I have the same set up at my work, and i generally refuse to install anything work related on it, however my work differs in the fact that i have the option of a key fob that generates the code for me if needed.

In my 7 years working here i have lost 4 of those fobs and can never find it when i need it, so as an exception i have installed the token generator on my phone.
I have made to clear that i wont be installing any other apps, or emails etc to my personal phone and while my boss would like me to as it would be easier for him, theres no actual requirement for me to do so.

I think it’s going to take me a very long time to get over her loss.

I dont think we do ever get over the loss of a loved one if im completely honest.

Was nice to read this thread 10 months ago, and to reread it with all the updates today.
I lost my mum 17 years ago now and my old man went 2 and a 1/2 years ago thankfully just before covid had really started as we got to spend the last days by his bedside.

Christmas is a real struggle for me every year, my mum loved christmas to the point where she would start buying presents in January, and each of the last 17 years has been hard without here making jokes, burning dinner or doing something stupid just to make us all laugh or smile.

It just isnt the same and wont be at any point, i usually put a brave face on and make it as fun as a i can for my own kids as thats what she would have wanted, but i just want it done and dusted so i dont have to remember what a hole she left behind at this time of year.

And i do have some fantastic memories of christmas time with her, just cant find the “joy” in this time of year anymore.

Thoughts are with anyone who is struggling.

@boombang yes i would assume very similar, i have the tool to remove the crank but not the magnetic kit, which is why i think it took me so long.

Thankfully i dont need to do it very often.

I will counter with internal routing of the front derailleur on my Cannondale Synapse Road bike.

**** me sideways and call me Julie i must have been at it for about 2 hours before finally getting it in the right hole (oo er mrs)

Never again, next time its off to the lbs.

Thanks all, im aware i missed out on the black friday deals, but i probably wont be looking to buy until the new year anyway, i just needed a starting point and some real world experience.

Not got super fast broadband and no hard wired connections so that shouldn’t be an issue.

I’ll look into all the suggestions.

Cheers

If you’re nowhere near the 100 then can i be added please, will PM you – needing to get a bit more active as have been slack lately.

Couldn’t give a stuff about “drama”, personally more interested in seeing details about the spannering and technical stuff.

Completely agree, if i were in charge i would make it so that you see them actually building it rather then wheeling it out of a garage after a few arty shots with a spanner, however given the amount of gash (See your examples above) actually on TV these days i’ll take what i can get.

I still find it enjoyable and its an easy watch.

Ask for a description of what they deem as smart casual as its fairly broad.

HR may have a list of what is and isnt acceptable, i know the company i work for does.

We have a smart casual dress code, which at the sruffiest end is trainers, jeans (No ripped jeans), t-shirt (no big logos).

Mostly people wear smartish jeans or trousers, with shoes/boots, and either a t-shirt or shirt with a jumper in the winter. Lots of hoodies around the office aswell.

Think its a good shout for smart trousers, shirt and jacket and see when you get there. Better to be the smartest person in the room rather than the poorest dressed.

Seems to be a lot of people are looking too deeply into this.
TV is not real life, things are staged to look better, get a better reaction, create more drama for a broad range of viewers.

Personally i like him, and i’ll watch anything hes involved in as i like the fact hes not a run of the mill TV presenter whos trying a bit too hard.
Granted hes nuts as a box of frogs and not really on this planet, but thats what i like about him.

Does anyone else find him quite annoying?

i dont find it annoying, its just him i think.
I’ll fully admit to being a Guy Martin fanboy having followed him back in the TT racing days.

Ive also read his books which gives a good insight as to him as a person.

I get how you would find him annoying, however i like the fact thats he just gets on with stuff in typical “it’ll be reet” fashion.

Not bothered by the continuity of the hair either, as i don’t need to believe this was all filmed on the same day or in the sequence they portray it to be.

Why is the gas in your garage anyway, seems a weird place to have it?

Mines in my garage as thats where the boiler is, hell of a lot of effort and money to move it somewhere else. Although it would free up a lot of space in the garage.

Wouldnt be using it to secure my bike though, ground anchor mounted on the wall, and big f off security chain.

I have similar issues, my road is a cul de sac that is used as the central parking point for the local primary school.

I have a double drive and only one side has a dropped kerb, so i have no legal standing if someone blocks me in and normally i dont have an issue as they will only be 5/10 minutes and i dont actually use my car to get to work so no biggie if i am blocked in.

One Saturday morning they must have had some sort of event at the school and someone parked and blocked me in, i saw them get out and politely asked if they would mind moving it so i could get out and then they could move back and block the driveway with no issues as i’ll be out all day.

The torrent of abuse i got back was ridiculous, you’d have thought id asked them to give up their third child to allow them access to park.

I wasnt being unreasonable or horrible, literally just said “Excuse me im going out in a minute, can i just get my car off the drive?” she then re-iterated to me that i have no legal right as its not a dropped kerb, which i wholeheartedly agreed with and tried to say that im not stopping her, just asking if she can move it out the way for two minutes so i can get off the drive.

I have given up trying to reason with idiots.

Currently doing a complete downstairs renovation on my house, removing walls, putting in a utility, new kitchen, underfloor heating, playroom for the kids, log burner the whole shebang.

Not making it any bigger but changing the layout and making it work for us, we looked at moving but we wouldn’t get what we wanted for the money we are spending on the renovation. I’m sure ill add some value but most likely not enough to cover what im spending, but by doing this work we are future proofing the place and hopefully we will never have to move, so its money well spent in my eyes.

Nice one cheers, im sure it’ll be reet good.

Had one of these in the pub on a lunch break, new guy to the team is obviously way cooler than i am, we both went with an outstretched arm and i shook his fist, or did he fist my handshake? that just sounds wrong.

We laughed at each other agreed it was awkward and swiftly moved on.

Would be interested to hear your thoughts, currently have an EXT Storia coil, which is lovely. but often contemplated getting an air can to see if theres much difference.

Saw your pic on FB jedi, looks lovely.

I’ve had all sorts of problems with them in the past year

Same as me, i had some old ones in some 2 pot xt brakes and were awesome, so i bought some more for the hopes on my enduro rig, and they were awful, squeeling and glazed really easily.

Swapped them out for hopes own sintered pads and they are silent and work.

I have used ciliary blue (think they are now reglaze direct) a few times, once to put prescription lenses into a pair of oakley riding glasses, once to replace a scratched prescription glasses lenses and once to put in non prescription lenses in my sunglasses after having laser eye surgery.

Service was top notch both times, they even send a box out for you to send the glasses to them. would recommend them highly.

Never had varifocals so cant comment on that front, but might be worth ringing them.

Really like my deity carbon bars, just the right upsweep and backsweep for me.

Available in colours to suit most builds.

Stem wise, ive got a nukeproof copper on my ht and black ANVL (Transition) Swage. would happily recommend either.

Doughnut is used in our house, mainly as we have a 3 year old sponge who can hear a swear word at 100 paces.

Pilchard and pranett are also used.

i dont think i hit any obstacles without at least unweighting the front first, maybe you should test it out and see, start with a kerb and work up to a 6ft wall and see how you get on.

That Coal Bikes full Sus is a lovely looking thing

Been following progress of it on Instagram, very lovely looking bike, the yellow and black scheme they have is immense

If you cycle regularly, you will lose weight. Those are the rules

Simply not true in any way shape or form.
Weight loss is all about calories in vs calories out.

Ever heard the phrase you cant out train a bad diet.

Feeling tired is either not enough water, fuel or rest. drink a bit more, eat a bit more and take an extra rest day and see how you feel.

Definitely parks blue book, has helped me out over the years, really easy to understand and follow, i was a complete noob when i started MTB’ing like most people.

With the aid of the blue book and youtube i now do all my own servicing, including suspension services.

To add to what the others have said here, exercise will assist you in feeling stronger, however weight is a simple calculation of calories in vs calories out – want to lose weight, eat less than you burn, want to put on weight eat more and want to maintain then eat what you burn.

If you train well and eat loads of calories you will still put on weight,

So first thing to look at is, water intake 2 litres a day in a typical day, if you are exercising for long periods then more is needed, do you add electrolytes to your water when riding?

Are you resting enough?

Also to add that eating more doesnt mean eating unhealthily – more veg, more meat, even chuck in an all in one protein shake which will have around 150-200 calories when made with milk, and will also aid in recovery.

But as others have said more info needed – maybe get in touch with a dietician/nutritionist to assist.

So if an energy firm goes bust you lose any credit you have with them?

You dont lose the credit with them, this should either be passed on to your new provider or sent back to you, however this isnt always the swiftest or easiest process and mistakes can happen so unless you keep proof of everything, screenshots of online accounts etc, as when firms go bust they tend to take the online services away, then its riskier than just leaving money in the bank.

As others have said, its not a rubbish plan to be thinking about safeguarding for the future, however if you just stick the extra in a bank its protected upto like 80k, saves you the hassle of energy firm going bust and fighting to get your money back with everyone else.

Sounds like they can’t be bothered to take the time to write it all down as it can be quicker and easier to verbally tell you the info, however you have two options, as said above either get an app that will record the call, then you can either make a transcript of the call or keep the recording for records.

Or insist on an email, if it were me i would record the call, making sure i recorded it and then made a transcript.

Halfords advanced, bought a complete toolkit around 17 years ago originally for DIY use and motorbike tinkering.

Has been added to over the years, however i reckon 90% of the bits are still in perfect working order and the other 10% is where i have lost stuff.

Great kit at a decent price.

Do you have other access? I’d be looking at only using the main door from inside and locking/securing it from inside as well. dead bolts to the frame/into the floor. bolt through the roller mechanism etc.

Not sure if this was aimed at me, but no i only have access to my garage through the roller door so deadbolt from inside wouldnt work for me, i do have a manual override for it to which i have a chuffing long tool that sits into a slot and you manually wind the door open, this can only be overridden if there is no power. The slot is covered by a lockable plate in a really awkward position.

Replaced an up and over garage door with an electric roller door earlier this year.

No lock on the outside to overpower, but i dont think it would take too much to actually get through, anything large and pointy will go straight through the door and voila “heres Johnny”

However it is more secure than the up and over it replaced, and also frees up loads of space inside.

For extra security for the bikes i have a wall mounted ground anchor and an almax chain and lock. If im going away for a few days i also have a cable extension and d lock which winds round the wheels/workbench etc to make things awkward.

If someone really wants to get in they will, but i much prefer my roller to the old up and over.

I use a 530 and find it pretty good for both MTB and Road, you can either use garmin connect, not the best and a bit clunky.

Currently im switching between komoot and strava, you can download komoot straight onto the unit and create on a PC and download within the app.

Watched the last episode last night, quite enjoyed it in the end, not worth all the rave reviews but one of the more decent shows I’ve watched lately.

Currently underforked on my FS, they recommend a 160mm and i run a 150mm only, no baby robins have been harmed, The difference in Geo was similar to using either a rockshox or a fox fork as one had a slightly longer ATC than the other.

Im still waiting to burst in flames the next time i attempt a medium sized drop.

Having sold a house a little while ago, we advised the estate agent how much the lowest offer is that we would consider and told them to not bother phoning us for anything under that.

Go in really low and you wont offend anyone, remember you arent trying to make friends you are making one of the biggest financial decisions of your life, negotiate and negotiate hard.

Remain polite and friendly but dont get pushed around, remember the estate agent is working for the vendor not for you and they are also working to get the most commission they can.

Similar to the above, i go by the “If you’re first offer doesn’t get laughed at its not low enough” Same for buying used cars.

Good Luck

I have 31.8mm on my hardtail and 35mm on my full squish, do i feel a difference between the two? No.

Only reason i went 35mm on the squish is because the bars i wanted werent available in 31.8mm.

Feel absolutely no difference between the two and out of curiosity i did swap the bars and stems from one bike to the other and still felt no difference.

IMHO – snakeoil go for whatever bars you like.

Episode 3 and 4 done last night, it did improve and whoever said about the cultural references we dont get is bang on.

I’m still not sure why its got so many rave reviews, It’s just a bunch of people competing for money by killing other people through the medium of games, but with a lack of anything else to watch ill stick it on.

Most likely i have missed some sort of artistry representation which is completely possible in my very logical brain.

Fixed a few things lately,

Broken window handle, the metal insert inside had broken off, had a spare in the garage which needed to be cut down but nice easy fix and job done.

Nan-in-laws petrol lawn mower, turns out it had been stood still for a while, needed the petrol tank draining and flushing, new spark plug, tank cleaned out and its like new.

BBQ – we have a decent sized bowl which then had wooden tray area to the side, BBQ is about 10 years old so wood had seen better days, got some treated 6×1 for about a tenner used the old pieces as a template and its come up well, now neatly stored for winter.

Sons favourite monster truck – top came off and wouldnt click in, bit of glue and bobs your mothers brother.

Dyson vacuum, dyson wanted £80 for a call out charge as its quite old, stripped it down myself found the part online which was £5 and we now have a fully working vacuum.

Its always good to have a go at fixing stuff.

I’d split it and sell the parts, you’re going to inevitably end up with some stuff left over, however if they are low value items and you really want shot theres loads of bike charities who make up bikes for under privileged kids who are always keen to take parts that others wouldnt want.

Other option is to stick it up for a few weeks on marketplace/here and see what interest you get for the entire thing as is, no interest or it doesnt sell quickly split down and sell parts.

Currently watching this, Episode 2 done last night. Cant quite see what all the hype is about, hoping it improves but if it doesn’t I’m out.