Cycling UK Forum

From when I lived in France and cycle toured in France there are excellent restaurants everywhere How long ago was that? Back in the eighties I'd have agreed with you, but my experience of France in the last ten years or so is that a typical town may have a rather swanky, overpriced (and rather qui...

nick12 wrote:Grind the nuts up ...

But isn't that what teeth are for?

I've certainly had reliability problems with several ultralight mats from Thermarest and Exped, but the original inch-thick Thermarest (which currently seems to be called Trail Scout) always seemed pretty bomb-proof, and is a huge step up in comfort from foam mats.

I think this is a time for not making any travel plans at all for more than a few days ahead.

Just on the subject of masks fogging-up specs. When I went for my annual eye test in November, the optician spent some time and trouble taping the top of the mask across my face so there was no gap anywhere at the top of the mask where my breath could escape to affect my specs. That was totally eff...

st599_uk wrote:Just wondering if anyone has any information on what to ask for in various countries for Alcohol stove fuel?

In France it's called 'alcool a bruler' (alcohol for burning). Works like meths, but looks and smells like (very) cheap brandy!

Unless you're doing some extreme endurance event or racing, does it matter? Does it even matter if you are? Well, certainly, it doesn't matter. But this whole forum is built around an arguably frivolous leisure activity, none of which really matters. When I go for a longish ride (whether that means...

tatanab wrote: He said "it gave me something to do during the long winter evenings back home".

Yes indeedy. I've planned far more rides than I've ever done.

Fat is always going to provide more energy than the same mass of carbohydrate or protein, about 37 kJ/g compared to 17. Jonathan Yes – so taking it to the extreme, we'd just carry around blocks of lard that we could gnaw on. Setting aside the lack of appeal though, I suspect our digestive systems w...

If you're trekking to the south pole, AIUI, you choose a diet of chocolate and butter – which seems like another good reason for not trekking to the south pole; climbers, I've heard, carry nuts & raisins for a summit attempt. What are the best things to carry on a bike? Personally I like to make...

Audax67 wrote:In this neck of the woods you know it's past 8 pm if a peeler stops you

My dictionary tells me that eplucheur is French for a peeler. I bet they don't call them that though?

9494arnold wrote:De minimus : The law does not concern itself with trifles. (Rough translation)

De minimis non curat lex, in full. Perfectly accurate translation in fact.

Mick F wrote: The roads aren't as safe nowadays to allow a 7yo on the road with his mates playing on bikes.

I wonder if that's really true, or if it's just our perception of risk that's changed. There's many times the traffic, but AIUI about a quarter the casualties.

Hopefully (SWIDT) she also visited the summit of Ben Hope in Sutherland, the most northerly Munro?

Much has changed since 1835, when wheeled traffic went at no more than bicycle speed, and most people went on foot. Outside town centres pedestrians are now a rare sight, and when a road is narrow and/or busy and the pavement empty, I often ride on the pavement if it seems safer. Not when there's a ...