It'll be fine…I think the price is about 1/2 what it would have cost 2nd hand without the repair. I think it unlikely for both stays to fail so if it does break can't see the rider getting hurt – just losing a bit of cash. Maybe try and find some decals so put on the stays so as to make it look a bit better.

The Planet X is a good budget carbon frame – I chose to pay more and think my Trek Madone 5.2 is better if not better value.

I might try Giordana Tenax next but can recommend Lusso Coolmax:

http://www.lusso-clothing.co.uk/viewdetail.php?target=60185

I hate free-standing lamps – is that odd?

My browser completes my password for me; might change that…..

We did NHS and NCT and IMO NCT was a waste of money really other than nice to meet some similar middle class people ;). Midwives in hospital were brilliant so just do the NHS ones and read a good book I reckon.

Our baby is 12 days old now. Been given loads of clothes and got most of the other things we need cheaply 2nd hand. Biggest extravagance is that the wife insisted I buy DPA free bottles, breast pump and sterilizer new which came to £80 from John Lewis – not used them yet so probably bought a bit prematurely.

You get what you pay for

Well it is true in the sense that if all goes well and is easy then you're unlikely to have a problem with whoever you use but it's when things get difficult or someone is causing a hold up that a cheap conveyancer is more likely to prove less satisfactory. Mind you, for my last move I was getting quotes of around £2k from solicitors but used a solicitor I've known for years for just over 1/2 that so not sure I'd have paid £2k.

IMO strawberries are best for a treat but I could have raspberries every day. As a kid I couldn't understand why McD's strawberry milkshake tasted so poorly compared to the average strawberry.

To be in attack position you just have to be really into what you are doing and you subconsciously look the part. Whereas most software developers slouch I once saw one in attack position just like the rider above.

Richer's OK for budget stuff bought my 1st system there in early 90s – JPW Sonatas were good speakers for the cash at the time.

Our first came last week. My wife's a right wimp and said her contractions were 3 mins apart but when we got in they were still 5 mins apart. They kept her in though – maybe because she'd already come, as asked, in the night before when her waters broke? I went back home and returned 8 hours later and still had to wait another 8 hours in the hospital for the new arrival.

I noticed a comment on the Telegraph one:

And the kids don't wear cycle helmets? So what! Cycle helmets provide almost no protection to the falls off bikes …

I would have though that a helmet would be quite useful to a kid as is most likely to crash at the sort of low speeds where helmets can be of use – am I wrong?

IME cats use the same places to poo whereas a fox doesn't but cats do tend to bury their mess. I tried putting rose bush branches down to make it difficult for my neighbour's cat to squat but it just picked it's way through and shat on the branches and no longer buried it's mess. Razor wire seemed the next step but then I moved house.

Catch the cat and make it eat what it did.

What's wrong with Skype then?

What about a 9sp chainring with a 10sp chain?

OK I checked and the thin spacer wasn't there so I put on another from a new cassette I have – I can only think the spacer wasn't there in the 1st place as it was on a bike though I did change the wheelset; really don't think I'd have put it back together without a spacer if there was one there. So I'll ride with it tomorrow and see how it goes.

LA's looking strong so I think he could improve on his placing last year but can't see Contador losing out. I'd put my money on the same 1,2,3 as last year though and hope Evans and Wiggins create some interest in the mountains.

My experience of eating in China is that it varies a lot in different areas – well it is a large place…. Never found anything like what we get in takeaways here though.

Ah that must be it – I'll check; thanks.

no the washer is on. It's all nice and tight but loosens as the ride progresses – need about 100 miles before it's really loose; when I say loose the single sprockets move around.

Well I think so – anything to look for?

I got a road bike I rarely use the mtb now. I think it's because road riding has made such an improvement on my fitness and speed whereas I wasn't improving on the mtb and was losing enthusiasm. Last year was the 1st time I had a nicer road bike than mtb and I joined a roadie club; I still mtb sometimes but I don't think of it as helping my fitness.

Innocent people have to put up with things going wrong sometimes in order to make the world a better place…. Maybe use it as a negotiation tactic when renewing but that's about it IMO.

I got a petrol cap for my Skoda last week – good swap.

Well I looked into this quite a bit and decided to buy from Ebay.

Bebe Confort stuff seems well made but heavy – goes for nothing on Ebay so don't buy new but could get a bargain 2nd hand.

Quinny – very popular so lots on Ebay and can get a good deal price but no bargains.

Bugaboo – very popular and hold value well; if buying new I'd go for one of these.

I ended up with a Bebe Confort car set which I got for £1 on Ebay – v good condition – mainly bought it as was given a Loola which looks good, folds up well but is very heavy.

I also bought a Quinny Freestyle in good condition for offroad which came with car seat and cot. I then bought a Quinny Zapp which folds up well and is light and works with the car seat.

I probably spent £150 on that little lot and all in good order – check them out on collection – esp car seats which are often made with polystyrene so don't want that damaged.

I'm with TJ really as whenever I scare myself on tight corners when descending on a road bike I know a pro would be going around it so much faster than me.

…just have a board saying saying 'X deaths' at next bend and a piece of mangled car/bike

I drive that way from Sheffield to Cheshire as a student and was enjoying it one winter when I saw a car on it's back in a field quite far from the road. I did slow down.

Maybe good for on the beach and swimming in the sea where there's rocks, seaweed and scary crabs?

It's this thing – what's the worst that can happen?!

http://www.mothercare.com/Tomy-Winnie-Pooh-Lullaby-Dream/dp/B000JFD8Z0/sr=1-42/qid=1277800530/ref=sr_1_42/276-2736073-4194633?_encoding=UTF8&m=A2LBKNDJ2KZUGQ&n=42822041&mcb=core#productInfo

Well that's the only thing I could think of – just wondering if there's any potential for damage but can't think why.

I see lots of 'we are told by the owner' and 'purchaser to confirm' type statements on property details.

Whenever I've seen a leasehold property for sale the details have always indicated how many years left – obviously you'd still need to get this verified but seems odd to me to have no idea up front.

My lawn is looking very sorry for itself with some very large patches. Has anyone here used one of those companies that come along every few months to put some sort of feed down for you? Price doesn't seem outrageous and they promise good results.

Top Gear was going down the pan years ago until they changed the format

The change was radical and it worked so they did well; viewing figures is what counts – much as I hate to admit that as so much of what people want to watch is so dire. BB is going due to falling viewing figures but I wonder who the hardcore left who enjoy that sort of thing are.

I have a couple of his albums which are great IMO – Innervisions and Talking Book. A couple of classics:

Higher ground
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wZ3ZG_Wams

Superstition

My Dell Latitude's screen was replaced through my company's support contract.

As a kid I used to nick a crate of deposit bottles from behind the pub and then take it to the corner shop for £2.40 worth of BonBons

We used to do this by jumping over the wall into the brewery depot and taking Grolsh bottles to the offie around the corner. We used to have to persuade the bloke in the offie that our Dad gave them to us to take back. 10p a go I think.

Ah – my fingers get into auto mode sometimes with things like that :)