Enjoyed that. Just what I needed after my half marathon yesterday. Though breaking my glasses after 3 miles was a pain in the hole.

Yes

I’m in, provisionally. Still managing my back issues and marathon training.

My Reverb has just cost me £114 in repairs. All seals needed and top cap. It had pretty much seized.

I have 2-3 really close mates. But they come from a group of mates who’ve all known each other for 15 years plus. My best mate from home is great, can go for a month without contact and pick up the phone and chat like we’d spoken the day before. We’ve both been through tough times over the last few years and helped each other out a lot. Heading back to Belfast tomorrow for 2 weeks and we’ve got plenty of catching up to do. From personal experience the mates that really matter and that genuinely care, will stick by your side. I’ve had a lot of ‘friends’ come and go. The best ones remain.

Oh and I’ve made some great biking friends too. Most of them I’d certainly socialise with outside of biking.

I can live with the general pain and it feeling uncomfortable. But the searing pain I get when it spasms is horrific.

I’m doing the exercises twice a day, but do you think I should be doing them more often?

So, I attended my first physio session 2 weeks ago. Was given some stretches and as I thought, the spasms are my back trying to protect itself from my very very weak back muscles. He was almost shocked how much muscle I didn’t have there. Whilst he checked me out he did some work on my side, which has now flared up. There wasn’t an issue there other than it feeling tender at the time.

I’ve been doing my exercises twice a day, and have added in a few pilates based ones. All seems good so far. But, every other day I’m getting the back spasms. Still agonising to put it mildly. They told me to exercise, but I’m frightened to do anything.

It’s been nearly 6 weeks now and I’m really starting to get annoyed about the lack of progress. Some people are telling me that the NHS is a waste of time and that I should go to a proper sports physio.

Thoughts?

There better be a 32gb SHXC memory card on my floor when I get home.

I had constant broadband issues for around a month, dropping out randomly. Finally had to get them in. It’s a business line. Sorted on the first visit. Was a faulty line on the telegraph pole.

My gf is moving into a new build in the new year and has heard from residents who have already lived there since October, that they still haven’t been connected. How is that even possible in 2016 in Manchester?

Well done fella. Decent pace too.

When is the next one?

Possibly, depending on physio advice in the morning.

My take is that I’m never going to trouble anyone on a podium, but I’d like to maximise the gains I get from the effort I’m putting in as I’ll never be this young again, so may as well be the best that I can.

I think this is my problem with biking. I have this expectation which is that I can make a podium someday, but if I put all the effort in and didn’t get it, it would feel like a complete failure. And I already have enough of that kinda attitude towards myself in my life.

Why is lifting weights so complicated? In fairness I’m so embarrassed at lifting weights because I’m really not strong. At all. My dumbells for bicep curls are 7kg, and I struggle with that.

I have absolutely no idea what any of you are talking about. I just heard the news this morning and thought ‘oh we’re bombing someone again’. Happens every few years.

Just upgraded from the original Hero HD to the Hero4 Silver. I wanted to low light performance, everything is a bonus over what I had.

I’m not sure how much of those kinda comments I really believe. Maybe I just don’t want to believe them.

I thought it was a good show. The last 5 minutes was a bit naff I thought, rather rushed.

I saw the Vulcan at the NI Airshow in 2013. The memory of it doing its final pass down between Slieve Donard and Slieve Commedagh was unreal. Still makes the hair on my neck stand up thinking about it. I share the thoughts of admiring it more for its engineering feat rather than it being a killing machine.

Updated my Sony Vegas Platinum from 10 to 13. Rock’n’roll.

I really miss my liquid yellow 182. Amazing little car. Can only add to the points all ready given. It’s small, French, it rattles, it’s loud (mine had a Magnex catback system), and really really great to drive. 35mpg all day long. Great ride, only crashed about on big hits, strong engine if looked after.

I’d buy mine back in a heart beat if I could.

I do wonder how these cars actually feel compared to GT3/4 cars in the drivers eyes, maybe even going to LMP type classes for the performance. The aero seems so good that they must feel quite similar in places.

JJ, yes, when I first watched his stuff he was a bit more reserved. Got into his videos a lot when he was involved in Drivers Republic, and I think he grew from there. And I’ve always watched the majority of the EVO boys. Still have DVD’s I got when I subscribed to the mag from years ago. One of them had a great video on the FRP!

I think he is the finest in the business.

I miss that strange place.

Only the dead see the end of war.

I think there are many more attacks to come in the Western world. Religion is just a catalyst for this. I think it boils down to greed, territory and the human instinct to survive. In the 32 years I lived in Northern Ireland (from birth) not once, ever, did anyone ever talk about religion being the excuse for the murders.

I watched one of the IS videos on the Vice News youtube channel, linked above. Watched the father of a young child tell him to tell the camera that infidels in Belgium must die, is truly heartbreaking. The kids body language tells it all. It’s a very worrying time ahead.

Thanks for the replies. I have free weights at home which I would like to use more. I’d be pretty confident of learning pilates on my own, but I guess being cautious as I have an existing injury is wise. As I sit here it is fine, fine when I walk. Only when I bend right forward or twist a certain why is it uncomfortable. But then if I ignore it, it will be aggravated again.

Unfortunately I’m out for the next 3-4 with back problems. Would have liked to have made this one as it’s close to home.

I’m not. Far from it.

I wouldn’t worry about the 135mm on the back.

I’m still astonished that people think you need 160mm travel.

Bare bellies in the car park!

Bloody hell lads. Group hug?

Anyway, let me first say that the last 8 pages have enlightened me no end. I’ll address the elephant in the room (sorry Jim). I first encountered JJ many moons ago when I got back into mountain biking on a local MTB forum. Who’s this knob jockey, I thought. Then I met him on his bike, and a thoroughly nice chap he is! And despite what some people think, he is very knowledgeable. He jusy has his own special way of telling you.

I agree with JJ in principle. I once owned a Commencal Meta. Bought it because it was a good offer and it had double expansion front and back. My God it had a short reach, and a back end more loose than George Michael in the outside lane of the M25. I looked at the numbers before getting a new bike. Makes sense. Long wheelbase, short(ish) chainstays, slightly slacker HA, steeper SA, longer reach. Bajaysus it felt a lot more comfortable than the Meta. So in summary, a review of the numbers compared to what I was used to paid dividends. However, the Meta felt fun on the steep bits and when it got a handy rowdy, and that was because it was short and a bit wobbly. So, horses for courses. I prefer the Mega because it is more comfortable more of the time, and yellow is faster than white.

Nice shout on the Transition. Had a spin on one and it felt really nice. Climbed like a goat too.

12 minutes for 8 people is pushing it. I just about managed my single entry for the Saturday with my sausage fingers. Looking forward to it :)

Whats that for Col. Just Lightroom?

Photoshop and Lightroom.

I have recently subscribed to the CC package, at £6.95 p/m. I can understand your frustrations binners. I did look at it as a bit of a move by adobe. I upgraded as I bought a new PC. My old PC was really struggling with photo and video editing, despite RAM upgrades, the processor simply wouldn’t cut it. I was using CS3/Vega Platinum for a long time.

It’ll be interesting to see if the prices change.

Jim, you’d lose your sh** if you lived here in Manchester. They parade all sorts of muck at their carwashing facilities. The C63 AMG a particular choice.

Had Forza 2/3/4 and enjoyed them all. Had all the GT games and also had GTR2 for the PC. Enjoying Project Cars at the minute, love my sim racing.

What about fire?

When you say North West, where do you mean?

I currently live just outside Oldham.

By the way, my thoughts on the trials I’ve ridden should be taken very lightly. On the whole I love riding my bike anywhere.

Hmmm, interesting.

Since moving to the North West just over a year ago from Northern Ireland, most of what I have ridden here has been underwhelming. I came from natural, woodland trials. Completely different grip levels and completely different trial layout. I’m yet to find a place I want to ride every week.

I agree on Glentress to be honest, but any time I visit it’s with a group of mates and it’s much more about the criac than the trials. Inners on the other hand is one of my favourite places.

Someone find me some great natural woodland trials in the North West please.

Different gravy.

Well I now have a P beside my name. Loving the adfreeness.

your presence was glorious colin

Well I wouldn’t go that far.

Will keep my eyes peeled for next weeks ride.