Had a great morning today looking at some great cars on Hartlepool Marina,some classics from many years ago,some specialist kit cars which looked amazing aswell as other vehicles.Great weather too!!!!The owners of these vehicles should be proud of them,some looked as good as the day they left the factory and have clearly been cared for with imense pride.
I only had time to be there for an hour but managed to get a few pictures snapped and have posted them up on Flickr,please check them out here.Thanks to all who drove there cars and rode there motorcycles to this great event,its much appreciated.
What did Formula 1 fans think of todays China GP.......for me what a race!! It had it all. Whats becoming even more clear is tyres are the key factor in this seasons F1,not just about conserving them during the race but ensuring you have plenty of fresh sets available as Lewis Hamilton showed.The 3 stop strategy worked a dream today for Lewis and Mclaren and he pulled off some stunning overtaking moves,admittedly helped when other drivers where on worn tyres,nontheless a great drive by Hamilton.
Red Bull though are still the team to beat though in my opinion.
Finally De Blob 2 on PS3........anyone played this and what do you think? I ask because im thinking about getting this game having read some great reviews and impressions from people who have played it.Ive never played the previous game and having seen it cheap at a videogame store its got me thinking about purchasing it.Any views would be most appreciated.
Take care.
Me
- Jeff
- North East, United Kingdom
- I Love cycling,video games,cars,movies,books,F1,Motogp,WSBK,BSB,current affairs and even politics! I also review a wide range of products from the latest tech to food,drink,videogames,cycles and more aswell as doing market research.
Sunday, 17 April 2011
Sunday, 27 March 2011
Bikes and games.
A few things have been happening since my last blog so i thought i would share some brief thoughts.Firstly i got a new pair of tyres for the Colnago C50hp which i mentioned in a previous blog.The bike is kept off the roads during the winter months as i dont see the point in riding a £4k road bike in the salt and crud fested roads so i use my Ridley Orion instead.
The last few weeks ive stripped the bike down and been cleaning and greasing it in prep for the next few weeks when hopefully weather permitting i can get out on the roads with it.
My Colnago C50hp on Flicker
If you kindly click on my flickr page the new tyres are on and ive also put some Fizik microtex bar tape on aswell,not much else needed doing so its ready to go........as soon as the salt dissapears off the roads!
Take care!
The last few weeks ive stripped the bike down and been cleaning and greasing it in prep for the next few weeks when hopefully weather permitting i can get out on the roads with it.
My Colnago C50hp on Flicker
If you kindly click on my flickr page the new tyres are on and ive also put some Fizik microtex bar tape on aswell,not much else needed doing so its ready to go........as soon as the salt dissapears off the roads!
As for other things,well ive been playing a lot of Top Spin 4 and Moto GP 10/11 on the ps3 and i have to say im really enjoying them,Top Spin especially is one of those games that just feels right to play,the animations are superb and it plays fantastically well.Moto GP is a tough game but as mentioned before its a game that if you persist with it it rewards you well.I must admit though having seen some early footage of SBK 11 due out in May that game looks potentially to be something special.
I recently contributed to the Japanese earhquake/tsunami appeal via the playstation network,i felt it was the right thing to do and although it wasnt a huge amount of money i hope other psn users join in too,its a very worthy cause.
Sunday, 13 March 2011
Japan
As i sit typing this blog its a dull and wet Sunday lunchtime and playing in the background is the bbc news channel showing the latest images from the horrific earthquake and then tsunami in Japan.The pictures i see from many thousands of miles away shock me everytime i see then,the destructive force mother nature has wreaked on a country i have so much admiration for is truly beyond belief.
Ive been engrossed by the coverage on tv,internet and radio over the last 72 hours or so and have wondered what it must be like to experience something so awful and so devastating,i live near the coast and simply cannot imagine what it must be like and what the people of Japan are going through at this moment.It seems that the country survived the earthquake reasonably well,or as well as can be expected with the buildings and infrastructure designed and built with eathquakes in mind, but it was the tsunami thats caused the devastation.
My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to everyone effected.
Seeing whole towns and villages getting swepped away by the sheer force of the water is a truly horrific sight but can anyone survive such devastating destruction?Latest estimates say possibly around ten thousend people may have lost there lives,but in my own opinion i wouldnt be surprised if it turns out to be ten times more than that,i sincerely hope im wrong but i cant help feeling as the hours,days and weeks pass by the true impact of this disaster will become only too apparant.
The attention now seems to be focusing on the nuclear power plants,especially in Fukushima which could have even more serious consequences for the area and beyond.Im no expert in theses matters but seeing the explosion on tv yesterday and now hearing that the authorites in Japan fear that another reactor is having cooling problems i really do start to think that we could have another disaster immeniantly.From an ever increasing exclusion zone to more people getting effected by radiation im very suspicious about what we are'nt being told.Are the Japanese authorities being transparent....or is it simply a case of its too early to say whats happening and what the effects are?.Im sure over the next few days all will become clearer.
The news coverage on the BBC and Sky whether on tv or online has been very informative and ive found it very usefull but last night i listened to the Stephen Nolan show on Radio 5 Live and was fully engrossed in the discussion,it was great to listen to the various experts on the show who made a lot of sense about the reactor situation in Fukushima and the possibilitys of what if/could happen.
Finally im going to help in anyway i can whether that be a donation or volunteering my services in anyway i can,i hope others do to.Its the least we can do to get this magnificent country back on its feet.
Ive been engrossed by the coverage on tv,internet and radio over the last 72 hours or so and have wondered what it must be like to experience something so awful and so devastating,i live near the coast and simply cannot imagine what it must be like and what the people of Japan are going through at this moment.It seems that the country survived the earthquake reasonably well,or as well as can be expected with the buildings and infrastructure designed and built with eathquakes in mind, but it was the tsunami thats caused the devastation.
My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to everyone effected.
Seeing whole towns and villages getting swepped away by the sheer force of the water is a truly horrific sight but can anyone survive such devastating destruction?Latest estimates say possibly around ten thousend people may have lost there lives,but in my own opinion i wouldnt be surprised if it turns out to be ten times more than that,i sincerely hope im wrong but i cant help feeling as the hours,days and weeks pass by the true impact of this disaster will become only too apparant.
The attention now seems to be focusing on the nuclear power plants,especially in Fukushima which could have even more serious consequences for the area and beyond.Im no expert in theses matters but seeing the explosion on tv yesterday and now hearing that the authorites in Japan fear that another reactor is having cooling problems i really do start to think that we could have another disaster immeniantly.From an ever increasing exclusion zone to more people getting effected by radiation im very suspicious about what we are'nt being told.Are the Japanese authorities being transparent....or is it simply a case of its too early to say whats happening and what the effects are?.Im sure over the next few days all will become clearer.
The news coverage on the BBC and Sky whether on tv or online has been very informative and ive found it very usefull but last night i listened to the Stephen Nolan show on Radio 5 Live and was fully engrossed in the discussion,it was great to listen to the various experts on the show who made a lot of sense about the reactor situation in Fukushima and the possibilitys of what if/could happen.
Finally im going to help in anyway i can whether that be a donation or volunteering my services in anyway i can,i hope others do to.Its the least we can do to get this magnificent country back on its feet.
Thursday, 10 March 2011
bloggin..
Lets kick off this blog with some thoughts then,firstly the ipad 2 reveal last week.Theres no doubt the redesign looks better,lighter,slimmer and faster....and at the same pricepoint as the original.Whats not to like,thanks Apple! Interesting to see the price coming down now on the original,i see at Comet its a reasonable £329,i wonder when we will see the first sub £300 price.Hmmmm
Next week sees a crazy release week for videogames,with 4 of my eagerly awaited releases all arriving on the same day!Yakuza 4,Top Spin 4,Motorstorm Apocolipse and Moto Gp 10/11.Why do publishers do this,its been going on for years and yet they still complain when a game doesnt sell to its expected level.Very odd...anyway having played demos of all the games i will probably buy them....but more of a staggered purchase instead of getting all 4 on day 1 and probably not giving some of them the time they deserve.
Good to hear the new DLC for Pes 2011 gets released next week,Konami have really got there act together with this series and all bodes well for future games.
Really cant wait for the motorsport season to get fully underway,last weeks WSBK at Phillip Island was fantastic to watch,Repsol Honda and Casey Stoner in particular look super quick in Moto GP testing,the F1 seasons only a few weeks away and that promises to be interesting to say the least what with all the rule changes [especially the tyres,oh and Mclaren sadly looking in trouble with there car design] and the British Touring car championship and British Superbikes getting underway in early April.I really cant wait to see those.
Next week sees a crazy release week for videogames,with 4 of my eagerly awaited releases all arriving on the same day!Yakuza 4,Top Spin 4,Motorstorm Apocolipse and Moto Gp 10/11.Why do publishers do this,its been going on for years and yet they still complain when a game doesnt sell to its expected level.Very odd...anyway having played demos of all the games i will probably buy them....but more of a staggered purchase instead of getting all 4 on day 1 and probably not giving some of them the time they deserve.
Good to hear the new DLC for Pes 2011 gets released next week,Konami have really got there act together with this series and all bodes well for future games.
Really cant wait for the motorsport season to get fully underway,last weeks WSBK at Phillip Island was fantastic to watch,Repsol Honda and Casey Stoner in particular look super quick in Moto GP testing,the F1 seasons only a few weeks away and that promises to be interesting to say the least what with all the rule changes [especially the tyres,oh and Mclaren sadly looking in trouble with there car design] and the British Touring car championship and British Superbikes getting underway in early April.I really cant wait to see those.
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Bell Volt cycling helmet review
This is my review of the Bell Volt cycling helmet which i have used extensively over the last 6 months.
My previous cycle helmet was a Giro Ionos which i had for just over a year and while the helmet was ok i decieded i wanted to try something different for a change and after looking around and researching various manufactures i went for the Volt from Bell.
First impressions are fantastic,it has a real premuim feel and look about it.The colour is a mix of black and carbon with a hint of gunmetal along the vents which really stand out and give the helmet a bold look.If feels light to hold and although there are lighter helmets available i found that when your out cycling i hardly know its there.Fully adjustable to cater for all shapes and sized heads its easy to get a fit that feels "just right" and with plenty of pads inside its a comfy helmt to wear.
When out riding you can instantly feel the vents working and on hot days they are a godsent,the same goes for the internal pads which do a good job of soaking up the sweat especially on my brow although i still have to wipe my brow from time to time its no problem.
This does everything that a good cycle helmet should do,protects your head in a crash [thankfully i havent tested that part yet!!],the vents work really well keeping my head cool on hot days,it looks fantastic,its lightweight and fits me perfect.Everyones heads are different shapes/sizes so i would definatly try before you buy [the same advice goes for any helmet].
The helmet was on offer for £115 instead of the usual £135 to £140 which in the end sealed the deal for me.
The Bell Volt.........highly recomended
My previous cycle helmet was a Giro Ionos which i had for just over a year and while the helmet was ok i decieded i wanted to try something different for a change and after looking around and researching various manufactures i went for the Volt from Bell.
 |
| Bell Volt/Pro Cycling magazine |
When out riding you can instantly feel the vents working and on hot days they are a godsent,the same goes for the internal pads which do a good job of soaking up the sweat especially on my brow although i still have to wipe my brow from time to time its no problem.
 |
| Massive vents on the rear! |
This does everything that a good cycle helmet should do,protects your head in a crash [thankfully i havent tested that part yet!!],the vents work really well keeping my head cool on hot days,it looks fantastic,its lightweight and fits me perfect.Everyones heads are different shapes/sizes so i would definatly try before you buy [the same advice goes for any helmet].
The helmet was on offer for £115 instead of the usual £135 to £140 which in the end sealed the deal for me.
The Bell Volt.........highly recomended
Sunday, 27 February 2011
Some thoughts.
Firstly well done to Carlos Checa in todays World Superbike Championship where he took a double win on the Ducati,i had a feeling the double was on the cards today as i mentioned in an earlier blog,in testing he was on the pace and the Ducati seems to suit Phillip Island,whether the bike/rider combination can be consistantly at the front for the season we shall have to see but good luck anyway.
Onto more serious matters though with the horrific events that seem to be happening in Libya.I am certainly no expert on these matters,i can only go off what i read on the web,in newspapers,listen on the radio and watch on the rolling news channels like BBC and Sky news but some of the reports are frightening.For example Gadaffi's got snipers on rooftops to shoot protesters in Tripoli and even bombing his own people.Is this for real,how on this earth can anyone do this to there own people...people who just want to protest and express there views.I find these events shocking and my thoughts are with the people of Libya who must be going through hell at this momemt in time.
I read this morning on twitter from a hugely respected journalist Frank Gardner that Libya will give all its familys $400 dollars which sounds like a sweetner eg to restore some order in the country and stop the protests.Seems like a desperate measure from Gadaffi to try and remain in power,whether it works or not i suppose only time will tell.With events in Tunisia,Bahrain and Egypt it makes me wonder where next?
Onto more serious matters though with the horrific events that seem to be happening in Libya.I am certainly no expert on these matters,i can only go off what i read on the web,in newspapers,listen on the radio and watch on the rolling news channels like BBC and Sky news but some of the reports are frightening.For example Gadaffi's got snipers on rooftops to shoot protesters in Tripoli and even bombing his own people.Is this for real,how on this earth can anyone do this to there own people...people who just want to protest and express there views.I find these events shocking and my thoughts are with the people of Libya who must be going through hell at this momemt in time.
I read this morning on twitter from a hugely respected journalist Frank Gardner that Libya will give all its familys $400 dollars which sounds like a sweetner eg to restore some order in the country and stop the protests.Seems like a desperate measure from Gadaffi to try and remain in power,whether it works or not i suppose only time will tell.With events in Tunisia,Bahrain and Egypt it makes me wonder where next?
Friday, 25 February 2011
Motorcycling
This weekend sees the start of the 2011 World Superbike Championship in Australia and if first practice is anything to go by then Carlos Checa looks odds on for a potential double win the way hes riding it.Max Biaggi on the amazing Aprillia must start the season as favourite but on a personal level i would love to see a few others give him a hard time this season including Leon Haslam on the BMW,Tom Sykes on the new Kawasaki ZX10 and Jonathan Rea on the beautifull Castrol Honda Fireblade.Good luck also to Eugene Laverty in his first season in WSBK on the Yamaha R1,in testing hes looked really good but whether he can deliver in a full race distance is yet to be seen....not long to go now though.
I got MCN on wednesday as usual [have done for the last 20 years] and read a great review of the new BMW 6 cylinder touring bike,ive never been a fan of tourers and have usually got my kicks on Yamaha R6's and Suzuki Bandits but this thing looks pretty good......but its the engine note that blows me away....just listen to it and watch the video courtesy of MCN here.You have to agree its pretty special.
I got MCN on wednesday as usual [have done for the last 20 years] and read a great review of the new BMW 6 cylinder touring bike,ive never been a fan of tourers and have usually got my kicks on Yamaha R6's and Suzuki Bandits but this thing looks pretty good......but its the engine note that blows me away....just listen to it and watch the video courtesy of MCN here.You have to agree its pretty special.
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