…having said that I'd probably consider something like a BOSE system for the bedroom or somewhere where you're not likely to be worried about overall quality etc.. they are quite neat looking

Interesting that someone said that their mate works in a studio and recommends BOSE…

I'm not being funny but the average studio engineer doesn’t necessarily have a comprehensive understanding of acoustics or electronics.

I studied one of the less common BSc degrees in Audio technology – all the wannabe studio engineers / managers dropped out and transferred to BA Audio Tech degrees which predominately have a creative slant.

For £500 I'd much rather cobble together a cheap seperates system with bits from somewhere like Richer Sounds.

Their Cambridge Audio own-brand of amps and CD players are not at all bad for the cash…couple with some modest Tannoy bookshelf speakers and you're sorted.

Clicky, HIFI SYSTEM 4 looks good for the wonga..

I guess the BOSE is OK if you value style over pure sound quality (it is just stuffed with bog standard Phillips electronics and has the wavetubey thing to resonate certain bass frequencies in order to make it seem a " bigger" sound).

My raceface evolve's did exactly the same after 2 years too.

I think that if you notice a slight wobble as soon as it appears you can tighten them and save them.

However, if like me you ignore it for a few rides it gets worse and worse and eventually the splines round / break off…

I think the more recent ones are supposed to be lot tougher..

Yeah the guy on the CX bike can be excused! Did Jon on blue santa claus hardtail) get into DHer mode at all?

(he was a bit of DHer in a previous life although he denies it…I've seen him ride pretty darn quickly mind)

Yeah only two of you took a decent Man's line down the Beast (Grrr) :D

You can buy the DX light from the BESTOFFERBUY website too.. not sure if it's the same company??!

MY DX light really is fab, especially when combined with a cheap 801 spot light on my lid..

how about learning to bunny-hop?

Dead easy on a roady when clipped in especially? . . . No? :-)

llangdegla is a good laugh in my opinion – much more on c hardtail than bouncy bike. However it always feels like they didnt bother finishing it off – last five kilometres are dull dull dull . . .

cheers, leggyblonde – I've heard a few tales of that happening. I think perhaps they come with unprotected cells that can become overcharged..?

If you know someone with a soldering iron it'd be easy enough to buy 4 full protected 18650 cells, solder them together and attach bike light wires..

cheers . . I cant see how one buckle could go through the other though . . . They're identical :-S

hmmm but there's no obvious way of connecting buckles . . No strap or anything . .

ah . . No asda near me . . . Went to maplin and they wanted something stupid like eight squid for one . . .

so . . The eagerly anticipated dx light has turned up – amazing power for the money!

Anyone know where to get a cheap us to uk adapter though?

Also my battery pack didnt come with a strap to attach to bike . . Should it have and if not what do people use??

Ta

i had a similar thing with Three – they offered to give me exactly the same phone as a replacement and insisted that they couldnt do anything else but I was tied into the contract,

In the end I made it very clear to the manager that I wasnt going away quietly and when he told me that he had no discretionary powers I firmly asked him to contact his area manager and get some . . . . Worked for me though I may have been lucky.

If they havent a signed contract then I'd probably go down that route although be aware of binding 'implied' contracts i.e you used the phone so become bound etc

super tacky high rollers here too!

. . Not sure on the folding super tacky tbh . .

Is it stopped? Oh no.. still going…

In my experience…. my chain slipping and me piling into the ground without a helmet hurt an awful lot (I was pootling to work in cycle lane in Cambridge.. stoopid really).

however, sliding at 20mph across a pavement into a bin head-first, with a lid on, hurt a lot less..

ergo, scientificness says helmets = good idea

I love the bit in TJ's article that says that a helmeted head is twice as big as a non-helmeted head….and hence is more likely to hit something..

who, ever, in the history of anything has had a bike helmet which makes your head twice the size?!!

glad you're OK though

how rare are we talking? Does me foes fxr, built by mr brent himself qualify?

I cant say i've ever seen another one and dont know many shops selling them . . . Mine has the shock body from a Mono on it if that help make it unusual?! :-)

hallam physio in sheffield is very good indeed. i spent a good deal of bupa wonga sorting out my dodgy knee and they were amazing.

For example, They went through various aspects of my posture and how it was linked to my knee problem . . Which in turn sorted out my niggling back problem. .. Very thorough indeed!

yeah suck it and see I reckon . . Unlikely to cause any major problems unless the fork is particularly long, I wouldn't have thought . .

dont suppose it'd matter that much if you run a bit more sag?

I'm sure others will disagree mind!

My wanga came with 100mm rebas which I upped to 120mm with no problems at all – feels much nicer actually!

Hmmm.. just found a website with a load of pics of Penistone / Millhouse Green.

They both look quite nice in a rural sort of way.. think I'll try and get out and take a look about / at houses.

tbh for a first time buy I was thinking I'd be forced to get a 2 bedroom hovel in the worst part of the worst area of Sheffield… Penistone's lookin quite attractive!

..I was thinking it doesn't make much sense in that the air curnutt would have a full clear 3'' of stroke and not be inhibited by a bumper as there isn't one.. ?!

i'm sure it would be strong enough – most bikes can take a hell of a lot of stick way past their intended use.

It might not be too comfortable in the rough stuff though. . . Very stiff frames and all that. . .

Cheers for info guys..

pistonbroke – yep it is on the site of the old umbrella factory – it's the Barratt development as opposed to the posh Cala one..

I really need to go and have a look round.. I was going to ask if anyone knew what the pub's like in Millhouse green!?

yeah well thats the thing si – wherever we choose we'll be for a while and hence probably have sprogs there etc. . . -With that in mind i think i'd rather have them in penis tone than say heeley or darnall!

I guess its a decision everyone has to come to really . . When priorities change etc.

I just dont feel entirely ready to not go on big nights out . . . Wonder how much a taxi back from sheffield to penis town is?!

cheers! To be honest living in hunters bar and not driving I've not seen much of Sheffield in the 7 years I've been here!

Hmmm i dont know . . I'm a country bumkin at heart but want a few more years going out for some beers yet . . . Tricky in penistone perhaps. .

hmmm tis frustrating . . . I'd probably not choose to live as far out as Penistone normally but given where the other developments are it's probably the best out of them all. .

Although there is another development in Halfway . . . Whats that like Si!?

hmmm tis frustrating . . . I'd probably not choose to live as far out as Penistone normally but given where the other developments are it's probably the best out of them all. .

Although there is another development in Halfway . . . Whats that like Si!?

excellent! that does indeed sound about right.

My parents have been living there since 1986 and are still viewed as "outsiders".

Furthermore my father is viewed with great suspicion indeed as he wears a suit to work…. he's known throughout the neighbouring village as "that Mr Chapman in his suit"

jackthedog.. hmmm, my current commute is about 2 miles.. that sounds like an unpleasant step up in distance!!

who knows.. it might be possible..

cheers Beefy – I may well be in touch.

I think I'll drag the Mrs out there and have a look about.

At the moment neither of us drive which could be an issue; however the Mrs is learning and I could probably scab a lift to work with colleagues..

Does anyone know of an alternative router from Penistone / Millhouse green to Ecclesall rd south that doesn't involve Penistone rd?

(that'd be the main issue.. whether or not Mrs RRR could get to work in a reasonable time).

tbh compared with the other sites available (Darnall, Heeley, Ecclesfield etc) Penistone or Millhouse Green sounds quite tempting..

(I was bought up in the Fens – see Fens thread, and hence don't mind open spaces and lack of people at all)

(and we now have one, possibly two cars, although I've not yet learnt to drive either :-S )

Morning Si… see above! :-)

I already have colleagues who drive in from Penistone so I could probably get a lift…

Cheers guys, thanks for your opinions.

tbh it's a little more complicated than I made it sound…

basically as first time buyers (and those that haven't huge deposits) we've applied (and been accepted) for a govt scheme where the deposit is coughed up by the new build developer in the short term and you pay it back interest- free over 5 years (or when you sell the house).

As such if we go for it, our new house has to be on a development signed up to the scheme. At the moment our choices are Darnall (!), Heeley, Half-way, Swallownest and Ecclesfield in Sheffield or ….

Millhouse Green (just down rd from Penistone) or Penistone..

… so in the context of it's rivals Penistone's looking a good bet…!

certainly is! I'm in sheffield at moment but am looking to first-time buy somewhere cheap and semi-rural!

hmmm encouraging then! Wonder if its worth bothering taking a look . .

hmmm encouraging then! Wonder if its worth bothering taking a look . .

Matt.. you have my condolences!

Do you agree that Wisbech smells of chips and Germaline? (or rather, the people in Argos do)..