Tails -the Cambridge scheme was totally different. They gathered up lots of old bikes, painted the green and left them at points around town.The idea being you took it from bike point A and rode it to bike point B and left it on the special stand for the next person. No registration no locks nothing, needless to say a quick trip to the bike shop for your own lock and a can of black spray paint and you have a free bike. Cambridge City council are idiots, the green bike scheme is just one of the many occasions that highlights this. Cambridge could be the Portland (Oregon) of the UK, but the council just cannot get it together when it comes to bikes.

I thought Mountain biking was about the spirit of adventure. I was just planning on driving to Wales and just leaving the rest up to guess work.
I'm sure I will find it at some point. I cannot wait. SSUK is the only event I attend and is the highlight of my year… Dreams!!!

You have obviously never been to an SSUK before. There is some riding and some drinking racing is prohibited. You'll just end up coming 4th like everyone else who doesn't come 1st 2nd or 3rd.
In all seriousness I think the course is about 7km and i guess it will be three laps if you want to finish most don't bother as the bar will be open.

Aren't Sportives just a new invention for fat old men who don't want to race, as losing would hurt to much or as someone on here described them 'the new golf'. Audaxs are real riding not so much a race, but more about achieving as many long rides over a year. A lot of history seems to surround them and they are favoured, by the older gent. I am now of an age where I think they are the way forward for my wnter riding.

Sounds like all of the management at my place of work (don't mean to sound like some kind of 70's work shy union member).

I have a Carradice Longflap Nelson. Brilliant. If you are going to fill it and take it off road you need a bag support, but otherwise its ace.

Surely French or Spanish as that will cover the three most common languages in the world.

I'm a thetford local.

That is a huge piece of dog turd.
If you want a cheap Fixed gear bike (I'm not sure why you'd be in desperate need of one) then look at a Fuji Track or Giant Bowley.

You'll awake feeling like the living dead for several hours. Last time I awoke I swore at a nurse. Fell asleep for three hours, woke up took my gown off and put a T-shirt on and started hobbling around the ward on my crutches naked from the waist down. At this point I came around… Not a good look.

Its 853 so it will be fine. Just give it a bit of paint over the scratches and ride the hell out of it… Wash the blood off first though!

I'd get a team pro if you don't need the bag loops. Slightly narrower and longer. Or better still a swift. I have one on my CX/tourer/utility bike and it rocks. Only about 300 miles of use and its already shaping up to be one of the most comfortable saddles I have ever ridden.

10 bikes in a 10x 8 shed and room to remove them with out scratching the hell out of them… Bigger shed required I think. I have three in a shed that size and a work bench and it feels cramped.

I've seen one of these
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-Minoura-Minoura-SG1-SpaceGrip-Handlebar-Mounted-Accessory-Extension-Bracket–120-mm-Long-4101.htm
used to mount a shifter to the centre of some drop bars so that the shifter is in a more reasonable position.

They just work… Need I say more?
OK I will say more. They don't need the hours of bleeding etc to change pads like Avids.

M&P bikes sending out a bumper catalogue full of Clark Kent and Nuke proof hubs, Tioga disc wheels and lots of other retro goodies.
JMC ripping it up.
Heavy steel frames with one piece stem and bars.
Thumb shifters all the way.
Suspension being only suomething I had seen in MBI not available to mear mortals.

Clean toilets, safe secure bike storage.
Fresh bread and milk ordering and delivery the following moring as at most french campsites.

Kate Silverton… Worth getting up for. Sadly no longer on Breakfast..
Susanna Reid is also lovely…

Yeah go a bit smaller than you would normally as they are long. I'm 6'3 and have a 58, but sometimes wish i'd got a 56. Great purchase though you will not regret it.

Chain Tug on the other side. Nutted hub or do your skewer up tighter.

Anything by radiohead! What a bunch of middle class winey art school bollox.

I note a sense of jealousey in Bobbyspangles words. Maybe he is so short he couldn't swing his leg over a 29er.
I'm niche at 6'3 and 17 stone, far from skinny, but neither am I fat. Don't really think of myself as tall either.

I bet it'll be wall to wall attentionwhores.

I hope so. Best bit, well the attentionwhores and the bar…

No makes sense to bet against England as you'll get better odds.
Although you should always hope that England win…

Rode early so I could get back in time.

Mr Sparkle has it nailed… Its al about the party and how much fun we are going to have. Also how drunk will Charlie the Bikemonger be before the race starts?

I wear mine all year round. I have a fairly thick Adidas one, which is fine even. Never had an issue. Only gripe is the short zips on mine compared to my twin six lycra tops.

I have a Brooks Team Pro in Green that is just sitting here with copper rivets and rails that you could have a god with. I am not to far from MK (I say not to far I'm in Cambridge) I am sure we can come to some deal.
I have a swift as well on my CX bike that I am just breaking in, takes a while, but once done they are amazing.

6'3 and 17 stone and role on some fat Nobby Nic's (2.4) or Racing Ralphs (2.35) at between 35-45 PSI dependant on the trail conditions.

Have a look in your local TK Max. I have found some real bargains in my local one. Including a Craft Jersey for £7 instead of £60. Also seen lots of Nike tops in there for very little.

As a baldy i use both. Cap is good as backwards the peak can cover your neck slightly and keep the sun off.
I also have a cap with the peak cut off which works well.

Oh so nasty…
You may die on tomorrows ride.

Surly or Salsa. I run a Salsa currently (for the last two years almost no wear).

Thank you all. I have in the time since startinbg this thread put all of my wishes for my funeral down and selected the appropriate music.
I will let you know how I get on after Saturday if I am still alive to tell the tale.
If this should be my last thread I would like to invite you all to my impending funeral and ask that you leave the smoked Salmon sandwiches at my wake for those that knew me on a personal level first, after that you can help yourself. Cynical and Andyhilton please do not fill up on the Volevontes as they have to go around everyone. Can some one make sure that all of my ex girlfriends that attend cry the sufficent ammount and recall me as the greatest love and lover of their lives.

Been rigid SS for years now (stiff as my mates call it)and it beats you up when the grounds this dry but it makes you into a tougher rider and "A GOD" keep it up

Same here, Just run my fat 2.4 Nobby Nics at a lower pressure on days like these. I find it takes the sting out. Also run a USE Sumo Suspension seat post, stops your arse and back from aching the next day.

I have a team pro which is about 2 years old and I have just got a Swift for my CX bike. Love them. Once they are bedded in they are amazing. Also they look amazing!
Just use the bedding in process as an excuse to ride more.

I hate that guy. I find him very dull and uninspiring. It may be partly that I am jealous that I don't get to cycle in exotic places.

Why bother starting a thread like this? Attention seeking? Piss off to Bike magic or bike radar.

Just keep pedaling. Concentrate on getting around rather than sprinting off, especially if you don't know the course. Sprint the last few hundred meters.
Try and stay in the saddle and just concentrate on turning the pedals and avoiding the cars and nothing more. Don't be drawn in to chasing other riders, just stick tou your own pace, far to many toimes have I chased down a rider thats over taken me or started ahead of me. Only to knacker myself out.

I've got a Nelson Longflap and it is superb.
Looks like something from the 50's and comes complete with the name of the person that made it…