Graeme Obree

Forecasts for Wednesday 21st :

Rain, Max 6°C, Min 3°C
Sunny, Max 21°C, Min 10°C

Guess which is Swansea and which is Malaga :-)

Brechfa’s in my backyard, and I must admit that Malaga’s looking good :-)

There’s a detour at Brechfa on the blue descent that’s shared with the black (or was on Sunday) but won’t really be noticeable if you’re going to do the red and black together.

The weather forecast suggests that doing the Gap or the Doethie valley might not be a good idea.

Listen to it at http://jlb2011.co.uk/wales/sounds/index.htm (mp3 format)

I once beat Shane Sutton, BC head coach and 1990 Milk Race winner.
OK, we were playing 3 card brag in the changing rooms at Eastway, but a win’s a win.

Cwm Rhaeadr, near Cilycwm.
Coed Trallwm, near Rhayader.
Simples

Brechfa now fully open again.
You could also try Doethie valley which is nearby and a good natural route.

Brechfa is now fully open again (apart from a couple of small diversions on the green and blue which should be gone by New Year)

Damps eyes all round. Great job by the scriptwriter – trademark Shane try in extra time.
I notice that Aussie Digby Ioane who got the MOTM award immediately gave his bottle of champagne to Shane. Nice touch. Makes you proud, both to be Welsh and to be a rugby fan.

Meanwhile, in the 11 man game, some overpaid foreigners were kicking a ball around and crying when they broke a fingernail. :wink:

let them talk, then tell them you are blind deaf!

Much more effective.

My (English) neice got a job calling people about compensation for miners lung, basically chasing people to make sure they were aware that they were eligible.
The first day she spent calling South Wales, on a Saturday afternoon. In the middle of a Wales v England match. She couldn’t understand why so many people swore at her and slammed the phone down.

In 1936 Walter Greaves set the record at 45,383 miles, despite only having one arm !
I think we must be a bunch of softies these days.

What you need to do now is write done every detail of the incident

Second that, and details of any witnesses if possible.
Last time it happened to me I woke up on the tarmac after taking flight over a car roof, with a motorcycle paramedic standing over me asking “how long were you unconcious for ?” (as if I knew!)
I went back a few days later on and knocked on doors and found an old geezer who’d seen the whole thing and was only too pleased to give a witness statement.
Driver ended up getting fined and banned for a year.

and then with a sudden surge…

Cavendish currently favourite on evens at PaddyPower
M Cavendish evens
D Clarke 2/1
R McIlroy 7/1
M Farah 8/1
L Donald 22/1
A Cook 50/1
D Greene 66/1
A Strauss 100/1
A Khan 100/1
A Murray 100/1

Rumour has it that Schwalbe are developing a new tyre especially for Welsh trail centers – the Damp Dai.

I would also recommend Wide Eyed And Legless

Second that. A sad but hilarious tale; ANC/Halfords take on the world, and lose spectacularly. The textbook on how not to run a pro cycling team.

Still contractors working there on weekdays and the Byrgwm car park is closed, but the trail is clear and you can ride it at weekends if you can get to it from the Abergorlech end. Met a few people out on it on Sunday.

Great – a forum post that says “I’m on the train …” :D
Get to the buffet before the only sandwiches left are egg and cress.

Chondromalacia patellae (irritation of the undersurface of the kneecap)
Been there, done that :cry:

I have handed over responsibility for choosing over to the better half and I await exploding helicopters aplenty

You’re not worried you’re going to get loads of tender romances ? With subtitles ?

Worth having a look at Paul’s Cycles who have good deals on previous years models, e.g. 2009 Giant XTC1 for £799, 2010 GT Zaskar Elite for £699 and so on.

I do this regularly unfortunately, and if you haven’t got a booked seat because you don’t know what train you’ll be getting, it’s a pretty mad scramble for seats on the peak time trains. Lots of commuters going to Reading, Swindon and Didcot.
A good strategy is to hang out on the balcony at the far end of the platforms – this gives you a good head start for the 2nd class carriages over the masses on the main concourse. Keep your eye on the indicator boards and as soon as the platform number comes up do a Ursain Bolt impression and trample over anyone who gets in your way. Carriages B and C usually have the most unreserved seats available.
I love the audible sighs of relief as the train finally leaves Bristol Parkway and the Welsh passengers all start talking to each other !

I’d actually prefer some exploding helicopters

The exploding helicopter scale is exactly how Mrs Rusty and I rate our films.
Pride and Prejudice 0/10
Black Hawk Down 6/10
Die Hard 4 11/10 (triple points for John McClane vs F35 fighter jet)

Problems also reported at Box Hill

Surrey Police said there had been a “significant” increase in cyclists along the A25 and at Box Hill.
Residents said the extra riders were causing a nuisance.

And in other shocking news, motorways were reported to be full of cars and lorries.

About 1 hour 15 or thereabouts. I regularly go from Brechfa to Port Talbot in about 50 mins, but I know the roads and tank it a bit.

Easiest route is to go back to the M4 then continue west onto the A48.
Turn left at the signpost to the Botanic Gardens on the B4310 then continue to Nantgaredig. Straight across the A40 and on to Brechfa then Abergorlech.

Mauvy mauve (with a bit of pink)

You missed the US cop re-loading and emptying the second magazine as well.
Good job pistols are banned in this country so that nobody ever gets shot with them isn’t it ?

Done this myself on a road frame (brazed not welded) to convert it for CX without problem. Can’t see that it’s going to have any effect whatsoever.

Considering that Bob Jackson are one of the oldest and most respected frame builders in the country, I’d say that if they think it’s OK then it is.

I own an old Defender 90 (as you might be able to guess from my user name). It’s used off-road regulary (we live off-road) and for farming duties.

If you really *need* one, then you’d probably be better off getting a L200 or a Toyota; these are gradually replacing the Defender as the farmer’s vehicle of choice.

If you *want* one, then go for it; basically it’s the biggest Meccano set you’ve ever had in your life. But you need to be realistic about it.

It won’t be cheap – old Defenders hold their price amazingly well.
It won’t be comfortable – they’re very small inside and pretty basic and driving any distance on tarmac will leave you cold, shaken and deaf.
It will need regular tweaking – you’ll need a basic toolkit, e.g. angle grinder, MIG welder, hammer, large hammer, very large hammer. Spares are easily available though, fairly cheap and easy to fit.
It won’t automatically go anywhere – you’ll need to learn how to drive it properly. Quite a few Landy off-roaders get to join the upside down club.

On the plus side, it’s just the greatest fun vehicle in the history of automobiles.

You’ll either love it or hate it, and there’s only one way to find out.

Lorraine Chase – who?

Once appeared in a mildy amusing TV advert, sometime in the paleolithic era. HTH

A present for my wife. I don’t think that’s going to be it.
(Category Folk Art 2001 to Now if you must know)

Knitted vagina

I’ve got a job where I can post to a biking forum when I’m supposed to be working.

not even MAMILs – MAMIBs

¿ Que ?

Interesting. Is it an old-style road thing?

Yes, used to be all the rage for both track and cyclo-cross wheels, allegedly making the wheels stiffer. You used to be able to buy kits to DIY it.
Not seen it for ages though.

To be pedantic, it’s tied and soldered. Wire wrapped round then soldered to stop it coming undone.

Mine’s 100mm (ooh, missus) and I like the (small) bit of flex – coupled with carbon bars it takes some of the trail buzz out of my stiff XC hardtail. But then I’m a roadie at heart, so I know eff all about real mountain bikes :D

the ham fisted mechanics stripped 3 of the plate bolts (to be fair they are made of cheese).

Titanium flavoured cheese. A torque wrench or a light touch is required.

I’ve got a KCNC Wing scandium stem. Very light, very well made.
Clee Cycles stock a good range.