Thanks all.

I’m pretty sure AD is set up, bikingcatastrophe. It was a complete bitch to do with no background but after a good few hours figuring it out I think it’s set up, and all users are logged at to it correctly. The DNS appears to be working fine within the scope and all users are accessing the server and it’s drives. Any installs on the workstations are needing server admin credentials so it appears it’s up and running.

We’re installing a new piece of software which is ran on the server which the workstations need to access. I have no idea if a domain necessary other than I was told by the software vendor that a domain was needed. Given the structure of the business, and the last set of computers and the state they got into, I was to be able to bring in group policies, and I thought this was only possible in a domain too?

I’ll have a look at cached credentials in GPO, thanks for that. I don’t mind granting sharing rights but I’d rather not have to take ownership whenever I need access…

We do only have one server, yes. Some article I read recommended a second DC too, but didn’t say why. If I don’t add a second server as hardware, is it still advisable to set up a socond as part of my forest (a term that is also completely new to me)?

Thanks again

I’m on week three as of today… 🙁 I had every colour of the rainbow coming out my nose yesterday – lovely…

I haven’t had a cold last more than a day in about ten years, but since putting our son in nursery I seem to be always infected with something.

They are my first Rockshox in about 4 years, I’ve absolutely loved Fox forks in that time. My last Rebas were Reba Team in 2006 (ish) and they were like running a block of wood. I absolutely hated them.

These new ones, with BB Motion Control feel at least as nice as the Fox RLCs they’ve replaced. I quite like having the remote lockout: the hyraulic version, if nothing else, looks a lot neater.

It may or may not matter to you, but you can only have one exchange account set up on your iphone…

I’m putting a shower room in the new build for the shop.

I’m hoping that one large electric towel ladder rail will do the job for wet gear for me (and anybody else who uses it). Like this: http://www.heatandplumb.com/acatalog/Apollo_White_Ladder_Electric_Towel_Rail_750mm_x_600mm.html?utm_source=ProductSearch&utm_medium=GoogleBase&utm_campaign=Feed1

I wouldn’t want to be tumble drying either…

I’m knackered, and my screaming 9 month old is hardly helping me remember whether I’ve answered your questions or not… I can’t believe we’re still talking about it.

But this…

I still stand by what I said about making you wait, if you push me to drop my prices, I’ll make you wait for collection regardless of whether it’s in stock or not.

…is what I read that I thought sounded like a petty grudge. I certainly don’t think it’s a sound business model.

Thanks for defining your idea more clearly (for the benefit of the group)… While I think it may (or really, may not) have changed from simply being a grudge, I still think it’s seriously flawed.

If you really want to make a service statement, is there an option to run a bike shop with two prices on all parts. One is price for the part only (to compete with the internet), and the other is a fitted price.

So, for example:

CK headset £90
CK headset fitted £110

I haven’t needed to Simon: you’ve done that yourself.

Go on, get out on the bike and clear the head.

Last one, I’ve got work to do too:

don simon – Member

Then just don’t take the order in the first place, rather than dicking me around. That would be just fine.

But I’m not dicking around, am I? I’ve told you several times from the offset that I don’t want your business,

What are you on about? Seriously? You said you would TAKE the order but hold on to it for a few days. If you don’t want my business, don’t take the order. I promise I would not have begged you to take it.

Jesus.

You’ve made a good few points but have spent an hour defending (at least with me) a stupid comment, rather than just admit it was a daft thing to say. You remind me of my wife 😉

Enjoy your ride.

Thanks for correcting my your -> you’re. Are you always such a pedant, Simon?

You’re trying to remove my profit, I don’t want your business. I have lots of other people who are willing to pay a fair price for a fair service and your contribution to my holiday villa is 0.000001%, so stop wasting my time and go to the internet, fit it yourself and don’t come to me with a warranty claim

Then just don’t take the order in the first place, rather than dicking me around. That would be just fine.

For what it’s worth, 90% of my purchases go through my LBS at way more than CRC pricing. I’ve shopped their (that one’s especially for you to correct) for 20 years and will continue to do so.

I’ve been misquoted. I feel so used… 😉

don simon – Member

Read into it, understand what I’ve said and then explain why, if you can.

I can’t understand what you’re saying, that’s my point.

Me: Can you order me something for £xx
You: That’s close to cost
Me: Well, your choice – perfectly understand
You: Go on then, I’ll order it
Me: Thanks

A few days later
Me: Is my part in yet?
You: Yes, it came in the next day but I’m making you wait, to help you appreciate how good the service is in an LBS
Me: Right, I could have had it next day from CRC though
You: Yes, but I’m making no margin from the deal
Me: Right, so to try and defend your business your offering the same price as online, and the same or worse service, and delivering that with a huge chip on your shoulder? Next time, I’ll just buy it online and save us both the hassle.

Am I missing something?

Don’t expect my sympathy for your struggles; bike shops are simply a retail outlet for me, which charge more than their online competitors. Because they know they can get away with it.

They don’t charge more because they can ‘get away with it’: they are charging what they need to to make a reasonable retail margin.

I’d wager a hotdog that CRC and Wiggle are realising higher percentage margins than your LBS through smart/volume buying. Just becuase they are cheap doesn’t make your LBS a rip-off…

The ‘make a customer wait’ comment by Don Simon may well be the single most stupid thing I’ve ever heard a retailer say (assuming (s)he’s a retailer)…

I was out on my road bike last night having a nice steady recovery ride after a really hard local club 50 TT on Thursday.

I’m pootling along at 18mph when I see a mountain biker up ahead. He’s doing about 15mph but I just know if I pass him the **** is going to think I’m racing him. I go past regardless and sure enough he gets the hump and picks the pace up. Genius.

I think about picking the pace up but I’m sticking to a recovery ride as I know I’ve got Saturday’s hilly century coming up.

He’s probably on a mountain bike forum now pissed off that I went passed him and how he owned me… What does he want me to do, not overtake?

Mine’s been down the toilet too (I had just had the handset replaced for £130 through a broken screen too).

I turned it off and left it in the airing cupboard overnight, standing upright. It was a bit erratic for a day or two when I turned it back on (the screen was a bit jazzy) but it’s been fine since (about 8 months ago now).

Good luck.

Might have a good solution… If you're a medium, ping me an email

Cheers

Craig

MrSmith – Member

why are you switching to a freewheel for the winter? fixed is so much better in things are a bit slippy, you can't lock a fixed wheel if you are still turning the pedals.

Yeah, I accept that. But when I start to slip I instictively stop pedalling which makes the bike skip around a lot more. I'm thinking of hitting a slippery/icy bit mid-corner or similar, rather than riding up or down a hill in bad conditions.

Does that make sense, or not?

44:16 fixed here. I'll probably go to 44:17 (or maybe 18) on a WI freewheel for winter though. Too many sketchy moments on the ice last year… 😉

44:18 will do you about 20 mph at a cadence of 100. Speed in mph is (gear inches*cadence)/336

Edit: road bike, not fixed off-road. Mentalists only…

Nice one. Thanks! 🙂

I'm 44 in Shimano, 45 in Sidi and need a 46 in Fahrenheits (with thickish socks)…

I think it depends on your employer tootall.

If they are happy to, then they could still sell you your £1,000 bike for £1 at the end of the 12 month term. You would then pay tax and NI as benefit in kind on the balance of what you pay and the 25% rule; so £249 in this instance. In this way, the real final value you effectively pay would be somewhere in the region of £60-100, depending on your salary and and so.

It's not really much of a change for many, unless your employer forces the 25% valuation, which is the fear that most seem to have (perhaps legitimately)…

No reason at all while the hire period can't be 2 or more years. The price of the bike needs to be reclaimed in year one (from what I understand, regardless), but I'm not sure if you have to pay a nominal sum to your employer for rental in years two and so on.

Aracer: a bit of digging and it looks like the final value can come from your salary, albeit net rather than gross.

They'll obviously be no additional benefits for the employee but as I'm assuming that's still regarded as salary sacrifice then that effectively removes the need for the employer to regard it as income.

aracer: Yes, good point – I'm no expert either and hadn't thought of the disposal of the asset.

At the moment then, I guess employers can claim 40% in year one (I think that's still valid until April) and then 20% each year that they still own the asset.

The fact that the employee effectively pays for the asset in salary sacrifice doesn't affect the right of the employer to claim against the AIA.

Do they not pay corporation tax on the "rental"

No. The employer doesn't recieve income from the scheme, they just pays less salary which is why they save on NI payments. I'm not sure if the final value can be salary sacrifice though, I suspect not…

Aracer: the purchase of the bike can be classed as capital expenditure and written off in the usual way at 20% of the value for 5 years, assuming the £50k limit hasn't been reached. I think it's the Inc vat price too, so in year one they can save corporation tax on £200, year two £160 (20% of £800) and so on…

I'd be interested to hear what they come up with pk-ripper…

johnners, can't decide if youre fishing or not but that really isn't in the spirit of giving an incentive. In addition to getting all of the money back in year one, the employer saves on NI contributions (about £130 on a £1,000 bike), as the value of the asset can be written off as cap ex over the usual period.

So, on a £1,000 bike on the BTW scheme, an employer should get around:
£110 in saved NI
£200ish in saved corporation tax (at usual rate of 28%)
£100ish on the final valuation

So, exployee saves 40-50%, the employer gets a happy employee (tied to the job for 12 months or more) and about £430 for its hassle.

I reckon investing £851 (ex VAT) for a £410 nett return is pretty good for most shareholders, personally…

Could the penis police try and consider that some people like nice watches because they think they look nice? I know that's a bit of a let down for you.

I tend to choose the route from 'Where to' and click 'Show on Map'

I then don't choose to navigate the route at all, but on the map page the route will be displayed and I just follow from there.

As above, convert to course works well but it's a bit more of a faff…

Currently reading No Way Down: Life and Death on K2 by Graham Bowley.

Nearly didn't buy it because the preface almost put me off, but actually it's well written and hard to put down. Perfect holiday book.

If it's cycling you want, Bad Blood is pretty good, if a bit chewy.

What happens if you don't buy the bike at the end of the scheme? The bike belongs to the employer, doesn't it, with no futher action needed.

Now lets say, hypothetically, the bike doesn't get used for a year or two and then you make an offer to buy it after two or three years for a low price.

Assuming you're going to stay with your employer throughout that time, does that not work?

What happens if, at the end of the scheme, the company officially owns the bike but just allows you to ride it for free? Do you have to buy it at the end if you trust your employer?

Aha…

I'm in a similar position. I've just resigned and will soon be riding to work instead of driving 🙂

I'm weighing up a cross bike or a good winter bike, possible with Alfine or similar, I think the latter is winning. I do like the way the Lemond rides though, geometry (although pretty standard) really suits me.

There's somebody on here selling a 55 too…

I'm 5'10 and a bit, and have a 55 Victoire and Filmore. I reckon it's the perfect size for you, they're quite long bikes – although don't remember the geometry on the Poprad.

Ah, okay. So to sit outside with a few beers and the door to the van open is a no-no on a still night then…

I was hoping it was just a bit of over-reaction, the whole midge thing. But then given they don't seem to bite me, I don't think I've ever really given them too much of a thought.

We might head south instead.

Or even west coast. I may have had a drink…

5 and a half…

1 5" full suss for crashing about on, although it's never been crashed and actually rarely gets ridden… Hmm.
1 singlespeed for blasting around trail centres and local trails (my fav bike)
1 nice road bike
1 fixed road bike for winter
1 hardtail, missing the frame (but everything else is ready)
1 tandem for me and the missus

It's time for a clearout though, so I think I'm going to sell nearly everything and get a new posh road bike, build a new winter bike and have just one geared mountain bike (probably a Soul or Bfe) for the odd time I get out in the hills, get up to one of the Staines or for towing a trailer…

Kind of excited about getting rid of everything and starting again (everyone loves a project, right?), and also can't really face the hassle of breaking everything up only to face the eBay questions…

Sorry Psychle, but I'm going to move most of the bits to a winter frame. I know that sounds a bit nuts, but I'd probably get £350 for a DA groupset, and a new 105 group would be £400ish. Likewise, the Ksyriums are worth probably £250, which is roughly what I'd spend on a decent pair of winter wheels…

I'm planning on building a Rourke 853 which I'll use for winter and long comfy rides in the summer, so I don't mind sticking decent kit on it…

Thanks anyway though.

High sphincter factor LOL.

Oldgit: they're clearly a bit common… Okay, so 99p with a reserve or take a punt on a Best Offer…

I tend not to bid on items with reserves, but don't mind a high starting price. Horses for courses I suppose…

Nearest offer, that's an idea. Love the tought of north of £600 but I reckon it'd probably go a lot less. Feel perked by the suggestion though, so thanks!