Recent Posts

1

The Pub / Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.

« Last post by Kim on Today at 09:17:44 pm »

I did manage a successful patch on a slime tube once.  Took a few attempts, by which point I'd got schmoo in the valve and it was only fit for the bin.

2

The Pub / Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.

« Last post by CAMRAMan on Today at 09:16:53 pm »

I rather think you're right...

3

The Pub / Re: A random thread for small things that don't really warrant a thread of their own

« Last post by Kim on Today at 09:13:26 pm »

Last year I contacted the local outdoor ed centre about volunteering to help on DoE and other activities.

They got back to me today, asking me to fill in a form.

It is a full employment application form.

See also: Trying to get paid for a one-off anything by a university.  Although that's firmly the government's fault.

Not just the UK. Son gave a one-week course in English to science students at Strasbourg university and was over six months getting paid.

Being late with invoices is I'm sure universal, but there's relatively recent change to TEH RULEZ that mean that universities have to bring people on as full employees with background checks P60s and everything, even if they're just giving a one-off seminar or whatever.  I'm not sure of the details, but I suspect the underlying logic is Priti Fascist™.

4

The Pub / Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.

« Last post by robgul on Today at 09:12:59 pm »

Went to get the Haibike out of the shed this morning only to find the rear wheel flat. It's a bleedin' Slime tube an'all. Luckily, I've got a set of spare wheels, so I've swapped them over without too much swearing. In so doing, I noticed that I've put the front tyre on in the wrong direction. That's not a task for this evening.
I've never fixed a puncture on a Slime tube. I foresee trouble finding the leak unless it's mahoosive.

Forget it - new tube.  I know, I've been there.

5

Freewheeling / Re: Pilgrimage Symposium, 17/Apr/24, London

« Last post by ElyDave on Today at 09:05:03 pm »

It actually made me think of one of my own favourite (much shorter) rides, which includes a short but steep hill just outside Gloucester. Heading back south, you crest the hill and get your first view of the city, which is dead flat (as well as obviously much, much smaller than London) and I'm still struck how, in 2024, the tallest building is still the cathedral.

That may be a deliberate planning thing, like in that Canterbury that they have now, where the Arch Bish has some sort of veto over large erections and anagrams of "fuck".

I don't think its in any way an accident that Ely Cathedral is on the only 'ill for miles around.  It does come in dead handy though when trying to get your bearings

6

Further and Faster / Re: New bike for Audax from Halfords.

« Last post by quixoticgeek on Today at 08:29:25 pm »

The three areas to focus on, imho, are:

- Contacts points: hands, feet, arse. If you're not comfortable on the bike, you won't enjoy going very far
 Make sure you're comfortable. Bar ends? Bar grips? Good saddle?

- Tyres - swapping to something like conti gp 5k can give you a good speed boost for not much money. Get the largest size that will fit your rims. Ideally the 32mm ones.

- Navigation: being on route is faster than being off route. Having good navigation device (I like the wahoo element bolt) can be he difference between finishing, and spending the day riding in the wrong direction. On one ride I picked up 3 other riders who all had nav failures and guided them home.

J

7

The Pub / Re: Tune Association II - Son of Tune Association

« Last post by Mr Larrington on Today at 08:05:02 pm »

Umleitung ~ Teh QUO

8

Racing / Re: RATN 2024.

« Last post by quixoticgeek on Today at 07:56:33 pm »

https://dotwatcher.cc/race/race-around-the-netherlands-2024

Race preview is up.

J

9

Where The Wild Things Are / Re: What is your pet doing right now?*

« Last post by Mrs Pingu on Today at 07:53:25 pm »

That stuff looks quite new, bloody expensive too by the looks of it (compared to insulin)

10

The Pub / Re: Tune Association II - Son of Tune Association

« Last post by CAMRAMan on Today at 07:53:01 pm »

Take the Long Way Home - Supertramp