OT : Nice Break & Bike 4 Sale.

Discussion in 'UK Motorcycles' started by Brownz \(Mobile\), Aug 22, 2007.

  1. Boring mini break review with a mountain bike ad at the end.

    Flew up to EDI on Friday morning (BA - Flight delayed by 1hr 10mins due to
    them losing some connecting Canadian OAPs).

    Hired a Peugeot 307cc from Avis (corp discount) and drove up to Inverness
    where we stayed Fri & Sat. Nice motah when you find out how to get it into
    Sport Mode.

    On Friday night we ate at the Cawdor Tavern, very nice food and terrific
    local ale - well worth a visit if you're in the vicinity.

    Bought some new hiking boots in Inverness on Saturday morning - chuffed -
    1/2 price £60 - last years last pair of size 8s.

    Had a wander out to look round Fort George in the afternoon - impressive if
    you like that sort of thing.

    Took mum to the Runrig concert at Loch Ness in the afternoon. (Not my cup of
    tea - although I did enjoy one of the supporting bands
    http://www.greatbigsea.com/)

    Spent 7hrs stood in the rain and found out that my boots and trousers are
    waterproof, but my cammo goretex jacket isn't anymore.

    It was a 2 mile trek back to the car park through some of the soupiest mud
    I've ever seen. We arrived to find that the officials who were directing
    people in to the car park and collecting £6 for the privalage, had all
    fucked off now that around 4000 cars needed to be pushed out of the bog that
    used to be a parking field. It was now that I also realised an automatic
    coupe convertible is not the easiest thing to try extracting from a mudbath.
    Thankfully we were eventually rescued around 2hrs later by a local in a swb
    landy who was making a tidy profit on the night. Got back to the hotel in
    Inverness around 2am - bar was shut - fuggit.

    Drove up to Ullapool on Sunday, diverting to take in the occaisional
    waterfall etc en route. Stayed in the Royal Hotel which was v nice and had a
    cracking view over the Loch from my room's Balcony.

    On Monday we carried on up the west coast - the satnav said it was an "A"
    road - it looked more like a kart track in places. Triffic scenery though.
    Went via Durness / Bettyhill / John O'Scrotes / Wick and stayed in
    Helmsdale, again a lovely hotel with a great menu (Local Red Stag Steaks -
    mmmmm) http://www.bridgehotel.net/

    Yesterday travelled back to EDI in time to be delayed by BA again - this
    time they had more bags in the hold than they should have had. This delayed
    us long enough to allow EDI ATC to delay us even longer as the stack at LHR
    was full due to the evening rush hour.

    All in all a lovely part of the world that I hadn't seen before and am glad
    I have now.

    PS - My new mountain bike arrived whilst I was away - so my old one is now
    up on fleabay - Item 170142207832 - Its a Scott Comp Aluminium Frame with
    some nice bits on it.
     
    Brownz \(Mobile\), Aug 22, 2007
    #1
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  2. Brownz \(Mobile\)

    Lady Nina Guest

    It's wrong that I'm laughing, but I am.
     
    Lady Nina, Aug 22, 2007
    #2
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  3. Brownz \(Mobile\)

    Hog Guest

    Good lord, did you meet my ghost.
     
    Hog, Aug 22, 2007
    #3
  4. Brownz \(Mobile\)

    Hog Guest

    How lite is it compared to a decent road bike?
     
    Hog, Aug 22, 2007
    #4
  5. Brownz \(Mobile\), Aug 22, 2007
    #5
  6. Are you from up that way originally then ?
     
    Brownz \(Mobile\), Aug 22, 2007
    #6
  7. Fairly similar to a £299 road bike, but quite a bit heavier than a £2000
    road bike ;-)

    I'll weigh it tomorrow.
     
    Brownz \(Mobile\), Aug 22, 2007
    #7
  8. I am not at all ashamed to say that there are times when reminding folks
    of my dicky ticker is something I am want[1] to do.



    [1] My Baby and I are currently disagreeing over my use of the word want
    in this manner. She says it sounds like very bad English, I say it is a
    proper form but not current which she is arguing the toss makes it old
    English and thus not English but she has no counter for the class thing
    cos having slaved for toffs I am much more familiar with the way what
    they talks and as you don't get toffs like you used to she probably has
    never come across it's use. So which of us is right?
     
    steve auvache, Aug 22, 2007
    #8
  9. Brownz \(Mobile\)

    Hog Guest

    Lived there, rode there
     
    Hog, Aug 22, 2007
    #9
  10. Brownz \(Mobile\)

    Hog Guest

    cheers
     
    Hog, Aug 22, 2007
    #10
  11. Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, steve auvache
    You're right, it's perfectly good English.

    She's right, it's 'wont', not 'want'.

    To summarise: you're both wrong.

    --
    Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

    WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
    SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
    Honda GL1000K2 (Fallen apart) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
    Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Honda ST1100 wiv trailer Norton 850 Commando
    Kawasaki GTR1400
     
    Wicked Uncle Nigel, Aug 22, 2007
    #11
  12. Well yes but not really no. See the reason why we were talking about it
    in the first place is because I wasn't sure about the spelling and as
    she has got a gcse in English asked if she knew and she got all hormonal
    on me and the general meaning seemed near enough that in the absence of
    a clue from my spell checker I went for want not wont. So I am not all
    wrong but she is but I ain't going near her to tell her. I had
    forgotten all about hormones and I ain't enjoying this I can tell you
    right here and right now.
     
    steve auvache, Aug 22, 2007
    #12
  13. Brownz \(Mobile\)

    raden Guest

    ITYF the word is "wont" not "want"
     
    raden, Aug 22, 2007
    #13
  14. Well, the west coast was the more enjoyable side, definately more scenic
    than the east coast.

    Both sides very friendly though.

    Stopped in a little Cafe in Durness where the lovely young Polish waitress
    served up the nicest Cullen Skink I've ever tasted.

    That amazed me though - tiniest little cafe that sat about 10 peeps max -
    miles from civilisation - and still they'd hired a polish waitress.

    Same with all the hotels, I expect it down here, but up in the wild remote
    places oop there - all the receptionists / waiters / etc were either polish
    or czech.
     
    Brownz \(Mobile\), Aug 23, 2007
    #14
  15. Brownz \(Mobile\)

    Ben Guest

    I'd guess it's somewhere between 27 and 30 lbs.

    An average road bike will be 20-25, a good one 15-20, and a top notch
    one 10 - 15.

    Not to put off potential buyers of Brownz bike, but if you're only
    riding on the road buy a road bike. MTBs with slicks are ok, but a
    road bike is just vastly better and oddly, more comfortable.
     
    Ben, Aug 23, 2007
    #15
  16. Depends doesn't it, I know a lot of people that are hugely uncomfortable on
    road bikes with drop bars.

    I've just bought a hybrid for that very reason. (Specialized Sirrus Elite 08
    [1]).

    I would recommend a road bike if your serious about putting a lot of miles
    in on the blacktop.

    But for commutes and general fitness then a hybrid (road frame / flat bars)
    makes a lot more sense.


    [1] - Black with extra black bits as well !
     
    Brownz @ Work, Aug 23, 2007
    #16
  17. Brownz \(Mobile\)

    Hog Guest

    Is a surprise given how hard work is to find. Locals don't want to work for
    cunts paying shit wages I guess.

    I would take the West coast every time as far as Cape Wrath.
     
    Hog, Aug 23, 2007
    #17
  18. Brownz \(Mobile\)

    Hog Guest

    I appreciate assistance from you and Ben.

    I want a bike for covering 10 or 20 mile distances at weekends but also for
    getting around town and up to the construction site.
    The roads are shit here so a bit of suspension is welcome. It has to look
    slightly tatty and not attractive. I want it to be very light though. I do
    not want dropped bars, I like the flat tri-athlon style. Decent brakes that
    work wet. Tyres that don't make road work an effort. *Puncture Proof*
     
    Hog, Aug 23, 2007
    #18
  19. Brownz \(Mobile\)

    Ben Guest

    Must admit, I've never understood that reasoning, and I've ridden a
    lot of bikes.

    The tops of drop bars are in exactly the same place as flats on a
    hybrid if it's correctly set up.

    Personally, I think it's confidence thing with brakes on drops myself.
     
    Ben, Aug 23, 2007
    #19
  20. Brownz \(Mobile\)

    Ben Guest

    I think a secondhand cyclo-cross bike would be perfect and fit flat
    bars to it if you must have them. No 'proper' suspension but decent
    cx tyres will give you enough comfort.

    Summat like this with flats fitted...

    http://sports.search.ebay.co.uk/jake-the-snake_Sporting-Goods_W0QQcatrefZC12QQsacatZ382

    If you want 'proper' suspension and light then you'll need a full on
    mtb like my race bike and it's associated price tag of over 4 grand.
     
    Ben, Aug 23, 2007
    #20
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