I had a bad back for a couple of years and tried all sorts of shortcuts and excuses. Once I faced up to it and did plenty of core work and stretching the problems went away. In my experience you will come back quicker if you get back on the bike as soon as you can, just spin a nice high gear, keep it warm, and stretch it out afterwards.

If you do a couple of sessions of squats and lunges concentrating on your posture (or getting someone to give you pointers) you will learn to put the power down through your legs without straining your back as much. If you enjoy this, cleans and snatches will develop the muscles needed to pull with the arms whilst driving with the legs.

Probably a 20″ Inbred. It will depend on the geometry, if the seat angle is slack you can get away with a smaller frame. I’m 6’2″, my 456 is an 18″ with a 60mm stem.

I was sitting on a mate’s medium last night. I’m 6’2″ as well, the medium would definitely be too short for me. My hardtail is an 18″ on-one 456, which feels spot on, so you should be pretty close to my sizing. Don’t get worried about going down the frame sizes – at your height you would be an XL on most size charts anyway, so an L should be great. Enjoy it, they are such a nice bike and a total bargain at the minute!

If you do decent milage on country or A roads you should try the GTI, there should be deals on the Mark 5 and it is worth the extra tax. I tested the Focus ST, Civic Type R, Megane R26, Leon FR, the Golf had them all beaten in one way or another. Eighteen months on and I still can’t think of anything I would change it for.

It’s interesting that most of the criticisms are of the “car park expert” variety. I’ve an 07 which has never given me any problems and has been ridden pretty hard on a variety of terrain. They can be be on the heavy side – once you get on the bike you realise that the extra grip from the contact system means that they’re actually fine on technical climbs. Some break, but there are a lot of them about now and it isn’t like there’s been a public outcry about them snapping.

The bike is a nice climber, reasonably nimble on singletrack, but really comes into its own on descents, they have managed to give it plenty of feel in normal riding but keep a “bottomless” feel to the rear travel on technical stuff. In my opinion that is what tempts people to put 36s etc on it and void their warranty, or to build it up to 35 pounds etc.

You should realise that they’ve beefed up all their 09 bikes as well, which should mean less issues with cracking. If you’re interested in them look at an 09 model or get a cheap second hand 07 – the older swingarm design in supposedly stiffer anyway. If I was in your position now I would go for a change and get a Pitch cheap and spend a few quid on nice components, or push the budget to a 575.

Statutory for two years in the job is two weeks pay or so – plenty on the net about it.

Edit, I am pretty sure it is two years to the calendar day too.

Where are these bargain Nicolais to be had then?!

Interesting thread, always fancied a Blur 4x myself, pity they were discontinued.

And auricgoldfinger do I understand you correctly, you had a Nomad and NEVER fell off it?! Unless you had it for a week surely no falls means no balls?!

Well there is at least one expert around then, isn’t there eistrar!

Imagine the advances in bike technology in the last ten years. You are talking about at least as much progression in skis! Go to a shop and trust the staff or get some advice on Snowheads.

I’m not sure about Italy but you will usually make a good saving booking ahead.

If anyone is going to France http://www.ski-republic.com and http://www.skiset.co.uk could both save you money.

I used to work out there, we were taking 42 euro off the punters on the bus and paying the shop owner 7!