STWs favourite (well, my favourite at least) awesome and abusive car leaser is retiring next week:
"Ling is retiring!
I'm giving (not selling) LINGsCARS to my staff at the end of October ...a week away... and retiring. If you can call this retiring: I'm going to ride a bicycle around the World with my hubby, Jon.LINGsCARS will continue to run as normal, supplying you with the best car deals and great speedy service. Guy, Lily and David (my IT expert) will do a great job, I'm sure. I'm leaving them with a healthy bank balance, great customers, brilliant suppliers and super systems and of course ...my lovely website. They'll still use my name and images. I hope you'll keep ordering cars!
I want to say THANKS so much for your business and friendship over the last 19 years. I'll still be around online, my new website https://www.LingsBikeTrip.com will have all my details. It would be lovely to hear from you when I'm on my travels.I'm just going to be overwhelmed with messages from customers who I consider as friends, and I still need to run LINGsCARS for a week. Customers always come first 🙂 So, sorry if I'm slow replying...
If you're interested, I made a video (above) to explain a bit more. We can always chat at a later date!"
Good for her. On all counts.
Amazing. New site looks ace too 😂
Have you seen the steerer on the bike - blimey. PS does she not realise there is a global pandemic ?
I hope she has a bell on the bike..
Ling Ling Ling....
Just to bring an authentic feel to this thread
This is awesome! What a legend Ling is.
On the global pandemic front - sounds like she is planning a multi-year trip, so if the first few months are made a bit more complicated by the pandemic it won't be a show stopper. May mean they need to spend some time in isolation at border crossings waiting for test results though.
I’m going to ride a bicycle around the World with my hubby, Jon.
I didn't know that was Poopscoops real name.
I'm still gutted I didn't get an invite to the wedding.
Bought a hat and everything.
Ling Ling Ling
That is awesome.
She's written a great bike check on her trip website. Not the spec I would go with for a world tour but she's obviously considered it carefully. Good luck Ling! I'll make you a cuppa when you get to NZ.
www.lingcars.com
Nice one Ling. Giving your business to your staff is absolutely top notch stuff.
It's a nice reversal of the normal 'Come for the bikes, stay for the bullshit' approach.
(Obviously she didn't get the idea to do it from here. No-one actually rides bikes on STW 🙂 )
Looks like a good bike too. I am slightly envious of someone who is brave and resilient enough to sell up and GTFO on an adventure for a couple of years.
Excellent - she bought the bike from my LBS :-). Surprised I hadn't read about her expedition in the local news.
Superb!
Seeing the owner of Ling cars feels like looking behind the curtain.
I don't buy cars very often but thanks for me reminding of this cornerstone of the world-wide-web. Love ya Ling and you still bossed this place on 'that thread'
Enjoy your bike ride.
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/legal-advice-please-cancelling-a-new-car-dispute/ (63 pages!!)
https://singletrackmag.com/user/ling/?profiletab=forums&subnav=replies
(Obviously she didn’t get the idea to do it from here. No-one actually rides bikes on STW 🙂 )
True, but we do talk about it a lot
I'm disappointed at the lack of gifs though.
My Bike...
...is a beautiful SURLY LONG HAUL TRUCKER, which is very useful if it breaks down, because when I shout and kick it in a rage, its name rhymes with "useless ****er"
Amazing.
Wow, what a bona fide legend! Was aware of her - and THAT site - before it all kicked off on here for one of the all-time greatest (and funniest) threads. In truth I'd always liked her style, came across as funny, fresh and genuine in a world/sector that is usually anything but.
And her decision to do this just validates what an exceptional individual she is. To build her business - as a female, Chinese (2nd language then), immigrant - in the sector she has done is phenomenal in and of itself. To now give the business to her employees (when its got to be worth a considerable sum of money) is laudable. I know she could afford it, but even so, many wouldn't have just given it away.
I wish her all the best on her travels and will be following her progress
Leased from Ling a few years ago and it was a great experience. If I was ever leasing again, she'd be my only choice.
Good for her. I cant work out her accent, I presume she picked up English and her accent up north somewhere?
This thread just needs someone to 'climb down off their poopbox' and join in! 🙂
Did her brother in law buy her bike for her?
Helooooooo everyone, my bloody alerts are pinging like mad.
Yes, what can I say??? thanks to all for the comments 🙂
I plan to set off and not come back to the UK, just keep going until I die, hehe.
I've got a brand new black (blue?) passport with extra pages, and have had every injection going. Rabies etc, about a dozen more, and yellow fever so I can jump on commercial boats if I want to. And a cholera drink thing. Fortunately money isn't an issue as long as I don't go silly.
I plan to cycle for years, getting to China is the first goal really, but getting Q2 visas (family visit) is impossible at the mo. I will have to fly back to the UK from somewhere on the route (Turkey, georgia, Azer, Caspian ferry, Uzbeki, all the stans around the M41 to China). Then down Yunnan to south east asia.
A lot of borders need to open, true, but waiting is depressing so fkkit, just go. Europe is pretty open.
My bike is a Surly Trucker, from Spa in Harrogate. Lovely bike, but steel, heavy etc, and will be loaded with my whole life. You'll mostly laugh at my bike, it is slow and very low geared. 3 chainrings, who has those these days?? 9-speed cassette. I put a dropper thing on the derailleur and a lower (bigger) 1st gear cog.
True, I did look at Rolhoff or Pinion with belts and maybe choose them next time?? Got my eyes on a Co-motion Pangia to be honest. but i need to wear the Surly out first. Surly LHT was circa £1500, Pangia is about £6000+ with a 18 speed Pinion.
All my gear is boring - Deore/Sora and 2"x26" tyres, sputnik rims, and v-brakes etc, nothing to excite you all. But all recommended stuff by Spa.
Must say the best thing I added is a Redshift suspension stem. if you haven't tried one, these are just wonderful things. Takes all the bashing out of my wrists/arms on rocky gravel tracks.
Been doing some test rides, did 70km the other day... but christ it's hard work. Will get easier.
I've made a nice map on my website showing where I've been, tracks a phone GPS. I have a phone for that, specially.
We've got an MSR Elixir 3 tent.
And a credit card.
What can possibly go wrong?
Ling
The magazine should do a piece on this surely?
Good luck on your adventure Ling.
Oh God that poor bear. It doesn't realise the shit it is getting into.
Oh God that poor bear. It doesn’t realise the shit it is getting into.
It'll be fine as long as it doesn't try to back out.
Be good to follow it on YouTube
Perhaps get in touch with Ed Pratt, chap unicycled around the world and currently lives in Bishkek Kyrgyzstan
Amazing. The very best of luck Ling! I have always been grateful for the hours of crying with laughter when you first joined STW.
I'm nowhere near as good as Ed, with filming/editing. Or riding. But will certainly have a good go. - Ling
Did her brother in law buy her bike for her?
I think it probably cost a bit more than £500+VAT.
Great stuff, have to keep an eye on that site. just had a look, shes headed my way. Lincoln watch out!!!
I went to Lincoln 3 weeks ago (in the car) testing the tracking 🙂
Ling
I went to Lincoln 3 weeks ago (in the car) testing the tracking 🙂
ah ok, the map said it was updated every 30 minutes or so....
shame, id have been up for a coffee and a 'celebrity selfie' 😀
Yeah but it's historical, too. Normally when I go it will be one straight long line, far more understandable 🙂
I'm finding it hard to believe this isn't the most brilliantly-conceived troll ever. 🙂
Good luck Ling - epic stuff. Which reminds me, I need to update you on my mileage. 🙂
Legend! Good luck Ling.
Online Singletrack interview with Ling coming very shortly, folks! 🙂
Online Singletrack interview with Ling coming very shortly, folks!
Get your brother in law to ask her the questions on your behalf.
Fair play Ling, you're a very remarkable lady and I will follow you & hubby on your travels. What a fabulous adventure you have ahead of you. All the best.
Have a great time Ling
Online Singletrack interview with Ling coming very shortly, folks!
Be sure to remind her at the start to tell us what she really thinks. hahahahahahaha
And make sure your web/gif fiddler pays suitable reverence to the page hosting the interview. If I don't have a migraine by the end of it you've failed.
I'm 5 pages into that thread that was linked and thoroughly enjoying it. But 65 pages! is it worth it to keep going?
I’m 5 pages into that thread that was linked and thoroughly enjoying it. But 65 pages!
Did Ling appear yet? If not you'll need some Google-Fu to pinpoint the bit where there's a clap of thunder and a puff of smoke.
Online Singletrack interview with Ling coming very shortly, folks!
Site redesign needed to complement the interview....
Bravo Ling!
I look forward to your youtube updates to brighten our Brexit nuclear winter!
I've just trawled through that thread for an hour (don't know why I missed it first time around) and it's hard to understand due to the forum redesign messing with the blockquotes, but was there ever a resolution either way.
It's a shame I missed it because I could have created a great lingometer set of gifs 🙂
Good look with your ride Ling! Bike looks ace!
But 65 pages!
It’s important to remember that those 65 pages happened over not much more than one weekend.
Bookmarked and to say good luck Ling - so jealous!
All the best LIng.
9 speed Truckers rule!
Story up now. 🙂
Awesome. Good luck ling
Wow what a great adventure, good luck Ling.
Hey Ling, I'm trying to work out how to 'flag' your vehicle assisted rides on your website. Thats a long pedal up the A1(m) motorway and you even stopped for petrol 😉
perchypanther
I didn’t know that was Poopscoops real name.
I’m still gutted I didn’t get an invite to the wedding.
Bought a hat and everything
😳
Good luck Ling.👍
I loved the Ling thread. Had me in stitches at the time.
What a great story. Sounds like a great adventure.
Ling steel frames are well regarded on here.probably be a bit more comfortable than alloy with more character when riding it.sounded like you thought it was a bit of a negative thing.v brakes will be easy to fix on the road.replacing pads is easy with one tool and they reliable enough with worldwide availability of pads I would have thought.
Also - regarding the original thread - it reminded me - what happened to @Jamie?
SPOOKY - You can't flag anything at the moment. As soon as I set off I'll delete all these test rides/drives, so it will be a clean start. Setting off mid-November.
Ling
Ling, I was only messing 😉
Good luck. Thought about a SPOT tracker? Might be easier than trying to keep a smartphone charged up and probably a lot more accurate too. Plus the safety element of being able to signal for help from literally anywhere on the world without a phone signal.
Such a brilliant thing to do Ling. Best of luck to you and your husband. The original thread kept me highly entertained whilst my wife and daughter were in hospital. It’s my daughters third birthday tomorrow so this thread must almost be in sync with the other one!
Incidentally, the pic of Ling and team in front of the Angel on the magazine interview, just behind the Angel is some lovely little bits of singletrack through the wood, I've been pruning the dear track down there for years to make for a nice warm up loop before I head out.
Spooky, yeah thought about that. But, it needs a subscription and the phone is multifunction (if it can get a signal). But FFS, I don't need an emergency beacon in everyday life...
I'm using a dedicated Motorola G8 power to upload tracking, and will be used for just the GPS really, so will last a week after charging.
The accuracy has been pretty good (in the UK).
I can't decide if it's a good thing to plot my course so accurately or a bad thing? I guess it means you know WHERE I was eaten by the bear, or the rattlesnake got me. But someone could track me and intercept me... but is that really a thing? Not as if I will have £10k in my pocket.
Ling
So inflation has hit the “You are so-and-so and I claim my £10” remark if it’s £10k now!
Any updates? I'm guessing this has been scuppered for now with all the lockdowns?
Top stuff. I had bookmarked the web page to have a look at their current position every now and again but had made the assumption that the start would have been delayed.
Ling is having to cut short her time in the EU. Why? Only allowed 90 days in any 180, so having ridden down the the South of Spain and back up to Barcelona she now has to get out of the Schengen area quickly. So instead of cycling through France and Italy it's a ferry and train journey to get out to Croatia.
Another Brexit bonus.
I'm very much likely to be breaking rule 1 here.... but Ling was very, very vocal in her support of Brexit. She even appeared on tv extolling its virtues from memory.
Just saying.
That aside, I'm not into feeling great over anyone feeling the negative effects of Brexit.
It's shite and we'll all be biting a chunk of it one way or another.
