General Chat

There's a lot more mud on it now.

Ahh you went for it!

Yeah! So glad you manage to get out - how was it?

Messy but I like fat tyres a lot now :) Normal shoes & jeans wasn't a good idea though. Went down a dirt track near the river behind Halfords and through Piling Park woods. Turns out my mtb skills are lacking although I managed to avoid stacking it. Think I'll probably need a longer seat post though; felt like a kid riding a bmx at times!

Nice place to take my girlfriend for a meal on valentines? She's coming to visit, we've tried a few places but just want to try some different places!

Depends on your budget really. Roger Hickmans is meant to be exquisite if you're willing to splash out, but I've never been for that reason! Iron House is very nice, and their new little add on bit on Exchange St looks promising too. The Last Wine Bar/Brasserie are also a tad spendy, but very good. Same story for The Library. Bicycle Shop if you like dark cosy vibes - food's good too, but can be a bit limited unless you go for a special/just want tapas. B'nou is meant to be interesting (you say yes or no to the random dishes presented each course and pay for what you eat, no a la carte menu) but it's tiny, so might be fully booked. Roots is a new favourite of ours for lunch (since Appleyard closed) and their dinner menu looks good so could be worth a shot. Dray Yard Smoke House or Harbercue at The Mash Tun will be predictably great for you carnivores, but I can't really comment on that! That's all of the places I rate off the top of my head...

Of course, all of the above will probably be offering special Valentines set menus, so might not be indicative of their day to day service, but that's to be expected everywhere really.

As an old and grumpy miser I put Valentines in the same category as New Years eve. IE all a massive money grabbing con. I reckon cooking up your own meal is the way to go. Shows off your thoughtfulness/skills and will work out cheaper. However, if you don't have a place to eat it or your cooking skills aren't that good then maybe ignore me.

Thanks! Good list, will check some of the websites!

@invertedcriss Uni housing, grubby kitchen etc, not a great place on a normal day never mind valentines haha.

I'm with you on this one @invertedcriss , every day is Valentines Day, my wife expects and gets no more attention or special treatment on Feb 14th because it's a massive commercial con!

We tend to make a really nice meal at home with a few movies and some booze, when we were at uni a takeaway and a couple of films was the go to!

...however 14th March (steak and bj day) is a definite must!

We've gone out for a meal for most of them, I agree it's a money thing though. Thanks for the suggestions though folks!

If you've got money to burn, Delia's is amazing.

im not a fan on the night either
we don't do anything special (as in re write the names of dishes on the menu and stick extra few pounds on the price like a few places I've worked before) for valentines day, we prob have some other dishes on the specials board with a lovely romantic pun but thats about it. also i think we having to ask people if they happy sharing tables with others as the mash tun only really has bigger tables.

other places worth a try in norwich tho, franks bar, the workshop on earlham road or get some fish and chips from grovner and eat in the bird cage.

I second Franks Bar and Workshop. Workshop is right behind your place and their pizza is the best I've had in Norwich, bugger to get a seat though

Workshop is top! Amazing pizza and tons of other stuff on offer if you fancy trying something different.

Decide on anything yet @bengreen? Our wedding is all booked now, Sarah will be lucky to get a card this year the amount that they bloody cost!

Yeah, somewhere near castle mall!

New pb - 32.2mph

Enjoying road bike quite a bit now I think I got it set up reasonably well. Anyone got a 27.2 inline seat post?

32.2 and you have gears?!

I've cracked 38.7mph fixed!!

No idea what my pb is as I don't have a cycle computer, I do remember overtaking the same (unhappy) Lexus three times fixed on the Bowery a few years back after a game of squash, gym session and a quick swim once though. I was fit at one stage!

I've hit 40 with ease on a road bike, but I'm a bit limited by my current gearing - I'd have to be spinning at 190rpm to get over 40 fixed, although I guess that could be possible for a few seconds...

190rpm!!!

You'd look like Sonic's legs!!

Well done on your achievement, Ben.

Haha Jesus! How fast where you spinning?

I am stupidly slow on the road bike! I keep thinking I need to optimise my gears, so try and find one for good cadence, I guess I'll get used to what I can do in time!

You guys all use computers? I'm just using strava app ha, might not even be 32.2! Could be slower haha!

@thross sheesh that's fast! Shedding some pounds should speed me up haha!

@Vickstein thanks!