Just checked my tracklogs route from last year and there are three climbs 150m 28miles in, 150m 33miles in and 200m 65miles in. The last one is off road and the only one that will give you any pain.

Last year amazingly the conditions were perfect, dry trails and no mud so the off road sections were easy, there is nothing technical other than a few roots and rocks. I used a hardtail 26 with low rolling resistance tyres pumped up hard and it was ideal.

You are unlikely to run out of gears on a standard bike as there are few sections where you will be going that fast.

If you are interested in the tracklogs file I can email it to you.

Rather depends what you call a bargain ?

Last weekend I bought Higear Summit 350 from Go Outdoors, £50.00
Rated to -5.2 degrees comfort. -12 degrees limit.

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/summit-350-p179126

TM,

I presume you mean the escarpment of Stanley Wood, Buckholt Wood and Penn Wood ? Whilst I can’t help you with a map I can tell you there are numerous singletrack trails running along the contours and straight down. I know people ride them as I see the tyre tracks and the trail fairys pile up branches against the fallen trees to ride over but I rarely meet anyone else.

The trails are excellent and probably remain that way because few people know them.

For starters there is an epic downhill from near the entrance drive to Woodchester Mansion down to Leonard Stanley, unrideable uphill and often a mudfest but at the moment great.

From the same start point explore across to Selsley common, then explore the bumps and jumps on the common.

Moving further into the valleys Kingscote Wood through to Horsley is a good run, take the farm track to Kingscote Tythe Barn and then head left past the farm house following the bridle path signs.

Moving further across Hazel Wood straight down to the exit near the Weighbridge is good. As of yesterday quite overgrown but you will see the singletrack trail clearly. If wet watch out for the wood structure across the stream bed, no grip at all!

You will not be stuck for good trails.

Tyger,
Can’t tell you anything about the donating process but as someone who has lived on one kidney for the last 30 years I can assure you that the body is well over – engineered on the kidney front.

I’ve had a few blood pressure issues due to imbalance of chemicals generated by running on one, sorry can’t remember the details and this may well be down to me personally. Well under control with a few pills.

Peterfile – I’ve more than tested the beer effect, monitored with annual kidney function tests and it’s all good.

Cotswold Farm Park near Stow on the Wold.
Folly Farm near Stow on the Wold.
Far Peak near Northleach.
Thistledown near Nympsfield.

xcgb

How long have you had yours and are they the Muckmaster ?
That model appears to have a large moulded section on the heel for removal.

Simon,
I asked this question about 5 months ago, walking the dog twice a day and preffering dry feet to wet.

After the initial shock on price I went for Seeland boots, £45.00 which seemed a decent mid point. Really comfortable and great until two weeks ago when the moulding between the sole and upper split. I sent them back yesterday as a manufacturing defect and I’m hoping for a refund rather than replacement.

I’m now contemplating Muck Boot Muckmasters on the basis that the sole into uppers moulding looks far more robust, £90ish.

Also contemplating industrial Dickies Rigger boots, some are rubber, some leather.

Edit: Few recommendations for Riggers whilst I was typing !

Tang,

I think they actually start serving about 3.30pm.
Relaxed atmosphere, great beer and as the sun goes down they build a fire out the back.

They only do this on a Friday and it’s becoming increasingly popular.

Like you say the food varies each week of the month. Not been there on a Pizza night but people I know have highly recommended them.

For anyone around Chepstow area you might be interested in this place

http://www.wyevalleyarchery.co.uk

Thanks everyone, comprehensively answered.

Simon,
It’s the bike I use on rollers, lives in the shed most of the time.
Surprised no-one has mentioned the massive slick tyre on the back yet, although hoodie came close !!

Spooky,
Yes, attached by a star nut in the steerer tube. Works really well.

Northwind,

Handlebars turned round, you can’t see them but they are on the right, on the boot floor.
Even the bar ends go it, ( yes they are rather large ).

stox,
no everything in the boot,
saddle stem removed and in the boot.

handle bar stem turned round to fit on the right hand side.

maccruiskeen, it does tend to stop every 250 miles. Only for fuel though. Bike would be useful if I’m too heavy on the throttle.

radoggair, bags of room, I’m 6’2″ and far taller people than be drive Chimaeras, plus you can take the roof off if you are mutant tall.

Steve,
Our puppy trainer once made the comment “Having a springer as your first dog is like learning to drive in a ferrari”

6 years on I don’t totally agree with that but the sentiment is correct, they are high energy, active and intelligent dogs but in my limited experience dog ownership operates on a similar basis regardless of the breed.

Meeting other people with their dogs has made me so grateful we got the basic training engrained whilst she was a puppy, especially recall.
Maintaining concistency of commands is important, if anyone is looking after our springer we give them a list of commands that she recognises, otherwise you may as well talk a different language (same for all breeds).

My folks had a springer so I though I knew what I was in for, totally wrong and I now realise I had the luxury of borrowing the dog on a part time basis and not the responsibility of two walks a day, restrictions on travel and holidays.

Whilst it won’t give you the long term ownership experience could you borrow a springer for the weekend or stay with friends who have one ?

We don’t leave ours for more than 6 hours at a time, self imposed guideline and we’ve never had any problems.

What is this pension that you speak of ?

Ian,

Have been through this twice and the best advice I can give is check out insurance costs on different vehicles before you buy the car.

Last time we did this discovered that a Suzuki Wagon R was bargain basement on insurance costs. OK it’s not exactly cool but it turned out my daughter loves it and it’s a brilliant little car.
1.3 litre, low gears so it’s not fast and only four seats so you can’t fill it with loads of friends.

We ended up with a multi car, multi driver policy through Admiral which brought the cost down a bit more. In rough figures £800 fully comprehensive with three drivers covered.

You have possibly hit the timing when female insurance is equalised with male insurance.

Built this a few years ago, kit form from Dunster House.
Close to the dimensions you are looking at, with the base, treating the wood before build and because I went for the 45mm thick option the overall cost was about £2000.

The quality of the “logs” is excellent, two tongues and grooves in each so the fit is snug, you tap them together with a rubber mallet.

The wood arrives untreated so I spent a long time giving each part two coats of preservative, anti rot etc treatment.

Windows are secure double glazed and I have put one way silvered film on these to restrict the view in.

Double doors are usefull for moving bikes in and out and for larger DIY projects. Inside is fine for mounting bikes on the walls and for a workstand with room to move round. Would have gone for the next size up but the tree in front restricted this.

Re: Planning, at the time Dunster did a range of heights to come in under the planning regs.

You will need two people to lift and position the roof timbers and allow two weekends, one to make the base and let the concrete set and the second to build the shed.

Mine is built on a slope so I used metposts concreted into the floor and then built a wooden frame to mount the shed onto, gives ventilation underneath and the way the kit comes the first timbers can be bolted into the base frame to secure it.Once built there is a lot of weight of timber and it’s not going anywhere.

This is a subject I have been tackling for three winters in our town and I’m now starting to make some progress, with some shop keepers clearing their bit of pavement and more volunteers spending time clearing pavements and then gritting them.

Mr Agreeable appears to be one of the few people that have heard of Snow Wardens, I am the local Snow Warden and it means that I now have the support of the town council with equipment and we have an agreed plan for the town centre that means people can get to the shops, the traders maintain their business and hopefully there are less broken wrists, hips and ankles.

I have had most of the responses listed above when clearing snow, I just accept it’s largely a thankless task but it only takes a few thankyous to redress the balance.

Bought a Brooks Professional a few years ago after seeing them being made as part of a documentary by a guy building his ideal bike.

Beautifully made, real quality leather.

I knew the first month or so would be breaking it in, so persevered.
After a couple of months I accepted it just needed breaking in a bit more so stuck with it.

After 12 months I was questioning my tactics but it looks so good and I really wanted it to be comfortable so I persevered.

After 24 months it I was still rather firm after a few miles and I had to admit to peddling out of the saddle, something I have never done before.

Last year I had to face reality training for the London to Brighton off-road and the Brooks came off temporarily for a less aesthetic dual density saddle.

I haven’t put it back on….

It seems some people get on great with them, some don’t, and unfortunately you have to spend some money to find out.

Nasher,

I’m in southern Gloucestershire, snow is predicted from 3.00am to 3.00pm tommorow (current forecast).
Currently dry, so it is likely to settle.
Pre Gritting is in operation and will continue in this area, can’t comment on Bristol.

This is a useful link for where the snow is and about the only use I have ever come across from Twittering.

http://uksnowmap.com/#/

Really depends what you consider fast and technical, here are some ideas,
Nympsfield woods, enter near the Coley Peak car park and Mansion entrance off B4066.
There is a trail that runs straight down to Frocester, deep U shape gulley with rock slabs and ledges near the top. Plenty of rocks and debris to deal with. Can literally be a river during heavy rain but this does wash the debris off to reveal a rocky base.
Difficult to explain the exact loaction but I could get a grid reference of the top at the weekend for you.

Hazel Wood just outside of Nailsworth, trail that runs down to B4014 near The Weighbridge pub.
Twisty singletrack down through the woods, some tight bends with roots and tree stumps, over a stream bed via “slatted bridge”, options of routes down two stream beds or meadow exiting at gate onto the road.
The “bridge” has usually got a few slats missing and is very slippy when wet and muddy. I have come off this in spectacular style.

Top of Selsley Common down to the Water Lane end. Once you have explored the dips and bumps there are a number of fast routes taking in some lovely smooth bombholes and jumps. Cross the B4066 and head down Water Lane into Woodchester. This is / was a tarmac road but I’ve only met cars on it a few times. Fast descent over cattle grid and then it dives down a deep trail. Debris and water everywhere, always wet as the spring that provided water for the village is part way down.
This makes life interesting as you have to manage speed against grip.

K23

I’ve had the creaking / settling in thing, easily overcome by realigning the shim and tightening the seat clamp or ideally getting a shokpost that is the perfect size.

You are spot on re: the elastoners, I used the hardest USE ones and then adjust the spring pre-load to set the rebound. (Allen nut in the bottom of the stem). You would probably find doing this cuts out the up hill bouncyness you mentioned.

Good to read feedback after the initial question.

Willard,

The Forerunner 305 has a smart data setting which records changes in data as opposed to recording every second. I don’t know the techy details but the end result is that the battery life is massively extended.

If other garmin units have the same feature, or other makes this may help you.

It was something I only discovered after buying the 305 and reading the manual. Your 24 hour target may not be achievable, never tried, but I’ve used the 305 for 10 hour rides and still had plenty of juice.
Happy to test it over the weekend and let you know the result.

USE Sumo Shokpost on two bikes, best hardtail cycling accessory ever.

Sure they are expensive but worth every penny for me.

I’ve got a book called Turning Green Wood by Michael O’Donnell which explains how to cut different sections of the tree to get the right grain pattern for different bowls / goblets.

He also explains microwave drying, which does work OK but in my experience is not fool proof, but we are dealing with wood here, every piece varies.

I have seen charts for microwave drying that gives timing and then weight loss figures, you weight the bowl, zap it, weigh again to evaluate moisture loss, leave it to stand……. you get the idea.

When I’ve been given lumps of tree I have turned some of it green and stored the rest. As mentioned above it takes years to dry and the pile in the garage is now quite extensive.

Did 2500 miles in 2 weeks earlier this year in a T5 VW Camper.

That was too many miles !

The VW was a 3 months old Californian, 4 wheel drive.
Just ate up the miles, brilliant over the Pyranees, through the Tarn Gorges, carried four bikes and all kit easily.

If you are hiring something make sure it’s up to the job.

Another time I would plan better each destination and use the motorway network to blat from one zone to the next, the tolls are worth the time saving and France is a big place.

Loads of campsites, no need to book.
We did however book the first night through the tunnel and the last night for the same reason.
Municpal campsites are a bargain, you may not get a swimming pool and restaurants but some were 20 Euros a night compared to 70 Euros on the meditteranean coast. (4 people)

Sometimes you can squish them to such an extent that they sit in the corner of your eye but a good close inspection in the mirror will show that up.

It’s quite an achievement to put two lenses in at the same time, I did it once after leaving them in all night and my vision was all over the shop. I think you would know if you had two lenses in.

Chances are the first lens sprung out and you didn’t find it, happens quite a bit when you first start wearing them.

Trevor James Saxaphones.

As always it’s a lot down to personal taste, try a few alongside each other if you can.

Jambalaya,

Didn’t see the previous thread.

Springer Spaniel, she comes back plastered wherever we go !

Dunlop Heavy Duty, is this what we are talking about ?

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/dunlop-heavy-duty-wellington-boots-p181852

Is that a Borg Warner T5 box you are after. If it is try Pistonheads TVR forum, Chimaeras and Griffiths used the T5 box on many cars.

OK revision for South Gloucestershire.

The rain forecasted has just hit, it’s like someone drumming on the windows and the trees appear to be going sideways !

http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/984_OwnersManual.pdf

Page 47. Data Recording. Standard mode 3.5 hours.
Smart Recording as far as I’ve tested it > 8.0 hours.

South Gloucestershire only slightly damp today, the epic rain forecast didn’t happen (or has not got here yet).

Ground is totally saturated, rivers very high.

So today’s summary moist above the ground, seriously wet on the ground.

Forerunner 305 has a function that records data when a parameter changes, I can’t remember the exact details but there are setting for recording all data every second or when it changes.

By changing mine to the later mode the battery life is days, I’ve never found out how long but it lasted well over 75 miles recently including stops.

Agree, I thought the recipient had to be on the same server, otherwise the email was long gone.

Please expand on the subtext behind the query ?