Just remembered the deaf stuntman…

Director: Chip? Take five – we need to reset the wire.
Chip: Set meself on fire? Alright.

Love that last photo one_happy_hippy 🙂

I’d forgotten how many FS characters there were and have just bought the DVD boxset off the back of this thread – can’t wait for it to arrive 😀

Drac – Cheers, I thought I had done this but when I double-checked I still had ‘Preserve Favoutite website data’ selected. All sorted now 😀

I was married nearly 10 years when my ex dropped the “I love you but I’m not in love you” bombshell. We had been going through a rough patch for a few months but it still felt like the end of the world at the time. We had twins who were 4 1/2 at the time and who were concieved after our second try at IVF. We were trying to concieve for 4 years prior to them being born, which would test any relationship in itself, and the IVF process itself is really tough. By the time they were old enough to start looking after themselves a bit and we had some time to ourselves again my ex realised that she had fallen out of love with me and the spark had gone and it was insurmountable.

She assured me there was no one else involved and I had no reason not to believe her. We were honest with each other, talked it all through and gave it a few months but like you say, you can’t force somebody to love you. She agreed to go to Relate but she had already made her mind up. At the time I would have stayed with her for the sake of of the kids but I have since realised this would have been the worse thing to have done. Like some of the previous posts all of my mates (one in particular) were invaluable in helping me deal with it all. I think I saw more of them for the few months after we decided to seperate than I had in the previous few years.

Thankfully, we were able to keep it amicable throughout the whole seperation process and the kids who are now 7 1/2 don’t seem to have been affected at all, which was my main worry. The divorce was finalised last year and I now live with an amazing woman who I met through Match.com (the thought of dating again after all this time scared me to death!) three years ago. She has two kids of her own and we have my two every weekend. I now live 40 miles away from the kids and there have never been any issues with me seeing them whenever I want to, which was the most important thing.

Sorry, I’m rambling but to summarise I would say be totally honest with each other, try Relate (even if it is just to help you come to terms with everything), talk it through with your mates (it’s what they’re there for), get out on the bike (it helped me think) but most importantly understand that it’s not the end of the world (even though I’m sure it feels like it right now) – sometimes these things happen for a reason.

Good luck with everything, I know what you’re going through and my email address is in my profile if I can help in any way.

Rich.

Fixed? No thanks 😆

Since yesterday I keep getting the ‘coffee cup page not found’ when I try to access the ‘Bike Forum’ or ‘Chat Forum’ tabs but I can access the combined Bike / Chat forums via the main ‘Forums’ tab. The ‘For Sale’ forum is fine. I thought it was just our IT bod blocking access as I spend too much time on here 😆 I haven’t tried it at home so don’t know if it is anything to do with my work laptop or not. Weird.

Edited to confirm I’m using IE9.

Just wanted to post an update and say thanks again to everyone who has posted above. I have now fitted SKS Chromoplastics (there goes half a day of my life I’ll never get back) and rode in this morning – what a difference! I was like a kid again riding through dirty great big puddles going “weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!” without getting wet. I’ll definitiely be looking into all of the clothing suggestions and general tips as well but in the meantime see below for some pics:

Kona Paddy Wagon with Chromoplastics mudguards fitted

Spacer bodge

Fenderbot mudguard light from Charlie The Bikemonger (not the brightest but it all helps)

I’m now looking forward to a full winter of commuting come rain or shine!

kimbers – tbh if I can’t find a small I’ll probably still keep it as it’s not massively too big. Sorry!

I have a medium if anyone wants to swap for a small?

LOL at rootes1 taking one in the face in Amsterdam 😆

And me! Cheers!

@djaustin – many thanks for the confirmation (nice bike btw!).

Just having a quick look online – does anybody use waterproof 3/4 shorts such as the Endura MT500 Spray?

Many thanks to everyone above for all the advice and suggestions so far.

I already drive in on a Monday with a week’s worth of work clothes and do the strip wash in the disabled toilet (with the tiniest sink in the world as mentioned above!). I suggested converting the disabled toilet into a diabled toilet/shower room at the latest health and safety meeting and this is being ‘considered’ so fingers crossed…

I will definitely be getting some full-length mudguards and will also be checking out the various clothing suggestions. It also hadn’t crossed my mind to take in a spare set of gear to ride home in – it’s obvious when you think about it. Oh, and I’ll have a big bowl of MTFU for breakfast next time it’s raining!

Thanks again to everyone who has posted above.

Full-length mudguards you say?

Any recommendations to fit a 2010 Kona Paddy Wagon (700 x 28c tyres) e.g. the SKS Chromoplastics mentioned above?

Thanks, Rich.

I received my cheque a few days ago :-).

@OP
Kona Paddy Wagon here. Singlespeed is perfect for the 11 mile each way commute through Manchester.

@bjj.andy.w
I drove through the Trough of Bowland a couple of weekends ago – a truly beautiful part of the world. So jealous this is your commute (and I know what you mean about the number of roadies!).

Or move in with her mum, she sounds hot.

Seriously though, I was married for almost 10 years with two kids when my ex had her ‘epiphany’ a few years ago. She agreed to Relate but in reality had already made her mind up. We split amicably for the sake of the kids and I’m now in a fantastic relationship having met someone on Match.com. I don’t have any regrets.

Good luck with everything, don’t bottle things up, and try and stay positive – sometimes these things happen for a reason.

Thanks for all of the advice, it does sound that Endura’s sizing guide is a bit misleading…

Alantitanic – Cheers, sounds like that could be a plan! I’ll get some pics and send them over. Mine are the black/grey kind of pixelated camo design.

Genuine question – what’s the issue that some people have with using saddle packs?

I’m from oop north so will check it out if I’m ever in the area but an interesting vid nontheless- thanks for posting.

Man that’s fugly.

So why can’t I stop looking at it?

I’m 5ft 8in and ride a 54″ PW (2010) for commuting duties. It fits me fine but I did swap the track-style bars for shallow drop road bars for a comfier position.

+1

I don’t know anything about Rabottini but I was cheering him on at the end like a loon. Amazing ride.

So which was it?

My money’s on sticker/tape.

Big thanks to Chris for my first STW group ride, even if it was more ‘brutal’ than ‘pootle’ in places. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day and it was great to meet you all and put some names to faces.

Can’t wait for the next one!

Rich (red Inbred) and Craig (red Stumpjumper).

I’d like to join this with a mate if we may. I’ll be coming from Ashton under Lyne if anyone needs a lift from that direction?

Rich.

The grass could do with a trim.

I don’t know about returning part of an order but I have just returned a full order using Rose’s printed return label and the Post Office gave me printed proof of purchase. I posted it on the 14th, Rose emailed me on the 19th to let me know they had received it and it would be processed in the next few days, and the money was back on my credit card on the 20th. The whole process was quick, painless and at no cost to me – pretty impressive really.

Or maybe not, lol.

nuke, I didn’t see your post before my post above. Just to confirm, the white/6L & silver/6R non-turn washers angle the cassette joint up the seat stay when using horizontal washers?

Just to confuse me further (which isn’t difficult) Planet-X have this fitting kit http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/FSSHALFINEFK/shimano-alfine-8spd-fitting-kit which shows white/silver washers as per nuke’s post but describes them as 7L/7R which should be grey/black (which is what I thought I needed)?

Cheers all.

Thanks for the link chunkypaul.

Since posting I did a bit more searching and found this page: http://www.muddymoles.org.uk/reviews/shimano-alfine-rear-hub-review which is exactly what I was looking to achieve to make use of the seatstay and toptube cable guides on the Inbred frame.

So it looks like I need the 7R/black & 7L/grey non-turn washers as confirmed in your link.

Just spoken to On-One and they have confirmed the above suggestions that the Shimano Alfine chainset will not fit the Inbred. So my question now is – as a noob to bike building – what chainset and bottom bracket do I need to look for (either new or from the classifieds) to get a good chainline with the Alfine hub? I’m trying to keep the budget as low as possible and I’m more interested in strength and reliability than bling and low weight.

Again, any advice appreciated.

I will be doing exactly the same thing shortly. I’ve just ordered the specific Shimano Alfine 39T crankset from Rosebikes for £50.95 inc P&P. I’ll let you know how it fits my 16″ Inbred when I get round to building it up. It’s not the prettiest thing but hopefully I’ll have no issues with chainline or chainring/chainstay interface (crosses fingers :?).

Mmmm, interesting – YGM.

Thanks crotchrocket (great username by the way). Did you run the 39T or 45T ring?

I already have the hub/wheel but thanks for the offer. If you had any carbon forks however… 😉

Does it matter which side they go on i.e. could I put 1 on the drive side and 2 on the non-drive side? The reason I ask is that I’m trying to reduce the chainline.