Any question answered...

Corsica. fits the bill in all aspects.

@WjPrince
If you weren't trying to imply that vegetarianism is destroying the Amazon, and you accept that replacing soya protein with another source would probably be even less efficient and more environmentally damaging... what point were you trying to make?

Thank you. I'm still hopeful that this will blow over, but if forced into a corner I can at least ensure that there's some nice sunny miles in it...

Malaga?

My first thought was Malta, but it might be a bit small and flat for proper cycling. They also drive on the left and have our old bendy buses.

It's supposed to be a fascinating place, with amazing history but decent beaches as well.

I'm trying to decide between Malta, Montenegro and Marrakech as a last minute holiday with gf.
I lean towards Montenegro/ Malta as its for a week, Marrakech can get a bit grating...

Plus we're going to Beirut, Nablus and Amman at some point late this year- which should tick her desire to go to the middle east.

I have an eBay related problem - so I bought a bike a little while back described as "full working and in good condition", but when it arrived one of the shifters wasn't working and I discovered it wasn't something I could fix so a replacement shifter was necessary. I contacted the seller to ask for a refund for the cost of the shifter. The response I received was from his wife who said her husband was sick and would deal with it when he was well again. I sent my best wishes back and then waited to hear from them. Anyway, a couple of weeks past and no response so I decided to have a look at there eBay page just to see if there was any activity. Sure enough, they were listing items again so I sent another message saying, I've seen you're listing items again so could you please deal with my request. The response I got:

"Hello sorry i havnt replied it is a sad time here and i am listing some stuff using bills account
sinderely lin"

Awkward! What do I say to this?! Do we think it's legit?

Help!

is it a shimano STI that just doesn't want to shift?

if so, I haz the ansa!

I'm trying to decide between Malta, Montenegro and Marrakech as a last minute holiday with gf.
I lean towards Montenegro/ Malta as its for a week, Marrakech can get a bit grating...

Plus we're going to Beirut, Nablus and Amman at some point late this year- which should tick her desire to go to the middle east.

montenegro's lovely, i went last year!

My first thought was Malta, but it might be a bit small and flat for proper cycling. They also drive on the left and have our old bendy buses.

It's supposed to be a fascinating place, with amazing history but decent beaches as well.

Standard of driving ranges from "poor" to "very poor" just so you know, in Malta.

montenegro's lovely, i went last year!

I'm really tempted.
Fly into Dubrovnik- 2 nights, Drive to Budva for 2nights, Ulcinj for 2 nights.
Then back to Dubrovnik to fly home, maybe stopping in Tivat for a night.
It looks like an excellent place to do a cycling holiday, but she isn't up for that yet- maybe next year.

You could combine it with the swimming holidays in Croatia and have an amazing duathlon holiday.

You could combine it with the swimming holidays in Croatia and have an amazing duathlon holiday.

I did a big tour in Croatia a while back, so I'm not that keen on going back. Like the idea of an island - can draw all over it in Strava then. I'll drop her a list of these names and see what she says. I'm also hoping that we can do it on the cheap...

Yeah we did 2 nights in dubrovnik and 7 in montenegro, croatia i didn't like all that much, not compared to montenegro anyway

Corsica (I haven't been yet but plan to) is meant to have awsome food too - and excellent walking and cycling but i think any french or italian med island will too.

Yeah we did 2 nights in dubrovnik and 7 in montenegro, croatia i didn't like all that much, not compared to montenegro anyway

I thought the landscape in Croatia was beautiful, but the roads weren't great for cycling - lots and lots of blind corners, one after the other, all the way up the coast. Every time we got to a town it also felt slightly sad, too - it's had a terrible time recently and still feels somehow damaged. But I loved the journey, it's a fascinating place. Always nice to go somewhere new though...

is it a shimano STI that just doesn't want to shift?

if so, I haz the ansa!

Go on...

@WjPrince
If you weren't trying to imply that vegetarianism is destroying the Amazon, and you accept that replacing soya protein with another source would probably be even less efficient and more environmentally damaging... what point were you trying to make?

That soya is a cash crop which is being ruthlessly pursued globally with serious environmental impacts.
S'not that complex.

Go on...

Using light spray lube (say GT85) give a thorough spray inside the shifters mechanism from all angles possible, this should magically restore crisp shifting, next though you need to get some heavy spray grease, as used for motorbike chains or chainsaws, and spray this inside as well (for longterm lubrication)

Found that advice on a thread here somewhere (can't remember where) after a shop told me the shifter was knackered and needed replacing, tried that and it worked a treat. Can't hurt to try?

Soya is found in almost all packaged food (soya lecithin) irregardless of whether there is meat in it or not. S'not just about your fucking Quorn burger.

Apart from Quorn which is made from:

Mycoprotein (88%), rehydrated free range egg white, roasted barley malt extract. Contains Egg & Barley Gluten. Produced in a factory that handles Milk & Wheat.

Which, by the way, I don't and never have eaten.

TM, sadly have already tried this to no avail, but yes it normally does work I agree. So I replied back to the potential widower saying my apologies, let me know when you can help me with this issue... feeling a bit bad now. Does this make me a cunt?

That soya is a cash crop which is being ruthlessly pursued globally with serious environmental impacts.
S'not that complex.

This is 100% fact though.

Using light spray lube (say GT85) give a thorough spray inside the shifters mechanism from all angles possible, this should magically restore crisp shifting, next though you need to get some heavy spray grease, as used for motorbike chains or chainsaws, and spray this inside as well (for longterm lubrication)

Found that advice on a thread here somewhere (can't remember where) after a shop told me the shifter was knackered and needed replacing, tried that and it worked a treat. Can't hurt to try?

Motorbike chain lube is very very sticky to deal with high speed chains. I would never use this in my shifters!

Once made the mistake of using some of my Dad's moto chain lube on my bmx chain.. fail.

^True. Ha, the voice of experience.

^^I'm going by advice I read on the internet, but seems to have worked. Better than the prognosis from the bike shop.... What would you reccommend?

anyone know a good route from camden to shoreditch/hoxton/haggerston way?

i live a bit north of camden so taking the canal seems to be a long winded way of doing it, although i work next to where the canal comes out at near haggerston park...

but theres that bit of canal in the middle that doesnt exist so would have to dismount anyway..