I’m with the majority. Nothing is going to get cheaper in the short term and inflation is not only raising prices, it’s eroding your savings. If you can find stock, just buy it now and get riding :)

We decided against accepting tuppence-ish a year (which is also binding on any future owners of our house) to give up any/all our rights regarding the lines crossing our property.

Without a wayleave, there is the possibility we (or a future owner) could force Western Power and Open Reach to re-route around our land instead of across it… if they were bothered. The lines probably should be, anyway, as they are too close to the corner of our house according to the law – which is useful to know when they start tapping on the roof because they’ve sagged a little. Open Reach got their finger out once I referenced the law regarding closest allowable distance to a building, and mentioned that I wouldn’t care about following that up if the bloody thing just stopped randomly tapping every slightly windy night.

Oh, and if you want to sign up to one, just contact whoever the lines belong to, they’ll be happy to send you a form to do it yourselves, seems most companies have a dedicated department for it.

I did notice my 3a XL seemed to be chewing through battery a bit last week. Settled back down again now though, so maybe molgrips’ stuff about apps is on the money :)

Did enjoy our Aygo Blue, we had it about 14 years from new. As others have said, good fun to drive at low speeds, willing and eager. A few minor problems along the way – I never really got it sealed at the back and ended up drilling some holes through the floor to let the water out as quickly as it came in; had to take the indicator stalk off and open it up to clean the contract tracks a couple of times; seemed to need new back boxes every couple of years (maybe we should have spent more than 30 quid a time on them?!); the power steering would occasionally not work – had to pull a wire from the relay under the dash and put it back it in to reset. Otherwise it wore front discs at the same rate as the pads but all cheap and DIY and the alternator failed once. My wife’s approach to servicing once it was out of warranty was topping up the oil when the light came on. it didn’t seem to mind.

She’s swapped it for a Skoda Citigo now – more grown up and better made, but less fun…

(You need more strimmer action)

Didn’t realise you were on here, dearest Mother-in-Law ;)

TBF, I had the choice this evening of mowing the lawns, or setting the bike up, so….

Frame seems really nice. The welds are all obvious, but very neatly and consistently done. Feels bombproof. Everything is gusseted and welded… If I was the type to get air, I’d not worry about the landing! The paint work has a couple of very small transit rubs (for which I got a small discount) but it seems that’s standard for Ragley, at least.

Have a couple more. Might well have been my editing that made them disappear, I can’t find a preview function on here…

To echo all the above, you can build something better, that fits the space you have… but probably not cheaper.

My shed thread : built to fit a wonky gap. Still solid 2 years on, so I’m calling that a success :)

Whatever polish you’re using, if you’re using a drill + pad to apply it, put sheets over the whole front of the car (as well as taping around the lights) before starting, that stuff goes everywhere!

I believe the clouding is caused by UV, so once polished, you need to protect the plastic against further attack unless you want to be doing it again and again. There are many quite pricey solutions for this on the market; I use watered-down (well, white-spirited-down) yacht varnish applied thinly after polishing now and have not had it do it twice again.

I had this, also on SRAM 1x. Drive side only. Did come a go a bit. Checked/greased just about everything (including seat post and saddle), swapped shoes, pedals, etc… decided it must be the deffo-rubbish-‘cos-the-internet-says-so SRAM BB and replaced it with the spendy Hope one.

Still clicked. :Grrrr:

Eventually I put time aside and started going through the whole bike a piece at a time. Got to the back wheel and, although the thru-axle was done up ok, it could be a bit tighter. And maybe a bit tighter still. Click gone.

So an extra 120’ turn could have saved me a £100 BB… oh well ;)

I like my two ;)

Be aware that they come in 2 flavours: High Pressure aimed at road tyres, and High Volume aimed at mtb. They are noticeably different to use if you use them on the “wrong” tyres… the HP takes ages to fill a mtb tyre; the HV struggles to get up to pressure but still puts enough in to keep you rolling.
(Yes, I have one of each.)
Never noticed any rattles from them, even when I’ve had the HP in the HV clamp (the HV clamp is bigger as the pump is wider).

Just been around the green and blue today – a fair bit of work done in places to the green, especially early on the route; I think the blue has been mostly left alone except for a wide new road up the main climb. A bit over a hour’s riding (plus stops), still all very flowy and enjoyable.

Only one I can find is Bikeability

Hire is not cheap though. Does it have to be “e”? I’d buy something cheap second hand and sell on before you go (or leave in shed for next time).

big budget reboot of Blakes 7 😀

I recently watched most of the first 2 series, got properly bored, and skipped to the final episode.

Series 2 was dreadful. Basically every episode, Cally mentally “hears” a distress call which gets them all in trouble, gets taken over by an alien that gets them all in trouble, has a vision that gets them all in trouble… when we rewatched them all, spent most of S2 yelling “chuck the telepath out of the airlock!”

After that, Servalan/Avon gets going properly, then S4 the Scorpio and (yummy) Soolin turn up and things get much better ;)

Doesn’t work for me. Suggests wide, I ride narrow.

Another vote for Galibier – I’ve got their Zoncolan Foul Weather Gillet and it’s been amazing all winter (I run hot, so full jackets reserved for proper rain with me).

I had a £25 Tredz voucher to use… bought a pair of these:
O’Neil Mayhem gloves

They fit really well and are as light as anything. Not been out in them properly yet so can’t tell how well they’ll last, but I’ve put them on and off a few times as they feel so nice … maybe I shouldn’t admit that ;)

On the whole, I prefer the Loughor/Gorseinon end of town; Loughor certainly is making an effort to be a bit up-and-coming. Swansea’s not huge, so it doesn’t take long to get from one bit to another anyway, except at rush hour. And as mentioned, it’s easier to get out to places west from there, whether that’s down to the Gower, across to Llanelli (which mostly means Trostre for shopping), or further along the coast to Pembrey.

There’s a couple we’re friends with who are moving to Loughor as soon as their house is built… and believe me, if it’s good enough for her… ;)

Thanks for this thread. I had the same issue starting yesterday, and swapping AD+ to uBO sorted it nicely.

And I’ve whitelisted STW – I agree that forums I use regularly deserve the support… I’ve got a few more to add now!

Missed this thread first time around.
I’m a few miles past Swansea and work there, it’s a cracking part of the world so croeso and enjoy :)

Miles and miles of almost empty roads once you’re off the M4/A48 and main feeder roads – although they do go up and down a bit. OK, a lot. OK, nothing but down or up. And it’s mostly up ;)

Or shed loads of choice if you’re off road – check out the “empty Welsh trail centres” thread for plenty of discussion about where everyone is riding (and no conclusions!). Brechfa, Afan and Pembrey suit me just fine for a bit of just turn up and ride fun without having to hunt “hidden gems”, or pay through the nose anywhere.

Yep, new bike for the road (newer bike for off-road ;) ), old tourer on the turbo. Sits at the back of the garage with a VERY old, low spec PC running Zwift at minimum res, and a big fan hung on the wall in front of me.

The trainer is sat on layers of cut-up camping mat under the main body and the legs, which gives it a bit of wobble and makes rides longer than an hour much better.

I learnt to ride motorbikes late, started at 38. Passed my test, and did loads of extra training, too (mostly free or heavily subsidised – there’s lots out there (of course, the riders who really need it would never take it…)).
Rode for several years, mostly commuting but also trips out – one fantastic summer with a BMW K1200R Sport showed me I really didn’t need a fast bike – then got taken off totally unavoidably on a big roundabout in rush hour, breaking my wrist and writing the bike off.
Wrist healed up ok, but it was so unfair on my better half who then had to do pretty much everything for 6 weeks and all the driving for the family for even longer, I decided to put my gear away and revisit the idea of motorbikes once our daughter was independent and driving herself.

That’s happened this year (7 years, 1 month and 18 days since the crash today, but who’s counting? ;) ) and I have looked deep into myself… and decided that, having been back on push bikes for a couple of years or so now, there’s nothing I want from motorbikes at the moment that I don’t get from riding pedal bikes… I’ve replaced the chance of getting seriously hurt on a motorbike with taking up mtb this year, after all! But I get the time to myself, the reliance on myself, the use of riding skills, even the thrill of speed at times, the open and empty rural roads – all just the same from push biking, and it adds exercise and (relative #cough#) cheapness.

I was a bit surprised at myself, but I’m genuinely happier on a bicycle.

If it doesn’t say dispatch in 24 hours, it can be (or seem like, when you’re waiting for new kit? ;) ) a while before things appear, other than that, all good :)

OK, so cleaned mine out and re-lubed it, and went for a quick 10 miles or so.

It’s lost that stiction, but has too little (I think it’s zero) offset for my new bike (tbh, I think the OE post has 10mm and I could really do with 25mm as the saddle’s right back on that), so @Benz – drop me a message if it doesn’t work out with Twonks.
Mine’s 25mm + shim to 27.2, and I have the original yellow medium elastomers unused (but still greased) along with the purple heavy lad ones fitted in it.

I’ve got an old 27.2mm Alien suspension seatpost… the clamp is fiddly to use but never, ever, shifts. I’m sure it’s picked up some play (or stiction?) which makes it jerk occasionally when riding, but I’ve never been able to reproduce it in the garage to check.

…

I was typing out to offer it to you for something nominal as I’ve not used it for a while now, but – sorry! – I just went down to the garage to check on it and see what bits I actually had, and discovered it came with servicing instructions (I’ve still got the box from 20-odd years ago!), so actually you’ve inspired me to take it apart and try and sort it out instead to use on my current road bike!

As I appear to still be quite attached to it despite the small issue, I’d have to say it’s probably worth getting one ;)

I’ve just moved from a long run (walk?) of Salamons onto some Scarpa Vortex GTX.
Vortex @ Cotswold

Similar looks, with a much stiffer footbed that’s better on the rocky tracks around my way. I can’t comment on their run-ability as I don’t do that thing ;)

Reviews say the soles wear out quickly; I’ve had them for several months and not noticed a problem yet, but if they don’t get to at least a year I’ll be disappointed at that price.

Every year I start to invent a thing, probably made of sculpting wire so it holds its shape, that hooks onto the Y splitter of your helmet strap each side, and maybe runs underneath to the clip area to steady it. It would hold a piece of fine mesh (metal, nylon, who knows?) in front of your mouth (but clear of it, not sealed or anything) to keep the buggers out.
I usually invent it just after another one of the little buggy b’astards has managed to land on my tonsil and make me retch.
I forget by the time I get home…

@Cougar:

First proper gig was Donington ’90 for me. Thunder, Quireboys, Poison, Aerosmith, Whitesnake.

I was there, too… you didn’t wave ;)

First proper gig:
Motorhead, Bristol Studio, 1989. I still have the t-shirt :)
Start as you mean to go on!

I’m of a similar prescription. I have only used the 1.9 refractive index glass for decades – usually Ziess. Specsavers don’t supply that, and it’s really necessary for keeping the edge width down to something vaguely acceptable. It’s bloomin’ expensive, mind! I tend to buy one pair of lenses and 2 frames when I get new ones now as my eyes have been pretty stable for many years, so I can swap them over when the frames get tired.

Try some local indies until you find one you’re comfortable with.

(And contacts for the win! Although they only come in half dioptre steps at our end, so it can be difficult to get them just right.)

I will have maybe 2 cans of beer once every 4 to 6 weeks, or maybe longer. I will get drunk on a night out, but they’re rare these days ;)

Unlike I hear from most people, I only usually drink when I’m very relaxed/unstressed and also when I’m not working the next day… or intending to do any sort of serious ride the next day. So that cuts out a lot of weekends!

If it’s just waterproof, and you want something that’ll last, then I’d definitely be looking to GoreTex, probably GoreTex Pro for a dedicated hard shell.
Things I look for:

Comfortable over a t-shirt, but enough space for plenty of layering

A hood that fits me well, and has a good visor flap – helps keep rain off my glasses when I’m wearing them, and is also nice for much the same reason with contacts – keeps the rain out of your eyes.

Pockets. I really, really, really like the chest handwarmer pockets that open at the outer edges, so you put your hands in towards the centre. Good to use with rucsac straps. Chest pockets that start at the centre and go out are useless. Hip/waist pockets are useless if you’re carrying any sort of proper rucsac as the waist band blocks them.
And the map pocket is best if it opens from under the storm flap, but outside of the main zipper, so it’s well protected but you don’t need to unzip the body to access it. And big enough to actually take an OS.
Mesh pockets… hmmmm. Good for ventilation, bad for putting anything in as they will snag forever.

Cuffs – velcro or similar far preferable to elastic for sizing. If there’s a inner grippy thing, then not woven or similar material, as it will soak up rain and pass it along the arm.

Pit zips are nice.

Colour – generally subtle. Camo is trying too hard, day-glo is too noob ;)

I’ve not found the perfect jacket yet, but my current Berghaus Extrem GT-Pro isn’t too far off :)

Wado Ryu for around ten years now for me… I’m 50. Started at 40/41 ish with my daughter; she gave up pdq, but I just kept going!
Work, family, Scouting and various niggles means I’ve never made fast progress, and had to take a 2 year or so break until recently due to dodgy knees. It has been getting back into cycling after stopping karate that has strengthened up my knees enough again to start back to it!
Only now I’m trying to balance work, family, Scouts and cycling alongside karate ;)
Grading in June, I think, I may finally move on from the green that I got 5 years ago to purple…

Although my progress has been comically slow, full of challenges, gaps, and setbacks, I still enjoy the whole thing and I don’t worry too much about the colour around my middle – I just try to learn, refine and do my best each time. I’ve made many good friends and learnt lots about myself and my capabilities. And I’m really glad I’m back to it :)

I love the (deep breath) Fizik Tempo Microtex Bondcush Soft Bar Tape I put on my road bike… so nice and soft/suede-y/grippy that I don’t usually wear gloves any more. No signs of wear over a thousand miles or so in all weathers. I did customise the fit a bit by padding out some areas with old bar tape under the new, but that was just to fill up my lanky hands a bit.

I’m running 1×11 (40F, 11-42R) on my road bike. I really like it – everything’s hills here on SW Wales, so I’m either in a high or low gear most of the time, not hunting for the perfect cadence on the flat. And I’m happy with a wide range of cadence, too, so I don’t worry about the gaps much.

When I had a triple before, when I concentrated on how I used the gears before buying a 1x, I found I used it much the same way – I only changed the front when I needed a big change, otherwise I tended to stay on the front ring I was in at the time.

I enjoy the simplicity of the whole thing – just change up or down as required, no worries about where you are on the front (and the front never drops, either :) ). The range is just one gear inch longer at the bottom end than my old triple, and I spin out at about 43mph/130rpm with the help of a decent downhill, which is enough for me.

But I completely get that it will not suit a lot of people’s usage – if you’ve got plenty of flat roads about and/or a narrow range of preferred cadence, then it may well not be for you.

I love all Iain (M) Banks and re-read them every couple of years. I think I now own everything the wrote and published in book form except for Whit, which I just can’t get on with. Petrol heads will particularly enjoy Raw Spirit, which almost has more about cars than whisky!

As per most above, written order works perfectly well.

I’m mainly just typing this to add:
Although it contradicts cannon (in which Earth is Contacted in the ’70s then left alone as a control), I tend to class “The Business” as a Culture story too – it fits the Culture MO for secretly guiding a planet towards their ideals, over very long time spans.

Out on my road bike today (beautiful but windy… and when I say windy, I got a new PB without pedalling down the big hill from my house! Hit 48.6mph – I’d have pedalled if I’d’ve realised I was that close to 50 ;) ).
(Although it may have been my slowest ever ride back up, an hour or so later…)

Anyway, I tried the mtb stance, and it takes a little longer but I get the same pain on the road too, so it’s definitely me needs to get used to it, not really so much about the bike or track, I think.

I also tried right foot leading, and I notice that I still put all my weight/balancing effort through my left leg, which is why it tends to then circle down and I automatically bring it back up forwards. I’ll have a chat to the coach about this next week.

I would say that it is much easier to concentrate on and feel what it happening with my body/weight/stance etc on a nice long, relatively smooth, road downhill – even on my road bike – than it is on tight, bouncy, bermed, rocky single track!

There’s a pattern here, with an answer – don’t go anywhere near Specsavers. I’d avoid Vision Express, too, although they aren’t quite as bottom feeding. Then search for an indie that you like (‘cos I’ve met a few odd ones of those, too….), and sign up to their monthly scheme for contacts… you will pay a little more overall, but will 99% get more service, care and attention than any other way. These are your only eyes, keep them looked after!

I’m very short sighted and have a similar problem at the other end of the scale – the lenses only go up in half diopter steps after about -8; but both eyes could really use -9.75 in contacts. I’m actually using -10 in my (dominant) right eye for good distance vision, and -9.50 in the left for a bit more comfort reading etc.
(For target shooting I will use -9.5 in both, as the front sight is as far as I need to focus).
All discussed, sorted and trialled with my long standing indie optician and nothing is too much trouble for them. They even found a NOS frame for my RayBan glasses in Italy(!) when I wanted a replacement frame to go around my (very expensive Ziess) lenses :)

Good luck with the hunt.

(Incidentally, I attended a training lecture given by an indie optician – he loved SpecSavers, as he reckoned their advertising push made more people aware that they needed to be using an optician, but SS’s actual service meant he ended up with a lot of the new customers soon enough!)

Was going to do a track day at Spa, but covid :(

Got a new road bike instead :)
And no hassle from SWMBO when I bought a cheap BMW ‘vert to cruise around in for the summer!

https://www.galibier.cc/product/ventjacket/

I’d be slightly concerned at durability if riding off-road and thrashing past brambles etc, or crashing, (tho I guess that’ll be the same for anything that takes less than a pocket to pack), but otherwise it’s great and very reasonably priced (both of which apply to pretty much all Galibier stuff so far as I have found/can tell).

and this is another one, why stay over the left of the track when your dog clearly wants to be all the way over there—————> and has dragged 8ft of lead behind it?!

‘cos if you go over there, he suddenly wants to be back where you started!
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