In my experience no, the Camelback tube bore is smaller, Wiggle have spare valves for Hydrapack.

I usually try searching on Wikiloc as you can refine by walking, mountainbiking, etc. Just type in the village and it will give you a whole range of routes that people have downloaded. The area around Vallon Pont D'Arc is very popular for walking and biking as far as I know, as well as the obvious Ardeche rafting and canoeing.

Best start saving up for the entry fees, Mrs PB did Nottingham sprint tri yesterday, £42 for a race that lasted 1hr 15min and they got over 300 entries. She got a t shirt and "silver" plate for winning.

Got a set earlier in the week but not had much chance to try due to weather and work but they seem well made and quite bright with a good beam width. I don't know whether the 900 lumens claim is correct but they light up my local stretch of the Trans Pennine Trail pretty well.

If you are looking abroad, Wikiloc is ace but set aside a few days.

ditto Sarn Helen, the trail runs through Coed Y Brenin, close to the Cli-Maxx and along the Mach 3 then via Nant Yr Arian and some remote Mid Wales classics to Rhayader, Llanwrtyd Wells and quite close to Glyncorrwg and ends up in Swansea. North end is a bit sketchy but worth persevering.

If you can't pluck up the courage to speak, just write it all down on one of those chalk boards they use at the TDF and flash it as you ride past. When she's ridden into the canal laughing at your pearls of wisdom, rescue her and bob's your uncle.

Off there tonight. From the detective work I've done, there are several bike park places La Molina, Vallnord in Andorra, and loads of natural riding on Wikiloc, we're there for 2 weeks and don't expect to get bored!!

Tomorrow night on the midnight ferry Dover-Dunkerque (£32 return for 2 + T4 Camper, not smug or owt :D ) Drive through the night and Saturday to Vall D'Aran in the Pyrenees then 2 weeks of touring, biking around Cataluna inc beach. Can't wait

One style has got a huge 28 printed on it to annoy French people (TDF last stage content)

Wow a Mirror dinghy, small world, a freind of mine at college (30 years ago)is the son of the inventor, Barry Bucknell who was also a tv DIY pioneer. The plans were published in the Mirror newspaper and it was possible to build it yourself without the need to bend the plywood and the whole rig folded down so it would go on the roof of a Mini. It was also stitched together using copper wire and fibreglassed to stop the joins leaking. Where has innovation like that gone?
We were posh, I learned to sail in a Topper :P

Far be it for me to tell Stoner where he took the photo but the street map location he gave is wrong, the estuary is definitely the Dovey opposite Aberdovey. There are several campsites in Borth, the nearest of which is right at ethe end of the road just before the beach, used to be called Sea Rivers. The nicest one is Glan Lerry but that is back in Borth.

When are you going? I have a static van there and we're having a weekend of biking and drinking in the middle of Sept, also there at August Bank Hol so could show you round if you want.

Not my photo but I identified it as Ynys Las sands which is the South side of the Dovey estuary from Aberdovey. You drive there by either going North from Borth across the golf course or West from Tre R Ddol on the Machynleth to Aberystwyth road. Spent many happy hours there waterskiing on the estuary when the sea was too rough.

Woodlands in Devils Bridge is 5 mls from Nant Yr Arian and is in a lovely spot, camping field is in a bowl where you can watch Red Kites, nice walks around the waterfalls as well as a bar just down the road.

A couple of months ago I sent a very polite e mail to Carradice asking if they could make me a frame bag as I had heard good things about their seat packs etc, got a 1 liner back "we don't do specials" Typical British entrepreneurs………

Word is that Chris Bordman was riding one during the TDF ITV4 coverage, major upgrade is the black masking tape on the downtube to hide the fact that you're riding a Boardman. :wink:

Looks like Dave's started an advertising campaign. OK I know, it's all the same from up North

I have one of the Connect XL models which hasn't been particularly good, fan broke, graphics card broke, monitor broke but the biggest annoyance is that the fan runs all the time and is very noisy. Interested to know if Retros one is similar as it makes watching or listening to anything a pita.

Can I vote for a nice slice of tripe gently poached in milk with a side order of tongue. YUM YUM

A race is only a race if the other party(ies) know they are in one.

Wow, and I thought it was just because she had ginormous baps. Incidentally, I used to live next door to a couple who were made for one another, he was called Maurice and she Marina, I nearly wet myself when they came round to introduce themselves.

I draw the line at Last of the Summer Wine, only watch that for the local scenery.

Immediately blurted out "Dyke on a bike" when seeing the trailer for this, got a bollocking of Mrs PB for my troubles :cry:

The Angrilu and Lagos De Covadonga are both in Asturias and are classics of the Vuelta, not far from the sea but maybe further west than your trip allows.

Thanks both, I've also looked at the Caxton one which gives free ATM use abroad. Is this a better option, is Mastercard universally accepted in reality?

Colin is more Ledbury based, if it's knowledge of Radnorshire you want, who can better Jeremy Atkinson clogmaker extraordinaire

Watching the first clip,couldn't help thinking Carl Fogarty's let himself go and David Bellamy's lost weight :lol:

Used to live there but now reside in the Peoples Republic of South Yorkshire. Why don't you call the wonderful people at Pearce Cycles, I'm sure Dave will put you right. He knows every inch of Bringewood, Hopton Clee Hill and the Mynd one of his lads might even show you round.

Beware bikes with high level exhausts, big traillies and most sportsbikes. In these days of cat converters, they run very hot and can melt throwovers in no time. Tankbags are a good way of carrying medium amounts of luggage without the balance issues of top boxes. Again try Oxford Products.

There has been quite a lot of tarmac put down between Penistone and Wharncliffe in the last 2-3 weeks, the bit over the top to Hadfield has been "improved" as well but if it is wet you get covered in black crap from the old railway line surface, most people I see past our house who look like they're doing the whole thing are on slick or semi slick tyres. The only time a bit more grip may be required is if you're going W to E up the climb from Woodhead over the Tunnel and down to Dunford.

Cubley Hall is very nice and not mega expensive. 3 miles from Langsett and Cut Gate with the added benefit that you can say you are staying in a town with Penis in its name.

How does a request for recommendations for a half decent workshop move to discussion about the mechanics hair style? All I want is someone to competently take my forks apart without finding they need a 27.2mm non chamfered deep socket half way through the job and spend 3 weeks sourcing one, suck their teeth about the lack of tlc they have been given thus far, decide there is nothing dramatically wrong with them as the rider is obviously a fairy, change the oil and dust wipers make sure the damper rod is working properly and phone me to pick them up the day after. Is that too much to ask?
Oh and be within half an hour of me in Barnsley.
I dont care if they look like a gonk as long as they can do the job.

Nice river trip up the Severn to Gloucester and a day out at the Fred West garden design centre :lol:

A1, A14, M11, M25 every time, they've built flyovers to most of the roundabouts which were holdups such as Markham Moor, Stamford, Colsterworth etc, runs straight into M11. I do it on a regular basis on a Friday rushour. Also if the proverbial does hit the fan, there are more options to get off the A1 and take to the country lanes rather than queueing for a junction that may be 15 miles away.

Isn't there a danger of grounding pedals when cornering, how do they race them?

Thomas Cook aren't bad, at least they have some room for negotiation instead of the PO assistant looking at you as if you've just shat in their handbag if you mention having seen a much better rate on their website.

0800 443311 and follow the prompt, simples.

Windwave,Portsmouth TF (Tim Flooks?) Bath IIRC not exactly local then. I've nackered too many forks to start changing bushes and seals myself. :cry:

Kenny Loggins + Footloose + Soundtrack = Top Welshness