Similar, did put the inner tube around the outside of the Nate, but it just caused the Nate to crinkle up with an even bigger gap between the tyre and rim.

It’s like a “wizards sleeve”……

I was quite serious about buying a Leaf, we also have solar panels which makes the recharging cost even more attractive when the sun does eventually shine.

However, the high initial cost of the car is off putting. The battery will lose its efficiency over time and shorten the already low maximum mileage on a full charge.

I wanted it to be a long term ownership, but the range and battery efficiency just keeps reducing over the ownership of the vehicle.

You end up with a car that cost £20K, and starts off with limited mileage usage and just gets worse as the years go by.

In the end it just makes it a very expensive method of travelling just locally.

Maybe the next five years will see cost and battery performance improvements.

Battery range anxiety is probably the biggest issue. I have a Felt Lebowsk e fat bike, but you”ll need another £1200 added to your budget.

400whbattery will yield around 30 miles using Eco mode mostly, whilst climbing approx 1000 metres, so relatively hilly.

You get used to the weight, but slowing down takes a little more planning, and the bike isn’t as nimble as a normal hardtail.

Excellent fun though.

My fat bike bubble hasn’t burst either.

I have two fat bikes!

One is an e fat bike, and just bought a Sonder Vir Fortis fat bike, built up yesterday morning and had a ride around Afan in the sunshine.

Can’t speak for the online purchases, but the Swansea shop is close to me.

Won’t be visiting them anytime soon.

Tried to sell me a bike that was one size too small because it was in stock.

Didn’t seem interested in discussing the bike I wanted because they didn’t have one in stock, it was a brand that they sell a lot of , Specialized.

Go to a proper bike shop.

Similar to the Jones Spaceframe really.

I had a Jones, but couldn’t get on with the totally rigid fork.

More to do with me than the Jones in truth.

Really good bike, I wanted to like it, but simply couldn’t gel with it.

Fat front end and 29er rear wheel.

I have a Felt Lebowske e fat bike.

Makes a lot of sense.

Agree about the fork options.
Bike came with a Bluto, rode it a few times, but didn’t think much of it on a 20kg bike. It’s a rehashed Reba in essence, might be ok on a normal fat bike though.

Also go a Lauf Carbonara, which I like, but it is not a charging around regardless fork, great for cross country riding at a more relaxed pace though.

There is another option.
The Wren fork. A proper fat bike fork available in different length configurations, user serviceable, not as refined as the current state of the art fork manufacturers though.
Takes some time to bed in and understand how to set it up.
A very good option on a e fat bike, it has 36mm stanchions, upside down, dual air chamber.
The best option at the moment.

I just bought an Alpkit Vir Fortis, so its not over for me.

Been a bit of a revelation really.

Stopped using Strava, and just going out to ride.

Must be my old(er) age, but I appear to be enjoying riding more again.

GregMay

Can I take you up on your offer of the Gen1 unit.

My email is in my profile

Surprised no none has said it………

It’s a rubbish job really……

IGMC

No longer a Strava user.

I found little use for it, and thought it was expensive for what it offered me.

Since ditching the Strava tracking I have found that I have relaxed in my riding, I was finding that I felt I couldn’t have a ride without logging distance and segments.

Tried it, but it’s not for me anymore.

Thanks, I will have a look into it.

A big advantage for me is the way the bike climbs.

Mine is a Felt Lebowsk e fat bike, hardtail, sometimes fitted with the Lauf fork, or a Wren 100mm suspension fork.

Obviously the bike weighs a lot, about 20 kilos, and isn’t nimble.
But climbing on it is like having a whole new world of rideable Singletrack.

The climb out of Glyncorrwg , the Whites Level climb, is now something that adds a lot of fun to the ride, as opposed to the slog it used to be for me.

Descending is just as much fun, but a little bit more planning is required, the bike does take a little bit of stopping though.

Good fun in my book.

I recently bought a e bike, fat bike.

Been struggling for a few years on climbs, strength ( lack of) causing stalling and the occasional tumble ( losing balance).

At the end of say riding about 25 miles and 3,000 feet my left thigh would ache all day.

Get the ebike and enjoy some pain free riding. It has made climbing enjoyable.

My average pulse per ride is only down about ten beats compared to riding without assistance ( 135bpm vs 125bpm), so I’m still getting some valuable exercise.

Riding more frequently as well.

Wet and dry paper with some water.

It’s a messy job though, it”ll take some time though.

Finish off with a tube of Autosol, and some fine wire wool.

I had a Jones Spaceframe, and really did like it.

The only problem for me was the rigid fork.

If only there was a bike like the Jones with front suspension…

Recently bought an ebike, fat bike as well.
Fitted it with Lauf forks, works very well, but still have some left of centre Wren suspension forks.

Would really like to have bonded with the Jones, but the rigid forks are just too much for me.

I can understand why you are happy though.

Perhaps we need a new sub forum for beer

Diagnosed as the EGR valve fault.

Now replaced by the garage.

Had been driving my daughters Honda Jazz the last few days, and liked how quiet it was and easy to drive around town.
Motorway driving was a little tedious due to the lack of torque, had considered changing the Fabia.

Just picked the Fabia up, apart from the engine diesel noise, a much better drive, solid and planted with plenty of lazy torque.

Thinking about selling though, as it seems the diesel is plagued by EGR, DMF, DPF issues that are fairly widespread.

Have to start another what car thread………….?

I’m compiling a list for this weekend’s drinking, purely as part of research based on the recommendations.

Hobgoblin Gold looks a very likely contender.

My slight hangover is a reminder that I drank four bottles of Crafty last night……

Cheers, just noticed that 4 bottles have been consumed, and very nice they were.

I will have to investigate the mentioned ales , purely on a research nature……

Two rounds of white thick toast now, with marmite, lovely.

Fork review tomorrow,

You can’t see it when you are sat on it though.

Comfy is very good.

Keep ’em coming,

I can feel a bit of beer shopping coming on.

Morrisons usually have a good selection of beer at reasonable prices.

Wadworths 6X is another favourite.

Nice, I like it.

What saddle is it?

Yes, definitely glow plug light symbol , lights up flashing after about 10 to 15 miles whilst driving.

Switch engine off, glow plug light is visible for a few seconds and then goes out.

Start car up, and off I drive for about 10 miles, and it starts flashing.

Car drives fine.

Booked in for tomorrow to get the error code(s) read.

Keep you updated, thanks for the feedback.

Have to admit, I will probably sell the car soon.

Don’t need a diesel anymore, plus lots of reported issues with DMF, DPF, makes me wonder why I need a complicated engine.

Think I’ll go back to a petrol engine, or even a Nissan Leaf.

Not particularly sedately.

I’m the main driver, and my driving habits haven’t changed dramatically lately.

In fact I have probably driven at higher speeds in the last month on motorways.

Have to get it booked in with the Skoda dealer to find out what is going on.

Been out riding, just got back in, shower etc.

Day out riding at Bike Park Wales.

Very dry, very dusty.

It was hot, very hot. But good fun as usual.

Car starts up normally.

Turn the ignition on, glow plug warning light lights up ( as per normal), then goes out after 2 or 3 seconds ( as per normal).

Engine fires up, drive off.

About 10 miles later, whilst driving along normally, glow plug light starts flashing.

Stop car, turn engine off.

Restart as per normal, no flashing glow plug light.

All brake lights working fine.

Brake lights all working.

Manual says, stop turn engine off, restart. If this continues to light up whilst driving, then go to your local Skoda dealer to plug the diagonistic gear in to find out the issue.

Just wondered if anyone with a VAG 1.6 diesel had similar issues.

Turner
Great frames and excellent support if you need it.

Santa Cruz
Well designed for real trail riding, threaded bottom bracket , straight forward design and robust enough for me.

Give the cleats and pedal mechanism a squirt of WD40.

Then clip the shoe into the pedal by hand , and wiggle back and forth by hand.
Best done upside down so you can see what is going on.

The only red I struggled with at BPW is Bonneville, but at least it does have a good qualifier at the beginning of the trail.

If this qualifier puts you off, then it’s not for you.

The blues however, are. Great fun.

Yes, on the return leg of the Blade route, you turn left into Groovy Gulley.
Grooves Gully is the twisting climbing piece of Singletrack.

This brings you to the very top of the climbing on the Blade.

You turn left along the ridge , which is a little rocky etc, but mainly flattish.

Not long after this, there is a fork in the trail.

Left is The Rock, carry on and this is the old Skyline descent.

Both descents end up on the Tarmac path at the bottom.

From the top there are now two choices for the descent.

You can ride the Rock , which is the first part of the blade descent, and then just follow the Blade descent to the end.

Or, instead of taking the left turn to the Rock, carry on the trail.
This will take you down the classic Skyline descent.

I prefer the classic Skyline descent as it has a better flow.
The Blade descent is more technical,

W2 is a good mixture of the best Afan has to offer.

It also incorporates the excellent cafe at Glyncorrwg and the half way around wooden shack cafe for a mid ride fuel top up.

Classic Afan ride.

I had a Jones Spaceframe bike, and unfortunately couldn’t get on with the rigid nature of the bike.

I was however impressed with it, but too much for me at 60 odd years old.

Have recently bought a fat bike (ok its an ebike) , but has 4″ tyres and trying out the Lauf Carbonara fork, which I suppose is a halfway house in terms of rigid or no faff suspension.

Seems to work better for me.

Thanks

Wadworths 6X

When I used to commute to work on the bike I felt similar to Ton.

The commuting can become a little boring and tedious, routine.

What I found that helped was a ride with friends on the weekend. All of a sudden , the social side of cycling made it enjoyable.
I think the frustration might be the solitude of the cycling, try a few social rides with different routes.