Cheers for the info, sadly the trip will be short but with your feedback I should be able to knock-up a reasonably itinerary that ticks a few boxes.

Cheers PerthMTB, unless my boss has a BBQ planned for Sunday I may well do that

Like a trooper, no shame at all

+1 for PerthMTB (incidentally, Perth this weekend, anywhere to MTB?)
If Steve is not available I have a spare bike and am near the Airport.

If not riding try this compact trip suggestion:
1. Catch the ferry across Victoria Harbor from TST to Central ferry Terminal
2. Walk through Central to the Peak tram
3. Get the Peak Tram up to top
4. To to the top of the Peak and take some pics of HK below (classic shot)
5. Walk down the morning trail into the mid-levels, have a beer or two
6. If your near the Harbour at 8pm, go watch the light and laser show

The HK Express train at HK MTR Station should get you into the airport in 20 minutes.

That should keep you busy, if you want to see, do or eat anything specific let me know, HK local.

Did a couple of Heatherow/Moscow trips in the mid 00’s, OK airline, plane was a Boeing I think, I only remember they did not have any TV’s, mind you, some United flights don’t either to this day (HKG to San Fran anyway).

Cheers for the feedback, no riding on this trip but I am planning to visit the Rotorua area as some recce for a possible 2016 trip, have the wife with me so its cultural, hiking and no fun 🙂

Race Face Ambush, very comfortable on long sweaty rides and you don’t need to take your shoes off to put them on and off.

Hong Kong doesn’t really do Autumn that well, but at least its now bearable to ride all day.

Not sure on the new season, its seems a lot of effort to go to just to get revenge, why not just wee on his shoes?

Season 6 is getting better, cant wait to see how how it gets off that RV, would they would kill off two big characters in quick succession, Shirley not?

Treat people as you would like to be treated, not as they treat you.

90kg with kit, dont feel any flex though I run my Pikes firm and am on carbon rims.

Whatever I am riding at the moment, in this case a Pivot Mach6, short chainstays, very playful but maybe not too slack enough for those steep DH rides?

Have had one for a few months now and use it for the local trails near me which are reasonably rocky and usually take some climbing to get to.
Running XT 1×11 so cant comment on the SS setup but I find mine a big bundle of fun although a little harsh to ride at times though in my case using carbon rims on a HT probably doesn’t help.
I have a FS for more descent orientated rides but love the Switchback for most of my ‘trail’ riding, though at 175cm I am right on the edge between the small frame (which I have) and the large.
Running with a XT drivetrain/brake set, 150mm Pikes and LB/Hope wheelset.
Cant seem to get images to work at the moment but standard STW response bike pic can be found here.

A friend who lives there told me that in Dubai all references to Israel or Jews are taken out on TV, apparently some old Sienfeld episodes are a little confusing and short.

The US Presidential candidates
The Middle East
The state of my pension
People not really reading the OP

…oh, and in the spirit of the OP
Boost+
The latest angles all bikes should have

I’ve found it to be quite a useful tool in obtaining work

+1

I find it a useful tool for finding the right people to contact in regards to business development and sometimes when I am looking to recruit.
Basically all of Perchys comments above are sound for keeping it within limits and controllable.

*fails to see why, having seen it once, you would even think about watching it again*

One of the better Bond films, much better than the following Skyfall for a start.

Just claimed for a delay caused by a Typhoon in Hong Kong which left me stranded in Chiang Mei Airport overnight for 10 hours, did it through my travel insurance but to be fair I’m not sure why I bothered, the payout came to around 20GBP.

I suspect your travel insurance would hold the key to your question?

Take a bumboat from Changhi Point to Pulua Udin island and then hire a bike for a little mellow ride around the island.

I have noticed now that when filling out on-line forms I have to spend considerable time scrolling down to the year of my birth.

Just waiting for Israel to shoot down a Russian plane violating its airspace or blow up a weapons convoy in Syria just to complicate this a little bit more.

Note: When Israeli planes blew up that secret Syrian chemical/nuclear site a few years back Turkey was a strangely silent on them entering its airspace to do it?

Really fancy a big travel plaything to join the Switchback and Mach6, never owned a DH bike before so that itch needs to be scratched.

Great thread, it makes me realize that my marriage is a real blessing and that I am safer tucked in bed early on a Friday & Saturday night than ‘out there’.

Dig, one thing with the Zenohone2, the reinforced screen protector, it messes with the phones proximity sensor and makes it nearly impossible to deal with calls (blanks the screen).
If you fit one cut the top section off, the bit near the front camera, to fix this problem.

Try the Asus Zenphone2, good Intel chip, hires camera, 2 Sims, SD slot, 32GB Memory, 4GB RAM for around 160GBP (in HK anyway).

I like to come back to the UK for Christmas, nothing better than spending the day at my mums and doing nothing but sitting around eating and catching up with relatives, all the more that I will not see them again for another year.

Did Thailand once with the wife, it was tosh.

Any indication on the actual time as I am planning to watch a film later and would not want to miss the ending (of the film)?

Just to be different – if they are facing inwards and not touching anything… On, Rear mech off though

+1, usually do 3-4 trips a year and no issues to date.

I spent up to 5:30am in Chiang Mei airport trying to get some sleep on the floor or on what passes for seats there, the flight back home being delayed by 10 hours at that stage.

Yours looks way better.

Bedside Beaker

1600km on my AM bike (Pivot Mach6), my LB 30mm rims are going well inc DH park trips, in fact about to get on a flight to Chieng Mei for a long weekend.
However, an identical set on my Stanton Switchback lasted 200km before I cracked the rear rim, my fault as I popped on a kerb, got it wrong, and my rather thin Ikon just folded under the weight and cracked the left hand side. My fault and they are cheap enough to replace.

I like them, it takes a while to get used to how hard they make the ride feel but I like stiff suspension and high PSI so it suites me and with LB the price it not so bad.
I don’t think I would go wider than 30mm though, since I don’t run really low PSI the gains in grip against resistance on climbing are low (I ride in a mountainous area with lots of 250-400mtr climbs between segments).

Used to see a Japanese girl for a couple of years and also worked out there a lot between 2005 and 2008, great place, even went back a couple of years ago to do some mountain biking at Fujimi Panarama.

All suggestions above are good, to add my 2 cents:

Hakone – just outside Kyoto, a traditional Japanese onsen with both modern and traditional hotel accommodation. Stayed there once in winter, great time chillin in the natural hot springs surrounded by mountains and trees covered in snow.
Dont go if a little prudish.

Yoyogi Park, Tokyo – Sunday mornings is the best time to see the the locals dress up and walk around the park, everything from anime to 50’s beat boys.

You will have a great time, Japan is an amazing place.

Stanton – love my Switchback
Endura – My 2012 MT500 shorts are still going after 5 years
Madison – Really like their shorts (though sizing is a bit hit or miss) and jerseys
Hope – Both my bikes have Pro2’s, they just work and it also means that I rarely have to worry about using my bell

We messed about in the dirt tunnel for a little while on Andy’s trail

I’m beginning to think I know why she didn’t leave a proper forwarding address.

Nice pics, is that behind the Nationwide in Swindon?

No problems so far, running XX1 on my AM bike and new XT on my HT.
The only issue I have so far is that the XT cassette gearing is so well spaced that you don’t get the big drops that you get with XX1, useful when your climbing and working your way through the gears, almost like having a ‘granny gear’ every 2 changes…but that could just be me, I’m a lazy climber.

As above, most rides I will ride some, whether lightweight RF Indys for some AM/trail stuff or RF Ambush for more DH orientated stuff.
Don’t usually have a problem with them coming lose and the Ambush are good in that you they are are very comfortable for all day riding but you can take them on and off without taking off your shoes.
Better safe than sorry.

Just got around to reading this, bringing back good memories of riding the Fujimi Panorama bike park a couple of years ago…need to go back.

I can but opted for the LB’s on both my Mach6 and Switchback, I think there is a line you have to draw between what you can actually afford, the performance benefits to your actual ability and what you can afford to throw away if they get damaged.

Since I have a Chinese wife who monitors all my purchases I can only say I am luck that I have only two bikes:
Pivot Mach6, XX1/XTR groupsets, Fox 36 Forks, LB Carbon Wheelset etc
Stanton Switchback, new XT groupset, Pkes, LB Wheelset etc

All for 4k of your UK money! (god bless dodgy receipts).