Have not posted on here for ages.

Just logged on to tell you to get on and marry her…

And nice bike.

I have assembled mine twice, as I moved house. One piece of advice is get an electric screwdriver.

They are really solid, mine has a 26in FS and at the old house had two other bikes, one large hardtail and my wife’s medium hardtail. Now it is looking after my DIY tools as well, but needs tidying. I did contemplate getting rid of it when we moved, as we now have a garage, but they feel much more secure than a garage and although it can be a pain to get bikes out when it is clogged up with loads of bikes, they are well designed. I got the shelving and hook pack which helps make better use of the space.

Edit: I have the four bike version.

Thanks for all the inputs on this. I purchased a Dremmel and ground the head off, removed the disc and then got mole grips around the remaining bolt. Job done.

I used a bad sick Garmin Edge 200 GPS. No proper mapping, but had a helpful line and chirrup to tell me when I was off route. Saved a lot of hassle. A fellow STW rider kindly lent me the GPX file. I then met them on the second morning and they helped me motivate myself during a low point.

I also bought the SDW map,

Not hard, but the odd sign is not that visible.

Mugboo – just ordered a Vango 550xl beta, which seems at the budget end of family tents. Air inflated ones seem a bit more pricey, but just as a heads up it is worth looking at world of camping, they seemed quite a bit cheaper.

http://www.worldofcamping.co.uk – based in Redruth. Never heard of them, but seem good value.

I am looking for one of these for our family for Spring/Summer this year. We are heading to a festival and then might use the tent for weekends.

Decathlon do a 4 person Arpenaz 4.2, (which appreciate might not work for the OP, but would be sufficient for us) which I think is circa £99. Would love to get something better quality like a Vango, but I am not sure if I can justify the price (unless someone can put me straight and say what the advantage of getting a better tent is, as I am an ignoramus).

Hi, it was indeed originally a blue/grey rock rider. Now almost 10 years old. Frame is now a 8xc, but it looks exactly the same, save for the colours.

Rapid rise should be ok, was going to go for 9 speed so should work all ok.

Will get onto CRC/Merlin and get some deore brakes, thanks for the help and advice all.

Sorry, I should have added I am not highly literate in the world of computers. Oh, I also have a Mac Mini, so don’t have a windows friendly system.

Went the for first time on the 5th November with my brother. Really lucked out with the weather. Cold but trails absolutely dry as a bone.

Really impressed and think it is great value; although I can see how if you live locally you might be tempted to go regularly and the bills would mount up.

I have to say I thought everyone who worked there were friendly, from the uplift drivers (loving the Classic FM) to the guys in the bike shops and helping you register.

Really good day and I hope we get more bike parks like this in the UK.

If by train, take a cab and get the Heathrow express. Tube would be a mare.

Parking is all safe at the airports when booked though their respective websites, you can get a bike box in the transfer buses or the PODs used for the T5 ‘Pod Parking’.

My wife and I have done both the drop off and leave and take the bus from the parking. It is not much hassle compared to flying with small kids!

Please go and get some advice from an RICS qualified surveyor and a solicitor specializing in real estate advice, (not the family solicitor who did Aunt Ethel’s will).

RICS surveyors can be found at their website easily and most solicitors have contacts in commercial property or know a reputable firm that does. The advice will cost money, but getting it wrong can cost a lot more.

I think BMW might do a 3 series touring in awd. I think they do it in manual too. Not sure of it is big enough but they are great cars and for that money I am sure you could have new. I would not go for the 2.0 d engine though, I might ne out of date but just google N47 engine issues.

I could not sew what size you are looking for, but that might be my kak phone. The VRS would defo be on my list – it is FWD, so going to be better than most on wet/icy roads and with winter tyres fine.

Ropey. Thanks, I think I was trying to over-complicate the fastening. Looks to me that it is just strapped round the one piece of helmet and velcroed up tight.

Will give that a go.

By the way, colour looks great!

Have bought a Super 2R. Find the large size just big enough for my massive head, so slightly tighter than Giro but still comfortable. Star Wars options now make it a must buy, if you are sad like me.

I bought it for BPW and Snowdon planned trips, but have not managed either yet so only used it without chin guard. Very well designed lid though.

I made the mistake of removing the go pro mount and now can not get it back on securely, it always rocks forward. Does anyone know the best way to tie it back on? Apologies for thread hijack…

Thanks Leonard, much appreciated.

Thanks both. Checked underground, but for the area I am searching (Dunstable) it records 0% precipitation.

I am looking for rainfall data to show how much rain fell and also try to understand whether this was a 1/1000 storm.

Bump for the Wheelie Wednesday crowd.

Hi,

Thanks both for your comments. The Dual Cube are passive (so as far as I know all are driven from the main amp).

The frustrating thing is that they have been built in at opposite corners of a room, so hardly an ideal position.

Have got a Volvo, similar spec to bikebouy. Awesome car. But definitely try the alltrack. I have racks on top of mine, but am 6ft 2. Works fine.

Wife has put a national trust sticker in the window and I now feel ancient…

Hi OP,

I have three pairs of CB Candy and one of the egg beaters. Happy to give you a pair or two for spares/repairs, just let me know. I can post if you can cover post costa or meet in London.

Email should be in profile.

Hi OP. Sold some bmw wheels with Conti winter tyres on recently. Took a while to sell, which I put down to mild weather. I put them on at a fixed price and relisted them after 30 day period was up.

Seem a huge variety of prices. I didn’t offer any postage, so I suspect that will help shift your set.

Having exactly the same discussion with my other half. We both love the idea of a big garden and roomy house, but not the additional commuting time and maintenance.

We have just put in an offer on a house that is in a s.all town; close to a station (required for commuting), means we can continue to have one car only, is close to a high street and not too far from woods/trails. It might not happen, but in our heads we have made the compromise already, as in particular our commute is long enough already.

If location and circumstances were different, would love to be in the countryside, but as I grew up in rural Devon I know it has both proa and cons for kids.

Thanks all for your comments. Have put in an offer/expression of interest at just over 2% below the asking price. The point is taken about bidding too low, missing out and not being able to do much but go home and cry about it…

Some may consider that too high, but there are few alternatives and we like it. So we have to grow some nuts and cough up.

In response to the above questions on discounts offered on our place, I would expect the initial offers on our place to be below our asking price. I think it has been fairly valued, but know the BTL investors have looked at it and our type/size house is quite common in the area, so expect there to be more choice/competition.

I got the auto xc60. Was considering a manual, which is loads cheaper, but auto is more relaxed to drive and the scarcity of used manuals told me most owners have fone for that option too.

A friend does have a manual though.

Got a basic D4 one as a family car. Literally went for bog standard AWD, then added leather, sat nav, better speakers and blacked out windows. No need for any of the extras, but pleased with all that I added on.

Drives nicely and seats are comfortable. Have a bike rack on the roof, which means you can’t be too short. Boot is a really decent size. Non pimp fat, rather than low profile tyres make it more comfortable on pot hold roads we have locally.

Probably never going off road, but may handle some slightly wet leaves

Just taken delivery of a new D4 SE. We added leather, auto box, sat nav, privacy glass and better speakers to the list of standard stuff. Only had it about a week, so not really used it much yet.

Economy wise it is not going to be as good as our last car, especially since I have just added roof bars and bike carriers. The sales lady did say the 2.0 D4 in fwd only was more economical, and if you went auto had a more modern auto box. I decided against it as I thought we would have been better simply getting a regular estate car if we did not go for an AWD model.

My brother has had an XC60 and also an xc90. He says he would not bother with r design, but they do look better than the model I have. He liked his xc60 more, but just had to many kids to fit in it and had to change.

I like it so far. Easy to drive and comfy seats. I also looked at a disco sport, but discounts were crap and boot was not as wide. I also think the xc60 looks less like a Chelsea tractor, although undoubtably it is a school run type car…

Thanks both. Decision made then, very helpful feedback. Whispbars on order.

I think they are really nice cars, my old man has one. better economy than his old Freelander apparently. Just out of my price range. Ended up going for an XC60, as could get a good discount and they were easily big enough for our needs.

Also looking to roof mount a bike rack. Hope it is not too high, as I don’t want to do a hitch rack. The VWs are even higher, so worth checking it isn’t too much of a hassle to get the bike on the roof.

I have not ridden there, but worth trying to find a recent article in BIKE magazine (US based). Made it look a cool riding Destination.

Thanks for all the input. I have stuck it on autotrader and sent the link to those who asked.

Had a couple of prices in from local and main dealer garages, so will see what interest comes along…

All, thanks for your input.

A trade-in or trade sale seems much the easiest option, as it avoids dealing with any wheel kickers and dodgy sorts.

I have had a (low) offer from a trader who was given the details through a local BMW garage, but that is to be expected. We are buying another car, so will see what that garage will offer too.

Tiggs121, will send you some details.

I think I would look to see if you can connect the radio up (via coaxial socket) to a TV aerial or dedicated FM/DAB aerial. I would try whatever is on the house first. I did this with my old man’s DAB hifi separate and I can confirm it made a huge difference.

If you can’t do that with your current model, look for a radio that has it. A lot of online places will let you return something if not suitable.

Hi, I live locally and would be up for a ride around Blackdown and Hindhead. I need to organise childcare and work, but am up for it. I have got lights and most of my early night riding has been done around there.

I know some of the tracks ok, but am not massively fit at the moment and that needs to be factored in – frustrating to have to cycle with a beer bellied, unfit bloke like me.

I have the old model 320d touring. It is an auto rear wheel drive from 2011 or so.

Car drives great. We have however got a set of winter tyres and wheels from BMW which we put on every winter. The one winter where we did have snow, it coped very well and got me past loads of front wheel drive cars and even a few SUV type things on the side of the road.

Car is going in a month or so. Let me know if anyone interested in the winter wheels/tyres. They are 17 in.

I do like the idea of x drive though. Looks like a good compromise but unfortunately 3 series proving too small for family stuff.

Lots of work going on, very impressed, have not been that way for a while and looking promising.

I had to send my faulty dropper post back to Merlin and pay postage for the return. They may have returned a brand new post, ready to be fitted, but I have to fit it. It is like a double insult.

Do you think this is newsworthy enough for Jeremy Vine?

Great write up. I have looked at this for a number of years and need to pry myself away from the office and family life. It looks like a great challenge and quite different from Tour Divide challenges.

Interesting comments on training – I think fitness and bike skills need to be worked on well in advance as it is easy to underestimate bike fitness and practice – I would need a lot more work on both than anyone above.

I note BC 2016 tickets are on sale, but have not got the cojones to sign up as yet. Maybe 2017 is more realistic.

I bled the post as per the above recommendations and the very good Rock Shox service videos.

I think there was a bit of air in the hose. So worth doing.

Unfortunately, the bleed has not solved the issue. I tried to let some air out of the air chamber and a lot of oily gunk came out. I was wondering if this was residue or there has been a transfer of oil into air or vice versa.

Anyway, I presume the next step is now back to the shop?

Thanks, very much appreciated. I looked at the video and it did seem fairly straight forward.

Looks like a summer evening beer in hand job.

I have been lucky to get 6 good months out of it.

Paul,

You don’t state what type you are looking for, but here is a good resource:

Make sure you get someone registered with the RICS – linky link[/url]

Gribbl