I see what you’re saying but I wouldn’t have said anything about it aside from the fact the reply a while ago was was “yes no problems we can do that” after seeing photos of what was required, as you say though likely just need to be more patient. However we were told by other specialist tradesman “just keep chasing us as those who chase loudest get seen to first”. This is why I mentioned what I did previously

Thought I’d post as a weekend funny…. Bear in mind I’ve never done this before, and have babybrain I think….

I had the caliper bolts the wrong way around and they’re of course different lengths 🤣! Absolutely zero need for different mounts as they’re obviously compatible with all brands… so I’ve got all the parts ex the matchmaker and should I get the time can’t wait to get them properly setup!

The house probably about 120 years old, the painting and render was probably done 15 years ago and it’s just coming straight off most the walls with a bit of encouragement.

Sandblasting needs to be done because we want it back to brick for aesthetics but it’ll also need re-pointing in parts. Yes there are areas of damp which are getting much better since we moved in but still if we don’t do it properly it will just need doing later on in our life’s…. We’ve given it alot of thought too. STILL not got a quote from the sandblaster who initially responded to me (mick the blaster) , I literally hate trying to get hold of tradesman.

For me these trades need some serious regulation, if I replied to a customer then never replied after that I’d get told off…. However zero accountability!

In the nicest way it’s so good to hear I’m not the only one.

Bent down to pick a croissant out of the oven the other day and my Lower back spasm’d and was clearly inflamed for around 3 days!!

I’m doing yoga with adriene back specific yoga now, I always find it happens if I’m rushing. Maybe 3 times a year it happens but Jesus Christ it’s debilitating at the time!

I had joined the gym a year ago and made some good progress too but it fell by the wayside and I think this was a reminder!

Haha well we have done our own research and know that the house needs to breathe more than a modern house, we have no airbricks for example, this was then cemented (pardon the pun) by someone who came to quote. Which yes they will want the business, but you have to trust someone!!

3 things:
– buying a doer upper house and digging a flowerbed to find an actual brick wall under the ground! Pulled out about 200 old bricks in a 15ft wide by 1 metre deep area, I wouldn’t mind I only dug down about 1/2 a metre! The benefit is everything’s grown like billyo and I’m the hero for doing it!

– telling the other half “I’ll turn the central square patio we have into a circle by knocking the corners off and grassing upto it…. What a pain in the balls to cut the grass now 🤣

– garden was all gravel, decided we wanted to grass it, good god… it filled around 50 rubble bags and a 1T tote bag!

I wonder if hammering a strong torx in but then getting some long thin bars to give you a huge amount of leverage, then shock the bolt loose? A bit like when you get a tight car wheelnut then use a 4ft long pole to get huge leverage on it, you’d obvs need someone holding the bit in the bolt in really tight!

Agreed with someone above, I have a cheapie set of hex/torx bits but in there there are also twisted variations of them too and I’ve used these to get bolts that have been in Say a gate for 20 years and have rusted down.

That maybe another option

Well I think the good news is that nextdoor had theirs done years ago when the builder renovated it, it’s the same brick too as you can see how it overlaps onto our side but it looks great as the bricks have those imperfections in.

The reason the grinding out and lime mortar has been advised is because the house is just brick, there’s no cavity walls and they’ve used concrete mortar, next door didn’t have their mortar changed and the specialist showed us the darker mortar colour in certain areas on their house and said “they’ll likely start seeing damp appearing in the not too distant future”. But yes it sounds like a concrete wash was used on ours to smooth the brick and then it was painted…… and then the top half was rendered over which has basically stopped the brick from being able to breathe!

I think this has all been done because the house owner had gone a bit crazy before he passed away, he addressed himself as Colonel on letters, however we know from speaking to family he was never a colonel. There’s a full steel carport with a £16k invoice and lots of solar panels too so I think he’s unfortunately been an easy target which is awful to think really.

We did look into these smart renders but we can’t see anything that will be breathable and although we don’t have damp now on a large scale (just a few small bits) if we don’t do something about it it will likely start getting worse.

The thing I hate most is everyone just wants to sell you something and you get so much conflicting information! Even the smart render companies said “yes we can do this no problem and yes our render is breathable” , but it sounds like it shouldn’t be applied to a house like ours yet they’d quite happily take the money to do the work!!

Really interesting Bomble these things when taken into account are bound to boost the price!

Oh by the way the reason I thought of doing it myself was because we have to have a wet sandblast as we live on the only road through the village. Apparently if you live on a major road as such it has to be a wet blast so it doesn’t affect other drivers with all the dust

Thanks for the replies, okay I was thinking it’d be crazy to attempt myself but I’ve done so much on this house, ripping render off with a ladder and a hammer drill 🤣.
I’ve tried to remove the cream paint myself that’s underneath by paint stripper which just made a mess. Then tried a pressure washer with a masonry blaster end which has taken 50% of the paint off but before the brick was painted in some areas they ran a concrete over all the brick to make it a smooth surface.

Honestly the worst thing you can do to a building like ours.
We’re very confident we’ve been advised correctly as the guy who’s doing lime was incredibly knowledgeable and does heritage buildings etc

The YouTuber mentioned, thank you I actually saw him on there this afternoon and we’re going to get in contact with him!
Will check to see if any other links supplied can help us too

It does all depend on how often you wear them. I’d say for 2 years my hydromatics were amazing, they’ve started to let in a bit of water now and do get sweaty but for £18 on biketart they’re cracking value for how good they are

They do exist, or did’ my 100% Hydromatics were incredible!
Bone dry hands, if it was a warm wet day though you’d sweat!! So good for winter riding and even used them on my roadies

I found briskers absolutely garbage as when they get wet they just make your hands cold, they aren’t what I describe as winter gloves….bizarre!

Well what I found was the Shimano supplied bolts were way too short and the ones that the sram’s used tightened up but there was still about a 10mm gap between the top of the bolt head and the caliper so it flapped about, likely I need some longer spacers!

Hopefully I’ll get chance to try the brakes again tomorrow, today was spent doing DIY!

Oh really? I thought maybe Shimano/Stam had different caliper designs! Well there’s nothing wrong with my mounts, so if switching between a SRAM and Shimano caliper doesn’t mean I need to change the mounts? It seemed that one bolt wasn’t screwing down straight and the bolts that came with the calipers are too short and the existing ones are too long!

Thank you so much, it looks like I need to have another go!

Yes honestly I had exactly the same issue! Changing my 4 year old freeriders I bought the primeblue’s in 9.5 as same size, much too small. Ordered 10.5 and perfect now. Definitely don’t order the same size to years ago, you will be disappointed 🤣

Thank you yes sticking to 180’s, does “post mount” just mean a mount? Some ads for the part say front only but can’t seem to find ones for “back” as such. Seems like I might just need to wing it! One thing I know is I need longer screws!

Just as a bump, decided I’d use my existing thread rather than creating a ne one? Can anyone advise the caliper mount question?
Thank you

I tried going DEEP with a penknife which I bought especially but if the blood vessels aren’t dead it just bleeds so at least the Bazuka kills them off…

We’re kicking ourselves as it was down at 73p per litre a while ago, knew it would go up but you just don’t know when…. Just when you think it can’t go higher so we’ll wait a bit and it just kept rising….

I don’t know how some are affording it, my Mum is currently paying £140 pm and I heard some pensioners are fixing at £400 a month as it’s the lowest they can get. Someone needs to find a way of getting rid of Putin

Our elec is about £60 per month, oil heating has climbed from around £400 for 1000 litres to £930 currently! Madness!!

I do both, the sheer rolling resistance of the tyres means you can go so far on little effort.
I love road biking when you get some good roads, lightweight, the power you put in is multiplied too. All the haters, go have a look at all downhill and enduro racers and tell me how they spend time doing training? Road biking…

They’re not twitchy and easily controllable the longer you ride one….I hate riding on busy roads as it is dangerous but in a group on quieter roads it can be great. Halfway around always a cafe stop and main thing….it’ll improve your bike fitness no end!

I also do road TT’s but on my roadie and not a TT bike, great for fitness!

Honestly I would only go with a local recommendation.
It’s disgusting to think some will blatantly rip you off just because in some cases you can’t find someone else.

Also never ever give all the money until the work is 100% complete. While doing this house we paid joiner in full who then never came back 2 weeks later to seal the worktop. Also if we hadn’t held the money back from the plumber he would have no need to come to attend to final finishing jobs.

I cannot stress that enough, hope you find someone decent and usually your local village/town fb can recommend at least one person

Hey folks! Well I got the SLX. Hoses will need chopping but wonder if you can advise.
So it looks like I need new mount adapters as changing from Guides to these. There seems to be so many different types and shapes too… What on earth do I need?

Is a Shimano 180 adapter enough for the front/back? Or does it have to be specific to a 2017 capra? I really don’t know… confuses me there are so many different types!

My dropper remote has fitted nicely with the current mount but looks like I’ll need one of the ISpec EV converters to run the SRAM shifter so fine with that….

It’s just the caliper mount/s I’m stuck with…

We spend about £1500 a year on oil and monthly DD for elec is around £55 but the house has solar panels so as well as earning money from what they create also get paid for the next energy that goes back to the grid

My Dad used to wash his car three times a week and always used a watering can.

Not going to lie I struggle to get around to washing mine alot as been doing work in the house for over 2 years but sounds like getting the local car wash to do it is the best…

Take advantage of working the arm muscles holding up the full watering can 😆

So another update, I mean who doesn’t appreciate one?! 🤣

So I think I needed to take the bazuka gel instructions less seriously, my fiancée who sees allsorts of injuries/medical issues with work said to me to scrape out as much as poss and then just soak the things in the gel… have done exactly that and left it on for 5-6 days before the skin around it becomes soft and can easily pull it off. Done it 3-4 times now and the difference is brilliant!

Looks like it’s nearly all gone, just get the occasional phantom pains but they’re so mild as it’s clearly suffocating it so it’s a necessary evil!

Going swimming tomorrow too so will make sure it’s fully covered, last thing I want to do is pass it onto someone else!

Also I got a really small one on the other bloody foot! Anyway I did the same and that also seems to have almost gone now too

🤣 ohhh you mean PROPER camping with no electric! I confess not done much of that, we take a plug-in coolbox too, got to have away of keeping the bacon and milk and salad cool!

Marthrown of Mabie is worth a visit if you love MTB, riding straight from the tent and you really want to get back to nature!

So peaceful up there and there’s something about looking over at a gorgeous vista while you’re weeing onto a haybale for a toilet, the compost loos were pretty impressive too!

I could forgo the outside shower though which had what appeared to be a combi-boiler to heat the water. It was windy and the pilot light kept going out, so I turned the gas up, gust of wind came and I kid you not a lick of flame shot out and up around 2ft high….sooo close to cooking my nether regions! Never happened to anyone else!

They have what I think is a wood fired hot pool too but we absolutely didn’t use it last time due to the green colour inside, looked like you’d get a Urine infection from it 😆

Oh don’t…. Love camping! Missus 34 weeks pregnant now so that’s stopped for a bit, trust me soon as we can we’ll be back on it!

Oh just the ones that are too loud…come on we’re all here, we don’t want to listen to you over everyone else…. Then the ones that are better setup than you. Always someone to learn from!

Will say this though, induction hobs with eggs and bacon on just after waking upto a sunny day with a hot brew… cooking outside, it’s up there as the best feeling especially with a STW mag to read

🤣 yep the large bibs that I bought which are a 34.5 waist apparently, have beenupgraded to the 2XL ones that hopefully will be better. I even thought the XL’s would be too large as they’re 36.5 waist and I’m more a 35 so when thinking the sportful’s would be snug, I did expect them to come over my bottom….which the large’s definitely did not, and I have a svelte bottom too!

2XL if you’re 6’1, around 12.5 stone and about a 35 waist 🤣

Oh good god, just got my order…. Thanks Sportful for really bashing my ego! Both items are going to need to be XXL to fit me and I’m usually a medium wearer 🤣 it’s all going back for bigger sizes. Bugger it!

I’ve been getting into the XC lately, watched the race where Schurter took out his rival…. And the last one where the two of them were mincing about near the finish and out of nowhere the 3rd placer came at the commonwealth games.

Also Warner commentates it, makes it even more appealing!

I think I first got into it watching Pidcock in I think Japan, when he overtook a rider by sending it huge and literally went right over him!
Remember seeing him at the Otley races years ago too and he was very strong then!

I’m not going to read that link, it’s the Mirror and not alot truthful comes from that paper 🤣

Wow yes so if I was on the floor, normally I’d be fine to lift my pelvis and was able to do that. Have done an hours yoga before, even starting to do crow pose!

Thanks for all the advice, there’s a lot of it 🤣.
Going to keep doing the yoga for bad backs for a week and then will do planks etc….

Funny too as around 1 year ago did about 5 months of MTB Fitness the course, intensive planking, press-ups, sit ups, box jumps, squats you name it!

So bizarre….

Really interesting advice, I’d think you’re right it’s definitely a spasm. I’ve always been v pleased as it’s never gone down my legs so isn’t sciatica. Have seen an Osteopath and Chiro before as it was an injury that happened when I was younger that caused it. Once I was much better the chiro was saying “best to come back once every 6 months just to check on it” at £36 a time I decided it’s ok I’ll make my own mind up.

Funny as I was doing a yoga with Adriene for lower back and one exercise was just a basic one, lift your pelvis….. nope absolutely not! Normally totally fine, the swapping of ibuprofen and paracetamol alternating did work wonders for the pain though!

Absolutely brilliant thank you, pair of bibs and a windproof gilet bought for under £80 altogether!

It’s brilliant I love it, too slow for her so just telly for me…

Haha I love ours, he’s 8 now and she owned him from a kitten. He’s got so used to me we have a great bond with me mainly working from home.

Re: scratching, coir mats! We got new carpet on the landing, nice stuff, he started pulling on it. Got a coir mat and all he pulls now is that! I’m currently watching him sleeping on it too 🤣

Definitely, I subscribe to the mag because I love the content, the forum is so informative and it’s just not possible to do these things for free so if I can support I’m happy to.

Got my 4pot SLX for £160 and they look great.

Very disappointed that they didn’t come with instructions on the QR code with how to fit, just daft instructions to avoid wheel skidding and health and safety rubbish.

I am quite an amateur mechanic and never even stripped a brake before or put one together.

Will watch a video on GMBN and see if I can figure it out from the parts that have been sent, thanks to the posts here hopefully that’ll help too!

We just hung a door this weekend, what a chore! We created the doorway ourselves and properly braced, still it wasn’t perfect but through my careful joinery got it to fit, even drilled out the door to perfection, then she got impatient and did the latch recess on the frame and now only I with a really good shove can get the latch to close!! Also we bought the door a year ago and sadly it’s warped a bit at the top!

Her dad’s a handy genius so going to see what he thinks when he comes 👍