however correct, clear or adequate the signage is, it’s failing to do the job it is intended for e.g. preventing people driving through the gate.

But presumably far fewer people are driving through than would be if there was no restriction and it’s self financing through fines. You don’t need to stop 100% of rat running, just most of it.

In terms of income that’s nothing – a bus lane near me has bought in £6m “over a few years” 9?)

I can’t find the article now but the first time I read about it a woman was complaining she’d been fined more than once – FFS – you’d been fined for driving through it and you still managed to do it again?

I got caught by a Yellow box junction in Wandsworth that generated £1.2m in fines in 2017 alone…. I won’t get caught there again so it’s worked hasn’t it?

The issue doesn’t seem to be so much with signage as with drivers not paying attention, driving too fast for conditions (ie so that they can’t take in all the information they need to), not actually knowing what signs mean (should we have regular re-tests?) or just not giving a damn. Yesterday a trading estate near me had an artic trying to reverse in. He couldn’t get in because drivers kept blocking his way. The drivers couldn’t get to the main road because of the artic reversing were all just driving over the pavement to get round – I’d fine the lot of them, the same with the dicks who drive over the pavement to get around the bin lorry. Illegal driving doesn’t become legal just because your journey is going to be delayed by a minute or two.

It seems a lot of people are dicks.

As others have said, the only *really* ski specific feature in a shell ski jacket is the snow skirt and YMMV with those. I’ve found a way to anchor mine to my ski-pants now but being supertall it’s still not great. Katie finds the skirt in her Mountain Equipment jacket too tight so removed it.

Lift pass pockets usefulness depends on where you are. Most of the electronic readers are set low so always seems better to keep in a trouser pocket than sleeve pocket to me.

There’s another episode left

D’oh.

I wonder if they’ll milk a second series or if they’ll just keep it as a standalone thing.

really? Can’t leave that as standalone – didn’t even attempt to wrap up the storylines.

Ventilated lockers are the biggest win I’ve never actually seen fitted – exist for ski rooms in resorts so the kit can be bought. Sweaty or wet clothes, and wet towels just don’t dry otherwise.

providing you’re not too fussy (i’m just getting most of the mud off, and leaving it where it came from rather than taking it home and flushing it down the drain/dumping it behind the shed), a 10l container (about a tenner from Go Outdoors) does 3 bikes for me

Very much depends on the consistency of the mud. I use more than 10L on two bikes and if it’s really sticky stuff could be even more. 20L can here – took a while to find one that wa

Folding bucket is useful if you need a folding bucket but has never been used along with the hydro shot.

I just need to find a jerry can with a wide enough opening to get the filter in.

Just cut off the filter – no need for it if you’re going to use it with clean water from a gerry can – only needed if you’re sticking it in a stream.

So im about £110 down…ffs.

credit/debit card dispute if you’re stuck.

Various spiky cactus like things riding in Spain. The usual stinking mud.

By far the worst I’ve seen was on the Trailbreak Iron Lemming many years back. There was a fast downhill along a gully beside a drystone wall. A large ewe had breathed its last and lay rotting right in the centre of the gully, There was a line up the bank around it but one poor rider had piled straight into the dead sheep, OTB’d over the top and landed in the stinking liquid death trickling down the slope on the far side. We found him trying to wash his clothes in a public toilet at a feed stop. Two day event, and he was sleeping in a village hall with no showers…..

Anything in ear that gives any bass response needs to seal well and will block out most external sound. You can get fancy bluetooth wireless phones now that have a microphone and will relay external sound as well – the latest noise cancelling Apple AirPods do it and a mate has some – might be Jabra – that do the same.

Otherwise I really like my Aftershokz.

It was in the Money section

The ‘what have the idiots done this week’ section as it’s known in our house

I got the firm block too – much better.

had the firm block as an ‘upgrade’ on my old brommie. New one bought a year ago and there is no longer an open ‘they all come with the firm block now’ but I’d swear its not as firm as the old one.

This just sounds near solid https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/frames/joseph-kuosac-suspension-block-for-bromptons-super-firm-black/

RockBros make a ti coil spring to fit (on eBay/Wish etc) and there seems to be other (undamped) coil options

We really are screwed aren’t we? climate emergency and someones seriously looking at a Diesel estate to drive a 10 mile commute and someone else is seriously suggesting ripping out the parts that do something to limit the poison it puts out of the exhaust (and this is a pre-euro 6 car so it’s far from clean even with the dpf and egr)

Who made the “glove system” a couple of years back?

IIRC you wore some combination of a couple of different layers depending on the weather. They were using (rebranded?) Defeet Duratouch gloves as the insulating layer?

e.g. watch Jurrasic Park or Jaws in a higher resolution and what were perfectly acceptable props in 480 lines, suddenly look like GCSE Drama paper mache efforts.

except those were made for 35mm film production and projection? a 4k picture has about 8million pixels.

35mm cinema film is estimated to be about the same as 4k digital, 70mm film would be the equivalent of 12k (https://www.t3.com/news/high-resolution-cinema-4k-8k-and-beyond)

But it depends on the quality of the film scan. Some older TV was shot on film – restored HD scans can look way better than the original transmissions.

of course, if you’re streaming a lot depends on the bitrate – Blu Ray HD looks noticeably better than anything streamed or broadcast as it has much less compression. Watchmen on SkyAtlanticHD last night has a load of banding on some scenes that were a sign of too much compression. Chances are a 4k stream will look better than the HD stream

They just specced silly small bolts, that’s all.

They didnt even spec silly small bolts – just 3mm Allen heads on a bolt that everyone else puts 4mm heads on. Nothing to stop you swapping them for normal bolts except Thomson Warranty (but how would they know???)

Too good for mtb but the Galibier Elysee leather gloves are a thing of loveliness and an aboutsolute bargain at £38

Their Grip VTT gloves were a real disappointment though. Complete mesh back which catches on every bit of velcro and really isn’t up to crasing through undergrowth on a mtb. More than that the fingers on mine seem twisted. They were only £14 so can’t complain too much but I’d not buy another pair.

These flashed up at me the other day and have lots of interesting features but I can’t work out how warm they’d be, if they’re in any way waterproof (that’s the point of their overshoes) – and they’re pricy. But the long cuffs, lobster when you need it etc all look smart.

SPATZ "GLOVZ" Race Gloves with fold-out wind blocking shell #GLOVZ

Bolts are soft as cheese and rounded too easily, even used with a torque wrench. for the remaining bit of bolt you try pushing it out from the other side with a small screwdriver – it should turn easily now (that’s how we got the rest of the bolt out of katie’s stem)

Issue we were having before is that the lower torque they’re speccing wasn’t enough to keep the stem straight – even a very minor low speed off would turn the stem on the steerer. All very well using a torque wrench in the workshop but it’s not going to happen at the trailside

I usually go for a medium/32 in most trousers but have a size 30 in Fox because of their ridiculous sizing

That’s odd. I’m a 32 normally and the flex air *shorts* are spot on for me in 32

I’ve ridden Time for many years. Completely reliable – bearings seem to last forever. Very good in mud, crud and snow – I’ve never had any issues getting in or out (last time we rode in freezing conditions I was better off than katie on flats, which had built up a layer of ice over the top that 5-10s soft rubber couldn’t kick off)

BUT current Time pedals are not repairable. I’ve bent springs on 3or 4 pedals over the last couple of years with rock strikes. (Climbing, low bottom bracket bikes) and you can’t buy replacements (or even salvage springs from other pedals sue to the way they’re built.

Early days but I’ve just switched to Shimano Saint. In theory less float but actually seems to be more variation in the cleat position so I seem to be getting it where I need it. Wide platform seems to be giving more shoe support clipped in than the Time MX (where your shoe does seem to rest on the spring) and a big platform to rest on when you’re not.

Lots more gap around the middle of the pedal to clear mud than on the 424. Picked mine up for 60ish on eBay.

but I think the vast majority of business travel is because someone need to be where they are being posted

Actually in my experience it is not. Obviously if you are doing some physical engineering it is necessary but hugely wasteful (time and environment) travel for meetings is very much the norm.

Again, that’s my experience. A vast amount of business travel could be done using video conferencing (At the high end Cisco telepresence is remarkably close to being in the room with people).

The core of the trails dates back to when most people were on rigids,

Last time I rode it on a hardtail I hated it. It’s not that it’s big or technical, just that it’s heavily armoured and over time the smaller stuff has got washed off the trails. Completely doable on a hardtail, just tiring even on the flat bits.

I’m lost – this is an mtb forum? Surely all our cars are awash with Ikea bags? you only need about 3 for a trolley full of shopping.

Yes, I did it. TV is mounted on a white wall, eye level about 1/3 down the screen when on the sofa.

I’ve got 24v LED strip along on the back along the top and down the sides. (centre speaker is mounted below so didn’t put any there). You want it dimmable so you can get the light level right, and supposedly daylight colour temperature for best colour rendition (mine isn’t but it’s not super-warm).

It’s definitely better to watch when its on, even if you have other room lights on, and ensures you don’t have any lights reflecting in the screen. Its a plasma so black level is very good anyway but does seem to improve colour/contrast and detail (you have less ambient light from other sources bouncing off the screen)

I’ve seen ambi light in demos but wasn’t convinced.

Can you customise the display on this and choose what to show?

Even by the standards of SUV’s that looks a disaster for pedestrian safety and I can’t see how it would be saleable in Europe

While Other Countries Mandate Safer Car Designs for Pedestrians, America Does Nothing

Other benefits of latest iPhones – genuinely good battery life, and much better bluetooth. I’m getting no dropouts at all on my AfterShokz BT phones when riding in traffic now. With the old SE they used to cut out regularly (seemed worse when it was busy so I’m suspecting it was other bluetooth traffic/noise that caused the issue).

Long time SE owner here. I thought the 11 would be way too large and for the first week it did but now feels fine.

Much better for browsing. I can write on it much more accurately. Camera is great.

SE2 rumours are for 8 body so it’s not much smaller but most significantly wont have Face ID. You don’t realise until you use it but so much better than fingerprint.

We’ve done a load of trips out with Basque MTB – body armour is a tough call. Knee and elbow pads are a good idea. More would always be good when you come off, less to carry the rest of the time (I can’t climb any distance in pads – feels like it drains the energy from my legs).

I’ve got some POC Stormtrooper but it felt overkill – Fox Lanch pro and D3O elbow have done the last few years. I did catch a rock to the shin on this year’s trip (and still have last remnants of the scab 6 weeks later) but it was in France after the week with Doug and some days in Ainsa on a trail I wasn’t even riding knee pads for so “shrugs”.

For me I’ll be trying to find something that I can put on without removing shoes next time. For arms I’d go pretty lightweight but extending as far down the forearm as possible (further than the POC I’ve got now). Spiky bushes and trees can be an issue. Lightweight shins would protect legs from thorns and stuff but at the expense of being hotter to pedal in.

This Fox top was pretty good at protecting from brambles last summer in the UK https://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/305998/products/fox-attack-pro-ls-jersey-midnight-blue.aspx

As already noted , Rohan do a few designs long.

Last time I needed up buying 5-11 Taclite Pro cargo trousers. They’ve got a hanging loop for your baton, and specific pockets for knife and spare ammo. Ever tying you need for an afternoon stroll. They,re poly cotton ripstop and 36 leg though.

https://www.inverse.com/article/60801-watchmen-adrian-veidt-theories-spoilers-episode-4

And that lake. WTAF!

Which lake?

Has anyone found a good episode review/Easter eggs/theories site yet? Feels like theres a lot to overlook on this.

Mudguards. Massively antisocial riding or commuting on road without them.

Mudhugger on the mountain bikes as well. Rear mudhugger will cope with pretty much any sort of riding – not just Bimbling .

Arm warmers
Knee warmers
Mesh back Gilet
Buff

All look slightly weird and unnecessary but once you’ve used them essential. Also a bargain as they effectively turn your summer kit into winter kit for all but the coldest days. (Add a cheap t shirt base layer under a summer shirt)

I don’t know about their methodology but this https://thriftyparent.co.uk/home-household/cheapest-way-to-dry-clothes-indoors/ reckons dehumidifier much more expensive.

You are not going to get 18kg of laundry dry using a tumble dryer for anything close to that I don’t think.

No, you’re not. Heat Pump driers seem to be just under 2kwh for a full load of cottons – maybe 8kg.

Stuff dries really well in our house anyway – we’ve got a ‘sheila maid’ type thing in the utility room and the house has a heat recovery ventilation system (and the utility has a high extract rate) so most washing dries overnight or sub 24 Hours anyway. Tumble drier generally just gets used for towels and bedding.

I wonder what the impact is on your heating costs? Evaporating water from clothes in heated house has a cooling effect – it’s not actually ‘free’ but it’s a much more complex thing to try and measure.

Isnt a dehumidifier just a condensing tumble drier that’s trying to dry your whole house? Technology is the same but it’s going to be slower and more expensive to run.

A heat pump drier is a more efficient form of condenser Dryer. https://www.beko.co.uk/lifestyle/benefits-of-a-tumble-dryer-heat-pump

Drying clothes with hot air and venting it to outside is a bit of an environmental disaster. Heat pump drier has an impressively small impact on room temp and there is a case that they use less energy than drying the clothes in your house using ambient heat.

Although that’s comparing SS. It’s also very interesting to see that the derailleur test is pretty close to the Rohloff – closer than in other tests I’ve read IIRC.
I’ve also read that a dirty chain reduces efficiency

I noticed that as well. Comparisons between Rohloff used to be with 3×9 (which this still appears to be). Chainline is arguably far worse with 1x in many gears which is interesting given “a derailleur gear with a bad chain line …. may actually be quite a bit less efficient than the Rohloff”

Also “A slightly worn chain tensioner was fitted to the above testing rig and it was determined it lost 2-3 watts using a gear with a straight chain line”

It was filthy out yesterday and my SRAM 1×11 was anything but quiet and smooth.

Says more about your riding style and finesse than of the mech tbh.

Which is why you are willing to live with the losses in a epicyclic gearbox.

Apart from a Pinion not being epicyclic, I don’t – both my mountain bikes currently run 1×11 though I’d have another Pinion (they’re now a bit smaller and lighter and I think they’ve reduced the Q factor)

Style and lack of finesse may be true but tough to avoid smacking mechs riding through rock trails with gaps barely wider (and sometimes narrower) than the back end of the bike.

A riding buddy had his mech wrap into the spokes yesterday and I’ve seen a few other mechs and hangers this year on people I’ve been riding with (though my own has got away with a few scrapes and a manual realignment…).

This piece puts the efficiency losses into perspective –
Less impact than running a dynohub. Less impact than running higher rolling resistance tyres. About the same as carrying 5kg extra weight over 100km. What I did think was interesting is that the noisiest Rohloff gear isn’t the least efficient.

What’s The Difference In Speed Between Gearbox Systems? Rohloff, Pinion, Shimano

I’ve got a spare MacBook MagSafe 1 charger in good condition.

£20 posted?

get going again on the trailside; something you can’t do with a hub-gear

How do you get going again at the trailside? Pinion and Rohloff, IME just don’t break in same way. They don’t NEED to be trailside repairable, and they’re still likely rideable. I’ve seen enough mechs, hangers and chains completely mangled at the trailside – pretty sure the Basque MTB guides have a spare mech with them when they’re in the backcountry for this reason.

I don’t think Alfine are up to trail use personally (others may differ) but they’ve certainly got enough range for steep hills. Even the wide range 3 speed fitted to the 6 speed Brompton has enough range for steep hills (Katie rides hers over Crystal Palace towing a trailer). Hubs definitely aren’t flat terrain only on city bikes.

-Pivots get sloppy and never work perfectly even if you don’t smack them on something.
That’s not derailleurs, that’s you 🙂 I can run them just fine slop-free. And tbh even when they get sloppy

I had them and I don’t think they’re the best answer at the moment – I’m happy replacing my XT mech every 18 months or so at c£50 – but there are definitely times I wish I was riding my Pinion.

It’s obvious that the demands people place on their kit changes and not everyones riding is the same. Yes, there was someone on here who repeatedly rode their Rohloff through rivers and had issues. The same guy had to replace the bearings in his Hope hubs every few months (!) – thats not typical UK riding by any means. I ride all year but hub bearings aren’t a consumable for me.

I’m not doubting the claims but it seems inconceivable to me that you could ride for any length of time and not bend or break a mech. Obviously you can but rocky trails I ride in Cumbria, Monmouth, Dartmoor and out in Spain* regularly see mechs scraped or bent and I’ve seen them ripped off by sticks in the Surrey Hills.

(at some point this year I saw a Shimano mech where the main linkage plate was in bits)