeared off the face of the earth a few years ago – good to know he’s back.

Given the hypothetical question said it was a serious disorder and it was known about, definitely not.

Edit: Ambrose, it’s a fact of life. I don’t have ginger hair but have spent a lifetime being mocked about various genetic malfunctions I have no control over (not just my non-biking skills either). S**t happens from other people.

YOU DIDN’T READ WHAT I SAID!!!