"whether the chocolateness of the chocolate milk is important for some reason"

I doubt it 😀 , although my wife would disagree!

I think it was cycling plus that had a study done comparing the Friji shakes with for goodness ones and a powder. They concluded that they were all about the same as they have the same protein to carb ratio.

I use the strawberry and chocoloate Friji shakes, I don't notice a difference between the two but I do notice if I don't drink one…

Oh and surfer, I also considered one of those chairs as I am in front of a PC everyday, I also thought about using a swiss ball as a chair. My phsio says the best thing is to change your position every hour, so spend one hour on normal chair, then walk around, then spend one hour standing up, then one hour on swiss ball etc. This will avoid any significant pressure on one point of you lower spine

You need a GP referal to a chiropractic consultant, he will decide if you need a MRI scan.

The triggers for my GP were sciatic pain down the leg combined with numbness in the foot and very bad pain. This indicates significant pressure on the nerve and that should be enough for a referral.

Our GP is cool tho and I am with Bupa so he knows the NHS won't be paying…

Sorry Clarey but I totally disagree, the ONLY way of definitively finding the core problem is the MRI.

My physio is also an osteo, remedial masseur and roadie. Until you have the MRI you won't know what the actual problem is and you could be throwing money away on the masseur.

Depends on your GP but as soon as mine saw the numbness he said an MRI was the best course of action, as soon as nerves are involved its best to know what you are dealing with before you start any other treatment.

Surfer – you have EXACTLY the same symptoms as me – I have a slipped disc, referred pain feels exactly like any other pain, I thought it was muscular for 6 months.

I saw an Osteopath who manipulated my pelvis – this helped temporarily. I have recently been to a phsyio (who is also and Osteo), he will not do any maniupulation until I have an MRI scan (I am waiting for this). Numbness is always pressure on the nerve, most likely disc but could be muscular.

The physio told me that the osteo could have put me in a wheelchair with the manipulation as until you have an MRI they don't know what is wrong.

My advice is to get an MRI asap, don't wait for it to get worse….

offto phsio now

"fifteen stone biffers on 30lb plus bikes "

LOL, so true 😀 (and that includes me)

"However, as seems likely if the Conservatives get in next year it depends what their monetary policy is and that could affect rates as they have in the past raised interest rates in response to an overheating economy"

I don't think the economy will be overheating for a VERY long time, and the BoE set interest rates not the Government. IMO Mervyn is quite staunchly independant and will not be pushed around by Cameron.

I am sticking with my SVR

perhaps synchronise with outlook with old SIM, then change SIM and sychronise again.

I keep all my contacts in outlook, anytime I change phones I can simply sychronise and I have all my contacts

I do the same, I sit in the middle of the lane, years ago that would have stopped people overtaking, now some people are prepared to use the oncoming lane. If they do and have a head on collision with another car you are likely to be hit by flying debris, bodies, the oncoming car, a car behind you etc and be very lucky to survive.

I agree about giving yourself room to to veer into if they pull in suddenly, however what I am talking about is if they actually hit another car head-on (a more regular occurance than you would imagine) if their reactions are not quick enough to veer out of the way. In this situation NO road-craft can help you, you are a sitting duck

"you have to think. Oh look, car overtaking me on blind corner. Perhaps they'll pull in inches from my front wheel. I'll scrub some speed and get ready to take evasive action. "

what evasive action would that be, ejector seat? If a car comes round the corner and a head-on collision happens you are going to die…end of.

Assertive riding, owning your space etc. is all well and good on urban roads, on country lanes how are you going to stop someone using the oncoming lane to overtake you on a blind corner and the then pulling in inches from your front wheel? If another car comes round the car you are all going to die.

This is the difference I have noticed, less patience and people literally not prepared to wait a few seconds to go round a bend before overtaking and risking not just my life but theirs.

Superstar here too

Cheers Pete – the point of having to move around more on a hardtail and stand up for anything rooty/rocky is an interesting point.

Strangely enough I spent 3-4 weeks in July riding downhill tracks in the Alps, I had to stretch every morning to get on the bike (Meta 5) thinking it was just lower back/hamstring stiffness – clearly it was the early stages of the disc issue. This kind of riding caused no pain at all. However I think it was the driving down there and back (some 8 hour days) that really brought it on.

Riding the road bike in the last few few weeks (trying to lose a few kilos) I think really finished me of, not sure but I think the streched over position of a roadie compresses the lower vertebrae so may be selling it to fund a cotic soul or similar that could also be fitted with slicks for any road riding.

I am going to check with my physio, who by the way is a 10 year road rider and really understands the issues – he is based in Kemp town if this would be of interest for you in the future.

No more DIY! one of the only upsides of this situation!

Around here (Brighton) it does seem to me that there is more aggression toward cyclists on the road in the last couple of years, I seem to be getting less room and every ride and it seems a good fews cars almost take out my front wheel while pulling back in.

What confuses me is that we are lucky enough to have some pretty ok cycle paths here, which in some areas are separate to the main road. However some people still cycle up the main road running parallel! There are certain cycle paths that I will not ride on (glass, pot-holes, dangerous routing etc.) but I am taking about clean, well surfaced and routed paths. I think this also winds up motorists.

However I don't think it will ever change here, as mentioned above most people in this beautiful country are no angry, stressed w*nkers who will never like cyclists. The population density is too high and the road network too narrow to ever build a real network of cycle paths.

We are back off to italy asap where not RLJing on a bike is considered strange!

Seriously considering selling my lush italian road-bike too 🙁

Sorry pete, but one more thing, to get back to the original point, don't you suffer more riding a hardtail with your back?

its been a while, I struggle to make organised rides as I have 2 small sprogs – with a home office I get out during the day on weekdays and much earlier on the weekend.

Anyhoo, have ridden both an orange trek hardtail and a black Meta 5 on their rides – normally night rides tho…

nope not me, but I have ridden with Brighton MTB in the past. I saw a thread where you recognised a piece of trail as stamner – I did too (it wasn't stamner tho)

Did you punch someone in the nose?

I am in saltdean – often ride in stamner

Ton, I would have done the same matey. If you're going to get up in someones face you have to be prepared for the consequences, simple as.

You obviously weren't wearing road shoes though!!

cheers Pete – you're not local to Brighton are you?

I saw an osteopath a couple of weeks ago who manipulated (cracked) my pelvis back into place. It provided real relief and I got straight back on the bike (3/4 long rides) before the pain came back with a vengeance.

The physio I saw for the first time this week (who is also an Osteo) was disgusted at this as he said due to the suspected herniation (which the osteo should have spotted) any manipulation before the scan (and therefore knowledge of the actual issue)could have resulted in paralysis. 😯

B*gger, mean't orthpaedic consultant, not chiroporactic one!

Mike – which kind of consultant? GP?

In my case it is the physio who has referred me to a chiropractic consultant for an MRI scan before he does anything other than gentle massage and basic exercises…..

timber, you barsteward……

"As for the pills, I'm sure the pain killers were just for the enormous poohs created by one of the anti thingies I was given, I was a proper broken man."

You made me laugh out loud and it really hurt! 😀

Cheers all
"A key thing is to keep up regular excercises after your initial physio period is over – sounds easy, but it's easier to let it slip… "

Yep, that is my challenge, daily stretching and doing the physio exercises when the pain goes!

and kona-ona, how quickly could you start swimming? I used to be a swimmer so this could really help get through the no-biking time – although I guess pounding lengths is not exactly the idea 🙄

both – very inspiring!

It's the coming back slowly that will be my challenge.

Will look into pilates

http://www.rivierabike.co.uk

Why:

1) It is Italy so much better than France / Spain (better food, people etc) 😉
2) Almost too hot in July and August, great weather in September and into October. In fact I prefer it there in September to any other month.
3) The normal alpine destinations eg. French Als can be VERY rainy from September
4) Van based uplift so you don't have to worry about lifts closing
5) Few miles from the beach and the Med is nice and warm this time of year.

I am completely impartial of course ! 😀

Woodsman – thats what I thought – top of Stamner park no?

well I have been riding for 20 years but have only been to a trail centre 3 times, the groups I ride with tend to be a cross section of society.

Perhaps it is the people who ride trail centres who are the middle class people riding the expensive bikes?

"I'd add in that mountain biking has become one of the most middle class activities available"

I always wonder when people make these comments how they actually know – have you done a survey or something?

I raced in an 8 for 5 years (13 – 18) at number 2. The feeling of 8 guys in perfect timing pulling a carbon-fibre boat up and over the water was simply incredible, I still miss it today…

Scott -fair enough but you seem to be discounting the fact that the mortage market could become more competitive with new lenders entering the market as money supply eases and the risk to house price falls diminishes. This could force fixed rates down even when interest rates are rising IMHO

"One thing you can be sure of – fixed rate deals will go up way before Base Rate does"

No you can't, thats just your opinion, see bigsi's thread above…

seriously, no-one can tell you this with any certainly except for Mervyn and the MPC

I am on the Halifax SVR and saving loads right now, I won't be moving anytime soon.

IMO, for what its worth (and thats not a lot!), interests rates won't be going up until the economy starts recoving in a REAL sense and that isn't for some time yet (1 year +). Even then they will be increased slowley to ensure the recovery doesn't stall, so for my money, stick on the SVR and put the monthly savings in a savings account.

"pisses me off. i'm not jealous "

I think you need to chill out and find something more important to be pissed off about….

Germans love good technology, have money, like big/fast cars and need status symbols etc – its the way they are ( I am half german and lived there many years), if they weren't this way they wouldn't build such stonking cars…

tschuss kumpel

Me – European first, British second and have no real feeling for England whatsoever although I was born here…why?

Mum: English (Wigan)
Dad: German (Hamburg)

Wife: Italian (Turin)
Daughter: Italian (born in Como)
Son: English (born Brighton)

Speak english, german and italian and have live in all 3 coutries.

I am proud to be european as it is such an ace place with great history and culture. I think Britain is a great concept and often feel proud of welsh/scottish/irish culture even though I have no real connection…go figure

Nothing to do with Scottish/British but I thought I'd share anyway! 8)

kinesis XC120

….and you rocked up at the nursery in full lycra, I bet the mums loved that! 😀

Pasta in warm olive oil with garlic and a bit of chilli

crazy-legs, you couldn't pay me to ride the steep rooty sections on the Pila downhill course on a Giant XTC etc, maybe I don't have the skillz but those head angles would have me straight over the bars!