andyrm – interested here too.

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So you’ve time to post on here but no time to ring around a few shops?

@Sanny – ah yes thats why I wouldn’t ride with it; no long tail. Knew there was a reason.

I’ve got one and think its fantastic; it worked wonderfully in the Himalayas and the Borneo rainforest in the middle of the monsoon rain. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

I’ve not used it for cycling though and don’t think I would. Not sure why tho!

I’m 6″2 and roughly same weight as you and I got a medium which is spot on. Its got long arms as well which are properly designed.

I couldn’t find a local shop with it in stock either so bought online. I ordered through SD (I think) but it came from Trek&Field (or the other way around); either way both are the same people but one was free postage and one wasn’t so check before ordering.

@RichPenny – ex-council is very different from a new build with affordable housing next to it. For starters your block will be well looked after and from experience older council tenants are v grateful for what housing they got and therefore looked after it. Newer council tenants, or those in affordable housing do not look after it so much and then the problems begin.

Wouldn’t go anywhere near a new build that was close, yet alone directly opposite social or affordable housing not only for the reasons already listed by lots of people above but also due to the huge loss you’ll make if/when you sell it due partly to the premium you’ll be paying (as its a new build) but mainly as people won’t want to buy near/opposite social housing when its no longer a new build. Sorry.

@wwaswas Yep he said something along the lines of that its like not wearing coloured socks…or something.

@wwaswas Yes I could but that wouldn’t have expressed how strongly I feel about the point. Plus have you seen Stephen Fry’s on the Joys of Swearing?

+1 for going straight in at level 2 CyTech with ATG Training.

Maybe its you? Maybe they don’t want to do work for you.

Dates?

Kayak says £494 with Iberia with a quick March search.

Again if you chose the stop over option, try playing around with the cities you stop in as it sometimes makes it cheaper + if you are going to have to stop, might as well stop at a diff airport!

Try KAYAK. Don’t promise it’ll be cheaper but its an alternative.

http://www.kayak.co.uk/

+1 for Kayak. Just booked 12 flights and this found the cheapest each time. Lastminute.com is also pretty good – try phoning them if you have the time as the people there (I found) are really helpful and really do try to find the cheapest flights.

edit/ are you doing a simple return too? As booking a multi city flight, ie if you chose the stop over option, pick another route back as this often works out cheaper than doing the exact same route back.

Thanks – all very helpful. Hadn’t heard of Crux before so will take a look.

Trying to waste some money on Merlin, the site comes up o.k. but as soon as you click on a specific item an error message comes up telling you there is a problem with Internet Explorer and it will have to close.
Anybody else had this problem or is it my computer, it hasn’t done this on any other sites.

Fixed.

Are you sure they are closing down? A lot of Sports Direct shops have big signs saying closing clearance everywhere, but its actually all the stock from JJB that they are clearing not their own; as F&T is the same company, they could be doing the same.

I’ve just bought one of the eVent jackets (£10 cheaper on the Karrimor website than the SD site btw) and its fantastic especially at £89 for the same stuff that £200-£300 jackets have. The cheaper models, even the supposedly £100 rrp ones are terrible though; poor fabric, poor fit, poor zips etc.

Excellent. Thank you.

The ones I’ve just bought have the zip pockets. I’ll be carrying a day sack all the time so not overly bothered about extra storage. The comfort and easy wick is precisely what I need though.

Really really old. Like 4 years old.

ah sorry. Didn’t read it properly. Too excited about the Tour.

boxfish – Member
Anyone know the anticipated finish time of the stage?

Depending on speed between 4:30 and 5pm according to the TDF website.

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2012/us/stage-20.html#t22

scroll up to map and click on time.

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Planpraz, Chamonix, en route to the Holy Trail[/url] by beta_ben[/url], on Flickr

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Planpraz, Chamonix, en route to the Holy Trail[/url] by beta_ben[/url], on Flickr

Rusty Spanner – Member
Jesus, I’m sick of whining knobsters complaining about the Olympics.

Do us all a favour and piss off somewhere else for the next few weeks so the rest of us can enjoy one of the greatest sporting shows on Earth.

Thanks.

This +1

How about a bucket and spade at the sea side? Or a ball to run around with? Or a real book?

in line for compensation from “criminal damage” fund/insurance.

I assume he means the MIB fund? Which if so can be lengthy but does eventually pay out. Find a decent solicitor if you go this route as it’ll be worth it. (speaking from being knocked off bike and left unconscious by hit & run driver; MIB paid for my medical expenses)

CaptainFlashheart – Member

There’s no place for booing at sport.

There are PLENTY of places for booing at sport.

Handled really badly by the organisers and the ATP. Yes rules are rules but no one explained what had happened to the crowd; who had paid decent money to see what was shaping up to be a great final.

Also maybe not the best time for Nalbandian to speak his mind, but it made sure that it’ll get published, where had he said it afterwards (if this hadn’t happened) it could have been lost.

Slight hijack; anyone want to buy my gf’s parents houseboat? (converted Dutch barge and blooming gorgeous it is too!). Details here: http://www.jjfoxproperty.com/PropertySaleDetails.aspx?bl=src&PropertySalesID=1475

scaled – Member
Curious if i’ll be able to preserve my baseband :$

Yes you will. But it won’t be fully confirmed until the final release.

Water isn’t an issue. Combination of bored PHD student + water on a rate! :)

6 or 8 ft?! Opps! We’ve got about 8 plants.

Pretty sure Bike Bristol do http://www.bike-uk.co.uk/bikebristol.php

It won’t be a coded item though so ask to speak to a mechanic as they’ll be in a box out the back.

Theres a chrome and FF addon that blocks gmail adverts.

I’m appalled with many of the answers on here. Especially the Taken film comment. As someone else posted, I’m amazed that you leave the house at all with that attitude. I’m equally appalled that many “parents” (I’m assuming most are as you all seem to be speaking from personal experience (sic)) think it fine to ban/stop this young lady from experiencing the world herself and would rather use your own narrow minded opinions instead.

Emsz also has some very good points: do you let her go to festivals? Or drinking in city centers? IMHO those are significantly worse than travelling in Europe!

This +1 for the most sensible answer.

Midnighthour – Member
CTC sites and outdoors web sites have contact lists to gather together people who are looking for companions to travel to places. If your daughter wishes to find company she could post there.

Also as mentioned, ask your daughter to enquire on their forums about experiences. She may well have read up already if she is keen to go.

She could also seek the advice of the British foreign office or the tourist boards/government offices of the counties in question.

Its very sad if you bully your daughter or treat her like owned property though – to make her look after YOUR fears and dependence. Yes, talk to her about risks and benefits of travel. But don’t undermine her. Don’t act like you own her. “Let her” is an appalling phrase to use about someone who has been an adult for many years – how would you feel if you were treated like property? A child is not property and your girl is no longer even a child.

The unfortunate thing about loving anyone is that it is full of risks and fears – but you cant cage people because of that or none of us would ever be able to even leave the house.

Josie Dew – this woman has biked the world on her own – try her many books – they are dully written but never the less, she has gone great distances and survived quite well – as did Ann Mustoe who also wrote many books. One retired, one very young. Both were happy with their choice to bike alone for thousands of miles.

Give your girl advice, self belief and respect. Don’t give her the responsibility for your fears.

Brilliant! Cheers!

bm0p700f – Member
The problem with Rose is that buying at Madison’s best trade price is still more expensive in some cases or only cheaper by a few quid not leaving much room or any profit to match Rose’s prices. Mathcing prices of U.K on line retialers is pretty easy, I do it but I have to take a reduced margin. Trying to compete with Rose bikes is impossible. Is the German distributor that much cheaper, I will have to find out but I don’t speak German.

They don’t get them from Germany. Not hard to find out where they do get them from.

Have you emailed them? The owner normally replies within a few hours and will most likely tell you which shops have what stock in what sizes.

Alternatively try Bike (UK) Bristol (obviously in Bristol) as they used to have at least one of each size and one of each model in stock.

MSP – Member
Any shimano kit I have bought from rose has been proper boxed retail kit, I had heard that shimano had started to take a dim view of retailers selling oem kit.

You can buy oem in “proper” retail boxes.

Yes they are oem but no they are not inferior. XTR oem is identical to that sold in the UK in boxes.

I have always got in specialists to just look at their respective elements. Electrics, boiler/heating, structural engineer, drains surveyed, damp and wood worm.
Overall price is about the same but you get a lot more detailed information about the building.

This +1. Surveyors know jack shit and will just tell you to get a specialist in.