I have often wondered the same. I think that (for me) I ride in a totally different way not he road to MTB, which would make it irritating I am used to dialling in a more or less exact cadence, and I would halve the opportunities to do that.

If you are not so sensitive to this, then I would say its a goer.

1/ Owing £4.5K to the loans people via the court. Is it too late to ask for a repayment schedule now or do the court still give that alternative?

It is likely they will entertain this. Bailiffs, bankruptcy etc often ends in them not getting paid anyway, so they likely will entertain repayment plan. Not least as they have judgement, so they can call that in at any time if she doesn’t keep up the payments.

2/ If no alternative, what can the court allow to be done? eg: bailiffs, and if that happens what are her rights about access / what can and can’t be taken. Example – car? She lives in a remote hamlet 120 miles from us so I can neither get there when the bailiffs come knocking nor can she really do without a car.

In the first instance they are only allowed in her home if invited in. Items outside are another matter, It may be worth parking he car next door for the time being. If she refuses to let them in they can go back to the court to obtain an order to forcibly enforce judgement, but takes time.

3/ Do they have any financial rights to her house – in the grand scheme it’s a small debt so forcing the sale of a house is probably impractical but could they. It’s been equity released so she doesn’t own it all anyway.

In the long term, yes, possibly via way of a bankruptcy petition.

5/ What would happen if she declares bankruptcy – is that an option?

Kind of, but presumable her house has more equity than the debt etc, which would make it pointless and unnecessary. For instance she could sell her house, and the creditor is likely to be happy to wait if they are made aware.

6/ Bottom line is that I can very easily (decision in 5 mins stuff) get another loan and pay it off. Which i think is what she wants me to do. Whether she pays it back slowly, or makes another will provision or what, I don’t know. And while every sinew says ‘once bitten’ – as I said at the start it’s family stuff and hence I can’t just wash my hands of it.

Thats a very tempting option, all depends if that is a big chunk of money to you. Its a semi-manageable situation, particularly if she is willing to sell her house. That being said she is a long way away and mat well tap you up for your spare room if she becomes homeless.

Hope that is a little help.

Thanks for all the info folks. Definitely the XT or SON route, then. Its a touring build, so I am taken by the looks of the SON, but repulsed by its price.

Not for shimano…

Didn’t know that, interesting. Is a shimano 11speed cassette compatible with a Sram chain?

Easy enough, just don;t forget you need a different free hub body.

I have a few friends that have, gut feeling is that its good and works, the hardest part is sticking to it.

I was a Paul video the other day where they mentioned that they only had hand-operated CNC machines in the mid 90s, so these were properly hand machined/assembled etc. Never the less, all the money in the world.

but I am getting ready to riot. If triggering article 50 gets blocked I’ll be rioting and I hope the civil unrest ensues.

British pride at its best.

In all seriousness I doubt many brexiters will riot unless they can do so near a Greggs.

Is the good bike company still there? The one that designed/chose good products

That dude makes trousers now…..

I meant to order a narrow-wide chainring off them earlier this week, I forgot and now can’t ethically order one. Have to go race face now!!

Some of their bikes are excellent, customer service is and always has been criminal.

They are basically the sports direct of the bike world, and judging by their latest staffing plan, they have the ethics to match.

I’ll do that now, thanks.

Congrats on the wobbler btw, not an easy one to top ten!

Yes, is there anything non-cheeky in the whole eastnor area?

You can load multiple routes into bikehike.co.uk

Looks interesting, thanks.

Are their burns that bad? I have to say (without specific experience of their burners) that Clarke stuff is pretty ok. Sure its normally ugly, and its not pro quality, but if treated carefully I have always found it to be ok.

OK, the colour is also bad (although I assume that their burners are not red).

Thanks folks, just having a play now. Do I need to pay for maps to have a satellite view as it appears to show only a terrain-type one.

Could someone possibly send me a link of where to enter just the sportive? For some reason I can only find 2016 or the tour company pages, no site to enter just the event.

Done it many many times. You can send with parcelforce, that gives you a 50/50 shot of it no coming back as they seem better at dealing with customs. But the carriage is way overpriced.

Other carriers are good value, but you need a federal tax number for customs, which ONLY businesses have, and Russia does not have a large amount of businesses in the public domain.

Hope that sheds a little light.

Double bugger!

+1 for the fabia. Absolutely could not recommend enough.

I use http://www.interparcel.com. Good deals and no fuss. Probably looking at £35-50

MTB ones do yes, road ones don’t.

That isn’t true, many many road hubs will take 11 speed. What hubs do you have?

Its worn through the tread onto the body of the tyre (hence the change in colour) which could make it look worse than it is. I would get it replaced sooner rather than later and just check the wear on the new one in case alignment has gone out.

anxiety

I recommend mediation. Its a skill you need to learn, but if you put a little (and I do mean a little) its magic. Try the calm app for starters.

I wrote a comedy film script and showed it to Gene Wilder.

He died laughing.

Formula Ford would make much more sense. Still a dumb idea though.

Agreed and agreed

Anyway a smear of copper grease on the thermostat rod fixed it.

Ah, top tip! Will give that a go, thanks.

Does the water get scalding hot when it trips out?

It doesn’t seem so, just normal, then nothing.

Move house.

OK. Read the OP, and haven’t really read the rest, so apologies if this has already been sorted.

Thats really poor and uneven wear, which cannot have been caused by incorrect pressures. Having spend a more than a decade in the fleet industry I have seen this happen many many times. Dealers will ALWAYS try to wriggle out of this, but will always either give in eventually or when a complaint goes to the manufacturer.

Correct observation by one that tyres are not covered by warranty, kinda true, but not strictly true. They are: firstly they if if they were the OE tyres and were manufactured incorrectly, and secondly (in your case) they are in effect covered by the warranty because a fault with the car has caused them to wear incorrectly causing you a consequential loss.

Mercedes, VW, Mercedes, BMW, Renault, Land Rover, Mini, Saab , etc etc- I have either had them done on warranty on my own car then re-aligned by the dealer for organised it a customer (I have lost count), give them hell and don’t budge. Its not your fault, so its theirs, simple as that. If you need any more info/guidance please feel free to email. You may have to excavate higher int he dealer group or to the manufacturer. Or sue as a last resort.

Incidentally that can be caused by too much negative camber, but could just as easily be caster, toe or all.

Wait a second…

out here in France is my FS with gears

Sell out……..

Jesus christ. That what you get for (what I assume was) “turbo oiling”. Glad your are on the mend. I was going to text you for a pint yesterday, but remembered you would be away!

….and now the battery is flat, interior inside mouldy…..becoming a bit of a nightmare. Just pester, he will sort it.

I see he has a landline, which is a good start, reading his ads he sounds like a straight up chap.

If its the dealer I am assuming it is, then I am in a similar (in rough principle) industry.

I doubt he has sold the car, its just that you have left it a long time, theres no margin in it and you have fallen down his priority list. Keep calling, get your name back in the frame and it will get sorted I am sure.

DSG is seriously impressive, you won’t be disappointed, do it.

This is very cool, Sadly I am a luddite and don’t like to stray form my normal tent.

I do love a hammock through, but being at the mercy of tree placement irritates me too much to use one.

So jealous, a thread with pics post ride, please!

Increasingly the are also a problem on local/small roads, always in a rush, always lost, always doing an Austin Powers type turn.

It could be triggered automatically at low speeds

He would look good when he stops to talk to the press (to discuss his win) and it carries on without him then….

and then backpedalling for an instant.

We are drifting into the absurd now…

then to recharge on descents

So we have a dynamo too? Surprised he isn’t on a Dawes Galaxy tbh.

Sorry to heart this. In what way was the chase bent and how did you establish that is was?

A few options if he doesn’t refund. Replacement vehicle or the faulty one back are possibilities, this is in the face of nothing at all. Small claims will take time, and if he or his company are bankrupt by then it may be a waste of time and money.

I wouldn’t be worried by the fact he has other stuff for sale, he is a dealer after all, and at least it means he will have money coming in.