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Can you borrow a carbon/alu bike off friends to take for a proper test ride ie. not just round the block from the bike shop? It won't be true reflection of the bike material you will eventually end up owning (each manufacturer will utilise the materials in very different ways), but you'll get a feel for the difference in character of ALu/Carbon and whether you think this will suit your style of riding.

And groupsets, if you're looking for quality, entry-level components, 105 is faultless - but don't dip down into Tiagra if you can help it,

Have you got any bikes in mind? The '08 ranges are starting to come on sale now ...and '09 ranges being unveiled to further confuse things.

I'll see you those 2 hills, and raise you a Chalkpit Lane, up out of Oxted, past the quarry.

Cheers for that BMMF, I'll check it out. Think I've been down that, one freezing night last November.

Nasty fuckers. I used to live 1 mile due south of Brasted Hill. The bastard. Hogtrough Hill is worse, IMHO. But at least there's a view at the top.

EDIT: Bikely tells me otherwise, but I know that Hogtrough is worse.

A shade over to the west from Westerham, there's Titsey Hill, it's a beauty. You can see it on the approach from miles away, kicks up to 16% in the lower section then goes on for a good K or more at a fairly tough and constant gradient. If I'm feeling particularly saucy I do a loop down into Kent and get up it on 48/16 before work. Endorphins for breakfast and you can take on anything.

Hi Aiden,

Sounds like a great opportunity ahead, LCC has got a good reputation. I set up a professional practice unit at an ok art college (after I was SU Vice-President for a year, nearly killed me), setting up seminars on themes like this. I could look over your statement if you'd like, or dig out some presentation notes or pdf's we used to use.

It's normally a case of window dressing and highlighting the bleedin' obvious!

Sternum to concrete floor, aged 16, trying to impress girls with trial rear-wheel bunny hops on my mountain bike. The pain in my rear end went after a week, the hole in my dignity has never healed, and the experience presumably affected my ability to form meaning relationships with females, hence what I'm doing on this forum instead of having a blazing row down B&Q on a Sunday afternoon...

A galvanising experience for a young man, best crash ever.

Dave, you can go on the front, and I'll use my big guns to hoof us a wheelie the length of Old Street before skidding it up in Hoxton Square.

Wear the pink one, it's my favourite.

I'll be offering you a ride on the vacant space on my tandem you lucky thing.

here you go bell lovers;

http://www.dingday.org

Personally, I'll be dressing as Terry Thomas and growling 'ding dong' at girls in lovely dresses that I happen to glide past.

many thanks Picco, much appreciated ...that does look well dodgy.

Fred, yep, that happened to my ex a few years ago. She was working on the 3rd floor of a secure office in Croydon and a well dressed women came in, blithered around a bit and took her laptop and her handbag. Shameless.

Mr Silver, I shall indeed, pass on your regards!

Ok, to clarify for those of you who need to know why he hasn't got insurance;

He spent a lot of time researching (he even came to me for advice, I mean!?) for his 'light-industrial' workspace, as classified by the landlord and Council. It's part of a big warehouse space chopped into these units, strong doors, secure gates, good security.

Fine, you can get insurance for this, no problem.

However, when you have 3x people living in there, as other guys do in there, it's a bit different, and that's when the insurance goes through the roof. He can't classify it as a living space, because then he'd have to reclassify it as a habitation (and the landlord doesn't want that) and his tax-status would change completely in terms of production from home (and by production, I mean rows of industrial sewing machines, rails of stock, and a 5m long screen print table) for the worse - and 'Live-work' space status is designed to benefit those working from a desk.

Either way, if the Insurance guy comes to inspect/the police file a report on a theft, I'm pretty sure they would invalidate the contract on these grounds, he'd loose the money he thought he'd beens pending wisely, and possibly cause problems for the landlord. To this end, I could even argue that the year he's spent living there, and not paying insurance, it's cheaper than buying a new computer.

Sorry, this isn't a rant, he's not an idiot and he's been working really hard to make this work, so I thought I would clear this up.

Oh, and no obvious markings or stickers, but the desktop was two monkeys playing in a bath at London Zoo.

Many thanks Pifco, good point; 15" Macbook Pro, the regular brushed silver finish (so that pins it down then!) will check if it was stickered or distinctive marks.

sorry, don't want to get into a discussion on insurance, I don't know for a fact he doesn't have it, but the amount of time he spent looking and the technical trouble I presumed not. Apologies if I've got this wrong.

I'm just trying to put word out, it's the only thing I can do to help. Two mate's bikes have been recovered through alerting a network to it, and you guys are very much out and about in the East. Fair enough, an OTP laptop is a bit different to a very distinctive trials bike...

Sure the area is a bit cranky, but the warehouse split into smaller units has a really good community, with lot's of people about all the time, so it's taken some balls to do it with such confidence. Things will change when bodies start getting fished out the canal with gas-pipe sized rings cut into their skulls.

Yeah insurance, he looked into it when he first moved in, asked around for as advice and help etc, it's a grey area when you live in the workspace or work out of a living space, so couldn't find anyone who would do it apart from for crazy money - and risked being caught out if he said, I do/don't live here when something like this happens...

Much obliged Mr Object,

not sure how well the shoulder is at the moment, but I'd sure love to see you swooping out the E3 darkness, delivery a polo mallet directly to the damp-bastard's temple.

Hi eagle-eyes,

bit of a random one but I figure that's what miscellaneous is about, and I'm so angry I wanted to try to do something to end someone's meaningless existence;

Some light-fingered fucking waste of life has just stolen my younger bro's Macbook Pro and Sony phone from his studio in Hackney Wick. He started the studio up less than a year ago, and invested in the computer about 3 months ago, and needless to say it was a big deal to help get things off the ground.

About an hour or two ago, while he was in a meeting in the studio, a scumbag got into the kitchen and nicked both phone and computer. It's a long shot, but I'd do anything to get this back for him.

So, if anyone does get see/get offered anything this evening, see something on Gumtree, or whatever, I'd be extremely grateful if you could use your wits/call the police/twat them fully in the face with D-lock/PM me with details. The computer will have no power cable, a load of stuff to do with fashion, Raeburn Design, and militaria on the desktop. Can pay a handsome reward of ca$h and bonus prizes for info leading to recovery.

Many thanks for reading.

Graeme

ps. ITS HIS FUCKING BIRTHDAY.

hello back! 'afraid I didn't notice anyone in a leather peaked cap and handlebar, but maybe that's for weekends only... what were you riding/wearing/looking like? Good turn out for a polite roll through town, even thought the sudden downpour gave it a bit more character.

Did you see the guys in matching 'Arch-to-Arc' jerseys? they're planning to run to Dover, swim the Channel and then ride to Paris. Chapeau gents!

• cue a spattering of raindrops on my window....
  

howdy all,

weather looks like it's going to hold - according to the BBC, and they're always right about everything most of the time - so should be a nice evening for a ride.

I'll be on my stealthy black pony wearing a red jersey, probably looking a bit dozy until I get to the pub, and then I'll look excitable and tall. Say hello if you're coming along, be nice to put some faces to names/psuedonyms. Oh, hi Jacqui, be good to see you (and Cuppa T in tow!) - it's Graeme here from the HQ.

cheerio!

Graeme/Chop

In the fashion and textiles block at my old college, some goon had written on the back of the gent's toilet door;

'All gays are evil'

someone had masterfully changed it to;

'All gays bake the most devilishly good cakes'

Genius.

shucks, thanks Jonny!

It's hilarious to ride; Seriously quick off the lights, those tiny wheels lay the power straight onto the road, and you can maintain a fairly respectable top speed; tuning heads and breaking hearts in my wake. And, although I do get a lot of nice comments from the ladyfolk, I'm still waiting to get wolf-whistled by scaffolders...

I'll swing by the Lamb this evening, catch you laters,

Anyone going for a pint tonight? I've got a, ahem, proper bike with me today, and am hoping to establish some kind of credibility after last weeks dignity-crusher.

I know a couple of you, so thought I'd drop in for a few drinks on my way home to say hi... I'll be the one clutching a pink ti Brompton and talking sh*te about the Glasto night ride and the hilariously atrocious conditions on the Etape.

Cheerio!

• hey Miro_o, yeah, were were marching and performing round the Circus and Cabaret areas, so you might well have just missed us! Are you going to the Children's Festival in Aug? We'll be there also. really enjoyed this year's festival, great atmosphere.
  
  

Great pics, thanks Silva, nicely cleaned up on PS to make me look like a respectable young man. Indeed the Kazoo is a mighty instrument, and yes, available in any nu-rave colour combo for HHSB's. My favorite? Neon pink with black filter always seemed to take it to the next level. And no, there's no clips on the soles of the boots (yet).

Sorry folks, with a really busy week, preparing for the Etape (just finished packing!) and what with my lousy writing skills, I've not found time to write up the ride, edit photos, and post the iPod Shuffle playlist. I'll be on it upon my return from the mountains. Will also be posting a pick of Silva sending it large on a bass drum!

Negative Gravity special edition, cheap(ish), off ebay. They're for a S-Works Tarmac SL, so should sit on the big frame pretty neatly.

Check out the website for the bonkers project they're working on in 'the lagoon' next to their barn workshop.

different folks different strokes I guess. I like CNC machining, my background is in mountain biking (I have a red RC200) which might explain my desire for something that looks like the T1000 w@nking hand.