Raceware Direct have a few variants:

Garmin 510/520/810/820 and GoPro + Exposure Mount

And for what it’s worth, I would make sure I cashed a cheque from them, no matter how small, on a matter of principle.

The one time I got anything back – on the basis that my employer had had me on the new starter/emergency tax code for over a year – I was hoping my Dad’s adage that “every pound you get back from HMRC is worth two” was true. Unfortunately not, but 1500 of them in one go was still quite nice.

When I recently mentioned the real word GRUE

No-one’s ever seen a Grue. The infra-red goggles are a trap.

Mark yourself out of 100
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––
DH speed – 0 / 20
Climbing ability – 0 /20
Fitness – 0 /20
Cross country speed – 0 / 20
Technical ability – 0 / 20

Total score (out of 100)
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––
0 / 100

Sounds about right for me. I can just about manage not to fall off some days.

I’d nominate anything by Madonna, Cher or Tina Turner.

Really??? They’ve all done some pretty good songs. Not the later end-of-career stuff, true, but the earlier work?[/quote]

I’ve never heard anything by any of them that didn’t make me want to pull my own ears off…

Think the Rolling Stone poll for ‘Worst Cover Song’ was topped by Miley Cyrus’ version of Smells Like Teen Spirit. I’m pretty thankful I’ve never heard that.

I’d nominate anything by Madonna, Cher or Tina Turner.

The jump-island-jump-island bit in the middle makes it looks like they’re riding a crazy golf course…

Other than the logon here, I was known as ‘Moose’ through bits of secondary school. Also briefly known as ‘Vicar’ during sixth form and a couple of cafe jobs due to the quantity of tea I drank – “More tea Vicar?”

A lad in my year at school was known as ‘Heed’, because he had a massive heed (works best in a west Cumbrian accent). My Dad was known as ‘Puddle’ during school, though he claims he can’t remember why.

Never used Strava, but do use a GPS to log my rides and upload to MapMyRide

So you don’t use Strava but something very like Strava without as much of the community element.[/quote]

Yep. The ‘community’ element is the bit I don’t feel I need – hence my comments about being followed by random strangers. I realise you can amend privacy settings and such, but I’d rather use something where those things are opt-in rather than opt-out.

I’m not completely anti-Strava, just feel it’s not for me.

Never used Strava, but do use a GPS to log my rides and upload to MapMyRide. It has a ‘segments kind of thing that I use to watch my own times on certain sections, but not as heavy on the ‘KOM’ thing as Strava – ie, you don’t get an email if someone beats your time.

I can see how Strava can be useful as a training thing, but I think it’s got a reputation (rightly or wrongly) as being full of over-competitive knobbers, and on the basis of that, it’s not for me. I’m also put off by the idea of being followed and praised by random people. That’s just odd…

I’m really glad it seems to have taken a few pages before anyone mentioned Brewdog, the irritating overrated self-obsessed wee brat of Scottish brewing…

Assuming we’d an hour’s warning, I’d actually ride slightly downhill to start with, to the boat shed where my sea kayak is stored. I’d load minimal but essential kit into it and paddle around happily as the waters rose.

Tornado Potato – not that unusual in itself, but quite cool (and all the more fun for this gif…)

Manitou – I’ve got two sets of Tower Pro forks on my bikes (one 80mm and one 100mm) and they’re both fantastic.

Had a pair of old Adidas ones, as well as a pair of the Nike ACG boots when they were first out. Been using a pair of the Quechua Forclaz Speed boots (£70-ish at Decathlon) and they’re about the most comfortable waterproof boot I’ve ever had.

For the typically British adventurer humour, The Ascent of Rum Doodle.

As stated ad bloody nauseum, your problem isn’t smokers, your problem is inconsiderate people who happen to smoke.

And, as I stated on one of the previous uses of this: The root of the problem isn’t that they’re inconsiderate, it’s that they’re smoking. Were they not smoking, they could be inconsiderate anywhere they liked.

Dinner with a mate tonight, general mooch, maybe a spin out on the SS on Saturday, 40 mile sportive ride (short route of the York 100) on Sunday.

Anywhere south of the M62, and a few places north of it as well. Don’t really want to live where I do right now but it’s where the work and the missus are…

I definitely have a willy, yes, but no plans to wave it, especially as my meagre score seems, well, meagre. and I’m not admitting to how many kilograms I am, that’s precisely what got me to faffing around with turbo trainers and TR in the first place.

As for ‘when am I going to use the data’ – data analysis is what I do for a living, and I’m a geek. Looking at it for progress is more my idea, but thought asking other people was an interesting place to start. I’ll be looking at the ‘STW approved sessions’ list next, but think I’m just going to start with one of the ‘General Build’ plans.

Standard-issue Mountain Lion fits nicely on my 44cm Cowbell bars with a 13l Alpkit drybag.

Just realised wheel size was set wrong – 2096 rather than 2155 (and will change again when I put a proper turbo tyre on)… So 153 might be a bit off, one way or another. Oh well…

OP, do you mean only Trainer Road and PMs or Trainer Road or PMs on road?

Either, really! I’m using their Virtual Power thingy so again, there’s a bit of scientific wild-arsed guesswork involved.

If using virtual power I’d not worry too much what the actual number is as long as it’s consistent.

Aye, that was part of my thinking. I’ve no idea whether the number’s good, bad or indifferent, and I’m only just coming back to riding regularly, so not expecting miracles. I’ll repeat the test maybe next week and see what comes of it. Cheers for the responses so far!

Come on then… fess up. Which of the ban it! Ban it now!! brigade hasn’t been to the pub since Colins birthday at the end of May, or christmas last year

3 nights a week, normally. Although two of those tend to be in a Student Union bar, so I’m hardly single-handedly supporting the local economy.

Here’s a thought. The problem here isn’t smokers. The problem here is inconsiderate people who happen to smoke

Agreed. But the root of that problem – and the part that impacts other people – isn’t the inconsideration, it’s the smoking.

I’m another one who’d welcome the ban on smoking in beer gardens. I’d like to sit outside on a sunny day with a pint and maybe even, dare I say it, a packet of crisis (or Scampi Fries), without second hand wafts of smoke blowing across my face. Aside from the possible health implications, I just find the smell revolting. Farts likewise, but they’re less easy to trace, unless people are loud and proud about them.

Crisps are bad for you as well. Ban them while you are at it.

No one ever died from passive crisp eating and they don’t stink the place out when your trying to enjoy a meal or pint.[/quote]

I agree, but to your “they don’t stink the place out” I cheerfully submit:

I don’t know whether the ‘immediate, horrific’ stuff like necrotising fasciitis, Ebola etc is scarier than long term conditions like COPD, CHD, dementia. Both lots are scary in their own way.

Helen Skelton Maria Leijerstam riding to the pole?

FTFY

Although that was a trike, not a bike. Still pretty cool.

+1 for the Dust Junkys

Also, Kingmaker

A long time back, my Dad got a letter from a college friend addressed to ‘Little Geoff, Ambleside’. It got to Ambleside post office and the postmaster/mistress had written next to the address “try Geoff < surname >“.

Right first time.

I hate people. But I love gatherings, isn’t it ironic?

Totally and utterly +1

That model doesn’t do RAW apparently, so shouldn’t be that.

Only one US state’s name is a single syllable.

Never done a course with them but have paddled with guys from both Sea Kayaking Cornwall (down in Falmouth) and Skyak Adventure (up on Skye, strangely enough) over the years, all very sound people. Either would be a good choice if you’re looking.

Depends on what I’m shooting, really. If it’s just for myself/my own purposes I usually shoot raw just to give that extra bit of space when editing, but some event shooting (for photo sales) there’s no chance to edit that many shots, so jpeg’ll do.

If it weren’t yet another pod machine I might be tempted…