I did something similar about 10 years ago. 1 child, sole trader but not earning much. I did not need to pay tax, and also earned too little to have to pay NI.

However, as we were planning to have another baby, my friend advised me to pay my NI (not sure what class ect) anyway (even though I did not need to). I think I paid in a total of about £120 ish, which then entitled me to maternity pay (over £1000 in total I think).

I checked all this at the local tax office (as it seemed a very good deal for me!) and all was good.

So if you are planning another baby, it may well be worth looking into paying NI even if you dont need to!

Simone

Depends how tall he is. My boys are 12 and 10 and ride 26″ hardtails. In morzine they ride a kona stinky 24 and a norco b line 24, both heavily upgraded to make them loose weight and get suspension to actually work.

Both are nice bikes when upgraded,norco comes up bigger so would last you longer.

We are in norwich and travel to ride sometimes if your son wants to try them.

Simone

Try clas Ohlson, they do cheap rucksack covers I think.

I have fitted a 34t and it worked. That was running 1×10 though and I have heard that it is changing to the small ring that’s causing problems.

This is why I went 1×10.

We have a kona stinky 24 for my 10 year old and a Norco b line 24 for my 12 year old. Both great bikes, but the kona comes up much smaller. I built the kona myself as I bought the frame only secondhand. Better this way as the forks are pretty stiff and other bits are not great. It now has rock shox recon air forks and runs 1×9 speed. My son loves it.

The Norco comes up bigger and we have upgraded the forks etc as they were rubbish. It now also runs 1×9 and we also upgraded cranks, brakes and wheels. My 12 year old has had it a few years and loves it. Like I said, bigger than the stinky.

Will post pics when I get home.

I’d say get a frame and build your own.

We may sell the stinky after this summer as it is getting small (my 10 year old is nearly as tall as my 12 year old).

We may sell earlier if we can get a nice xs 26″ dh bike for my oldest, my youngest will then use the Norco.

We are in Norwich if you want to come and try the bikes for size.

Simone

We are in the same boat, need more seats, but only sometimes and nowhere to store spares. Like I said, I love my Zafira, it is just developing too many faults and I have been recovered too many times lately.

Take a look at the newer Toyota Verso…. Much the same as the Zafira, maybe a tat smaller, but without getting to know your recovery man as well.

Simone

We got one of the older 04 diesel ones. Engine seems good and runs lovely, filters DMF etc to do with diesel not so good. It has done 120000 miles now though. Engine management light comes on a lot, but brother in law owns a garage which saves us a fortune.

Never ones have fiat engines I have heard. The engine being the only reliable thing in ours, we have decided not to get a newer Zafira. Sadly it is still the most practical and roomy part time 7 seater on the market. We just went on skiing holiday with a family of 4 incl 4 pairs of skis and 2 snowboards plus luggage and we did NOT use a Roofbox, the seating is just so flexible…. I do love my Zafira, but my brother in law told us not to get one of the newer ones. We are going to get a Toyota VERSO when the time comes.

Do you really need a diesel? Newer Diesel engines are prone to all sort of problems: erg valves (£250 parts only, we’ve had 2 in 3 years), dmf flywheel (£600 in parts incl clutch, but more like £1200 ish fitted at dealer). Our older diesel has these, but newer diesels also have dpf filters that can give all sorts of problems, especially when used on mainly short journeys, just google it. They are also very expensive.

We do 18000 per year in our Zafira, but are now considering petrol. Not as mad as it sounds. On last weeks local fuel prices, comparing a new 1.8 petrol Toyota verso with the diesel (on combined consumption), doing 18000 miles would cost an extra £500 in the petrol car. However, the diesel at a few years old costs an extra £1500 ish to buy. 3 years just to break even. Ad a few valves/filters…… We also do lots of short journeys and only a few VERY long ones. Short journeys at low speed are not good for modern diesels as they need to get hot to clear the filters.

I think diesels are not what they used to be, they used to keep going forever! It’s trying to make them cleaner that has caused all the problems.

I’d say, I love my Zafira, but I would get a Toyota verso (not the older corolla verso though).

HTH

Miele, you just can’t kill them!

We have a 14″ scandal for my 12 year old and it is a little long the top tube, not ideal for little ones, but he gets on well with it.

My other son has a small rockhopper frame, they come up here and on eBay now and then. Great and comfortable frames, builds into a nice light bike.

I’d say a small womens rockhopper if you can get it, womens frames have shorter top tubes then men’s frames.

Good luck

Won’t dirt get stuck in the beveled one? We are considering a new wood floor (have original pine boards sanded at the moment, but are taking a wall out). Choice for me is easy: Junkers 1 inch solid oak. We are not planning to move and my mum has this floor…….

Put down in 1981

Survived everything I have thrown at it as a Tom boy (wooden train set tipped on top of it, metal roller skates etc etc)

Not treated with appropriate stuff every year etc like you are supposed to (probably only a handful of times in 32 years)

Sanded and re varnished only twice in that time – last time (2011) when my mum changed the floor in her hall and open plan kitchen to match the living room. New Junkers floor bought which perfectly matches the one bought in 1981. Some taken up to make sure floor is in one piece and the whole lot sanded and varnished.

2013 looks like new

This floor will be in her will……

This it what I would have, and nothing else I’m afraid. May be a little more expensive to buy, but installation costs will be the same. If you are not moving I would get the best materials you can get, it will be much cheaper in the long run.

Simone

I build them myself, my oldest has a 14″ on one scandal with some air rebas. On one frames are quite long in the top tube, so not always ideal.

For my youngest (9 at the time) I built something out of an old rockhopper frame (13.5), with duke air forks, shorter cranks, 2×9 deore and some decent wheels. Lovely bike and cost me about half your Isla bike to put together.

Sold the rockhopper and now building my youngest a slightly bigger 15′ (but old ladies frame I think) rockhopper frame up. These frames are light and comfortable and my son loved his first rockhopper, he always picked it over his brothers on one if given the chance.

So, have a go and build your own!

Thinking of a cheeky long weekend to avoriaz from 4-8 April. Would this still be worth doing? Or should we bring our bikes by then?

We don’t need perfect conditions, some snow would be nice.

Anyone done it?

Simone

I love all the ixs stuff I have bought so far. Great quality and fit.

Simone

I think the new 2013 revs are solo air, so no dual air to play with. And I dont want a poplock really. Will go for crown lockout as I will never use it.

More complicated then I thought then! I had some fox 36’s with some of those high and low speed compression adjusters and they drove me mad!

I weigh about 10st, so not that heavy. I like to be able to get a fork to be sensitive to the little bumps, without blowing through their travel. Never quite managed it with the 36’s.

So RLT’s it is?

To be honest, I never use the lockout! Got some old ish 2010 revs and took the remote lock out off, I’d always remember once I got to the top of the hill.

So I suppose I need some”R” s then, but they don’t do those. So the “RLT” s don’t have the high and low speed compression adjust thingy? I seem to remember my husbands lyrics having this.

If it only makes the lockout work better, I won’t need RLT’s and the RL’s will do.

Please correct me if I’m wrong.

Looking to order some new 2013 ones soon, and the price difference isn’t much so just want to get the ones right for me.

Simone

Depends what you buy. Spotted a washing machine for 169 in the shops today, would not expect that to last. We have a Miele, been going strong for 9 years so far with just 1 new door seal. 10-15 washes per week.

Had a bosh before that, which was rubbish, apparently some are made in Germany and some in Spain (or were at the time). I must have had a Spanish one. Control panel went several times and the door fell off! Lasted only about 3 years before I got fed up.

Considered the buy cheap and bin method, just could not justify this as its such a waste! Bought a Miele and would do again….

Still don’t think even top of the range Miele stuff is made like is used to, my mums washing machine did 20 years. We did know how the repairman took his tea towards the end though…..

So not that bad after all? I thought subsidence should not matter as it was so long ago and not due to area, but water pipe. Also, we only have a couple of bikes worth 2500, others not very much at all.

Was hoping to end up paying more like £400.

Perhaps I live in a dream world after all.

Eerm, choose! Your wife’s seems to work lots of hours, so do you. Ad a baby and it will all end in tears. Would you work such a long shift as a nurse on no sleep? Definitely I’d say you would be mad to want to stick to that level of work between you for he first (few) year(s) of having kids. You will not understand till you have them, but they take over your life (in a good way!).

We have two kids, only family nearby is my (older) husbands much older mum. We did not want to ask her to take on regular Childcare as her health is not great. I did not work for a few years, then gradually started doing more. My husband works all sorts of hours as a driving instructor.

Work less and spend less for a few years, also they change so quickly and are only a baby for such a short while. Blink and you miss it! Take maximum paid and unpaid leave, work as little as you can to have enough money to live.

Why have kids and then pay someone else to look after them? I’d never do that by choice…..

…that an old primary school class mate was actually adopted! My mum told me last year (well, she mentioned it in conversation and was more than a little surprised I did not know).

I suppose she would be as I am Dutch, and so are this old class mate’s parents. He was adopted from Columbia! His mum does have dark hair…

It honestly had never occured to me.

The killing (not the american one).

All series so far have been great!

….another vote for the Vredestein Stowtrac, I am now running my set for the 3rd winter and still 7/8mm tread left (several trips to europe/alps etc).

I would never be without them now, even if we did not travel to the alps every year.

My dad (in holland) has changed his tyres (and wheels) every winter for as long as I can remember. His set of wheels thats not in use is in storage at the tyre place he uses. Very common arrangement in Holland.

My husband has some winter tyres for sale (only 2, not a full set), he has changed cars (accident, long story) and these dont fit the new car. Can check size if interested? They are Nokian tyres.

I recommend getting 4 though..If you can, just get a spare set of wheels and change the wheels. We got ours used.

Simone

I understand the worry, with my first I had some bleeding at about that time. Really worried me and I did a lot of crying. The doctor could not really do anything, just had to wait.

The baby is now much bigger and at high school!

“Not feeling pregnant anymore” would not worry me too much, hormones are all over the place… I never had much sickness with my two and it went very early in the pregnancy (only had it between 6 and 8 weeks).

Try not to worry, but I am sure you and the mrs will!

Well done to you and the new mummy!

Just to say, don’t put them in a seat too early, I think they say about 9 months on the Dutch ones I had. My mum once told me a story where parents put their baby in a (front mounted) seat too early. They thought the baby had fallen asleep during the ride, but it had in fact died! Not sure when this happened, was enough to make me wait though.

Time will soon pass, my oldest has just started high school, seems like yesterday he was keeping me awake all night!

Simone

Staple it in the manual, keep all these together. Clear out once a year and bin any we don’t longer need.

Peugeot , will keep going forever! If you are on a budget, get the ikea ones, great quality, work great and keep on working. Also I am pretty sure you can’t just pop it in a pepper mill, has to be for salt as sometimes pepper mills will corrode with salt in them. Ikea ones are universal though….

That food looks lovely by the way, you should give my husband some cooking lessons!

Go for the spesh! We have an on one scandal 14″ and had a spesh 13.5″ rockhopper for our 11 and 9 year old. The scandal is posher and newer than the spesh,but my boys prefer the spesh as its far more comfortable ride. Both have short stem and air forks etc.

We are now replacing the spesh with the 15″ version, but an older women’s frame (no flowers etc). It as about the same top tube as the ‘normal’ 13.5″ version. The scandal has a long top tube and therefore not so good for kids.

Go for the rockhopper frame offered, you won’t regret it. You will be surprised how much your boy will progress on 26″ wheels.

Good luck,

Simone

Cheers guys, ill give your suggestions a try. I found most of the time they’ll ask for any claims in the last 10 years, but ANY history of subsidence.

Also a friend mentioned movement due to water leak is called something different and puts it in a deferent category to subsidence for insurance!? Anyone else heard this? This may apply to us?

Another vote for the racing Ralph’s, great tyre, very light and wide. Expensive though….

Great bike, get one! I miss mine….

I’d say a small framed 24″ bike will be fine. My son actually outgrew his 12.5 inch framed 24″ spesh quite quickly and went onto 26″ at age 8 (same size as his brother 2.5 years older though, so big lad).

Zafira? Not really tall, cheap and a great part time 7 sweater with very flexible seating arrangements.

I have heard the rebound would not work if there is not enough oil in the forks? Is that true? It does seem to click, but not feel any different. Don’t really want to replace the cartridge if I can help it.

And Andy, yhm. Yes please to the spring!

Anyone think the motion control upgrade is worth it?

Simone

Not sure, but we had a aqualisa shower that was put in in the late eighties, was great and was working fine when we refurbished the bathroom 12 years ago. Then got another aqualisa shower that broke after a few years leaking very badly, we even had to have the wall on the other side replastered! Have to say we binned it and got a grohe shower. Was about the same price as fixing the aqualisa and has not missed a drop!

Afraid to say the aqualisa showers are not what they used to be….

Simone

I am Dutch, and for as long as I can remember my dad used to change his tyres for winter tyres. It’s now compulsory in Germany and quite a few other countries. We have an extra set of wheels and tyres for our Zafira and I LOVE the winter tyres. And if I notice the differences i think anyone would. I would never be without them again. The problem is everyone else spoiling my driving fun by getting stuck and creating heavy traffic in snowy conditions.

Yep, everyone should get some…..

And yes, a rear wheel drive BMW 3 series with winter tyres is better in the snow than a 4×4 with summer tyres. My friend will testify.

Very sad, fingers crossed and hope for the best.

Did get me thinking though…. My 9 year old often walks to school without me, picking up his friend on the way. My 11 year old takes the bus to the other side of Norwich city centre to get to school. However, when playing out together last night I told them to be back by 6.30 as it was getting dark then. Call me paranoid, but there is no way my kids would have been outside in the evening in the dark without an adult at age 5.

Doesn’t help the little girl now though. Can’t imagine what the family must be going through…. Any parents worst nightmare!

…..only 40%! Sorry, but when I was little I remember my dad complaining about the tax he was paying (in The Netherlands). I never really looked into it, but I am pretty sure he mentioned a figure of 60%. And no, he did not earn a fortune…. He only had the occasional moan. At least someone was taking a higher % of his income than my mother 😉

I fitted some 11/8 steerer forks to my 2011 tapered orange 5 with hope headset, all I did was put on a 11/8 to 1.5 crown race. All was fine…..

Simone

Its hard to believe that so many 11 year olds are obese. My son is 11, 145 cm tall and 34kg. He is skinny. His little brother is 9, nearly the same height, but about 1kg heavier. His little brother is less skinny, and eats more. I try and cook healthy food (never just re heat), but they are allowed a treat after school. My oldest is just less “bothered” about food. It will be easier for him to stay slim later in life.

Worth saving up for the new EX version at all? Pennies are tight and I am only a girl, and don’t ride hard.