It’s alright figured it out, changed the password so the tablet signed out of the account 🤦

Bought one in the first lockdown, took ages to get one after a failed order from Argos who took my money told me a delivery date and only told me they had cancelled the order when I called to ask why it wasn’t delivered.

But has been a great source of exercise for the kids while being stuck at home so much this year can’t really think of anything else that could have done the same.

Yes there’s a risk they can get injured, same thing as riding their bike or on their scooter in the skatepark etc but imo worth the risk Vs them being a lot less active.

I was on furlough from march until August, had 2 messages in that time one to say “we want you to come back next week” and the 2nd was before I had even made it back to work “oh btw you are up for redundancy”

Managed to keep my job but at massively reduced hours, now Wales is in lockdown again I’m off for 2 weeks, using annual leave this time as already halved salary so definitely can’t cope getting 2/3 of a 1/2!

Not looking good for long term viability of the business.

Off work for 2 weeks kids at home this week, went out for a ride on the bikes from home today. Bike/footpath were very busy with people walking and riding, but weather forecast better for today than rest of the week so everyone had the same idea probably, most will have been straight from their houses on the route we took but there was still a few cars parked in the usual spot.

I don’t even understand why most people I see drive to that spot live within a mile of it yet drive there to walk their dog…

As someone who drives them fairly regular in work and also sells parts for them…

I absolutely cannot understand the hype/love for them.

Slow, noisy brakes are terrible etc etc

Yes they work great off road as a farm truck etc but on road they are just not very enjoyable, it’s basically a toy for offroading or something to keep you busy in the garage.

I’d absolutely have something more reliable (Japanese) if I needed something to do the same job, which is what the farmers in my family have done for 25+ years when they all binned off using land rovers and haven’t got one back

Not sure how old you are…

OAP CUM. from theyknew

Me and my colleague had our interviews today, find out who gets the job tomorrow…

90% sure it’s going to be him as he’s a lot more experienced and I’ve been there less than 2 years.

On my 10 days consultation period at the moment may be able to keep a part time position but my job is already low paid so halving my hours is going to be very difficult and only been in the job 18 months so won’t get any pay out if I leave…

Previous already dropped them off the breakfast club (free in Wales) which gives me an extra 30 minutes in the morning, but my Mrs leaves for work at 7am so there’s not much else I can do. As it stands even the breakfast club Isn’t even going to be on in September

Thanks for all the information and advice

Job share isn’t an option given and not wanted by my colleague anyway, he is very much not “dead wood” so to speak, does way more tasks than me over and above what he is contractually required to do. I’m a bit less willing to give up my own time or do anything that I don’t get paid for as don’t see much reward/loyalty for it…

Which is probably going to bite me in the ass now. Don’t particularly like the job that much anyway people are ok, but low paid. Problem being finding a new job wouldn’t be easy as I have to take my kids to school before work, we used to spread out so he came in early and I stayed later so worked out fine, my boss knows I wouldn’t be able to start any earlier even if it was just me working. Lots of other jobs advertising would require me to start earlier than I can do in the mornings…

We have both been advised of consultation period starting (10 days) and are due to be interviewed for the position, so trying to figure out the least risk option.

1. Agreed to loan my motorbike for a photo shoot involving naked ladies 😬

Are you going to watch? (The motorbike, in case they damage it obviously)

I’m really looking forward to it now the campsite is posting regular updates on Facebook of how everything is looking getting ready to open (for tents)

Although I’m slightly nervous of the fact I have ordered 90% of the stuff we need online and nothing has arrived yet… Have 2 weeks until I go but there very little margin for error!

I’ve ordered a zempire 7.5cm, as above I prefer a firm mattress when I comes to beds so seems to suit me better. Even inflated the 10cm was too “squishy”.

This spiraled out of control quickly and I have a lot off stuff on the way now 😂

Plan is that it’s going be our main holiday for this year, but then we have it all here ready for short notice weekends away and shorter cheap breaks away in future.

As haven’t really been away much the last few years one holiday every year or two, want to go and explore some places I’ve never been.

Still waiting for my new tent to arrive but made a reservation for 3 cliffs bay in the Gower in a few weeks. Went there 10 years ago so it’s been a while!

Still looking for a sleeping mat, tried a 7.5cm and 10cm today and found the 7.5cm better suited to be honest as I found the 10cm too soft but the shop I went to didn’t have many in doubles and didn’t seem very interested in helping me find what I wanted.

Put 2 adult bikes on the rack and 2 kids bikes in the van?

Must be room in a van for 2 little bikes?

Light Ali hybrid is the way to go.

I got a trek FX for the ex-mrs wiggles for about £500 which is v brakes and 3×9 (about five years ago) fitted some CX tyres and full mudguards, plenty of bike for canal/family trail riding.

Then I upgraded.

Not the bike, the Mrs and luckily Mrs wiggles mk.ii is the same height so now uses the same bike. She not confident enough to ever do anymore off roading than a rigid hybrid can handle anyway so perfect for when we are all together anyway, then I take the kids on more adventurous stuff myself.

But on the other hand my dad bought my mum a nice trek hybrid a little while after but she had no interest in riding it and only used it once! So don’t go splurging too much.

Luckily I managed to sell it for him recently with the added Corona tax for around about what he paid for it brand new about 3 years ago!

That double sleeping bag looks like a good idea, we have a double but my Mrs is always colder than me generally. I’ve never been camping with her yet though… Only my ex who really didn’t like it so hopefully have more success this time!

So my budget kind of went out the window and I ordered a big swanky inflatable tent with a footprint and carpet…

Managed to pick up a small fridge on Facebook market place for £20 as I can borrow my dad’s trailer to go camping I figure I might as well take as many luxuries as I can!

Really just need a nice mattress and a cooking table/kitchen unit to get me started now as I have a few small gas stoves.

Been on furlough since march (80% pay), work in a car dealership. Some of our branches are open but not us yet, been told we will be opening “soon” but I’ve only worked there for just over a year so not very secure if they start looking to reduce staff.

Thanks for the detailed responses guys.

I’ve already got sleeping bags from previous trips, folding table, small stove few air mattresses which have been my main discomfort in the past.

I am considering getting an a electric hookup, mainly just being able to keep cold milk (and beer!) But that might need to be a further down the line thing.

I’ve got a decent size lawn that’s long but only about 3m wide so for practice/cleaning purposes something that would fit at home would be a bonus.

Annoyingly the rules in Wales currently don’t permit toilet blocks at campsites so will be off to England rather than sharing a bucket with a 7 & 9 year old boy that get more piss around than in the toilet

I’m having a little look around what I can find local 2nd hand before I buy new to see if there’s any bargains.

Going to get some comfortable beds and maybe have a trial run in the tent I already have if nothing comes up cheap before I blow money on something new.

I had a look chapaking and while it looks like a great tent the pole design doesn’t look that easy to put up by yourself which is more than likely what would be happening based on the amount of arguments I’ve had when my Mrs tries to ‘help’ putting together ikea furniture 😂

Have a decent size hatchback and access to a trailer so size isn’t much of a concern. Usually only cook breakfast and just find a pub for dinner!

The decathlon tents do look one of the best options, but the other option is to get one a bit bigger from somewhere else that does 0% over a few months. The air tents are certainly appealing Instead of all the poles etc

Wheel hooks on the wall works for me. At staggered heights so handlebars are apart from each other. 4 hooks for a about a tenner

South Wales is a bit far from central Scotland, appreciate the offer though.

T130 I’d say, as a previous g160 owner it’s very much a ‘buldozer’ bike just wants to smash through and straight line everything which is great on rough steep trail but can make more tame stuff a bit boring and lacking in feedback

Looks really good 👍

I’ve just acquired an epic, my first fS XC bike and looking forward to getting out on it more.

External or internal routed have different sizes form they?

Air shaft, they usually have sag Marks for 120,100 and 80mm.

I worked in a shop that sold those mekks when they were new, most of them had bent mech hangers out the box and the replacement ones came pre-bent… Then you tried to bend them straight and they snapped.

No, still have to stay local in Wales we aren’t allowed to travel for recreational purposes. Currently proposed date is 6th July for travel restrictions to end.

I used to have a diverge with spyres and deeply deeply regretted not going for the model up that had hydro brakes they just took so much force to slow me down (i am a fatty) my hands would be aching after any long descents.

My dad has a cx bike he’s had for years that I’ve always maintained for him with bb7s, went through pads very quickly and always noisy.

He bought a new bike with 105 hydros last year and while waiting for me to fit new pads to it this week (first set in a year) took the old bike out then immediately decided to sell it as he’s never going to ride it again after how bad the brakes are in comparison to his new bikes.

So for me and my dad’s experience
Cables disks = crap
Hydro = good

So it won’t work with a xt 11 speed mech then? Bugger, I’ll have to get a 11-46 then.

I’m interested in this also… Have a 11 speed xt mech shifter and a non microspline/XD wheel so seems like a good option

Lockdown has been over for weeks in reality ever since the whole Cummings thing everyone started having people over their houses going out more etc

Hasn’t been any police “checkpoints” pulling people over like there was a few months ago.

The problem I see for Wales is going to be when things are relaxed and the border reopened as such is that everyone has been told to stay away for so long you are basically compressing all the tourists/Mountain bikers/holiday home onwers etc into a shorter space of time so you end up with them all coming at once. Probably make it harder to manage

Some of the logic is this thread seems a bit backwards, “the R number is lower in Wales so they should be reopening things” isn’t that the opposite of saying the r number is higher in England because they opened more things?

Therefore vindicating the longer lockdown?

It will be a while before we see the full extent of all this.

Frog 69 or 73 are about £400 I think. Probably same boat as most of the others with stock though.

Oh that’s worth a look then might grab a slaughter.

Also found a new (fitted but never used ) purgatory 2.6×27.5 purgatory in the garage if anyone wants it £15 posted?

Managed to get a 2.3 butcher and some tubeless stuff today so going to just put the least knackered ground control on the back and maybe get a slaughter or something later on.

if you have a 2.3×29 slaughter or purgatory I could be interested Tracey

I’ve got an aldi stand that is about 10 years old now and starting to fall apart…

Used the park higher end stuff when I worked in a bike shop but £100+ is a lot to spend so trying to find something in the under a ton category looks like that lifeline one looks decent.

Also a great reason for 2 legs in you can put it up against a wall/fence unlike the Aldi type where you need a big open space.

I left it to long for the specialized sale, nothing useful left for me all 27.5″ or super heavy stuff left.

Asked my mate at the bike shop I used to work to see what he can find in stock for me at the decent price, so a bit of a lucky dip really I’ll find out tomorrow.