So what do myou expect, a single fireman to be sent out with a motorbike to a fire, already happening in Liverpool.

….or, for instance a single Paramedic being sent out in a car to road accidents etc. etc.

It's easy to take examples like that out of context when the reality is that both the above can get to situations very quickly and assess the need for additional services. Is it always really necessary for a whole fire or ambulance crew to attend a minor road bump when they could be more usefully deployed elsewhere?

Unforunately these are only 'low level' savings. The real savings are to be made in the obvious areas such as top heavy management, 'benefit scams', tax dodging, government waste, etc.

All this can be achieved without any reduction in services to the people who really need them. Unfortunately to implement them, and this is true for any government 'plan', a new raft of departments will be brought in to oversee the schemes, completely negating any saving or improvement in efficiency which could have been made.

Excellent idea Binners.

We could charge and give the proceeds to a non-politically affilliated charity 😉

Can't we just cut'n'paste a link to the previous threads going in circles around the same argument and save everyone the trouble of re-posting ?

It's like bleedin Groundhog day on here sometimes 🙄

I wondered as there didn't seem many more than usual on the main cycle routes around Durham.

I would love to see some before and after pics of this one……….and by after I mean before your Uncle's guys come in to repair it 😆

That's really nice. I wouldn't worry about only having a front brake if you're taking it easy, it just feels really weird at first and then all of a sudden it feels 'normal'.

No brakes – that's a different proposition altogether 😯

I thought the video above was going to be the Lance Armstrong one, which scared the crap out of me just watching it!

Edit: FOUND IT – originally posted by crazy-legs

I pointed out that my name was spelled wrongly on a cerificate which was being presented by a 'high-up' HR person. After a mildly heated debate, he was still adamant that I must have made the error on my course application.

My name is Graeme, they had Graham on the certificate!

4 out 4 but the fixie is dodgy as the chainring only has 3 bolts and one (29'er) is build in progress so doesn't count as I've only had the frame a week.

Must be borrowed from a small Mum or Dad shoooorley !

The roadie would have been a much faster/better choice!

But think how much quicker you will be when you do go on the 'carbonbling' bike !

Seriously though, I fully understand why you went for the 'old friend'. I do it all the time on my mtb's to the point where I have converted 2 old mtb frames to road/hack status and I still ride them more than the new (to me) mtb's. Probably some deep seated psychology going on there as I very rarely buy anything new either. Don't see the point as there is so much barely used stuff for sale and you don't feel quite so bad if you scratch it.

It isn't you know. Compound interest, GSCE maths..

LOL …. but the compound interest could take it to 40% couldn't it, well couldn't it?. Of course it could, it's not maths, it's politics!

TJ – see above edit

I pity those who cannot see thru the right wing rehtoric

And I pity those who's political views are so entrenched in one belief or another that they are unable or unwilling to take a reasoned view.

Edit: your last post is classic TJ – completely ignoring the fact (which hopefully is correct, I have no real way of proving/disproving it) that the figure is a 5% cut per year because 25-40% sounds sooooo much better for your political agenda and belief.

@ this thread

OP – whilst your philosophical attitude is refreshing and admirable…

3 hours in A&E last night, & I'm very lucky, just minor concussion, damaged cartilage, tendons and I've torn a muscle in my back / neck, apparently even tho its really painful today all will be good in a week or so?

…
I seriously doubt whether a week will be all it takes. Good luck and a speedy recovery.

TJ, Karin etc. are correct, it must be reported.

The OP should have had the police attend the accident straight away as he was injured, they in turn would almost certainly call an ambulance. You would not believe some of the RTC's we get called to and this was a genuine need by the sounds of it.

Getting the police there at once also stops the driver messing about later and claiming that the cyclist jumped off the kerb from 'nowhere' at 50mph for instance.

Why are you bothered about claiming for a helmet, I would be suing the pants of the guy for his stupidity/negligence, which as well as causing you pain now, could also aggravate you later in life.

I took my dogs out for 1/2 hour at 0730 this morning. That was more than enough 'invigoration' for me.

Some people just aren't meant to do mornings 8)

They certainly look the part with a decent spec. and I like the idea of hub size options. Pity they don't publish weights.

I always though John Prescott and AW were a match made in heaven…..or should that be hell!

I'm not surprised that Strictly has an audience from STW, bunch of pervs.

ps. when's it on? 😆

firestarter

Have you forgotten about the wheels or have you decided it's not worth getting rid? No worries either way but I'm still looking for a set. Cheers

<sorry for OT hijack)

more recently, i completely ignore WTD ads and only consider FS ads from regular forum contributors….

Why ignore 'wanted' ads. Surely they are more likely to be from genuine people and it might just jog someone's memory about a bit of unused kit that's been gathering dust and will be useful to another biker and give you a few ££££ for other bits that you need.

I'm with DezB on this one, you just have to use common sense. I've only had one real problem and because the seller had very little history (even though his email/web link was fitness and MTB coaching AND local to me) I had the sense to use Paypal (non gift) and eventually got my money back.

Which reminds me, I must make a donation as I've got a few bits to sell as it's much better than fleabay.

Edit

Minimum post level is a silly idea.

I'm on a watch site with a minimum 50 posts before you can even access the classifieds. Seems to work quite well and the mods can spot a scammer fairly easily from the posts. Probably not quite so easy on here.

What or who has upset you Juan?

I have noticed that there seem to be fewer and fewer replies on both for sale or wanted. Maybe people are either skint or so minted that they only buy new then can't be bothered to sell.

Does he know any other riders in the area, would be usefull if he could ride out with one of the sensible lad

He does but they're all Paramedics and it would be a very bad idea 😯

It was chucking down rain today until the afternoon and he hadn't ventured out so I txt him to make sure he didn't feel tempted to take it for a spin until I'd finished my shift 😆

He is going to go on a Police training course and will take it from there. He has had so many dire warnings that he is under no illusions what might happen and has a healthy respect and understanding of his own limitations and relative inexperience. He also now has a very nice set of leathers (loaned by someone else who was also concerned) and a good helmet so hopefully he'll be fine and take it very easy at least until he has had the training course.

Too late Juan – he picks it up on Tuesday. There was a very nice 4 year old GSR600 with only 850 miles on the clock that one of the girls at work was selling which I thought was ideal but apparently the R1 was cheaper!

But as you say, it's the rider and not the bike who controls the speed.

No, for all the reasons mentioned above and several more.

Thay can't be rich yet….surely and as for funny and talented, I managed to change channel before I had an involuntary……..

Looking at that set-up again it reminds me very much of my old Compo. That took quite a bit of getting used to as you felt very high up, almost on top of the bike. Fine after a while when you realised you had to get your @rse right back over the saddle when it got steep. Even more important on yours with the rear end moving.

Pic from BM

Just a thought on technique rather than set-up – did you by any chance stand up on the pedals while braking just before the corner? This would cause the back end to come up and put your weight further forward causing the forks to compress and tuck under. Try and get the bike balanced with the heavy braking done before the corner as you now have two ends that move!

As has already been pointed out, the short stem and inline post give you a quite a short or even cramped riding position which will exagerate the feeling of sitting on top of the bike.

ChiefP – I'm trying to work out if you stick that to your shorts al a 'ladies products' or onto your nethers. Reason I am wondering is that a reviewer reckons they are painless on removal 😯

At the risk of SFB perv labelling……. I've seen quite a few lycra clad women lately with an obvious VPL but it's not something you can really mention to a passing cyclist 8)

Thanks for all the feedback, with the exception of Pigface…..tosser 🙄

Drac – you've probably met him!

He is a pretty sensible guy and I'm sure he's had so much advice/dire warnings that he will take it very easy and he definitely will get training. He's bought a decent helmet and I'm going to fish out my old leathers so at least he'll be properly kitted out.

Hadge – He was still on the track, just off the racing line in the footage I saw.

Haven't seen the whole thing but the general opinion is that the race should have been stopped.

Awful crash and terrible for all involved. RIP

Get a bike that fits you.

An absolutely perfect build for it's intended use

I currently run a medium Kona Stuff with P2's, 120mm stem, moustache bars, 2.4 DMR Moto's on 39:14 fixed. Meets both the above criteria as a pub/shopping/town bike with the added bonus of knowing that no-one in their right mind would nick it 😉

Liam

You seem to be hung-up on doing exactly what the manufacturer says without considering that riders are all different shapes and sizes. The idea is that you buy the right frame size and make the small adjustments necessary to make the bike fit you. For instance I have relatively short legs/long body so may well have to go for 18" frame for legs but need the additional effective t/t length which a longer stem or layback seatpost will provide to achieve a good riding position for me. Stem length and head angle are only two considerations. What do you do about 'optimum' fork travel given that fork lengths vary considerably eg. my Nixon 145mm travel fork is actually 10mm shorter axle to crown than my 130mm AM1.

Bikes are designed around an optimal setting and I'm sure that that 100mm or so 'girder' on the front will not make it turn like it's got a flat tyre. In fact I would think it would be very nimble and a pleasure to handle as the head angle will remain constant, unlike a long travel fork.

My thoughts exactly Naranjada. I hadn't seen him for a few weeks otherwise I would have tried to steer him in another direction. He has mentioned the police course but I wondered if there were any alternatives to consider.

He is a good driver so I think that will translate to some extent at least to his riding. I'm pretty certain he will need new underwear the first time he opens it up as I don't think he has any concept of just how vicious a bike like an R1 can be. I can still vividly remember two first rides, one a 1100 Katana when they first came out and more recently a Fireblade. Takes quite a while for the brain to catch up until you're used to it !

Nail almost on head Ian – recently separated from his wife and she wouldn't let him have one !!

As far as being aware of the dangers, he has done the same job as me for a lot longer so knows the score.

In the N.East England BTW re training recommendations.

Chain should not be saggy with a tensioner fitted, the clue is in the name!

I'm not familiar with the Superstar one but they usually can only tension one way unless you can swap the direction of the spring around or they don't have a spring at all!

Sounds like you have too much chain still and if you can't take any more links out without making it too short then you will have to try different combinations of ratio to find the nearest one that will allow the tensioner to work.

It is also better, if possible, to run the tensioner so that it pushes the chain up thus wrapping it around the sprocket more but that has less room for adjustment as it may push the chain under the chainstay if it is too long.

Hope that makes sense but it really is a case of trying different things to find the right combo.

If however, he wants the bike to handle like a pig then fair do's to him.

And here was me thinking they had the same head angle 🙄 Do you honestly believe that 10-20mm on the stem is going to transform it into a barge? Surely it's more important that the position is comfortable, within reason of course.