Great debate I have started. Thank you, exactly the opinions and comments I wanted.

The driver that knocked me off, just didn’t see me, I was travelling at about 30mph when descending from the cat and fiddle. He lost his Licence for good, was 80 and failed his eyesight test.
Castelli orange perfotto stuff is great, so is Endura hi Vis blue FS pro stuff, I do hate the hi vis yellow sweat like a pig bin bags.
I do get it that if a driver is going to hit a cyclist its because they are just not looking and has sod all to do with what they are wearing but wearing something bright and/or flashing lights at least may give a chance that the driver that isn’t looking see’s you at the last second.

I’m on my second RX cranks, first one developed a crack on the drive side near the pedal thread, after 3 months, Replaced by Merlin very quickly, hope never replied to me when I asked why, needed a 30mm hope bb and another hope specific tool, if I hadn’t already spent a fortune on 2 RX chainrings bb plus spanner i probably would gone back to my SRAM force cranks, I’ve not had a great year with hope, also had a split hope road rim for no reason. All replaced no issues, but was never refunded for any of my shipping costs for returning faulty parts under warranty

Endura primaloft ones are great also, I have a black and turquoise one, pretty bright they now do an orange (pumpkin)
Endura

Castelli Perfetto Ros Vest. I have the bright orange one. pretty snug, very bright, windproof, wouldn’t say waterproof though, acts a bit like a wetsuit with the right jersey/layers underneath. Not cheap

I have the 1030 plus, love it, I had an 820. Battery life is fantastic. I much prefer the bigger the screen as eyesight is fading. Lots of features I like. Touch screen is very sensitive, had it set to medium (default) rain likes to change the screen. Now set on least sensitive option. The selling point to me was the screen size. perhaps may of been cheaper to get prescription oakley’s

Swissstop yellow ones, not cheap though.

Definitely no Impact, as that arm is unmarked, rode today no out of saddle pressure, can act actually feel and see the flex, visibly see the it twist on the down stroke, feels like my foot is rolling slightly off the pedal to the side, can’t upload an image as don’t have any photo hosting accounts.
Will speak to Merlin if I can tomorrow and see what they offer, also emailed hope. I now need to buy another set of cranks as I only own one bike. While I wait for this to be resolved as I guess hope will want to inspect.

Only 4 months old, I will upload images tomorrow, if the crack is close to the pedal how does the bottom bracket spacers impact on the stress at the pedal end.
Emailed Hope today, don’t expect a response just yet.

Cracked the full width of the arm slightly to the right of the centre line for the pedal spindle on the top.

easy enough to remove, I just used a small flat head type screw driver positioned on the join and just tapped apart, being extremely careful, doing opposite sides a fraction at a time.

Thanks for some great comments, also some cynical people on here, I am not bragging I only gave the information to enable sensible reply’s which the majority are, Because I also care about how the bike looks to some on here seems wrong.
Little insight into me.
51 years young, racing mountain bikes since 1987. Organised races for NEMBA, UCI commissaire for a few years.
Ride totally solo due to the job I have. Strava has given me a new zest for riding. Ride/train 5000 miles a year. was due to do the dirty Reiver this weekend.
Can’t ride MTB’s anymore due to my job and the risk.

Thanks so much, really useful advise and comments.
The reason I said Aero bike, tbh is all about the look. I like the deep rims, the clean lines.
I do tend to ride on the drops so quite low.
I have tried 32mm continental Gatorskins but now ride 42mm conti contact speed, the bigger volume has a bigger circumference and more comfort and tbh are faster than the 32 looking at the improved PR’s on strava

Cheers

Was going to camp as the plan was to come on my own. Now wifey wants to come and has booked a £330 water side lodge and apparently I am paying for.

There is a cancer cycling charity shop based in Prestbury Near Macclesfield in Cheshire. Not sure of the name. I’ve donated quite a lot of stuff, they also take, parts etc.

Thanks guys, will probably go the identical wheels. It would be just my luck if I went for the Hunt they wouldn’t be a straight swap

Thank you was hoping it would be that simple.

He is 5ft7 and growning riding a size M, looking for 650b as he has very good hope hoops.

Bez, which unit are you talking about. cheers

thank you for posting this, was going to work.

Cheers guys, I have a hope headset ordered. I am going to run hope Five20 wheels 700c they have hope pro4 hubs, I have adapters for 15mm and 142 12mm they came with the wheels but not attached yet as using the wheels on my boardman with qr9. Will likely get some 650b wheels for the rougher stuff. toe overlap concerns but will see. Already ordered a hope head doctor. will be running a 1×11 11-42 and 46 at the front, May need to drop to 42, Have been so use to a 2×10. I have never used Sram hydraulic discs before Rival 1, used TRP cable before. It was going to be a cheap build initially its gone a bit mental now. I am think the red Hope everything will look great with the grey frame. Mid life crisis.

Cheers, building it with hope red stuff, hope wheels, sram rival fizik and thomson. Can’t wait. curious to see how 650b wheels will fit, will try my sons.

cheers, buying everything blind has been difficult especially re the brakes, mounts etc. what do you think of it. What headset do you use.

horrifically scored, sanded cleaned and seat tube cleaned with wire wool on the end of a coat hanger connected to my drill, sweat now, works all fine.

Its OUTTTTTTTTTTTT yeah

Hope 20five wheelset just ordered. Cheers guys, Like the DT swiss but pricey even for me.

Cheers guys, With me sourcing the bits, It isn’t my intention to take any profit away from any wheelbuilder, last time I did this the builder couldn’t fine the hope hub in the colour and spec I needed quickly.

cheers

Sky over Virgin, have had both, Virgin was awful, cancelled virgin the first minute I could. Sky TV is much faster, user interface far more use friendly, Skygo much better than The virgin equivalent. Virgin Broadband kept dropping out, constantly rebooting the router. Plus you have sky Atlantic channel which virgin doesn’t. TBH I wouldn’t have virgin if they gave it me for free. If I recommend you to sky we both get a £50 prepaid master card.

try hdew cameras, based in Colchester. they are grey imports service is superb, I’ve spent about 10k with them over the past few years they quite often offer 3 years warranty.

Lessons will be organised in the new year at chillfactore , they do a 3 day course for beginners then a 3 day course for intermediates if you pass the beginners so the plan is to do both.

Cheers for allthis, he is a small 15 yr old. Quite a brand snob unfortunately (i wonder where he gets that from) He is pretty fit as cycles everyday and plays hockey. plus rollerblades. So far he has gone TNF Triclimate ski coat and TNF ski trousers both bought yesterday on cyber monday extra 20% off. plus Aldi socks

he has loads of baselayers, doesnt wear glasses so goggles will be OK, I am about to buy a North face triclimate jacket as he needs a new waterproof and didnt want to buy a specific insulated coat he will grow out of next summer.
Interesting about the rollerblades. will try that.

He will be skiing not snowboarding.

had no idea there was a ski thread

Only child came home with a similar letter a few weeks ago, £4170.00 for a 4 week trip to PERU in 2018 which includes a trek to Machu Picchu, benefits include earning UCAS points equivalent to an AS level. He didn’t want to go, even though we said he could. (nice grand parents would have contributed) Niece went to the Himalayas last year on a similar trip.

try startrescue.co.uk I use them for UK, £37 for 16 days europe

My Great Uncle died 100 years ago today on the Somme. I managed to obtain tickets for my Parents to go to the ceremony in Thiepval today. My fathers mother lost all 3 brothers in the first world war.

http://www.groovyrevolution.com

these guys are awesome and so are these, http://www.therushband.co.uk

both northwest based.