Cycling UK Forum

pwa wrote: ↑30 Aug 2024, 12:42pm

ANTONISH wrote: ↑30 Aug 2024, 10:46am

pwa wrote: ↑30 Aug 2024, 7:01am
Is it in good order? You soon won't be able to buy a new one in the UK.

I have a boiler engineer who services it every year.
Yes it's in good order and efficient.
At the moment spares are available - there are good second hand boilers and parts also available since some are being removed to make room for the "improvements" conferred by an air source heat pump.
I don't expect to be without a boiler for the foreseeable future - which may not be long given my age.
Oil may increase in price but at the moment I'm satisfied that my heating cost won't be bettered by installing a heat pump.

I only ask because, of course, anyone wanting to stick to oil for the next few years needs to recognise that if they are going to want a new oil boiler, now is the time.

al_yrpal wrote: ↑30 Aug 2024, 7:41am Hmmm...

Not so simple.... https://www.theguardian.com/money/artic ... GTUK_email

Al

Jdsk wrote: ↑29 Aug 2024, 11:33am

francovendee wrote: ↑29 Aug 2024, 11:31am

Jdsk wrote: ↑29 Aug 2024, 9:59am Dealing with homelessness doesn't need massive amounts of new building. It does need the political will to do what works.


https://live.fullfact.org/economy/homelessness-england/

"The Homelessness Monitor: Great Britain 2022":
https://www.crisis.org.uk/ending-homele ... tain-2022/

Is this the most up to date report? The rough sleeper figures seem very low, I don't think it's accurate for 2024, no data to back it but it doesn't sound right.

Homelessness Monitor reports by country:
https://www.crisis.org.uk/ending-homele ... s-monitor/

Jonathan

Jdsk wrote: ↑29 Aug 2024, 9:59am Dealing with homelessness doesn't need massive amounts of new building. It does need the political will to do what works.


https://live.fullfact.org/economy/homelessness-england/

"The Homelessness Monitor: Great Britain 2022":
https://www.crisis.org.uk/ending-homele ... tain-2022/

Jonathan

ANTONISH wrote: ↑28 Aug 2024, 6:52pm

Psamathe wrote: ↑28 Aug 2024, 12:34pm

ANTONISH wrote: ↑28 Aug 2024, 10:12am ... on the Lees there is a hotel housing migrants - nice views across the channel to the coast of France, all found and a bit of pocket money.
Meanwhile a few hundred yards away there are British citizens sleeping rough - as there are in many towns and cities throughout the UK
We don't have enough social housing to meet the deprivation of our existing population.

To me that is "whataboutism". Of course we should address the UK housing problems, of course we should address issues facing those sleeping rough and we should also be helping those refugees in need of asylum.

One should not be affecting the other needs; we can afford to sort all despite the story Labour are now trying to sell us.

Ian

Yes what about homeless British citizens? You suggest "addressing" the problem. That problem exists now, but currently your answer is to bring in hundreds of thousands more.
We can afford to sort out housing etc - perhaps.
But we are where we are - the amount of housing isn't going to increase much in the short term - we are bringing in hundreds of thousands of migrants - inevitably they will compete with British citizens for the limited social housing available.
I presume you have a practical plan to deal with the problem - " we can afford it" is hardly an answer to the problem.
I presume you have the answer "how many housing units? where will they be placed ? what extra school provision will be needed ?
I am concerned about homeless British residents - not adding to their problems.

simonineaston wrote: ↑22 Aug 2024, 4:32pm Every maritime accident involving fatalities must be truly awful, for those involved, their family & friends as well as the teams that clear up afterwards. But the day-after-day after coverage of the sinking of the yacht Bayesian is in stark contrast to the cursory coverage given to the many migrants who suffer similar accidents and end up drowned in the open seas.
I recall seeing similar repeated coverage of the dreadful submarine sinking a couple years of ago and thinking that you only appear to be terrifically newsworthy if you’re very, very rich. If you're not, nobody - at least in the firm of news editors - gives a monkey’s…

Cadence wrote: ↑17 Aug 2024, 10:35am

Audax67 wrote: ↑17 Aug 2024, 9:18am FWIW, back in 2011 I built a tourer on a 1994 suspension-free MTB frame with remedial paint daubs here and there. I used Decathlon parts and it came in pretty cheaply. It served as a practice build so that I could build a better bike on an Surly LHT frame the following year. In the end, though, there wasn't much difference, and the MTB frame would have been just as good and not as distressing if someone had nicked it. Fine for leaving outside coffee shops etc.

Dunno how plentiful 1990s MTB frames are these days, but it's an idea.

Two years ago I picked up a little-used 1992 Giant rigid MTB for the princely sum of £35.00, with the intention of it being my "winter" bike.
It was totally original (3 x 7 gears) and useable from day one. It was supposed to be an unloved "un-nickable" bike, but I just can't resist the urge to "tinker" - purely for the fun of it. So it's since had upgraded good S/H or NOS parts fitted that are sympathetic to the era (such as polished v-brakes and a better RD) - so the plan didn't really work.
Although I have three other bikes this has turned out to be the most comfortable and capable machine for mainly road and easy trails - so much so that I don't use the others much now. If I throw a couple of panniers on and do the weekly shop it has the feel of a dedicated tourer. I've not ridden a Surly or Thorn but I doubt they are that much better - the Giant even has fork mountings for a front rack! I wouldn't hesitate to go touring with it. On the other hand it is surprisingly agile for a steel framed bike.
WP_20221220_12_43_37_Pro.jpg
I was going to fit a different freewheel with a gear lower than 28T, but a year ago I decided that it was time for an e-bike. The tinkerer in me wanted to fit a conversion kit. I ultimately kitted out this one and two of the others. Again, the old Giant is by far the better ride and I don't need to use the "granny" now, despite it being a very heavy.
WP_20230625_18_35_56_Pro_LI (2).jpg
Since the above photo I've fitted Schwalbe Big Apple tyres. With lower pressures the ride is so smooth and comfortable that I find any old excuse just to get out on it. I don't often ride at 20mph plus, but when I do it is very stable and predictable. But is it now more nick-able? I really hope it would be overlooked, but I carefully lock it when left anywhere and would be very upset if it went missing!
Perhaps I need another bike?

Jdsk wrote: ↑15 Aug 2024, 8:58am

francovendee wrote: ↑15 Aug 2024, 8:52am The reports of people choosing not to return to work after Covid and lock-downs has made me wonder if it was a wake up call for many.
Suddenly you were faced with a potentially fatal disease all around you and all those plans for the future took a knock.
You were forced to stay at home and found you quite liked the freedom from having to earn a living.
Having experienced it I think many sat down and reasoned if they cut back on buying things, living more frugally and maybe taking a pension early they could manage. Are these the people the government wants to persuade to return to work?
If so I think they are going to fail. Once you've experienced being 'free' from having a job I can't see what incentive would make me want to return to work.

Yes. But there's also the direct long-term effects of COVID on physical and mental health.

Jonathan