Since the sacking of Michael Appleton Rovers have plunged into a crisis both on and off the field.

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You sure about that, Kamy?

Sad, sad news. RIP, mate.

Best venue around the northwest in my opinion,worth checking out the pub across the road as well Gav.Decent beer at reasonable prices and they will usually have a DJ on playing the same sort of music as the band that's playing at 53 Degrees.Plus they have some decent pub meals too if you fancy a bite to eat before you go in.

Far from the best venue in the north west, door staff too heavy handed for that, bordering on the unpleasant. That accolade has to go to Band on the Wall in Manchester for sheer variety of music, great staff, great crowd and cheap drinks, wins hands down every time. culture feat. Kenyatta, 22nd march should be a belter. The venue across from 53 degrees is called Mad Ferrit, it's a great live music venue, would happily recommend it to anyone, please support, well worth a visit.

I'm off to cycle the Way of the Roses from Wednesday next week which runs from Morecambe to Bridlington via Settle, Pateley Bridge, Ripon, York and Driffield. As I've already ridden the Morecambe to Settle area on many occassions I plan to pick up the route in Gargrave, overnight in York, overnight in Bridlington and then head home. May have to catch a train home from York on the return as I really want to get to the Shabby Singh meeting and have the feeling this is a four day rather than three day trip.

Anyone done this route? Comments would be good.

How'd it go, Paul?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRgRYZwdcTM&feature=related

A fascinating 40 odd minutes of the develpoment of one of my fav Stones tracks. Bit tedious for a while (Brian Jones doing the best part of nowt) but skip to 29.00 to see it really get going. The woo woos are magic. Wish I`d have been there.

WAS one of my fav Stones tracks, thats 40 mins of my life I'll never get back

Went to see Kanda Bongo Man at Band on the Wall on Friday, very joyous and uplifting.

Saw this lot at 53 degrees in Preston on saturday, really enjoyed them.

Lead singer gotta a great voice, great musicians and great tunes too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoiR3HQEz-M

Goint to see Femi Kuti at the Ritz in M/C 4th July, excited.com

And Vintage Trouble on 17th July at 53 Degrees, tickets only £11, be rude not to go

Going to see Soul Rebels Brass Band at Band on the Wall, 25th July, don't know much about them, but looks fun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RWRa-7vd-Q&feature=related

and also Beat Herder starts on 29th of June, great local festival, about five miles East of Clitheroe. Ultra relaxed and friendly. Sold out this year but worth keeping your eyes open for next year

Went out on the Cube today, can't even begin to tell you how impressed I was with it,

it really is a flying machine. I think I might be in love

Paul, picked the Cube up today, it's a thing of great beauty. Bought some pedals for £50 and they chucked a pair of shoes in, worth £65, for free. Happy days.

Not been out on it yet, just been practicing getting my feet in and out of the clips.

Thanks for the help

Paul, am picking up the Cube on Saturday. A thousand for the bike, plus pedals.

Is it acceptable to ask them to throw the shoes in for nowt? And maybe a mile /speedometer?

It is a beautiful looking machine!

From what you've written this bike will only be used for road riding, your hybrid would be used for touring or knocking about town etc? Roamin's post made me think about this, you should get a double. Why?

The range of useable gears on a double is not that much different from a triple especially as some combinations of front and rear on a triple are so close as to be almost identical. On a triple although in theory you have 30 gears available in practice you probably use 10-12 regularly. With a double you'll use about 10.

On a double you get a better progression through the gears making your riding smoother and better.

The gear change is simpler and smoother.

A double will make you a better, stronger rider provided you ride mainly on the big ring. I'm not sure how to compare the gearing but most people ride a triple on the middle ring moving up and down the rear cassette. With a double if you ride on the small you won't get enough speed, using the big ring, which is a higher gear than the triple middle, increases your speed and quickly improves your strength. I doubt you would spend much time using the big ring on a triple. This approach means you have all of the gears on the small double ring in reserve.

The last point would be you haven't had a triple road bike before so you probably won't be aware of the difference and therefore won't miss it. Initially I missed my granny ring but until writing this now realise I haven't needed it for months. The granny ring is really only used for brutally steep hills and perhaps the comfort of knowing it's there. I have yet to find a hill I can't climb on the double, Winter Hill near Chorley is the steepest I regularly go up without a problem.

I'm not a good climber and haven't tested this on any brutal hills but then unless you're a rider who hunts out big hills to climb why worry? If you do want big hills you'll be good enough to get up anyway?

Some riders don't like doubles because they have to make a "double change" under some circumstances, That is shifting from the big to small ring and changing the rear almost simultaneously. The argument is the drop from large to small is too great and interrupts the rider's rhythm. When I first heard of this I played around with it and what I found is there are few situations where it's really necessary. On relatively flat roads I use the big ring and when I get into hilly areas just stsy on the small.

Get a double, it will be better!

Put a deposit down today on the cube. Got to go to lancaster next week to pick it up. went for the triple in the end. Was never great up a hill, even when younger. Means I can go anywhere, with anybody (and not get off and push )

Any suggestions on pedals? Also, as I'm spending a Grand on the bike, could I also buy the pedals from the same shop and ask them to throw in a pair of shoes for free?

At the risk of starting to sound like I know what I'm talking about, its more I know where to look, the Attempt was re-branded as the Peloton for 2012. http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/2012-cube-peloton.86372/

The link you posted said it was available as a triple. For real opinions on this, any other bike and a wealth of advice have a browse on http://www.cyclechat.net/. People on here really know their stuff and are more than willing to share that knowledge. Undoubtedly the best UK cycle forum, just don't stray into Commuting - all a touch aggressive in my view!!

Good luck, let us know how you get on

One other point. Are you aware bike prices drop significantly in the autumn as old ranges are cleared out in readiness for the spring?

Yes Paul, missed about the triple, brain turning to mush after too long looking at my screen.

Can't seem to find one, anyway.

Looking at this now,

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=cube%20peloton%20race&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CIYBEBYwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cube.eu%2Fen%2Froad%2Fperformance%2Fpeloton-race%2F&ei=cJ7PT439Lcbh8AOEteDuDA&usg=AFQjCNFElZUR4hUF2y5NqtPT2lMFprF97w&cad=rja

Rang Winstanley's at wigan, they not got one in my size but are contacting Cube and will get back to me tomorrow.

Also looked at this from Broadgate Cycles but doesn't come in a triple

http://www.broadgatecycles.co.uk/bikes/road/cannondale/cannondale-caad8-tiagra-2/

Looked at this too from Fulwood Cycles in Preston, but they have none in stock and said it may be 'a few weeks' before they have any.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=giant%20defy%202%202011&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CH4QFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.giant-bicycles.com%2Fen-gb%2Fbikes%2Fmodel%2Fdefy.2%2F7842%2F45447%2F&ei=0bLPT5zbHPSS0QWussnJCw&usg=AFQjCNGjrn5N5-AOoSExtTdathYI6p-1Nw&cad=rja

Am considering waiting till autumn but the bike I really want (cube) maybe difficult to get then.

Any input still much appreciated.

Unfortunately not. I have been in Hay-on-Wye for the last 10 days, partly for the book festival but I also took my bike and have enjoyed some fantastic riding in the borders - I can highly recommend the area.

David, I see you are in Penwortham. If you haven't already, you might want to have a look at Broadgate Cycles in Kingsfold as well. They have expanded fairly recently and have a decent range of bikes.

I am 59 and also 15 stone (was 17 stone in January!) and I have improved significantly just by getting a decent bike and getting out more often. The loss of two stone has also made a noticeable difference although some of that was helped by the cycling. I have a Hewitt Cheviot tourer, so somewhat heavier than a £1K road bike will be and also lower geared but have upped my average riding speed from 10mph to 12-13mph. Should a tourer be a possibility for you and you can stretch to a little bit more budget then I cannot recommend Paul Hewitt too highly and he's only in Leyland. Even if you don't want one of his bikes his bike measurement service is £50 very well spent - he will find your perfect riding position. The service is free if you buy one of his bikes.

Thanks O2G, got my heart set on a road bike, can use my hybrid for touring. Got my hybrid from Broadgate cycles, nice people but been really naffed off with them since, took them 7 days to fix my buckled wheel last week.

Really fancy the Cube Attempt, http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-cube-bikes-attempt-triple-11-43155

Can't work out if I can get it in triple or not, yet.

Thanks for your help.

Thanks Paul, much appreciated.

I'm thinking about buying a new road bike. The one that's grabbed me most is the Cannondale Caad8 Tiagra (budget is about £1,000)

Only thing is, I'm in my 50's and 15 stone. How is the gearing for getting up hills?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

EDIT Am riding a hybrid and never had a proper road bike, so never been an issue before.

Yes we're going on the Thursday and staying until Monday.

I went a couple of years ago, the security were a bloody nightmare.

Searches going on everywhere, anyone caught with even the tiniest amount of anything they shouldn't have had were

handed over to the police, taken to the local nick and refused entry back into the festival when released a few hours later.

Never seen anything like it.

Just been to see him, tonight. Band on the wall, Manchester.

Twas dead good. Was stood outside half hour before gig started,

He was walking past and stopped to say hello, top.

Wowsers, always been one of my fav Van tunes and easily my fav version. Just played it 5 times on the trot and still makin my hair stand on end.

Just back from Beat Herder fest. Highlights, Horace Andy on the main stage on sunday eve, Mr Scruff doing a nicely chilled set in the Toiltrees, perfect for a Sunday afternoon and a great antidote to the madness of the previous 2 and a half days, my mate, Chris Holt DJ'ing in Hotel California on Fri night Sat morning. Also must be the friendliest festival I've been to, 7,000 people, not a copper in sight and not a hint of trouble or attitude and wall to wall sunshine. My first Beat Herder but will definately be back again.

Went to Glasto last week, too many highlights to mention them all but here's a few; The Cubana Latin tent, magical live latin bands,loved every minute of it, Lee Scratch Perry, as mad and wonderful as ever, Rumer on Saturday afternoon, A beautiful dreamlike set and the sun finally came out And every band i saw on the arcadia stage. Had a great time but well knackered after 5 days walking thru mud and dad dancing.