And your spectacles nickc, do you enjoy stopping to clean them every few metres when it's pissing down? Your feet during winter, personally I prefer them to stay dry and warm…you're a kinky devil nickc, and each to their own. One man's feckless fashion sense is another man's righteous manly abstinence, I can understand that…

"get yourself a foam roll (hard cylindrical foam thing)
bloody great.like a deep massage but you do it yourself."

I use that method too, with a hot waterbottle insert. Works a treat

"don't care if my clothes or face is muddy TBH. Rear mudguards are just a waste of space."
=
Mudguards are a waste of space TBH. I enjoy shite all over my face/glasses, water pouring down my waterproof socks/boots and my bike looks cooler to other middle aged men. And apparently they rattle or something.

I stretch my muscle daily utilising the traditional method.

Genesis P Orridge is one of the nicest Humans currently alive on this planet, as was Leigh Bowery.

Robbie Williams turns my stomach.

Ok.

I know that nobody will believe this, but what I am about to say is true.

This topic comes up occasionally, and until now I have refrained from presenting my contribution for the aforementioned reason that it is unbelievable.

Last year while working at a jobcentre in London I was required to call out the name of a young Vietnamese gentleman who no doubt suffered under the name given to him by his loving parents, that name being…

Mr Dung Dong.

Let me reiterate, I don't care if you don't believe me. Go and look up Vietnamese names a few keystrokes away and then reconsider your scorn.

It prompted the thought though that common names such as "Dave", "John" and "Anthony" may be obscene in certain parts of the world.

"stop foaming at the mouth about Issrael"

It appears from my original and subsequent postings that I am foaming at the mouth about Britain, or more specifically it's polititians. How could you not notice?

Not "what" again copy'n'paste dullard?

"One sides genocide is another's conquering heroes I guess……"

Seems to be that way. Most people are labouring under the illusion that Britain's role is to invade and occupy Middle Eastern countries for their betterment rather than shuffle on it's knees towards the crotch of moral debasement, as it has done.

Unsurprising from New Labour, Tories and the Other Lot. And to be honest it's unsurprising that the majority of the Great British Pubic couldn't care less either. I consider correctly anyone that doesn't care to be vermin.(EDIT)or stupid.

Didn't know about Vic Chesnutt until now. Time marches on regardless. He was a great songwriter and by all accounts a good man. You expect these people to be around for a long life.

"I think he's brilliant!"

And that's why men do not consider female's opinions on music.

"Yes & all 5hite"

I'll take a wee nip of what your havin' emac65!

"& before you think well, what's he got to compare him to,I've seen live(most more once) The Clash,Ramones,SLF,Black Flag,Chelsea,Dead Kennedys,The Damned,Upstarts,Devo,PIL,Discharge,Exploited,ANL,Crass & countless other punk bands that some may not have heard of."

What happened to the intervening 25-30 years between hipster punk and Robbie Williams apologist? Prison?

"I don't sell my body either."

Who'd want it?

Hi bawbag,

It's xmas in London one last time as the boss's job relocation has been delayed for a bit. Should be 'couvside by spring at the latest though, something to look forward to…Epping is at it's seasonal worst, or it was a couple of weeks ago anyway. It's probably nice and frozen today but after a rather late night I'm in no fit state to find out.

Anyway, enjoy the greatly improved riding on your doorstep, i'm jealous you lucky bugger!

Hello there bawbag!

Hope the relocation is going well. You'll miss Epping though, who wouldn't?

A.B.

It was the Cannibalism that gave me away Ernie, wasn't it?

"um, not being fussy or anything, but I'm not all that keen on loving men. I'm not saying it's wrong, just that it's not really my thing."

Well you have yet to meet me.

Anyway, I do agree with your suggestion that educating women would be a good start. Most of them seem pretty daft to be honest.

Check out Ben Frost's "By the throat", and Dirty Projectors' "Bitte Orca". Two very different but great records released this year that won't fade in greatness anytime soon.

"Use it all to educate women, all across the world."

All the world's problems are down to women. Men do terrible things to impress women as it works, women are impressed by power and Machismo although some pretend otherwise. We slaughter and eat all the women, and decide not to go to work. Instead we learn to love ourselves (men), no babies are born and the future of the planet as a livable habitat for our animal bethren is assured, bar a huge meteor strike, lairy sunspots or aggressive volcanism.

Pay for the assassination of the Illuminati.

I'd help pay an older person on a small income's fuel bill this winter.

That's what Ian MacKaye would do.

Bryn Bettws cabins can work out cheap and you can sleep five in one, but since I've been staying there on visits (the last two years) we've had constant problems with the heaters not working…the last time in November none of the three heaters in the cabin worked, and as usual we had to try and dry out riding gear and heat the place with one replacement electric heater. Every time I'm there I mention it, and every time we get one replacement heater. The owner has refurbished the old outdoor activity centre on the site for accomodation so that may be a better option.

And before someone chirps up, the reason we have gone back repeatedly after heating problems is that it's cheap.

PS. Bring some bog roll and don't expect any washing up liquid.

I know someone who received a year ban for pretending to arrange some fisticuffs with another poster and posting photographs of rainy locations in the middle of the night claiming the other poster hadn't turned up for the scrap.

New Years Day 2009, Cwmcarn. Much better than the usual hangover.

I'd just hire a Stinky for the downhill stuff at Whistler, and a Dawg for the xc.

In fact, I did. And they were just fine for my "average" riding level (including A-line).

Godspeedyoublackemperor
A Silver Mount Zion
Stars of the lid
Labradford
Explosions in the sky

Would probably appeal for the Mogwai part of you.

Arvo Part
Steve Reich
Terry Reilly
Henryk Górecki

For some Modern "classical/minimalism" type stuff.

Philip Jeck
William Basinski (the disintegration tapes)
Oval (94 Diskont)

For "what the **** is that it is beautiful?" moments.

Edit, oh and Gavin Bryars' "The sinking of the Titanic/Jesus' blood never failed me yet".

It's just silly marketing crap from unimaginative people who get paid to sell bicycles.

I know it's late, but can someone explain the purpose of twittering?

The christmas before last I went out the back of my parents house for a fag with my brother. In the course of the conversation it transpired he was ranting on CIF too, and we'd had a cyber disagreement without knowing our foe.

Now that puts the American civil war into perspective.

Someone's been posting comments on "CIF" as xherbivorex". Well not tonight, but do a search. I thought it was a STW xherbivorex. Apparently there are two xheribvorexs.

Well there ye go!

Trojan Calypso compilation.

Wine.

Been reading xherbivorex's posts on the Guardian recently.

Cheers my Dear! If I drink enough I'll get Diarrhea and tonight's dinner won't count!

Not that I'm counting, of course. I like being "manly", and if I change I'll have to go shopping and I hate that.

Isn't life simple?

Edit, not that there's anything manly about Diarrhea, but it's more fun than jogging.

Just opened second bottle of red.

Fat content? Don't care!

Cambridge owners may be "a bit of rough" but they gave your wife the best rootin' she's ever had.

When I worked at a jobcentre we were advised to promote the "worktrial" bollocks. When I suggested scenarios of the nature the OP described, I was told it would never happen…end of.

I did not promote "worktrials".

The problem is that there is a whole generation of willing slaves who know no better putting other young and unskilled people out of a chance of getting that job, and an older age group profiting off the free labour promoting the message that if you are not willing to work for free you are "lazy".

If it were "work for dole" it would at least be honest, (and eventually no-one would have a job, if you think about it).

Don't risers allow a third dimension of adjustment? that of the forward or backward roll, which changes the wrist position within the constraint of any particular sweep and stem length and rise quite significantly?

PS, the people I see using flat bars always seem really angry/grumpy in the carpark.

£6.50 minimum wage? That's a promotion mate!

From hmrc.gov…

"What are the current rates of the national minimum wage?"

£5.80 per hour for workers aged 22 years and older

a development rate of £4.83 per hour for workers aged 18-21 inclusive

£3.57 per hour for all workers under the age of 18, who are no longer of compulsory school age

I thought I'd point this out, as no-one so far seemed to be aware. Many people in London live on this, so it's hardly surprising that a lot of people would prefer to remain on one of the lowest benefit payouts in western Europe instead.

I had a Subway 8 with Nexus hub gears (until it was stolen). Couldn't fault it either at £199 sale price. I think i'd want to try 700c wheels on my next commuter though, just for the change.

I sold a few last year…they seem pretty basic and heavy to be honest. Have you had a look at the 09 Dew here?

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/19925/Kona_Dew_Bike_2009

£230 seems a decent price for a better bike.