Our recent game of choice has been Cosmic Encounter.

Plays well with 4 and I think it will be really good with 5 but we haven’t managed to get enough people together. There’s so much variation each time you play and options to simplify for kids by removing more complex rules.

We also played Pandemic the other night. Seemed appropriate…….

I have kept the term the same. As the required monthly repayment comes down every year we keep the actual payment the same, so the overpayment goes up.
We will pay it off sooner but always have the option to go to a lower monthly payment, or have a buffer if rates increase, without renegotiating the term.

Normal with a bash ring or shorter ones without.

Higher brake levers to drop the heels of your hands might help. You shouldn’t be putting weight through your thumbs.

Just thought 9spd chain might be too wide……

Update-

Thanks again for all the tips. Vancouver was great, so relaxed and so much good food. Whistler is lovely if a bit over sanitised. It’s a resort so everything is right here but you do have to pay for it!

We did a 3hr guided ride with Whistler bike guide which was good. Mrs Sambino thought the trails were a bit too technical, not really flowy, but she would quite like an Elsworth Epiphany. Yesterday we did a bike park taster which was amazing, we’ll be doing a half day in the park tomorrow. The easy downhill trails are a great way to get used to the big bikes and the steep stuff. There looks like there’s enough Blue trails for about a week so we won’t get bored even if we don’t get any more adventurous.

They are really happy to take absolute beginners, and kids, up to the top of the mountain on downhill bikes and it works. It’s a lot of money but everyone should come here.

We’re only riding for about a third of the trip so it’s tough deciding how much of our own kit to take and what to hire or do without.

Will the bike shops lend out tubes and tools or should I just take my usual camel back with everything in it? What else, gloves obviously, pedals? Helmet? Knee pads?

I’ll miss my usual stuff but I won’t miss lugging it around all the time.

Good stuff, thanks.

Keep it coming.

I’m a cardiac physiologist specialising in electrophysiology. NOT A DOCTOR! Those of you that have had ECGs, 24hr tapes echos etc have been seen by my colleagues, you might have thought we were nurses.

I would definitely recommend seeing your GP and asking for a referral to a cardiologist. There are many possible explanations some can be ignored, some are easily treatable and there are a few nasty ones but these aren’t common. I am not giving advise in the place of going to your doctor but here are a few things to keep in mind that might speed up your diagnosis.

Keep a diary of your symptoms, include times, situation how you felt.

Here are a few possibilities

Supra Ventricular Tachycardia (SVT) is typically associated with fast regular heart beat. If you have a HR monitor or are good at taking your pulse look for a sudden increase in HR when they start and a sudden decrease when they stop. These can be treated with medication or with an ablation procedure.

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is typically irregular, it can give fast or slow heart rates. Can be brought on by alcohol, dehydration or things like that. It’s very common in older people and has a lot of different treatment options.

Ectopic beats (VEs or SVEs)often described as “missed beats”, the heart contracts before it has had a chance to fill with blood giving a low pressure pulse, often followed a “stronger” beat. These can be completely benign or symptoms of other things. A few here and there is very common especially with caffeine or other stimulants.

GPs can be a bit reluctant to refer on first visits and there will be a wait to see the cardiologist and then another wait for appropriate tests. So the more information you have the quicker they can diagnose you. Do some reading and be well informed before going to your doctor, insist on being taken seriously but don’t come across as a mentalist hypochondriac. And always get straight answers as to whether or not you are still allowed to ride your bike. It is easiest for the doctor to just tell you not to, make sure they understand how important it is and only restrict your riding, exercise etc. if they have thought about it and it’s necessary.

I hope that helps. If anyone read the whole thing without getting bored and giving up.

Back pain due to injury – Osteopath (not chiropractor, in my experience they are just after your money)

Long term back pain – Stretching, probably your hips and upper back, and strengthening your lower back, massage and foam rolling will also help.

There’s loads of advice on the long term stuff on the James Wilson website. http://www.bikejames.com

Gutted indeed. I got my road bike nicked today from outside the hospital where I work. Sorry dude.

Now what productive thing can I do with all this rage?????

Thanks for all the advice. We’ve got a date with Jedi on the Saturday, which is why we’ll be up there with bikes, so we can get some tips then.

Mark – We’ll be practicing after we’ve been Jedi’ed

They are both quite fit and adventurous so I’m not too worried about scaring them off, and I’d like to have a good days riding as well. Chicksands might be a good option. Cheers

Cross training with weights or some sort of strength work will help keep weight on, as long as you’re eating enough, and will help avoid injuries associated with over specializing your physique.

I’ve recently started running and doing British Military Fitness classes both of which have really improved my riding through cardio and muscle endurance. But I am struggling to keep weight on so I’ve started one heavy weights session per week and eating everything in sight.

James Wilson’s blog has loads of strength training ideas to help riding and prevent imbalances caused by riding. If you can’t eat enough normal food myprotein is a great place to by supplements.

Got a nice email today apologising for the service and offering a discount in the tyres.

It would be cynical to assume they saw this thread but either way they seem to have come through. Apparently customer service isn’t dead.

It took a week, and a phone call, to get them post the wrong tyres (they did arrive next day, but still wrong). And since then been fobbing me off and not returning my calls.

I don’t know as these are only cranks I currently have, and as it was so cheap I haven’t investigated further yet.

I bought one but the guide is too far out from the BB for the granny ring on my slx double chainset. I’m planning on modifying it to make it fit but haven’t time yet.

Does any one else use one with slx?

http://www.bikejames.com/mobility-training/low-back-pain-solution/

Most lower back pain is caused my poor hip mobility (mine certainly is) due to spending too much time sitting down. There’s loads of stuff on this guys site and all of it will directly or indirectly help. I’ve been a believer for ages and now only get back pain when I’m really lazy with my stretching. Once a week is enough to keep it a bay, but 2 or 3 times is better.