Sounds like you may need to set up a proxy server, but on balance a laptop with 3G is the answer.

Some of the responses on this thread are typed by people who've never exceeded a century in 24hrs…………

I've still got Mint suspended in a asymmetrical fish tank on my wall…….had that a few years.

All MBUK's were chucked years ago though………….

You need to do it properly.

I got compensation for a dunted Mavic Open Pro Ceramic last winter. It was only a few rides old also. Take photos, gather as much evidence as you can, ring your local council to report the pothole and ask for a claim form to be sent out.

I used to work for British Gas. Shocking.

Develop a relationship with your local independent heating engineer – and I don't mean start dating him.

[Edit – just read post above, similar to me. I couldn't get my morals and respect for other folk low enough to hit their targets.]

Hairychested, hope your dad gets better.

My father had a bad accident a few years ago with similar injuries caused by violent deceleration in a head on.

He bounced back enough to enjoy the compensation. Recovered 99% I'd say. So fingers crossed………

Having read this thread, just to keep up to date with all things gear-changy, I have decided hub gears aren't there yet.

Having to return a component for someone else to maintain it is the biggest problem for me.

Rohloff = Apple :D

Thread reopened.

It's really crap.

Thread re-closed.

I think it's their biggest fail to date. Most of the 'negative' comments above I agree with.

It'll be interesting to see if the blinkered fanbois still make it a success – that'll reinforce all my unhealthy cynicism about fashion in the marketplace.

I haven't bought a bike mag in years. Not a lot in them for me, and the net is were I get all my reading material nowadays.

More tractor fun:

Roadless '95' and a 8630 Powershift, near Moffat.

Pals 1953 Fordson Dexta, started life up near Drumnadochit now in Glen Roy. Owned by same family all its life. Splitting logs for this winter.

Need to watch this thread, bit keen on tractors………..

Barsnleymitch wrote:

A few million atheists living with a few million Jews and a few million Creationists"
So it's all the fault of the Catholics, Christians and Muslims then is it?

Haha, forgot how careful you need to word your posts on this forum! Don't have the space to list every creed, race and religion, this is a random few to get the idea across.

Andyp wrote:

Gas chambers perhaps?

Would you believe I don't even read the Daily Mail? Equal rights to one kid for all, no discrimination (except, naturally, against fat overweight benefit scrounging single mothers, and the slackers that sired them). I'm pro life, just in smaller quantities. Gas chambers are for baking comestibles in and for small scale one-at-a-time crematoriums :lol:

I find it incomprehensible that humanity as a whole doesn't seem to be dealing with the fact that massive overpopulation is the source of every problem.

A few million atheists living with a few million Jews and a few million Creationists driving a few million 4×4's……….we, and the planet could cope with that, and all get on nicely.

Hence I think it is mad that people think there are problems with religion, climate change etc. etc. It's all overpopulation. Deal with it now, one child per couple world wide. Forced snips and massive penalties for disobedience.

fivespot is giving you a good tip. Fact of the physics is that if the HG has failed badly between the cylinder bore and a coolant gallery, pressurisation of the cooling system occurs on the compression stroke of the affected bore. So cranking the engine with the coolant cap off can prove HG failure 100% if the surging is there. Watch you don't get scalded though.

Unfortunately a lack of surging doesn't disprove HG failure e.g. the HG might be porous rather than completely failed.

Myself, I'd run it a while longer and make sure you call the breakdown cover before the engine ever gets totally cooked. You do have breakdown cover?!

The mechanism for mayo after short journeys is simple. All engines have some water in with the oil from air moisture etc. On short journeys the oil can get hot enough to drive some off, but the extremities of the engine – think dip stick tube or rocker cover – don't heat up as much as the rest of the block. Hence condensation/mayo occurs here.

Let's be fair. A 2'1" diameter hoop at least.

Politicians on the island of Ireland, what can I say as a Northern Irish man?

Politicians are pathetic in general in my opinion. Northern Irish politicians often get started in their careers because of deep seated bigotry and sectarianism. At a stroke this makes them unsuitable for office.

Northern Irelands Assembly should be full of a random selection of toddlers from across the country. They could represent the peoples interests with more maturity, wisdom, and insight than the current embarrassing shower.

*Note – there may be one or two good eggs in there, but it's the dobbers who get the limelight*

Bit at a loss on this one. In Glasgow freeze started 18th/19th December, still ongoing. I guess oldfart is living somewhere south with soft weather.

Mind you, in spite of my lovely home made ice tyres, I'm nearly ready for the thaw.

As this is a MTB forum I'll give you the Flite, begrudgingly. But in reality, the only answer is the Brooks B17. Or indeed any Brooks model you choose. Ti Swift? The question needs changed to "the greatest MTB saddle of all time" to avoid that answer.

I'm running at 35psi. Tyre pressure seems to be a fine balancing act with grip varying greatly at different pressures. Because my screws are outside the central rolling strip, changing the pressure affects the amount of contact they are making with the ground.

Cycling with non studded pals has demonstrated there is little or no difference in grip for a studded versus non studded tyre in snow; it's on the ice and compacted stuff where the difference is.

If you look very carefully, somewhere hidden in this thread is a lack of education.

The current weather pattern has the same causes as the similar instances in 1947 and 1963. It probably doesn't have much to do with climate change.

But I won't fall, I have full length man studs……not going to die with a 1/4 inch deep wound anyhow! Head injury from lack of grip would be more likely I'd say……off out again, this time with a studless pal. Shall be an interesting comparison, though I think I'll lead him clear of the areas that I know are actually icy rather than just snowy. Studs are for ice or old hard snow, plain tyres work well in the softer stuff.

You are running out of space on your hard drive. Delete stuff. This is free.

Other things you can do include buying more RAM.

No point increasing the size of the swap partition as above as that will not address the issue until more disk space is freed up.

Nice one, I remember my first otter at Camasunary on Skye. Was a few years after that before I got a really good look at one on Mull. Nowadays I probably spend a couple of weeks a year otter watching, sometimes in conjunction with a separate outdoors pursuit, sometimes not.

I've noticed that wildlife spotting has been a lot easier the last few weeks; I guess the beasts are more in danger of dying from hunger than from predation.

I made a pair last week and have done about 80km so far with no issues. They're pretty brilliant, even if I do say so myself.

Front tyre, about 150 1/2" No6 sheet metal screws, back tyre about 80 of the same. Screwed them from outside in through a tread block first, then removed them, and reinserted then sharp end out through the perforation.

I don't see the point in cutting the protruding point down. They'll wear with use, and replacing them once worn is tedious work. I put up with the rolling resistance.

Lined with an old pair of Continental Avenue slicks with the bead cut off.