The Good News / Bad News Thread

[Jakob W]

So what did you end up going for - a Bob Jackson?

[Tim Hall]

So what did you end up going for - a Bob Jackson?

Yes. It'll be built up by Pilgrim Cycles.

[CommuteTooFar]

gn : I connected Monitor Audio Silver 100 as surround speakers to my Denon AVR-X3400H
bn : the front speakers and centre speaker are connected via Audiolab power amplifiers.  The difference in volume is too much for the Denon to compensate so the rears can hardly be heard.

CommuteTooFar Setup:
Philips 55Pos9002 Oled TV
Pioneer BDP-LX55 Blue ray player
Denon AVR-X3400H
Front Speakers Spendor A6R connected via Audiolab 8300MB
Centre Speaker Monitor Audio Silver C350 via Audiolab 8200M
Surround Speaker Monitor Audio Silver 100 directly connected to Denon AVR-X3400H

[Wombat]

CommuteTooFar,
As I know nothing about the Denon AVR-X3400H, I am puzzled by the complexity of your system. Does it not have power amp facilities to power the front and centre speakers?  My own system just comprises an AV amp which is a good few years old, so "only" 5.1 feeding all 5 speakers, and fed by a Sony 4K blu-ray player, and connected to a Sony 4K TV.  No, the amp isn't a Sony, 'cos they were too stupid to make one that would actually read the data stream from an SACD played in one of their own Blu-ray players...    I think they do now, but spending money on such things is not on the current agenda.

[Mr Larrington]

I've got an AVR-X2000 in here and can confirm that it's quite capable of powering seven squeakers (the sub needs its own power supply) without resorting to intermediate power amps.  So unless there's something unusual about CTF's front & centre squeakers then I don't get it either.

[CommuteTooFar]

I originally had a Audiolab 8200ap which is a preamp only so power amps were required. Unfortunately it failed so I bought the denon. As I had the power amps I continued to use them.
The Denon AVR-X3400H is a very well regarded AV Receiver. Five star review from what hifi. It seems that is auto calibration (Audyssy) failed to cope with the relative sensitivity of Spendor A6R versus Monitor Audio Silver. I bought a sound meter and will try again setting it up manually.
 

[tiermat]

GN I appear to have gained an unexpected week which I can use for cycling.

BN this is due to workplace induced stress.

[Wowbagger]

Yesterday Jan and I were jostled/harassed on the Paris metro by 3 or more blokes trying us out for what they could nick. This involved one guy trying to relieve me of our suitcase and another reaching for Jan’s coat pocket.

The good news is that we have escaped unscathed. However, my experience of French speaking large cities is that they are awash with street crime. Pal Jeff had his watch nicked in Brussels, I had >€200 lifted when I had my pocket picked in Lille, and now this.

That is 3 visits, 3 incidents in less than 2 years.

[matthew]

GN: colleague is back on his bike after breaking his shoulder in a 5-a-side football game after work last year.

BN: front puncture off road lead to a topple last night and he has bust a couple of ribs and his scapular.

MBN: currently in hospital after a cat scan and awaiting decision on plates.

[Torslanda]

Yesterday Jan and I were jostled/harassed on the Paris metro by 3 or more blokes trying us out for what they could nick. This involved one guy trying to relieve me of our suitcase and another reaching for Jan’s coat pocket.

The good news is that we have escaped unscathed. However, my experience of French speaking large cities is that they are awash with street crime. Pal Jeff had his watch nicked in Brussels, I had >€200 lifted when I had my pocket picked in Lille, and now this.

That is 3 visits, 3 incidents in less than 2 years.

That's one upside of having a dinojuice jamjar.

ETA

Sorry, that sounded mocking and fatuous. It wasn't intended...

[mrcharly-YHT]

GN: I made myself a lovely lunch to bring to work last night

BN: I left it at home this morning.

GN: I bought a second lunch (intending to eat both) on the way to work this morning.

BN: Now I only have one lunch.

[Mrs Pingu]

Sitting in Bergen airport this evening after a week in Norway and having spent the previous 6 hours travelling.
The chap at the departure gate announces;

Due to a technical fault the plane for this flight has been replaced by a smaller plane and we are requesting 16 volunteers to change to a flight leaving from Stavanger tomorrow afternoon

5 mins later

We'll give you 250 Euros and otherwise we'll choose people based on booking class

I was expecting them to read out a list of names but instead they just started boarding and then rejected people going through the gate based on the computer saying no. Thankfully I got a green light. Some people I'd been at the conference with got the red light and there was some stropping and bag launching. I felt sorry for them but OTOH they are the competition, so not *that* sad.

[perpetual dan]

Bad news: I couldn’t find a way to coax a return fare out of a train company for the combination of London / Glasgow and back tickets I want - even though the OJP suggested they exist.

Meh news: not *that* much more money.

Bad news: there are no seat reservations available for the way back at the moment.

Bad news: Southern aren’t confirming engineering work until about a month before, which interacts badly with reserving anything.

OK news: I can ride to a working station for most likely combinations of Southerning of this end’s trains.

Good news: a sensible priced reservation was available for the sleeper to Scotland.

Good news: the impenetrable nature of bike booking on Virgin means I have a bike space on the awaker getting back again.

Which, combines to the good news that I’m getting four and a bit days of riding to and around Jura, Islay and Arran in May.

[ElyDave]

You'll love it, I did Islay and Arran last august, going back again for islay and mull this year.  If youre going to Glasgow I guess you're using the ferries?  Enjoy crossing the mull of kintyre

[perpetual dan]

Thanks
Yes, the plan is go go from Wemyss Bay and ferry / ride * several on the way there, and via Arran and Ardrossan on the way back.

[Tim Hall]

GN: Insurance company paid up following the theft of my Mercian.
BN: The New! Shiny! will cost a fuck load MOAR money than they shelled out.
GN: I can afford it. 631, 531. Fancy lugs, curved tubes. <little moment>
MOAR GN: Deposit paid.

Must have progress reports. 

Progress report #1: Nice man from bike shop gets in touch.  Do I want a band on or braze on front mech? Do I want a metal head tube badge?
Progress report #2: Waiting. Waiting. Twiddling thumbs. Waiting. Thinking about paint schemes. Waiting.

Progress report #3: Consulted people who know which colours go together well. Chose paint scheme (BRG with ivory head tube, panel on seat tube and lug lining).
Progress report #4: Some mild faffing due to 10 speed/11 speed hub availability affecting choice of rim and wheel build.
Progress report #5: The frame is at Pilgrim! Saddle and bar tape colour confirmed. Hopefully I'll collect the bike at the weekend. Somewhat excited.

[Tim Hall]

GN: Insurance company paid up following the theft of my Mercian.
BN: The New! Shiny! will cost a fuck load MOAR money than they shelled out.
GN: I can afford it. 631, 531. Fancy lugs, curved tubes. <little moment>
MOAR GN: Deposit paid.

Must have progress reports. 

Progress report #1: Nice man from bike shop gets in touch.  Do I want a band on or braze on front mech? Do I want a metal head tube badge?
Progress report #2: Waiting. Waiting. Twiddling thumbs. Waiting. Thinking about paint schemes. Waiting.

Progress report #3: Consulted people who know which colours go together well. Chose paint scheme (BRG with ivory head tube, panel on seat tube and lug lining).
Progress report #4: Some mild faffing due to 10 speed/11 speed hub availability affecting choice of rim and wheel build.
Progress report #5: The frame is at Pilgrim! Saddle and bar tape colour confirmed. Hopefully I'll collect the bike at the weekend. Somewhat excited.

Progress report #6: Dave at Pilgrim has got lots of dirty bike servicing to do, so I won't get the bike this weekend. Hopefully sometime next week.

[Butterfly]

Progress report #6: Dave at Pilgrim has got lots of dirty bike servicing to do, so I won't get the bike this weekend. Hopefully sometime next week.

Oh Bother!

[Tim Hall]

GN: Insurance company paid up following the theft of my Mercian.
BN: The New! Shiny! will cost a fuck load MOAR money than they shelled out.
GN: I can afford it. 631, 531. Fancy lugs, curved tubes. <little moment>
MOAR GN: Deposit paid.

Must have progress reports. 

Progress report #1: Nice man from bike shop gets in touch.  Do I want a band on or braze on front mech? Do I want a metal head tube badge?
Progress report #2: Waiting. Waiting. Twiddling thumbs. Waiting. Thinking about paint schemes. Waiting.

Progress report #3: Consulted people who know which colours go together well. Chose paint scheme (BRG with ivory head tube, panel on seat tube and lug lining).
Progress report #4: Some mild faffing due to 10 speed/11 speed hub availability affecting choice of rim and wheel build.
Progress report #5: The frame is at Pilgrim! Saddle and bar tape colour confirmed. Hopefully I'll collect the bike at the weekend. Somewhat excited.

Progress report #6: Dave at Pilgrim has got lots of dirty bike servicing to do, so I won't get the bike this weekend. Hopefully sometime next week.

Progress report #7: It's ready. Pick up on Saturday. Maybe a quick twiddle up Box Hill afterwards.

[Tim Hall]

BN: Can't pick the bike up Saturday
GN: I dropped in to Pilgrim Cycles on the way back from a meeting in London's famous London today instead.

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I may have had a Little Moment.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Phwoar, look at the lugs on that!

I hate to tell you this, Tim, but I think an elephant has sat on your seat stays... 

[Ham]

I thought it was made from a pushmepullyou

[Canardly]

That looks rather spiffing curly stays an' all.

[Mrs Pingu]

Nice lugs, but I wouldn't be happy having BJ embossed on my bike.

[Kim]

Nice lugs, but I wouldn't be happy having BJ embossed on my bike.

Unless it was a Pompino?