I changed from the old pro frame to a spesh gambit for a summer also trip. Really nice light airy helmet and DH rated. Got mine for £115 I think from Tredz, I think.

TVS front flip. Wowsers.

yep, watching Brendan getting robbed again.

Interesting hearing the judging process, that they compare runs to pitch the score. So the number given is superfluous, just say, “we think he’s third”.  Scores literally mean nothing in isolation, it’s just a mechanism for ranking.

I have an upride for my carbon frame mtb.

One thing I have noticed, and I had an exchange with Thule about it, is the locking cams are absolute swines to get fixed correctly.  On the older Thule rack I have, you could usually alter then tension in the cams very slightly with a full turn of the cam lever. For some reason, on the upride, a full turn of the lever goes from feeling too slack when locked, to impossible to get over the cam profile. I’ve had to slide the rack out of the t bars, turn the lever half turn then slide it back in to see if that is the sweet spot. Honestly, I wouldn’t get another due to it being incredibly frustrating.

Also, and I don’t know if it a common thing, but my bike has fallen out once when the locking loop that goes behind the front wheel disengaged and dropped back down. The bike fell sideways and, very fortunately, the bar end hit the roof bar so there was no contact between bike and roof.  Having a closer subsequent look, the little tapered plunger that is on the end of the tension wire, wasn’t correctly engaged in the hoop lock. It seems to have got a bit seized and I assumed when clicking the rear hoop into place, that it had locked secure.  It hadn’t. So do check this everytime you load a bike on.

TL:DR. Don’t think I’d get another.

Watched all three, decent enough entertainment, but I agree the sentiment above, lots of UK bashing.
The bit in Sweden when he was lakeside and eulogising about seeing kids being outdoors, well he could probably go to any sailing club in the UK and see kids taking part.  A handful is not a representation of an entire population.

Also, I did find the whole, stress free life//ditch the watch message a bit repetitive.  I think the two surf teachers were alluding to the younger generation having cars, probably wanting to travel, expand horizons etc.  As soon as that is an aspiration, then it needs money, and that inevitably leads to needing work, which then is dictated to by others, unless you are very lucky. So yes, the old timers on that Greek island might be healthy, but they may have never had the desire to visit Paris, for example, and possibly have spent their entire life without a passport.

If nothing else, great tourist trapping television. Switzerland looked stunning.

I’ve got a Skoda Karoq, so essentially a Tiguan/Ateca, but more dull.  Came from a Touran which was the greatest practical I’ve ever had.
Karoq doesn’t keep me awake at night worrying about it being stolen but it’s a really nice car. 1.5 diesel Sel version. Easy does 60mpg on a steady motorway run.  Very comfortable heated seats. Sel version has the bonus that you can remove all or some of the rear seats to make a (very) minivan. I’ve had three people in it, with three bikes upright in the rear, just the front wheels off.
DSG gearbox has been a revelation, I should have bought an auto years ago.

Two very bad days for me, spent pretty much the last two days on my knees, measuring, marking and fitting LVT at home.  Feeling really bad in the back, knees and hands.  Back on it tomorrow so it’s a two days glitch, nothing more.

Thanks all, some good suggestions here. The lion is already looking busy for Sunday.

We are east of Mansfield, looks midway between Centre Parcs and Mansfield .  Likely won’t venture into Mansfield itself tho..

Proving difficult as I’m in the middle of house decoration so that’s taking a lot of time up.  Again resorted to the kids ring fit switch thing and did 35mins in that, getting elevated heart rate at least.

Im sort of realigning the expectation and if I can close all the rings daily on the Apple Watch, that will be a good marker.  Exercise ring was coincidently completed after 31 mins on the switch.

Blimey, so my son gets a character assassination, needs to MTFU or not be spoon fed or whatever you think.  Thanks for that.

The point I (not my son) was making was I’m surprised and disappointed with the scheduled contact time in his timetable.

I’m curious if an IQ contract has ever been challenged successfully.  I’m assuming that IQ would be all be over the contract legally, but it might be “unfair” as you have no ability to negotiate terms, it’s either their way or no way.

I’d rather well thought out content delivered in person, but I’m from a different era and did an engineering degree in the 90s when the only time not having in person lectures was a Wednesday afternoon.
As for the New Year break, he does have online lectures in that period but, clearly, he can attend those anywhere.   

As for life lessons, he is now a dab hand and cooking up dried pasta..

Unfortunately, he’s in IQ Halls/Dogs/Digs, so tied in for the full year.
The get out clauses are water-tight. Perhaps unsurprisingly.

Dipping back in as the OP, it’s been a good read and sort of points me where I should be looking if I take the leap.  One theme seems to be to match what your riding mates have, don’t go full fat if they lite, and vice versa.
I think I’d err on a mid power for now. I’d be keen to keep the fitness I have still having to put a bit of effort in, but at the moment, can’t see the acquisition of an e-bike suddenly seeing me riding more rides per week.  Ideally, I’d go a lot further on the rides I do have.
Those Spesh LevoSL on offer look good, with the V2 motor. Fuel Exe still looks a great packaged bike but the Orbea Rise (original shape) seems to have cornered the market on discounts v spec.

@frogstomp, apologies, you are correct. The fox site shows the NEO shock, then you have to buy the kit on top to complete the system.  One would assume the shock comes with the technology as standard, as that’s kind of the point.

Too speedy for me, and they don’t do it in my teeny weeny 184×44 size.

@frogstomp, the STW cites it being available as an aftermarket kit.  So I’m assuming it’s a standard shock, with standard mechanical adjustment facility, that is just twiddled electronically hundreds of times a ride.  Can’t see that being good for long term reliability of the shock mechanicals.

The lack of fork application, Fox say there would be no gains in performance to be made.  Strikes me that’s an excuse for it being technically impossible, ie the fork is the sensor so it’s too late once it’s struck a bump to open?  Surely there are performance gains to be had having a firm fork while climbing?

Seems like a whole lot of faff to me, and funny to see Mr Rude in the promo video getting to the top of a climb then having to reach for his phone and fanny round with it before heading off downhill. Defo more efficient that…

Final whinge, available as an aftermarket, so is it only electrically manipulating existing suspension controls, but more frequently. Ie, there is an electronic interface prompting manual adjustments?  The electronics response time might be fractions of a second but how fast is the mechanical response?

 

I have a bottle of Vocation, Italian ganache or something based stout loitering in my cellar. . 10.8%.

I keep walking past it retrieving tools etc.  I’ll need a special mindset to crack that one open.

Nearly blobbed yesterday but did a late’ish 35mins on the kids switch ring fit.  139max heart rate and 98 average so definitely working something!

Yesterday was a struggle, had a bad work day then family things to contend with.  Then the Tesco delivery for tea was delayed leaving us without grub.  We’d always just jump in the car and nip to the local store but motivation to tick this challenge off saw us leave the keys and “power walk” to the next nearest in the opposite direction.

So still on it. Going to be difficult today too as pretty much a full day planned so it might be half hour with the kids Switch Ring Fit game thing.

Forgive me, but from just a “how does journalism work” query, was this interview recorded audio (or even video)? Do you then have to go away and type it up for this article?  Or do you take notes?

Just to be sure, I’m not taking anything away from the article which was a good insight, but I’m curious why there may not be a recorded version to listen to, such as the making up the numbers.  Is that an editorial decision?  Or to mix up the formats?  I do find myself, in my head, reading the questions in one voice, then the answers in another!

Again, this is pure curiosity how journalism and reporting work.

Thanks!

I watched that EMBN review with Steve Jones and it sort of felt we had now reached a point of bikes being Surron with pedals.  Wheeling up hills and eulogising about how fast it is.  It sort of feels like it’s now an arms race for POWER and SPEED (said in a Jeremy Clarkson voice).

But if that’s what the market wants, then they will sell, probably, unless the actual bike brand puts people off, a bit of an unknown.  I’d be interested in the anticipated longevity of such a system, it’s great being able to schralp uphill while it works, but is it all running the battery and motor ragged and what’s the failure rate going to be, the lead time for spare parts.   A bit like the ludicrous setting on a Tesla.

Joined the Strava. I may win the award for the lamest 30mins exercise but I need something to get me moving more. With one thing and another it’s been a bad year for biking this year and it’s showing on my weight and fitness.
May even dust off the Wii Fit board and do some yoga!

Blimey, well done with the recovery, but ballsy too!  I hope you can come up with a solution to allow you to rest easy but I can imagine it’s unnerving.

I keep my bikes in a garage that is alarmed with the sensor aimed at the bikes. (Plenty of false alarms due to mice,)   The thought (hope) is that however they get in, as soon as they approach the bikes, all hell will break loose and they won’t hang around. The alarm siren is on the house gable end high up so shouldn’t be tampered with and it’s incredibly loud.
This is my strategy as I don’t think I can make a sectional concrete garage intruder proof.
I am a bit paranoid too, so when I have workmen in the house, or even at the neighbours house, I try to trigger an alarm by opening the garage having”forgotten” to disarm it.  Again, stupid logic is that if anyone is scoping the garage or bikes, under false pretences of being a legitimate visitor, they know I have an alarm.

I still have my 2007 Jekyll 800 with a Lefty max 140mm travel.  It is a very plush fork, not sure of the servicing availability of this nowadays.  The last service, quite some time ago, was to Thumbprint and they made a reet balls of it so I got my money back and sent to to the Evans service centre in Kendal where it came back good as new.

27.2 seatpost. I tried to clear the double on the BMX track at LUBP and cased it, smacking my nadgers on the seat and snapping the dropper clean off.  I was lucky I didn’t impale myself that day.

Maybe a little far from the coast but we absolutely love it here.

https://www.swintonestate.com/stay/

Great mix of old and new facilities, spectacular setting, good food and lovely staff.

No worries @cougar, I wasn’t citing you as at fault, just referring the product as he really liked the look and style of it.  For that money, it should be a decent watch, certainly not have hands fall off!  I’m sort of glad the fault has manifested early on as it might have been a tricker warranty call in a year or two.

Indeed, we are both very disappointed as we had hoped for a heirloom quality piece (acknowledging it isn’t very spendy compared to what is for sale, but still a decent chunk to have hands fall off).

Any Apple watch will likely be obsolete in three years.

Just an update, we went for the rotary Skeleton as per Cougars note.  After two days of hardly any use the second hand dropped off.  The store swapped it and, today, the second hand has dropped off the replacement.  So the watch is going back and we’ll probably steer clear of the Rotary brand now.

No, and in the tradition of not answering your question, we always use Sentinel shuttle. Never had a bad experience with these.

The advice here is likely to be a don’t do it/do do it back and forth and it’s only really your own mind that can make the call, I’m happy with the IFA, I don’t now sit here thinking, I could have done all that for nowt (and I’m from Yorkshire so tight).

My money did go into Royal London, which you can’t access without an IFA, maybe that’s a sales scam to create a wealth exclusivity feeling, but it seems a good portfolio that reflects my risk attitude and plans.

If you are in doubt whatsoever, I’d find an IFA and take their advice. It’s your money, it’s up to you how you manage it in a way that makes you comfortable.

I got the vocation code by email, but it made out it was because I was special to them..

#bubbleburst

Same position here, prompted by some inheritance and wanting to get a grip on things. I did all the YouTube videos, forums, and spiralled into a mire of confusion and anxiety as it was my future at stake.

I went for a few initial visits with local IFA and went with one that we were comfortable with in the end. Yes, they take a cut or whatever, but the clarity of advice and modelling, taking into account absolutely everything about your finances, your aspirations (and a dose of reality) was worth it for me.

Everyone is different, but I don’t think I’d sleep easy if I’d plumped to try and sort it all out myself, based on YT and forums. Too much at stake IMO. Others may have a different view.

Just to add, Discount Dragon usually have cheap coffee pods, for example.

10 x Mild Everyday Coffee Nespresso Pods

Which appear to be the Kaffekapslen brand mentioned above.

More a tamper tantrum.

Good price, tempted to replace the Tassimo.

These seem a good combo of tools, and include a dyna-plug kit?

https://www.cannondale.com/en-gb/gear/equipment/tools–storage/tools/18-in-1-with-dynaplug-multi-tool

We stayed here, really enjoyed it.  Coliseum and touristy bits in easy walking distance.

Also had a surprisingly great night on the Saturday when we returned after a meal, they had a really good musical duo in the hotel bar.

https://www.rometimeshotel.com/en/

That climb to Middlesmoor though….we used to stay at the Crown Hotel so it’s a shocking road climb after doing the rest of the loop.

Send the lad my best wishes.  I’ve scrabbled and minced down the WC course in Morzine and held on for dear life on the 10%r line, so have an idea how brutal, steep and looooong these courses on proper hills can be.
Going at a race speed isnt even in my contemplation.
Should be a great experience for Jnr, fingers crossed he keeps it rubber side down. ? Edit, <should be a fingers crossed emoji.

Eldest daughter (23)  is currently tidying her room after we have been nagging her to do for ages. It’s an absolute sh!t tip, so much clutter, the floor is covered and every surface has crap on it.  She’s talking about moving in with her boyfriend next year. We’ve told her, she’s taking it all. Anything left when she leaves is going in the skip so we can reclaim her room.   Certainly aren’t having a shrine to her with dead plants and empty makeup bottles.

It

Drives
Me

Bonkers.