I think there has been a huge sea change in the way they approached customer services recently.

It was widely reported that ‘Dangerous Dave’ sold the business to staff (as some sort of tax/VAT benefit) after which the fire sales stopped and prices went from from reasonable to ridiculous.

Had a few pre 2015 carbon frames and they’ve been fine. Was put off their Ti frames due to cracking issues and indifferent customer service. 2 year warranty on Ti isn’t acceptable especially if they don’t honour it.

Open a new account with your bank and keep the minimum in there to prevent eBay’s arbitrary refund policies. Withdraw your sellers fees into your main account after you’ve been paid so eBay can’t get your money.

Don’t forget eBay are now making massive extra profit out of the 2 day payment gap. Did you know they loan out your money to financial institutions to play on the stock markets with big returns?

Absolutely golden advice that a colleague gave to me years ago, went something like this:

“Course/meeting/conference/training-do not interact or get involved however provoked or opinionated you feel.

Give the ‘right’ answer if directly challenged by someone in charge or a boss.

These situations are designed to provoke the dipstick in the group to put their head above the parapet so that they can be made an example of.

Ask yourself this: will my opinion change anything in the real world? The answer is no.”

Always worked for me!

I’d ALWAYS pick 105 over any SRAM groupo (one of the Pro’s quotes and very true).

Di2 is a fantastic luxury but manual Ultegra is great.

I’d also plump for a Giant (carbon) road bike over anything else-quality at a decent price.

TCR or Defy. Stretch your budget if you have to, you won’t be disappointed.

Canyons VFM has declined over the years.

Vitus seem okay but only owned an alloy MTB from them.

Great, trouble free cycling involves Shimano and Maxxis. Swear by both.

An eBay/PayPal transaction fee was 13%

eBay ‘in house’ now 12.8% (so you save a whopping 0.2%) on the change and eBay can say most people save money!!!

eBay also keep your money for 2 days and earn interest on it.

eBay are The MAN.

I recently posted on another thread on here about this very situation and closure of both my eBay and PayPal (now effectively back in house at eBay!) accounts.

Bottom line: eBay is a scammers paradise and they ALWAYS side in the buyers favour EVEN when you can prove a fishy/wrong buyer. By this time they’ve probably disappeared.

It’s far too easy for buyers to start the refund process.

I had even gone to the lengths of UV marking more expensive stuff with URN’s…..just not worth the hassle, there are always alternatives, specialist forums etc etc.

Bank transfer, PayPal gift or cash are the best seller protection.

I know people who have made a career out of it!

Allegedly one (quite senior) boss at my last workplace walked around a sprawling site all day with a buff file under his arm.

No one knew what he actually did but was senior enough never to be challenged. I was told his job title even stated ‘without portfolio’ in brackets.

I genuinely hope the Scots do go independent, re-join EU and prosper: shellfish, whisky, tourism, vast swathes of land for industry and warehousing, EU trading benefits etc etc etc.

It will stop them being fatally strangled by the Tories who don’t give a toss about anybody but themselves. They’re shafting the English, what chance do the Scots stand north of the Watford gap?

The fact that Johnson wants to keep Scotland in the union should set off MAJOR alarm bells. There must be massive financial benefit (or loss) to them, nothing else. They’re constructively getting rid of NI which is a costly PITA for them.

The EU would jump at the chance of having Scotland back in even if only to stick 2 fingers back to Johnson.

The EU could then put more pressure on the Tories to negotiate deals or face the reinstatement of Hadrian’s Wall border checks!

Does all this sound like far fetched fantasy? Scotland too tied to the union/England? No proven financial cost/business benefits?

Remember BREXIT?

Neutral grease is the only advisable lubricant on carbon**: Park PPL-2 (or similar)

**Does it say it’s specifically safe for carbon on the packaging???

Copper slip/grease is a very poor lubricant. It’s a a wide temperature range anti-seize compound mainly used in the automotive/heavy industry. There are way better products for bike use. I wouldn’t let it anywhere near a bike.

Time ATAC for me. The kids are on SPD’s: Shimano okay but the Boardman branded ones are mega easy to release from on minimum setting.

Clean the tap off the best you can. Somewhere under the smurf there should be a brand/name, it may be very worn and faded by now. It may be on the back so use a mirror. Then it’s an internet search game. No name means guessing and ordering what looks the same.

I love plumbers who solder taps in without flexys and isolation valves🤬

For £29 Screwfix do a trade rated kitchen mixer. You’ll probably pay more than that for a fancy cartridge.

In my experience and as mentioned above, taps get clogged with calcium and once they start playing up, replacement is more cost effective. Once an old tap is disassembled, those deposits preventing other leaks are disturbed, rubber washers crumble and you can end up chasing your tail.

Get yourself some Rothenburger monoblock tap spanners while you’re there and hope that the nut underneath isn’t seized solid!

I’ve gone over to Bank Transfer or cash on collection after a few unsavoury incidents on eBay involving PayPal. I’ve shut down both now. Cuts down your market but seems to encourage better buyers.

eBay has definitely become the playground of deceitful buyers and has got a lot worse IMHO during the last year.

I’ve always been totally honest with selling, pointing out every last mark or scratch.

I’ve had 2 recent ‘not as described’ cases which were totally irrelevant to the items sold. PayPal entertained them and sided with the buyer in both cases despite offers to resolve with buyers, lengthy emails and clarifications.

Both buyers tried to get partial refunds before resorting to NAD claims. It’s as if there’s a dodgy eBay buyers guide out there somewhere?

Just not worth the stress and hassle to me.

Here is something you didn’t know:

My neighbour was the (English) Moonologist who was present in the Cape Canaveral control room. His job was to advise them exactly where the lander should touch down due to his expert knowledge of the moon’s surface.

He has several books published on the subject.

There is some cracking road riding around there, especially over the hills to Lake Vyrnwy and back

This ^

We stay there for the Dyfi when it’s on. All the best stuff is a bit of a drive away Llandegla, Coed y Brenin etc. Good centralish place to stay.

Used to work for a company that had multiple ‘poured’ concrete buildings throughout UK built in the 70’s.

Just before I left, ‘concrete cancer’ began affecting all the buildings at the same time resulting in cracking and disintegration of the concrete.

I understand in layman’s terms that the reinforcing steel rods within the concrete eventually get rusty, expand and slowly force the concrete to crack and basically crumble. My concrete fence posts are currently doing the same thing.

Apparently one of the solutions was to connect a current to the bars, 9 volt battery anyone?
Just something to bear in mind and mitigate with any survey.

I had a friend who rented a flat for a very short while: freezing cold in winter due to drafts and wind tunnel effect in the corridors/stairwells, everyone could hear everyone’s else’s domestics/love making/TV, broken lifts, cannabis smell from someone below drifting through holes/gaps/ventilation.

Speak to a few residents and other flat owners.

Go in with your eyes wide open.

On a personal note-I would NEVER buy a flat.

Cycliq are poor quality and the battery life is awful. Had 2 Fly12 (front) battery failures and gave up with them. Kept the Fly6 (rear) but it doesn’t last a whole longer ride (as above) and needs to be charged up regularly when not in use.
I’ve gone back to GoPro for longer, reliable footage even if they are less aero. Impressed with the chest mount.

I replaced the original shimano bb like-for-like but it was still creaky after a month or so. The hope bb has been good for 8 months but now is pretty loud.

🤔 Something doesn’t sound right there then.

Had a Shimano BB in the Trance for over 2 years with no hint of an issue. It’s been mashed (up gritty Rivvy!) and left muddy and wet😳numerous times.

Definitely the BB???

We get ‘experienced’ people in the workshop on a regular basis swearing the issue is a noise from ‘here’ when it’s a noise from old pedals, seatpost clamps, stems etc.

Always worth a check…never Ass-u-me anything!

The Hope tool you refer to is an ‘installation’ tool.

AFAIAA the cups are ‘semi permanent’ as the bearings can be replaced (Shimano bearings can’t).

You can unscrew the Hope centre sleeve with the tool but then it’s a case of VERY CAREFULLY tapping out the cups with a (Park) extractor tool.

Shimano Press Fits are service items, especially on MTB’s which have a harder life with mud/water, inevitable jet wash Muppet.

Giant BB shells are famously accurate.

I would much rather have carefully greased delrin Shimano cups in my Trance BB than trying to tap out alloy Hope ones.

Never had an issue with mine.

Doesn’t matter*. PayPal/eBay will side with the buyer, no-one loses out as the seller was ‘given’ the jacket. Result all round!

*Why I have given up with eBay.

It’s well known in the industry that you pay for 2 bikes when you purchase a Specialized.

They generally say yes straight away when warranty is required because you already own another bike out back!

Their E-bikes have generally been poor for reliability but if you live near a dealer, back up is good…..because you paid for spare bike.

Do you see where this is going?

Loads of people quoting what ‘should’ happen BUT in reality, first hand experience at work is it’s a COMPLETE LOTTERY.

Sometimes VAT should be charged here but isn’t. Sometimes parcels aren’t released due to wrongly calculated charges owed.

Good old BREXIT!

How does the Feedback Sports Sprint stand cope with bolt through front axles?

It comes with adapters for 12mm axle. Fork onto stand – axle through. Done.

Dolan 55cm L’Etape Carbon Disc Road Bike-SE – 105 R7020 – Dolan Bikes
Dolan L’Etape Disc from http://www.dolan-bikes.com
Dolan 55cm L’Etape Carbon Disc Road Bike-SE – 105 R7020. £1599.98. From £21.85 per month on finance. (0 reviews). | Write review. Product Code: …

Yep-all gone!

Except the OP wanted disks. At which point it’s between the Tuono and Ares at ~£2050 and £2500 respectively for 105.

They had an L’Etape Disc but may have been a Special Edition – all gone now.

(ex-Great) Britain is just a Russian holiday island/retreat so they’ll never nuke us. Most of their dirty money is laundered through our financial houses so we’re too important to them.

It’ll take a while for the feckless British public to realise BJ is a charlatan but by then: he’ll be a millionaire disappeared in a cloud of dust, a generation of Tory voting gammons will be boxed up and buried and the Iranians will be a nuclear power!

Buckle up kids, it’s going to be an eventful decade 🤣🤣🤣

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/feedback-sports-sprint-work-stand-67791

This fits on neatly and will complete your life:

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/feedback-sports-tt-15-b-tool-tray-930584?currency=3&delivery_country=190

Shop around the UK for a comparable price. Best workstand I’ve ever used.

I’ve used numerous Park and other brands (to clamp on seatposts) and found that unless you are buying a very expensive workshop grade Park, they’re all pretty much the same.

Buy some Draper Allen T handle keys, they’re decent spec and value.

Dolans L’Etape SL is far superior but why people want SRAM is beyond me.
The new Shimano 105 is superb and one Pro is famously quoted as saying he’d rather have 105 than top spec SRAM.

Old stomping ground…..a long time ago!

I second the ‘get a road bike’ suggestion.

I had mixed fortunes with the gravel riding on my MTB. Some farmers turned a blind eye (tenants???) others were vocal and occasionally confrontational but I used to ride a superb track starting here: 53.993774,-2.666968

Unfortunately I notice a lot more signs up along the lines of ‘Private Property’ where I now live but I think that’s mostly for liability issues although I’m sure most of them will have Public Liability Insurance.

Okay. Think outside the box. This is the plan:
Drop a hint to the most intelligent out of your fellow worker (“because I trust you not to say anything”) about how you’ve been dropped into post by HQ to find out who is stealing stuff and the side issue of possible bullying. Ask a few pointed questions: Have you ever been bullied by any managers or supervision? Be ‘seen’ making a few notes in a little black notebook in your back pocket.
That should sort it out.

The outer cable issue was a big problem to the trade (as were any other parts/service items).

If the shop ordered a bulk roll during Lockdown 1, 2 or 3 they may still be waiting for delivery of back order.

Inferior brands were available but Shimano wasn’t.

It’s very easy to listen to the keyboard warriors about stuff but pick the phone up or pop into the shop and clarify what’s going on. They may have a massive backlog of bikes to service/deal with and need a reminder.

PM’d you.

Outraged? Write to your feckless, lazy MP.

The governments ‘Green Energy’ scheme was open for 15 minutes, they put £50 in the pot and made the install companies admin so onerous only that no-one wanted to take it on.

There’s no incentive to stop me burning but they’re happy to bung £millions at their mates.

Gutted. Lovely guy.
Audi Sport Quattro at Chatsworth at dusk, flames and acceleration like a rocket, F1 on gravel!
Unfortunately a Welsh tree attacked the car later that evening when rallying was proper and they drove through the night.
Hannu Mikkola was my dad.

Just dealt with Deporvillage (Spain). Wow! Ordered Monday and here by Wednesday. No minimum spend and hassle free. I’ve ordered in stock stuff from the UK that’s taken 12 days to be DISPATCHED. Use PayPal or credit card and you’re covered.

My company HAS to order bike parts from the EU due to the ***k up that is Br***t and no current supply here. We’ve had zero problems.

Something with wide internal rim width to make the 50mm and 28mm+ roadtyres sit nicely: Fulcrum Rapid Red 5 or Mavic Allroads

April at Madison if you want it all together, bits arrive before then

We were told this was “provisional” based on the 10,000 custom officers doing the work of the promised (a lie!) 50,000 staff.

Dolan do C2Work. Shimano all day.

Dolan GXA-do your homework-its the best value gravel bike in the UK. No ‘part’ groupsets or hidden downgrades. The grey is better in the flesh. They have stock.