Cycling UK Forum

Yesterday, my volunteer group were clearing some vegetation from around tumuli on a heath.

Luckily, I had brought my litterpicker and spent a good half-hour picking up the wind-scattered, remnants of the [synthetic] filling of a sleeping-bag/duvet.

. . . the consequences of some "jolly fun" at an ad hoc, camp out .

If she comes back to this country, I'm guessing that she will have to be given a new identity AND somehow "kept safe".
- from persons who resent her actions and would do her harm.
- from I.S. persons who would attempt to control her with threats of extreme action against her or her family.

At best she would be a virtual prisoner of the state ( if not an actual prisoner ).

Is there any decent quailty-of-life left for her anywhere ??

Hopefully, the clear effect of the above will be to :-
"Reward people for choosing to travel by bicycle".

Also, walkers, runners and horseriders.

Whatever, the easy words and good intentions from those making decisions and holding the purse strings, the current message at all levels remains :-
- You are subordinate to those using motor vehicles
- You will just have to put up with the latent danger, pollution, noise, poor-quality facilities, overgrown vegetation, litter, because there are only crumbs left over.

Hope for the best & plan for the worst. . . . but . . . "Predict & Provide [for motor vehicle transport]" is still predominant.

There may be trouble ahead, unless society faces up to the environmental cost of "travel" . . .

The OP was last logged in a few seconds after posting this.
No feedback, response or thanks . . . . (yet)

We have a "steveparry" , located in Bristol as a member of this forum.

Last active here - yesterday @ 18:36 . . . .

Try a PM to find out if he is THE S.P.

I appear to be becoming the cyclepath vegetation cutter-backer for the area - as the appropriate authorities seems to be more interested in "safety cutting" of roadside verges and hedges . . . ( . . . i.e. pesky vegetation is slowing down the motorists or driving too fast for the conditions = crash-a-lot ).

Anyhow, a brushcutter would be very useful and efficient. I'm thinking of a Stihl battery one as I only want to do about an hour at a time.
Definitely not as powerful as an ( Aspen-fuelled ) ICE brushcutter . . . . but as we are merrily blundering towards climate destruction . . . .

My backup brushcutter is an austrian scythe - surprisingly effective - but one MUST know how to keep it sharp. peening & honing . . .

I acquired by brushcutter ticket just before lockdown and haven't touched one since. Eventually I'll be using a Stihl 460 (ICE) - brushcutting on behalf of others . . . . a national park : a county council & local groups.
. . . . ^ ^ . . . which is strange, because one might think that such authorities, who have "declared a Climate Emergency", might be on the forefront of implementing Carbon Budgets and actively cutting their fossil fuel use.

The motorists' extraordinary privileges will lead us to oblivion.

OP was last active six minutes after posting this - two days ago.

I would hope for some feedback or something, before wasting any more precious life-force on responding.

Treat the rust on those stanchions - before they sandpaper the seals to shreddies, then clean & lubricate them.

Maybe an exciting ride over the bumps will get the suspension moving again ?

I stumbled upon this link - it also suggest inverting the bike, for some time, to get whatever lube within the fork body back up/down to the bushes and seals . . . .
https://guides.wiggle.co.uk/how-maintai ... nsion-fork

Good Luck

ChrisF wrote:I'm booked on a ferry to France at the end of August, but I can see from Brittany Ferries' information that social distancing will be easy.

By bike ? Car ? Bike on car ? Car on bike (trailer) ?

I'm assuming that you mean that the vertical movement of the suspension forks is locked solid ?

If so, I would suggest that the bicycle is already useable but may be restricted to on-road, bridleways and other not-so-lumpy rough ground.
( The older type of mountain bike didn't have suspension on the front or back - just relying on fat tyres for shock absorption. )

I'm afraid I cannot help with a replacement though.

Aldi lightweight camping chair . . . . . .

andrew_s wrote:If used on ground that's not hard enough, the legs will sink in, especially the rear ones. If you don't react to the sinking sensation early enough, and just pull them out, the feet can easily get left behind. I'd recommend either rubber walking stick ferrules, or castor cups.

I have already lost one foot stopper. . . . forced deep into the ground and lost despite a thorough search.

Some posts removed that really don't help analyse the dilemma faced by the poster. Please keep this diplomatic & helpful !

* Government guidelines/restrictions provide a framework for some personal decisions.
* No sensible person wants to get Covid-19 or transmit it to others.

Previous long topic on lightweight camping chairs on this topic :-
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=62173

To save you a trawl through - Aldi chair : you get what you pay for i.e. be careful of the durability and finish quality. . . .

If I stop the wood-burning, my gas CH consumption will likely rise a bit.

fossil fuel CO2 issue Versus wood-burner air quality issue

Gas Use ( CH & cooking ) for the 6months over winter was around 860 kWh