+1 for Portishead, easy to get in and out of loads of places to eat. I live here so a tad bit biased or bet it that I live in the old part.

JeZ

Have you tried shimano ones. Mine are absolutely great.

Jez

Hiya,

As an Ex SIM designer and author of some of the standards, err nothing stopping you from doing this. Technically little difference between 4G SIM and 5G SIM there are new features added all the time but the Authentication onto the network is exactly the same, Milenage ;-)

JeZ

Hiya,

Is it a sharp pain on the outside of the leg? When you move bring your knee towards your chest and back down again can you feel a snapping feeling on the hip? It may be something called snapping hip. It happens when your ITB rubs against the hip joint and gets inflamed. I had it for many years Orthopaedic surgeons and specialists never spotted it, where I originally lived. When I moved house I got so fed up with the pain I went to see my new doctor, he was an ex surgeon from SA. Looked at it in five minutes diagnosed the issue and had me booked in for an operation which was by cutting a z in the ligament to elongate it. Three years later it happened again, they gave up and cut a hole in it. No problem for ten years.

https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/snapping-hip/

Hope it helps.

JeZ

Hiya,

Live in the North downs for 21 years, now the SW.

+1 for WTB vigilante supperb tyres in the wet, my new favourite tyre.
Schwalbe, yuck I hate them if only for the fact I prefer a tyre that is relatively easy to get on a rim.
Maxxis good in the wet and roots I like Minions for the front.

JeZ

Hiya,

If I may add. My brother in law had a California T5, it was a little unreliable and needed a lot of dealer interaction. He isn’t that practical, so it was probably of his own doing. I was looking at a campervan at the time and was concerned after his experiences plus a few other mates, and the cost put me off. I spent a lot of time on forums and looking at the issues. In the end I couldn’t justify the cost to myself, so I got a Renault Traffic Sussex campervan conversion. That was in 2015 and so far touch wood only one MAF sensor issue and a badly wired split charge system that I figured out. Now the van has done 45K miles it may not be worth as much as a T6 California, but I have no intention of selling it and planning to convert to EV at some time.

Only problem so far with Renaults is the gear linkage is terrible but if you grease it regularly it isn’t a problem, oh and change the gearbox oil every two years. PS I paid 36K for my van brand new.

JeZ

Dr Liam Fox,

Total cockwomble, but actually does answer his emails. I was complaining that I would have to move my business abroad. He stated he was just doing his job and he’d have to follow the tory line. I told his job was first and foremost was to represent his constituents. Last I heard and I moved my business and all my contracts to the EU…
That was 3 months ago and I was right to move my business, oh well…
I have a seriously problem with this whip and three line whip business, the MPs really should represent their constituents some times…

JeZ

Hiya,

Using TP link Deco-9 very good never dropped and reliable. I like the detection of new devices and control. They are expensive but work seamlessly around our house and outside.

BR
JeZ

Hiya,

I have the odd grump from the over 60’s but I ignore it and smile. I’m not going to their level and be as angry as they are. It is just venting. I live in Portishead and I have had people shouting at me telling me I’m breaking the law and being nasty. I generally can’t be bothered to react. These days I smile and say hello and continue. I would say it is 1% grumpy, so 99% are fine by me ;-)

BR
Jerry

Hiya,

Read this with interest. If I may add something my background was electrical engineering at Uni and I remember with interest that peak power and top up is OK from renewals. The key issue is us all switching to EV cars and with that the increase in the need for increased production of electricity in non-peak times. Nuclear really is the only one that can support this demand currently and increases.
Finally as an Engineer it is the same old story we led the world in Nuclear power and we had up to about 10 years ago an industry. The government as per usual screwed it up and split up BNFL and sold the parts to EDF, America. So now with Hitachi pulling out we lack the skills and expertise to do it ourselves. Same old crap British political short sightedness prevails. In fairness to the current government at least they were trying to do something about it and the need for capacity. It was the Labour government that made the mistakes from what I can see and I’m a Labour voter ;-(

JeZ

My Son was in Halls last year not a hope in hell they can keep control of this. The students are too busy having fun. Thank god he’s in digs this year.

JeZ

sadexpunk

No it’s the stone you need to fit into the Chiminea. The Egg you can forget.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/TdgAU4t6vDHsqNvbA

JeZ

Hiya Sadexpunk:

iz kyureeus. id like to know this please?

Right you’ll need to raise the level of the sand in the Chiminea first. This is so you can remove the pizza later i.e in line with the lip of opening. When you have done this get some firebricks:

I used ones from Amazon about £21, I used four to create a void underneath to allow embers to heat the stone.

The most important bit though is one of these:

Half-Moon Ceramic Baking Stone

Else you won’t get it into the opening if your chiminea is like mine.

Finally be careful not to heat the base too much I actually have learnt to light the pizza stone from the side and not too much from the underneath as you’ll burn the base before the top is cooked.

BR
Jerry

Hiya,

If you have a Chiminea I can tell you how to hack one to work as a pizza oven. It took a bit of hacking with fire bricks and a split half pizza stone but it works really well.

BR
JeZ

Dawes makes some good junior bikes. I brought my son one when he was about 6 he loved it. We sold it for fifty pounds less than we paid for it two years later. It was light being alloy frame and wheels and robust. When I looked at the frame I saw it was made in Italy.

BR
JeZ

My Boardman had no markings on the hub but the axle says formula. They look formula to me.

BR
Jez

Mine turned out to be the seat bolts. Stripped the whole bike greased all the bolt threads with coperslip reassembled till I found the offending creak. It was amazing how much corrosion I had on an 8 month old bike. Next time I get a new bike I’m stripping it and reassembling it the way I want it.

Clarks too recommendation come with disk rotors too. Super value and quality. I think the pads are not that good but easy to change.

JeZ

Spanish moon little feat

JeZ

Hiya,

I’m 5ft9 and I’m riding a small. It’s perfect. I have the seat post high though. The problem I have is that I’m long in leg and short in body so small suits me better. Certainly I don’t want reach problems and that was the reason why I went for small. I would say take them up on the demo rides, but obviously you can’t do that at the moment. Phone them up they may be able to recommend a size I know Richard a little he’s expert at suggesting bike sizes. He got it spot on for the soul and the flare max I have.

BR
JeZ

Hiya,

I’ve just over it I had the dry cough sore throat at first. I then got a headache felt tired then the kinda what I can only describe as a panic attack type loss of lung capacity. At the time I didn’t associate this to covid-19, but comparing notes to my son who got it at university it was the same. My wife got it she had the cough headache but it progressed to a temperature. One night was bad and she got told off and I wrapped her in a blanket turned the heating on and had the log burner full furnice. We are both in recovery I feel fine, wife two days behind me. Lung capacity seems key I live in portishead so I cannot go anywhere without going up a massive hill so lung capacity is good.

Anyway it effects the older much worse than us so be responsible even though you feel well you must isolate.

JeZ

I’m surprised no one has said they have had it? To shock everyone I’m just getting over it, my son has had it already and my wife is getting over it. The symptoms vary massively between people. I had it very mild, wife had a temperature and is still feeling lethargic. I’ve got over that now. Now I’m on the self isolation. Son had it over a month ago at university so we send him out with surgical gloves on and face mask as not to give it to anyone else. If you get a dry cough and sore throat it’s the start please isolate. The loss of lung capacity is scary, but not that bad, it’s like having someone sitting on your chest.

BR
JeZ

I purchased a fat bike ;)

JeZ

Get a wormery?

JeZ

Good question in fact the best of the year. Would love to have some good ideas for uses I have a pile of them I’m storing till I find a good use for them.

JeZ

Politician?

JeZ

+ for the cotic flaremax. Test rode everything, till I selected the flaremax. Long travel bikes overrated to be honest. The short travel linear shock big wheeled bikes trounces on the long travel bikes for all but the super skilled MTB’er. I even rode the cotic rocket back to back with the flaremax and I was far quicker on the flaremax at the forest of Dean….

BR
JeZ

Oh man sorry to hear dreading the day this happens.

JeZ

Hey there,

I was bitten a few years ago by one of a pack of angry collies. The owner turned around and blamed me. Meanwhile blood was pouring down my ankle. To be honest like most of us I suspect I was in shock, and didn’t respond at the time.
I got home went to hospital, one tetanus jab about four stitches and an iodine scrub down, oh and four hours in a&e and I was as good as rain.
We have a dog and I make sure she knows the rules I make her stay each time a cyclist comes past. She’s always popular with cyclists because she’s so friendly and well behaved. She’s been attacked a few times herself, but actually she can defend herself very well and the attacking dog tends to come off worst…
However back to dog attacks I really don’t know what I’ll do now days, if I was attacked again. A PCSO friend says always record it, or even phone the police if you can as soon as it happens, it helps build a case against the owner. A dog owner can be forced to use a muzzle with their dog and they can be made to undertake compulsory dog training.
I do like the idea of aerosols though. I suspect chilli sprays on the dogs nose will soon have the dog cowering away. Their noses as I’m sure everyone knows are super sensitive so I imagine they’d be rather less agressive in the future ;)

BR
JeZ

Tried both the rocket and flaremax at the last demo ride at the forest of Dean. Test them both if I was you, you may find like I did that the flaremax is actually is better for all round capabilities…

Jez

Tomato juice loads of tobasco, works for me.

JeZ

I had one last weekend that cut me up and nearly knocked me off. Naturally I did the w-anchor hand signal, probably not wise. Anyhows they proceeded to a humpback bridge in front of me rough justice the car approaching from the opposite direction made the car pull abrupt stop they lost traction and drove into the curb, pop went the tyre and they had to pull over….;) Cycled past a pissed off driver with a trashed alloy and puncture. Couldn’t help a wave and cheery smile.

In the end the reality is you’re doing what you love, they’re stuck in a tin box.

JeZ

I’m half French having a French father I kinda like it. It gives me the excuse occasionally to berate the way the UK is and our politics. Having worked in Germany and France as well as Sweden, it does make me realise as great as the UK is it is sadly let down by our politicians and the media. Had my fair share of abuse when I was younger about my family once some so called friends discovered my family. Strangely most of my closest mates have French parentage like myself and I never sought it. I just levitate to like minded people/similar upbringing people weird. So if n summary in most environments in the UK I’m ostracized ;)

JeZ

Check out the gmbn skills challenge. He’s still very handy on a bike.

JeZ

Tempted I must admit to get a gooutdoors fatbike for the winter and beach bike ;)

JeZ

Hey there,

I kept my 2002 853 chromoly rock lobster for winter. It’s old school 3×9. I could replace it with a new 660b or 29 but hey it’s good to remember the good old days ;)
The spec isn’t entirely old school mind but a mix of new and old. I’m beginning to get worried mind that parts will get difficult soon but I guess with bike jumbles and such like I’ll always find parts for an old 26 ;)

BR
JeZ

If they can make half a dozen variants on the Golf platform across their brands, surely they could make a cheaper T6 too?

I wouldn’t bother plenty of other vans are actually better and cheaper anyway i.e. Peugeot, Renault, ford….the ford you can get as a hybrid which makes sense because they’re beginning to start banning diesels in cities…

I think decathlon stuff is brilliant. Try their summer full finger gloves they are much better quality and last longer than most brands.

JeZ

Ahem distill it ;)

JeZ

Quite like it personally. I had three Skoda’s in the past they were great cars. My first Skoda was a 2006 Octavia really nice car. Replaced after four years of ownership with a yeti then another two years subsequently (lease cars). I’m on Renault vans now for sport and interests I would say Renault makes better engines to be honest, smoother and less agricultural is the phrase I would use ;) Anyway I think they’ve moved upmarket even more.

JeZ