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It's the halving cycle.
Enough people believe it was going to go up after the halving (due next month) that it has started going up before it happens.

any sort of carbs send my sugar sky high, whereas fat keeps it super steady. Have changed my morning porridge for yoghurt with berries and nuts and def feel better for it. Would probably buy another CGM in future, it’s been interesting

I had to check hard to make sure I didn't write this as exactly the same for me!

Just seen this. I started doing Zoe in January.

One thing that got me interested in it was that I had a pre-diabetic blood test result a couple of years ago. It was a few weeks after I had done the Transcontinental, then been on a family holiday with booze every day (not loads but more than I'd normally drink). A retest a few weeks later was back in normal range but I wanted to understand more about it.

Test results were interesting. My fat management was good - but that is entirely down to medication so no credit to me - it would be very bad without. And my blood sugar was bad. It turns out that if I do so much as look at a potato, rice, pasta, bread, beer or white wine, my blood sugar spikes right up.

I did a 5-6 hour ride while I had the blood sugar monitor on and that was really interesting. It showed that the bars that I normally eat were really spiking my blood sugar, and I could keep it in a normal / performance range by eating way less than I normally would.

I'm planning to explore that more. I was thinking of doing a couple of months of supersapiens but clearly won't now - but I think the latest BS monitors can give you data straight to your phone (probably undermining the SuperSapiens business model) so will look to try that instead. I'd like to think that I am not doing something that over the long term, will push me into diabetes.

Otherwise, I'm enjoying Zoe, enjoying the food, not missing carby stuff. Lost a few kg - not all due to Zoe but maybe a bit more than i would have expected to at this time of year anyway. I can eat some stuff that I always thought was a bit indulgent - like I now regularly have kippers or a (vegetarian) fry up for breakfast - both score way better than porridge or museli. And dark chocolate scores way better for me than virtually all fruit.

Only problem is eating out, for which I pretty much have to forget Zoe as hardly anything works. Especially with a glass of wine or a beer.

If you're just after something to get started with, you can have my dad's old Casco Speedtime and look like a German fireman

Sounds good if it's available

How massive?

Not as big as yours by the sound of it! Just on the large side.

My wife has the opposite problem. We once hired bikes in gran canaria and they didn't have an adult helmet small enough to fit her, she had to have a child's one. She can now wear our 6 year old daughter's one.

2nd hand is good but my head is massive! I have an NP suit but I struggled to get into it 10 years ago when I was half a stone lighter so I doubt that's an option, and it will be out of date now so no point trying.

The cheap bike is the bit that I already have, so that's easy!

I didn't think about lights. I do have lights mounted on the bike already as I used them on 12s before it was a thing, but I expect there will be more aero options.

I do need a helmet as I've only got a faring. It used to be Stuart Dangerfield's but that still won't make it legal.

I'd ride a few with what you've got first to see if you can really be bothered

That's probably good advice - thanks for saving me ££££ when I ride one and remember why I stopped doing them!

I have hardly done a TT in almost 10 years. If I wanted to do a couple this year just for the hell of it, what would I need to update to be OK with latest aero knowledge?

I'm thinking my frame is probably good enough but that I would need new:
Skin suit
Front end
Helmet
Wheels
Socks / calf-warmer thingys
Gloves (?)

Anything else?

And what should I get - I don't need to have / can't justify paying for the best, just 'good enough' modern kit?

In 2016, when I was reasonably fit, I got back to Chalfont at 10:20, easily my fastest 400. I can never do it again as they won't let me do the last section down the A4 / I would be several hours slower.

You were probably already in the pub.

I only ever did the garage bit and got out as quickly as I could.

The thing about the Severn Across was that even though it was in May it was usually fucking freezing when it got to night, often my coldest ride of the year. One time I remember leaving Membury, struggling to control the bike as I was shivering too much.

Judging by the glowing feedback the ride gets now I get the impression that Liam has even sorted out the weather.

I expect so

It's a good route. The organiser has done a great job in reinventing it and marketing it well, and to new audiences.

I did it three times when it was the Severn Across, and it used to get 25-50 riders - not big numbers. But it now sells out as soon as it opens. It's pretty much the same route but there is good food at three or four controls. The high level of support means it works better for people using it as a first really long ride - rather than the old days of Chepstow Tescos forecourt and hanging about at Membury service station wondering if life was still worth living.

In the old days it was pretty much X-rated and you could just bowl down the A4 for the last 100+km, which I enjoyed and it made it a very fast 400. Once when I was slow I coincided with club chucking out time in Reading which was hilarious. But there are now more controls which kind of cut that option off so it's more laney.

I have monzo so just opened one and I get 4.1%. I think higher rates need a premium account.

Tide seems to be paying 5%

If I'm asleep I'm usually well out of the way / have hidden my bike from view of the road.

Or use my front wheel as a pillow, dangle my arm through the frame, etc.

You could just go dogging in the bushes in the middle of that clover leaf. I reckon you wouldn't be the first.

If I went to my nearest Lidl and left my bike unlocked it would last maybe 30 seconds.

You might be surprised. Just because bikes sometimes get nicked doesn't mean they always do.

For example, I once went to a conference in central London and on the way there I realised I'd forgotten my lock. I had no time to get one, so I just left it leaning on a lamppost outside, at 8:00am. Went back out at 4pm and it was still there.

I've left bikes unlocked at other times outside pubs and not had one nicked. What I've done a couple of times when I've come out without the keys for D-lock is just balance it on the chainstays, poked through the spokes - it looks like it's locked if you just have a quick glance.

I do the same on an ultra as on a UK audax.

I generally use a toy cable cafe lock if I leave bike outside a supermarket, more because it makes me feel better, not because I think it would stop it being nicked. I don't bother on a garage forecourt - which is where I'll most often go. In Australia I never used my lock as pretty much every shop I visited had a forecourt.

I don't leave the bike alone for long, but it would be long enough for it to be nicked. If somewhere looks dodgy I'll try not to stop, but that's not always an option. And I take my vital stuff in with me - money, passport, phone, etc.

I use my liner a lot more than sleeping bag. Mine is old, not sure where from.
Use it with bivvy, sometimes with foil blanket, and for sleeping inside.

It was an expensive cap

I put a modest amount of money into it. It was a shock to get the message but I wasn't massively surprised. The last couple of fundraises have felt a little bit desparate and, when I asked for current financial info, I didn't get any. Also it was a bit odd Ben stepping down for a while then coming back.

I don't know if they would have made it were it not for COVID. They might have done but maybe not. There always seemed to be a 'just around the corner' element to any projections I saw. With something like this there are always more challenges to be met and the capital requirements continue, so it was a big ask.

It's not fun to lose money but I don't feel bad at the way things have been done. I'm sure Ben and team tried very hard to avoid it coming to this but they most likely ran out of options. Saving the people's jobs is more important and if he can do that, he will have done well.

And I've got a pink cap!

I'm sure it would be a great event. I've ridden in Gran Canaria this time of year a few times and it is a beautiful temperature. A good bit cooler in the hills than sea level. I think frost is rare but the nights can be quite chilly, inland. I once did a night ride and it was surprisingly cool. And really dark too - not much light inland and hardly any cars out after dark.

They use 'audax' as a general description of a long cycling event, it's not accredited by ACP or anything like that, you won't get any points for it.

The ferry timings mean that you have to really go to get round in what they call 'audax' time. Only a couple make it. eg the woman's winner (Lael) last year didn't. It's a bit harder than getting round a 200 before it gets dark..!

Hmmm, good to know, but still not convinced!

If you left it outside a cafe in the sun on a hot day, how would it feel when you jumped back on?

Might be a bit cold this weather!

Ta - looking for non-dyno though!

They have battery versions. https://www.bumm.de/en/products/akku-batterie-rucklichter.html