Search found 455 matches

by CliveyT
15 Mar 2024, 10:19am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Holland - Short Tour
Replies: 37
Views: 1168

Re: Holland - Short Tour

bohrsatom wrote: 15 Mar 2024, 8:08am
CliveyT wrote: 14 Mar 2024, 9:13pm Would be going right past de Molen brewery so I would have the problem of getting 'delayed' in Bodegraven
I’m going to Gouda in May (with my Brompton), this is now on my list of places to visit!
The most scenic route is to head towards Gouda Gouverwelle station, head up through the Goudse Hout country park and then wend your way between what look like gravel pits towards Bodegraven. Longer, but certainly more pleasant than the direct route to the wast of the pits. There's also a cheese farm on the other side of the river in Bodegraven, but seeing you're staying in Gouda you'll probably have had enough of cheese by then
by CliveyT
14 Mar 2024, 9:13pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Holland - Short Tour
Replies: 37
Views: 1168

Re: Holland - Short Tour

Dupont wrote: 14 Mar 2024, 8:01pm I am just a little concerned about day 2 and whether Leiden to Utrecht is a little optimistic distance wise.
Would be going right past de Molen brewery so I would have the problem of getting 'delayed' in Bodegraven
by CliveyT
13 Mar 2024, 3:38pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Holland - Short Tour
Replies: 37
Views: 1168

Re: Holland - Short Tour

Utrecht isn't in Holland... :wink:
And I agree, some of them are very short stages so if the aim is to do sightseeing then fine, but some days you'll have as long off the bike as on it
If you're staying o/n in den Haag then you can easily get the day sailing back from Hoek- saves you having to book a cabin.
by CliveyT
11 Mar 2024, 1:50pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Knee protection please
Replies: 39
Views: 1948

Re: Knee protection please

Airsporter1st wrote: 11 Mar 2024, 11:04am This guy has it cracked - nice low CofG and fully protected.IMG_1456.jpeg
With the weather recently- he'd be rusted solid in a week. :lol:
by CliveyT
25 Feb 2024, 8:42am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: How's your weather?
Replies: 1938
Views: 93910

Re: How's your weather?

Cowsham wrote: 25 Feb 2024, 8:02am Minus 3 but at least it's dry for a change
That's my fault I'm afraid. I took the studded tyres off the Galaxy last weekend
by CliveyT
23 Feb 2024, 10:45am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Allen Key Brand - to protect bolt head on Rare EBB
Replies: 54
Views: 3557

Re: Allen Key Brand

I have a set of 1/2"" (maybe 3/8 can't remember if I use an adapter or not) drive hex head sockets that fit on my torque wrench I bought specifically for one high-torque bolt on our tandem. Not cheap (but then neither is the tandem) and not as maneuverable as a hex key but well made and certainly not going to round off any time soon.
by CliveyT
16 Feb 2024, 10:03am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Importing a new or 2nd hand bike into the UK from the EU.
Replies: 50
Views: 4142

Re: Importing a new or 2nd hand bike into the UK from the EU.

Fair enough.
One other thing to consider is it will almost certainly be sold with continental braking (right lever-rear etc.) and if they're not exporting to the UK they might not even offer UK braking any more. Without looking at the bike I can't say how easy it would be to swap.
May not be a deal-breaker for you but it would certainly worry me
by CliveyT
16 Feb 2024, 9:46am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Importing a new or 2nd hand bike into the UK from the EU.
Replies: 50
Views: 4142

Re: Importing a new or 2nd hand bike into the UK from the EU.

Two bits of advice i would offer- Don't seek legal advice off a cycling forum. There are almost certainly people on here that know exactly what the law says, there are people on here who have a good idea, there are people on here who don't know and some of them will still venture an opinion. Working out which is which is difficult and " some people on the internet said it would be OK" will not be looked at favourably by customs and excise.
Secondly don't go around telling people what you're planning to do on a publicly viewable forum? :)
by CliveyT
14 Feb 2024, 9:23am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Tram at Hook of Holland
Replies: 10
Views: 791

Re: Tram at Hook of Holland

Will wrote: 13 Feb 2024, 7:12pm Every other tram starts at Steendijkpolder (the next stop after Hoek van Holland Haven), so if you have to wait until 9am, then you can cycle down to Steendijkpolder and get a more frequent tram from there.
Alternatively if time isn't an issue then go the other way to Hoek van Holland strand. The cafe's generally don't open until 10 so if you want breakfast you'll be a bit later, otherwise go for a stroll on the beach and get the first metro after 9. You might easily be the only person getting on which makes it easy to get the bike settled before it gets busy
by CliveyT
5 Feb 2024, 9:37am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Is bringing back conscription a good idea?
Replies: 49
Views: 2005

Re: Is bringing back conscription a good idea?

One question- how is it going to be paid for? One reason why the armed forces are so small now is that reducing manpower reduces tax spend and a small, hi-tech armed force is cheaper than a large, lower-tech one. And it's not just wages, all the new conscripts will require equipment, you'll have to increase the amount of training facilities and buy back all the barracks that have been sold off for housing. The Navy may need a few more ships to put them on etc. etc.
Until I see an election manifesto wanting to raise taxes to build a conscript army I'm not going to worry about it
by CliveyT
2 Feb 2024, 2:54pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Halfords Cycle2work
Replies: 38
Views: 1759

Re: Halfords Cycle2work

pete75 wrote: 2 Feb 2024, 2:31pm
CliveyT wrote: 2 Feb 2024, 2:24pm There's one further problem with C2W- if you're a higher rate taxpayer (i.e. the one who needs least help with buying a bike) you get a greater benefit than a standard rate taxpayer. If you're on the minimum wage (i.e someone who would need most help and possibly someone who would most benefit) you can't join the scheme at all.
That's nothing to do with CTW. It's a feature of all salary sacrifice schemes, coupled with the way minimum wage legislation works.
I know, it's true for many things. It's why salary sacrifice is IMO one of the worst ways the scheme could have been delivered
by CliveyT
2 Feb 2024, 2:24pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Halfords Cycle2work
Replies: 38
Views: 1759

Re: Halfords Cycle2work

There's one further problem with C2W- if you're a higher rate taxpayer (i.e. the one who needs least help with buying a bike) you get a greater benefit than a standard rate taxpayer. If you're on the minimum wage (i.e someone who would need most help and possibly someone who would most benefit) you can't join the scheme at all.
by CliveyT
29 Jan 2024, 9:33am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Stena line to Holland with a Brompton as foot passenger
Replies: 25
Views: 2392

Re: Stena line to Holland with a Brompton as foot passenger

Without re-reading the thread I'm assuming you're going on the night crossing, because the day crossing from Peterborough/ Cambridge is just about inaccessible by train (first train gets in too late for check-in going out; coming back last train back is OK during the week, have to go via Liverpool ST at weekends and can't be done if there's any engineering work)
by CliveyT
24 Jan 2024, 4:17pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: First ride in four months
Replies: 130
Views: 19020

Re: First ride in four months

Mick F wrote: 24 Jan 2024, 2:45pm Hi guys.

Still feeling rubbish. I went to bed yesterday at 18:30, got up at midnight for a cuppa and was back asleep by 01:30. Up and about at 05:45.

I've done a few things this morning, including a gentle dog walk ......... it was the walk that was gentle!
Bike rides are out of the question at the moment. Fingers crossed I could be ok and active enough for a bike ride on Friday or the weekend.

If I'm not, I'll be making an appointment to see the doc.
I think health first and cycling second is the order of the day. Too much too early can always backfire so get well soon.

Although I did come across this website the other day https://www.englishfords.co.uk/gallery_592777.html and I did think of you
by CliveyT
24 Jan 2024, 9:57am
Forum: On the road
Topic: One Bad Apple
Replies: 21
Views: 2306

Re: One Bad Apple

Maybe it's because I'm mostly cycling in Cambridge but actually I find good/tolerant driving more common than bad. Yes there are a couple of roundabouts where I sort of expect a car in the right hand (right turn lane) to try and overtake me and go straight on, the advance stop line seems to be invisible to some people and close passes do happen, but almost every day I'll be wanting to turn right somewhere and someone in the oncoming traffic will slow and gesture for me to do so. If I need to change lanes I'll signal and people will allow me to do so. On Sunday we were cycling to a pub in a neighbouring village and every car and van waited behind us until it was safe to overtake, even not overtaking in places that I would possibly have considered it.
One thing I do do is acknowledge every act of kindness. Even something like not overtaking some parked cars when I'm coming towards them gets a wave. When I worked for Masterfoods petfood and they were training dogs it was described as 'encouraging good behaviour' - don't punish them when doing bad but praise them when doing well. No reason not to apply it to humans as well