If you want to win, you won’t need brakes on the steep downhills 8O

If you’re not bothered about winning, don’t let anxiety spoil your ride – people have been doing it for years on rim brakes and tubes.
OK, modern developments may improve the ride but not necessarily the experience; you can worry about them for the 2nd time you do it with the experience of one under your belt!

Did Froome overdo it yesterday and will he suffer for that today? It seemed a little naive to me attacking on the mountain alongside Contador knowing there is still 35km to go over the other side; it always seemed highly likely that the other GC contenders would regain the gap before the finish.

ooOOoo – Member
Because using a French word & ‘kilometres’ makes it sound glamorous?

CaptainFlashheart – Member
Hat.

Made me chuckle :lol:

It’s surprising what you can do through the working day if you have a relatively sedentary job, say a desk job.
I used to do the gym stuff, spin classes, even tried yoga through my late 40s early 50s but now I’m just too lazy to bother! I do a series of stretches every morning (takes about 10 minutes) to centre my knees and lower back. Every time I go for a pee at work I do a dozen press-ups (not at exactly the same time obviously!). I silent-run up the stairs (try running up stairs silently) at every opportunity (added bonus – it scares the wotsits out of the staff upstairs as you suddenly appear without warning!), I’ll stand one-legged if I’m standing, I’ll do calf stretches on the metal feet of the desks when stood at someone else’s desk. Luckily, no-one seems to bat an eye at the old guy who cycles 11 miles each way to work a couple of times a week doing strange exercises around the place.

“the few times i’ve been to trail centres the crowd has felt younger 25-30 maybe“

This possibly. At Pedalabikeaway Center in FoD you will see a lot of younger riders shredding the DH runs and a lot of 50+ riders too. They also have the Little Fodders, age 8 upwards.

But when I’m riding natural stuff in the Brecon Beacons or mid-Wales, if I see other riders at all, they’ll be older rather than younger.

Older school but great thrillers based around the wars, pretty much anything by Alistair Maclean or Hammond Innes.
I enjoy reading Peter May, especially his Isle of Lewis trilogy and his stand alone novels.

Elvis is dead??? 8O

This place Whitemead Park is within easy off-road cycling distance of the cycle centre/uplift and has pretty much everything to keep the family entertained.

EDIT: smaller & quieter you say, maybe Beeches Farm[/url]

Not at all, like every cyclist I’ve been victim of dangerous and inconsiderate driving far to often. But what prompted my comment was the knee jerk reaction on here to paint motorists as the bad guys without knowing all or even any of the facts.

Who posted a knee jerk reaction?

And I’ll say it again, I read the op’s post and accepted it at face value. There could have been any number of preceding events which led to the cyclists anger, but I didn’t comment because I didn’t know the facts.

But you did comment!

You invented a scenario, to which I proposed an alternative.

As I posted earlier – I asked a question, I didn’t invent a scenario.

ps I’m bored now so I’m more than happy for you to have the last word if you wish.

taxi25, you did indeed offer a perfectly reasonable perspective on something I’m sure you’re not the only one that is familiar with but you opened your post with “I love these totally invented scenarios that serve the belief that cyclists can do no wrong and motorists are always the bad guy” which to be fair, even with a smiley emoji, is an aggressive and narrow minded opening salvo dismissing alternative views to your own.

Given the evidence available it’s as likely a scenario as yours. But I didn’t wade in with a biased view just responded to yours.

Well, I asked a question of the OP who was actually there so that’s hardly wading in with a biased view is it. In the interests of discussion I’m glad it stimulated your non-biased response though.

EDIT: and the OP has subsequently added information to clarify the real situation.

The thing is the driver probably safely overtook one cyclist pulling into a perfectly reasonable gap, but before he can overtake the next rider the other guy who would have passed the other cyclist closes up

So, that would be a totally invented scenario then :roll:

Had the driver of the car just overtaken him and squeezed back into the gap that wasn’t there?

Oooh, I’ve got Rio Grande Mud, Tres Hombres, and Fandango on vinyl; have to pull them out and have a listen, it’s been a while (“,)

Let’s face it, Diana’s death was the start of the whole British mass-display-of-grief-for-people-we-don’t-actually-know thing that is so prevalent these days. What is that all about?

I’ll strip off to get changed in a carpark but admit I try to be discreet about it. It’s not like you’re parading around naked for more than a moment.
Or, are you…
the problem starts when you get one foot into your keks then snag the second foot in the material, fall over onto your back stark naked with a pair of pants hanging off one foot. Now, that is being discreet…

Lovely café, always been open and very welcoming when I’ve passed through, even got a few bike spares and bits for sale. The guy who owns it is hoping to open a bike shop and workshop plus bunkhouse in the building opposite. Very community feel to the place.

I seem to remember you had an old Amazon once upon a time?

Things I’ve learnt here? That sometimes an argument debate can never be won no matter how loud and persistent you are.

Reading what you write you are going to need to control your jealousy to enable you to move on.
Divorce is straight forward if you both agree you are no longer compatible, it’s sorting out the finances, accommodation and access to kids that’ll cause all sorts of problems and make the legal people rich. You’ll need a clear (and sober)head to keep on top of it, jealousy clouds your judgement. Very few couples get through it completely amicably but most eventually end up in a better place if you really are no longer compatible as a couple.
That said, I have absolutely no idea what the legal set up is in Switzerland; do you have dual-nationality or are you just resident?

There’ll always be a market for 26″ just maybe not at the top end prices. A bigger problem i.m.o. will be 1-1/8″ head tubes; decent forks with 1-1/8″ straight steerer are becoming hard to find.

Maybe we could arrange a STW group ride. I would always recommend people utilise the services of some of the local guided rides. As I know some great bits but really only scratching the surface tonne honest! But I’m happy to lead a group of people. I have a great little route near the centre which encorporates some of the old enduro trail, red and a great alternative descent back to the trail centre. It’s about 11 miles and we quite often ride it in the evenings. Can get a bit sloppy in the winter months but as it drys out it’s a ripper

D’you know, back in the early days of STW, some 13/14 maybe more years ago now, we had a series of STW weekends in the FoD. Bunk house accommodation opposite a pub, morris dancers, food and drink into the wee hours and the sort of guide carlsburg would probably have provided.

Why does my schoolboyish humour make me smile everytime I read “I had a pompino” or “I love a pompino”?!!?

Just revisiting this to see how you’re getting on!

Just some ramblings… It’s not unusual for the flue to kink left/right or front/back – this can help the draw. Above the throat (narrow bit immediately over the fireback) it will probably open out into a smoke chamber and then straight up the chimney.
Be interesting to know what the 3rd pot/flue was for originally? Some of the width of the firebreast will be to support the 2nd and 3rd flues above and the overall width of the chimney stack.
A quick way to check the joists: if you have floorboards in the room above then the joists will most likely run the other way to the floorboards. 5m + is quite wide for a single span if they run front to back so there may be a central purlin end-on to the firebreast.
It’s possible that the actual flue/chimney will have been constructed in brick and then the breast built around it, possibly with either a cavity or rubble fill between the two constructions, and then the decorative fireplace planted on the front of this.

Have you talked to the suppliers of the stove you’re wanting to fit? If local, their installers will maybe have a good idea of what you’re facing.

Yeah, when they removed the original sash boxes they had to build up a subframe, in your case using 6×2. This would normally be fixed directly or with noggins to the stonework but that is not always possible depending on the state of the masonry behind the old boxes. Quite often foam is used especially if the internal finishing involves plasterboard or timber liners over the 6×2 which helps locate it. If you can expose the 6×2 and get a good sleeved frame-fixing into the wall in a couple of places each side then go for it! You may need to pack between the 6×2 and the wall though.

sgn23 – Member 
I’m looking to get some kit for a couple of short bikepacking trips next year

Agree with a lot that has been said previously BUT… how long are the trips (how many nights) and will you be doing more?
If you’re talking just a couple of one-nighters and nothing more after those trips then a backpack will be fine and probably more practical for other things.
If you want to get into the whole ‘bikepacking’ thing then a front harness and saddle pack/harness will be well worth the investment. ime if you don’t want to pay for Revelate then Wildcat is best value for money and uk made.

joshvegas – Member 
The upvc frame is screwed securely into a wooden frame of 6×2.
The 6×2 however are not…

What windows were there originally, sliding sash? Is the 6×2 between the reveals or behind the outer brickwork/stone?

1 in 4 Gradient (25%)? I’d put in steps and a handrail…
(although Northwind does talk more sense).

Well, it looks like a 16″ fireback so only a 16″ aperture which may well mean there is no lintel. Once you’ve removed the fireback and can see the flue/chimney you may get a better idea of the construction of the chimney breast and how much work you will need to do to widen the aperture and connect into and seal the flue for your new fire/woodburner/whatever. To widen the aperture you will need a new lintel; how deep it will need to be you won’t know until, like you say, you’ve established the construction of the chimney breast. Like xico says, it is possible there’s a wider lintel above what you can see so far.

Remember that chimney up on the roof? And maybe that bit of wall that juts out in the room above the fireplace? Yep, that’s all supported by the bit you’re knocking about. If you don’t know what to do, get someone who does in to look at it!

I’m struggling with “trophy wives[/I]“. How do you differentiate them from successful women who might actually own their own expensive motor vehicle?

Mmmm, you’ll need to ask what the ‘cover‘ is too for working out how many you need; there’s a good chance the 144mm finished size includes the tongue so the tongue needs to be deducted to find the cover… :?

Nominal = original size
Finished size = size after planing/machining
Cover = actual width a rebated/T&G board covers

(hi bigjohn!)

Depending on where you are staying and the type of riding you want you could easily fill two days with riding in the FoD. Other than that you’re within an easy hour of Cwm Carn, the Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons.
If you’re climbing in the Wye Valley you could always try a day kayaking/canoeing as well (though maybe a bit late now being as it’s Easter weekend).
If you get to Cannop first there are maps and regular riders around who should be able to point you in the right direction. Have fun!

Why is everyone posting answers when the removed post is obviously a question?

I would say that Postcrete is far too fine a mix for the depth you need to build up and would crumble away over time. Either make up a decent mix with ballast/dust and cement or do as tonyplym suggests.

Check what its land use status is, this will affect price. Know what it’s worth to you and set your upper limit to bid. Is it sealed bid or public auction? (not that it makes much difference). You seem to be fairly aware of what you’re doing though.

You do that these days and before you can say antisocial behaviour you’ll be getting a claim for maintenance…

It’s doing my head in and I feel I’m on the point of cracking; general marital and life stress are not making this any easier. My wife and son seem oblivious…

This is quite a telling sentence. Maybe coming at this from a different angle, if things like this are causing you distress/ill health then maybe it’s worth chatting to your doctor about how you deal with these kind of stresses. Not belittling the problem or suggesting that it’s not an issue but it’s obviously having a detrimental effect on you. There is no stigma in looking after your own well-being.

You could always try, “by the way, how’s your dad doing? I’ve not seen him for a few days.”

[stereotyping] :lol: [/stereotyping]

If it’s leaking there must be a design or build issue. Most wooden buildings, if designed and built with overlaps anywhere there is moisture, will be waterproof by design.

Although you cover yourself well by saying “most”, I wouldn’t necessarily agree. Due to the very nature of timber and its potential to move and absorb moisture, a lot of ‘sheds’ and ‘garden buildings’ are likely to allow rain to pass, especially under extreme wind-driven heavy rain conditions. The T&G rebates are rarely sufficient alone and if you want a waterproof structure you need to do extra work on erection as tinybits suggests.

Interestingly, the neighbours house is blurred out,

Well, it would appear that you have discovered where the OP lives…