I’ve had 4! Two of the basic 5 minute ones where they wire you up and watch a few squiggles, look puzzled and then say “there’s nothing wrong with you”, and two with the full-on exercise bike and the breathing tubes and stuff (which are quite fun as a regular cyclist as they attempt to tire your legs which just doesn’t happen). After that they look at the squiggles, look puzzled and then say “You have an odd rhythm” which my mrs could have told them the first time she saw me on a dance floor.

The only downside is that they have to shave parts of your chest which leaves really odd marks. Piece of cake otherwise.

+1 philconsequence (I’m not just agreeing with you because I’ve actually met you!). It’s all good.

Personally I wouldn’t touch a carbon frame because I’m not exactly light and dainty but that doesn’t make it bad / something someone else shouldn’t have, it’s just my choice, rational or not.

As someone else said, we should encourage all varieties and forms of bike. In my opinion.

Update: They were really shot. All was fine in the lowers but when I re-fitted them residual oil was bubbling out around the U-turn knob and poured out when I had it all back together. In desperation I have “borrowed” a pair of coil Revs and fitted them up this afternoon. A bit low but at least they’re not causing an environmental disaster. The others are off to Dr Loco I think.

Will do. Just had another look and it really is a slick as it’s all over the BB! The whole down tube is coated. The stanchion is dry.

Job for this afternoon.

Thanks again

Hmmm Ok – I’ll whip the lowers off again (Madam!) and put some more oil in. It’s about to be packed to go on a plane so I suspect it may look like the Torrey Canyon when it comes off.

Thanks Nuke.

Sorry that wasn’t clear – the bike was vertical on a wall and it’s dribbled out along the down tube. Enough of a slick that I can’t ignore!

Pretty sure it’s from around the top cap (the one that turns to adjust the travel)

“Anyway, based on the latest 3m libor forward curve I’ve been using for work, I expect to be in the money sometime during the 3rd year”

//Geek alert// The forward Libor curve is not the same as the market “prediction” for rates in x months. It represents the rate at which banks will lend to each other today for that period. //Geek alert off//

Best wishes Tim. The most difficult thing is finding out what someone can really be like when you thought that you knew them.

The odd thing here which you touch on is that she has broken the 2 month “silence” agreement and enagaged solicitors with an accusation without even talking to you. She’s either not thinking straight or there’s another influence behind it.

Given that behaviour, I think one further attempt by you to discuss the real reasons behind the behaviour then you do need the protetcion of a solicitor. It looks like you’ve taken all the burden for the last few years, about time that was recognised.

Good luck. You’re not on your own.

Thanks guys – good to know it’s not just me!
Tazzy – genius. I have one of those why didn’t I think of it?!!

Would a picture of a rabbit with a cake on its head resolve the issue for you?

Had a s/s rear for about a year now, which means it’s had a full winter of crap. It’s been great, really good value. Just two very small niggles:

1. It needed the pawls greasing when I first got it (grinding noise) – hardly a hardship.

2. It is virtually silent and I really miss the Pro II sound when I’m on it.

There’s a group of us ride locally on Tuesday nights and sometimes Thursday nights and even weekends from around the Watford / Amersham area. Are you from this end of Herts?

Thanks again guys. Will try and work that one out when I get home.

Much apprecaited.

Ok thanks. That’s really helpful as I would have plunged in and removed an armful.

Will remove one then for measuring purposes. Thanks for the tips, much appreciated.

Learning to build a wheel is on my list of things to do when I have time……

😆

Thanks Phil and the others for organising a superb day, and big thanks to lungman too for leading us around so professionally. Apologies to the others in my group if I got in the way a bit!

Dickyboy (if I’ve remembered that right) – let me know if ever you’re up for a Chilterns ride.

Phil – looked at my video footage last night – sorry it’s crap. Batteries died just before the good bits and in any case I had it pointed at the ground! Fail!

Mr smith – “why use a gun when the justice system and the British obsession with the motor car make it so easy”

Absolutely.

Never been an option to work less than 10-11+ hours a day.

Quite enjoy my job itself but would love to have some time back every now and then. Taking my first week off next week for quite a while, but that will probably be largely spent on the Blackberry. Oh well.

Surprised at OP’s comments about insurance companies. We share an office with one and from what I can see their world seems to largely consist of chatting with their mates in Lloyds and then off to the pub…..obviously a different type of insurance co to yours then!

noteeth – couldn’t agree more. Well said!

Where did you get the added sun from?!

Alice knocked the spots off the genome woman.

Years ago I was involved in development of a very high power plasma torch. It was done on a shoestring – no-one knew what would happen and they were too excited to make a remote start trigger, so as I was the “kid” I had to stand next to it and press the lever to ignite it. It broke the graphite anode block in two and gave me a permanent suntan.

I also got to “drive” the big electric arc furnace at British Steel in Sheffield once. Allegedly used more power than Doncaster (I never actually calculated that though….). Absolutely ace. Oh yes, and they let me drive the machine that used to lift the skips full of scrap late at night. I managed to knock over a stack of skips.

phil
mrsconsequence
Bigface0_0 +4
yetis mum
torms dog
goatboyisheretopleaseyou
CG
neilneilorangepeel
Dickyboy
DrRSwank +1
rOcKeTdOg +4
Psychle (all alone )
lexiekay
hilldodger – tourists group please
toab
SilentSparky
kevsterjw
Mr Happy Jack +1
Flebby + 3(maybe 2 more, need to confirm.)
Nacho
TopgunSteve +2
Singletrackmind
neilnevill
SamB
aleigh – woohoo!
Gephaudio- bike now back from the Falklands
mulacs
mrblobby
timothius
miguelito
Piha
Mr & Mrs Ononeorange (probably)

Mr and Mrs Ononeorange aim to get there too

Thanks, mamadirt and zippy! Cheered us up after a bad day in the shops! 🙂

This thread is not complete without the rabbit with the cake on its head. Anyone?

Not really. It’s a finite resource that is fast running out and is doing significant damage to the environment and health.

Laws of economics say that the price will go up faster and faster as supply dwindles. Eventually poeple will realise the case that cars are a luxury item and not just jump in them to go everywhere – we can’t afford it for reasons other than economics. In my opinion the UK is barking mad to allow itself to be so dependent on a finite resource imported from a fair few unstable countries.

Edit – to answer your question very little. I rarely use the car.

Had mine done a few years back (as on other thread) – painless and has worked well. I went via my dentist in London who is excellent, have been there for 15+ years and have recommended quite a few people who are now patients. (She sorted me out after mis-treatment by a another dentist who frankly should have been struck off). She put me out to a specialist in West London for the implant. Not cheap but the only way I was going to keep my teeth.

If you decide to try them, ask for Rosie and say the good-looking brother sent you! (Long story…!). Link below.

http://www.finsburydentalcare.co.uk

Gastropods. Far more scary than anything above.

I generally have no problems with dogs, I like them, but back in autumn was riding through the woods (yes, legal) when 3 nasty little yappy white things started barking at me. Two were just joining in but the third little s**t meant it – it tried to bite but I kicked at it and it ran off. Then it steamed back, straight in and bit my ankle. I was off my bike seeing red and running after it swearing my head off. The daft boot of an owner just gawped so I suggested that she might like to control it as it had bitten me – much like the sheep thread, she then denied it woould ever do such a thing so I showed her the blood running out of my ankle. She just walked off so I told her I would report it to the police who would find her and have her little treasure put to sleep. I didn’t but I hope that got through her thick skull.

Ace – cheers, Will try to get along then!

Heard nowt too

So is that a yes then Phil?

Excellent news if true, but I think that this is just surmise at present based on the fact that Dave said yesterday in Parliament that he thought the idea was rubbish (in effect). He changes his mind with the wind, so let’s see. Fingers crossed!

(If it is true, I might even be prepared to admit that there is some tiny semblance of democracy left in this country, and it’s not just a mad right-wing dictatorship!).

That orange crane over there >> was not placed there by the combined efforts of a minor ant colony.

Seeing the response to Mulacs (above), I am slowly getting the impression that this is open to anyone and not a “club” ride as I first thought?

If so, we may be able to get along.

Just stopped and had a look at the Gherkin as I came past into the office. You’re right, it is a double skin – I’d never bothered to notice. Also spent a minute doing the tourist thing and looking up the side while walking round the bottom – can’t believe I’d never actually done that before. Familiarity and contempt, I suppose.

Yes, St P and Koln Cathedral – both get my vote.

Excellent thread. It’s really made me think – I work 30 yards from The Gherkin and hadn’t realised anyone actually liked it – I’ve always thought it irredeemably repulsive. I will look at it again on my way home with an open mind…..

Why has that man/woman got lightning bolts coming out of his / her lungs? Is it due to low-level celery-induced vampire tapirs? Would seem to be the most obvious answer. (The ones further down are obviously just wind).

I think the rather odd nationally-based “strategy” that the original article suggested would be illegal anyway under EU competition rules (and quite right too).