+1 dorset cereal blue box – although at full price a bit hefty on the wallet,

+1.5 on porridge + honey.

bib shorts + waterproof tights.

so it seems im on some kind of “Total Heating Total Control” dual rate meter, which means i get off-peak rates on my water all the time, and Scottish Hydro control the turn on of my storage heaters (at least this is my understanding of the scheme)

so looking around, i might ditch the gas combi boiler idea, *IF* i am allowed to install either

an electric hot water system I’ll then get a plumber to just make the STOVE run the central heating. ( good for the evenings and overnight )

OR

an electric combi boiler onto this LOW RATE tariff to do the water & central heating and (perhaps) dual link the central heating with the stove too.

I’ll use the storage heaters for morning heat for an hour or so and get one installed in the 2nd bedroom, as the sole one is good to heat the bathroom and our room at the same time.

Thats the theory of course, i’ll need to speak to scottish hydro and find someone up here who installs knows about these types of electrical systems.

Looking online it seems it might be a very cheap upfront costs way to go -and having the stove for central heating too would work out cheaper.

so, what about a modern electric combi boiler system?

I’ve been looking around the net to try and find some info about them – given that its just the 2 of us out all day and still have a stove to heat the main rooms at night, could it be cheaper to go this route for morning heating and showers? , taking into consideration the upfront cost of installing gas/oil tanks+boiler etc against the higher electricity prices
(and of course i am assuming very little maintenance of the electric boiler + no flu?)

edit: interstingly seeing some reviews of studded tyres suggest the holes for the studs fill up with rubbish and cause punctures on the tubes.

so perhaps a heavier tube is needed?
or UST with slime – to fill in the holes of the studs coming through – might be a bugger to inflate though?

i’m now thinking i’ll run a mtb in winter with these kind of tyres on , then decide on the morning of the commute which way to go, remembering of course to swap the lights across before i ride ;)

Nordic spike would be 700c version but a bit wide at 40 / 42 !

edit: schwalbe marathon winter is a bit thinner – would be good for cross/ roady-hybrid

-4 this morning.

anyone change their route each winter to keep on gritted roads? this is my first winter, so i might have to do that…………..

@tomlevell – great post! thanks! have started to look further afield and see whats what!

EDIT: also its a straight install, remove the existing h/water tank and insert boiler, all pipe work is in there except gas pipe, 2 meters out to the wall. did not include flu install out to the roof, that was separate job.

@toby1 – thats the same position as me exactly, except we dont even have a gas mains, and a small garden that wont look nice with big lpg or oil tank, hence gas tall bottles.

here is the chart i worked off
cost per kwh[/url]

not as good as oil, but when you dont have mains gas, its way better than electricity and way more flexible than a wood stove, and, you dont have to light a fire just to have a shower
(and using a boiler gives us mains pressure hot water!)

does biomass give you ondemand hot water and heating though? and what about leaving the system for a few weeks on hols in deep winter?
that is why wer were looking at lpg boiler

@monkey_boy – who was it and do they want a trip up to the north of scotland for a day for an extra 500quid!
:)

with not having gas or oil, is there any advances in modern electric heating / hot water that would be much cheaper install?

@junkyard – your right on the money there….

what about carrying lunch? few baps in the back pocket?

ugh – i didnt laugh much at all at this episode last night… :(

a bean to cup set on a timer-plug to get warmed up before you even wake, then push a button.

hmmm what about riding with the (double) espresso / americano? Camelback thermos thingy?

ep2 tonight is it ?

34K each way – if i went trunk road it would be 22K but i aint going down the a96!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Think i’ll skip based on prices of batteries might get myself a complete system as my sets of lights are 1st gen anyway.

so…quickest way of making a (decent) espresso while putting on overshoes is…………………

(stove top!)

ooooooo might need a few bits – lemme check there website at lunchtime and repost later.

so… breakfast before or after or during! the morning commute ride…?

What GPS, have Virtual Partner???

what higher-end units give you the ability to see if you ‘ahead or behind’ a previous log/one downloaded of the web (strava type stuff?) which would be good for training…

for now, I think looking at it the 200 is the way to go, but not at the budget i want, so i’ll either have to wait for a sale, or go for one of those simple loggers off amazon/whats described above.

what higher-end units give you the ability to see if you ‘ahead or behind’ a previous log/one downloaded of the web (strava type stuff?) which would be good for training…

for now, I think looking at it the 200 is the way to go, but not at the budget i want, so i’ll either have to wait for a sale, or go for one of those simple loggers off amazon/whats described above.

…cheapest i can find for UK retailer is 109quid inc delivery….

hold the phone – the 200 gives directional navigation????

EDIT: and if so, where can i get one for 70quid!

@footflaps = looks like i should have been thinking out of the box a bit more, great link!

I used to have a smartphone, but i found it far too bulky for runs and rides and it got wet and stopped working for a while, and now turns off randomly….

yeah it was ok – some laughs with the Moose –
i get the feeling lister and rimmer actors charles / barrie are not fully into their characters like they one was – watching the new with the ‘iv’ episode straight after really showed that… perhaps its down to the director

this is a welcome thread – just about to start a 32K each way commute in the highlands and have been gathering up details on what to ride with (hiviz a must on the dark country roads!)

ive been looking for hiviz overshoes, but apart from GORE no one does any!

anyone got any winter glove recommendations too?

EDIT: current gear list
Izumi yellow waterproof
izumi goretex shoes
endura stealth lite w/proof tights
ayup headlights helmet + bars
yet to be purchased rear lights
yet to be purchased gloves
toying with co2 inflator
EDITEDIT! : ultra gatorskins 25mm

locker at work with suits and shoes etc.

regardless of what you think of Schumi, the sport will be worse off without him , either in his previous ruthless guise, or the new calmer happier schumi.

seems the latest twist in this tale is that Ferrari and Bernie are both ganging up on the FIA to delay the ‘new’ engine format for 3 years, as
(a) its sounds terrible
(b) its 30% more expensive to run than current models
(c) there could be issues with high rear tyre wear due to the torque of the turbo on the rear wheels
(d) there are not going to be enough units to go round!

so, Mercedes who apparently keen on the new format of engine format and it fitting in with their works team might not be on the best starting foot as previously thought for the new ‘era’…

What a greedy idiot Hammy is. That team has gone, and is going nowhere unless in 2014 it decides to not give its engines to anyone else and totally focus as a works team, yet it seems they are still undecided about even signing the concorde agreement! that car has had hardly any development or progress and it STILL after 2 seasons cannot get the tyres working correctly at any race in any temperatures.
Prediction – Hamilton will exit after 1 year after consistently burning up the tyres and crashing trying to battle midfield cars.

Schumi to fill Massa seat for 1 more season, his finale to Ferrari.

anyone tried the Pearl Izumi softshell ones?

I’m tempted to go neoprene, i need the warmth as well as the total water/windproof. Santini and Specialized (although i think discontinued) do them….

actually the new Endura nemo ones get rave reviews…

so heres a wee thought,
if in the future we invent a drive that allows us to travel faster than light, then go to a point in that XDF above, will we see ourselves now? as the light reflected from our spaceship took so long to get back to us…

death sentence to anyone who kills a copper, nhs, fire etc. simple as that. no question, no reprieve.

so here is whats going to happen,
bbc give up all rights and just have highlights at 10pm on a sunday, due to falling viewing figures, it goes exclusive to sky.
sky and bernie ecc. say the f1 coverage on sky will be the best ever seen.
figures plummet as the price goes up to watch and no one wants to pay
sponsors and manufacturers start to complain and leave
revenue to bernie falls
sky doesnt want to pay the bernie bill
BT buys it for 2 years in an overpriced deal saying it will be the best coverage ever.
figures and revenue drop further
2019 – bbc bids and wins live coverage of all races at a cut down cost and say its the best coverage that there has ever been.
..and so the circle continues…

sorry for the darkside content. love my roady kona with carbon rear, sweet comfy light ride at climbs like a deamon. better than its rider!
it will be on my MTB list when i come to retire the Marin.