..............and so am I. What was the average about 33kph? Do you run out of roads eventually?

Like you I only ride for fun but have been able to increase my speed and stamina over the years. My "enforced" commuting of the last three months has helped a lot and I've lost 3kg!!! Riding with others and finding the right group is a common problem. I had it myself. On a group ride by staying tucked into the middle of the group - avoid the back - your speed will increase quite easily through the drafting effect or you will go further for less effort. Generally the effect of group riding is to save about 30% of the physical effort which translates to further, faster or both. It took me years to find a club because of similar feelings. The trick is to find the right club and progress naturally. I ride with Ribble Valley, though haven't been recently, who meet at Preston College. On a Sunday there are usually three groups: A group - no prisoners taken and one is expected to keep up. About 18mph and serious hills. They will wait for you but once caught up it's straight off again B group - always waits for stragglers. 12-14mph depending on group make up, who leads and route. Goes round most serious hills!!! Steadies - polite reference for the slowest group. Never been with them but understand it's not too arduous. I'm sure you would find RVRC very welcoming and you would not be embarrassed. Start with the Steadies and see how it goes. I'm trying hard to move up from B to A but I get slaughtered on some of the hills as I'm not a great climber. My problem is I ride faster than the B group but can only just keep in touch with the A. Having said that there are riders 20 years my senior in the B group who could wipe the floor with all of us if they chose to. Quite remarkable. Several think nothing of 150 miles plus!!! There are a lot of women riders in the B and Steady groups which helps keep it under control!

Paul has a track pump! Wiggle The great benefit of a track pump is within 1-2 minutes you can correctly inflate your tyres with minimal effort. Buy one with a pressure gauge. No need to spend a fortune just find a decent bike shop and buy something robust looking. I guess Evans would be a good place to start. It's almost impossible to get these sort of pressures with a hand pump. Colin, everything you say is correct. Currently I ride on Continental Super Sport inflated to 8 bar (plus an extra push to allow for the air that comes out when you remove the thing that attaches to the valve). 8 bar = 116ppsi, my cycle shop says it should be 7 bar (just over 100ppsi). Quality tyres, correctly inflated, with a puncture strip are almost indestructable. I haven't had a p******e for over 7 years - so this morning I'll have several!! Ive laso had Schwalbe Marathon, excellent tyre, and Gatorskin, another good one. Always buy the best quality tyre you can afford. I think the most I've sent has been about £60 for a pair. I ride with a club. On a Sunday we'd do between 70-100 miles at an average of around 14-15mph. It's a social thing, just a nice ride. The club does have a race section, hill climb etc but I never compete - I just like to ride. I don't train. My speed depends on what I'm doing. I commute 150-200 miles a week: Commute average around 18/19mph with long sections at 23/24mph (can't do this sort of speed all day!) Club stuff - 14/15 mph Touring - 12/13mph

Urban legend has it sell by or use by dates were the brainchild of Al Capone. Apparently Capone set up soup kitchens for the Chicago poor and ensured schoolchildren received fresh milk daily. It is said he insisted the milk cartons/bottles were date stamped to ensure their freshness and avoid the kids being given sour / bad milk................... .....................it would seem to be true http://www.tnonline.com/2011/jun/18/milk-expiration-dates-courtesy-al-capone

Yeah I know................................think we are down to about twice a month now and trying to quit that.

Totally agree with the above thenodrog. In our house we cook but that isn't what we are discussing. As an aside my wife and I had roast chicken Sunday night, I made chicken and rice salad for my pack up lunch Monday, my wife filled a couple of sandwiches for herself and I made a sandwich Tuesday as part of my lunch and we could have made soup from the carcass. Don't know what it cost but hard to beat for value. The last month we've made enough jam, marmalade, chutney, sorbet, flavoured gin and vodka, cassis, jelly using rhubarb, plums, raspberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries and apples from the garden to keep us going for 12 months, sold some on behalf of a charity and have loads to give away. The cost - several bags of sugar and a bottle each of very cheap vodka and gin - hardly essential I agree. Most but all of those fruits are for nothing at peak season in the right places if you can't grow them at home. For me the point is MacDonalds can't supply real quality at the prices charged. A Happy Meal, which i think is what you bought, contains what? A toy, a load of packaging, burger, chips and (I think) a drink plus staff costs, overheads, net margin etc. Is VAT on this as a takeaway? Break all that lot down and MacDonalds cannot be supplying quality food at £2.00 per meal. Much of the problem with obesity, as far as I can understand, is people do not / will not buy and prepare their own food. A trip to Spout House, whizz round Chorley market and perhaps a stop in Booths is more than ample to feed a household very well for a week. I agree Aldi and Lidl also offer great value but we haven't quite weaned ourselves awy from Tesco - yet! BTW went on MacD's website to find the price of a Happy Meal. That web site should be shut down it's appalling in it's attempt to brainwash the young.

While I'm here can anyone suggest a good hotel - proper quality - somewhere between Chorley and Manchester. I have friends visiting the area in late October. It is their wedding anniversary and they want somewhere good to stay. A quality restaurant at the hotel would help.

I have to agree with Oz and Colin on this. Yes I do eat the occasional Burgerking and our kids would occasionally have a MacD as a treat. However we are aware this food is as Colin delicately put it faeces. It is simply impossible to supply quality food at the price charged. The major problem for me on this is poverty. For those on a low income the apparently cheapest choice is fast food, lots of it, quickly satisfies hunger and cheap. Of course nutritionally and economically it does not add up but try explaining that to the harassed parent trying to keep a young family fed and quiet. The future problems they are creating are far from important to them at the time of purchase. Just take a look around though and the results of fast food are all around. Overweight, pasty faced people shoving rubbish in their mouths at all times of the day and night. It isn't good for you

Force of circumstances found us in a pub belonging to the Sizzling or Sizzlers chain - not sure which. A word of warning this was positively the worst pub food I've eaten. I'll never go in one of their pubs again. Truly awful.

Yes

Ah ha one of my favourite stops when out on the bicycle. Don't tell too many folk - it will get crowded!!

Why when I've got two feet and two legs?

Had this one in mind but as we stayed in Kyleakin it was at least a 90 mike round trip which sort of takes the edge off dinner. Creelers is excellent. Tiny, tiny place run by an osteopathic who gave up Harley Street to start a restaurant. Great decision!!!!

Haven't been in the Dressers for years. It's a bit far to walk and TBH when we used to go I was never that inspired by the place We like to walk to the pub for obvious reasons and so tend to use the Golden Lion which also does a steak night on Tuesday and Thursday at £13.95 for two including wine. It's very popular locally and wise to check tables are available. I know it's a bit random but for anyone ging to The Hebrides I can thoroughly recommend these places: Skye - Creelers, Broadford. Must book Mull - Am Brillin Lewis - Auberge Carnish. Booking a good idea Barra - The Toffee Factory. Amazing sandwiches. Great tablet and toffee

Yep I'm beginning to think this way from what I've read Yes that's how I would do it. Wipe of as much as possible in winter as you really only need a the oil inside the link pins and film on top to prevent rusting / repel water.

Interesting links, thank you. I'm looking to do more commuting by train and cycle but need a folder as a full size road bike simply doesn't work on a busy commuter train. One concern I have is speed. If I don't take the car I have to travel between two sites by bike, about 12 miles. In the car this takes 20-25 minutes, I can ride it in 40 on a road bike so not a problem. This sounds daft but I've assumed small wheels means low speeds. I need / want to ride at around 15-16mph can I get this from a folder and should I look at a large wheel folder? Cost is not really an issue and I'll probably look to use the Cycle to Work Scheme as well.

I'm looking for a good folder. What do you have?

Just one other thought. Don't underestimate how important bike "fit" is. I like Marins because they tend to fit my build very well, it may be another brand will fit you better. Provided you buy a good brand the fit and comfort is more important than the manufacturer. Correct bike set up and "fit" is often ignored and is very important. Go to http://www.cyclechat.net/ for loads of discussion and info on all matters cycling

What you have is a mountain bike, I never understand why people ride MTBs on the road, especially with those tyres. For what you describe I would look to buy a hybrid or city bike with road tyres. I am a big fan of Marin cycles think they build some of the best hybrids on the market, Marin tend to call these "city" bikes. I have had two San Rafael's http://www.marin.co.....php?ModNo=11SR both were excellent and sadly both were stolen. I replaced the tyres with something a lot smoother immediately as the difference in ease and speed is significant. Keep a decent set of road tyres properly inflated (buy a track pump) and punctures will be a thing of the past. I rode the C2C on a San Raf twice, took two days each time, only had to walk at one point - there is a short section, 500 metre, which is the steepest paved incline in the UK and I'm not a sadist. I don't know many cycle brands / models but I'm certain the Marin San Raf will do what you need. I'd buy another tomorrow if i was doing that type of riding. You should be able to pick up a San Raf for £450-£500 perhaps less. Did you realise bike prices drop significantly each autumn. The 2012 models come available in the autumn and there are often good deals to be had on the current year models if you shop around. Only other point is suspension, though the San Raf has this I'm not a big fan. It certainly works well on Marin cycles but will absorb some of the energy / effort you are looking to put into riding. Suspension on low cost cycles, IMV, is a waste of money. PS - if you have the original tyres on your Ridgeback changing them will make a huge difference.

Next Sunday, July 31st, the Ironman triathlon is based at Anderton with the cycling element following local roads in the area. Last year the route was approx 38 miles and the competitors did two full and one part circuit to make the distance. As riders approach a junction the police stop the traffic to allow the riders through without stopping. It's a really good feeling to be able to sweep along without having to worry about traffic at junctions - not that I would dream of suggesting anyone should try to follow the same route as the triathletes!!! Nearest point to Blackburn for the route us where the A675 Belmont road meets the A674 at Hoghton Arms roundabout. Riders will be coming from Abbey Village on A675 towards Wheelton / Chorley on A674. It's fun to watch as some of the competitors are very good.......even more fun to join in for a circuit or two.

Just found The Kinks at the BBC on iPlayer. Genius absolute bloody genius. Catch it while you can............especially if you're under 30. I can't understand how Davies wrote those lryrics while so young.

I'm in Ribble Valley CRC, mainly white tops with red and blue trim. We had four groups out yesterday. The A group went off on a 100 miler round Ribblehead etc. I bottled out of that and went with the B group - Preston, Chaigley, Waddy, Bolton by Bowland, Tosside for lunch, Dunsop Bridge, Chipping, Longridge, Preston. If you saw us we were a group of between 6 and 9 (some of the ladies took shortcuts at various points) and were all wearing club shirts except one guy in blue. I was on a black and green Dolan. Going to Denthead next Sunday, one of my favourite rides. Should be fun!

Yes I think that's very true. Problem is that once purchased it takes a bit of courage to pop into the local bike shop and ask them to sort out the Halfords mess!!!! Beautiful morning here, really looking forward to today's club run. Moved myself up to the A group last week. First ride and we head off to Bowland Knotts - google it - I had no idea what this meant. Came close to death on the ascent from the Lancashire side but a fabulous descent into Settle on the Yorkshire side. Ricky I'd no idea Hergest Ridge existed till you posted it!! Do you MTB up there?

Mixed views out there on Boardman cycles. Plenty of folk with good experience but also some horror stories. Cycle club friend of mine has one which has been no end of trouble. Check some cycling forums for the best opinions.

I would say not but it depends on what and where you ride. I ride a road bike mainly on rural roads with my tyres inflated to 8 bar (about 115 psi) and pretty much anything I might go over is going to bounce off a tyre inflated to that pressure. If you are riding in an urban area (more cr@p on road) and using a bike with wide tyres punctures are more likely. Suggestions to avoid punctures would be: Use the best quality tyres you can afford. Buy a track pump with pressure gauge and keep tyres correctly inflated. I check tyre pressure before every ride. Soft tyres puncture more easily. Ride at least three feet from the curb (should be doing that anyway) as the curb area is where all the rubbish collects