AK350Z

Great pics Stu, I'd love to go back again on the next shutdown.

I try to avoid taking mine to work, as it would be about £25 a day! The problem is the roads are pretty good on the way, so I still treat myself occasionally.

Don't think I've got enough hours in the day to write the reply that i'd like, but I'll stick a couple of points in. Firstly Rich, anything in the daily Mail is to be treated with the utmost scepticism. Comparing one single year with the next is identical bobbins to the opposite stance that one year warmer than the previous one is irrefutable proof that it's getting hotter. Secondly, everybody seriously needs to get a grip and separate the conspiracy theories that the IPCC designs policy in any way. They merely aggregate peer reviewed papers, and they encompass both sides of the argument. If you want to rant about the added tax burden, you'll need to do that to your elected representatives, because they decide what shapes future policy. Likewise the assumption that we insignificant beings couldn't possibly have a significant effect on the planet is deeply flawed, you just have to go to one of our current mega-cities to see that. It is certainly not beyond the pale that we could be having an effect, and only by enacting our best tool - the scientific method, are we going to find out if that is the case. People expect this stuff to be solved overnight, our short, finite, lifetimes present significant challenges to accumulating data on geological time-scales, especially given that the modern information age is only decades old. Past data is relatively concrete, but how would you go about predicting the actual chuffing future? Think thats easy? Of course it's not, and we've only been trying for a handful of years. Theories are not facts. That's the point. Expecting a theory or model to provide absolute certainty is crazy - yet the media ignore that and present it as failure. You can tell it's not possible to build a 100% accurate model, because the're aren't any scientists winning the lottery every week.

It's at the upper end of those kind of events. If you're going alone you'll defo need the help of your fellow competitors to get past some of the obstacles, not normally a problem though.

That was a big day out! The Ben is done, a fitting finale to the season. Overall, it was a good lap for the most part. I didn't really race it as I was sticking to my mate Phil and making sure he got round ok, and treated it more as a massive ride in the country. Still, did ok on the timed stages and it was a great craic, you even get piped down Fort Bill high street at the start! The ride itself is probably described as quite rough! Although on the day it managed to stay dry despite being typical scottish dreich the rest of the time. I'd defo come and ride it again, the long hike-a-bike section has a few rideable bits in it, if there weren't so many people in front of you! Lining up lots of hill to start Prime Scottish trail Queue for stage one - the descent to Kinlochleven. It's just busy as it's early on, and the riders aren't that stretched out yet. First feed station Dib for stage two - a climb and short descent End of stage two The big river crossing Light relief: Someone ripped out their arse pad! Bad idea with all the granite sand about Big hike-a-bike. Timed section too, although the dibber was actually miles away, not at the top as we thought! Great singletrack while we were looking for the never appearing dibber though Finally, stage three finished at the bothy. Haggis buttie and a brew to pick you up after several hard hours of riding Arriving at Nevis range, nearly 6 hours in. The final stage was the "Blue Crane" descent, hard going at such a late stage, but we survived and gradually emerged from the forest and made our way back to Fort Bill for a well earned burger and a brew! The face of fatigue!

Cheers guys! There was kinda a birthday ride yesterday - the Tour de Ben Nevis, pics and shiz to follow in the bike thread. Oh yeah, AND THIS!!!!!! Sourced by my lovely lady

Theres a good reason for that Keep the ambers, they're more period correct. Overall, "like".

zzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

.........................

I seem to remember the old TOCA series was pretty good for uk tracks. Will all be too small fry for the big releases now, you need something like rFactor with fan created content.

It is indeed! I'm recording the feed on ITV4 so I can spot myself later Fran went and watched it from work in Workington. No good about the forks eh? I'm also looking at getting a ride in on wednesday (only good day this week?) and not going up scotland early. Doesn't look worth it. Early indications are positive for the Ben though.... fingers crossed!

Just been to see the Tour of britain go through Whitehaven, pretty wet and windy, don't think anyone noticed Wiggo at the back at the team car! Wanted to go to Honister, but conditions are awful! Good crowds there on the TV though.

Which one????

Great to see you've got moved at last Ian,

I have the big quarter inch ratchet set and it's done well so far.

A shame most people will discount this as "just another modified zed", when in reality, the attention to detail far exceeds your average FI build.

Usual craic, 6 will be announced this time next year, give or take. Main cost cut in the 5c seems to be a plastic body instead of alloy I'm still stuck on my HTC Desire! Looking a bit tatty round the edges now, but the glass is unmarked. I wouldn't even change it if it couldn't do with a bit more memory.

Just a smartphone at the end of the day. Makes calls, sends texts, surfs the web. They all do it pretty well now. Hard to see what the next real advance will actually be?

Agreed, 10 days is ridiculous for a small kitchen. Ours took 3, plus half a day when the stone tops arrived. As for tradesman, depends where you live, but anyone charging £250 a day round here would be out of work instantaneously. Try about half that.

Certainly, and my recent mods all work well together. The DX pedals and shoes are great (glad I sent the original pair back to CRC for a euro size less), dropper is a pleasure to just have ready on standby, and the 2x10 worked spot on. Didn't notice any change in the low gear, although my fitness is peaking for the season now I guess! I appear to have lost a bit of weight too... Don't think we're going to get many in for the bike weekend, I started a thread on it a few weeks ago, but it just bombed. At least it simplifies the digs eh? Waiting for the next issue of Singletrack to come out next month for the big lights test, although I might get a Magicshine MJ-872 to tide me over.

Err, no. Although the Manx MTB Club were there with a couple of those lovely full rigid Niner Air 9 bikes: Also spotted one guy on a fat bike. Legend.

Back again! It was a good event, if decidedly cross-country. There's not much technical stuff, but given the 1700 entry, what there was, was enough to cause a couple of bottlenecks, but I gather it's been much worse on other routes in previous years. The weather nearly held out, a couple of showers in the morning, but otherwise nice until the end. I was totally overbiked and over-equipped, but it was a practice loadout for the Ben, so I was carrying a bit of weight. Start at point of Erin. A bit windswept. Not the best place to start on your puncture. Five minutes before the start.... The massed start. Nearly 600 wouldn't finish. The first offroad section, after nearly an hour on road to string the pack out a bit Good crowds at all the towns and feed stations. Down down down. Up up up. Getting down south The top of the final singletrack decent towards Port St. Mary. Best bit of the day! The finish line. At the top of one last bloody climb! Made the "national" newspaper too

Sorting our own accommodation then? The New drivetrain's all sorted on the bike, the race packs nearly ready, and I just need to finish packing tomorrow morning before the off! Hoping this awful weather clears off for sunday! Looks like it might be a rough crossing tomorrow, hope I remember to pack my work stomach.

My bad! Obviously haven't woken up yet...