I have a Wrench Force stand bought by my parents for my 18th birthday which I think was the design bought out by Feedback. Like Jef the clamp head is now failing. I am 45 so think I need to excuse that.

@lardman there are a few models of Plantronics Backbeat Fit, do you know the model name/number of yours?

Thanks all that is useful and dud spending averted by the sounds of it. I will check out the Plantronics option.

fossyFull Member
It’s 30 minutes in 24 hours. Why bother.

I generally come back too, so it is 60 minutes in 24 hours. The why bit was in my post, I am calling someone in a very different timezone and this commute works well for that. But good news, you don’t have to call anyone on your commute.

Thank you, that is useful to know. Sounds a bit hopeful that it would work for me and the boom mic one looks a bit call centre to be riding round town with!

This would be into a V3 (current Scandal). Seems like some mixed opinions on whether this is a reasonable idea or not. I tend to think as someone said that it is quite a big chunk of aluminium. I also don’t think the resale of the frame is meaningful espcially as I am currently living in New Zealand where I suspect On One brand appeal is niche.

P clips are less of an intervention but actually feel like a bigger frame damage risk to me with 18Kg child on top.

The Robert Axle is a nice solution but rather spendy and not that easy to get hold of I suspect.

Hmmm….

Can anyone suggest where to look for Cura availability and a good price? I am expecting it is not the norm to buy direct from the distributor.

I am not sure which German sites to look at and Bikester who got a mention do not seem to have them listed.

So I said no to the quote for getting the gate made then discovered the size I need (750 x 1930) is non-standard so the Wickes/B&Q ones not really an option as they are wider and if I try to cut the width down I may well affect some of what is holding them together and still too short. But I have found several places that can make custom sizes and deliver.

The frame is in good condition so all I need is the gate itself but it will have to be custom. Struggling to find the difference between these (apart from cosmetics of the websites!):
https://gatesandfencesuk.co.uk/guildford-side-gate/ at £295
https://www.gatewrights.co.uk/classicsidegate.html at £188

I suspect I am overthinking it but any advice or recommendations of another option that someone has experience of as I am generally not a fan of internet pot luck!

@honourablegeorge any tips on where to look for lower Cura prices? They don’t seem to be stocked in as many places as the usual suspects.

Yes the price includes making the three side frame (side, side, top)

Oh and to add the making and painting would be done off site in a workshop and then fitted here.

Thanks for your replies espcially those with prices.

I do have a quote for £750 in south Wales which sounds like it is a bit high but not too far out from what people have said but I may still go for it as I probably have other projects I would be better to spend the time on.

The gate will be 900 x 2,000mm and made from painted ‘Scandinavian redwood’ which I think is a fancy way of saying pine. It would be set within a timber frame with brick wall to either side and masonary above. The end product would essentially look like a painted version of the links in midlifecrashes post. You can get to it in a van via the metal gates so easy jobsite.

Thanks for your replies especially @thegeneralist despite having been to Scotland riding at least five times in the last 20 years it reminds me how much more there is!

I’m hoping my brother can join me from Leeds so will look further afield than Yorkshire but the journey time is a factor given I will be in a Suzuki Carry so 50mph all the way and that is if it makes it!

Interesting thoughts from @highlandman about Ireland, sort of confirming what I thought though I guess it has broader appeal as I have never been there before.

Whilst no riding legends We are both experienced in big mountains and technical wise but basically trail riding is what we are looking for.

Any good options for short haul Europe? I would be interested to go to Ainsa I think. I’ve been to Finale and Molina before but may not have warmed up sufficiently for that by May (!) so need to be realistic about how much I would get out of a trip like that.

Since this has popped up I can’t help but ask…

My Dad’s 2007 Mazda 6 has got a flashing DPF light on. He has tried the ‘drive it at high revs to clear it’ advice that has previously worked but not this time and the light continues to flash away. What are the chances of the engine stopping and leaving him stranded in the middle lane of the motorway (his natural car based habitat?)

He is going to buy a new car in the very near future but has become nervous about using this one (which he doesn’t use much to start with).

I was not going to get a new lock only a cheaper lubricant, but you have persuaded me!

I have also spotted that ACF50 is a brand and they make lots of versions so is ACF-50 A10013 the one I should go for which is ‘All Metal Anti-Corrosion Spray’?

Oof the cheapest can of ACF50 is more than the lock cost!

I was never planning to bin the D-lock just retire it from outside use as it seemed like they only lasted a month or two before getting pretty ropey. I will try the WD40 spray grease and see if I get a better interval!

What did both sets actually weigh?

Must admit I don’t know the answer to that as one set is brand new and the other has tyres and cassette on. But I am willing to take the risk that the Trucky set cannot be heavier than the WTB set!

I have checked and yes the rims are the ST i29. On that basis and since those are the brand new in box ones I think I will sell on the Formula/WTB ones on.

I bought them for £129 so will see where the bike parts stock market has taken their value!

An aside but what are the hub and nipple washers on the Spokes from Ryan website? Are these only used with certain rims/hubs or something you can use on any build.

I built quite a lot of wheels ten years ago but there seem to be a lot more options one spoke and nipples than when I last bought them!

Boo, missed out on a Giro Source Red in large. If anyone gets one and changes their mind feel free to PM me!

I have one in the style of the first. It is good but I only store a mountain bike in it. Could be wobbly with a narrow road/gravel tyre.

The second one I don’t have but was looking at those last week. Can be bolted down which might be useful and someone had used one in a van which sounded interesting.

The third one looks like it will be wobbly.

try ‘shelf bracket‘

I actually had a very different experience to this. Back last year when there was not so much to do in life I contacted them about spare keys for an ancient basic lock. I entered the key number into a webpage and didn’t think much about it afterwards. Several months later I got an email apologising it had taken so long and then a little while after keys arrived (I think from US).

I did the same thing for a lock my wife owns, nothing for ages then a message saying keys would be sent. They have not arrived yet but I am hopeful after the first experience.

I would buy Kryptonite again but will hope not to as that is likely to mean a bike has been stolen.

I find the shape of the mac ride seat much better for holding the child in position

Then this product will also suit as it appears Shotgun have directly copied the MacRide. I know this sort of product copying is rife but seems particularly shameless here.

Great, thanks both. I agree with you @thisisnotaspoon – I suspect there is some chain spacer interference so I think 13T is a good idea for that reason too.

Sounds like it will all work nicely enough for me to do myself an injury :-)

Thank you, I like the fact the delivery charge seems reasonable too!

They seem to have increased to £69 with square bar fittings £7 each and postage on top taking them to £80 each so the ebay listing mentioned works out better for me at £71 each posted with fittings.

Thanks all and impressed with @snotrag sketching skills and yes suspect the width of tape results in top image.

It has held pressure well for 24hrs now and sounds like no fundamental problem so will wait and see and try wider if this doesn’t hold up. Thanks all.

Hi all,

Just checking back on what is probably the most successful thread I have ever started on STW :-)

I’m a long time back from holiday but had a couple of great rides thanks to the first ten replies.

I rode to Loch Eanaich with my wife and son. It was just the right level of challenge on that day and we really enjoyed it.

In the evening I didn’t quite get it right but saved by the awesome descent of Lairig Ghru. Basically I tried to make a loop out of it and as so many others have said since – don’t. I rode from Glenmore towards the ski area then the path towards the Chalamain Gap (did that ten years ago so didn’t repeat the mistake) then the route I was following cut across to Rothiemurchus Lodge. That was 2km of largely trudge. But the ride was saved by the amazing descent that at that time of day I had all to myself.

A brilliant area for riding I am sure I will return especially as the suggestions here all sound good!

It is all about matching the axle to crown ‘a-c’ length between your current fork and a rigid replacement, for a suspension fork you probably want to take the axle to crown length at a typical sag point ie. measured by someone else when you are on the bike.

Axle to crown dimension described here: https://bikeinsights.com/cyclopedia/fork-length

Brilliant! That will do me, I am totally happy with the Brand X on the other bike and that is a lot cheaper than you can buy the Brand X (err) branded one for

I have not got an old shifter. I’m OK with buying one but just wonder which people would recommend from the budget options.

I have taken a look and don’t think the specification is up to donation standard for the local charity :-( tip it is. Thanks all.

I don’t think anyone has mentioned Finale Ligure yet which is great and the Molini mentioned is near(ish) Molini di Triora. We rode there for a day self-guided after five in Finale and as others have said I remember it being a step up in terms of challenge. Most of us loved it, two did not…. It is also a much quieter smaller place. Was there not another operator there though at a point? Maybe gone now.

I have only done a day in Madeira with Freeride Madiera but very good riding and decent hire bikes. Oddly non-rural riding though but I really enjoyed it.

If you want to use the Thule can you not change the stem somehow? Difficult to understand without a picture I guess.

Hmm, I suppose so. I have been looking for the tool and found two and four notch option but no sixes so it may well be the approach I have to use or I could take it to an LBS :-O

There is quite a lot of wear on teeth of chainring and freewheel so going to replace the parts whatever but agree the hub does look to be garbage! Any ideas what tools I need to strip it? All looks a bit different from the mountain bike parts I am very familiar with.

Looks like I might need some sort of circular notched tool to fit the bit that says ‘Lock’ on it.

Interested to hear if anyone has tried an Ergon versus SQ Lab Active 611.

I have a Thule Nexxt Mini (front mounted) for my 15 month year old son. I initially tried to fit it to a 1997 Rockhopper. The steerer bracket is not great for threadless headsets as you have to remove the spacers to get it to clamp and then the top tube on that bike is short so I had a lot of knee clash that made it impractical for more than 30 minutes riding.

I then tried fitting it to a old dutch bike we have for the nursery run and it works so much better, quill stem suits the bracket and the mounting point is way higher which means my legs are now below the seat and just tap the bottom of it as I pedal comfortably. Given where Thule are based and the graphics in the instructions I think this is more the intended use. Contrary to what someone said above the impact on the steering is marginal and on the weekend we rode 45km including extensive sections of ‘gravel’. Brillant!

In the meantime I have got a modern secondhand 29er (Voodoo Bizango) and hoping that the 5cm longer top tube will mean I can mount it without knee clash.

I reckon the Nexxt Mini is the solution for this year and then hopefully by next summer he can understand the instruction ‘hold on’ enabling us to switch to a Mac Ride or Shotgun; at the minute his primary response to enjoying it is to wave his arms and bounce up and down in the seat so not ideal for a seat with no straps!

So we went, we rode, we conquered :-)

Just thought it would be useful to report back. We had a great ride following the Singletrack Magazine route above. The route was relatively easy to follow though a lot of crossing tracks to follow. Surfaces were generally pretty solid and rocky (a change from a lot of mid Wales routes and the nearby Doethie option) with a few splashy puddles and some monster ones that look deep enough to swallow you!

The route reminded me of the Dyfi Enduro in some ways easy ups on fireroads and then some more entertaining descents. A couple of the descents were on some very steep fresh forestry terrain one we rode twice as it was good fun and another had us gingerly walking down as have not done that much technical riding this year and it was properly steep and pretty high stakes! Suspect these were the sections that had previously been used in Enduro events.

Hopefully useful to know for others considering a ride there.

I think hiring to check you get on with it is a good idea. We had planned a trip last year where we were going to hire but in the event purchased a Motorhome and set off two days after buying it to Germany for three weeks with a six month year old baby. We have some stories…

We are planning another trip this summer to see if we want to keep it!

House Network has ceased trading I think: https://propertyindustryeye.com/mystery-deepens-over-house-network-collapse-and-then-sale/

99home sounds interesting.

I am also interested in this as in a similar situation to OP though only moving round the corner. Thing I am not sure on those recommending keeping a first property is how this makes financial sense if you are paying loads of interest on a new house, not to mention the second property tax that means the first years rental income would just about equal.