Other hobbies you are/have been nerdy into...

Harryburgundy":1ydc6ch7 said:

orange71":1ydc6ch7 said:

if I had the money I'd be an audiophile. I would love to spend big money on all sorts of separates and set up my own listening room... it'll never happen though. :roll:

I've got some nice stuff from the mid-nineties (Marantz/Denon/Tannoy etc) that currently get played nursery rhymes on them :roll:

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that would be my father-in-law, can't move in his house without bumping into all sorts of audiophile. Valve amps, speakers, vinyl and reel-to-reel all over the place. Did source me a Marantz CD-63 Signature (the one with the sold copper base...if that makes sense) for nought, which I have matched to an Audiolab 8000A amp....pretty good sound for not much money.

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Got a CD63se myself, fantastic machine. Always wanted an 8000A but couldn't afford one at the time (got a Denon).

If you ever need a copper plated screw for your 63 I've got one left over from when I replaced the laser in mine!!!!

Mr Artois assured me "it's fine." And to his beery credit, it is!!!

My uncle in New York builds and sells his own valve amps aswell as restoring Wurlitzers and Moogs. He also has a pair of Nakamichi Dragons, for excellent tape to tape copying!!!

Bet you are now thinking "Jims' uncle is cool"

One word my friends. toupe

Jim

I used to row at Thames RC in London. That and work were pretty much my life for a bit but I loved it.

Now, it's just Eton Fives which has to be one of the nerdiest sports out there - it was usually played by all the malcos who didn't want to play rugby. I broke that mould because I just love ball games. Give me a ball and a big garden and I could keep myself happy for days inventing silly games with ever increasingly complicated rules. Still can, and I'm 32 now!

Years and years ago an Eton boy was beheaded playing fives....

Got a CD63se myself, fantastic machine.

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I could only afford the CD52SE

Other things apart from cycling.........
Martial arts in a few different styles I suppose has been by biggest indulgence. Won a few competitions, 2nd and 3rds but was robbed of a gold medal due to club politcs. Bitter me, no :evil:
Everyone there thought I won it, my instructor said I should have been 2 points clear before I started with what I did.............................
I did win a European gold though in a different comp
Accidentaly broke a guys face when sparring, now he's got a doctors certificate to go through metal detectors in airports
Other than that......................... :?

orange71":zbi3lgwg said:

Got a CD63se myself, fantastic machine.

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I could only afford the CD52SE

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I couldn't afford one either.

Had to endure 3 uni-based house burglaries in my unconventional HiFi upgrade programme!!!!

On last occasion my beloved mat black '94 Clockwork (with RC35ab) was "upgraded" to a '95 P7 XT.

Now that I didn't want!!!

I have played about with computers, and I am a bit into audio equipment, I usually take little phases where I am only interested in one or the other, and they go round in circles.

The main reason I got more into MTB in the early 90's was due to audio. I had money saved for a CD player, a two box Sony CDP-DAS R1, which was going to be getting traded in at my local audio store.
I waited months for that, as the guy was waiting for a new CD player to arrive or something, but he ended up having to get his large Krell power amp repaired and couldn't afford to sell the CD player at that time.

I was so disappointed that I walked through town, noticed a Titanium Raleigh Dyna-Tec Torus STX-RC with a little off the price, and went in tried it out and bought that with a pair of Panaracer Magic tyres with some of the money I had saved for the Sony CD player. For a few years after this I wasn't into audio that much.

When I had my first kid I ended up selling all my bikes and clearing the spare rooms, sold a lot od audio kit too, but was back into audio again.

Last year I was into old computers, and I was planning to build a new PC but then got back into bikes, got the Marin and started digging about the loft for old bike bits. Well at least when I get back into PC DDR3 will be cheaper LOL.

Swings and roundabouts...

Apart from geeking out over bikes (and very occasionaly riding them :shock: )........

I love messing about with old cars, back down to single figures at the moment- (must try harder). Have been buying and selling anything 50s/60s/70s for about 20 years now. Had early 911's, lots of german stuff- 2002Tii's, 3.0 CSL's, an ur-quattro, Italian stuff, Lancia's, a dozen or so Alfa's, a few Jensens, a Mustang, lots of SAAB's, Volvo Amazons, FIAT's, Citroen DS's and so on. Had quite a few old Rally cars over the years too including a few that would be rather valuable now- a few Escorts Mk2s, Lotus Sunbeam, ex-works Opel Kadett Coupe (Tony Pond/ Anders Kullang), SAAB 96V4, Volvo Amazon (ex- Monte Carlo and Winter Challenge), Volvo 144S to name a few.

Motor Racing, done a bit of Historic racing and rallying, not as much as I would like due to funds. Currently doing a little road rallying, cheap and good fun and we win every now and then......which is nice!
Putting a deal together to race at the next Le Mans Classic in 2010 which will be a dream come true

I also collect motor racing related items from 1950-1985, especially anything Le Mans and RAC rally related ie- books, posters, programes, medals, trophies, passes, stickers, old magazines etc. Been collecting since my early teens and now have filled a room at home and I am slowly filling a large building at work. This stuff is starting to get expensive now so I have slowed a little.

Away from cars I love food and I am quite obsessed with cooking- quite happily spend 3 or 4 hours a night making something special (whilst getting pissed at the same time) Unfortunately this means I'm getting fatter by the month and soon I will have to weld two bikes together side by side

I bought a boat a few years ago but don't get the time to sail, its sat father forlornly on the upper car park on the Farm. If I had more time in my life I would love to get out to sea on her once in a while. With time this could be my next big interest.

Finally I used to play Hammond organ and electric piano in a band with some mates- I was shit But we had some good times- and thats the most important thing.

Mostly Music-related geekery from me....

When I was a kid - Dungeons and Dragons/painting Warhammer figures etc. Great wastes of time that gave me skills I can now use to impress my kids.

Spent the latter part of the 80s following bands like the Mission and the Wonder Stuff around when I should have been spending more time on my degree.... but hell I came out of uni with a 2:1.

These days my non-bike geekery is mostly confined to the world of espresso. I only ever buy raw beans, which I roast myself...

Hi, I do love old and classic cars.
Few years ago (school time) I had much more time to spend on family cars and classic car rallies. We had 1943 and 1994 russian GAZ 67B (a kind of russian jeep) - two units (sadly both are gone) and one 1969 Beetle which I still have.
I have recently purchased Mercedes-Benz 2.3-16 (190 Cosworth). So, generally I am a bit mad on three pointed star classic and historic cars and the story behind them