Get a cheaper bike you care less about for those quick blasts where min faff time is important. Save the best bike for when you are doing proper days out so the faff time is a smaller percentage of your ride.

I have a rigid 29+ bike I use for the quick blasts. It’s still fun to ride but I’m not precious about it so it just gets a squirt of lube after each ride. Has added benefit of weighing a tonne so it’s improving my fitness ;)

Oh, and neck a pint of water before you head out ;)

What Miketually said.

However, your recommended alternative sounded pretty sensible. If you’ve bonked before (I’ve had a few bad experiences myself) then I’d recommend an emergency gel or two. Much faster working IME than haribo or trail mix. And you can leave them at the bottom of the pack and forget about them.

29+ rigid and a gravel bike. But I’m a posh southern softy.

If I lived somewhere with decent riding I’d have a 140mm full sus 29er and be happy with that as my only bike I reckon

Bit of a customer service update too…

I ordered sensor B kit for my bike but it hadn’t arrived in time. So they shipped it with the universal (which I was able to fit).

They have since emailed to say the correct one is en route and they are throwing in a throttle too. Nice touch.

Hoping they will also do something about the axle girth issue…

Have you got the Pro or the regular? Not really put mine (my wife’s really…) to the test. But from the sounds of what you’re saying maybe I’ll Swytch it on to my bike when I start going back to the office and do the 25km ride there and back every day. That would be aces.

I had (still have but not on a bike) some Lauf forks but swapped them out for suspension forks and am slightly regretting the weight penalty – bike was lovely and light previously but now just a bit meh. And if I am honest with myself the type of riding I do does not justify much suspension.

But I also have a 29+ rigid bike.

If comfort is what you want, go 29+. It’s cheaper and basically the same effect. If lightweight comfort (for mild terrain) is what you want, go lauf.

Cheap, light, comfortable. Choose two…

I got kicked out of a shopping centre once for wheeling a Brompton – when I offered (politely) to fold it and carry it I was told to just lock it outside.

On the flip side I’ve taken my road bike in for plenty of different Shops. 90% been fine with it.

I’d say risk it.

Specialized Pizza rack is great (apart from some missing bolts…) you can stick light and bulky things (down gear and sleeping mat) and you can then put panniers on the lowers. I actually had full on back rollers on it the other day but front rollers would be perfect

I am pretty confident it is only 3kg. It really doesn’t feel like much. I’ve just stuck the concerted trek hybrid on the roof of my car along with my 29+ singular rooster and they felt about the same weight…

My only slight concern now is the longevity of the cables – they seem a little flimsy but time will tell on that.

In terms of price – I bought the Pro and it was under £500 all in. Had to pay for customs at the last minute (over £100 which was a bit of a kick in the nuts as I hadn’t read the terms) but it was £380 when I commuter on indiegogo

I have also just had mine delivered. Fitted it to my wife’s bike and it had very positive reviews from her so far. The QR is an issue. Managed to jam mine in but now can’t get them out (wife wanted it fitted on her other, prettier bike).

I have had a quick go too. Tried it out pulling the kiddie bike trailer (so an extra 50kg of weight). Got up my local hill with ease.

It’s not going to be a replacement for a proper ebike but it is going to get my wife out riding with me more. So it’s a win from me. So far…

Bit hacked off about the QR thing though.

Plus one on battery life for the 1030. Not sure what the plus does but the 1030 I have is good. The syncing up etc is not great and Garmin software is shit but that’s kind of par for the course…

All fair points.

I guess the reason I ask is because we already have a culture of going for walks to do ‘one2one’ catch ups but there is a difference to having a bit of a chat with some work thrown in, to having a meeting on Zoom.

I was only really thinking a ‘light spin‘ but I guess it is a little disrespectful.

Sadly don’t work as a QA for Zwift.

Will keep up the one2one walks as my way of exercising whilst working ;)

Oi Frog. Sit on a log etc…

Makes me chuckle every time

Thanks guys. Sounds encouraging. Reckon I’ll aim for some time mid August and go high up for the views and less dew!

Komoot?

I’ve bought the Swytch conversion kit. Arrived next month (apparently) and going too add it to my wife’s old hybrid.

About £400 all in I reckon…will report back when it arrives!

Thanks Nick. Message received. It must have been the space in the name issue. Was trying to contact someone who responded to a post and asked me to contact him direct

Have you looked at Swytch already?

Home

Thanks all – a mate suggested that Screwfix one too (cheapest option by sounds of it) but they don’t seem to sell them anymore. Maybe I’ll have to splash out on the turbine

If are doing lots of proofing and you are wanting to save a bit of money why not buy 5 litres of Nikwax at a time?

Also, how often do you wash before proofing? If you are using Tech Wash you should be able to go about 3 or 4 times at least before reproofing.

I think Swytch are trying to nail that at the moment @damascus

Got a kit arriving in a few weeks so I’ll let you know. But in theory I can switch the front wheel between bikes (front hub motor). It’s not going to have all the power of a proper eBike but should help with ferrying two kids up a hill!

Thanks George – I’ve replied :)

Sorry! Good point – 29er – will try and edit title. And secondhand absolutely fine!

Plus one for Bedgebury. But you’ll need a car. Probably only an hours drive depending on how close you are to a13 to escape London. It’s definitely a ‘pedally’ course but I love it.

Sent you a DM @zigzag69

Paramo do do something similar but it’s more expensive. The Velez adventure smock.

I had a granite bar insert one with chain breaker. Made of cheese. Broke the first time I used it

https://www.flickr.com/photos/67252182@N07/shares/hx4av7

Also a little agricultural…fun to ride though!

Been looking at the hellcat. How do they size up?

I like the followme (bought one a couple of weeks back from bikediscount.de for £200) because it means that the littl’un can decouple and ride solo for a bit and then hitch a ride when tired

Is this the Aldi one you have?
https://www.aldi.co.uk/ferrex-portable-compressor-1100w/p/090352319982100?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp7_NzJG46QIVA-ztCh1GDQSgEAQYASABEgKaYvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I had one. Didn’t really like it that much. Sold it on here as a complete bike for too little and have now seen the same bike sold for a few hundred more. So if nothing else they hold their value!

Phew. Not going mad then. Yes, you are correct – I do work for a company that makes cleaning products.

The complainant is kicking up a stink with customer services and it’s been passed to me to sort. I sent a friendly(ish) reply saying I couldn’t see how we could be held to blame and that it would be challenging for any company selling bottled liquids to tell what NOT to do with it.

I was tempted to tell her not to put it on her cereal but I am genuinely worried she might if I put the idea in her head…

I did however offer her an assortment of products as a goodwill gesture which I imagine will wind her up!

Ha!! Forget that – the P is now showing. I am a muppet. Please remove post!!

can’t send you a DM for some reason so I’ve asked for a friend request!

amazing – thank you!

Have you considered using something like a Jones bar instead of drops? Gets the extra hand positions and uses Mtb levers etc.

never expect a waterproof to be waterproof and you wont be disappointed.

it just needs to be you comfortable and safe. If it does that you are winning

I think we will almost certainly leave some of it to grow wild. We had some deer in this morning, which was nice to see and I don’t give a shit about flowers etc. But need a bit of lawn space for the kids to kick about in, ride bikes etc.

Scything sounds quite appropriate now we’ve entered the zombie apocalypse