Thanks all. Sounds similar to the email received by hels – no personal details, phishing email

Start at 5am – I did… lovely to have the mountain (almost) to yourself…

… and back down in time for brekkie at Pete’s Eats

Horses for courses.

I did the CBT, then DAS about a year later. Hated the CG125 with a vengeance. Horrid litle bike. Really couldn’t get on with it. Most folks above ^ have been talking about power – for me the issue was being 6’3″

As soon as I sat on a GS500 during the DAS course I realised that it was a much better “fit”. The more power was nice, but the main benefit was greater confidence in handling and balance… The 125 was just too small.

Have tried a few litre bikes since passing my test and am not tempted. I didn’t find the power intimidating (the grey matter kept that under control), but did find a real difference in the cornering balance. Had to remind myself that “big” bike really did mean more weight as well as more power.

Looks like an Alpkit Dozer might be worth a try for car camping and keep hold of the Karrimat for any self propelled adventures.

12 YO son was very taken with his up Llanberis / down Snowdon Ranger walk at w/e. Wants to try wild camping now – who am I to discourage… 😉

What is it about politics that eludes those who do not consistantly vote for one party? What is the deeper understanding that those who always vote for the same party hold?

No single answer…

Many vote for the party their parents voted for… Is that just laziness / indoctrination? Possibly

Or does it reflect consistency in principles and values within that family group?

I have always voted consistently for the same party. That party is still the party that best represents the mix of values that I hold close as my personal set of values. It’s is far from a perect match, but that will always be the case.

I’d be more concerned about the millions of the British public that follow whatever a particular tabloid tells them to do… 🙁

What is it about politics that eludes those who do not consistantly vote for one party? What is the deeper understanding that those who always vote for the same party hold?

No single answer…

Many vote for the party their parents voted for… Is that just laziness / indoctrination? Possibly

Or does it reflect consistency in principles and values within that family group?

I have always voted consistently for the same party. That party is still the party that best represents the mix of values that I hold close as my personal set of values. It’s is far from a perect match, but that will always be the case.

I’d be more concerned about the millions of the British public that follow whatever a particular tabloid tells them to do… 🙁

I guess it comes to court because he’s denying the charge. Maybe his brief thinks he can get off!

Like I said – probaly lining up the old, it’s vital for this small family business type argument

Probably get off with a warning and a few points – may be a suspended sentence or hefty fine…?

I know of small business / self-employed types who argue “vital for their company” and avoid the driving ban

And cycling proficiency refresher every 5 years?

That couldn’t be done without introducing rider licensing – there’s no legal mechanism.

INRATStuff ^

Driving test refreshers – every 5 or 10 years. Doing my m/cycle DAS was a real eye opener… I thought i knew it all, and being a cyclist, thought I knew lots about bikes on the road – how wrong…

All new drivers (and refreshers ^) to do an equivalent of a CBT. Either on a 125 m/cycle, or bicycle. MAKE them experience the vulnerability of being a non-4-wheeled road user.

Those two would do a lot to help

The decision was fair. Not welcome by the partisan crowd obviously but it was fair.

Quite possibly so – it was the consistency of decison making that I was narked at

There are so many lines on that road ^, I’m not sure I’d know what to do – as a driver or a cyclists…? 😯

Was gutted watching the VP vs AM sprints… 🙁

You’ve got to take the rough with the smooth with officials’ decisions, but this felt like taking the rough with the rough – quite a few other infringements were ignored.

I was shouting at the TV during the Bronze medal sprint – as the German was trying to pass, the Chinese rider came out of her lane, but that wasn’t picked up. Looked like Gu Shuang (sp..?) should have been relegated…

Cairn Terriers are the most savage, vicious, psychotic, horrid little dogs I have ever come across. Make Jack Russells seem quite laid back

Bin?

I know that sounds terrible…

… and I have used the Nikwax wash and “re-proof” stuff, but doesn’t that just reinstate the surface beading properties of the external fabric.

I was always under the impression that once the goretex membrane had failed the jacket was pretty much shot 🙁

Open to ideas…

Despite having quite wide feet, I have taken to the Sidi mtb shoes since having a pair of Dominators. Previously had Shimano ones, but they came apart at the widest part of the foot.

Tried Spesh BG ones (thinking they’d be good for wide feet), but they didn’t pass the “shop fit” test

My perfect road pedal…

… Eggies – 4 points of engagement 😆

Although at the moment the eggies are on the XC hardtail, so road bike gets some spare candies.

Was thinking seriously about proper road pedals, but the shoe cost has put me off. I have some carbon soled Sidi Eagles as it is. Spending more on shoes seems crazy, especially as Sidi seemed to have doubled in price over the recession 🙁

There are a lot of variables – it will be different for each individual…

I switched back to company car at the end of last year – running my own was getting too expensive. Had previously opted out of a company car circa 2003. In general, I think the balance has now switched back to company car being cheaper.

When credit was cheap and available, running your own was a good option – esp with car allowance and mileage payments.

But in the current economy:

Credit is not cheap or available
Most folks don’t want to be burdened with a car loan
Companies are trying to be greener – ie more journeys by public transport or avoided using video conference = less miles to claim private mileage for
Depreciation on own car seems to have increased – ie 2nd hand values fallen
Insurance seems to be the only part of the economy* where costs can go up year on year without any competitive market restraints
Fuel costs are increasing and new company car gives access to latest higher mpg engines
.
.
.
ETA * and energy companies

A very well written piece…

The argument about gaining respect etc, by obeying the rules is well rehearsed… For me, this was one of the most important bits:

Similarly, Cohen — quite rightly — saying that cyclists “are a third thing, a distinct mode of transportation, requiring different practices and different rules”. I wrote as much myself, in my unified theory of New York biking. But that theory was based on the idea that the tragedy of New York cycling is that everybody — pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists — treat cyclists too much like pedestrians. Cohen, by contrast, says that “most of the resentment of rule-breaking riders like me, I suspect, derives from a false analogy: conceiving of bicycles as akin to cars”. I wish that New Yorkers would conceive of bicycles as akin to cars: pedestrians would look first before stepping out in front of us; cars would respect our right to be on the road; and fellow cyclists wouldn’t endanger everybody by riding the wrong way down the street.

I too want cyclists to be recognised as a component of the traffic – not as an adjunct to a pedestrian activity. We need to be seen as part of the traffic flow, and for other drivers behaviour, and more importantly, for road designers to incorporate our needs.

To me, this is the most annoying sign to be seen…

This sign demotes cyclists from road users to pedestrians with an accompaniement

It demonstrates planners / designers utter disregard for cyclists as a mode of transport. Do we ask car drivers to get out an push their cars in to parking bays??? Because that is the equivalent 🙄

To continue the above theme,

6 years ago we had a 100th birthday party for a relative. He was in fine form, and in an after dinner speech put his longevity down to his time in Italy during the war. A time where he witnessed the poverty and diet of the Italian peasants. Since then he has eaten very little meat and drank very, very little alcohol.

His son, with whom he has a “sparring” relationship, retorted that if he was going to have to give up on meat and booze, then he’d forego his 100th…!

Anyway, this year was birthday No. 106, and he is still of agile body and mind. Your typical small, wiry, bright eyed type of person.

Didn’t watch this, but based on a colleague’s description I will be viewing via iPlayer…

Again, from my colleague’s report, sounds like a resounding endorsement of the…

… PALAEO DIET

English raiding party?

(plymuff janners? 😉 )

ETA – seriously though – bummer, hope the police take seriously. You never know, there have been some surprising bike recoveries over the last year or two

Always found Nokian NBX to be a good allround tyre for S Wales. Tend to use Nobby Nics now as the compound is a bit softer.

Hated Fire XC with a vengeance – would let go unpredictably on wet Welsh rocks and roots. Same with Kenda Nevegal / Blue Groove, couldn’t get on.

Probably tyre pressure related as well. I’m heavy and like fast rolling, so prefer to keep pressures high – which does not aid with rock and root grip

Can anyone offer an opinion on how the GP4000 and GP4000S compare?

Thats a pretty average human pyramid by all accounts

… is to totally misunderstand the Purple Helmets

What a talented bunch of….

Had eyeballed the GP4000s – obvious choice to look at given the current GPs, but wasn’t sure how they were regarded these days.

Normally have R4 on in the car.

Archers intro music rarely gets through the first bar without an irrational “punch the off button” reaction

20 year old tyres??!

I must sound tight, wanting to get some more wear out of them 😆

Truth is, I built up this road bike not long after I got my first mtb – and then very rarely rode it…

So the tyres are fairly “low mileage”, but my main concern about using the bike again was tyre condition.

Time to be sensible and replace.

What fast rolling, grippy, light, modern equivalent?

tracknicko – sad to hear that

I do know someone who has had this with a cocker. Never saw the dog, but sounded pretty scary.

In the main though, spaniels seem to be pretty good (IME etc)

Colonisation?

From my understanding of spaniel rage, chances of this can be minimised with colour / breeding selection…?
With overbred show cockers, in solid colours being the most prone?

Not a breed I trust…

Spaniel? too daft to be dangerous…!

Penhydd will be a shadow of it’s former self.

I take it you’ve seen some detailed plans/been to the future to be able to make this statement about a trail that hasn’t been built yet?

Crystal ball or not, the problem with replacing / reinstating Penhydd was that the original was much loved.

If asked which is my favourite trail centre trail, even now, the answer will be Penhydd. Too many mtbers have allowed their testosterone to affect their thinking and confuse technical difficulty with FUN. A flat out run around Penhydd was always blindingly good. If the new trail captures the flow and rythym of the original then I might be happy – but part of me will still want to be bursting my lungs on Sidewinder or scaring myself silly on a solo night run through Dead Sheep Gully

I would prefer not to see legal compulsion

I would prefer to see everyone wearing a helmet through choice and common sense…

Brechfa green and blue should be the model – both are ace

binners – not far off my own philosophy… 😉

I tend to ride alone – commuting, weekend fitness, ride “natural” trails, and because I’m in “post-industrial” South Wales, rarely get much of a problem.

But, I am just as likely to be walking through the local forest(s) with kids and or dogs as I am likely to be riding…

If that’s what she really likes, and the budget is ok, then go for it! *

Sometimes it’s nice to buy with the heart as well as / instead of purely with the head. There is a lot to be said for getting something a little bit special (to you), after all, a car is a reasonable chunk of money to throw at something mundane and “tolerable”.

mrs rkk01 has an Abarth 500. By any sensible analysis we would have got a lesser model 500, or cheaper, second hand “other” car – but the Abarth is something a bit special. Every trip is fun

* normal test drive caveats, etc, etc

I thought this was supposed to be a mountain biking forum? Everyone is on a road bike it seems.

Indeed. Normally take the mtb as preference, but for commuting at the mo it’s just easier to take the roadie.

Vintage / classic / obsolete steel road bike …

mtbs all needing TLC 🙁

For performance, I’d guess carbon… But I’ve not had the chance to ride a cf bike 🙁

My experience is with steel – and the different steel bikes I’ve ridden have been very different. So design and fit probably more influential than material?