12 years younger than me. I’m closer to her mothers age! Its no problem and I’m just peed off that it took so long to meet her. Just celebrated 9 years of blissful nagging marriage. When we meet my daughter (18 at the time) gave me a very stern lecture about being flattered by a younger woman.

Mont Blanc? But who uses a fountain pen these days?

Metalheart it’s spelt Eddy MERCKX!!!! And he’s not just legend – a deity in this house

Although too late for the poor victim, it would be illegal wouldn’t it?

My son got the boxed set for me!

Definately. When I was a lad ….. Etc etc. we all rode them as winter training bikes. After a twenty year break I got one again and love it. I do just potter about on it but often take it to London to buzz about on. It’s what kayak said. I’ve even got a 3 speed fixed hub built up so I can cope with hillier terrain..

And its EDDY!!!!!!!

Not done it for a few years, I rode the first 10 or so, but while most were in great weather I must have been on the same one as Oldgit. Snow and bitter cold on the tops. Frightened to leave the stops in case of hyperthermia! None of this namby-pamby bare leg stuff.

I know that no posterior is shaped like a Brooks saddle!

Chaineys in Shenley Church End in MK aren’t an obvious choice for bits and kit,but they have always been spot on for mechanicals and wheel building in my experience.

Are those deck chairs on the viewing deck? Might get a bit hot at launch time.

I like Park, but the best for value and in use is the one from Decathlon. It really is an excellent buy for £50.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/velo-works-workshop-stand-id_8034462.html

Www got there first!

Nice – but the stem should be horizontal and the chain should be on the big ring for photos, and as for the state of the skirting board!

Just this issue with my iMac. As it was happening before and after I’d had a new hard drive fitted I went back to the Apple support and they suggested completely resetting the wifi connections. Restarting the router, deleting the wifi settings on the device and then starting again. Its working a treat now. They also said that it could be machine specific. My iPads were working fine.

Binners – Totally agree, but I was thinking of that for the start of saturday. Not sure whether its a good idea as the plane might not take off in the afternoon if they’ve all had one!

On Friday I’ve got some very important Chinese visitors coming. After a few days yomping around science parks they want to come to a traditional English home! Ours!?!!! That aside I’m going to do some pies – I was thinking pork pie, pear and Stilton for starters. Any other ideas?

Rode a road bike with the Ultegra stuff on a couple of weeks ago. It was a revalation. No doubt it is the future. I normally ride dura ace and would have swopped there and then.

Those who’ve ridden it long term round here report no issues with battery life or reliability.

Understand the wireless point but is that going to be a realality with the number of frequencies that would be needed in a road bunch?

I think the potential is even greater off road and they are already playing with an electric hub. This is where I would make my first buys I think.

It’s Saturday morning and the wife is about to go out so I’m texting my son to bring round some black pudding. I think this will be a seminal day in terms of father son bonding. Pie, pub, rugby, pub, peed off partners!

jota180 adds a real flourish with the fried bread!

I’ve sent a link to this inspired work to my daughter who is shortly going on a residential with other senior managers. They are cooking for themselves in some bijou retreat near Bath. If she produces this her career will go stratospheric and she can keep me in the style to which I wish to become accustomed.

Both callipers?

I’d be happy with the 165 on that but if you can easily get 160s go for it. Better clearance. Nice gear size.

For your inside leg size 165s would be fine. The size of gear also has a bearing. The lower the gear the shorter the crank can be.

First – I don’t know a real roadie who calls them century rides! They tend to talk about time and pace or the actual distance.

Second – It depends why you are riding. Training, touring, event. My club fitness rides tend to have a ride that stops for a tea about 2/3s or 10/15 miles from home so that no matter how far you’ve been the group has worked together and those who want to can have a stop or get back. The ride home can be as gentle or hard as without leaving people in the middle of nowhere.

Three – It depends on who you are riding with. The CTC group I also go out with stop at every gate to consider prostate issues and 11s and lunch and tea. But its the countryside and company you go for even on a long ride. My old racing club never stopped for anything except a mechanical on a proper training ride. You could tell if it was going to be proper by the number of drinking bottles they had with them.

Muppets on Saturday night. Pants. Didn’t work on any level I’m afraid. Kids didn’t get any of the reference points and the adult level opportunities were woefully igroned. 2/10. Mrs W loved it because it reminded her of a happy time and not the actual story/plot/content.

Excellent – What tyres for a baby grow?

Working on the chain gang – Sam Cooke

It’s the government who set the rules not the teachers FC. They as peed off with Gove as everyone else.

However there is plenty of evidence about the correlation about attendance and attainment. Parents who invest care and energy in their children’s education might well not cause any damage but those who expect the schools to shoulder all the responsibility tend to cause disruption to learning patterns.

Well done Karl! I ‘m in Edinburgh otherwise I’d be with you. Next year I’ll ask for a Braille map.

Was riding with Fedor den Hertog in 197something (google him) when he was on a visit here. He said to ride well you had to do miles and eat peas! He obviously hadn’t heard of the rules ….. He was wearing one of those full flap fur hats!

Mates rates are always iffy in my experience. Handing over a few quid always feels odd. Pay the rate or give a decent thank you, such as meal for him and his mrs (at home or out) but it must be something that replicates the effort he made.

I’ve had two Giant tcx and I’m 5’11”. They are a truly great bike for doing everything on. As well as larking about in the woods, I’ve regularly ridden the local club runs and done about 1500 miles fully laden touring through France in the summer. I originally had the M/L but changed to the M so I wasn’t so stretched out. Both handle well but the M just edged it for chuckability. Dependant on kit and if it’s last years model you can get them down to £600. That is a gem for peanuts as far as I’m concerned.

I think the best feature due in this series will be the choice of ambulance to get Jez to hospital when he gives birth. It only took one profile shot but I reckon we’re only a couple of weeks away!

Big Fingers Jefferson. Still prefer my “ahem” stage name Pompey Billington.

Does it apply to sale items hazza? If so please send as I’m after a frame for Mrs W. tim dot read at me dot com

I know what portlyone means, we had wanted drama, suspense (literal and actual), a degree of panic and people rushing about shouting “don’t panic….. keep calm… ” a lot. But what do we get, ruthless efficiency Well done! You are legend.

Mcmoonter, don’t worry about it being dark. This a shared STW experience! I’m sure Troutie could sort a night felling light to ensure the show goes on.

Just to keep things ticking along……. You really need to sort the weeds in that yard. And are the logos and valves lined up?

It’s used by some MR teams that I know for a reason. And it’s not to do with it’s performance. When I said to my mate you luck sod its free he replied “No we have to go and collect it”.

Even my wife just said that’s not the way to do it! Now that is an accolade! Mind you I might invest in one of those pickups if it had a turning circle that was going to get it out of the drive.