Have a look at Chromecast Audio if you don’t want Sonos. The Connect is very expensive for what it does. I have one, but for further expansions I’m using Chromecast Audio on the line in of the Sonos Connect as a bit of a patch, then further Chromecasts.

A ‘full’* Sonos house is very simple and enjoyable though, no messing with inputs ever.

* playbar, 5, 1 and Connect

We were catching crayfish this week in Wharfedale, they are mostly signals and are red with a blue/white spot near the pincers but believe they can be blue/grey as well. I’ve seen them from Kettlewell to Burnsall and Linton/Grassington.

Not for eating though, we popped them in a bucket then released.

Conversly I blamed everything but the bb on my new road bike. Striped, greased and torqued the whole bike, no joy. Finally knocked out the cups, applied think grease and had silence for over 800 miles.

Had creaks coming from all over though, Katy road bike was the dropout faces. Hardtail was the sestpost.

We bought a 320i from new (well pre reg, 11 months old, 17 miles on the clock, ‘bargain’) and it’s been driven into/hit 3 times, all hit and run, including a joyrider doing over £5k to it all before we got to 10k miles. We decided it was cursed, so the BMW might not be the safe bet ;)

Either buy the cheapest car you have least emotional attachment to or buy the one that’s nicest to be in and drive. Motoring is never hassle free and always costs one way or another.

The 320i is a nice car though, fairly thirsty, not hugely powerful but pretty smooth and refined.

I did some great rides up there following National Cycle Route 1. Well sign posted and quite good, with some tracks as well as roads. Suitable for a racey road bike on 25mm tyres.

Not sure how far you want to go, but the ride over to Holy Island across the causeway is quite special.

Would be about 80 miles from Alnwick I guess, was a 45 miler from Seahouses or you could start at Beal for a short jaunt. The Barn at Beal does good food too.

The Treehouse is quite a cool place.

My mate recommended an ice cream parlour in Amble – Spirellis?

Stans valves are working perfectly on my DT XM481s.

I know a few people who’ve ditched the AV receiver and loads of speakers for one (usually once they have small kids) and still been happy with the result.

This!
Dumped 7 bits of kit – speakers, amp, switch, miles of cable. The playbar has one light that you can turn off from the app, so no temptation for messing, no spiked floorstanders to topple or rock onto a little foot!

Also,it only really makes sense if you want multiroom and have more ‘zones’.

I have one and love it, mainly for music.

Our setup is very simple, just a TV, humax box and Chromecast. But bothered about 5.1 but as stated the surround is limited by the TVs ability (or not) to pass 5.1 from HDMI to optical.

Sound is great for a sound bar, not as good as separates but loads simpler and less clutter.

Also worth noting once connected via WiFi the 2 LAN ports let you connect stuff, so I have TV and humax connected here and using the Sonos wireless for Internet.

Brilliant kit, but pricey. I fancy a sub but they are even more expensive.

It must be the material.

My Zaskar was extremely stiff. Fat stays, stiff material and short stay length. The main benefit I can see is lateral.

As such you are much more in the grove

Used to build wheels on piecework.
Same rim, nipple, spoke all laid out.
Proper tools for nipple spinning.
Good jig.
Could do a pair in about 50-55 mins, but that was on a run, when you knew how much initial wind on the nipples so final tension didn’t take long.

Now, on my own wheels, closer to the hour each, including lining up hub logos with spoke holes etc.

Adrian Flux
NFU Mutual
A Plan
Brentacre

I ended up with Brentacre.

What kind of riding?
Im 6 foot on a medium, but it’s my mess about bike for pumptrack, jumps, odd DH, short/medium Peak rides and days out with the family. The large would give a good reach but I wanted to drop my seat low so went medium with a 50mm stem, which Bird also agreed.
It’s great. In fact, the Medium is longer than my old large full sus, which did everything and went everywhere. Bird are long bikes, so compare reach/TT to what you ride now and check seat tube length.

Taxe de sejour

I’ve nearly always paid it in France. Usually a Euro a night or so, sometimes less.

And the padded plastic bit is made up of parts too.
Padding, hull and cover is what I know them as.

Bad news, I really hope you get it sorted, your attitude seems brilliant but what a time to mess people about!

We used Dogtag about 8 years ago when my wife tore knee ligaments skiing in Whistler. They were excellent, sorting all the bills quick, paying for lost days skiing and private physiotherapy in resort and home. I know policy changed a few years ago with more exclusions, hopefully you just got a bad person on the phone. Good luck.

Heli ski guide in Alaska
Powder guide in Japan

Pro downhillers have quite a life. Hard work but amazing return for the top few.

If I won the lottery Id have a gentleman.
‘Prep the bikes, we are going riding’
‘Book the flights and wax the skis…’
‘Take the motorhome, I’ll meet you at Fort Bill’
‘Sort tickets to Anaheim, we’re going to watch the supercross’

I met someone who’s school mate does this for his millionaire mate.

Currently really enjoying being a Dad to a 3 year old. Playing dens in the woods. Bike riding. Picnics at the bmx track. Train rides. Walks. It can be stressful and need a day job to make it pay. Not sure I could do it full time even if the money was right though!

I can only picture 2 berms in my head at warnclife, not that kind of trail I’m afraid.

The old school end near has all rocks and about one berm, the new stuff is mostly berms and has about one flat corner, the woods have an amazing mix of riding now.

Those unicorns in that Seasons clip is Rhyd-Y-Felin, I’ve still not seen any in Wharncliffe ;)

Desk drawers or metal roller cab toolbox?

Home

http://www.thymecafe.co.uk/

http://www.mudcrabindustries.co.uk/sheffield

I have a Bird Zero AM, great for all of that. Rides in the Peak, rides with my boy, pumptrack, jumps and good on smooth flowy DH trails.

It’s very similar to a Crush on paper but I prefered it.

They are long, I’d suggest a test ride. I’m 6′ and ride a medium as I wanted low seat and reach is bigger than my old large Nukeproof Mega.

Cotic BFe? The old 275 is cheap at the moment, the new one has stealth routing and 142 back end, the reasons I chose my Bird.

No MTB is going to be that great on a BMX track surely?

Lots of people riding hardtails at my local track.
Freddy does OK on his Cotic…

I work with an ex Israeli paratrooper. I’ve never heard him fart. Maybe he’s lost the skill.

Transition Patrol?
Very similar, slightly longer reach, shorter seat collar, some cool full bikes available from a UK shop. Amazing bike, very capable on big Lakes days or DH tracks as well as mellow stuff.

If you can drive 40 mins and want a fairly tough classic I’d recommend Nan Bield from Kentmere, with optional High Street chucked in if you want a summit.
5 hours, 15 miles, 5300 feet. Nearly all off road. Some big hike a bike. Perfect descent for a Capra!

This might work – https://www.strava.com/activities/306469961

Some interesting suggestions as always, thanks for the input.

I’m not after a super light tarp/tunnel/backpacking tent, the banshee/tarp/zephyros are too small for what I want.

The Hilleberg does look great but for the amount of camping it’s over budget.

Definately want an ‘end loader’. Don’t need a huge porch.

Vango’s looks OK, the Hoolie 2 looks nice but still drawn to the one I suggested. Any reason not to? I’m going to try and see if I can see one pitched somewhere.

The Cnoc ‘large’ is the same as before I think, it’s the Cnoc small that’s recently introduced with lower saddle and bars.

My lad is quite small, just gone for the Cnoc small at 3 3/4. Tend to ride pumptrack so wanted him to be able to get both feet down.
I rang Islabike, they were very helpful on sizing. Their size chart is good too.

We left the pedals off and he rode it all day the day it arrived, 2 days later he asked for pedals and was off.

He had a Rothan and also rides pedal bikes at nursery a lot, so put the two together quite well.

That round point one is brilliant.
I use mine for trail building, gardening and beach duties since we had a similar breakage/tears/Ice cream incident this spring!

Agree with the above, all they want is a hot meal and a kip. Bike is a world away when you have the reality of a newborn.

Our best ‘present’ was a couple who cooked dinner and held the baby while we had a lie down. I’ll remember that forever. I have no idea where most of the rest of the stuff came from.

Minute pair or Vans/Cons for the baby and dinner/flapjacks/rest for the parents would be ace.

Shimano works by increasing friction on a one way bearing. The friction is applied via the lever. When the lever is off, a cam opens and removes tension from the band, so in theory it’s all free to move. There may be a bit of drag from the band. Tension can be adjusted, remove the side cover and adjust the small hex head. XTR even comes with a tiny spanner inside the housing!

If the creak is from the mech clutch it’ll be from suspension movement, if you bounce without pedalling and there’s no creak it’s unlikely to be the mech.

I guess you’ve got the BB and no tool? Tool comes with a new BB, but not useful if you have one fitted already…

LBS may have spares from fitting?

Or here

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/BBSHIADA/shimano-hollowtech-ii-tool-tl-fc25-to-tl-fc32?utm_source=The+Planet+X+and+On-One+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=14d2af7343-px_newsletter_1006166_9_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_561486488b-14d2af7343-272981825&mc_cid=14d2af7343&mc_eid=686175d097&source=affwin&awc=6502_1465993321_e6236eca6b1ee94c9bc0d2ea8ba0fe3b

Brentacre were cheapest for me, on a standard van with some mods planned

Flat rate covers van plus future mods, just email them and they update the record. No premium change up to ‘stage 1’ remap, camper conversion etc.

I couldn’t do it…

Mrs drives a nice car.
I now drive a nice van.
She was away all weekend and left the car. I didn’t touch it, used the van all the time, much prefer it.

I have lost the ability to pack light though, so stuck with vans for life now I reckon!

Moved from a van to a car due to having a baby

On of my vans was bough from a guy who was becoming a Dad.
I found that odd. Kids seat fits and for me, the van was great for trips away with a baby.

He’s 3 now, announced “Daddy’s van is more fun than Mummy’s car, I can see out and we have bikes in the back!”

I think they are different, I have mx ones and was close to buying snow lenses then seem to remember they don’t fit

Mine are old now but sure I only paid 30odd quid a set for mx ones, just watch eBay for bargains

O frames also great and cheap, as are lenses, which is important as you’ll scratch them up fast

Goggle fit depends on face shape. Make sure they fit your nose and cheeks especially.

Crowbar for me, stand offs work well, can be had cheap and lots of pattern lenses available for grimy days.

Also once the foam is wet any goggle will steam eventually. Get a few pairs and rotate them for really manky uplift days.

We went to the Alps last year, 5 lads went in a SWB T5, with 7 bikes, 2 were big DH bikes (650b), 5 trail bikes mostly 650b, full facers, spare wheels, spare DH tyres, full tool kit etc. All fitted. How big were these track bikes?!

I was in the LWB Brabus Vito, was lovely. We had 9 bikes and kit. Did have to take the bars off and let the tyres down to get there, mind you!

Having driven both a lot, it’s more to do with the T5… Vito has a big box of air over the driven axle so not much weight on the driven wheels. It used to wheelspin coming up our leaf covered slightly inclined drive and wouldn’t move on a flat car park in the snow, had some fun in wet grass camping fields, where the T5 is drama free. A few bags on sand help, or a good load but the T5 just grips. RWD did corner a bit nicer in dry tarmac though.

To add, I disliked the ride of my Vito as standard. Fitted Eibach springs for a subtle 30mm drop and it transformed the ride. Stopped the front end ‘tucking’ feeling and felt flatter in sweeping bends but still handled loads and rough tracks. Recommended to add then to your budget.

The floor of my T5 is higher, or seems it. Coukd be the big wheels lifting it up a bit.

There is not really less space, apart from the spare is in the back rather that under the floor in the SWB version.

Vito body is lower and wider but overall a bit narrower over the wing mirrors. I’ve not had the confidence to been through my narrow stone gate posts with mirrors out on the T5 yet. The Vito did go, but it cost me a couple! The height helps, my motorbike only just fitted in the Vito with the fors compressed a shade.

T5 is about 6″ longer (2″ longer than my garage :( )

I had a 56 plate Vito 111 panel van and now have a new T5 140 bhp Kombi so hard to compare in age and spec but…

Vito felt faster. RWD didn’t feel massively different but there’s more steering lock. Not great in snow without weight in the back.

Prop shaft needed a recon at about 70k, so not immune from drive issues like the VW driveshaft I’ve heard about.

MPG better in the VW but not miles.

Fully galv from 56 plate on, sold with no visible rust at all and hopefully none developing.

I’ve had a T4, Mk1 Vito, Mk 2 Vito and T5. Loved them all, all for their own strengths, to be completely honest I’m not sure why I went VW this time. Mostly just fancied a change I think but I’m very happy, as is my mate with a Dualiner. I love the ride, the toys and the looks plus my long term plan is some kind of conversion (not full camper) which is far better supported for VW.

Pipe cutter will deform the tube, finish the outside edge with a file.

TBH if you turn up at work for a workshop and you expect tools your core competencies are crap

Unless, perhaps, you work with tools?!

I work for the world’s largest tool company, any kind of workshop we have involves tools otherwise it would be crap! It’s great and my ‘core competencies’ are fine thanks ;)

We do publish ‘edits’ though, I’m sure.