Hidden London tour of abandoned or historic tube stations, the Down street or Baker Street tours are fantastic (gives free admission to London Transport museum as well)

Gods Own junkyard in Walthamstow, neon sign heaven and a cafe, (possibly only open Fri/Sat)

Viktor Wynd museum of curiosities (who doesn’t want to see Russell Brands pubic hair next to a pickled pygmy head)

Horrible Histories river cruise (it’s not just for kids)

Walk through the graffiti tunnel under Waterloo station

Yep had a warm roof fitted a few years ago, combined with a Bioethanol stove it’s now a comfortable room all year round

We have had one in our conservatory for a year

I really rate it, takes about 30-40 minutes to heat the room up and has made it a useable room all year round as well as looking good

cost £800 instead of £6k to install a log burner, it’s not as warm as a log burner but much cleaner and just as effective as the electric radiator we have in there and no longer use. Could also take it outside and use in the garden at summer time although we since bought a cheap tabletop burner for outside

buy fuel in bulk from Amazon, 1litre lasts about 4 – 5 hours, probably cheaper ways to heat the space but it’s equally about the look

got it from imaginfires.co.uk, I think they have the best fuel box system

ours is the Howarth (costs £1k now) we also bought the seperate ’fake flue’ to complete the fake log burner visual https://www.imaginfires.co.uk/howarth-black-bioethanol-fireplace

We have one of these
https://www.imaginfires.co.uk/howarth-black-bioethanol-fireplace
Not long turned up after ordering 2 months ago so only used it a couple of times but it heats our conservatory up in about 30-45mins, first time had to turn it off after 2 hours as it had got too hot
The imaginfires no spill box is really easy to fill and light, can be done in situ unlike the comment above
Kicks out 3kw so about half a decent sized wood burner but we couldn’t fit a flue etc through the conservatory warm roof so this was much easier, and cheaper
It really looks the part and can pick it up and use it outside in summer evenings
Haven’t bothered with any of the fake logs or coal decorations but did add a fake (magnetic) flue for effect
I’d recommend them but probably not as a primary source of heat for a large room

scaredypants
Full Member

quite a lot of topeak discounts on there – not sure how many are real brgins though

6 Topeak glueless patches for £35 reduced from £59.80 the definite highlight, almost making me consider ditching tubeless so I have some use for them!

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/topeak-flypaper-glueless-patch-kit/rp-prod37905

Ah this just cost me nearly £100 as I added some spare tubes for the road bike to get over £20 for free postage, then searched rest of the sale to get the extra £10 off sale items code to work
Not bought anything bike related (apart from some cheap pedals after previous one’s axle exploded mid ride) for about 12 months so was overdue a splurge

vileda windowmatic version is £38.99 (45% off) at Amazon at the mo, gets good reviews and has a flexible head to get to the bottom of windows which the Titan can’t do
Reviews of the Titan put me off

Any likely hood of wheels / pedals with PS5 haptic feedback being released, at a half way sensible price?

Was my first thought too. We just need CRC to turn up some other old stock with weird ass proprietary mounts that look almost like normal

There is always Planet X for that, 50p plus £8 postage

many other insurers wouldn’t cover bikes if they were inside a vehicle or locked on to a car.

You’d be surprised that most do, I usually change insurer each year and a lot of them do cover it, there might be a nuance but I’ve certainly not found one that won’t cover a bike being locked to an immovable object such as a bike rack locked to a car.

Locked in a car is totally different to locked to a rack outside the car
Bizarrely most insurers cover the later despite it being arguably easier to steal the bikes from a rack but very few cover the former, even if bikes are locked to a fixed point inside the car
Pedalcover did, and that was why I was with them for 5 years
Halifax also do, providing bike is not obviously visible
I had weeks of trying to sort this years ago as I used to take my bike with me when working away so it would often be left inside the car in hotel car parks, less of an issue now I have changed jobs but still nice to know you are covered. I very rarely have the bike on a rack and would never leave it unattended if I did, I’ve seen how quickly a bike can be pulled off a rack and the damage it can do to the rack and the car

I really like the Evans FWE bar tape I have on my road bike
Like Lizard Skins DSP but a fraction of the price so you can double wrap it much cheaper

I’m 5’10” and went for a large
It’s fine for me but I’ve switched to a 70mm stem that makes the steering a bit quick
I would say a small, sizing is quite generous

Left Pedalcover last year after 4-5 years, think I was one of their customers in their first few months of becoming established
My premium had stayed similar but I noticed the cover reducing and I figured I didn’t need a lot of the extra stuff they cover for (triathalon holding areas etc)
Went with Halifax, they offered me the level of cover I actually felt I needed including cover inside the car (which is about the only time my bike is left anywhere), and where about £150 cheaper than Pedalcover renewal (this was with a 20% off offer)
Bikes are kept locked to a ground anchor in a garage that is attached to and assessable from the house.
Seeing how easy it is to force a standard garage door (not mine it has extra ground bolt locks etc) I’d suggest most people’s sheds and outbuildings are more secure than an average garage, shame insurers don’t see it this way
I was probably over insured with Pedalcover

Mowgli
I want some advice on sizing and to see if I can add an extra pair of wheels to the same order (same wheels not listed elsewhere on site with correct axle, I basically want both 650b and 700c wheels with the same bike) and also to see if bar tape can be left off as I will be swopping bars straight out so kind of need to speak to them first

generally no, but I want the bike they sell and nothing else compares for the money so…

Planet X Tempest
If you can get them to ever respond on online chat

Im currently going through the opposite
Bought some stuff on ebay, seller has then used a gift card to buy and send me via special delivery, a perfume sample
He gets a proof of delivery signature, I have to prove to ebay that the parcel I signed for wasn’t what I ordered and that I haven’t had the ebay item
Fortunately when I saw a tiny perfume sample in a large box, sent S.D my spider senses went off and I have kept all the packaging etc with the tracking number visable which when you search on Royal Mail website can be seen to have been posted in Manchester rather than where the seller is based

don’t dismiss a Bngo/Ford Frieda
£5k will get you a fairly decent unconverted one or a reasonable converted example
We have had ours about 3 months now and love it

The EGR issue is typical, usually a blanking plate solves the problem. https://igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/viewtopic.php?t=54057

More likely to fail the new MOT emission tests with it blanked off though no?

Coolant alarm…its overheated in the past, possible damage
Bubbling arches and recent waxoil…welding likely at each MOT
Mileage conversion, questionable.

Have you looked up all the previous MOT history using the reg?

Yes previous MOT history backs up everything the seller has told me, there is nothing too alarming, previous failures have been pretty standard – lights dipped incorrectly, tyres worn and worn suspension bushes (replaced in 2018)
It passed its most recent MOT a month ago with no minors or advisories (so presumably any rusting is okay at the moment), the arches are nowhere near as bad as others I have seen, I would say a good 24 months in them before they start to become an issue and need welding/replacing
He says he fitted the coolant alarm on the recommendation of the Bongo Fury forum, not because it had overheated in the past, he seems honest and enthusiastic I have no reason to doubt anything he has told me, his previous posts on a Bongo facebook group would also suggest he has done a fair bit of work to the van and his reason for selling is genuine
Mileage on the MOT reports show it has done 60k miles in last 10 years, I will be asking for any paperwork regards the speedo conversion his claim on the conversion would mean it did 50k in the first 9 years which could be correct but the online MOT check doesnt go back far enough

Thirsty and overheat. Plus not very big in the back.

Buy a T4 VW – much better

mpg I am prepared for something between 20-24mpg (this is the 2wd diesel so a bit better than the 4wd version) size isn’t great I know but the advantage is it fits better on the driveway ;)
I don’t have VW kind of money, this is under £7k, comparable age and mileage T4 is at least double that

Its also registered as an MPV so I would have to get it reclassified for cheaper insurance

I have an unused Lezyne one I could quite easily sell
One of those things bought on a whim with intention of commuting by bike but then never used
https://road.cc/content/review/12479-lezyne-messenger-caddy-bag

I work away and stay in hotels a lot so just ‘borrow’ whatever from their bathrooms, had quite a few nice smelling ones over the years but couldn’t tell you what they were, they also cost between £50-185 for a very small single wash bottle so well above your budget

These days more hotels are also moving to dispensers bolted to the bathroom wall rather than giving away small plastic bottles which I guess is good for the environment and cheaper for them but it’s really screwing up my morning schedule when I have to mess around decanting them into my own bottle with a combination of funnels and straws

My recommendation is therefore to steal the little bars of soap instead

There is a bike orienteering event starting from Toton in April, ideal for the CX bike, don’t have details to hand but should be easy to find if you google bmbo.org

I should get a free potato for instigating it

been twice, highly recommend Duinrell and the surrounding area, loads to do as mentioned above
Parts of park where a bit tired and swimming pool gets crowded (changing rooms are not the best) but other than that its far better experience (and cheaper) than going to a UK centreparcs

bought the wife some for Christmas for when she is running and she loves them, Ive borrowed them a couple of times for bikiing and I like them, although above comments regards volume, sound quality and wind noise are all accurate, they are still good though when out on bike on your own and you want a bit of music s you really can still hear your surroundings
Only problem I had was they didnt sit too well worn with with glasses (and the wife got the mini version with shorter arms where I am probably between the two sizes, the lack of adjustability could be a problem for some peoples heads)

I’ve just taken a punt on the 50% off pre-order on a pair of Optishokz for myself- the same Aftershokz headphones built into a pair of sunglasses, at £86 with a second lens I figured it was worth a try (I know I will have VAT and RM handling fee to add to that on delivery)
Initial reviews suggest they may not be as loud again as the Aftershokz and the glasses design looks like it may be a bit big but I’m sure there will be demand for them when they are released properly so if no good I should be able to shift on and not loose out

https://optishokz.com/

I just want to hear a Merkin engine, I don’t need aerobatics.

I always find Merkin engines sound a bit muffled
Like they have some kind of big hairy wig wrapped round them

(I don’t want to know what you normally type/search that your auto correct changed Merlin to Merkin ;) )

Any update on this, just seen someone else recommending them on Facebook so interested to see how you are getting on

Nobeerinthefridge

Subscriber
Non subscriber moans about free magazine.

How very STW.

Posted 1 day ago

except I am still a subscriber and its not free, as I said I just haven’t renewed
regular forum user not reading threads properly and making nonsense jump to conclusion statement
How very STW ;)

And just caught up with the rest of the thread
Thankyou for looking into the change ST, I feel all warm and fuzzy inside now thinking I instigated it even if it is a very small change, might be enough o bring me back into the fold and subscribe again (even though it wasn’t the reason for not renewing)

spooky
My understanding is they wont be covered if stolen from inside a locked car with Halifax, or an outbuilding not physically attached and connected to your house (so now shed or detached garage)

its not even worth the 30 seconds its taken me to type this

I’m 30 mins away, so much better riding in the area

my cheap Zee brakes I bought from Bikdiscount (I think, may have been Probikekit) came with spare olives and barbs anyway

I had an On One Inbred I was gifted from a friend after it fell off the back of his car and he claimed for a new bike on his house insurance

It was solid and rode great for several years until I sold it

I can only presume the 80mph collision with the surface of the A43 was more effective than their own QA department in straightening the tubes out:)

Not the Golf but do have the Passatt Estate GTE as a company car

It’s brilliant (the much lower company car tax is a major plus)

Costs around £1.15 to charge from flat, I got a charging point installed at home for free through the ‘Electric Nation’ scheme WPD were running at the time (now closed) so it charges in about 2 hours (closer to 4 using a conventional socket)

Stated electric range is 30 miles, in reality around town is nearer 18-20 but on a motorway sat at 60mph (variable speed limit) I can get that up to 30-32 miles

Combined petrol/electric on a 70 mile run 90% m-way / dual carriageway is around 70-80mpg, solely on petrol the 1.4 engine still manages around 36-42mpg which is similar to my old diesel Ford Kuga (the worst car I have ever had the misfortune to drive)

0-60 is plenty quick enough, the electric pick up is instant, GTE mode is fun but I rarely use it

The VW app is also good for remotely controlling the charging etc

Basically pointless having one though if you’re going to switch providers as it’s then a dumb meter. It will put some people off switching however, if the believe the smart

except I have two new meters with easier to read and interpret displays

Amazon took payment for a Kindle subscription my wife took out (and immediately cancelled) on her account from my card, without my permission.

I had used it once on her account

when I called and asked for the two payments to be refunded and the subscription cancelled they wouldn’t deal with me, had to speak to the wife, even though it was my card

after 6 weeks of not being refunded I eventually had to raise it with my CC company who immediately sorted it

Lot of bolloxs in this thread

we had a smart meter installed when we where with British Gas, 3 months later switched to Scottish Power, on the cheapest tariff available in my area according to moneysavingexpert’s energy club. Not once was I asked if i had a smart meter, it just stopped working reverted to being a normal meter, but it didn’t stop me switching or getting the cheapest tariff

another 12 months and switched again to Avro, again the cheapest tariff possible (with no exit fees), again not asked if I had a smart meter

the British Gas smart meter doesn’t work with Avro in terms of sending readings but the display does work in showing how much electricity I am using (cost isn’t quite right as it’s still set at the old BG tariff), gas doesn’t seem to work though. It has been useful in estimating how much it costs to charge my new company car (£1.20ish for approx 20 miles)

Car Adda camping huts on bank of Lake Trawsfyndd in North Wales

Another vote for Pedalcover

or if you want to stay with John Lewis increase the excess to lower the price and take out a seperate excess protection policy to cover the full amount of the excess

my excess with Pedalcover is about £300 but that reduced the policy price by much more than the £50 the excess protection costs

my Thule Aerobars whistle terribly without a bike rack on them. As above they are missing some of the rubber from the hole under the bars where the footpack sits. I assumed it was this causing it