Wally, he absolutely doesn’t want a fashion watch, they’ve already been ruled out in no uncertain terms!

I received a seiko Kinetic For my 30th, love that watch. But makes me feel old thinking it is 24 years old!

Seiko link isn’t working.
As for salad dodgers suggestion,  he would use a nice pen even less.

Yes, that liver story, I’ve yet to find any comparison or insurers sites where they don’t ask you to enter medical history before returning quotes.  To say it’s an error is disingenuous, and to suggest she isn’t covered because it was cheap sounds a bit fictional. More like it was cheap because she didn’t declare it.

EDIT, I did some work in fraud in insurance and the company I was involved with had a keylogger on the online claims portal and they could tell if a customer had made multiple attempts to fill the claim form in, changing circumstances or inventory of loss etc. I suspect they have the same tech at quote stage and would quickly be able to see if there had been multiple quotes provided, with and without declared conditions.

TT comparison is not entirely on all fours as (even) I could get round the TT course on a moped.  That canyon gap is all or nothing. Either clear it or have a grim outcome.

Looks like it has been binned anyway? Cynical side wonders of this was always the plan for marketing..

I went two years ago on the Sunday Spectators were not allowed any higher than when they land after the cannon coming out of the woods. It’s still quite the hike up to that point with only one path set out, which include pull ropes it was that steep. As you may imagine, it got quite congested with spectators and it’s not the best spectator experience, save for being blown away by the size of the jumps!

Just seen those videos. It does make you wonder if someone at the more sane end of the self-preservation scale will just say, “nah, ‘ollocks to that”, and decline to compete. The risks there just seem stupid. If you come up slightly short you are straight into a timber knife edge.
I do wonder if they have already had some riders voting with their feet, just not entertaining it.  Surely that feature is going to be heavily adapted for the actual event.

Far far far too stylish for me.

They sell an eye wateringly expensive £80 cap, so I appreciate I’m not target market, and they aren’t aiming for my type.  Which is ironic as I was born and brought up in Mytholmroyd.

Tried to post a PSA on the sticky thread today and returned a “fatal error”.  But it appeared to have uploaded but the forum front page didn’t ever show my post as the most recent addition.
Also, on iPhone, safari, cannot get into the discounts page. Add the emailed code and it just returns you to the “enter valid email” box.

Garmin Edge 530 at Argos for £200. Gets a decent review, and the lowest in the Garmin range to have Trailforks built in.  Low stock by the looks of it.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8956235?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=30f62ea9-9626-4cac-97c8-9ff3921f8558&istItemId=iatwatqxp&istBid=t&&cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59130%7Cacid:289-152-2757%7Ccid:599609992%7Cagid:24126986217%7Ctid:pla-886262790854%7Ccrid:94168542777%7Cnw:g%7Crnd:5268126551776234535%7Cdvc:c%7Cadp:%7Cmt:%7Cloc:9046666&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=599609992&utm_term=&utm_content=shopping&utm_custom1=24126986217&utm_custom2=289-152-2757&GPDP=true&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI38D-zNKMhgMVAJNQBh28LgKvEAQYASABEgKfT_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Aye, big un that, it’ll be an early night for me tonight, absolutely spanned by mile 27 and trying to keep honest with an ebike chum was hard going.

I’d downloaded a copy of the route to my Garmin and the wonderful climb feature counted down through 9 defined climbs. Climb 8 felt to be almost downhill, but that long drag up past the reservoir, 7, was never ending. Fortunately, the kind Marshall at the top, peeled my banana for me, reducing the amount of effort exerted.

4hr 14 here, a decent ride for my last day as a 54 year old.

Are they miming?

Spanish dancer looked to come away at the edge then, when he did the splits high kick thing.

Ah sod it, entered with an ebike chum.

What’s the worst that can happen?

The entry requires commitment to either the 20 or 30 miler.  Does that rule out a bail off the 30 if goosed?

Someone mentioned that the 20miler might be less fun than the 30.  Is the 20 still around and over decent terrain?  Tempted by 30, but I have my units muddled up and the 30km Blazing Saddles ride a few weekends ago , (1000m of climbing) was about my limit.

TIA

Hosepipes.  When they kink when you try to wind them back into the reel and you have to untwist the whole length to straighten them out. Fuming. Or when a loop of hose catches the tyre of your car when you are washing it and jams solid.  Same holding strength as a rock climbers lock.

Small thing, but infuriating.

Afraid not, a mixed bag from Aviva, Pru, HL and Utmost all went through to RL super easy. I did have a IFA do it though.

It does sound like an unreadable delay though, maybe log a complaint with the fCA if the firms complaint process doesn’t get the thing moving.

For what it’s worth, I think the use/abuse a motor gets is likely a greater factor to the potential failure rate. If you are in boost all the time, churning up steeps climbs then that is going to load the motor and manifest any issues sooner than tootling along rolling hills. Likewise, weather and cleaning. I can’t imagine any are “bad” so I think, as I’m erring on an eeb, is choose based on convenience and support, ie a local shop that can service them.

Interestingly, my local independent repairer told me at the weekend that Brose are now easing over the technical restrictions on their motors, issuing software to allow diagnostics and updates to be done at places other than spesh dealers.

#3, because each half is the same.

On a related matter, if you slice and toast a bread bun/bap/teacake* do you prefer the top or bottom? Bottoms for me. (Ooo er matron)

*hot cross buns excluded, as it’s obvs tops.

Cannndale curious. Looks the same price as that new Orbea (both still out of my budget) but with a bit more gruntage.

Time in the market v timing the market.

That’s what I’m relying on rather than trying to find a wise pick.

Re STW, I recall Mark did a no-fly biking holiday to an accommodation in France (which by the way looked a lot of faff, but fair enough).  But then, not long after, I’m sure there was a video article/promotion about him using a certain brand of tyres around the trails in Whistler.   This may all be a daydream, but I remember at the time trying to square the two features together.

Edit, here.  Flying to Whistler to test tyres?

https://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/from-burnley-to-whistler-how-far-can-you-push-trail-tyres/

I have put some money into a pension for my kids, to forget about until they can access it, which will probably be when they are 60 at this rate…maybe even older.  Vanguard 100% equities. It’s got 40 odd years to grow.

Thread hijack….

I managed to get a pair of these last year from CRC very cheap but haven’t installed them yet. It seems to be that they are short of lube from the factory so what exactly do I need to do before first ride?  There’s mention of fitting foam rings?  Also, any special tools needed to get the legs off? I’m usually a rockshox fettler, so these are the first Mark/Fox I’ve tinkered with?

I think it was near Crossroads area. Both ok, but very mindful.

Edit, Black A3

No route advice per se, but I have a couple of riding buddies over that area and one of them nearly lost his bike to three balaclava clad scrotes who jumped out of a shogun and started to approach him.  He got away and the other lad has reported multiple drivebys of an Audi a2 with the occupants definitely checking his bike while he was out for a solo ride.  Both e-bikes.  Keep your wits about you if you are on your own, and on the road.

Can I just check here, as TF have the short and std versions for £89. Trutune suggest they only have the 3 token equivalent, so is that the “short”?  Based on not being an aggressive rider, I think I need the “std”?

Edit, small print suggests TruTune only do the short version now. I wonder why that is as there seemed to be a clear distinction in use and application when there was a choice, as is set out by TF?

No specific tyre advice really but I’ve been a few times and it can get incredibly gopping if it rains.  I’ve had instances of the bike being that glagged up that you could barely turn the pedals and freewheeling downhill was just not going to happen.  So I’d err on something, or at least have with you, a spare front for a mud fest.

Ooooooo, I do like a gadget and nearly pulled the trigger on Black Friday. 140mm Pike, will it stop the chatterey feeling over little lumps, bumps and roots?

I put Karndean down* in our south facing hall 21 years ago. Partially glazed door and sidelights and I can’t see that it has faded but I don’t have a new piece to compare too. It’s very hard wearing, and still looks good IMO.

*what a job that was, glue everywhere!

Magic Mary orange on the front and then, if I can be bothered and the world dries out a little, will use a Rock Razor on the rear.   Very fast tyre and surprisingly grippy. I have a Rimpact in the rear for a bit of support as I’m clumsy over drainage bars.  Then usually use a Nobby NOC or Hans Dampf on the rear when it’s gloopierer.

All in 27.5 flavour, so cheap as chips!

That’s the model I saw the history on as I was ruminating one of the comp models in raw black that was 50% off.  It might be a trend/common fault.

Edit, can’t find the site where I saw it but the owner suggested that Spesh blamed the invisframe kit.

Is it a Levo or Kenevo?  I stumbled cross some complaints about lacquer delaminating on those carbon frames while doing some eeb research?

Yep, details are sparse.  If you are near retirement age, then it might be lifestyling, ie, proportionately shifting into bonds and cash so growth would be stifled, but it “should” be safe. Aside from Liz Truss, obvs.

Entered. It’s almost destiny I’m going to win. I have a 2004 Cannondale Jekyll, a 2017 Cannondale Habit, both of which unfashionable little wheeled, and I leave in  the Calder Valley for easy pickup.

Interesting, this is sort of local(ish) to me and might be worth a trip with my son. Bit I’m more of a wheels on the ground rider so it might be a bit “sendy”.

Also, and I may be mistaken, wasn’t there an issue with the access or route to this park getting a bit dangerous with the local scrotes targeting bikes going in?

Sandy is lovely.

We lost our wonderful little Flo a couple of years ago now and I miss her everyday.  She was great company while working from home, pretty much just me and her everyday day, from 8 ‘till 4. She would sleep at my feet and wake at 11 for a coffee ( for me) and snacks ( for her) and we would enjoy a lunchtime power walk most everyday.

We will get another dog in the future, when we circumstances change again and we can commit fully to looking after it. Some lovely dogs on here.

I think dog people know dog people, and I hope that those people walking their dogs don’t think it’s weird that I can’t help but smile when I see a happy dog out for a walk.

Companies do get fined. Large sums too. The ICO impose them and these fines fall outside insurance so it can and does hit the company who allowed the breach but there probably isn’t much recourse you can ask for aside from Experian membership.  You would need to prove material or financial loss or harm, psychological injury for example.

What they should do, as a demonstration of AI, is have a fast car driven as around as a drone, with a computer driver, hogging the best line.
Remember TCR, the poor relation to Scalectrix. That, but in real life.
That’d be awesome. 👍

Pandabuy, maybe.

I must move in different circles as either the costs of items is lost on me, or my 17yo son will point out something “expensive” that invariably looks stoopid, then be able to find it on Pandabuy for 5%/10% rrp.

I’d tend to concur @Kramer, I’ve booked for Solden Bike Republic for the end of June and I think the chances of getting decent and appropriate weather are greater.  This will be around my eighth alps biking trip and aside from an odd day of biblical rain (Morzine), it’s always been a blast. And I absolutely love seeing the mountains and valleys in all their green splendidry.  Ideally, if I can muster up some company, I’ll do White Room next year.

I haven’t ruled out going skiing again but the weather/conditions thing makes it feel more of a gamble, as I feel like I’d still be a newbie with the little progress I made last week.  I may book some indoor lessons in the spring/summer and just see if I can refine things, and if I get some confidence, that may spur me to go again.

Albeit, I am nursing a really sore right knee after having the most innocuous of falls on the next to last day.  Sort of happened in slow motion and was sure either my ankle or knee was busted, but it’s likely just a tweak.