Tell us more about the van, Steve.

Kona or Ridgeback

Racing in The Street, Edinburgh 1981 – still come over all emotional thinking about it. Got a cassette of the show up in the attic, but no cassette player – damn.
I've heard tell Emmylou Harris released a live version way back which is supposed to be rather special. Never been able to track it down. Anyone heard it?

Someone once told me that the most reliable weather forcast in percentage terms is tomorrow will be pretty similar to today. Admittedly not much use for planning next weeks activities.

+ 1 for Macpac tents.

Probably heresy around here, but I prefer my P7 to my Soul, so I think you're right to have it on your shortlist.

Save your money/their pocket-money – despite your best intentions they'll be running around with stick guns, swords, light sabres etc. It's what little boys do.
Regards
A bunny hugging Grauniadista

+ 1 for Van R's. On my One – love 'em.

1996 Cindercone

F & R with DTC on back on one bike, BG on front of other with Nev on the back. Prefer the former – seems a bit more secure and predictable. When it gets at all claggy they're replaced with Mud X's.

Saw Olympus E420 with standard zoom in John Lewis @ Wycombe yesterday, well reduced – if I remember it was less than £350. Played around with the earlier model & was quite impressed. Doesnt have the cachet of Nikon or Canon tho'.

P7

Tom Waits?

Howies Long Way Home 1/2 price at moment.

Anyone know what Gary Kleins doing nowadays?
Have had an orange/yellow sunburst Mantra Race in bits in the garage at the moment – tempted to put it back on the trail having looked at the above….

Oh, so who is it then…..

Don't worry, you'll be fine doing what you currently do.

As per Chapking above, I had my account frozen after an apparantly unauthorised (by me) debit. They accepted that it was fraudulent and reimbursed me, but refused to offer any advice on how this might have occured, or indeed how it might be prevented in the future.
Coincidentally, I received an email from them (perhaps?) asking me if I wish to 'double lock' my account with an 'SMS Security Key' as my account has previously been 'taken over', as they term it.
Anyone any thoughts on this?

Have a look at Park Cameras website. Bought myself an E620 & 14-54 Mk2 a few weeks ago having used various Canon G.. series cameras. Chuffed to bits, even though I've only dabbled with it so far.

Mrs & I did a couple of terms at beginners evening classes, and then practiced on each other – e.g. one has to speak spanish all evening. Do the homework.

Happy with 130 Menjas here too.

Dakine Ventilators for summer wear.

Can we have photo next week to allow us to decide whether not intervening was justified?

Even with Jerry I doubt whether they’d be anything more than a bunch of old blokes that should know better. I’ll rely on memories of how good they were.

That’ll be a P7 then . . . .

Interesting, I’ve had the same problem with WTB SpeedDiscs, Mud X’s & Nevegals. 80psi pops the Nevs on but the Mud X’s are a right b*gger. I’ll try and remember the tips for when the winter tyres go back on.

Sorry AW, forgot to say that I have a Soul also, so accepting that the old cone was fitted with XT v’s and original 70mm travel RC36’s, and the Soul has 130 forks and discs, and they are separated by 10 years, which makes a direct comparison irrelevant, I will ignore that and say that the cone gave more grins per buck than the Soul does. Totally subjective and based on rose-tinted recollection, but there you go.

Big Lego fan back when anything other than white and red was unheard of. Spent months building houses with the transparent light brick, and disappearing into my wardrobe to check it out.
Suffered a recent relapse and splashed out on the recent VW Beetle.

Not 853, have to go a couple of points up the steel frames range to get one. For the benefit of Kona fetishists:
http://www.konaretro.com/showarticle.php?path=articles/catalogues/

Re the Soul comparison, as an ex ’96 cone owner, provided you accept that its a short travel, no discs xc biased frame, I’d suggest you need to drop a bit more cash to beat the old steel Kona feel (TM). If that sounds like your bag, and if Sideways are still dealing with him I’d consider a Dekerf. Otherwise do up the Kona.

He’s OK by me.

Meile again. Avoid Dysons like the plague.

Not a direct comparison, but for what its worth last years plain Martas superior to the previous years Minis in all respects, except bleeding, tho’ only because I’ve yet to have to bleed the Mags.

2nd Dakine. Ventilators here for summer xc duties.

While you’re waiting on the cable guide you could do something about that garage door.

What fork is that on the io?

Saw dog from local stables curling one out at the end of the drive a couple of Sundays ago. Repeat offender. Scooped into a (transparent) poly bag – still warm, loverly – walked over there and into the stable-yard. Owner there, surrounded by yummy mummys and all the little Lucindas, Isabellas etc. Presented it with a polite request to stop her animal depositing excrement in the surrounding streets and gardens.

Never seen anyone look so humiliated.

Spesh

Patagonia + 2

They renewed a zip on Mrs S’s bag last year for a similar fee. Real quick turnaround too. Good as new.

My 7 year old loves the Chamber Street Museum – great for a wet afternoon.
2nd Botanic Garden on a sunny day.
Jenners toy dept is not what it used to be I’m afraid, and unles you’re over the road in the gardens Princes Street is best avoided.
Coming from the south we tended to park to the south of Bruntsfield Links and get a bus in/out – buses are all £1 flat fare. The residents only parking may have been extended recently tho’.

Uncool Patagonia hard to beat imho, and sensible price too. Also have a v old Timbuk2 in the house that Mrs has been using 3 days a week for at least 10 years. Not so watertight in a downpour tho’- can get in under the flap by the strap – might be sorted on newer ones?