Cycling UK Forum

Somerset Levels? Train from Birmingham to Weston-super-Mare then ride to Glastonbury and Street, mainly by back lanes over the Levels. 25 to 35 miles depending on route. Stay night 1 in either Street YH (but that is on top of a moderate hill) or one of various budget accommodation places in Glastonbury (choice there ranges from the boringly normal to the downright weird). Day 2, ride to Cheddar either meandering over the Levels or via a visit to Wells, and stay at Cheddar YH: only 16 miles direct so lots of scope for meandering. Could walk up the Gorge in the evening. Day 3 back to Weston-S-M: 20 miles direct or wander around a bit.

Thule RideOn 9503 3 bike towball mounted carrier
- Integrated light board (working, you can just tell in the photo)
- 7 pin connector
- Tiltable
- Locks onto towball (2 keys included)
Used so scuff marks here and there, a couple of the buckles have rusted a little but perfectly serviceable, foam on one of the supporting bars has been chewed by mice (see pics).

£35, open to offers.
Located between York and Thirsk. Will post at buyer's cost - but probably not cost effective.

Description (taken from the www.roofbox.co.uk from whom I bought a replacement capable of carrying eBikes )
The Thule RideOn 9503 is Thule's entry level 3 bike wheel support rack. As you'd expect for a rack at this price it's not a bells and whistles carrier, but it does the job OK. It fits to both 'bolt on' and 'swan neck' tow balls without adjustment - you just tighten it on with a spanner.
There's a rudimentary tilt mechanism to allow you to open the tailgate without removing the bikes and the carrier. This requires two handwheels to be loosened, one on either side of the carrier.
• 3 bikes maximum
• Maximum total load 45kg, and as the carrier weighs 12kg, the maximum tow ball loading should not be more than 57kg
• The maximum weight per bike is 20kg, should you have any particularly solid bikes!
• Fits frames from 22mm to 70mm, which are strapped onto the uprights

bohrsatom wrote: ↑21 Apr 2025, 1:31pm Thanks all for the advice. I think you've answered another question I had regarding refilling. The Trangia instructions say to wait for the burner to cool fully before refilling, but surely you're not going to wait 20 minutes for a small topup midway through cooking? It sounds like it's OK to top up as long as a) the flame is definitely out (use simmer ring to extinguish) and b) any remaining fuel has cooled down a bit (i.e. not hot but not outdoor temp either)?

Also, for watering down the meths I assume you just eyeball 10-15%?

if you are really bothered nothing to stop you carrying two burners. They are pretty compact after all.

My tout terrain frame is made of very thin Dedacci butted steel. It is made for touring not expedition. It has the stand mounting with the frame reinforcement shared with the rear disk brake. It adds a few grammes to the frame. All bikes of this sort in Germany likely have this feature, either rear or front. A stand is standard.

Thanks all for the advice. I think you've answered another question I had regarding refilling. The Trangia instructions say to wait for the burner to cool fully before refilling, but surely you're not going to wait 20 minutes for a small topup midway through cooking? It sounds like it's OK to top up as long as a) the flame is definitely out (use simmer ring to extinguish) and b) any remaining fuel has cooled down a bit (i.e. not hot but not outdoor temp either)?

Also, for watering down the meths I assume you just eyeball 10-15%?

Thanks

My first thought would be either Heathrow Express or Elizabeth Line to Paddington. So check those peak hour restrictions, as above.

Then direct GWR from Paddington to Newton Abbot.

How does that sound?

Jonathan

Rob D wrote: ↑21 Apr 2025, 11:34am Thanks - again! Sorry, not quite sure what you mean. It'd be one conventional touring bike with two panniers, a 20 litre bag on the rack and a bar box. I'd have a small rucsac too.

OK. Sorry, that came in while I was typing.

Since you are able to ride then you could if arriving at Terminal 4 or 5 ride away from Heathrow to Feltham or Staines.

If arriving at Terminal 2 or 3 you would have to get a train out of the airport, as the cycle access (via a tunnel under the runways) is currently closed due to construction work. You could still go from Terminal 2 or 3 to the Waterloo - Exeter route if you wanted, either by train to Terminal 4 or by train to Ealing Broadway and cycling to Brentford for a train to Waterloo, or cycling through central London from Paddington to Waterloo (probably best avoided unless you are accustomed to that sort of riding environment).

Rob D wrote: ↑21 Apr 2025, 8:36am .... the whole idea of taking bikes on trains is new to me, and I've seen so many reports of difficulties in using them, such as no space, and security concerns.

It can be done, just not as conveniently as in the past.

A key issue is what other luggage you have with you, as that will determine whether you can ride the bike, or only walk pushing it while pushing or carrying other items as well.

Which terminal are you arriving at?

One rail option is Heathrow to Paddington then there to Newton Abbot. Problems are that bikes are not carried between Heathrow and Paddington during the morning peak hour, and the Paddington - Newton Abbot trains use vertical hangers in confined cupboards, which are difficult for loading and unloading (however boarding at Paddington helps, as you can board before departure time and have time to fiddle about getting the bike into the space).

If arriving at Terminal 4 or 5 it is also possible to ride a few miles to Feltham or Staines, then either:

- local train to Reading, to board the Newton Abbot service there (but loading a bike at Reading is more difficult than at Paddington, as the train only stops briefly there).

- getting a local train to Waterloo or Clapham Junction then a SWT train to Exeter, and a local train to Newton Abbot. The advantage of this route is that the SWT Exeter - Waterloo trains have better bike accommodation (or had last time I used one), where bikes stand on their wheels, rather than get hung up on hooks.

For either Paddington or Reading to Newton Abbot or Waterloo to Exeter trains, advance booking is needed for bikes, so it would be wise to allow plenty of transfer time, as waiting around for your train is better than having to rush for it.

Or even better, get a solid grip on the causes of our relentless population expansion and require less housebuilding in the first place. Of course that will never happen while property developers are one of the largest category of donor to the party in government...

Not sure where to start on this one. The long and the short of it is whether we like it or not we need immigrants as the population is ageing, the birth rate is falling*, we have a labour shortage and ultimately if people want to have a retirement, someone is going to have to do the jobs and pay the tax that pays for the state pension, the NHS and so on.

Due to land banking (where the developers sit on land with planning permission) you can make a case that the large property developers are an impediment to house building. And when they do build, they either build ‘executive’ sprawl, or 1-2 bedroom flats, and not the medium density sustainable housing we really need.

*in part because people in their 30s are still living with their parents as they can’t afford to move out, because of a lack of social housing, exorbitant private rent or unaffordable mortgages.

pjclinch wrote: ↑20 Apr 2025, 3:27pm

MelW wrote: ↑20 Apr 2025, 2:51pm
LoL. We used to be like you. Getting sicker and sicker
eating vegetables and plants.

But I'm not getting "sicker and sicker", so that doesn't really work.

MelW wrote: ↑20 Apr 2025, 2:51pm
You cannot get away from the fact that we evolved to eat meat, that meat is nutrient dense and that to deprive yourself of it just to appease a cult that has very little scientific basis is bonkers.

We evolved to eat all sorts of things, we're omnivores.

The stuff about bonkers cults sounds... well, a bit bonkers and cultish TBH. Millions of vegetarians, quite possibly up to billions, are largely vegetarian because they don't have much meat available, but many manage to be healthy in any case.

MelW wrote: ↑20 Apr 2025, 2:51pm A high carb starch and sugar diet is bad for you.

There is nothing about a plant based diet that requires unhealthy quantities of either sugar or starch, but we have evolved as omnivores to take on starchy food and (unrefined) sugary foods as part of our diet where it is available.

MelW wrote: ↑20 Apr 2025, 2:51pm Our aches and pains are gone. Neither of us are on medication any longer. We haven't needed to see our doctors in several years. They only prescribe pills anyway.

And that's great, yet I have spent a lifetime (58 years so far) only seeing the doctor every few years and generally having the sort of health that you appear to think is impossible. I've never been on long term medication, aches and pains have been musculoskeletal issues resolved by physiotherapists (do this exercise, it'll go away... I did, it did).

I was a veggie for about 15 years, it didn't have any obvious impact on my health. These days probably a majority of my meals are veggie or vegan, I eat lots of bread and lots of fruit, not because of a cult or propaganda but because I really like bread and fruit.

Clearly your diet works for you, but it's clearly possible to eat other diets and not only not fall to bits but to thrive.

Pete.

You contradict yourself so much. So many generalisations on health whether about yourself or the claims you make about the wider world population which are so subjective. What do you think plants and veg and fruit are composed of? I'll help you. Starch, sugar and fibre. What happens to starch and carbs when it is metabolised? It's broken down to sugar which causes what to happen? What is bread and fruit? You say you eat a lot of these. Starch and sugar. Lots of sugar, more sugar. More than you should ever eat. Sugar is toxic. So what happens to your blood and hormones when you eat a lot of starch and sugar? More importantly what happens to your blood vessels when you eat a diet high in starch and sugar? I think you really need to properly understand what you are eating and the affect it is having on your body. Do you eat any fat or protein? How do you combat sarcopenia? How can you maintain muscle mass eating a diet of starch carbs and sugar? You must be pre-diabetic.

I was a veggie for 14 years. It ruined my health and my husband's health suffered even more. Veganism is indeed a cult. If you really want to ruin your health, well being and life expectancy then eat a vegan diet.

MelW wrote: ↑20 Apr 2025, 2:51pm
LoL. We used to be like you. Getting sicker and sicker
eating vegetables and plants.

But I'm not getting "sicker and sicker", so that doesn't really work.

MelW wrote: ↑20 Apr 2025, 2:51pm
You cannot get away from the fact that we evolved to eat meat, that meat is nutrient dense and that to deprive yourself of it just to appease a cult that has very little scientific basis is bonkers.

We evolved to eat all sorts of things, we're omnivores.

The stuff about bonkers cults sounds... well, a bit bonkers and cultish TBH. Millions of vegetarians, quite possibly up to billions, are largely vegetarian because they don't have much meat available, but many manage to be healthy in any case.

MelW wrote: ↑20 Apr 2025, 2:51pm A high carb starch and sugar diet is bad for you.

There is nothing about a plant based diet that requires unhealthy quantities of either sugar or starch, but we have evolved as omnivores to take on starchy food and (unrefined) sugary foods as part of our diet where it is available.

MelW wrote: ↑20 Apr 2025, 2:51pm Our aches and pains are gone. Neither of us are on medication any longer. We haven't needed to see our doctors in several years. They only prescribe pills anyway.

And that's great, yet I have spent a lifetime (58 years so far) only seeing the doctor every few years and generally having the sort of health that you appear to think is impossible. I've never been on long term medication, aches and pains have been musculoskeletal issues resolved by physiotherapists (do this exercise, it'll go away... I did, it did).

I was a veggie for about 15 years, it didn't have any obvious impact on my health. These days probably a majority of my meals are veggie or vegan, I eat lots of bread and lots of fruit, not because of a cult or propaganda but because I really like bread and fruit.

Clearly your diet works for you, but it's clearly possible to eat other diets and not only not fall to bits but to thrive.

Pete.

In winter, usually just a beanie, thickness dependent on ambient temperature. In summer, a cotton club cap or nothing. If there is either low, bright sun or rain, a winter cap with peak (or in summer that club cap). I wear glasses so need something to keep the rain off them at least a bit.

Winter: Belgian style thermal cap or beanie
Summer: Walz casquette, or good fitting sun hat for shopping (or leading e-bike parades)

Lance Dopestrong wrote: ↑19 Apr 2025, 9:13am

ANTONISH wrote: ↑19 Apr 2025, 9:09am

mjr wrote: ↑18 Apr 2025, 3:01pm

Most helmet manuals tell you not to wear other hats under them. Memorably, one American helmet brand disclaimed any protection if their plastic product was worn over 'voluminous hair'!

Has anyone ever brought a succesful legal action against the manufaturer of a plastic coated expanded polystyrene head covering, on the grounds that it failed to protect them against serious head injury?

Probably not, on the basis that in the weasel words that come with the enclosed instructions they universally advise that the items are not guaranteed to reduce or prevent injury, and they are not designed to provide protection in a vehicular collision.

If you bought a toaster that said "may not actually toast bread in many circumstances", or a tv that said "may not show moving images all the time", you'd return it to the shop, yet folk strangely accept this with a safety device.

...can I return my t.v on the grounds that everything I watch depresses me in one way or another?

Audax67 wrote: ↑18 Apr 2025, 1:02pm

mjr wrote: ↑18 Apr 2025, 11:26am There's always someone who won't honour a simple request to 'avoid talk of helmets'!

Or who doesn't read all of the original post. But if you wear a h****t on every ride it's difficult to talk of headgear without mentioning it.

Anyway, I have removed my inoffensive post and consider myself duly censored, if not censured.

ETA: to hell with it, after 14 years on this forum I'm unsubbing. This place is far too bloody picky these days. Anyone who wants can find me on YACF.

......please reconsider.... you'll be missed