You really need to specify if you are buying petrol or diesel, which will depend on your annual mileage I would think.

There is potentially more to go wrong on a high mileage diesel car, or a low mileage one for that matter. EGR’s, DPF’s, DMF’s depending on what age you buy. Also turbo’s, intercoolers and hoses may need fixing at high mileage. To save all that gubbins you should get a naturally aspirated petrol engine for the ultimate reliability.

The odds are it will be a bit underwhelming to drive. Saying that the Honda Vtec that was in the Civic type R and S2000 was amazingly reliable and pretty powerful. Old Volvo’s go on forever.

For me, if it drives like crap I’m not going to enjoy it repair bills or not.

Get something with good history and drive as many different cars as you can, a could one will stand out.

Linky

These are surprisingly good. I have been running in them, they sound pretty good and actually stay in your ears. Also used them on my road bike…..one ear only, obviously!

ps, check out Britstops….

I find the freedom great. I think the key is not to get sucked into renting / buying a massive van.

We just traded up from a T5 to a fiat Ducato SWB high top. The T5 was too small for anything longer than a weekend with gear etc. in. An awning solved this on a campsite but there are times you want to wild camp beside the road etc.

The Ducato has a proper toilet, this greatly improves your independence in my experience.

We spent two weeks in the Alps last summer, with only 3 days in a campsite. This was to do some washing / empty loo / fill water tanks etc. There are places to do this without staying over night but lake Annecey is a pretty cool place to hang out.

A bigger van is more stressful to drive. There maybe times you have to pull a u turn or drive up some mountain roads. You have to be comfortable doing that and not losing sleep over it. It’s always a compromise between space and practicality.

One thing we have found useful. If you join the caravan club you can use the sites facilities for a small fee without staying overnight. ie shower, power, waste disposal, fresh water for about £7. If you are travelling on the continent they are much better organised.

Enjoy it’s a right laugh!

Robby Naish. I had pictures of this guy killing it when I was a teenager- he’s still killing it! Ledge 😉

Camber 29er. And no it’s not what I ride. Really depends on where it is going to be ridden 90% of the time.

Get yourself a GPS or use your phone. It opens up a whole lot of riding. Most people are happy to share a GPX of their favourite ride all you have to do is follow the line.

Trail centers don’t vary too much, they are all a little bit sanitised. You can’t beat a big mountain adventure for reward be sure to plan a pub near the finish too.

Your camper will grow with you and you will learn to work around the compromises it has. You will soon have a full check list for the next one.

I started with an ex post office escort van, moved to a VW T25, then a T5 and we now have a Fiat Ducato Tribute SWB high top.

There is not enough room to keep the bikes inside overnight, but we do now have a bathroom and toilet and a kitchen. We can head off at the drop of a hat and kip anywhere we want. To me this is what makes a camper. Yes I can buy years worth of nights in a B&B for the same money but I will have to book ahead and be there on time. The freedom is the essence and the more equipment you have the more freedom you have.

We spent two weeks touring France last year, enjoying Annecey, Les Gets, Morzine etc. We spent two nights in a campsite to do some washing. Awesome trip. Southern Ireland this year…..

Get on it, the van type doesn’t really matter, just see if you enjoy the experience.

Just fitted quartz. Silestone range. Very pleased with it but it has to be well fitted, obviously. Easy wipe clean, man made so better moisture resistance and choice of colours. It’s new so I can’t comment on the durability. You do see the joins though unlike Corian, this was in a different league budget wise though.

Joins can be minimized with some thought.

Sure can all be done at home, with minimal equipment. HIIT training can be done on a turbo trainer or out running too.

I did a few round of P90x a few years back. This is a tough routine but it’s old school resistance training using mainly your body weight and some free weights. Push up, pull ups etc. If you see the program through you will come out fitter and stronger. Insanity is more of a HIIT program, all this pain is available straight from your DVD player. Good luck!

It’s a good idea to work weights into your routine if you can, putting on lean muscle speeds up the metabolism and fat burn process a lot. You also start to feel the benefits of getting stronger pretty quickly. It is better to do exercises that use large and varied muscle groups for a bigger burn rather than isolated stuff. Push ups and pull up are great and will work the core / back / shoulders in one. These can also be worked into a HIIT routine.

If I get anywhere with HIIT I’ll share the love.

Good work Kenny, I was just scanning your thread.

One thing that should not be overlooked in weight loss is a good nights sleep. The other thing I am gong to dabble with is HIIT training. I’m not sure if you have covered this, I didn’t read all 7 pages of this thread. (shame on me)

If you are time limited HIIT training is supposed to be better. Also for fat burn as it speeds up the metabolism for a longer period of time. It may also help overcome plateaus. It’s always good to mix it up.

There’s loads of stuff on the net about it if you’re interested.

I’m not sure what the stylists were on in the mid 60’s but it is strange how their work still looks great day and appeals to people 60 years later. Great looking cars, V8 or not.

We will be looking at an M3 or an RS4 in 40 years time thinking “oh yes this was the dogs b0ll0x lets restore one”?

It’s still a cheap way to get a 5.0 V8. A fully loaded Mondeo would cost you more. If you heard one you might understand the appeal a little more. This sort of car is a dying breed in the world of strict C02 policies and high fuel prices and a lot people want to get a V8 out their system without forking out for a classic.

I went for a Stumpy Evo 29er in large at 5ft 11″. It’s pretty capable for charging all sorts of terrain especially with a Pike on the front, but light enough to ride all day.

I spent two weeks in the Alps on it last year, it’s pretty close to the perfect trail bike. My only minor gripe is the amount of pedal strikes when climbing rocky terrain due to the slightly lower BB.

I usually take my hardtail to the Surrey Hills but for a longer ride the Stumpy is awesome.

Any outcome on this? My brakes are doing the same, out of warranty I think. Bit of a shame as the brakes were working pretty well up until now 🙁

I have a White Brothers rock solid carbon fork on a Kona I was intending to break. The bike is with someone else at the moment, the fork is in good condition. I think it is 445 long, not sure on steerer length.

If you are interested I can go over and check the measurements?

We have an early Garmin Oregon which has served us well over the years. It takes traditional AA batteries so it easy to carry spares, its a tough unit, I have dropped it in streams in the past and it keeps plodding on.

It’s not the smallest sleekest thing, but it works and the maps are detailed enough at 1:50000 for most trails.

It’s great if youre off riding somewhere you don’t know

Well done for owning up to your error, it’s part of the healing process that allows you too move on! 😀 And buy new stuff.

Toyed with a CXer myself but thought it would be too much like MTB’ing in the early 90’s. Perhaps not quite that bad.

I went form a 2006/7 Blur LT to a 2011 Zesty a few years back. It was the best thing I did. Although I admit I was sad to see the Blur go. The Zesty was heavier and with cheaper parts / wheels but the geometry made it a whole lot more fun and it cost me less than £1500.

Much more choice out here now, I’d be looking at a Carbon 650b, Bronson would be a good place to start me thinks.

I have a Carbon SB66 which is no fly weight bike. A carbon frame is not just about the weight it is about handling response and stiffness. Carbon bikes feel quicker and more lively because of that extra stiffness if they have been designed correctly.

I would try both if you can before making a decision. I also would not rule out a carbon Zesty with some Pikes, could save you a bundle.

It’s easy to upgrade the shaft of your rear shock to Kashima when it is being serviced at a later date.

Nice choices ahead, lucky chap!

A lot of Industrial Design is CAD driven, as you probably well know, so brush up on your skills if you can. Catia is the lead for a fair few industries, automotive and aerospace. I’m not so sure about product design. Catia also runs quite nicely on a laptop if you happen to find a licensed copy knocking around somewhere 😉

Bigger companies may ask for recognised training courses and certification. You may also have to go through the joy of assessment centers and Psychometric testing to get the job you want. There is a lot of practice for this sort of thing online. The Psychometric testing is very easy to fail even for the very gifted as it looks for thought patterns and lateral thinking. These are often visual based for engineers and designers.

If these come up practice and practice some more as they eventually get easier.

Good luck with it.

I’d seriously think twice about drinking a pint of premium ale / lager ie above 4% and driving afterwards. Speed consumed and fullness of ones stomach, constitution and body weight will all have a bearing on the outcome.

In my opinion it is not the worth the risk…..and don’t get me wrong I like a drink. The limit is not in place to be drunk up to.

Be safe!

I had a device added to my golf that went in the spare audio on back of the head unit which is used for an optional 6 disc changer. Probably similar to the link you have in the OP. It depends if your head unit can read MP3’s, most can now. Otherwise you’ll need a new head unit.

Anyway for the price of the adaptor and the price of fitting it was worth getting someone to do it, saves breaking clips off interia trim but it depends how handy you are.

I had my iphone plug come out in the small bin on top of the dash, all good, charges the phone etc. but can get hot in the summer on a long journey.

Diggin the Ferret on crack video.

Now want a sticker for my bike too!

If I could ride as well as the laddy in that vid I’d be happy 26″, 27.5″ or 29″ wheels on my sled.

Unfortunately I was born with FA talent and have to go to work for a living. 🙂

I bought a virtually brand new Zesty off a guy a few years back and took it straight to Cannock chase for a dabble in the woods. Well the thing was horrendous on the climbs, went alright when it got moving but I was dying and I know my fitness wasn’t so bad and Cannock doesn’t have mounatins so to speak.

Anyway, I was thinking I’d made a massive mistake, all the reviews and praise are wrong, this thing pedals like cack. How can it be soooo bad.

It was then I looked more closely at the tyres and realised the gentlemen had replaced the spec’d Conti’s with dual ply Minions.

Needless to say things improved drastically after I removed that upgrade 🙂

They are ace, have been ace for years but you can’t service them. If they go wrong you chuck em away.

I had some Formula brakes on another bike, got back on my SLX equipped hardtail and nearly went over the freakin bars……Shimano all the way, even the old SLX is still good.

Nice bike, I always regret selling my vintage 853 steel Explosif, although I know where it is!

Acupuncture might be worth a shot. It has helped me with some injuries that didn’t want to heal.

You screwed his Strava segment, how cruel.

Ladybower and surrounding was fine last weekend, a nice layer of pine needles for extra grip. A bit sticky in places but made for a great autumn ride. I reckon there has been 2 days or so of rain this week though.

First trip out in the Peaks with this over the weekend.

It’s a revelation….. 😀

I’ve used Hydropacks for years

They last pretty well and used to be cheaper than Camel stuff…..am I the only one 😳

North Downs for Saturday morning. Not earth shattering but there’s some fun to be had.

I did Coed y Brenin over the August bh this year and wass blessed with 3 days of sunshine.

It was the first time I have ridden the Beast, I don’t get up there much. Epic trail, really enjoyed it, bit heavy on the fire road which I’m sure you can dodge, other than that wicked fun!

Salem’s Porter was always a fave if you want some bonfire toffee in a glass. Don’t see it so often anymore, if at all.

A Bateman’s XXB or Victory are both winners.

Love the way he also rolls off the bonnet afterward. Legend!

Don’t drink instant it is not the best coffee. Ground or beans, persevere with it, but if you dont like the aroma you could be onto a loser.

Two of the best smells in the world, fresh bread and fresh coffee. I’m salivating just thinking about it!

I didn’t like beer when I first tried it……….!

Wheelbase, BB height, head angle and how your suspension ramps up will all be combining factors.

I stepped off a Santa Cruz BLT from 2007 onto a 2011 Zesty, chalk and cheese, the Zesty felt so neutral and confidence inspiring. My riding / confidence has come on alot.

Whatever works best for you. Jumping is 90% confidence. However I feel flats give me more confidence than SPD’s. I have more flexibility to position my feet where I want, and footwork is very important.

If you really examine what your feet do in the air you will more than likely see your toes point steeply downwards as you grip the bike when leaving the ground and perhaps to land. For this reason it makes sense to move your feet forward slightly of normal riding position so they are central at this critical point when grip is decreased. This helps to prevent slipping off the pedals. You can’t do this with SPD’s easily

I learnt this from Mr Jedi and I’m pretty convinced he knows what he is talking about.