It depends on what you mean I decent car I suppose. My sub £2k cars I had before my company car were fine with me but having a £22k company car was still cheaper per month, as I don’t have to pay tax/insurance/servicing/repairs etc. I pay around £80 a month for my company car and my private car was about the same to keep on the road if nothing went wrong with it, but that didn’t include the money I lost through depreciation which was £600+ a year even on a cheap car.

Unless the car can’t be used by anyone else I am at a loss as to why you want to ditch it – company car is by far the cheapest way to own a decent car and completely hassle free. We sold our private car when I got one as the company car costs so little in tax and contributions it was crazy.

Why the single ring on an otherwise great rough stuff touring bike? Just following fashion rather than practicality.

He sounds like a bit of a character to be sure but I agree with him on a fair few points. Too many people are worrying about their kit and technology and not getting out there and doing stuff until they have the perfect set up and everything planned out. In the UK you can get on pretty much any bike and ride anywhere at most times of the year with pretty simple gear. Just get out there!

Are you staying in a b and b or hotel? Put in a bike bag and take into room, thats what I did when I went to Wales recently.

I wouldn’t do that in the middle of the countryside, never mind Glasgow. Minimum inside the car locked up and in a bike bag for me. Your insurance might not be valid with them on top of the car too.

I couldn’t watch Sagan coming down that last descent at some points, I love descending on the road myself but that was seriously fast….

I would have thought that if they needed glasses they would be wearing them already? If they needed protective eyewear you might have to get prescription protective eyewear (my dad got these in engineering place he worked at) for them maybe? But if they don’t need the added protection then I can’t see why you would have to.

Solution, open another bank account which you pay your monthly amount in and the weekly rent comes out of. As long as you keep a small buffer you won’t have to worry about it in the future.

As part of my Retrobike addiction I got a bike which I always wanted and are really really rare, a 1991 Rocky Mountain Experience. The free ride bike of its day, their version of a Cannondale BOTE. I sold it to buy a Dave Lloyd Beez Knees which I never really bonded with and I still regret it, that RM was the best climbing bike I had ever ridden and just so so cool. (sobs….)

….and just wanted to try and make the hardest route they could

With that title I would expect it to be ridiculously hard!

It’s all a matter of perspective. I went on a trip to the Lakes with a loa of southern riders who, when it rained, complained that the trail centre we were at was “far too dangerous” as the slate surfaces and loose slate became wet. They couldn’t ride a fair bit of it and were totally ripping it out of the course. I am no riding god but I rode it all pretty easily, just took the loose surface and wetness into consideration – thought it was better really as it was more of a challenge!

Personally I would have made a plain fascia piece in the same wood as the ledge itself which butted underneath the step and went down to the floor THEN run the skirting up to that fascia. If it’s a step it looks better if its “connected” to the floor and not floating above the skirting.

You wouldn’t put skirting underneath the bottom step of a staircase and that’s why this looks a bit odd in my eyes.

I can’t see what they would be asking you to do? Has this person commited criminal offence? If they have I assume you reported that you saw something to the police and they are following up with prosecution etc…. I would show the letter to the police, especially if you or any neighbours are witnesses as it could be seen as perverting the course of justice which the law and courts take a very dim view of. I

My wife had one a few months ago. They do realise it can be a little distressing for some people and the staff who did hers were amazing, letting her know what was happening and constantly talking to her to make sure she was ok.
My wife said some of it was fine, just a sensation, was nothing to be alarmed about. The test where they steadily increased the “shock” level was worse and she didn’t like that but got through it fine.

They assess the results as they go along and don’t do some tests if they find a certain one has gone ok – basically they only do the minimum they need to.

I took time off work to go with her which helped her a lot.

The staff did say people have different reactions to the test, a lot of people are fine with it even if they don’t enjoy it (and why would you enjoy it?) but they did say a small minority really really found it distressing and couldn’t complete the test.

What I said to my wife and she agreed is that if it helps reduce the problem she had then it was worth it, and it turned out not to be as bad as what we read on the internet before we went.

All of my photos above were taken with my iPhone. :-)

I’m registered with loads of agents in hudds but they’ve all said they do a mail shot out to registered folk just before it goes into rightmove.

Is it that hard having 2 keys instead?

I went with HouseNetwork, they have been faultless.

Story (and discount code I found!) here: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/online-estate-agent-housr-network-the-adventure-begins

Swapped mine… Which involved draining the system presure.
Undoing the nut.
Lifting off, charge new vessel and reverse steps.
Im glad some engineers designed my boiler with forethought as to how you would work on it…..

I suppose it’s because people want the units smaller and smaller all the time, means the manufacturers have to keep cramming things in to a tighter space. In fairness everything in my boiler is generally well made and easy to access apart from the EV which sits behind everything else.

I wonder if the people in question did all the right things to check and find the true fault – loss of pressure can be from so many issues. I thought my issue was the secondary heat exchanger for so long but after finding a way to test for it I then knew it was the expansion tank. Checking the internal expansion tank was difficult as I tried to repressurise it but it was acting strangely when I pumped it up eventually figured out the Schraeder valve was faulty! Fixed that, water coming out of valve so yes it’s borked.

replacing an internal one for an external one because you can’t be arsed to or don’t know how to take the faulty one out. Well, that’s just amateurish and typical of the advice dished out by messers on here.

The boiler I have is known for having an expansion tank which is a bit on the small side. Nothing wrong with fitting an external one, common thing to do. Makes no difference if its internal or external. I don’t have any space issues which might be a problem for some people if they have their boiler in a kitchen cupboard or similar – mines in the cellar. To take the internal one out you have to take the boiler off the wall (manufacturers instructions) which makes no sense at all – better to fit a better performing part instead of replacing a known weak component with the same thing.

The bike I tried with them on I found that rather than grab the bars normally a really good position was to have your hands flat over them, was really comfy. A friend of mine swears by them and won’t use anything else on his touring/cruising type bikes.

Young people won’t know what these are, but they’d be ideal to match those shorts

Hope they were insured properly, that’d be completely gutting as a kid.

If you can fix a bike you can fix a boiler. I’ve fixed my own a few times. I would never touch the gas side but the water side is simple plumbing.
Expansion vessels – most boiler need to be taken off the wall to replace these and it’s a days job. Expansion tanks are £50+ too. However any decent plumber would have just suggested fitting an external expansion tank, all you have to do is mount it on the wall near the boiler and tee it in to the return of the heating circuit. That’s what I did, cost me about £50 in total which included all the fitting and buying a fancy pipe cutter as I didn’t have a 22mm one and the inhibitor to replace as I had drained the system.

If it was leaking why didn’t you trace where it was leaking from (use tissues held against joints) then nip it up a bit with a spanner? Hardly difficult and unlikely to damage anything unless you swing on it like an imbecile.

Well there’s a lot of people who would be paying more than they need to because they are too scared to challenge like I did!

Why?

I was emailed the detailed pricing structure of documents from planning and where they are derived from. I checked what I wanted off the list and checked my initial invoice I paid and I realised I had already paid for the decision document. Additionally the extra money they wanted to charge for plans wasn’t meant to be for the plans submitted with the planning application. Result is that I’ve paid £25 instead of £60 just because I challenged it and checked I was being charged fairly and accurately.

f anything, it’d make the problem a lot worse!
Ehh? On what planet does that make sense? I’m confused. Problem is cured. Fact.

Adding a plate on top of the crack would make it worse, as it would reduce the clearance even further.

And add a bit of sanity to an otherwise confusing and unfocused range.

I see your point but you have to admit they always sell out of their bikes, people seem to love them and you don’t see them 2nd hand much, so they must be doing something right!

Don’t be so soft, if you like them, buy them.
We look daft enough already.

I would have done but I wasn’t sure if my bar bag would fit on them, then I got some flat bars for £4 so thought “maybe later”.

Weber any day of the week. I used to sell BBQ’s and I wouldn’t have anything else for less than £100. Ours is 8 years old and still looks new.
57cm is ok for a family and more, I’ve cooked for 15 people on one no problem.

No. You wouldn’t. I’ll say it again: That cures the symptom, not the problem. I’ll find the pics of mine when I get the chance, which will prove the point.

If anything, it’d make the problem a lot worse! Your inbred chainstay is now lovely, the way it should have been from new. I reckon £80 was a bargain. You could get a powder coat for £30 instead of fancier paint to keep costs down.

I sold mine before it cracked (the chain suck jamming was already making a big gouge in the stay) but it would have been nice to keep it. Although I bought a Pitch Pro with the money I sold it for which is miles better!

4000 miles a year you’d be miles better off financially with a petrol model.

Err I don’t think the way of the roses would be ok if they want flat!

My wife and I did our first tour a couple of years ago and did the Kennet and Avon Canal route that Sustrans have made. Start in Bristol, easy to get to, there are longish flat parts but it does go off the canal a fair bit in the middle where there isn’t a towpath and along country lanes. Loads and loads of pubs and tea rooms, amazing scenery. Finish in Reading so easy to travel home.

We stayed the first night in a B and B near the Caen Hill locks and watched the sun go down while sitting near them. I can recommend the B and B but I can’t recommend the place we stayed on the 2nd night.

We did 40 ish mile days and absolutely loved it. Not so easy that you would find it done in a morning but if you take it easy and stop loads to have a beer or sit and admire the views it’s a perfect length.

They will just try selling you their products.

Well they aren’t going to sell anyone else’s!

I’ve done a lot of research into mortgage providers and I know I might get a slightly better rate if I go with a different provider than HSBC who I would prefer to use. However I like to take into consideration the service I get and for various reasons HSBC have been amazing with us. It’s very convenient for us to go into the local branch and sort things out if necessary.

I will of course be shopping around but they are my preferred choice. Quick story – we got a quote from HSBC for our current house when we bought it but I got an independent mortgage advisor round to see what else was available. At the time he said he couldn’t beat what they were offering me and recommended that we go with them anyway!

Whereabouts are you in the UK?

The annoying thing is that newer applications are all online, so people can see those for free. So I am effectively subsidising other people being able to see their records for nowt

I wonder if they’ll scan mine in now they’ve found it…..

PP – Most people on here are driven by fashion and “the rules” and couldn’t possibly think for themselves and maybe realise that there are different ways to do things. I also think that a lot of people on here who think they are touring are really doing some sort of audax event or something, the ride write ups always talk about doing X amount of miles per day and packing light with the some new fancy bikepacking kit, but much less emphasis on the things they saw on the ride. Too busy hunched over their drops to do anything else other than sneer at me with my flat bars tootling along actually enjoying myself. ;)

On the continent the butterfly bars are unbelievably popular for touring, along with the flat bars. I almost bought some butterfly bars after trying them on someone’s else’s bike as they are amazing for touring BUT show a bike with some installed on here and you’d be ridiculed.