Smooth with a super shine here! I always wear a helmet liner to keep me warm or make the helmet more comfortable in summer. The lightweight one is made of mesh by Mavic. In winter its a Biemme windstopper one. Both thin and shaper so the fit is really good under the helmet.

In public I wear a beanie if cold and a straw pork pie in the sun. I’ve got a couple of nice felt trilbies but am cautious about wearing them as never sure what to do with it when I get to the pub/meeting/etc.

Use sunscreen a lot more these days as I feel that I get burnt or hot more as I get older. Don’t like the oily feel though and feel that the sealed effect makes me sweat more!

Going to one of the first later today. Looking forward to it.

Great stuff, soundtrack to my Friday night drinking!

One of the things that appealed about the original one was the fact that it was kitted out with lino etc, which makes it good for real riding situations. Wipe/wash clean after clambering in with wet, muddy, dirty kit at the end of a good ride in winter. When you’ve got a camper with wilton carpets and chintz curtains you might not be so prepared to get in.

I’ve had them on holiday “relationships” as well. Used to take bikes around the alps and was a surprising success. I’am similarly tempted as a second car with primary duty being to take the bikes to the trails. Not sure about the 200 mile trip though.

Isn’t there rather a lot of cigar ash in the footwell and not much rubber on the tyres?

Might not be the ideal thing for “living in” but for mucky riding trips I think it wouldn’t be a bad set up. I’d expect the shower to be better than average as well if it was a company van.
If its a fridge what are those dial controls on the top and that box of switches on the surface above?

Friends of ours so biased, but just outside Bourg and in the right position for access to the Alpe du Huez and Les deux Alpes.

http://www.bourgdoisansbandb.com

And would have contacts to help if they hadn’t got enough space. Both of them are excellent riders!

Avoiding work… don’t tell the boss. Opps I am the boss.

Still be overdrawn at the end of the month probably!

Is this going to replace the Octavia as the Singletrack car of choice from now on?

Depends on what your trying to achieve.
And how long your legs are. I’m 6′ with 34 inside leg (suits you sir) and use 172.5 on the mtb and 170 on the road. Longer cranks give more leverage for those big push moments but increase amount of movement required from knees and hips.
As I’ve got older I try to keep the pedalling going rather than pushing a larger gear. It definitely helps on longer road rides.
There are stories from the distance past of TdeF riders putting longer cranks on for the mountains. Cyrillic Guimard (hinault and Fignion manager) reckoned it put an end to his pro career.

Really do hope it goes well for you both. Forgiveness is very liberating but be careful. It will take a long while to work it al out. It seems to me that you are a thoughtful and sensible bloke who should be proud of how you conducted yourself through this nightmare.

He said his mother had told him that every decision is basically moral and he had tried to live by that advice. Think he did a pretty good job of living up to it. A lovely man.

I’m sure we can all forward our pay pal gift details!

There is always a violent OMG moment with these things.
It will never be the same whichever way this goes.
Three weeks is the minimum time before she comes back. It must be long enough to create a routine for both of you and not a come back in because I can’t cope with staying somewhere else scenario.
Do the talking face to face somewhere neutral and not via text etc.
Why didn’t she go to his or have I missed something?

Well done, that’s a courageous step. Knowledge is strength and allows you to have a sense of control. That is a real positive in this type of mess. The Buddhist bit is so right but so hard to do.

Lots of sensible advice based in experience here. I’ve been through this and did some things well and somethings badly so for my tuppence worth here goes.

Kids are the most important but you have to be strong for them. So try to get some stability in your life. A real routine so that you have less time to flounder or wallow no matter how grim you are. Ride, drink, socialise whatever but stick to it. Don’t cry in front of kids. They know you are hurting, but will be unsure about how to respond. Keep away from Facebook. Things will be/get distorted know matter what you say. Face to face contact asap or there will be a difficult gap to bridge when you do see them. Typing takes no effort, turning up does and that counts far more than you can imagine.

Talking to my kids 20 years on they said that the best thing that me and the ex did was never blame the other or make them choose between us. We got to the point of agreeing dates a year in advance! That helped them and me as it provided structure. They have turned out as great kids and even though me and ex never talk kids feel that they have had good input from both of us.

If you are not at fault don’t move out. Her choice so she has to back up her decision. Even if you have to her cash to go and set up with new man or on own. It also means you have the kids. That might be a really hard thing to sort when combined with school and work but its the best financial decision you’ll ever make. I left the house so that the ex could have some space and that sealed 10 years of being screwed financially and emotionally. Possession being 9/10ths etc.

As others say time heals and it does. Take care mate.

She’s in the room with me now! I’m in real trouble if I call the wife a shark….. or anything else!

And to keep it rolling today we have an understandable point of view…

http://road.cc/content/news/112817-cyclist’s-widow-tells-top-gear’s-jeremy-clarkson-look-me-eye

Not sure if its a proper link so you know what to do.

I’ll take three. Me, son, and Dutch brother-in-law. Paypal?

I’m a one use man myself but I have a v tight cousin (no euphemism intended) who walks around with a stick of root ginger in her handbag to dunk in cups of hot water. We all reckon its been the same stick for years.

As warton says. Even my Mrs thinks its in bad taste.

London riding is fine, a sight safer than negotiating all the potholes around here.

Did you apply toothpaste as a yoof? Not heard that before.

A good set of 5318008 are 5178!

Milton Keynes’s finest!!!!!!!!!!!

He sent me a letter telling me that we thought the same way about things. This means he has super powers as we have never met or communicated in anyway. This alone worries me let alone the policies he has or hasn’t worked out.

Whilst I empathise with your misfortune I’d rather be rummaging through something else…..

I’m for heavens gate but also have a soft spot for Dances with wolves

Was it wearing marigolds and using Fairy Liquid?

Not sure that you will have lots. In my experience you never get more than 3 or 4. Families. Don’t always leave evidence and they adopt runs so set a trap where you see them heading to. The gap under kitchen cabinets is a common favourite. They love chocolate so whichever trap you use thats a good bait. I’m a little nipper man myself.

I’ve got a French mate who was JACQUES COUSTEAU’s sound man. He’s deaf now!

I’m interested in this as well. People have pointed me towards bike-inn.co.uk and been pleased with the course, but it is in deepest Lincolnshire!

As a bigger lad I’ve always ridden slightly larger section tyres. 25mm when others were using 23mm. As most of the pros are going to 25s now (mainly for aerodynamics) I went for some 27mm Vittoria EVO Paves this winter. They are a great (if expensive) ride with a gentle file pattern that suits the rough lanes but rolls beautifully. In the summer I’ll stick to the Michelin 25mm Pro 4s as they seem to come up a bit larger anyway.

The 320tpi is a real factor in making the Paves work that much better. Never going back to Gatorskins.

http://www.chickencycles.co.uk/index.php?cat=12&sub=12&ord=0

Its a summer in the sunshine by the river type of destination in my view. Its all plays and picturesque type stuff, and I enjoy that on occasion but are you trying to tell us you’re going all cultured Hora?

Rocketdog is right to be mortified. Tea is made in a pot with leafs! Bags are for the bodies of people who don’t do it properly!

I’m with Flashy all the way on this. And that includes milk first!

The board would catch more wind so create pressure on the rest of the gate fixings. How about making the brackets out of blocks of plywood?

Wouldn’t it be simple to get some mild steel (say 50 x 5 mm) and bend to shape to create a couple of brackets that could be screwed on. Or one of those metal throw over thingies as on here?

http://www.doorhandlecompany.co.uk/gate-catches-and-latches/?gclid=COei1K-a3bwCFdShtAodnWIAZQ

Wouldn’t a board create more leverage issues in a strong wind?