crashtestmonkey , I found their sizing chart to be okay. I am a 34/35″ waist and went for a large which was fine. Small does seem very small, particularly in the leg length. I’d suggest medium in your case. The material does allow for a decent amount of sizing flexibility too.

Went out for an all day ride yesterday (just having recovered from lingering Xmas cold thing) and I can report that the Tornado Winter Bibs and the Niteride Thermal Jersey that I ordered were excellent. Well made, good fit and kept me warm in near zero temps. When I warmed up up after a bit of effort they didn’t overheat me.

For anyone that’s interested the Tornado bib longs are still available at the sale price of £21: http://www.polaris-bikewear.co.uk/Tornado-Winter-Cycling-Bib-Tights-p/pol01-5488-p.htm

The jacket is back to full price however.

Suggest you get a new mono laser printer for what you need.

I’m still using a 2001 HP Laserjet 1100. Just keep going on and on. Toner cartridges last ages.

Humax HD1000S looks very good. Freesat HD and latest catch up and on demand services*. It’s not a recorder out of the box but you can turn it into one by attaching a spare USB hard drive to the rear. All the recording timer functionality is already built in. Very slick intuitive interface, good pictures and small form factor. I have a Humax freeview model and can vouch for the excellent interface.

Detailed review here: http://www.trustedreviews.com/humax-hb-1000s-review.
£79 from: https://www.humaxdirect.co.uk/hb-1000s.html

*you’ll need a wired ethernet connection for the internet based services (to hub/router or via homeplugs things)

I have a BBB Sidecage and it’s excellent. Very small footprint so good for restricted space in a full suspension frame. Aluminium, comes in black or white, left and right entry options, all at under £10.

I can recommend The London Cycling Guide by Tom Bogdanowicz which I’ve used quite a bit. There is now a revised version with additional routes (up from 30 to 40):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1504800192/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=569136327&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1847739342&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=P1WF00A5FDJ7JP7RADJG

It’s well laid out with lots of off road and traffic free stuff and you can link some routes together to make a bigger day’s riding.

If you look at the index page on the Amazon site you can see the individual routes listed.

I like the thinking. Anything you can secrete.on the bike is good imho. Specialized have come up with their frame integrated swat stuff, and this fulfills a similar purpose for non modified frames. Of course the design needs testing in the field and it does look pricey for what’s offered. But keep up the good work I say.

You can go beyond Kingston all the way to Windsor Great Park via Hampton Court and Runnymeade along the Thames Path by the river.

Details: http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Kingston_To_Windsor_Thames_Path-Cycle-Route-533.html

There are a couple of crossing points at Kingston Bridge and Weybridge (small ferry service) and there is signposting with signs indicating Sustrans Cycle Route 4.

Received my despatch email today.

Just been in contact with Polaris re my order and they said:
‘..it was our first day back in the office yesterday so all Christmas period orders will be shipping in the next couple of days.’

Mine’s still ‘processing’. I presume they’ve got a backlog after the holidays.

jimdubleyou – re the Kingston store closing I thought this was an interesting snippet about the closure: http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/specialized-concept-store-kingston

I went in there a few times and it was always pretty dead. Location four shops down from a thriving Evans Cycles may have been a large contributory factor in its demise.

Agree with Northwind on this. If overtorqued it reduces the Shimano BB’s lifespan considerably. I always use a cup style HTII tool that fits to a torque wrench set to the correct torque spec. Something like this:
http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p48676/Ice-Toolz-BB-Tool-for-External-Bearing-BB.aspx . It’s surprising how little torque is required compared to what you might be tempted to apply with one of the spanner style BB fitting tools.

Also make sure the BB shell faces are parallel. I always get them correctly faced on a new frame – it’s of the few jobs where I defer to the services if a bike shop.

+1 for the Topeak Hexus 2.

Everything you want and nothing you don’t.

Quad Lock is good for bar mount. System has a waterproof cover which they call a ‘poncho’. Very secure and case for phone is very pocket friendly ie smooth and low profile.

Just not felt the need to change from 26″ bikes despite the ‘direction’ of the industry. One is a full suspension bike and the other is a had tail. Both in excellent Nick. Also got loads of 26″ spares and consumables.

Next bike will be a road or CX bike as I’d like to try something different.

You can fit the following items inside an MTB handlebar: spare gear cable, chain master links, spare section of chain, tyre patches, tyre boot, some cable ties and some electricians and/or gaffer tape. Best with lock on grips for easy access and attach everything to two long cable ties (one at each end) which can be pulled out with loops of string at the ends when you need access to any of the stuff

I also tape.a spare mech hanger under the saddle. You will of course still need a (compact) multitool, spare tube, pump (or Co2) and tyre levers carried by other means, as a minimum for common mechanical issues.

Yes

I use mine as a GPS on the bike – attached to a backup battery to extend the battery life for all day rides. Plenty of cheap iPhone 4 bike mounts out there as it’s not a current phone.

The Nespresso one is good. It will froth the milk with the option of having it heated or not. Very easy to clean which can be an issuue with some of them.

Tidy but can’t zoom. Need it to zoom on iphone.

This is a particularly problem in the compose message box where the font is stuck in extra small.

I found the size charts to be accurate enough – ie I didn’t have to size up or down as you do with some other brands

Received my Polaris Tempest Bib Tights yesterday and they seem very well made, particularly for the £25 sale price.

Use Evans a lot like others for click and collect in central and south west London. Their prices are generally quite competitive and they carry decent stock. Staff ar generally chirpy and try to be helpful in my experience. I agree about helmets and shoe choices being limited but I’ll go elsewhere for those. Also many of the central London branches, rather understandably, have a heavy road and commuter bias. I’ve found their workshop services to be quite variable depending on the branch, and this is exacerbated by the turnover of staff that chains like Evans have.

By way of comparison I’ve also been let down by independent LBSs with very good reputations who are overwhelmed with the amount of work they attract and take on. This makes for grumpy overworked bike mechanics and poor service. BTW I’m not one of those people that wants things done yesterday but I think it’s okay to expect a job to a professional standard to a timescale that was agreed – or at least a courtesy call to say it’s not going to be ready and establish a new time to collect.

This is one of the things that got me into learning how to do most of the jobs myself and buying all the euipment I need to do the jobs as they crop up. I’ve learnt how to build complete bikes, bleed brakes etc. I would now only use a LBSs workshop services for things which involve expensive specialist equipment that Is uneconomic for me to buy e.g. facing frames for BBs, steering and brake caliper mounting, and anything to do with wheel truing and repair (an area I wouldn’t trust myself to do to a standard I’d be happy with).

I read that a new version of XT brakes are out. They’ve apparently addressed the issues that many have had with the M8000 re. inconsistent lever feel by going back to the previous master cylinder design.

The site may be a bit ropey but it’s a proper sale. £80 down to £25 for me. Happy to enter my details twice.

Thanks OP. Winter bib tights ordered. Great price

You could attach it to a gear or brake cable if they run favourably along the bike.

I do this with mine which run under the top tube and it’s a very neat solution. All the cables are black and I use black cable ties.

I’ve converted a 2AA maglite and a 3D maglite. They may not have the mega lumens of the cheapies on eBay but they have a very useable beam and more than enough lumens. Also very long battery life and far superior build quality to the cheap stuff. The 3D sits in the car boot as an emergency torch at the moment. Seemed a shame and a waste to throw them away.

If I were buying new I’d be looking at LED Lenser or similar which have decent build quality.

If you’re coming down the M4 I would head towards Richmond Park for easy free parking. The further in along the Thames you go the more difficult and limited parking will be.

Option A – You can park in one of the car parks in Richmond Park (all are free) but be aware that the park shuts to vehicular traffic at 4pm at this time of year. So if you are unlucky enough to have mechanical problems with the bikes that delay your return beyond 4pm, you’ll find your car locked in. Worth knowing however that you can cycle through the Park after 4pm using the pedestrian gates next to the vehicle gates – as long as there isn’t a dear cull (cull times are signposted at the entrance gates).

Option B – I suggest, therefore, you park alongside Ham Common (off Petersham Road) which is nearer the river and doesn’t have any parking restrictions. You can pick up the wide path to Ham House on the north side of the common (called ‘Ham Avenues’). Follow this path all the way down past the back of Ham House, keeping the wall of Ham house to your left, then ahead over a small wooden bridge and you’re on the river. You’ll see the polo grounds on the right from the path just keep heading North. Once on the Thames Path turn right for Richmond and beyond into central London.

This is what the path off Ham Common looks like it’s a bit easy to miss because it’s set back a little (to view copy and paste the whole link below into your browser address bar – it seems to break in half on here):
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4359914,-0.3083268,3a,75y,326.99h,67.51t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sefmMQnPyWao6y6qN0znHCQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

It’s a pleasant enough cycle from there to Kew, Barnes and Hammersmith but things start to get a bit tricky when you get into central London proper past Putney Bridge. The path starts to cut away from the river and back again in quite a few places and isn’t always well signposted. Also there are some parts you can’t cycle on as mentioned already. Worth looking for info on the Sustans site which is good for maps, and plenty of people have blogged about their their rides into central London on the Thames path – make sure it’s a recent blog…!

+1 for the Superlight. Makes for a very capable and comfortable all day ride and pretty bombproof mechanically – an advantage of the single pivot suspension design so should suit your needs well.

If you get one you’ll be very happy with it.

Excellent choice of pie there Mr Woppit, the same as on my bimbling adventures – Dickenson & Morris of Melton Mowbray.

This thread just keeps getting better.

I’ve found my new home.

Pork pies/scotch eggs/sausage rolls in the Camelbak – tick!
Stopping frequently to savour the savouries and appreciate the view – tick!
Cakes and flasks – tick!
A laissez faire attitude to being overtaken – tick!
Triple front ring friendly – tick!
26 less of an age requirement and more an acceptable wheel size – tick!

And to top it all dknwhy has posted one of my favourite routes to go bimbling on!

Proviz CRS jacket. 20% off plus a free set of small bike lights on the official Proviz site.

A bit leftfield and a pleasant unchallenging day’s pootle In SW London is the Thames Path between Richmond Park and Windsor taking in Bushy Park and some of Windsor Great Park? A return trip taking in the parks is an easy 50+ miles.

Got a chrome towel rail with dual fuel to replace a conventional rad in the bathroom. Plumber recommended a heat output around 2000 BTU. Works well in summer and winter, doing a good job keeping the bathroom warm. Much bigger than the rad it replaces though to generate the heat output (1700mmx600mm).

With hindsight a timer fitted to the electric element is a very good shout for the summer when you just want it to dry the towels and switch itself off. Saves forgetting it on and having the thing going for ages or overnight if you have a shower before going to bed.

I have always hankered after the full Ready Brek visibility of a glowing Proviz type jacket. Driving home today after dark I saw a couple of people cycling with them on in traffic. Drivers seem to take more note of them and give them more room. I think they are a big improvement over jackets with strategically placed reflective flashes in terms of visibiliy – good as they are.

My only reservation is that as I do sweat when I get going on the bike I don’t want to boil in the bag – which has been the main criticism of this type of jacket in the past. The latest ones attempt to deal with this problem by having lots of vents etc., so I’ve been taking a second look at them.

Today I had the chance to look the new Evans FWE Kennington FX Waterproof jacket in one of their shops. It appears to compete directly with the Proviz, has the addition of a hood, but it doesn’t have the pit vents that the newer Proviz ones do so I don’t it’s the one for me.

Got a BBB BBC-35 alloy bottle cage in a SC Superlight with very little room in the front triangle (610ml Camelbak bottle fits with an inch to spare):

Currently £12.06 on Amazon.

I’ll be looking at these when it’s time to replace my Teva Links (they have the same stealth sole as the Five Tens):

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/clothing/shoes/product/review-adidas-terrex-trail-cross-50122/

I can vouch for the Lumenator. Have has one for a few years now and it has survived wet weather etc. and I’ve found that battery life has been very good. Excellent aftersales service from Smudge too – many here have testified.