Not sure about insurance.

I have one, with both sirens in the house as no one around here gives a toss about alarms going off.

Installed one at my parents too, with external siren, as they have good neighbours.

The control panel is connected to the land line and will dial up 3 different numbers when activated. Obviously you need to protect the phone cable from being cut.

The IR sensors can be triggered if a large spider walks across it, so you need to find a solution if putting one in the garage or shed.

I just buy Bolle safety specs, Spider I think, use Trackers at work, a bit too hot for riding.
From Screwfix or Ebay, usually less than a tenner so no big issue if they get damaged.

My other half wears contacts so I get her something with more coverage, Uvex, I-3 or I-VO.

You could have scar tissue or a bone chip around the nerve which is what is causing the pain.

Do you wear contacts at all or just glasses?

Reading above and thinking about it, I have pleanty of options… I just need to pick one and get on with it instead of worrying. As long as it’s a change, it should do me good.

Not trying to put you off, but as you seem prone to this, when you’re down is not always the best time to make big decisions.

I would recommend eating better and some exercise that is easily accessible first, give yourself something to look forward to after work. Some endorphins and nice food.
Try herbal supplements, St Johns Wort for example, I’m assuming you are not taking anti-depressants.

Make the big decisions when you are feeling a bit better balanced.

Sounds like you are on the slippery slope to depression.

If you are not eating well, that needs to change.

You need to do something about it and that’s the choice to make.

Any of the following:

Force your self to do something new after work that is easily accessible, martial arts, pilates etc.

Work less hours, ride more.

Make a plan to start up on your own that will give you more freedom, not less.

Take a break.

Leave work and have a long bike riding holiday.

Good luck.

I agree with what Northwind is saying about the Roost Guard but you can find chest protectors designed for MX that will give you better chest protection while leaving the back open.

have a search for EVS Revolution 4 chest protector.

A MIG set with good adjustability for welding current, most of the cheap sets have large steps where you have to adjust the wire feed speed to compensate.

Don’t expect to get into a big project straight away. Find some offcuts, from a fabricator, and practice different joints and positions.

For most steel cheaper CO2 gas is fine, if you start to do specialist work, or different materials then you need Argon/CO2 mix.

If you did chose to mess around with oxy-acetylene, for some strange reason, be careful.
Acetylene can explode if the bottle is dropped, Oxygen will combust when mixed with oil. Flame arrestors can fail etc.
There is a reason you are not supposed to keep acetylene within 500m of residential areas.

Meh, will probably taste like chicken cat.

It’s the centre of the clamp section to the centre of the hand grip section before any angles are taken into account.

Should be printed on the bars, either under the stem face plate or where the grips are fitted, may have worn off obviously.

Depends on you choice of stem length really.

I think the XL is still not that long really, and would be best with a short stem.

I have ridden, not owned, the medium at 5’11” and that was marginal, longish legs at 32″.

I hope the scrotes are found and you get your stock back.

Maybe the TLD will work.

I have had a 661 vest with rigid backplate, Bluegrass Grizzly vest with D30 backplate and still use a Dainese performance vest. I would not want to ride XC in any of those.

Not sure if such a thing exists, vests usually have a back protector, which is the main feature and not removable.

MX roost guard?

Sounds like neither fit very well, try something else.

That’s what soft jaws, or two bits of plywood are for, sorry, I know that’s no help now.

Have a search for porteur rack.

Thanks Missnotax, it hasn’t really put me off, the name etc, just may be a bit too women centric for her.

I have training experience myself and she is probably the most awkward pupil I have ever had. I’m sure this is purely due to being too close and she would learn far more coming from someone else.

I understand your point Emsz and no offence taken.

I’m not forcing it on her, last night I gave her the following options:

1. We don’t ride together for fun.

2. We just do fire road bimbles.

3. We spend some time getting the basics covered again and see what happens.

4. We pay for someone else to do the instructing.

So the ball is on her side of the net.

I really would like for her to improve her bike handling skills for her work commute and general riding if nothing else comes out of it.
Bikes are our main form of transport, we don’t own a car by choice, not by me being a stubborn hair shirt wearer. :wink:

Pickle on toast, then cheese, grill, then beans.

met a stranger in a neutral car park and let him have a test ride, he also turned up with a mate, whereas i turned up with a very pregnant wife. i even let him have a test ride (round the car park) paid cash, no forgeries.

Good job you had your pregnant wife there or you would have been turned over something proper.

Yes but not like that.

The only reason I would like her to have another go is because she did have some aptitude for it and did enjoy it too. Just as she was making good progress, she was knocked off by a cab driver and that interrupted the flow.

I had given up, as we have only had two fire road bimbles this year together, but just want to try one more time. I would like to see her more confident on the road too, as she rides every day.

Just be polite and up front about using a pen to check notes, no one who is honest should have a problem.

Obviously no test ride without money changing hands, and beware of distraction techniques.

Don’t let random people into the house or garage, bring the bike out to them.

You have every right to check or reject suspect notes, a check pen costs very little.

Unlikely to turn up mob handed if there is any way to trace them.

The Lido or a nice beach on a fair weather day would be best bet.

The smaller ponds in the forest are used by the deer and ponies, watch out for ticks.

[fixing terminology pedantry]Any fastener used as a through fixing with a nut creates a bolted joint. [fixing terminology pedantry/]

Same model yes, with ball bearings, worn and new maybe not.

Link no working.

^ That’s a set screw.

They are measured to the finished surface height.

For socket cap, pan head etc it is the length of the shaft.

For countersunk it is overall length.

The load on the fixings will not be affected, the load on the brackets will change if the angle of the fixing is significantly different to the design, you could use spacers on the fixings if needed.

We are going to spend some time back to basics this weekend, then look at some instruction.

The DDs seem to offer the perfect course but I’m sure she will be put off by the name and pink colour scheme.

Thanks again.

Pedals could be the one, I’d have a look in the freehub too, see if everything is as it should be.

Grinder and some abrasive discs or diamond blade with care not to overheat it.

Have you checked the freehub.

Which gears doe this happen?

I would think they would be as rare as rocking horse poo.

I have a lightweight bash and chain catcher on the inside.

A real shame.

I’m with the Ben Cooper option with bike shop to cover all costs.

It does sound like you are in a fairly unique position, with a dam fed culvert under your house?

The company should have recognised this but didn’t. Best to ask to be informed in future and double check before any starting work.

Thanks Ellsy, the back to basics course sounds perfect.

Did you have a individual or group lesson there?

Not me, you could buy the two that look close and mix your own.