I had an old Clio 16V, when it worked it went like a rocket, and when it played up I wished I had never owned the thing. Even my mechanic hated the site of the thing as it was so damn awkward to work on.

I’d never buy another Renault again.

From seeing my doc to operation was 3 months to the day. I was told it would be keyhole and they did open surgery instead.

The first week after the op was a struggle, as I was shuffling round like an old codger. I left it 10 days till I drove as instructed and even then found it a bit painfull.

I was signed off for 3 weeks by the hospital, even though they said it would be 2 (not that I complained, but my manager did – tough!), although I did get my certificate extended another week as an hours commute either way and flying a desk all day was too uncomfortable.

I didn’t get back on a bike till about 8 weeks after my op, even though I had been given the OK to start riding again post 6 weeks when I was discharged as an out-patient. I aimed to do a gradual return fitness programme as my fitness level had vanished and then went through a falling off phase which really did my confidence a load of good.

8 months on the ‘hernia area’ does feel a bit uncomfortable now and again, but I take a weeks rest and I’m fine.

Hope you recover soon!

Try Jeffery West

Me three

The coinstar % goes to charidee – well that’s what the sign says in my local Sainsbo’s

I swapped my tyres over this week and couldn’t get them to inflate (I have a tubeless conversion kit), and tried the air pump at the local Shell garage as a last resort.

I had some spare screw in presta valves, so replaced the current valves which were clogged up with sealant, used the soapy water etc and the tyres inflated straight away.

I have also found in the past that the air used to escape a lot where the tyre bead didn’t sit properly above the valve area so used zip ties to clamp the tyre down while I pumped away like mad with the track pump.

Went to an afternoon BBQ in the summer intending to be back by 6pm, left about 10.30pm so decided that as I had no lights the quicker option is go back home through the woods, rather than the back roads.

After clipping a wooden post I fell off with my right leg going across the chainset. A day later my calf swells up as I’ve twisted the muscle and on antibiotics to stop any infection in my leg, and doctors orders of no riding for 2 weeks

Three weeks later I fall off and open the wound up again..

I use Avast for nowt.

I took a settlement the end of 2004 to change career slightly within facilities and after 2 years of short term contract work was still deemed under/over experienced, so in the end went back to my old line of work.

Personally feels as if I wasted those 2 years as financially I gained nothing and didn’t progress anywhere. But a job is a job….

As per crazy-legs I was told the job was for X position, at the interview told the job was actually Y and we both knew it was way above my skill set, although I do doubt the the interviewer read my CV properly beforehand as she thought as she seemed to think that as I had worked for a large facilities company that I would be an expert on writing M&E tenders, unfortuantly I worked in the office services divison…

In the end after 2 years of various short term contract work to build my skill set up, I ended up going back to my old line of work as after countless interviews the responses were either your over experienced and will get bored and leave (personally most of these jobs were exactly what I wanted) or I was slightly under experienced so no thanks.

I had an inguinal hernia repair this year, I underestimated how much the op would put me back as I was told it would be keyhole not open surgery and the first week after the op was torture – but a month off work was great, and 8 weeks off the bike not so great.

Hour and a half in a temp job, got a better offer for a placement starting the next day, got paid for 3 hours.

Going back a few years saw Zoe Ball when out clubbing, my mate also tried the "where have I seen you before, is it in our local?", and another time clubbing saw Mick Hucknall who had a minder escort him to the toilet

Peter Kay at Knock Airport in Ireland, he did a group photo with us then asked for some privacy for his family and sat round the corner out of sight.

Blakes 7 for 2010

I've been looking at various prices of this and that all day, and am still undecided, but will sell the Santa Cruz and ideally buy a complete bike while a few bargains are still around.

I also have a kona hartail so have no space for a third bike (or budget come to that).

Thanks for the help.

Keeping the weight to a reasonable level ideally, I'm not into downhilling but just looking to build a bike up with more travel to suit all conditions. My other option is sell the Santa Cruz and buy a complete bike which gives me more scope.

I've just had a week in the Alps but found that more suspension would have been a great help even on the rooty and rocky XC routes I did.

I expect they retail for something silly like 4 quid as well.

Just tried to inflate it but air is still coming out where the tyre doesn't sit right over the valve.

I had the same thing and used some zip ties to clamp the tyre down above the valve, worked a treat on one tyre and inflated in seconds, the other tyre didn't want to know so inflated it at the petrol station using their air pump.

Prices seem to have gone up this year for no reason whatsoever. Then again they do most years…

So far Bell Direct have come in cheapest, still more tedious searching though to drive the price down to a realistic level.

I ran out of patience and use the air pump down the petrol station, inflates in seconds.

Stakeholders seems to be a favourite at the moment