When I was a youngster we used to offset the tuning of our radios so that when we wanted a private conversation we could go “offline”, though it wouldn’t have been that private as anyone with a scanner could still earwig.

We also amplified the signals which was/is illegal. I remember the TV signal used to ghost if you had too powerful amp.

Had fun and games tracking down a blocker once. Somebody had dismembered an old CB and made it so it was locked into transmit. They’d hooked it up to a car battery, increased the power output and left it high up in a tree on one of the highest hills in the area.

Still have my Midland, up in the attic ready for the apocolypse.

Two spotted flying over Surrey just under an hour ago. Already in Essex!

Lifetime warranty on those Boa’s.

Email: guarantee_EMEA@boatechnology.com

say Raggatip sent you and you’ll get 10% off

I’ve been following Houns’s progress. He doesn’t know it yet. It’s actually a thread he started that inspired me to sign up with the OU. We’re similar ages and in similar boats it seems. So, OP at 28 you’re young and have loads of options. I’m doing an OU degree in Computing & IT. The thing is I’ll be dead before I finish it because, as I’m doing it part time, i.e. 2 modules a year rather than 4, means it’ll take 6 years! I’m still looking for a proper job…and doing other courses so I do have my hands full. Full on career change deep dive!

I saved a wedge before I quit my previous role and I’ve been doing some gardening, which in this weather is the best job, and that brings in some money. My advice is save as much as you can and then invest in some courses. Not any old course though. Think of a career, search for that role on Indeed, the jobsearch site, and see what qualifications you need. That should act as your guide to ensure you don’t do meaningless courses. Believe me there’s a load of crap out there.

If you’re not used to doing academic studies then get into the habit for free, on OpenLearn perhaps. Get used to actively learning by writing notes to help you remember.

But, definitely also look at apprenticeships too. Most big firms have these advertised on their careers page, e.g.

https://www.btplc.com/Careercentre/earlycareers/apprentices/index.htm  or, sign up and have a browse here

https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

A dream opportunity came up for me as an apprenticeship role but, because I’d already signed up to my degree, I couldn’t apply for it. Shot myself in the foot with that one.

So it’s not just mine then. I had them hanging in the garage over winter and one was deformed prior to sticking it in the garage. The other was fine until it had been left over night in the out house having filled it with sealant, then the following day it had warped. Really strange. I’ll just send them back to Continental Germany with my address and see if they do anything. Wiggle won’t nor will their UK importers.

I have a Ralph on the front but am certain it’s not as quick as the Race King. Much easier to set up tubeless though.

Thunder Burts seem to do well here..

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/mtb-reviews/schwalbe-thunder-burt-snakeskin-2015

Pretty tempted.

Because of the pace we travel at, our close proximity to nature and our surroundings cyclists will always have a better feeling of how severe the problem is than anyone who speeds by in a motor vehicle. We are perfectly placed to stop and take a couple of minutes rest to do our part.

It’s one thing we can do that has a tangible benefit to the environment. I routinely take pictures and then log a flytipping incident on the Fixmystreet app. It uses geolocation so gives the council a good idea of where the incident’s located.

I don’t really care if I’m flooding the council with extra work. The point is these incidents are being logged within a database and eventually the councils and government can draw an analysis of the problem and assess exactly how much this problem actually costs everyone. They can see particular problem areas and then target these areas. I’ve found my local council have been responsive to the incidents I have logged. I do take a good photo though and always with GPS turned on. The photo will show how much rubbish there is so they know what resources have to be allocated to the job.

One beer can wouldn’t get logged. That’s something I could pick up and put in a bin myself. A verge strewn with rubbish would be logged, especially flytipping incidents.

In short, help by taking a good photo to show the extent, get an accurate location and use the fixmystreet app.

Are their X01 sram jockey wheels narrow wide?  They have one photo which shows a jockey wheel with the notches that make a tooth wider

https://www.uberbikecomponents.com/category/471/Jockey-Wheels

and then click into the link and the pic show’s them all one width

So, inspired by this thread I’ve literally gone grade 3 all over. I usually have it cut once a month, grade 2 back ‘n sides and trim on top, something like 5 or 6 up there I guess. My crown’s definately been exposing itself and I’ve been looking a bit monk like.

Last time I had it this short was at uni when I had grade 2 all over and a girl had cut a cannabis leaf shape at the back of my head. That was pretty cool as it glowed under neon lights.

Anyway, probably not the best thing to do when I should be priming myself for interviews but **** it. It’s spring and I’m in don’t give a shit mode.

Don’t expect me to be as brave as you and post pics up though OP.

#midlifecrisis

I find those Alpkit Fuel Pods with the ladder system a bit flippy floppy. The Revelate’s much better which is why I sold the Fuel Pod on the ‘bay.

That’s a good read thanks. I’ve not been diagnosed with clinical depression, haven’t even sought help, but I generally do feel down at the moment. Maybe the prolonged overcast spell of weather we’ve been having has contributed but, I have undergone quite some major life changes over the past few months and am trying to adjust.

What’s annoying me at the moment is the fact we’ve had so much rain, although we have needed it without a doubt.

It shouldn’t annoy me because that’s what weather does. It’s not something we can control so I should just roll with it. To some extent I can but not as much as I have in the past.

I have two bikes; a road bike and an MTB, and I love riding MTB to get away from the noise of cars and the smell of diesel fumes which, for some reason, I find worse in the winter. However, the bridleways are so churned up that they’re almost impossible to ride without walking in some cases. I can’t get enough pace up to really increase my heart rate, to a point where, once I’ve returned to the house, I feel that I’ve had a really good work out.

Also the mud is costing me too. I’ll have to replace the rear cassette, the chain and the front chainring and, whilst trying to avoid the worst of the mud, I’ve been riding on the edge of the bridleways where all the thorns and the barbed fencing is. I have ripped a jersey and some waterproof shorts of mine. It’s really frustrating.

So, now I’m doing alternative exercises, all whilst not incurring any financial expense. I can’t afford the gym so short runs and upper body work outs are what I’m resorting to now. I’ve downloaded an app on my phone called ‘Home Workout’. It’s really hard actually and although I thought I was fit, since I can do long distances on the bike, the bike is by no means a full body workout. So, maybe through my frustration a new opportunity has presented itself which may actually be better for me.

This will tide me over until we’ve had a sustained period of dry weather.

So, although I’ve fallen out of love with the bike, this is only temporary. Bikes are by no means the be all and end all. The body and mind is where it’s at so I’m trying something alternative as cycling isn’t working out. I also think that because I’m trying something new, I’m not setting the bar as high as I would if I was cycling. So the relatively small achievement of running say 2-3 miles gives me more of a feeling of accomplishment than say a 20 mile MTB ride, which would have been completed within a certain amount of time but now, is much slower.

It’s important to keep the body in check, even through moderate exercise and it’s amazing what it does for the mind too.

Good luck everyone. Spring’s round the corner.

Sometimes rather than install an entirely new ROM, the best method might be to root your phone then use an app called Titanium Backup to uninstall rogue apps. They could be using data and running processes in the background that hog memory and drains the battery.

Installing TWRP, which comes with some custom ROMS, though can be installed on it’s own, allows you to create an image of the phone to reinstall if you make any errors in uninstalling essential services. Similar to imaging software that PCs use.

But, as said XDA’s the place to go

https://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-z5/general

I’m about to eat a haggis.

Is there a fixed date that claiming rights of way stops ?

http://openmtb.org.uk/resources/everything-you-always-wanted-to-know-about-bridleways/

1st January 2026..

Not long to go and it’s in all our interests.

So are you asking about the road route?

I can’t see the appeal in riding it on road but the off road route I can.

The off road route is just under 320km which I’ve done twice now.

I can’t remember how long the first attempt took me which I did one summer a few years back. My second attempt took less than 21 hours but that was in the depths of winter.

It is the smoke ring but after the first ride I modified the route slightly. Nothing major, just a few tweaks.

There’s surprisingly few places en route to get supplies. You have to deviate slightly. The big supply stop, for me at least, is Potters Bar services. There’s timings for the boat and to access a park that need to be considered.

Could be good to do as a summer group ride if anyone’s up for it?

Then of course the debate would be where best to start. For me that would be about convenience but it’s probably the most difficult section to end at.

Join your local library and download the RBdigital app. I get MBUK and MBR for free. Also, free access to ebooks, audio books and a huge range of other digital magazines. Can’t go wrong.

Many years ago, I knew somebody that lost half an eyebrow when his legs collapsed beneath him. He hasn’t touched the stuff since.

This is good enough for me..

It’s a small World. I saw a doctor on Tinder that I’d previously dated, having met on PoF. Some new photos, some of the same.
Hope she get’s her man.

…..back in the game…..dope!!…back out, ran out of swipe rights again…

I rated XR2s highly for winter use but, since fitting a new set of Team Issues on my 29’er, I’ve had three punctures that all needed anchovies.

Arrgh, g’dammit. C’mon, c’mon. Another 43mins 52 seconds before I can start swiping right again.

Look, everyone needs to use correct grammar in a thread like this.
urhmmm…

where I work to

Didn’t like back.

Might be ‘cos I’m ugly, but how did you know they liked you before you’d had the option of liking them back? Thought you’d only know when there’s a match, after you’ve liked them.

Shame, you’ll have paid for the outward postage costs which you cannot reclaim.

I know it’s no longer Friday but I’d recommend Snowpiercer.

Think so, but not sure he thinks of me as his best buddy. He’s good at getting in contact with old work mates in general to find out what they’re up to.
We throw texts back and forth, say, every two weeks to a month. Once every three to four months we meet up for a drink. He’s got that knack of never cutting ties which I have a tendency to do. I just seem to self destruct, so it’s good to know somebody’s showing an interest in my life. I would like to get a girlfriend but wouldn’t want to encumber any potential partner with my unsettled existence right now.

Distance 7,001 miles
Time 499 hours
Elev Gain 531,295 ft
Rides 70

I did 596 miles last year for the Rapha 500, none this year. I’m reassessing my priorities.

Ah this brings back memories of Sun and Bass 2004

Bit odd considering the amount of cigarette butts that get thrown on the ground, ending up in drains and generally making an unsightly mess.

HoratioHufnagel – Member

Isn’t the SineWave Beacon like an updated Exposure Revo?
https://www.sinewavecycles.com/collections/lighting/products/sinewave-cycles-beacon

RAGGATIP – how do you find it?

Overpriced!

I bought it on that pre-release offer and thought it was expensive then. Now it’s just ridiculous especially when you factor in duty fees.

I’m not keen on it’s low speed blinking. It needs smoothing capacitors to sort that issue out I think but I’m no electrical expert.
To eliminate the blinking at low speed it needs to have an external battery plugged in but I don’t think a dynamo light should need that. The Revo doesn’t after all and this light is more for off-road where slows speeds are frequent.

Also, the Beacon’s stand light is pretty dim too.

I much prefer my Revo + Igaro set up. It just works. Super reliable in all weather….

I own the B&M Lumotec IQ Cyo Premium T senso plus front headlamp, the B&M Secula Plus rear light, the Sinewave Beacon, the Exposure Revo and the Red Eye Long Cable rear light. By far and away the best is the Exposure Revo with Red Eye combination.
I build my own wheels around a Shutter Precision PD8X dyno hub which saves on costs. I had to learn how to build as the bearings kept failing on the SP dyno hubs I’ve had in the past. SP then revamped their thru axle models with larger bearings and I swapped the three hubs I had free of charge. One is kept as a back up , the other two are in use, on a mtb and a road bike, and neither have failed yet. There’s 7000 miles on the road bike hub and about 1500 miles on the mtb hub so I think they are fairing better than the original models.

Under the process begun in 1949, many routes were classed as Roads Used as Public Paths (RUPPs). However, the Countryside Act 1968 (the same one which gave us the right to cycle on BWs) abolished this category and stated that all RUPPs were to be reclassified. In many cases they were reclassified as footpaths even though a Court of Appeal ruling in 1975 confirmed that all RUPPs should have, at a minimum, BW status. So if you have access to older OS maps which show RUPPS, it may be worth checking to see if any of them are now shown as footpaths. Some are also shown as ORPAs (other routes with public access) on OS maps, but this has no clear legal standing.

Everything you always wanted to know about bridleways…

Don’t you need a bank account for your wages to be paid in? You’d need a permanent address for that wouldn’t you?

That SR250’s amazing

If you’re getting interviews then, not that I’m an expert as you now know, but I get the impression your skills and job expectations match. If you need to improve your interview technique then it might be worth doing some reading.

“Smart answers to tricky interview questions” Dr Rob Young
“Answering Tough Interview Questions for Dummies”

are two books I got from the local library. I think if you read those you may not necessarily have the answer for the question they throw at you in the interview but you’ll go in with more confidence.

You’re at the interview so they saw something on your CV that they like so just tell your story.

This coming from somebody that really seems to have no clue.

Having been in the same firm for ten years I’ve been isolated from the ruthlessness that is today’s jobs market. Seeing the number of jobs available, thinking I’d be alright and quitting with nothing to go to I’m finding it seriously tough. Can’t claim benefits because of my savings so at least I’m guilt free in that respect but I do feel foolish.

Well dumbbot, if it’s any consolation at least you’re getting the interviews.
I quit my job 4 months ago as it was driving me round the bend from boredom. Way too repetitive and my sanity was being called into question. Problem is it was a very specialised role and I’ve not been given any training in accredited qualifications or professional either.
So, my CV’s just a pile of crappy jobs and transferable skills. I’ve had two interviews out of almost fifty applications, neither of which I got, and I’m close to parking up somewhere, strapping some hose pipe to the exhaust, feed it through the window and sit there smoking away if I’m to be honest.
Basically enjoy the fact you’re getting the interviews there’s many that aren’t.

France

Macrium Reflect v5.3.7277

Been using it for years now. That version above is from 2015 but I’ve not seen the need to upgrade or anything. Newer versions may be not so free or full of adverts or something but worth giving it a shot I guess.

Anyone tried OpenHab? I thought that would perform a similar task to ifttt. You could self host and that would overcome the latency issues.