high street chocolate to me is always disappointing, tastes so dam sweet!
the only thing i can stand in Green and Blacks!

European chocolate can be nicer i find.

oh and to add

BIG F OFF TYRES!

there is huge amounts of research and tech still left in mechanical grip, (suspension, tyres, compounds) let alone how that power is derived (ie petrol, bio fuel, kers, hybrids etc) and the types of engines (turbo, supercharged etc). Colin chapman’s era was years ago, and even now with non ground effect cars, we are faster and gain more grip than even the biggest aero effects used in those times …

people said turbos and superchargers were dead in the 80’s because of poor MPG, look at them all come back now – VW have a tiny engine with BOTH fitted with massive mpg…

As i stated before F1 is trapped into cost-cutting measures, yet the need to revamp the sport without having everyone throw thier toys out of the Pram because they are used to the status quo and getting tons of cash!!!

Personally they should free up the engine and technology regulations and instead standardise the main chassis, all the gearbox’s, transmission, ecu’s and nuts n bolts that dont make a huge heap of difference, and just allow changes to the front wings. standard rear wings, exhaust exits and diffusers to allow big hole in the air for better overtaking ….

i’d like to get back to seeing a grid of varied design cars and engines, that some are better than others on short twisty tracks, long tracks, in the wet, in the cold, in the hot, etc etc

wouldnt it be great to see a big v12 ferrari take on a hybrid kers based bi-turbo’d williams?

unfortunately F1 was destroyed by Max Mosely after the Senna and Roland Ratzenberger accidents – as he had very little idea of the technical side, he simply sought to make the cars slower in corners with a battery of crap rules – under ground planks, smaller tyres, flat undertrays, and this made F1 push more into the Aero side of things, so the cars are fast when not having to be behind another one (i.e. TO OVERTAKE!) instead of backing out of all of this when things got boring and teams at the top spent bazillions on new tiny aero parts and 24/7 wind-tunnels, and the recession hit, he simply tried to bully the manufacturers into what he wanted (single spec engine series), and so they almost all left –
and now we are left with the wreck of a series, that wants to cut costs (hence the new engine regulations for 2013) cut staff and cut up-time of staff, in order to try and keep business and sponsors interested in investing because the costs are so low….problem is this also means that the ‘show’ for us viewers is still crap as the FIA has not gone anywhere near far enough to change the past as described above, because, it would actually cost far too much to totally revise the cars for all the teams, and might actually make the Business Money leave the sport….and we all know what makes the world go round, especially in F1.

does anyone know how/why they seem to cost a shed load of money to do these things? i’m sure if they asked, local MTB groups would love to volunteer to do create tracks like these, and perhaps local MTB business groups too, who could sell a map for a quid or something to non-locals….

NICE!

I’m a particular fan of the Dales, not necessarily because it gives you out and out sweet singletrack, more because of its variety of bridleways, ascents, descents, quiet roads and all giving awesome views, and almost 100% of the time there is a good Pub and/or cafe to replenish oneself.

Will be checking back to that site often.

no scottish rides then – good , stay away, leave it all for us… :)

go running, seriously improves your fitness and recovery rate, get yourself up to running for 1 hour – and in between doing that 2 times a week (or 3), do a hill training interval on your bike (road or mtb) max 45min session, and a long ride every two weeks, to about 2 hours – forget distance, have fun with it road or mtb. biggest 2 things. ENJOY and REST!

is there an F1 thread or should one be started :) come on BUTTTTTON!

hmmm i live on country roads and ride on them all the time, i’m keen to let traffic by at the best chance i get, with a little wave usually, and if someone gives me an ultra wide berth i give them a wee wave when they pull back in – good manners cost nothing, and it can change attitudes – as can being an ignorant bar**** and do nothing at all to help fellow man/motorist/cyclist…. my 2pence worth

YESSsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss……………………………………………….(and F1 too in AUS!)

will also bump, seeing as i may turn up too!

although not ridden red routes in years, if only i had my new cyclocross bike to inspire me….rather than having to actually put some new tyres on the old MTB – and even oil its chain!!!!

do we have a secret wave/handshake/greeting ? ;)

what Trev said.

DAMMMMMMMMMMMmm its riveted, cannot remove the chain rings 1 by 1, new front crank and therefore a new chain too ……..

Yes it was a great program, although a little padded out for my liking.

In terms of always being aware the perspective of time, i think the saying goes : the world keeps turnin’

also says to me, that there is just no way we are alone in this massive expanse of the universe, and Life must have come before us and will come after us, in some shape or form….

All i know is the experiences I and my GF and our friends have had with NHS and getting things looked at quickly when your desperate to get back on your bike/run/swim/trail…. i’m sure you all have similar stories,

my GF’s knees had taken 3 years of battering GP’s and physios (who initially made her issue worse) to get to the stage where she saw a surgical consultant, he then got the MRI people to scan the wrong knee! , when the right knee was done, he then took 3 months to get back to her for the physio appt’s, and what should be done. in the meantime i setup a private appt with someone in Edinburgh, who saw the same MRI scan and immediately diagnosed the issue – lateral release surgery required…he then helped her with some physio exercises and also called her GP directly to refer her to him on an NHS basis, 4 months later we are still awaiting an Operation date, in the mean time the first consultant after getting badgered by my GF for all of this time, sent her a letter to say ‘nothing wrong, take painkillers’….WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we need something like TripAdvisor but for NHS consultants i think.

thanks for the advice, i think druids way is easier, but not going to give her the range she needs, i suspect what everyone has said would be right, in that i would have to change 2 chainrings up front so its easier to go from through the range – i just hope its bolted on not riveted – and hopefully that means i dont have to change the chain either….

directline did mine, covered for 3 months, the question i asked was
‘how do you know how long i have been in europe’
the woman said
‘we dont – you tell us if you make a claim’

….hmmm

jeez, the paint job reminds me of a shell suit jacket i used to….nothing to see here, move along please…

hmmm so many interesting view points of Analysts Programmers, i’ve been one for 15 years, and to be honest never wanted to move from the role,
its quite a perfect role i think,
you get involved in specs, designs, influence the user a bit
they you actually do some real coding
and you usually see the user use it, and of course make a number of changes. ;-)

That classic pic above of the Tree and the Swing is one i refered to in much earlier post – after 15 years, still makes me LOL :)

for the knowledgeable of you out there,
ive been using C and lots of 3gl stuff and 4gl stuff for years, how easy or what direction should i go into so i can get into the .NET stuff???? with no previous ‘Visual’ experience before should i do a Course? but a book and cd tutorial, or what most people do, lie on the CV and interview, and then cut and paste code from the previous developer you replaced :-) :-)

OMG, talk about memories, sigh, its a shame we grow up,
big ups to:
AT AT
Amstrad CPC464
Speccy 48K
Lego
and
INVADER 1000!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so there’s Kona Jake, Kona Jake the Snake, Kona Major Jake, and a carbon version of Kona Jake ?
phew….

+1 kona :)

anyone got a kona major jake? can they be trippled?

looks like a nice ride.

what cx tyres do you use?

would not surprise me that the ebb and flow of the industry it doesnt start to focus on ‘less-is-more’ – less suspension, less fat tyres, less kit = more skill…. more respect….?

hey Kilo,

aye the front end isnt the main issue, not my riding position, its the rear triangle and seat thats harsh, tried carbon seatpost and alloy (thomson masterpiece) but still no joy…. was nice to ride in the smooth roads of the alps, but here, its a disaster….(or im too old to take the vibrations!!!)

+1 tricross

I’ve got my eye on them too. The earlier models had rear carbon triangle + zerts….. must feel like a sofa to ride on with those!

That to me would be my do it all bike, with some decent semi slick tyres with enough tread for the landy tracks yet a comfortable ride across the ‘roads’ around here…

“Now, what rim to replace the horribly concaved ones I’ve got at the moment… “

Mavic, i love em.

……..So is it not possible to have a ‘road’ bike that can soak up all those nasty roads i.e
Spec Roubaix? (insane money!)
or those that have carbon seat stays / wishbones – like Bianchi and Spec.
or even full alu ones that state ‘all day comfort and forgiving rides’?

As for steel – I rode a lovely classic Gazzelle a while back on the same roads, which was tasty, on 25c, but it flexed badly on climbing and seemed slow.

there must be a compromise somewhere….

assembler – its easy and its fast and it bypass’s all this new fangled front end stuff that makes it all far more complex than it really is by loading a whole load of ‘concepts’.

One fetch execute cycle to rule them all.

anyway back in the real world, any programmer is only as good as his search tools to find what someone else did to fix his problem and the cut and paste.

So – did someone mention you can get a free version of Express C# ?
links please.

+1 Vapour

I have my eye on them….

am mulling over these options too – disc equipped will be all the rage at the middle / end of this year, problem is i want a bike now.

Uncle John, certainly fitted my bill, but does not take discs
i was thinking of the kinesis tripster decade….

what about those kinda hard tail urban 29ers (mtb position, mtb components – fit drops…cx disc fork)
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/urban/product/escape-m1-07-19618

i seem to remember a classic Picture of a Swing, and its stages through the development life cycle.

ahhh…..how things DONT change!

i was in the same boat as some others posted here, a compressed disc and irritated sciatic nerve – did everything listed, stretches , physio, osteo, 2 mri’s (1 paid for myself), surgeon consult… until they said to me that ‘i may have it for ever due to the nerve itself being damaged’

went to a great guy in Otley Leeds who did PROLOTHERAPY, 8 sessions of injections of special liquid directly into the ‘damaged’ nerve area and him telling me i cannot take any more pain killers or anti inflams and i MUST MUST ride continually through the pain for 1 hour daily

pain went! i cried, i now ride. :)

i dont know if it was damaged or what, all i know it the pain went. i
“The Wharfedale Clinic, otley, leeds’ will give you contact details via google search.

you guys and your modern programming….

i remember writing that in pure C once
and also in …………………………………
ASSEMBLER!

finners – Member
Exactly what Digger90 said. Stunning place for road bike…..

exactly what finners said.

do a google search for VTT for off road options, but on road is where its at, tons of cafe’s and great places to eat at the top of most Col’s,
just grab a decent map from the tourist info, they usually do a little free booklet (i remember 2 years ago i picked one up) with roady routes, difficulties etc, most are actually signed anyway when on road. they also usually have VTT stuff to that costs a few EURO’s. dont really need a guide to be honest. the VTT signage can be a bit tricky to spot, sometimes they are miles up in the air on a tree, but, they ARE there.

enjoy, wish i was back there too.

you know yourself better than anyone. if you want to do the hardwork now and then maintain it for the last few weeks, do it that way, although your exposing yourself to being a bit slack and ‘im fit enough for it ‘ syndrome

set yourself some small targets, then find a nice 2x 3 hour loop (or 6 hour if you have one) and do it every 7 weeks, dont fix it as a definite date, let it float over certain weekends to fit in with weather and life style so it wont feel like a big bind, ride it to enjoy it, even have mates start or finish with you too. the 2nd time you ride it you’ll see better or worse not only in terms of Time but in terms of your fitness and own mental perceptions, that will give you something to aim for for the final time you do loop, ensure a good 3 weeks before the event before you do the final one….

do what KING TUT said – i did plenty of 24 and 12 hour solo’s . the biggest mistake is thinking you need to ride that all the time for training, you dont, you just get run down and pick up injuries and overtrain.

max 4 – 5 hour rides , but (build up to) a much regular basis, 3 times a week with rest day in between. while building up to it, put a short hill climb ride in.

ride to recover too. an rest days do a 30 min super-light-spin with a super low heart rate and drink a recovery drink.

treat yourself food wise, with the amount of riding you will do enjoy treats in your food, muffins, croissants etc whatever gets the endorphins going in your brain to ensure you’ll want to do the next session.

and of course, enjoy it!!!

good luck!

the more i think about it and look around, its down to the Uncle John or the Kenesis Decade, for current bikes, then i think about the potential for all the new bikes coming in with disc compatibility and it might be better to wait and see…?

Most certainly for the CdF, its a lovely bike, and i like it a lot, for over 1000 new though you expect something a bit lighter and i would say a bit more spec….

as an aside…. anyone looked at a hardtail 29er with 700c disc wheels? what kind of cheap build could that be???? i know nothing of 29er frames to be honest…

take it easy man!!!!!

most used X’s ive seen since yesterday (even old google cached ones) dont seem to have discs, and so the front fork would need replacing to gain the disc mount.