I used to help the organisers of Lotts Wood (very occasionally). I think the biggest single cost (aside from their own time) was for the two paramedics and ambulance. The second biggest was the portaloo they hired for some of the events.

I’ll be there. Did I hear a rumour that this was going to be the last one?

It would be a bit like David Cameron’s porn filter – who decides where to draw the line where road riding ends and MTBing begins?

In fairness to Bruce Parry, and unlike Bear Grills and Ray “fatty” Mears, I don’t think he pretends to be anything he isn’t?

He just goes to places and meets interesting people, and his only survival skill seems to be that people seem to like him.

A lot of bikes now labelled “CX” are really what might used to have been called rough-stuff tourers. But that’s not very trendy. (I’ve got one but have disguised it with a cotton duck saddle bag, mudguards and leather saddle)

From your post I would say you are really after a normal touring bike. If you can withstand the shame of not having something fashionable, have a look at the ones made by Dawes or Ridgeback.

Regarding pain, pay attention to handlebar height. If you’re not racing there is no reason to set them particularly low.

Sorry, can’t see the picture but from that era it will probably be screw on freewheel, with sprockets attached to the freewheel.

Don’t bother trying to remove sprockets, you need to unscrew the complete freewheel unit. There will be little lugs or something at the end. You need the right tool and a big spanner.

Once off you can clean and regrease the freewheel using the method of your choice. I always found a paraffin bath and some 3 in 1 worked wonders.

If that doesn’t work look for a new screw on freewheel. I imagine you can still but them.

With regards to nationality, I think this whole “where were they born”, “where were their parents born” thing is irrelevant.

To me, Wiggins, Millar and Cavendish are British cyclists because that’s where they started out from.

Millar started competative cycling when he was living with his mum in Maidenhead. He was in the High Wycombe CC and represented BC West Thames as a junior. Wiggins was with the Archer RC (a now defunct? West London club) and did a lot of his early racing at Herne Hill or on the Hayes bypass. I still ride with people who used to ride with, coach or manage them when they were kids.

As a cyclist I see them as riders who have come up through the local scene. They used to ride the same races any of us could ride, visit the same café/pub stops and moan about the traffic on British roads. It just that through talent and hard work they’ve reached the top of their sport.

When I started follwing cycling, sprints were won by exotic Italians with expensive hairstyles. Tours were won by Americans who used funny bar extensions. I still find it hard to believe they are now dominated by the type of guy you might meet on a club run from Uxbridge to Reading.

A guy who did all his early cycling in Africa and never posted a good time on the H25/12 just doesn’t feel the same.

I wonder if that will go down as one of Cavendish’s most memorable wins? OPQ had a plan and it was working. Then Cav and his team mates reacted to the race as it unfolded – no sticking to a plan, no time to consult over the radio.

I liked the replays on the ITV4 highlights. You could see Cav getting across to the Contador group and Froome not quite making it.

An old rule of thumb for general riding was: put your elbow on the nose of the saddle. Your outstreatched fingers should just be touching the straights of the bars where the pass through the stem clamp.

(I think I’ve remembered that right)

You could always try swinging of and flicking an elbow to bring them through,

School open evening?

Surely a nice pair of touring shorts and a Rapha sportswool jersey. One has standards to maintain dontcherknow? :D

So what exactly is wrong with cycling in lycra?

Properly fitting team or club kit looks quite smart on the bike. Ok it might be out of place whist strolling down the high street, but then so would wearing your speedos, or crickt whites.

Swinley Forest :D

If it was deliberate, that’s really very serious. You should have complained to the commissare at the time, no matter how busy they were.

Don’t bother with a “quiet word with the parents”. If its BC racing under BC rules its the commissaires job to ensure the racing is fair and safe. They may not thank you if you tried to sort out without informing them of the problem.

Cup and Cone BBs

Indexed six speed

quill stems

I think the efficiency/hotspot issues will depend on the sort of shoes just as much as the type of pedal.

IME, unless you are racing, there isn’t a lot of difference between a stiff soled XC racing shoe on SPDs and a road shoe on LOOK.

Featuring The Devil and THAT bus driver :D

A jazz/swing player rather than blues, but Django Reinhardt is supposed to have influenced a lot of later rock guitarists.

I once did a 10x1mile lap time trial on a summers morning just after a huge rainstorm. My GPS, using its barometric alitimeter, told me I had been steadily descending for 1000 feet. – presumably the air pressure was low, then got higher?

And whenever i go for a ride with the same start/finsh point, the total ascent never matches the total descent.

Its a good think accurate altitute istn’t really safety critical on a bike!

My Garmin 305 Edge doesn’t use maps and magically it can give the altitude.

I think the 305 has a barometric altimeter. But I may be wrong.

I’ve solved it!

The suits always argue that salaries have to be set high to attract the right people to the job.

So:

If MPs salaries are too low, the right people aren’t in the job. Therefore the current lot should all be sacked and we need another general election.

If the right people are in the job, the salaries must be set at the appropriate level and there is no need for an increase.

That’s free market economics innit ?

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.

Being an MP should be a vocation – a bit like being a Church of England Vicar or a nurse or a teacher.

Cut MPs salaries and you may find you get a better lot in charge.

From Wikipedia:

The current basic annual salary for an MP in the United Kingdom is £65,738. In addition, MPs are able claim allowances to cover the costs of running an office and employing staff, and maintaining a constituency residence and a residence in London.[1] Additional salary is paid for appointments or additional duties – such as the chairing of select committees.

Due to additional allowances it is difficult to calculate the annual basic salary of an MP, but for an MP with no additional responsibilities, who stays for a single term of 5 years, the MP’s severance package will raise the taxable salary by over £12,000 per annum (see Allowances below) – giving an effective annual salary of £77,738.

Seems like good money for a public servant.

What I don’t understand is why red rear reflectors seem so unfashionable. (and as far as i know they are still a legal requirement).

In certain circumsatances they work a lot better than LEDS as they are very efficient at throwing a cars headlights back towards the drivers eyes.

I’ve got decent flashing lights on my bike. They throw out a poweful beam and are really bright in the dark. In normal daylight I can’t tell if they are on or not.

I found one useful for working out HR zones and and learning how a given level of effort feels. Also on long time trials it was handy to help keep your effort consistent.

Now I don’t race (or train to race), I find the faff of finding the chest strap and putting it on isn’t worth the info it gives me. (likewise my whizzy cadence meter.

Some of my chums who are still into competion find some sort of power meter much more useful as a training aid.

As far as accuracy of calories used go – I don’t think they are.

If you do get one, don’t rely on the little booklet that gives you “typical training zones”. They vary depending on the type of exercise you do (eg running or cycling) and the type of body you have. Best to do a proper ramp test or something similar.

if someone has a serious head injury and you’re more pissed off your trail centre bimble/shred has been cut short than worried about their safety, I think you need to re-assess exactly who’s being selfish.

Err No. My day will be ruined because its not very pleasant having to sort out a serious bike crash. I find dealing with somebody covered in blood and talking nonsense/screaming in pain can be quite stressfull.

Helments are not expensive and not uncomfortable. Its selfish not to take even elementary safety precations when you are carrying out an activity where landing on your head is more likely than usual.

To be fair to the lady and gentleman in question, police mugshots are never very flattering.

I’m sure some decent lighting and a little bit of airbrushing would make a world of diference …

Oh.. and Somewhatslightlydazed I’m one of those selfish people who doesn’t often wear a helmet too. Not sure exactly how that effects you at all ever.

Because I thought we were talking about safety equipment at trail centres.

If i was riding at a trail centre and came across someone who had suffered a head injury I would stop and help. By the time I had sorted out first aid, arranged for an ambulance, guided medics to the spot etc. it would have ruined my day.

If said person had not been wearing a helment, I would feel pretty pissed off at them not taking even elementary safety precautions.

Or do you just hand out inner tubes and ride on by when anbody really needs help.

I like the look of the Torm short sleeve jerseys

They look good, but website doesn’t really exlain what the differences are between all the short sleeve jerseys. I shall have to e-mail them.

I’m just looking for a few extra mph. See people talking of 17mph + average speeds and I’m only looking at 15 or so

Well, a lot more will depend on terrain, wind, road surface etc.

And if it makes you feel any better, my last tow (lycra clad) road rides only averaged 13.5mph.

Bike tools aren’t safety equipment. You aren’t going to die at a trail centre if your chain snaps or your tyre goes flat.

Quite a few people at my local trail center don’t seem to bother with lids, which always strikes me as being a bit selfish.

I just read some of the comments underneath that article. Blimey!

I had some Black Jacks the other day. They’ve changed the wrappers to something slightly less offensive than the ones they had when I was a kid.

Marble naming conventions obvioulsy change with time and geography.

Probably a PHD thesis in that for somebody.

I’ve a set of Fox forks that are five years old and never serviced. Its never even occured to me that they might need a service.

I occasionally put air in them (when they feel a bit soft), and they still bounce up and down quite freely.

What sort of difference could I expect if I got them serviced?

There was also a particular “season” for playing marbles, and you laughed at anyone caught playing out of seasons.

I think it was just after the conker season.

Frenchies – the white ones with colours on the surface
Blocks – (Kings or Queens)
Clearsies – plain glass

Memory Map?

A bit of a cliche but – Brooks B17 narrow for me. Only trouble is, they are bloody heavy and somewhat over priced.

Mrs SWSD likes the Specialized body geometry saddles. She’s never been measured for one though – apparently 90% of women take the medium.