Any question answered...

^Where are you getting pain? What does it feel like (dull ache, shooting pain, muscle spasms)?

lower back, feels kinda muscular, ok when straight, painfull when I lean back or forwards.

^Physio? I think bluerip on here does cycle targetted physio. there's a thread somewhere. rummages
here

Do I really need to bother taping my patella up as part of the rehab process?

Big thanks to everyone for their replies about my front and rear mech. I've waded in with a screwdriver and found it to be a lot easier than I thought. Was just being a lazy sod and giving up too easily.

However, there's still a slight problem.

I now have the rear mech set up just fine - limits set right, indexing OK, working in all ten gears. The front mech also works fine and can shift into both rings. However, to get from the small to large ring you have to shift several times - each increment isn't enough to move it from one cog to the other by itself.

With the rear the indexing is set, is it the same on the front? Or is there a way to adjust how much cable it pulls with each shift? If not, am I just using incompatible gear? I have a Campagnolo Centaur shifter with Campagnolo Veloce mech.

Thanks all.

x

lower back, feels kinda muscular, ok when straight, painfull when I lean back or forwards.

Ditto 6pt, for pain relief you could try a TENS machine works well for me and is drug free. Basically it is a little machine that runs a small electric current through your skin, this confuses the nerves in the area where you are experiencing pain and cancels out the pain signals going to your brain. Lloyds pharmacy do a cheap one that I use works well but read the instructions first.

Linky

that's interesting, but if pain is a way of telling your body that there is something wrong, wouldn't numbing the pain then mean that you would be aggravating your back more than you actually realise and risk causing serious long term damage without even knowing?

just speculations, I work with pixels so I can't claim to know anything beyond that...

Big thanks to everyone for their replies about my front and rear mech. I've waded in with a screwdriver and found it to be a lot easier than I thought. Was just being a lazy sod and giving up too easily.

However, there's still a slight problem.

I now have the rear mech set up just fine - limits set right, indexing OK, working in all ten gears. The front mech also works fine and can shift into both rings. However, to get from the small to large ring you have to shift several times - each increment isn't enough to move it from one cog to the other by itself.

With the rear the indexing is set, is it the same on the front? Or is there a way to adjust how much cable it pulls with each shift? If not, am I just using incompatible gear? I have a Campagnolo Centaur shifter with Campagnolo Veloce mech.

Thanks all.

x

That's normal for the front mech. Individual clicks give you the option to 'trim' a little, when nearly cross-chaining, but otherwise it's a big throw of the lever to get onto the big ring. If you find you can't do it in one sweep, do it in 2 medium sized pushes :)

It should dump easily onto the small ring if you push the thumb shifter down hard, though you might then have to trim back the other way one click.

@ nelaii

In many ways you are right, but there comes a point where pain can be counter productive. A TENS machine is not designed to be worn constantly, when I need it I use for 15 minutes once or twice a day and only when I am lying down or sitting comfortably so as not to damage the area that is effected. It works well and takes the edge off the pain in the long run but unlike painkillers does not mask the pain completely, if you overexert yourself and are at risk of damaging the effected area you will still know about it. I would still go and see a physio in your place but this may help you cope with the pain.

In that case, I'm all set. Sweet. Thank you.

Will take it out tomorrow for a nice long spin somewhere.

Where on Earth do you go on a road bike in London?! Just moved back from t'countryside...

head for the hills... (plus added novelty of hills, surely?)

@ Bobbo, thanks, thats really helpful! :)

alex - hope this clears up. everyone's doing DD.

#nooffencetoanyonewhosnot

My knee is in pain but feels better today and seems to be getting better every day.

I'll be set in time for the DD and I can't wait :) :)

The e-mail address I used when I was self employed last year has recieved the following e-mail from the address customs@hmrc.gov.uk

"Dear Applicant:

Following an upgrade of our computer systems and review of our records we have investigated your payments and latest tax returns over the last five years our calculations show that you have made over payments of GBP £*.
Due to the high volume of refunds due you must complete the online application, the telephone help line is unable to assist with this application. In oder to process your refund you will need to complete the application form attached to this email.Your refund may take up to 3 weeks to process please make sure you complete the form correctly.

NOTE: If you've received an Income Tax ‘repayment’ it will either be following a claim you've made or because HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has received new information about your taxable income or entitlement to allowances. The refund may come through your tax code or as a payment and could relate to the current tax year or earlier years.

An Income Tax repayment is a refund of tax that you've overpaid. So, if you've paid too much tax for example through your job or pension this year or in previous years HMRC will send you a repayment. You'll get the repayment by bank transfer directly to your credit or debit card.

HM Revenue & Customs
London , HA7 2LD
All rights reserved"

Does this look dodgy to anyone else? It does to me. I've e-mailed HMRC's phishing helpdesk and am waiting for a reply.

It would look less dodgy with a phrase* "we have investigated your payments and latest tax returns over the last five years our calculations show that you have lied to us, sir "*. I'd believe that.

Yes. Extremely dodgy. I've had several of these from time time over the last couple of years. HMRC will never contact you by e-mail. Ignore.

I just found the Opinel knife my dad bought me as a child when we were in France. Its been in the bottom of a draw for about 10 years. I'm going to clean it up and look after it a bit I think. What would I use to lubricate the blade? its pretty stiff to get out the handle.

Light oil, such as sewing machine or hair clipper oil. As it is probably a case of the wood expanding slightly and rubbing on the blade a drop of linseed oil may work too and feed the wood also.

The blood of a youf would be a good start

^^^ king of knives

the boss tho is...

http://bigstickcombat.wordpress.com/ <---- lol

So I used the fit calculator and the results are pretty much as I expected. 59cm top tube seems pretty standard, apart from a lot of seat post showing is there anything else to consider? Basically there are some cheap Dolan preffisio frames on ebay, 62cm c-t 59 top tube. Worth a punt or shall I keep searching for a big frame?

[code]
Seat tube range c-c 61.6 - 62.1 62.8 - 63.3
Seat tube range c-t 63.5 - 64.0 64.7 - 65.2
Top tube length 58.1 - 58.5 58.1 - 58.5
Stem Length 12.5 - 13.1 11.4 - 12.0

[/code]

My back is killing me. I think it might be fom riding. It's making me miserable. And looking highly likely I might have to pull out of DD.

But anyway, the question part. What should I do?

I see no point of going to my doctor cos he'll just give me an aspiring, I mean it SI the NHS afterall. I tried going to the Osteo before but didn't find it that helpful.

Where else can I try?

Take lots of Ibuprofen for 3 or 4 days and avoid doing the things that make it hurt. Wait and see what happens. Back problems are so various and complex that most specific advice is useless. If you go to the doctor it can take months to get to see someone who can work it out. If it does not clear up in a few days then start that process.

Trying to fill in an application for a job. One of my referees is self employed - what would his 'position' be called i.e. manager etc.?

I would go with Director or Partner.
He can call himself what he likes so you just want it to sound good, no?

Yeah, so long as it sounds good. Why can't they just accept my sodding CV instead of making me fill out this sodding form. It took me hours to make my CV look vaguely decent and the JobCentre keep stressing how important a well written CV is. Barstards.