haydon_peter

Clio = Small hatchback 106 = Small hatchback 306 = Slightly bigger hatchback I have used my 106 and 306 to get myself and my bikes all over the country for years now. You will be fine! My record was 3 people and 3 XC bikes in my 306 with all our riding gear, that was a bit of a squeeze

Fitting 2 mod bikes in the boot with the seats down would be simple! Even putting 2x26" bikes in the car would be fairly straight forward! You will have to take the front wheels out. In my old 106 I used to get my mod and a BMX in the back without folding the seats down, all we had to do was remove the front wheels! Because my Megamo and the BMX were so short, I could sit the mod across the back seats and the BMX on the floor behind the front seats. If its just me and my mod bike I can fit the bike across the back seats without putting the seats down or removing the front wheel For days when you are likely to be transporting muddy bikes use old sheets to protect the car and you could always buy a cheap tarpaulin (I got mine in pound land!)

Tough call. You're only young, go for it If they are multinational do they have jobs available in Australia?

Its not a random question, its a lazy question... If your serious about doing it I think you need to have a proper read through the website! http://www.immi.gov.au/ You have to pay for the visa so I really don't see any point in applying for a working visa if you're not sure if you will be going or not?!?! From the limited information I know about you the one you need is explained on this page Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417) If you are granted this visa you can: -enter Australia within 12 months of grant -stay up to 12 months -leave and re-enter Australia any number of times while the visa is valid -work in Australia for up to 6 months with each employer -study for up to 4 months

Pencil me in as a passenger. A weekend away with you guys would be a good laugh!

I have been enjoying the snow Only noticeable updates since the last pictures: - Blackspire Stinger chain guide - Front shifter removed - Granny ring removed (Who needs a granny ring anyway? ) - Front mech locked out Oh and I finally got around to cutting down the steerer tube, it makes the bike look much tidier. Future upgrades planned before this years trip to the Alps: - Rockshox Pike 454, probably coil rather than air - Hope 20mm bolt through front hub - Bigger discs, 205 front 185 rear - Welgo MG1 pedals - Possibly upgrade the rear hub to a Hope Bulb or Pro 2 and fit an M-Axle

I don't see what the problem is. I went riding today for a couple of hours and plan to go out again on Sunday, I am really hoping the snow is still around on Sunday because its great fun! Today I was out on the XC bike but I still don't understand why I keep seeing people complain about going out on their trials bike in the snow. Trials is all about challenging yourself and navigating your bike over various obstacles, snow is certainly challenging and it creates interesting obstacles! *Note this post isn't aimed directly at you benthedog

Fruit picking/farming for 3 months (for the same employer for 3 months constantly I believe) allows you to apply for the 2nd year. I met someone who was allowed to apply for their second year visa because they had blagged a job working in an animal sanctuary on kangaroo island. All they were going to be doing was working in the cafe and souvenir shop but they were informed that as long as they had assisted looking after the animals that was good enough to apply for the second year visa. The other way to stay out there longer is to get sponsorship from a company. The only problem with this is if you lose the job with the company that has sponsored you you're stuffed and may have to leave the country (depending on how long you have been out there working). Getting longer than the 1 year working tourist visa in Australia isn't too simple.

I have thought about going to Whistler to ride but it seems that for the cost of just the flight to Canada you could spend 1 week in France. This summer we plan to go to the French Alps for 2 weeks. Current plans are Morzine the first week then Les Arcs the second week. If your interesting in coming along let me know and I can get you included on the emails organising the trip Anyway lets not go off topic... Australia and New Zealand are both amazing places, you can apply for a 1 year working holiday visa up until your 30th birthday. With Australia you can apply for a second year at the end of your first year, with NZ you can apply for a 2 year visa right from the start subject to passing a medical test.

You're never on your own though. You will always bump into other people and make friends, you just need to stay in youth hostels or go on group bus trips where you are likely to meet other single travellers. On the trips I have done most of the friends I have made were travelling alone! I do understand what you are saying though, even though I have previously travelled on my own the thought of going away and not knowing if you will meet up with anyone would still scare the shit out of me!

What make and model was the old PSU? Just because the old one was 550w doesnt mean you need to buy another 550w to replace it. You could buy a good quality 400w PSU that will be much better and more reliable than a shit 550w PSU... I have been running a 400w Enermax Liberty PSU for a few years now with no problems, I even just transferred it across to a new build and its still going strong. Link to the latest version of my PSU The lead that goes from the PSU to the wall socket will be included with the new PSU but it will be identical to the one from your old PSU.

We can thank this person for giving us new perspectives. We can thank this person for giving us a choice. Hero. I have something great to reveal! EDIT: This link to the lower quality version will load a bit quicker for some people...

You can download the original from trials-tube: Trials-Forum Video -> Full View • Download • Upload

15 minutes walk to work

Pub time for me soon too!

Been using the CX-300's regularly with my MP3 player for over 3 years

Its a proper bike, not a pogo stick... I have Sun Equalizer 27 rims on my Commencal and they seem to be extremely good quality. I have managed to hit the rims fairly hard into rocks a few times while going down trails and have only put a tiny ding in one of the rims and they have stayed straight! The 27's are 'All Mountain' rims so depending on how heavy duty you need it might be worth looking at the wider 29 or 31 Equalizer rims www.sun-ringle.com

Confirmed - I'm on my own or I am not going at all I cant really afford it but have wanted to go for years and was planning to just put it on the credit card or something. Who else is up for a t-f snow holiday?

By all in I mean coach to and from London, accommodation in 4 bunk dorms, 3 meals a day, lift pass, gear hire, 5 half day lessons (optional, by the middle/end of the week I would hope to be heading off exploring) and insurance - totalling around £620 for one week in Les Arcs at the start of January. (VERY Last minute so I doubt I will make that trip and end up paying more on another trip if I go with action-outdoors) There is really only 1 other person I know that is thinking about going so getting our own chalet isn't really an option. The other people I know that are going away are going with their g/f's and friends+their g/f's so it would have been a couples fest and would have probably driven me crazy! Fish, you can be my last resort but I might be getting a little old to get properly lairy every night ()

Mammoth BUMP. Looking to go boarding in January/February on the cheap. I have had a look through action-outdoors and it seems to be great value although sadly its not as cheap as Dave mentions it was a few years ago, maybe its because I am looking last minute and all the cheap deals are gone? Currently through action-outdoors its looking likely to be just over £600 all in for a week in January, although prices seem to increase in February then again in March. Does anyone else have any other suggestions or advise? What French resorts do people recommend? I have been to Les Arcs in the summer and part of me really wants to go back there in the winter! Dave, was it fairly social in the action-outdoors chalet you stayed in? I might be going on my own, were most people already in groups of friends or were there other singles?

I have not entered a mini dh yet, I was going to do one in February but they changed the date and venue so I couldn't go. The next few mini dh's are up at the Forest of Dean so not too far away, maybe we should get off our arses and enter! The other option is UK Bike Park which is just down the road from me. I will have to enter a race this year

http://www.minidh.co.uk/

Fox forks are nice but be prepared to look after the seals and service them regularly (although to be fair all forks need servicing regularly). My Fox Float seals died after a year, however replacement seals are only £15 and suspension oil is cheap so I got them fixed up for under £25, I was also lucky that I had a mate who knew what he was doing and did the service for me. Fox Recommend you clean the seals and put more oil on the foam rings every 15 hours of riding (I have been known to do this much riding over 2 days!) whereas other forks have much longer service intervals. Saying that I didn't exactly look after the seals on my forks and it took over a year for them to die! I would say stick with Rockshox or Fox if you can afford. Your bike should be cool for 140mm forks as that's what they now spec on the Marin Hardtails I don't know if they have changed the geometry of the frames though so it might be worth researching into that just in case your frame is designed for 130mm maximum! I wouldn't worry about adjustable forks or lockout etc... but that's my personal preference really, although saying that the U-Turn system would allow you to run the forks at 130mm so you can stick with the same length you already have. I have heard many good things about Revelation forks so if you don't want to upgrade to 20mm axle they are probably your best bet. Actually, if you want some 2008 Fox Float 140RL forks in good condition that have had a recent seal and oil change I may consider selling them if I can find a good deal on some Pikes! I like my Fox Floats but I would love to upgrade to Pikes just to get the 20mm axle!

Someone at work has already put up their Christmas tree and decorated it