I’m never quite sure what motivates people to start threads such as this one, especially when you consider that for many people dad is anything but “the best bloke they know”.

Thank you, Pilot. If this thread has done anything remotely worthwhile, it’s to let me know that I’m not alone here.

When I was very young my dad was just a man around the house who didn’t speak to me unless he really had to. As I got older he’d did everything in his power to belittle everything I tried to do. However, I did OK, in terms of my education and subsequent career, despite him. He developed a life changing medical condition later in life and I felt a bit sorry for him then, but can’t forget the past, and the way he controlled my poor mum. If you have a great dad then I’m happy for you, but just don’t suppose the whole world is like yours!

Can’t remember, probably ebay or Parkers. Coloured SP41 you can get from most big shops for about £2.99 a meter.

The outers are not a problem and can be bought in long lengths almost anywhere. Buying inners in bulk is a different matter, unless you wish to invest in a box of 50 or so!

I bought a bulk pack of PTFE coated inners and lengths of Shimano SP41

Where did you buy the bulk packs please?

Tell him (and her) to pay up or **** off. You give in know they’ll walk all over you for the rest of the relationship. If it’s something you feel strongly about, and I wouldn’t subsidise someone elses offspring, they they should take your views into account.

If not then it’ll be 2 against 1 from here on in.

A well made point, zanelad.

Did it have a ‘use by’ date on it?

Great news, OP. I hope you enjoy a lovely relaxing weekend.

Good post, fozzyuk. I hope the OP heeds your advice and doesn’t follow to some of the silly suggestions offered on here.

BTW, OP, I really feel for you and hope everything comes good in the end.

Imagine being allowed to swear like grown ups….

A very good point, Jamie. Can someone please explain to me why we are treated like children on here?

Post deleted!

Great thread. Thanks, mcmoonter.

I would ignore all the above advice about glueing, wooden battens and the rest. Persevere with your drilling and you can be sure your curtains/blinds will be 100% secure.

An running friend of mine used to max out on Red Bull before races, and often in training. He developed tachycardia and now just jogs round the park when he can!

RIP.

Unfairly maligned as England manager – a football man through and through.

Sorry to hear that. Have you tried any of the online matchmaking sites, joining any local clubs that pique your interest? Where are you based? I’m sure there’d be plenty of folk on here (me included) who’d meet up for a drink or bike ride.

Thank you, I really appreciate your offer. However, I’m signing off now as I don’t wish to hijack the thread.

Xico.

Loneliness can be a right ****. No idea why, but some of your posts have stuck in my head, so hopefully things improve soon.

Thanks, Jamie, that was a kind reply. Perhaps I’ll pluck up the courage to post something about this myself in future!

No children, no grandchildren, no wife, no relatives, no anything and I’m lonely as hell, yet I’m absolutely loaded – more money than I could ever hope to spend. Guess who’s situation on this thread I would prefer to be in?

If you’re worried, just unclip before you stop. I can only comment on Shimano SPDs, but all the shoes/pedals I’ve used, I’ve still been able to pedal lightly using the area just in front of the cleat.

Thanks, Toasty, I’ve seen some of the guys do that, and I’ve started doing it myself, but it’s the unexpected situations that freak me out!

I’m currently trying hard to get into clipless, using SPDs, after a lifetime using flats on my MTB. The reason being, that I’ve got seriously into road riding and even joined the local club (who have group rides for all abilities). There is certainly an element of the ‘old dog new tricks’ here and I have practiced and practiced, but come the slightest difficult situation I panic and try to lift off the pedal instead of twisting! So far all my falls have been nothing more than bruised elbows, knees and pride, but I worry this might happen at a right turn and I fall into oncoming traffic. BTW, a club member recommended Shimano SH56 multi release cleats, which I find are a big help.

Great post, turneround!

This thread is STW at its very best.

The rise in tuition fees means more pressure to give higher marks and greater demands from student-customers. The obsession with league tables and pointless metrics places a greater administrative burden on academics, who also have to deliver first-class teaching and research.

I left a university teaching position a couple of years ago and these, among many others, were my reasons.

I like Peter Kay’s old stand-up joke:

Grandad, can you make a noise like a frog? ‘Cos mum says when you croak we’re going to Florida.

So if we only saturated our merino base layers with lanolin we’d be ok?

Well, tomd, that’s an interesting idea. Lanolin provides the waterproof element for the sheep’s wool coat and textile processing washes it all out (and recovers it for use in cosmetics etc). It smells pretty bad in its raw state, though,!

Ever seen sheep out on the hills in the middle of an ice cold winter’s day grazing happily, while you cycle past wearing every item outdoor clothing technology has yet invented and have you ever wondered about it?

Bed about 9.00 as usual, if not earlier. Then no doubt wake up at midnight when all the fireworks go off in the grounds of the big house next door. Back to sleep and up at 8.00 ready for the club ride. Yep, my life is pretty well sh1t at the moment and l cannot see any improvement coming in 2017!

It’s obvious that clothing colour makes little difference to noticeability. That’s why road workers all over the world wear camo and the military all wear dayglo

Well said!

tool bottle in the 2nd bottle cage.

Me too!

Had the same problem myself today on a (2016) second-hand road bike that surprisingly came with pretty descent set of pedals that the seller didn’t remove – I now know why! In the end it was cranks off, cranks in vice with lots of protective fabric wrappings and a hammer onto the hex key. No problem and no chance of expensive accidents that might have occurred trying to do the same thing while still attached to the bike. I know it’s a faff removing the cranks, but actually easier and safer in the long run.

Trying them at the moment on my road bike. I’m working hard to make unclipping my left foot at every stop as natural as possible (including clipping and unclipping as I’m riding along). Yesterday I had to do an unexpected stop, I unclipped my left foot and fell over to my right with shoe still engaged! Very embarrassing and lucky the road was quiet.

Another vote for Macrium Reflect. I used it to clone the HDD to SSD on two Windows 10 laptops without any problems.

Listen Without Prejudice is a tremendous record.

I agree 100%.

RIP

decorative brickwork.

That is decorative brickwork, otherwise there would be evidence of something supporting the load! Get your chisel out and cut back the plaster above.

Cut back the plaster above the fireplace, just a narrow (approx 3 cm) channel, the lintel should be in there, somewhere!

invest in the future; battery technology, tidal power, lithium mines or salt flats, solar, wind etc.

I take it you weren’t around during the technology bubble period.

In my backside’s opinion, no they’re not “the best saddle out there”. That accolade rests with the humble Selle Italia Flite Ti.

+1. I have them on all my bikes!

Irrespective of which sort of TV is best, Boxing Day sales are a thing of the past. Sorry, but there are better deals to be had all the year round if you search the web.

And your specialist subject is?”

“Keyboard use from 2001 – present “

“You have 90 seconds on writing bollocks, starting now”

“Question 1. Am I right?”

“No”

Ha! Hope we are talking about the same serial poster.