Part of the Berlin Wall, in woods just outside Newbury.

An army backpack, obviously left by a squaddie hoping to cheat some run/march.

Whats all that white stuff?

Northwave usually come out a tadge wide, definitely the case with my Outcross Plus SPD’s.

So what actions do you propose, and by whom?

Hard to say and I reckon that diddly squat will happen but one area that we could look at is to increase our dependencies on renewable/alternative energy so that we can at least stop bankrolling all this faff, and that includes the Europeans.

Looking to go ahead on a G16 purchase soon but out here in HK theres zero chance of getting a test ride.

I’m currently on a Transition Patrol and looking for a little more reach, so bar just going up in size (Medium to Large) the G16 seems to be the good fit in that a medium gives me a huge increase in reach but not so much in wheelbase, weight or, for me with my short legs, standover height. I also do a lot of climbing on my local trails so a long bike with reasonably steep seat tube angle seems to tick the boxes.

For existing users, what do your bikes weigh (in steamy tropical weather too heavy a bike is hard work)?

Also, what front forks are you running (160/170) and do you go up to 175mm at the rear or stick to 155mm, I ask as I may actually go 170mm at the front and have two shocks (155/175) for local stuff and when I’m doing shuttles/bike park trips?

I find it odd that a foreign power has decided to go around murdering people in the UK using a reasonably indiscriminant method and no one seems to be that bothered, would it garner more concern if they used drones?

Mind you, Putin can bring down an airliner and not much happens so why should he care, I mean , history has taught us that its perfectly fine not to do anything about leaders who bit by bit take advantage of others as no one stands up and say “enough is enough”.

In fairness to the Chinese, they generally aim for the floor and not other people. The floor of the train, restaurant or other public area, but not at cars or families in cars.

Owned an ASR5, SB66c and an SB5 over the last 7 years and have to say that aesthetically, especially with the SB6 and SB4.5/5.5, they look fantastic.

Would I buy another, maybe, but these days bike’s are generally very well designed so you would be buying in to the brand rather than purely from the performance point of view. I would say the SB66 was the pinnacle of 26″ wheeled mountain bikes, after that they have just evolved that design forward.

I have also broken one, the SB66, though that was my fault.

In HK they tend to be very common on the trails, I’ve never seen so many 30th anniversary SB6’s in so many numbers as I have here!

All pleasant in Rotorua, just a little drizzle here and there…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfpJiOLFcvL/?hl=en&taken-by=stewartcarne

Got help the Americans if there was a close vote to leave a union.

Yeh, liking the new cut and paste image option, very middle aged friendly.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeuEGenlxoU/?taken-by=stewartcarne

https://www.instagram.com/p/BayU21bFe0s/?taken-by=stewartcarne

Dont feel angry anymore and just resign yourself instead to a “tut” and move on.

I’m fairly sure the vast majority of instagram users will be viewing in the app on a phone or tablet so I’ve found phone photos come out pretty well on it

That +1

Given up trying to embed!

https://www.instagram.com/stewartcarne/

Who’s this young hipster? Good looking chap, isn’t he…

Stalin, straight out of the seminary and into a life of robbery.

Dunkirk started production way before Brexit and I couldn’t possibly count all the Churchill films released over the years?

It would also be difficult to think of a Churchill film not centered on WW2 bar Young Winston, who would watch a movie of 1920’s British politics and a rich tory middle aged politicians flirtation with the liberals?

I suspect most people in Britain have nothing but fondness for our European cousins….except for the French of course.

Used to hang around with two Paul’s, anyway one eventual started getting called Pete as it was felt that it was too difficult and confusing to have two Paul’s.

Nothing unusual there, nicknames are common, the weird bit for me was when even his own family started calling him Pete.

I’ve been around the US a bit and (opinion-based content…) I don’t recall seeing anything like 4x the number of gun shops than Maccas, or 6x the number of Starbucks.

Lived out there for a while, New York & Washington states, and traveled around there a lot, and don’t actually recall ever seeing a gun shop though know many gun owners. The infographic notes that the gun shops are retail stores and Pawn shops, I suspect the retail stores include Walmarts etc of which there are many.

I don’t believe that, the yanks do like their junkfood even more than guns but…

Another thumbs up for 3 Billboards, very enjoyable film, its always good to get a real film in among the blockbusters.

Not been but know someone based out there that should be able to help you out, email in profile and I will try to hook you up.

I have a good feeling about this.

Surely head down to Patagonia (its summer), all the way down to Terra del Feugo, swing a right in to Chile and then up the spine of Chile to Bolivia (via route 5).

Did the Argentina bit many years ago, lovely place.

The Evoc does a great job and if you plan to use it 2-3 times a year I think it pays for itself very quickly.

Mine mostly gets hoisted around Asia but I have not encounter any issues over the last 5 years I have been using them, the new ones are also a little lighter now which always helps at checking time.

Usually just pedals and handlebars for me when it comes to prepping apart from the wheels of course. Sometimes I take off the rear mech depending where I am going (Eagle,sometimes difficult to source spares) or coming back (nah).

Never use any additional packing material and the bike seems to still be OK.

Joe Cocker

Mountains, a cable car, a tributary leading to the South China sea, part of a massive 55km bridge being built….by mostly pollution.

America just voted for a regressive misogynist racist. I’m not sure they are ready for a progressive black woman

I suspect people voted for Trump in the same way that 80’s film with Richard Pryor, Brewsters Millions, turned out and the classic vote for ‘none of the above’. People were just fed up with the status Quo.

You couldn’t get more of a difference between Clinton and Trump, one a career politician and the other a TV personalty (in a vague sense).

I imagine equilibrium will return at the next elections and Trump will not be involved.

I once said “chop chop!” to a chinese friend (who was dawdling) I was mortified.

Ive used it a few times while trying to get co-workers or contractors to get a move on, its not insulting, its not even understood by most native Cantonese speakers I know.

if the Democrats double down, choose Oprah as their candidate and campaign on the basis of race and gender they will lose again

You have just given away the campaign plan!

I’m for a small change in the rules, or amendment if you will, and the inauguration of President Schwarzenegger.

The bigger question is, is it better a career politician with presumably the correct work experience get the job or does it just boil down to just popularity contest?

The Blackview is getting good reviews as a rugged waterproof outdoorsy phenomenon, let’s see

Been on a BV7000 for 4 months now, indestructible and just works.

iPhone7 to Samsung G5 Pro a year ago, very easy to migrate as I was only interested in Whatsapp, calls, Spotify and Strava, I really was not that into the Apple eco system anyway though I do have an AppleTV.

Cant see the justification for an iPhone based on the price of an 8 or X.

which ones of the 2 do you think offer the best protection

The POCs but I don’t think there’s much in it.
The POCs tend to be worm for shuttles and the IONs for hike a bike sessions where they can be ripped on and off easily.

Have both the POC and ION Pads (though the zipped version) and find they are fine for most 3-4 hour rides and the odd race I compete in.
As above, fit is important, once you get that right you wont notice them.

A couple that I have known since 12, due to distance and time we rarely get time to chat but when we do meet, say every 2 years, its like we have never been apart, so I would say around 34 years.
I think it is important to have people you can sound off against and also air your problems, we are social animals after all and generally perform better as part of a team*.
I feel there are different layers of friends, those that you can rely on 100% or share anything with (best), those you know socially and generally get along with and others such as riding groups or people you meet in the pub etc.
Friendship is like trust, its gets earnt, and the best friendships get earnt either over a long period or thtough the toughest tribulations.
*I have no scientific proof to prove this.

What’s all that white stuff?
Lovely dusty 20 degree riding all day on the 1st, managed to get in a good 30km and meet some very handy bike riders visiting for a few days.

Ninja Mountain Bike Performance[/url]

Sex robots on hoverboards or an economic post nuclear waste land, I know what my fingers are crossed for.

Distance 2,664 km
Time 204h 25m
Elev Gain 70,200 m
Rides 111

Probably my best mileage in 5 years as I don’t commute by bike and only ride a full suspension enduro weapon/steed, even managed to get 9 KOMs somehow (though most are long gone).

I reckon it will turn out all right.

For hunting in the traditional sense of game food, pest control or general culling to control stock numbers of wild animals etc but not just as the end result of sport such as fox hunting.

However, I would have no issue with fox hunting if those taking part had explosive collars fitted and if the fox outwitted them after a set period of time then these triggered, now that’s a sport, with both sides having something to play for.

Id settle for an electric shock if it was felt that the nations estate agents and bankers were in danger of being made extinct.

Look, the first few minutes has Eddie Hitler dressed as an imperial officer, if that doesn’t give you an idea of where this film is heading then you just don’t get it, it will not make sense, not the gravity bombs in space, the slow space ships, the girl raised on a desert being able to swim straight away, the slowly following the enemy ship even though you could have sent a few of your own ahead, the tribute to Mary Poppjns, the where was Lukes metal hand when he evaporated, why would you taste a foreign planets dirt bit etc.
I at first thought, well this is a travesty to Star Wars but then I realized, I’m a middle aged guy and its just a film, so I let it slide after page 2 of this thread.

/drunkrantover

1. Less emphasis on Strava, more on laughter
2. Ride Rotorua (booked)
3. Maybe revisit Bali

Live in HK where there is usually zero chance of getting a demo ride unless you happen to know someone with a bike that your are interested in, and in your size, so buying blind is par of the course.
Tend to look at reviews when I decide on a new bike or component but try to wait at least 6 months after product launch so you get past the usually fantastic launch reviews and then start getting real reviews by actual owners.
Sites like this and other are a godsend to simply ask real owners and TBH most bikes are pretty good these days, I would say your biggest concern is fit and is it suitable for your day to day riding.
For reference I usually get a new bike every 12-18 months, in the 6k price range.