Any commercial PPC would do them for you. However, chances are they’d clog up the t slot which is fiddly enough at the best of times. Stove enamelling would be less likely to do this if sprayed carefully. Anodising is your best shot but I’m not sure if the factory finish on the silver bars would be suitable for re anodising. I’d just sell a silver pair and buy new. They don’t actually scratch that easily in my view – I’ve had mine sat on the roof for 130k / 3 years and use them a lot. They look fine to me.

Its very rough and boggy – even as a walk. Also overgrown with bracken in places so tick hell. Avoid.

The road over to lower diabaig , however, is stupendous – even on an mtb. Nice seafood place there run by a Dutch guy.

I had this issue.

Just go to Halfords and get the brightest bulbs they sell, they’ll also fit them.

Does transform the car at night.

Gondolas? There’s a supersized one rowed by two Gondoliers that shuttles over to the fishmarket and back (its a public service) Costs peanuts. I discovered it by accident and used it all the time. Don’t think its mentioned anywhere in the guide books. And the fishmarket is awesome – go early.

As others have said just walk and get lost.

You can hire bikes on the Lido (island) Yup, even romantic weekends require a bike ride 😉

>But I still wouldn’t use them for fitting stuff to the ceiling. I mean, why would you when there are perfectly good joists?<

Umm see Luumox’s post

Seriously though, it’s a little plastic fitting which weights the square root of **** all. Yes, by all means screw the bloody thing to a joist if that’s your thing but other methods are available.

>correct answer to lots of diy / plasterboard shenanigans<

Seriously, you do not need interset fixings for a **** smoke alarm – trust me. They are generally for hanging big heavy things off stud, like shelving and radiator brackets – the pullout forces are massive. There’s no weight in a SA – 2 of the little screw – in anchors I linked to and the worst you can possibly do is rotate the alarm a few mil on the screw slots.

@ hebdoncyclist – Wickes is hardly the fount of wisdom on construction matters. With all due respect 😉

@nealglover – even better 🙂

>Can I respectfully disagree with the above and advise you to find the joist? We should try to get these little jobs right, for our own satisfaction and for wanting to create a home where things are done properly.<

What utter nonsense.

It’s a smoke detector he’s fitting not a crystal chandelier.

Here you go OP:

http://www.rawlplug.co.uk/products/lightweight-fixings/plasterboard-fixings/dra-self-drive-fixings/dra-metal/

Must admit I’ve had very few sniffy comments from Trail Runners or Hillwalkers i.e those largely responsible for most of our eroded hill paths:-) I doubt mtb usage will ever by a major contributory factor to erosion in the Central Cairngorms – it’s just too demanding to access for most. Routes like Rothiemurchus > Picadilly different ball game of course but then look at those in the context of the path network at large.

As Chickenman points out the biggest acts of environmental vandalism have been at the hands of the landowners themselves. The link Scotroutes gave is more the norm than the exception ime.

>Do any of these eyesores have planning permission??<

Doubt it – no need. In theory they need planning consent – unless it’s for forestry or agricultural use. Which has given many of the so called sporting estates carte blanche to doze thousands of km across the Scottish Highlands. The scale of it is actually quite breathtaking. One that really sticks to mind is the hill above Achnasheen (very recent)The guy there (Ledgowan Estates) doesn’t want anyone on his land far less bikers.

Oh I agree your point btw.

It’s a normal rh thread – put an Allen key on both sides and unscrew anti clockwise from the capped head side. What he said basically..

It’s a shit design – you’ll need to thread lock everything when you re assemble as they’ll all undo themselves otherwise. Once that black steel insert starts moving in the frame it quickly ovalises the soft cast seat of the ali frame and then you’re dealing with a shagged out mess.

If you already have good quality 18650 batteries (3400 Panasonics for example) and the charging kit, then this is worth a look:

https://www.fasttech.com/product/4217401-niwalker-mm15mb-led-flashlight

I got one for £110 from a chinese seller and it’s performed brilliantly. You can run @ 2800L for nearly 3 hours. If you need even more light the 6900L Turbo setting is insanely bright – it will turn a football pitch sized area into daylight basically. It has a universal tripod mount so I cheekily purchased the Exposure Bar mount and Shoe and used that. Its rock solid and takes two seconds to mount so no faffing about with shonky wobbly bracketry. I needed to bond on a small aluminium riser plate so the Exposure mount shoe cleared the bezel but easy enough to do.

This is way better than all the other Chinese stuff I’ve bought over the years and once you’ve ditched separate batteries there is no going back. Basically you get virtually top end Exposure performance for about a third of the price. Doesn’t have the plug and play charging simplicity of the Exposure set – up (you need to take the batteries out obviously)but its not a big issue to me. Ive also got Exposure lights, if you’ve got the cash they are still the best option out there.

Ha – you wont be feeling like the hoof up to and through the Chalamain Gap after the Lairig Ghru! Why bother anyway when you’ve got one of the sweetest descents down to Piccadilly… Turn NE there and head for Glenmore Lodge.

LG is best in that direction and it’s a tester all right. The central 4 or 5 k is just a head game – if you’ve got the hill fitness and a positive mental attitude to carrying over ankle snapping terrain :-)Forget it though if you’re over encumbered with sundry touring crap.

Braeriach down to Inverdruie must be kicking on for 20k and 1100m

Ben Alder paths = trail centre riding mostly as they are very well built.

>Yeah surely cairn a mhaim is best the way I did it..otherwise the ridge is all uphill<

Aye, But it’s all rideable – as is the descent to Luibeg 🙂 And the views are far better going N/S. Your direction it’s not, tho I do get why you did it.

And that carry up the shoulder of Ben Mcd is brutal.

Callater descent is great imo.

Yeah I know that descent down the Feindallachar burn – better way up.

>Think the OP rode Carn a Mhaim the right way Blackmount; down the long ridge to the north? <

For me I guess the setting more than the riding on that hill. Ergo Sron Riach C a M anti – clockwise as a loop ;-)I realise that didn’t work as a point point for the OP. Macdui is best from the North via Coire an Lochan. Two very good options back from the Fords of Avon if you have the legs 😉

>by the hill with the plane wing, and goes down to somewhere between braemar and crathie, any good?,

Not Crathie – that’s way East. “plane wing” (and in fact the entire plane) is on the summit of Carn an Sagairt Mor. The descent to Lochcallater Lodge, then out to Auchallater is very good.

Sron Riach is a better option on to Macdui and Carn a Mhaim much better in reverse of your choice. There is a “path” through the boulder field btw but very easily missed

Any standard cafetiere press will work. Its a bit of a faff mind you as the Alpkit mug doesn’t have a pouring lip

Before they rebuilt the paths below the Hutchie Hut I’d say yes, but not now. For example the descent off Lochnagar (to Loch Muick) kind of blows it away technically. Though neither are impressive looking mountains… The ‘Gorms are massive – it has to be a big day just to penetrate the plateau / interior. Like a lot of riding in the Scottish Highlands it’s more about the day as a whole – if that makes sense? It’s a fantastic place to learn and explore.

>If London can do it, and even wee places like Gibraltar, then why not us.<

‘Cos our civil servants and politicians are largely tits.

Or to give you a one word answer: Funicular

Besides, Braehead and the Kilpatricks? What an awful combination.

That is unless you are saying up Sukky and doon Bukky 😉

The former. Glasgow.

Sorry to hear that.

My son had 5 of these, the first whilst driving. Fortunately the passenger managed to take control of the car. In the second incident he was alone at night and ended up looking like he’d had the shit kicked out of him (thrashed his head off the bedside table) So yes, the seizure itself and the aftermath can be very scary. Per advice above it’s vital she stops driving immediately but I’m sure the medical staff will have told you this already.

So far, the one good piece of news in your wife’s case is that they do not appear to have found any underlying cause. In my sons case they discovered a serious congenital brain condition (which is inoperable) but the seizures themselves have now been successfully controlled by drugs and he is back driving and getting on with his life.

A work colleague also had two episodes a year apart and again his condition is now successfully controlled by drugs. In his case they can find absolutely no underlying cause.

Best of luck with both diagnosis and treatment.

Was on a similar holiday in November and did a day ride with these guys:

http://www.marrakechbikeaction.com/en/home.html

Pierre-alain Renfer is the owner and chief guide. Swiss national, English speaking and very knowledgeable, He has a fleet of very up to date Lapierre mtbs and is the only Lapierre ebike centre in Africa. Not sure what ages your family are but the ebike is a great way to level the playing field if you want to take your partner / kids. He also does Road and city tours.

The Go anywhere (Weber) is a better piece of kit. There’s all sorts of expensive fancy shit out there but in the end its down to experience 😉

>It always makes me roll my eyes when someone says ‘where in Scotland’? & people say ‘the Lakes’.<

Yeah I chuckled at that…

Highlandman nails it basically.

B&Q Hermiston Gate will have miles of what you need. Google “Gyproc White Book” for advice.

Not surprised tbh – hitting your “goal time” suggest lots of boring training and the near certainty you would complete within it.

Try a bike a big bike ride with lots of unknowns 😉

Damn all difference in weight between a Bullit frame and a Heckler. Depends what wheels and components you throw on them and how fit you are. Laughing like a drain at some of the “wont be good for the Peaks” comments. I did some huge mileages on a Bullit in my mid forties and found it a great bike.

Perchpanther could be right – try it with your schlong on the other side

>and those in the Deeside valley<

Are there any uninsured masses in the Deeside Valley? If so then yes, for sure.

Frankly couldn’t give a damn. Have far more sympathy for the thousands of uninsured folk South of the Border.

All but one of your items are consumables and if you only got 14k out the tyres I’m not surprised at the rest

Not so sure the dealer has been ripping you off. I’d have thought the leasing company would be asking some pretty searching questions about whether they actually needed replacement. Sounds like you’ve been ragging it tbh.

By contrast I’ve got a 16 month 320d with 60k on the clock. Rear tyres were replaced at x3 the mileage you got (45k) and there’s still 4mm on the fronts. Our company has dozens of 320’s and I’ve not heard anyone complaining about reliability. I’ve also had 3 other Beamers over the years (petrol and diesel) and I honestly can’t remember anything of note other than service items and the odd minor fault. Certainly more reliable than the dozens of other cars I’ve owned and driven.

Just squirt a bit of washing up liquid on them – you’re not J C Killy

Surely someone does Carbon tyre levers? 😉

5 sets of tyres in 44500m? What you doing with it – ploughing fields?

For sure. I work for a Swiss Co called Jansen – we manufacture exclusively in steel. We have some massive “domestic projects” in hand – conversions of the old BBC TV Centre and Battersea Power Station to name but two.

Our Janisol Arte system has very narrow sight lines, is double glazed / thermally broken and usually supplied in a PPC pre galv finish.

More here: http://www.jansen.com/en/building-systems/products/for-architects/products/windows/windows-in-detail/p/janisol-arte-38/bp/179/

**** me, that sounds boring.