Huh, I passed my test post-97 and always thought I couldn’t tow a trailer at all!
Turns out I could (up to 750kg) and can now tow something massive! I don’t think I will though, I’m scared of trailers.

See, this is the problem with the current rules. They’re very confusing. You can tow more than 750kg, but the MAM (Maximum Allowable Mass) of the vehicle + trailer needs to be <3.5T,
The key bit is MAM (sometimes GW) as it assumes the trailer and car etc. are at their maximum capacity even if not. So things like horse boxes/cargo trailers are out as they’re usually stamped up quite high even if you’re not planning on towing them with anything in. Caravans are tricky too, but possible, before I sold it I was just under the limit with an old 4 berth and 4wd petrol CRV, the only way I could have got a bigger (or newer/heavier) caravan was to get a smaller car… I also think you can’t tow anything with a greater MAM than the towing vehicle on a post ’97 licence (which you really wouldn’t want to anyway)

Great news for some (if a little late for me). In the past I’ve had to buy smaller/lighter vehicles to keep under the total MAM of vehicle + Trailer of 3500kg before, whereas the vehicle I wanted would have been more stable/safer but bust the weight by 27kg (yep…). The previous rules for people passing their test after 1997 were a complete nonsense.

Keep the Garmin and change the strap to the most lurid brightest colour you can. Can’t beat a proper sports watched juxtaposed against the corporate suited drone look 😜

In all seriousness, if you like the watch just keep it. I’ve worn bright orange straps that have clashed horribly with my choice of shirt colour (but I have no dress sense).

I’m younger than most on this thread, but can totally empathise. Maybe my self-preservation had kicked in a decade earlier than some, but I’ve just no interest in gnarr steep techy stuff any more, I much prefer fast flowy single track. I really like most of the off-piste stuff at Dalby, but there’s definitely a couple of bits that are beyond my skill/confidence level (I’ve still got a dodgy wrist from a OTB into a tree 8 months ago which probably doesn’t help…).

To the OP – do you go night riding? I find that adds a totally different dynamic to trails, even if you know them really well from daytime riding.

That’ll be a no then.

Sounds like @ross980 needs a wee chat with @fazzini to see if a deal can be done…

What are the odds they’d actually fit… I’m going slim to none 😂

All seasons on my van, mainly because they’re suitable for all seasons. Not as good as summers or winters in their respective season, but a great fit and forget option (I only do 5k/year, if I did much more I’d get spare winters on steels).

I’ve got brand new summer tyres on the weekend car I just bought, trying to decide whether to buy some spare wheels for winters or not (or just use the van if it snows)

Cheap one from Screwfix +1
But not the cheapest as that doesn’t have a continuity test (let alone an audible one), which is the most used setting (for me anyway)

Just to chip in on tyre size. My gravel bike came with a 40mm WTB Nano. I now run 33mm Schwalbe X Ones which I prefer on the road and are far better in mud. Granted the 40mm might be better on fire roads, but the skinny tyres cope fine. I’m amazed how well the bike now copes in the sloppy stuff.

Fair enough. I think the rules are different for older cars, but only pre- 2003. Maybe you’re just lucky, or the light doesn’t come on straight away, or the Tester chose not see it ;-)

Isn’t an engine management light now an MOT failure?
EDIT: …which might affect your ability to do number 4

And what Unfitgeezer said. £1000 for a towbar is crazy money, even for a removable.
(Unless it’s dealer fit with proper canbus electrics, even so, a £15 bypass relay will work)

~25,000 miles (assume 40mpg Vs 50mpg and £1.40/l so ~4p/ mile more). Might be completely out though😂

WCA+1. Nickc always seems to comment negatively on things just because he’ll never be able to afford them. Some sort of reverse snobbery? Jealousy? Or just a massive chip on his shoulder? Who knows?
That is a wonderful piece of craftsmanship. So what if it’s bought by some ‘dickhead’ millionaire. Its sale will pay for the 1000s of hours of skilled labour that’s gone into designing and creating it, surely that’s a positive thing?
And being built out of wood and powered by wind, it’s about as environmentally friendly as you can get😜

Thanks OP. Ordered a jacket/trouser combo for when I eventually got back to commuting to the office.

I never look at the cost either. Insert nozzle, squeeze the trigger and deliberately look away from the rapidly increasing cost. Remove nozzle after second click.
I also pay at the pump though, so much more convenient.
OP sounds like a genuine mistake to me.

I just bought a Mk13 Joystick delivered from Tredz for £80. (£90 but Google turned up a £10 discount code) – 1000 genuine lumen. The Mk14 was about a tenner more but I didn’t think I’d notice the extra 50 lumen so saved a few quid. Turned up yesterday. Looks good. The Mk15 was a lot more.

Double post

The two links above seem more expensive than Joysticks… Mk13 can be had with both mounts for £90 from Tredz. I’m wondering whether there’s something nearly as good for £30-50 (think I might already know the answer to this…). Weight is the biggest issue for helmet lights IME. I can justify £90 if it gets my riding more through winter. I already have a few bar mounted light with separate frame mounted battery packs. Ultimately I want to go completely wire free, but I’ll start with the helmet light first

Make spag bol (enough for 4 portions). Eat a portion, freeze a portion. Turn remaining 2 portions into chilli the following night. eat one freeze one. 2 night’s worth of teas. 2 in the freezer. Tbf, when you add extra peppers and beans to make chilli you end up with more.

I got some Oakley frames reglazed with thin (1.6) anti-reflective/scratch resistant coating lenses etc. for ~£47 all in. They did charge me twice but sorted it out quickly enough.

http://www.directsight.co.uk

Edit: plus the cost of posting your glasses there

Mines same as above. Dispatched 2 days ago. Tracking number for “Express 24” which I’d assume meant 24 hours… But no update on their website. I’d really like to receive them by 8pm Sunday😁 (or earlier so I can chill then in the fridge!)

That doesn’t sound right at all.

Should be fully charged unless A. Your parking it in a cupboard or.B your batteries are banjoed C you’ve left something on

Or D the cheap controller that came with the panel is rubbish. Van gets daylight most of the afternoon (so not A), battery lasts a weekend running lights, charging devices and running a compressor fridge when fully charged (so prob not B) and I’ve installed a master switch which is left off (the control panel displays voltage/approx % if left on so it’s really obvious, so not C).

That’s my thinking too. My battery should be 100% pretty much all the time. I need to test the current to see if it’s actually outputting anything at all. If not I’ll swap the controller. If it is then I’m wrong about the battery.

Edit: it’s a PWM controller. My bad. Just looked and similar ones are £10 on Amazon… That might be the issue😂

I think nickc needs to back away from this thread before he gives himself an aneurysm.

I quite like that dash, at least it’s a bit different to most things out there. Sadly I’m not the target audience seen as I’m not a 50-something entitled golf playing gammon (or whatever… 🙄).
Imagine people actually liking different things. Crazy.

Toot button is a bit random though (unless it’s a less aggressive version of the horn, then it makes more sense)

I’ve got a 120w solar panel mounted flat on on my roof and MPPT controller. No split charger so mains or solar charging only. My thinking being charge via mains before a trip away and the solar will just keep the battery topped up (I’ve set the parameters to avoid overcharging). I’m not convinced it’s actually doing anything despite what the controller is saying. I need to get ammeter stuck in series and see if it’s actually charging 😐 as even after weeks of not using it, the battery is never anywhere near full. I guess the ‘120w’ assumes angled towards the sun whilst on the equator and clear sky. Be interesting to see what it’s actual churning out. I hope you have more luck OP.

Ordered. Thanks OP. Looking forward to my Snake Oil, Maharajah and Hoppy Valley 🍻

Edit: code still working btw!

The crowd is a worryingly big one nowadays…..

I’d agree. I had a quick look a Lawrence Fox’s account (I remember now why I don’t ‘do’ Twitter). What a deluded obnoxious weapons grade bellend…. Anyway. It did get me thinking. How many people follow people like that just because they like getting annoyed/hand wringing or want to correct/dispell/argue/troll etc. (Most replies appear to be negative, but maybe they’re just more vociferous). I genuinely wonder how many of his followers really buy what he saying. He’s like a poundland Katie Hopkins and I’m sure he’ll fade into obscurity too. Let’s face it, other than playing Panto villain I can’t see him getting another acting gig any time soon. He must be toxic now. Such a shame 😁

Are you sure ‘funnier’ is the correct term to use ?, I’d say scary and deluded. Especially when you take a look at the accounts and tweets of those saying them

Erm, yes I would. Note the use of the word ‘funnier’ not ‘funny’. It’s a relative term. I haven’t forensically analysed all the responders accounts or their tweet history. Life is far too short to go down those kind of rabbit holes.

Lee who? Oh yeah. I remember, bald one off They Think It’s All Over. If that tweet is anything to go by, he won’t be making it back to the ‘big time’ any time soon.

EDIT: Click on the tweet above. The replies are far funnier

I’ve had cheap ones from Amazon and MPOW from Amazon – the MPOW are great and still going strong several years in. The others, not so much. I’m talking security/PIR lights rather than lantern type. They can be set to just turn on at dusk and off at dawn though.

Gravel bike are great for non-technical BWs/tracks that are rideable from home but not worth taking the mtb for. Guess it depends where you live, but there’s loads of that kind of stuff within 10 miles of where I live. I’ve tried some off-piste rooty woodsy single-track but found myself wishing I was on my full suss. I’ve done a lot of road riding on mine too. Slower than a road bike but being able to shortcut down gravel tracks or just go exploring is great. Gravel bike are a compromise, but if I could only own one bike that would be it.

Budget – thinking £40-£70. But would go higher (maybe £120). Ideally I don’t want a biking jacket as I’d like something with a hood.

I’m in. Over a stone heavier than at start of Lockdown V1.0. The readily supply of decent canned craft beer is probably the biggest culprit, not cycling to work hasn’t helped either.
Good luck everyone 👍

Had a 64 plate 2.0 petrol AWD. Really roomy. 100% reliable. 40mpg possible if you click the ‘eco’ button on the dash and drive like a saint, but 35mpg more likely if driving motorway speeds or round town. Decent spec in mid SE form (rev camera, all round sensors, dual climate etc.). Not a car for ‘making progress’, but a great family car. Think that version was in top 10 for most reliable cars when I bought it. My ex still has it, it’s still not had a penny spent on it other than routine servicing. Feels very luxurious compared to the French built DIY campervan I drive round in now 😂

It might be the sensor on the incoming water supply (impeller jug). I had the same thing on my Bosch where it would fill with water but not detect the water coming in to the extent that it would over-fill and then trigger the overflow pump. It’s basically a little impeller that spins and triggers a reed switch, I assume after so many revs it knows that’s enough water. Seems an odd set up tbf. I took it apart, tested it, reassembled and it worked again.
Probably not that, but worth a Google to rule it out

I guess effectively it’s a bit like a mortgage. Does seem crazy though. Just like the amount of leverage the two brothers used who just bought ASDA – £6.8b business bought for £780m. Madness.

You can see why fans are pissed (not condoning yesterday btw). Quote from BBC News:

…the argument goes, they would never have landed the club with the enormous debt associated with their controversial £790m leveraged takeover in 2005.

Manchester United were a debt-free organisation when they were on the stock market prior to the Glazers buying the club. The fans believe the Glazers should have used their own money.

That debt currently stands at £455.5m, according to the club’s latest accounts, which were released on 4 March, 2021. It is estimated that in general finance costs, interest and dividends, the Glazer takeover has cost United in excess of £1bn.

With so much money in football, ‘local’ fans of some of the biggest clubs will always play second fiddle to TV revenue and global fan-base. It’s business.
The reason people get so fanatical over football is an entirely different question. I think you either get it, or you don’t (I don’t).

I had the 2005 FSR which had the Septune (with its 7 ‘pro-pedal’ settings that all felt exactly the same). The 2006 had the Triad. I remember it being an odd size (190×50?) when mine died and I had to replace it with a Fox Float R with no PP (didn’t make much difference) as it was cheaper than mending the original. Could you just risk fitting a 200mm if it’s that or write off the bike? The bottom bracket on those bikes was always way too low (imho)

I put 140mm Fox forks on my old FSR 120 Stumpjumper. Made it loads better down hill… But awful on really steep 1st gear climbs as the front end became very light. Maybe get something bigger that you can wind down for long climbs?

My dad had an immaculate 944 S2 in guards red when I was growing up. He traded it in for a Boxster Just after they got released. The Boxster was nice but didn’t feel anywhere near as solid or high quality as the S2. I’d definitely have one (but doubt I’d be tempted to pay the ever escalating prices they seem to be commanding).