I must admit I don't tend to do "social" rides on my road bike, preferring instead to go out with my own company only…and the fact my road riding pals are much fitter than me 😆

I just don't understand the big deal with climbing. The Five climbs anything, and at a respectable speed

When I took my current "all-rounder" full susser for a test spin before I bought it I was very pleasantly surprised with how well it climbed. For more bumpy "technical" climbs full sussers are ace. However it was a real eye opener when I then did a back-to-back test with my 20 year old Spesh Hard Rock. Steep, loose, dusty but not too technical climbs were dispatched with far more ease on the fully rigid. I forget sometimes how much of a compromise an "all round" full susser is on the climbs. Perhaps a lot of us forget.

My riding now is split between an all-rounder full susser and a light full rigid (the Spesh is in partial retirement!)…and a road bike 😀

Seen Muse twice now, but some years back. Loved both gigs and the albums…until now. Frankly they're turning into a parody of themselves. The last album was Muse on a slippery slope, sounding like the Pet Shop Boys meets Abba at times. The latest single really is a joke (yet no doubt I will rush out and buy the new album)

Mmm, not ridden too many bikes, but I can't help thinking that the 5 is a jack-of-some-trades. This is not the first review I've seen/read where its climbing ability is damned with faint praise. Surely a 5inch bike that is good on the ups and downs exists, but it seems the 5 isn't it.

this facial recognition seems a bit poor to say the least. I bet it wouldn't recognise Clark Kent and Superman as the same person 😆

{EDIT} Has anyone tried adding a piccie of a real celebrity to see if it brings them back up again as a lookalike?

it being something I was made to do instead of what I wanted to do

I think I work better in those circumstances…I should have joined the army

Conscientious and got good grades as a result…except A level chemistry! At primary school I was mischievous and often got sent to the head, but I was rarely in trouble at secondary school. Usually got involved in everything and anything going even if I had no real talent (cricket, drama, football). Got to Uni and realised I wasn't that special and – despite a good 2:1 – haven't really applied myself since. What a waste 😆

cleary this does not work very well! 😆

Personally I'd stick with plan A. There is good riding in the Peaks of course, but if I was on my way to the Lakes anyway I'd be looking at a poor weather Lakes alternative. There's a lot of good low-level stuff around Ambleside/Loughrigg Tarn/Hodge Close that would be better than anything in the Peaks in my opinion.

No idea what's on the VG CD. If it's just the Dark Peak stuff what about venturing into the White Peak? With the weather so dry the trails should be pretty fast. There's often a bit more road work to link routes than those around Ladybower and Kinder, but there's some good rocky stuff around Three Shires Head, Macc forest and Hollinsclough that can be linked into a good 3-4 hour ride.

As with most of my protective gear, I started wearing after a crash. I wear a full(ish) face helmet some of the time because of a fall where I whacked the side of my face. I wear knee pads because a fall at speed put a hole in my knee.

For most of my riding they are not an encumbrance and – like when we all first started wearing helmets – you do get used to them. Granted if I have a big day in the saddle I may go without because it is comfier without them

I'm sure the 7th one would work quite well today 😆

Take a look at Vaude too. I have one of their eVent jackets. Very minimalist. You get arms and a zip and that's about it, but the cut is excellent. A looonnnggg scoop back and nice long articulated arms.
here

It was dear when I bought it and now it is a bit ridiculously price TBH

I "get" Twitter if you're following celebs. I use it sometimes to see how Peaty is preparing for a race. Sadly none of my friends are celebs 😆

No, just remember there was a reason you did not keep in contact with the majority of folk you have met in your life.

The loss of contact with (good) Uni mates was originally down to moving house and post not being forwarded on some years back.

I'm not "obsessed" with getting Facebook at all. I didn't get it before I signed up and I still don't get it now. I think BigDummy hits the nail on the head. My boy is in hospital at the moment and I thought facebook would be a good tool to let friends know how he is getting on, but I am too self-conscious to do that since it is not trivial enough. Maybe I'll go back to phone and email.

My mate in the States has one. His comment was "glitchfest"

And I'm so bored I've chosen to set myself up for the usual STW abuse…

😆

Just got a pair. My wife thinks they're a bit clumpy looking, to put it politely. They do stick to my pedals like the proverbial to the blanket though. I can almost use them like SPDs! 🙂

for the first time in a long time, i'm actually cheerful and happy.

good work. Keep it up. I'd hate to have met you before today. Miserable sod 😆

doves – lost souls

putting in on right now. Cheers Chris 😀

(PS Summertime by Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince)

That may be the case for you Tron, but I'm sure I'm not alone in finding supermarkets more convenient.

{EDIT}

They're convenient in that they open long hours and have a car park

that's exactly the point

If I want to shop locally it's a specific journey and a lunchtime rush in my working day, as opposed to absolutely no inconvenience at all to stop at that big Tesco I drive past from doing something else. I don't have to walk from one shop to another to another to buy my meat, veg, bread, booze etc. I fill my trolley, pay, then fill my boot.

The only bike shop I have that is convenient walking/biking distance is Halfords. Bike shops that close late suit me perfectly because I can pop in from work (a la Tesco). Props to the Bike Factory in Whaley Bridge. Not remotely convenient for me to "pop in" but it opens late on Thursday and Friday so I can drop my bike in on the way back from work.

seriously, why do any shops open at 9 and close at 5? i've never understood this.

This is a throwback to a time when everyone lived and worked in the same town, the men went to work and the woman did the house-keeping and shopping. Basically it's a totally out-of-date business model and is one of the reasons shops are failing whilst the big superstores – who are open at times to suit all – are prospering. I'd love to shop in my local butchers/bakers/candlestick makers but it's far more convenient to pop into Tesco on the way home from work. The sooner smaller independent shops – like LBS's – realise that the better.

stock the stuff that needs to be tried on. Things like shoes, knee pads, helmets etc. Choice too please

Oooh jealous. Only been to Selva myself, and did no biking so can't comment on that. LOVED the walking and the via ferrata. The Vallunga (valley at the top of Selva) is very accessible with some nice exposed via ferrata…
We did have a day trip to Lake Garda tho' and it was VERY hot

shouldn't you be posting this after the match?

Autos – nasty things, can't imagine why someone would want them

they're easier

Come on folks, there's a lot of "why automatics are bad" comments on here. Maybe they are bad in many ways compared to manuals, but…

Why do people drive automatic cars?

they're easier

Let's start a new thread "why don't people drive automatic cars?" and get the naysayers on there 😉

Motorcyclist is clearly on his way to heaven for his lane-discipline, as are some on here

😆

People drive autos for the same reason they ride singlespeeds.

I was thinking the opposite TBH 😆

I drive an auto and a manual. My wife bought an ace little car in a nice colour and we both thought it looked cool. The fact it was auto was neither a reason to buy it nor a reason not to buy it. However I cannot think of a better adjective than "easier" as to why someone would drive an automatic car. I suspect the people who don't see that don't spend much time stuck in traffic jams, or are just being disagreeable for the sake of it (which is my usual fault!)

FWIW I had a similar fall a few years back. The lump did go down eventually but I did start having knee problems when riding and especially walking downhill. After a physio recommended some stretches it slowly began to get better, but most long rides caused some grief. To cut this long and boring story short, the damage to the side of my hip had shortened whatever muscles they are running down the outside of my leg which caused the pulling – and discomfort – across the side of my knee.

just a friendly warning – and reassurance – in case you start getting knee pain. It all seems fine now 😀

OP

Why do people drive automatic cars?

they're easier

Next

spend a lot of money seeing your favourite band and they play like a bunch of 3 year olds, chances are you'd boo them. Is this really any different?

I'm sure there are villages near where I live that'd give you some visual evidence 😯

Why by a satnav when you can use a map?

terrible comparison, and I'm no Satnav lover. Anyone who has tried to navigate the streets of London in a car whilst trying to read an A to Z knows where the market lies for Satnavs.

Personally I don't recall finishing any ride thinking "if only I had a portable jet wash" never mind a "green" one, so I'm certainly not your target market, sorry. Good luck tho'

Ah right, does this only happen when england players try to pass the ball?

It's not just Capello having a whinge, as one or two above have already pointed out.

Snakebites are a fact of riding but yes maybe more tyre pressure would have helped, always a balancing act against grip though.

and of course if the crash was a result of slipping on a corner someone would have said your tyre pressure was too high ergo your fault 😆

I second the above, but watch out at the airport. Certain over-zealous officials may insist you can only have your bike in the bag and not knee pads and spare clothes for padding. This has happened to me and friends before now.

The Germans have been using it in their league games for the last season

Do many of the German nationals actually play in the German league?

yes. I had an argument on exactly when I cancelled. Make sure you get your cancellation in early if you can and also do what he said above

Great stuff. Cheers for this.

I'm usually pretty careful about replacing bits "in sync" if you like. My front mech is the stock mech which is for a triple. I did have some issues setting it up for a double so maybe I'll have another look at that.

Indexing? I used to suffer loads from cheap sticky cables hence why I went for Gore and never had a problem…until now. I wonder whether something did get bent in Fort Bill. I'll check that too.

The chainline – although a bit tricky to measure accurately – is 50mm. Is that not as wide as it should be?

{EDIT} rear mech is medium cage

Thanks again. I've returned from Scotland with a bike that can be ridden but has too many niggles now 🙁

160 miles off road every day with all the kit on their bike for 17 days evan at 10 mph which is very genrous thatis 176 hours cycling per day

have I missed something with this calculation? 😉

PS on particularly wintery/gritty days the chainsuck can be regular even when just pedalling, but I've put that down to stiff links and can usually sort it out on the ride