I can confirm the supplied helitape alone is not enough.

+1 for Haldon. Might look a long way, but it’s motorway and dual carriageway the whole way so not that slow to get there (outside of caravan season at least)

Still hanging in too. Will have to see how it goes in the pub tomorrow though.

If you’ve never fitted one before, make sure you give yourself LOADS of time to do it. And put maximum effort into squeegeeing out all the air bubbles.

I’m very tempted. Would prefer to be more xc biased though. Perhaps I could just pootle off on my own on the days when everyone else is shredding the gnarr.

On the plus side: 1st November is on a Friday this year.

I’ll give it a go. Already managed to make it through September providing I don’t fall off today. You could say I’ve given the dry run a dry run.

Used to be a bar in Hockley, Notts* that had a 2 serving limit on Absynthe. What’s the point in drinking Absynthe, if you’re not going to have enough to summon the Fairy? The reasoning given was that people tended to fall over after anymore than 2. Bedwetting lightweights, the lot of em!

*May still be there, but I’m not.

Do you like owls?

I know a cracking Owl sanctuary!

At £70 it still feels like you’re paying for 2.

Elan valley for an on the way home option, or FOD.

“mid life crisis car” ? Always reminds me of this:

Edit: Shit! thought I’d worked out how to post images

(it was supposed to be the red pontiac firebird parked on the drive in American Beauty)

This will do for me.

IME track 4 is usually the strongest, closely followed by track 7*.

*except when it is track 6 or track 8

Thanks Rick! That’s the informative insider’s view I was hoping for. STW delivers again!

He’d really need to look at excess mileage costs for a lease based on your description of useage.

Why not try Ling?

I don’t think the normal rule of thumb (-50% then -10% per year) applies to Islabikes as they hold their value so well.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Islabike-Creig-24-Pro-Series/323876212265?hash=item4b6886ce29:g:y64AAOSwEJZdRwFD

Recent ebay sale to give you a rough idea.

Agreed it’s not cheap, but compared to a similar length biking holiday with hotel in Davos in August, I don’t think its far off the mark price wise. I’m not saying it’s a bargain, but don’t think it’s OTT either. It’s the additional nights either end and the cost of getting there and back that are making me consider more carefully. (Plus it’s priced in Swiss francs with the £ at a record low, bah!).

Got me wondering if anyone makes elbow saddles?

(for those who don’t know the difference)

Saddles are more arse specific than bike-type specific. Ride what feels comfortable.

s the closed Tintern/Chepstow road passable on a bike? I could do with avoiding any proper hills as MrsIHN is currently recuperating from a leg op.

Dunno if A466 is passable by bike and don’t have time to do another recce this weekend.

Bare in mind that even if passable it requires a climb of 150m. The ncr42 route up the Angiddy valley is 200m. In your circumstances I wouldn’t want to risk climbing up the A466 only to have to turn around and go back to Tintern, if the route is blocked. It sounds like they’re doing some pretty serious work up there, so fare chance you might not be able to get through.

Tunnel is still closed

1) will be fine on the bikes/tyres you describe.

Road is closed between Chepstow and Tintern, I believe to sort out some sections that have been prone to landslides.

(I hadn’t realised the tunnel was open already, will go and have look!)

Also buddy beacon on Viewranger app.

How posh is “posh”?

Celtic Manor?

FWIW it’s always the 11T that goes on mine first.

Try using a bigger chainring.

“In Holland we used to have a big problem with illegal exit polls, but now we have legalized them: there is no problem!”

Had this on my new GX after a couple of rides. Retensioning the cable sorted it.

@fadda and @lister

remainunited.org

gives some recommendations. It appears that based on polling Plaid is the only Remain party likely to get a seat. Proportional rep is no use to smaller parties when there are only 4 places up for grabs, still beats FPTP though.

Remainers really do need to consider voting tactically in this one.

Sonder Signal Ti

Or

Bird ZERO 29.

Slightly more travel than you requested but have the requested tyre clearance. In this case I’m not speaking from personal experience, just what I’d look at first if that’s what I was after.

Edit:

Just noticed the budget, so the sonder’s out. The Bird’s only just over though, so may be worth a look?

Only done it once and that was a anticlockwise. I reckon clockwise would be better.

Well Vinny’s leaving on a high to become  player-manager at Anderlecht. A real class act.

The climb up foel fadian will be harder in that direction, might be worth looking for an alternative route in that section.

If you can’t find anyone to give you a lift from Brecon, you could just ride along the canal to Newport. It’ll be a relatively easy run after what you’ve done by then.

Stealth Ad

Referendum thread

The New Classifieds

Peep hole pringles

Smell my cheese

Mentalist

Eating some mousse

Baileys chasers

Corby trouser press

twelve inch plate scam

Monkey tennis

Sex people

Spinal chord baguette

The film script of “Withnail & I”

“I’m Alan Partridge” series 1&2

Agree that it’s gone off the boil. Peaked around the episode where Sheldon hung out with James Earl Jones. JEJ playing himself was probably the funniest character in the show.

Really enjoying Young Sheldon now, just hope they don’t resort to shark jumping for a while.

Brown away shirt

Crucible theatre

Plenty of side

Naughty snooker

Black re-spot

Carambola

Depending on how well it pays, you may want to consider commuting from France.

I know from experience that WTBs are tighter than average and have heard that Stans rim are also tight. Not a good combination.