Cycling UK Forum

My comment was more about the possession (rather than use, though arguably it was doing as much good where it was as it would be on his head and didn't present a strangulation risk) of the helmet than anything else, though the riding on the pavement was illegal and the lack of lights would have made...

I'm not sure it was after sunrise, legally it might have been but there certainly wasn't much light and I wouldn't have considered riding without lights in those conditions myself.

Lacking lights I think riding on the pavement was a good choice.

Saw a pupil on his way to school yesterday; riding on the pavement on the wrong side of the road, dark clothing (school uniform), no lights, but he did have a helmet... hung from the side of the saddle.

So I guess one of my local schools has a similar policy.

Tiny homes are a great idea, but it's finding a site that's the problem. And planning, of course. I'd like to see a right to reside on your own land, without implying any right/permission to erect permanent structures. So an individual can buy cheap land and live there in a tent, but building a bung...

One of the big problems in the UK (IMO) is that rents are so high, and so much higher than mortgage costs. That's partly down to low interest rates, but also due to landlords being speculative investors who are themselves borrowing most of the capital. So the rent has to cover the mortgage plus land...

I have Schwalbe "Snow Studs" which are even cheaper (the trick is to buy them in May...) Currently on their second winter so getting on for 2000 miles on them. I lost a few studs early on (I've got the tool too) but none recently. You do need clearances for 622 X 40 though. They are draggy...

I let my BCU membership lapse years ago. I'd have kept it for the waterways license but there's no waterways around here that are on it. Plenty of canoeing, all on tidal water. I was never an Instructor, so lapsing isn't a problem. BCU Instructor qualifications are voided if your membership lapses...

For anyone considering canoing, I recommend some practice righting a canoe in open water. Even experienced canoeists sometimes tip or get swamped, and it was a 'test' I had to pass before I was allowed to canoe on my own when I was young (early teens?). Also, keep any valuables, such as phones and ...

PH wrote:What do canoes do at locks? Get out and carry I suppose?

IIRC (which I might not), the BCU "license" doesn't cover use of locks, so yes, exactly that. Small trolleys are useful.

Why fanciful? You might want a trailer though, even for an inflatable. They are moderately bulky when deflated. I did hear of someone doing a fairly significant tour (think it was in Canada) with a folding tandem and rigid aluminium canoe on a trailer. The bike could tow the canoe and the whole lot,...

There's a few folding canoes and kayaks about which generally outperform inflatables. They do tend to be expensive. That BCU membership includes insurance as well. They do remind me of British Cycling, though (or rather British Cycling reminds me of the BCU). There's no non-competitive recreational ...

"Pack rafts" are something else again and some people are combining them with cycling. Either a folding mountain bike carried on the bow or a fat bike towed behind (apparently the tyres have sufficient volume to float the bike... must play havoc with the drive train). Decathlon do an "...

Halfords. Again the excuse is an e-receipt and since I was buying a number plate I had to give all kinds of details anyway...

but they do use the email to send spam.

Has she passed her "Life in the UK" (or whatever it's called) residence test? Signed up for her English language course and "shown progress"?

Pity, they're a lot of fun. The canoe vs kayak debate reminds me of recumbent vs upright... I'm in the canoe camp myself, though I started in kayaks. Tried going back to kayak a few years ago and was surprised how tiring it was, particularly across the shoulders. The paddle weighs twice as much as a...