Dr Ferrari's Camper Van (off-topic discussion)

Chips Lovell

Nope. Been there, done that.

Doctor Bob

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

No, I know Gold Sprints was in the Shaw. This is on Clanbrassil St. I see it packed when coming home from racing in Sundrive

The Fumbally?

http://goo.gl/maps/QIFQC

Dermot Illogical

I went over to the dark side and got a car. I haven't had one of my own for 3 years but felt I needed something to stick a bike rack onto.
Anyway...I drove it to work today. Never again! 1 hour 40 mins to cover 17 km that I can do on the bike in 40 minutes relatively easily. Soul destroying stuff.

Harrybelafonte

Doctor Bob wrote: »

The Fumbally?

http://goo.gl/maps/QIFQC

That's the one, looks great. Anyone knows owners or staff should have a word in their ears about showing races, even if it's just on Sunday afternoons, cough, cough Spring Classics.

bcmf

ROK ON wrote: »

I've actually toyed with the idea for several years but have always had an excuse not to - mainly because it is hard work, whereas sitting in a cafe watching races and quaffing numerous espressos is fun.

I think its a great idea. The whole boutique cafe bit I find really appealing.
I mean look at the popularity of the place in laragh and go into the coffee shop in the Naul and Ballyboughil any weekend and it will be filled with cyclists.
I mean think of a nice spin in the Autumn /winter and stopping for abowl of yummy homemade soup.
There is loads of places near me that would be a great spot .
The thought of being self employed again (ie never wanna be again) and the rates/rent always put a nail in the coffin of the idea.

manafana

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

I did a load of work on the possibility of opening a cafe similar to Look Mum No Hands here after I lost my job. Basically, lack of experience, the massive initial outlay of money, the huge amount of H&S involved (which all make sense) it just didn't make sense for me to do it. Plus the time involved. But mostly it was the lack of experience. I think the market is there tbh.

i did business plan based on the running boom 3-4yrs ago, would certainly be looking at something like this for cycling now.

Harrybelafonte

manafana wrote: »

i did business plan based on the running boom 3-4yrs ago, would certainly be looking at something like this for cycling now.

I've already having serious problems as a member of the self-employed underclass, I'm extremely glad I never undertook it.

Wishbone Ash

RobertFoster wrote: »

Based on the fog in the pictures you posted I think you'd have got away without anyone seeing you!

It wasn't in the Kilakee/Cruagh area. It was in an isolated lane near Tallaght. There was no fog there and my act of shame was witnessed by an elderly lady!

For my repentance, I'll do Kilmashogue Lane in the big ring!

NamelessPhil

Not the right langer!

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/sep/24/italian-runner-fake-penis-drug-test

Italian anti-doping authorities have opened an investigation into the long-distance runner Devis Licciardi after he reportedly attempted to dodge a drug test using a fake penis.

RobFowl

bcmf wrote: »

The thought of being self employed again (ie never wanna be again) and the rates/rent always put a nail in the coffin of the idea.

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

I've already having serious problems as a member of the self-employed underclass, I'm extremely glad I never undertook it.

Being self employed or an employer is a mugs game in this country and you'd be mad to consider it (speaking from experience here.....)

Great idea though for cyclists.

Harrybelafonte

RobFowl wrote: »

Being self employed or an employer is a mugs game in this country and you'd be mad to consider it (speaking from experience here.....)

Great idea though for cyclists.

Two years on the dole and I couldn't take it anymore. It sucks balls, but I still feel better than I did standing in that bloody queue every Wendesday morning.

Squidgy Black

RobFowl wrote: »

Being self employed or an employer is a mugs game in this country and you'd be mad to consider it (speaking from experience here.....)

Great idea though for cyclists.

Can I ask why? I'm only a young lad so I don't have a bloody clue :pac:

RobFowl

_Tyrrell_ wrote: »

Can I ask why? I'm only a young lad so I don't have a bloody clue :pac:

Employers PRSI
Rates
Health and safety legislation
Government contracts which pay 1-48 months in arrears
Rent/Leases with personal guarantees payable 3 monthly in advance
Lack of paid holidays
Lack of security
Agressive revenue tactics and "assesments" well in excess of actual liability

I could go on..

bcmf

_Tyrrell_ wrote: »

Can I ask why? I'm only a young lad so I don't have a bloody clue :pac:

Trust your elders young grasshopper. Never try it.

The dogs in the street
are treated better and have more rights then a self employed person here.

Darkglasses

Hmm, I wonder who this belongs to.

Wishbone Ash

_Tyrrell_ wrote: »

Can I ask why? I'm only a young lad so I don't have a bloody clue :pac:

As an "employee" in the 25 years of my working life I know very little about the ins and outs of being self employed but I do know that my brother who was always self employed never seemed to be "off" and was always at the end of a phone keeping people happy and being dictated to by an accountant. He is now in Australia and is an "employee" and wouldn't look back. I cannot understand why anyone would want to be self employed.

Harrybelafonte

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

As an "employee" in the 25 years of my working life I know very little about the ins and outs of being self employed but I do know that my brother who was always self employed never seemed to be "off" and was always at the end of a phone keeping people happy and being dictated to by an accountant. He is now in Australia and is an "employee" and wouldn't look back. I cannot understand why anyone would want to be self employed.

Because you find yourself redundant at 34 and after two years of looking for work, visiting job centres and FÁS where they throw their arms to heaven because you're overqualified for everything they have on their books or are experienced with you realise you're on your own, so you may as well face facts and get on with it. Either that or go back to driving forklifts and regretting the multiple state jobs you refused to apply for over the years.

seamus

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I cannot understand why anyone would want to be self employed.

I can perfectly understand it, and being self-employed in a successful business is great because you're the boss and you're not reliant on anyone but yourself to make sure there's a paycheque in your account every month. My Dad has done it for 40 years now.

It's really getting started and handling a struggling business that's the hard part. It's not that you don't get any assistance from the Government. It's like every organ of the state (as well as plenty of private people) is doing it's damndest to kick you repeatedly in the shins exactly when your legs are fragile and shaky.

There is a lot to be said for working for yourself, but it's a tough slog the first few years and nobody wants to help you until you've actually gotten somewhere.

AstraMonti

LOL

seamus

Can someone else check my head here. Bought one of these, great little rear light, stupidly bright.

http://www.lezyne.com/en/products/led-lights/sport#!zecto-drive-rear

See the spec tab. How can the brightest setting (which is a constant light) have the longest runtime?

Skrynesaver

Dermot Illogical wrote: »

I went over to the dark side and got a car. I haven't had one of my own for 3 years but felt I needed something to stick a bike rack onto.
Anyway...I drove it to work today. Never again! 1 hour 40 mins to cover 17 km that I can do on the bike in 40 minutes relatively easily. Soul destroying stuff.

It's the concentration required to drive a car length and stop repeatedly for each light change that just exhausts you, I'm genuinely more exhausted when I use the car than when I'm on the bike.

jinkypolly

seamus wrote: »

Can someone else check my head here. Bought one of these, great little rear light, stupidly bright.

http://www.lezyne.com/en/products/led-lights/sport#!zecto-drive-rear

See the spec tab. How can the brightest setting (which is a constant light) have the longest runtime?

The description refers to it as a flash mode, so maybe flashes less frequently.

delivering a highly visible 20 lumens in Daytime Flash mode

ROK ON

Skrynesaver wrote: »

It's the concentration required to drive a car length and stop repeatedly for each light change that just exhausts you, I'm genuinely more exhausted when I use the car than when I'm on the bike.

Ditto

I find driving on motorway very very tiring.
Far prefer driving slowly on backroads - cars are unenjoyable for journeys more than 60/100k depending on speed. An hour is long enough to be in a car.

seamus

jinkypolly wrote: »

The description refers to it as a flash mode, so maybe flashes less frequently.

Aha!

There's the economy mode, and then the bright mode, I assumed the latter was the daytime mode. There's another mode beyond that I never noticed which is a lovely double flash, and blinding.

Harrybelafonte

ROK ON wrote: »

Ditto

I find driving on motorway very very tiring.
Far prefer driving slowly on backroads - cars are unenjoyable for journeys more than 60/100k depending on speed. An hour is long enough to be in a car.

F@@k that... Holyhead to Calshot, 8 hours in a VW Lupo, 1am to 9am, sleep for three hours, train on vvelodrome for 6, inidian takeaway, conk out, up at 7am, breakfast at 8am, train for 6 hours, drive for 9 so can look at Stonehenge from 500ms away, Holyhead. Second best road trip ever. Best was Copenhagen-Stockholm-Oslo then a midnight run to Copenhagen cos I had times for Flight wrong, all in BMW 1 Series. I'd go back with something fastr next time for both of them.

colm_gti

Pfft, I drove the mazda from Ashbourne to Rosslare, then for 8 hours solid at 160km/h from Roscoff to Navvarenx last year, stayed for a week with plenty of driving around while we were there, the done the return journey. Think I clocked up 3500km in about a week...

A few years ago I drove my clio 172 through England to the chunnel, then from Calais to Paris, stayed there for a few nights, and back through the north of France with a few stop offs, to Cherbourg, and then from Rosslare to Dublin....fun times....

Harrybelafonte

colm_gti wrote: »

Pfft, I drove the mazda from Ashbourne to Rosslare, then for 8 hours solid at 160km/h from Roscoff to Navvarenx last year, stayed for a week with plenty of driving around while we were there, the done the return journey. Think I clocked up 3500km in about a week...

A few years ago I drove my clio 172 through England to the chunnel, then from Calais to Paris, stayed there for a few nights, and back through the north of France with a few stop offs, to Cherbourg, and then from Rosslare to Dublin....fun times....

C'mon, be fair now a 172 and a Mazda 6 can at least over take other cars. I have to take a run at them in 5th in the Lupo.

colm_gti

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

C'mon, be fair now a 172 and a Mazda 6 can at least over take other cars. I have to take a run at them in 5th in the Lupo.

I know the feeling, need to draft other cars to overtake in the panda :rolleyes:

bcmf

Just as we are talking about cars....Was having terrible trouble with boost on the Audi last xmas and into Feb.
Went thru all the motions of diagnosing. Long story short the previous owner had changed the turbo and put all the boost pipes on arseways as in used the previous generation model's diagrams to reinstall.
Took the oppurtunity to change all the boost hoses to silicone and the difference was incredible.
Now I am using a new diesel additive from the UK and starting to notice some really nice changes.

daragh_

Darkglasses wrote: »

Hmm, I wonder who this belongs to.

The Slayer lives!

I miss Buffy.

Harrybelafonte

bcmf wrote: »

Just as we are talking about cars....Was having terrible trouble with boost on the Audi last xmas and into Feb.
Went thru all the motions of diagnosing. Long story short the previous owner had changed the turbo and put all the boost pipes on arseways as in used the previous generation model's diagrams to reinstall.
Took the oppurtunity to change all the boost hoses to silicone and the difference was incredible.
Now I am using a new diesel additive from the UK and starting to notice some really nice changes.

Have heard silicone hoses make substantial difference. Was saving for them for the T5 when it went belly up.

bcmf

The only one I didnt change was the egr hose and since I plan to buy a turbo cleaner recognised turbo cleaner so will change it after that.
But between getting the hose on right and switching to silicone it was a huge difference

colm_gti

Aahh, fond memories of that clio

CramCycle

MOD VOICE: Poster "Son of CramCycle" banned for breach of minimum age rule

colm_gti

Got a great laugh outta this one...

doozerie

colm_gti wrote: »

Aahh, fond memories of that clio

That looks like some speed, you must have been pedaling like a mad thing altogether to keep that pace up...

colm_gti

doozerie wrote: »

That looks like some speed, you must have been pedaling like a mad thing altogether to keep that pace up...

Spinning out the 53-11 going uphill :P

Zyzz

colm_gti wrote: »

Spinning out the 53-11 going uphill :P

Quite possibly the worst camera position ever :pac:

Should have stuck it on your helmet!

AstraMonti

colm_gti

Zyzz wrote: »

Quite possibly the worst camera position ever :pac:

Should have stuck it on your helmet!

Hard enough driving a clio when you're 6'1", never mind with a helmet on....helmet cam would be out of the question!

Zyzz

colm_gti wrote: »

Hard enough driving a clio when you're 6'1", never mind with a helmet on....helmet cam would be out of the question!

On the side of the helmet?

Alek

Never, ever let your girlfriend see you trying new legwarmers ONLY in front of a mirror.

Its really hard to talk yourself out of this.

bcmf

AstraMonti wrote: »

wow. thats the worst shade of fooked up I have seen in a long time.

Zyzz

Anyone know a bike shop that sells valve extenders in dublin, preferably city centre? New tubes are a tenner..

Mefistofelino

Zyzz wrote: »

Anyone know a bike shop that sells valve extenders in dublin, preferably city centre? New tubes are a tenner..

Anywhere that sells the "BBB" accessories usually has the valve extenders on the wall display. Only problem is that they are made from compressed bran flakes and the top will snap off at some point in the near future.

The Mavic ones are heavy but the valve will break before they do.

Squidgy Black

Have we had a Friday thread yet? There's usually someone kicking off already.

RobertFoster

_Tyrrell_ wrote: »

Have we had a Friday thread yet? There's usually someone kicking off already.

It started on Wednesday this week.

rollingscone

Can anyone reccomend a decent crankpuller?

After spending nearly a week in total getting my BBB one off the commutourer it then tragically fell down an elevator shaft and landed on some bullets.

Planet X

Squidgy Black

rollingscone wrote: »

Can anyone reccomend a decent crankpuller?

After spending nearly a week in total getting my BBB one off the commutourer it then tragically fell down an elevator shaft and landed on some bullets.

The Park Tool ones are the best I think, the ones with the handle.