I’m in, if it’s not too late. Weight’s been creeping up over the last decade, and my Mtbing has taken a dive over the last couple of years with tennis elbow.

I’ve not weighed myself recently, but I suspect I’m back up near the 95kg I started last year at. Target is 85kg, initially, with hopefully more to come off.

I’ve been very impressed with the “Say something in Welsh” online course, so I would imagine that their Spanish course would be good: https://www.saysomethingin.com/spanish/level1/challenge1

have some 155mm cranks. They are dreadful

I found 155mm pretty good for my arthritic knees, although they felt decidedly odd when out the saddle. So they’re now on my recumbent. On the upright bikes, I reckon 160mm is about optimum for me, although I have 165 on the best bike as quality 160s are hard to get. I’m 6ft, for the record.

It’s not just wrists that the Fleegles can be good for. I find mine effective at staving-off tennis elbow.

If you’re thinking of using Welsh anyway, can I suggest ‘Ty Ni’?

Can’t Stand the taste of milk, so skimmed is ideal for taking the edge off tea’s bitterness, or moistening muesli, without spoiling the flavour. Coffee should only ever be drunk black. :-)

Over simplification? Quite possibly. It’s impossible to discuss international law without simplification! ;-) IANAL, and it’s a subject that last came up in lectures about 15 years ago, so my understanding will certainly be imperfect.

However, it’s a point which was made by an ex- Irish Tisioch (sp?) in a radio interview a couple of weeks ago, and I assume he’d be more up-to-date than I.

If the EU impose a border on Ireland that’s their choice. We are NOT obliged to come up with a solution which meets their every whim,

It’s not a question of “want”, though, from either side. My understanding is that WTO rules (remember them?)require that no trading partner can be given better terms than another (the so-called ‘most favoured nation’ principle). After Brexit, the UK simply cannot have an open border with the EU unless it also opens its borders with all other countries. Similarly, the EU would need to have an open border policy with all other countries as soon as it has an open border with us.

So unless we all also leave the WTO, what you suggest is simply impossible.

I built up a Rohloff for my bike about a month ago. Still haven’t fitted it because of that abomination of a shifter. Can’t see how to fit it and have a neat job.

If it’s the tangential cables that you find offensive, I’ve used re-purposed vee brake lead pipes to get a neat 90 deg bend.

I had some HS66s for about 6 years and never needed to touch them, other than replacing pads. Bleeding shouldn’t be required unless you have to repair accident damage….

Mind you, the same can be said of disc brakes, and many folk seem to bleed those continually. ;-)

Rolls Royce routinely use helicoils throughout their jet engines. They’re stronger than tapped holes and are naturally shake-proof. As others have said, it’s an easy diy job if you’re remotely practical – certainly for through-holes. Give it a go.

Can any of the long term Logan owners comment on rear seat comfort on long journeys?

We did a test drive recently (900cc petrol model), and quite liked it. Knee room was fine for me in the back when Mrs O was driving, and visa versa, but a slight question mark over how it will be when it’s me driving and the offspring have grown to strapping 6ft+ lads in a few years time.

Thanks all.

I can confirm that Mojo are only interested in the boing-ey bits, so I popped over to Leisure Lakes at lunchtime and booked it in there. I can’t think why they didn’t occur to me, only being 10 minutes walk away. Doh!

I would normally do work myself, but am time-poor at the moment.

Some very quick responses there! Thanks all!

I did wonder, what with their odd prototype thing, but assumed they’d only be interested in servicing Fox bits. Will drop them an Email – they have the added advantage of being virtually walking distance. :-)

DD is hardly going to sit on TV and say “yes the analysis of WTO exit is potentially very bad for the UK economy” the man is for too shrewd for that.

But that explanation would imply that he was lying to a Parliamentary Committee. I’m not sure that that’s an explanation he’d like to become widely accepted.

Farage et al will blame those who have the invidious task of implementing it.

No. The anti-EU mob are already crying that the remaining 27 are being vindictive by pointing out that we can’t have our cake and eat it. When people realise that Brexit has been a disaster, they’ll already be primed to blame the EU for that too. :(

Those complaining that Dawkins is taking a patronising position should note his comments from before the referendum:

”Ignoramuses should have no say on our EU membership – and that includes me!”

I’ll just leave this here….

EZ doing well, according to the Financial Times

The eurozone economy has now posted 14 consecutive quarters of growth, the unemployment rate has returned into single digits, and economic sentiment has reached its highest level in six years. The numbers contrast with common depictions of the eurozone economy as stagnant, sclerotic and perennially underperforming.

Oh… Hang on… We may be at cross purposes here.

I read that as 42t chainring, 30t sprocket. You’re actually asking about the reverse, yes?

In which case, your maths is correct. The exact equivalent gearing would be 23.1t, so Pinion’s standard 24t sprocket will give you exactly what you are looking for.

In that case, 12t on the back should give you roughly equivalent gearing with a 30t ring.

Your second interpretation is correct. the crank turns 1.82 revs for each revolution of the ring.

So with the same size ring, a 30/1.82 ~ 16 or 17t sprocket will give you roughly the same gear.

Likely to exceed your budget, but if you can stretch to it I can recommend http://broomheads-sheds.co.uk . Made to order, good materials, and slotted together perfectly.

Yes, I have two of these. Fantastic rack – a massive improvement on the two Thule racks I also have. Won’t play nicely with mudguards, fairly obviously. Also won’t fit some of the widest aero profile roof bars. But if your usage falls outside those two restrictions, I’d say buy one; you won’t regret it.

A mini review wot I did elsewhere: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=85936.msg1758144#msg1758144

Thanks Dougal!

It might not be the answer to the question I asked, but it could well be an answer to a more fundamental question! :-) I’ll have a closer look later.

MTBing… And I don’t really want to eliminate that! ;-)

The serious answer is that I’ve found swept bars help – H-bars were good but I suffered slipping hands, so I’ve compromised on Fleegles with bar ends. Other than that I reckon I’ll just have to avoid too steep and rough for a while as squeezing the brakes while wrestling the bike seems a sure fire route to pain! :-(

Don’t know about procrastination, but I always reckon that you should never put off until tomorrow anything that you can avoid doing altogether.

The track up from Cwmtillary onto Coity Mtn is a good one, with one short stretch of steep rockiness for interest, and leads onto grassy tracks along the ridge. You can find your way down the Blaenavon side from there.

There’s also a nice track running down past the quarry on the opposite side of the valley to the Tumble. That drops you fairly easily onto the railway path between Llanfoist and Brynmawr.

The Manmoel Common road is also a pleasant non-technical outing.

Max nose weight is 80kg on the Hiace. The racks I already have are 2x6kg and 2x4kg respectively. Add on 4 bikes and I’ll be waaaay over 45kg but hopefully inside the 80kg limit for the hitch. Note that 4-bike rear racks generally weigh circa 20kg and quote a 60kg max load.

Interesting to hear that the Thule will accept standard racks though-that contradicts what I’ve read elsewhere.

Useful info. Thanks!

Thanks for the comments. The Thule equivalent only works with their dedicated racks and only has a 45kg max load, so that’s out. Not too worried about appearances, as its a tool for a job not a sculpture.

‘Hard to fit’ is the sort of info I was looking for. Can you expand? Actually a challenge to get located, or a PITA because the clamp needs a ratchet spanner rather than using a cam lever, for instance?

Much obliged. ?

Another Skoda: 10 year old Fabia 1.4tdi. Quoted best figure when we bought it new was 69mpg. Once fully run in, that was easily acheivable on a run. Steady-away at 70ish on the motorway gives circa 72mpg, and on a relaxed trundle home at 60-65mph I’ve managed 82mpg over 150 miles of motorway. ?

I’ve found short lengths of parcel string to work just as well, tbh. The sealant soaks into it and forms a plug.

I’ve not gone ahead and done it, but for a similar family (my boys are younger) I like the look of side kitchen + side bunks arrangement. We got as far as hiring a Wildax Solaris a few weekends ago to test the idea, and it seems to work. Although if getting a conversion done I’d drop some of the fancier features, and tweek the bunk design a bit to improve load carrying.

Video of Solaris layout

I’m 6ft tall and found the cross-wise bed ok, if not massively roomy.

You could consider Caerleon and ride in via country lanes all the way

I don’t think you can avoid the roundabout from there either. Facing that on a daily commute would stop me from cycling in.

Yes you can – turn left at the top of the hill out of Caerleon (*) past the back of the Celtic Manor and right after the bridge over the A449. Brings you down by the to the A48 just east of the old Garden a Centre (new housing estate).

I was thinking more along the lines of East on Bulmore Road then south through Catsash… But we’re getting ahead here! :wink:

They’re building houses on the old Alcan site now, br.

http://www.waltersland.co.uk/?page_id=109

The J24 roundabout (Coldra) makes getting to Langstone from Newport by bike a fraught experience, unfortunately. :( You could consider Caerleon and ride in via country lanes all the way, although I imagine housing costs would be a bit higher there.

Bright pretty much has it, imo. West side of the river and up the hill a bit if you want to be able to walk into centre easily. Allt yr Yn, St Woolos, and Handpost are all pleasant and spitting distance for the centre.

I moved to the area 14 years ago, rented in Cwmbran for a while, then lived up Barrack Hill and now in Rogerstone. All good in their own way, and The current location is great for mtbing as I can follow the canal and be in Cwmcarn in 30 minutes or on the nearer hills in 10.

So, that’s a universal ‘Don’t know’ I take it? :?

Because it’s single speed in the sense that you can’t shift ‘on the go’, so while riding you are stuck in one ratio. But you have the option of one of two ratios which you can set your single speed in. So dual single speed, if you like.

Personally, I hate the term ‘dingle speed’, though. I always called mine ‘twinglespeed’ :-)