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by toontra
28 Aug 2024, 4:23pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Best route from UK to Singapore
Replies: 11
Views: 3118

Re: Best route from UK to Singapore


simonhill wrote:We used to get these type of tell me everything posts quite frequently pre COVID. Not seen one for a long time. I call them PPPs - post pub posts. I usually reply with a couple of pertinent questions to see if they are genuinely interested. The no reply says it all.

Maybe the OP has moved on now possibly considering sledging across Antarctica or climbing Kilimanjaro.
Quite possibly. But even if the original poster has lost interest, such threads can elicit replies that are interesting and informative to others (e. g. me!) , as seen upthread. So not entirely a waste.


I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my SM-G973F using hovercraft full of eels.

by toontra
24 Aug 2024, 11:24am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Booking bicycles onto LNER trains ?
Replies: 49
Views: 4989

Re: Booking bicycles onto LNER trains ?

Ah OK. All rail companies have different policies. I must have been thinking of another one.

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my SM-G973F using hovercraft full of eels.

by toontra
24 Aug 2024, 10:22am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Booking bicycles onto LNER trains ?
Replies: 49
Views: 4989

Re: Booking bicycles onto LNER trains ?

A huge leccy bike in my compartment today so mine is sticking out into the passage. I thought they weren't allowed on trains?

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my SM-G973F using hovercraft full of eels.

by toontra
22 Aug 2024, 3:19pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Ex-Post Office CEO Paula Vennells
Replies: 834
Views: 69696

Re: Ex-Post Office CEO Paula Vennells

axel_knutt wrote: 22 Aug 2024, 2:02pm
toontra wrote: 22 Aug 2024, 10:31am Perhaps a statement under oath at the start of every proceeding by all lawyers involved in a case that the evidence they will present will be, to the best of their knowledge, the truth, etc - i.e. the same as witnesses.
Do you seriously think that criminals and liars don't stand in court and say "I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth"? People lie when they have something to gain from it, and they have something to gain from crime or blame avoidance.
There is an extra layer of jeopardy for practicing lawyers over your common-or-garden criminal. They are bound by strict codes of practice and ethics. To knowingly breach those is just about as serious as it gets in the legal system - i.e. losing your livelihood after X years of education, training, climbing the pole, etc.

I'm suggesting they should be reminded of this. Hopefully the conclusion of the enquiry will help to do just that.
by toontra
22 Aug 2024, 11:26am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Ex-Post Office CEO Paula Vennells
Replies: 834
Views: 69696

Re: Ex-Post Office CEO Paula Vennells

Bonefishblues wrote: 22 Aug 2024, 11:12am ........(lawyers don't, by definition, give evidence).............
I did say the evidence they "present" - not give.
by toontra
22 Aug 2024, 10:31am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Ex-Post Office CEO Paula Vennells
Replies: 834
Views: 69696

Re: Ex-Post Office CEO Paula Vennells

Bonefishblues wrote: 22 Aug 2024, 9:57am
toontra wrote: 22 Aug 2024, 8:55am
Carlton green wrote: 22 Aug 2024, 6:51am I haven’t been following this thread recently but the more I see of how the courts work the more concerned I become about justice.
Indeed. This whole affair isn't so much about the failure of an IT system - it's about the failure of the justice system. When lawyers and barristers feel free to commit perjury and pervert the course of justice to suit their client, and the system doesn't have the checks in place to prevent this, the door is open to miscarriages of justice.
What should be built in as checks to prevent this?
Perhaps a statement under oath at the start of every proceeding by all lawyers involved in a case that the evidence they will present will be, to the best of their knowledge, the truth, etc - i.e. the same as witnesses.

Of course this shouldn't be necessary - it's already covered in their code of professional ethics but it clearly didn't work in this case. A specific declaration in court, on oath, in front of a judge, may help focus their attention on their legal obligations which are pivotal to the judicial process.

This enquiry should, if nothing else, draw attention to what happens when lawyers play loose with evidence, and that's why it's so important that those complicit in what happened are prosecuted to the full extent of both the law and their ethical standards body. That would also focus the attention of their peers as to the likely consequences of such behaviour.
by toontra
22 Aug 2024, 8:55am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Ex-Post Office CEO Paula Vennells
Replies: 834
Views: 69696

Re: Ex-Post Office CEO Paula Vennells

Carlton green wrote: 22 Aug 2024, 6:51am I haven’t been following this thread recently but the more I see of how the courts work the more concerned I become about justice.
Indeed. This whole affair isn't so much about the failure of an IT system - it's about the failure of the justice system. When lawyers and barristers feel free to commit perjury and pervert the course of justice to suit their client, and the system doesn't have the checks in place to prevent this, the door is open to miscarriages of justice.
by toontra
20 Aug 2024, 12:19pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: *** The AI Thread *** Risks, Threats, Political Action
Replies: 83
Views: 14114

Re: *** The AI Thread *** Risks, Threats, Political Action

Psamathe wrote: 20 Aug 2024, 12:15pm Use AI to detect AI.
But then presumably AI could be used to detect the AI detecting AI and bypass it.
by toontra
20 Aug 2024, 11:47am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Booking bicycles onto LNER trains ?
Replies: 49
Views: 4989

Re: Booking bicycles onto LNER trains ?

rogerzilla wrote: 20 Aug 2024, 9:36am What are the bike spaces like on the Azumas? Are they as bad as on the GWR Class 800 trains, which are similar Hitachi units?
Same size, same configuration - same issues. The only difference is LNER have put small ramps on the floor, supposedly to help with getting your bike onto the hook. It does to an extent but in no way mitigates the unpleasantness of the whole business. A Class A design fail in every aspect.

BTW LNER will be affected by strikes for a third year in a row, coincidentally always when I'm booked to travel. Trying to swap a bike reservation for another day is a nightmare based on bitter past experience.

EDIT: Actually I've just made a bike reservation for the next non-strike day on the LNER website, as mentioned above without having a ticket for that journey - just entered 0 for the reference. So now I'll only have to transfer the ticket if necessary (they won't allow me to do that yet :roll: )
by toontra
20 Aug 2024, 11:28am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Making a new bike from scratch...
Replies: 151
Views: 8181

Re: Making a new bike from scratch...

I should say that my Clockwork was built from the frame up - no original parts. Being 26", rim brakes and 1" steerer some of these were hard to source, others less so (9-speed drivetrain). It took quite a lot of research and time but I've ended up with my perfect do-it-all.

Not the quickest way to get a bike up and running and probably not the cheapest - you may need to invest in some basic tools too.
by toontra
19 Aug 2024, 3:49pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Wider rims and bigger tyres for touring
Replies: 55
Views: 8941

Re: Wider rims and bigger tyres for touring

My touring setup is Continental Travel Contacts (26" x 2") on Mavic 317 rims. May seem extreme but they've come in handy on a few occasions where the terrain has proved "challenging" - e.g. a lava stream that had wiped out the track on Mt Etna :shock:

You never quite know what you're going to be faced with so best to be prepared for the worst. The tyres have a slick centre when running at higher pressures but can be deflated to allow the side tread to kick in if needed. Only 2 punctures I can remember over many thousands of miles.

No doubt they will disappear along with most other 26" stuff so I have spare wheels and tyres stashed away!
by toontra
18 Aug 2024, 6:49pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Making a new bike from scratch...
Replies: 151
Views: 8181

Re: Making a new bike from scratch...

An 18" would be fine for someone your height. There's always adjustment with stem & setback seatpost/saddle position.

I'm 6' and the 19" Clockwork fits perfectly.
by toontra
18 Aug 2024, 9:56am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Making a new bike from scratch...
Replies: 151
Views: 8181

Re: Making a new bike from scratch...

If it hasn't been mentioned already Retrobike is the place to be looking for vintage MTB & road bikes - https://www.retrobike.co.uk/forums/
by toontra
18 Aug 2024, 8:55am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Making a new bike from scratch...
Replies: 151
Views: 8181

Re: Making a new bike from scratch...

nirakaro wrote: 17 Aug 2024, 8:22pm Sounds like the OP might be well suited with something like my favourite bike, which started out as an early-nineties steel no-sus Specialized Hardrock.
That's exactly the basis of my "do-it-all" bike. A '92 Orange Clockwork frame with rigid forks, 48-38-28 up front (but could easily be swapped to 44-34-24, etc) and 11-34 cassette. Massive clearance for tyres & mudguards and mounts for rack. The only thing missing for proper off-road stuff is disc-brake mounts but as it's a steel frame I could always get some brazed on. (as it is I have another bike for that).

This is my commuter, my workhorse and also my tourer. It's been all over the world and unladen is actually great fun to ride. Decent 26" rim-brake wheels are getting hard to find these days though. Luckily I found a spare set on Ebay and have them fitted with slicks for training in Tenerife.
by toontra
16 Aug 2024, 10:55am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: 1x vs 2x?
Replies: 146
Views: 7299

Re: 1x vs 2x?

Cugel wrote: 16 Aug 2024, 8:29am The advantage of 2X - it gives you two ranges of (overlapping) gear ratios from the cassette: one for slower terrain and one for faster terrain. 3X is even better for that.

The disadvantage of 1X - the gear ratio jumps are much too great for various kinds of changing terrain, especially on longer stretches of roads but also tracks, where slight changes in incline require slight changes of ratio.
Indeed. It's always good when you have the exact "right" gear for a longish stretch at an even gradient. Slightly too high or low and you're never comfortable or able to generate the maximum power. For that reason I have a triple on my MTB/tourer and audax bikes and a double on the "fast" bike for day rides. I'd never want to go down the 1x route on any bike for whatever purpose - I just can't see the advantage but the disadvantages are pretty obvious.