What a woman! What a voice! She can be the next Mrs Riley.

Rode push bikes up until I was 17 and then switched to motorbikes.Had themuntil my late 30s.Enjoyed Trail riding and enduros towards the end of my motorbike career.Started mountain biking in my early forties
Never been able to wheelie,or any other skillz. I get up hills ok,got better at going down the other side
When I read the "How to" section in the mags,I'm totally confused…dropping your hips??? When riding roots,I either steam through the section on the 575,or pick a line on the P7. I just stay loose…..not sure it would work with a dead badger though.

I think the exact opposite to OP. Sluggish,feel heavier(cos they are) and generally tedious. OK for the motorway warriors,but for me a good revvy VTEC engine is way more fun.I preferred 2 stroke motor bikes aswell.

So there!!

KT,apologies for the late reply. I have C2s on the P7,the 3rd bike of mine that they've been fitted to.They were 2nd hand when I bought them,parts are still available.They seem to work better than ever on the Orange.
I've got Mini Monos on the 575,again purchased second hand ans so far,no problems
I wouldn't consider fitting any other brakes on my bikes;they perform superbly,the after sales is beyond reproach(a riding friend wrecked his brakes at last years Mega.Hope fixed them FOC) and they're made in England.Which might not count for much in STW land,but means a lot to me.
I stopped believing magazine reviews backin the 80s….a recent classicwas some over-priced-piece-of- junk fork,that was falling to bits during the test and they still gave it a 9!!!

Much better car than dull Golf/A3 option. As you've mentioned the Mrs can drive the brilliant MX5 in the snow,so the Beemer should be no problem.

What a choice! I haven't got the brass,so don't have the problem,but if money was no oject,I'd go for the XX,just cos nobody else has it…and it looks great.

I'm with od git,I am an old git. Our club has transformed my riding.Never an excuse not to ride.Improves your riding and I've got an ever-expanding bunch of mates.

I love it! Something for everybody.

My weight stays reasonably constant,but I am a skinny fecker. I'm 5'10",10 and a half stone. I did get to 11 stone,re-started mountain biking and promptly lost half a stone. I'm not particuarly careful with my diet,but eat plenty of fresh fruit and veg. No MacDonalds KFC etc,makes me feel ill.

No photos,but I've grown to love mine through the course of this winter. It's heavier than my 575 looks a bit iffy,but rides great.

Bacco ,that sounds like our club. You'd be hard-pushed to find a bigger bunch of half-wits.

I've got 355 rims. Various tyres have been fitted with no problems until I tried a Nevegal UST. Brought back memories of my enduro days(rim lock included} lots of sweating and swearing…..and then it was too wide for the back of the 575.
I use the yellow tape method. Works a treat.

Stumpy,I've got a 575,very happy with it.Superb in the Peaks and Lakes. No experience of the Titus,would imagine it performs equally as well as the Yeti.
Try before you buy.

All of the above are great brakes,but why not Hopes. I'll never use anything else.
A few of my mates use R1s, they look great and work.But…..there have been a few problems with the master cylinders,phone for spares….a week later,no parts. Phone Hope and theparts will be with you next day.

What brakes,Pete?If they're Hope,go on their website,or phone 'em.They're very helpful.

Fair comment,but I've seen a few duffers flapping their legs about using flats. Each to their own,as with everything else.

If I'm pickled when I get home,it gets dumped in the garage unwashed and I climb into bed un-showered.Yeuch!
Usually, it's hosed down,cleaned properly,dried off,and a quick squirt of silicone spray. If it looks shit,generally it is.

I've got a Punto 2 door,fits two bikes and two people no problem.I've never needed any spare parts,but I've not heard of any problems with availability
My advice is to buy the RIGHT car when it comes along.Despite what people say,or think,there's not much to choose between them.

Speak to Dan at Betd….Don't tell him that I sent you.

I like it! It's like Michelle Pfeiffer compared tothat old Ibis that somebody else put on here recently.

+1 for Sting.
David Cameron
George Osbourne
Arsene Wenger
Bob Geldoff and his stupid daughters
Bono
Adam Crozier
Alan Yentob
That'll do for now.

I've stuck with spuds since I first tried them. It's second nature now,I do dab occasionally,without thinking,and I do prefer 'em tight
We had a discussion whilst riding the Peaks last summer.One of the riders said that he wished that he was riding with his flats. Alison,said that she preferred spuds,cos you're committed to the descent. I agree. Also,flats are so ugly on anything other than downhill bikes….and there does appear to be an overwhelming percentage of duck-footed,lardy types,with rubbish bike set-ups using flats.Apart from that,they're fine.

Warton,what a way to go! I'm 48,as fit as ever. No plans to pack in.
A chap in our club is 74,just having a Yeti 5 built-up. He's an inspiration to us all.

A mate of mine is a roofer,his neighbour complained about him parking his van on his own drive!!! My mate was thinking of leaving his van in his builders yard and walking home….
I hate snobs.

Yeah,that "wood" trim is shite.Any of the above sound ok.

…mmm,don't think that I've got any respecctable mates,certainly no very respectable ones..

Yeah,but eveybody has German diesel estates….I was almost tempted myself….even found myself looking at at a 08 plate diesel Golf(a sure sign that you've given up)I was saved by my Mrs…."You don't want one of THOSE,do you"? Err,no …just browsing.

I ride at least twice a week,every week,all weathers.
Not riding is a bad habit to get into,but I'm lucky because there's always at least one other tit to ride with,no matter how dire the condtions.

The weather never gets bad enough to force me off my bike and into a gym.

John,my mate had one,lovely car,but it had big wheels.Awful ride quality.He then had an A3 with big wheels (he's usually reasonably intelligent)again shite ride quality and he was unlucky enough to buy a dud.
I've wanted a Subaru,for a long time,can't really afford a diesel version.

That's the problem with this hobby of ours,expensive bikes and very easy to steal,even if they are locked.
Hope you get the bike back.

I'd talked myself out of it,but looking at Passat ,Mondeo,estates,Golfs and Civics has made me reconsider.

go on. go on go on go on go on.

It makes my old 575 look almost stylish! Made my day.
Hope you enjoy it.

….or ride our natural trails before you go. A Lakes,or Peaks ride would be a good warm-up.

Coffeeking is dead right,but tinted-windows serve only one purpose;to warn the rest of us,that there's prick behind the wheel.

A daft original question, followed by some hilarius replies. Cheered me up!

Ust Nevagal on the front,Advantage on the back of my 575,no idea of pressures.Great in the Lakes/Peaks. Tyre choice not reallyan issue in Trail centres.

My favourite VW since the MK1 Golf. 4 of us (no short arses) fitted in one ,on our last visit to the Lakes.