Chainrings can vary, yes, so worth experimenting. Otherwise, go for a narrower rear tyre and/or rim.

We used either a metal cage or a dog trailer attached to the D ring using a carabiner – VW T4

Bin your fork. Get a 135mm spaced fat bike fork and use a second rear wheel in it. If your rear freehub fails then use the other wheel.

Try Alpkit Gourden, nice and fairly cheap too.

Good sign – mice eat them, so you probably haven’t got mice 🙂

Cable outer end cap, metal one, where it meets metal cable guide on frame….had this happen on a Kona FS bike

Ditto Nobeer – whatever is available. I’ll often use meths overseas as gas can be harder to track down.
If at home, weigh it when you buy (+ keep a record) then you can track how much is left when you get home.

Not a van admittedly, but lots of old Honda CRVs about with petrol engines. Reliable too.

I booked online with the AA to come and fit one for me – cost about £170 fitted for my 84bhp t5.1
Bewildering array he had with him – I would not have picked the correct one. Extremely happy with the service

I’ve had 2 pairs of Guide Tennie’s, loved both. Bought a new pair and…… they’ve ruined the fit and materials on the new version, they are/feel massively downgraded. They’ve been sent straight back & I’m still looking for an alternative

I’d also put a lot of oil inside the frame and leave it (on its side) to penetrate overnight before trying again

Smart forfour – auto, fancy folding seats in back, had ours 6 years now with no issues (touch wood). Only change I’d make would be to go for the turbo engine.

If you are able to rotate your forks 180 degrees that may work.

I work on the idea that the bike/s don’t protrude more than my wing mirrors ( VW T5 with barn doors).

…..for staff I s’pose I could suggest it’s on of Boris J’s kids

Age – secondary

Matt for the win so far. I asked a class if anyone knew who William Shatner was on Friday….silence. But if they’d named a current celebrity I too may have looked blank. Suggestions for (non current football) celebrities?

Some ‘interesting’ ideas from others, but not suitable for school…you’d be fired+more

Yes, it is worth doing. Have run my cross check with a straggler forks for years. BB7 road on the front, Avid canti on the back.Mudguards fit fine as does a Surly Nice Rack front rack. Tubus duo don’t fit easily, hence the Nice Rack.,

My wife borrowed, then kept my MK2. Have a Speedball but I’m not on Facebook.

My Stooge (yes, another) sat next to me is currently wearing 2.6 tyres on i30 rims which is a great combo.

If I wanted wider tyres I’d widen rims too….on i35 rims I’ve run 2.4 (borderline), 2.6 and 2.8 tyres. For 3.0 tyres I’d prefer i40 or i45 rims.

I have built & tried all the variations I’ve mentioned. Personally, in your position, I’d look for new, wider rims with same erd as old ones, and rebuild myself. I’d keep the brakes if they are bb7s

Yes, I’ve done this and it throws a shadow. I also use a joystick on my helmet which helps if I want to see.

P.s. it’s on Surly Straggler fork

I bought a t5.1 camper 18 months ago, 8 years old at the time. I was curious about the doom laden reliability stories and found this https://www.parkers.co.uk/vans-pickups/volkswagen/transporter/2010-review/

2nd most reliable van according to their info. I’ve also heard the horror stories about Transits, so not a lot in it in reality – they all appear to be as bad as each other.

The main advantage of VW to me was the number of people, and the amount of kit available, to convert one. Lots of choice.

However, mine is not a California as I prefer a more functional camping interior. My favourite ‘essential’ option is a diesel heater.

One geared, one single speed. The singlespeed is the one that gets used & was bike of choice on rides across Scotland last summer. I’m a plodder so 32 x 20 works fine .
Beard yes, but no coffee bean grinding for me though.

Do you have any idea what tyre pressures you are running? If they are low it will feel slow – use a decent pressure guage to find out. Increasing the pressures may be the cheapest solution for you.

Ask Andy about the Scrambler boost fork, less offset but I’d expect a 26″ X 4″ fat tyre to fit. I think he recommended less offset for running 27.5+ tyres front and back on mk4s

Which model Stooge? And what size fat wheel / tyre combo?

Lifeventure.

My newest one must be at least 10 years old and is used, and bashed about, every day of the week all year round. I like coffee. A lot.

‘Freespoke’ is a good source of rim erd values

Have spent the weekend recovering from a foot injury, watching the coverage on BBC iPlayer, cross country and downhill, men’s and women’s, all the coverage was great.

Thanks folks – a quick search of reviews & Hans Damf in 2.35 looks like it’s the winner for me + can order localy. The Goodyear tyre is a close second.

In answer to the questions:

Maxxis dislikes – huge yellow logo would look wrong in this bike + don’t like the random deformation reports for a variety of their tyres. I’ve had a couple of poor experiences with their ‘normal’ tyres too, but do rate their plus sized tyres

All conditions for me is exactly that, a compromise that’ll get by in wet, dry, gritty, rocky, boggy, gravelly….you get the idea I’m sure. No racing about but plenty of techy rides all over UK & Europe.

Hiya – did this work ok?

Looking to get a new chainset to run with 11 speed drivetrain & lbs can get me a 12 speed Shimano one for a great price

I’m sure Hope still make one, it does exactly what you describe, think it’s called an R4?

Will fiamma arms fit? Rubber inside the arm & ratchet strap.

Mine has arrived today (thanks Andy), same colour as up there & looks the same colour in the flesh. Will be built up slowly this autumn as bits arrive in stock in the UK.

That’ll depend on how long the existing spokes protrude from the nipple inside the rim. Personally I’d look for a closer match, but you may be lucky.

‘Freespoke’ has a reasonable list of erd values, as does the wtb website

Adrian Flux for me. Very easy to get sorted.

Might be worth checking out mk 1 or 2 Stooge forks – I have a suspicion the axle to crown & offset may be similar

Have just fitted Thule aero bars onto a t5 campervan. Cost was under £200 complete from the roof box co.

Jim at Independent recommended here too, great service over many years

This definitely needs video

Disc brakes, fat or plus tyres and wide handlebars (780+) are my essentials.

I can, and do, happily live without droppers, suspension, and tubeless tyres (I’m a tyre swapper)

My thoughts, on reading the original post, dementia. Have experienced this type of irrational response with my Dad and it’s tough to deal with and very sad. It has changed the way I view other people’s behaviour completely.