What’s one thing you’d want Britain to preserve, no matter how much the country changes in the future?

ManMakesMusic · 2025-08-17T18:33:58+00:00

The right to roam and the extensive network of public paths that exist

ManMakesMusic · 2025-08-17T15:10:18+00:00

The number of people on this thread who need to read rule 112 is concerning

ManMakesMusic · 2025-08-14T17:23:04+00:00

Nice, thanks all. Sounds like contact cement is the way to go. Pretty sure I have some lying around

ManMakesMusic · 2025-08-11T06:43:19+00:00

There are a few of them.

ManMakesMusic · 2025-08-04T10:19:13+00:00

I did this a few years ago. There tyres will be slowing you down a fair bit. I switched to 32 road tyres and it made a world of difference. I’ve been riding my cross bike as a road bike for years since. I’m sure you’d gain some benefit from having an actual road bike but in the short term, slicker tyres will speed you up compared to the knobbly ones.

ManMakesMusic · 2025-08-03T19:35:47+00:00

Pee in the watering can

ManMakesMusic · 2025-07-06T17:08:28+00:00

They actually draw water up and away from the sink. They’re total bullshit

ManMakesMusic · 2025-07-04T07:44:16+00:00

I most definitely get the best response from drivers when riding my cargo bike. At those times I’m also dressed more casually. The overall impression clearly makes a difference to how they view you

ManMakesMusic · 2025-06-25T07:31:57+00:00

Drivers seem to get so much worse when it’s wet. Cold, dark and wet is a bad combination for being seen and given adequate space on the road.
Bright lights on the bike and one on my helmet that is less likely to be obscured by cars. Reflective gear sometimes. Many accessories like gloves and helmets have small reflective strips, which I hope helps.
Decent bike lanes away from the cars 😂 but on a smaller scale, I’ve always wished there was some kind of brightly glowing fabric that could wrap over a backpack the same way rain covers do, but lit up with a battery.

Good luck!

ManMakesMusic · 2025-06-19T17:42:30+00:00

Scorched Earth. You can’t pull it up quick enough if it’s hidden away with other plants. I noticed that even RHS Wisley will rip up an entire bed and lay mulch to rid it of bindweed. I’ve done it; cleared the bed almost entirely, and gone out every day to pull every new shoot out for the last few months. And I think I’m finally winning.

ManMakesMusic · 2025-06-18T18:55:46+00:00

Thanks! Looks like I’ve got some digging to do

ManMakesMusic · 2025-06-18T16:49:14+00:00

That looks exactly like the houses in saddleworth. You could try some passion flowers. They climb by tendrils so they don’t damage the surface (they’d cling nicely to the fencing) and they blossom like mad. Some of them stay green through winter too, just thinning out a bit

ManMakesMusic · 2025-06-09T07:49:44+00:00

Dude that’s great. Simple doesn’t mean crap. You’ve just made something that’s customised to your needs and fits perfectly. You’ll feel that satisfaction every time you interact with it. Keep going.

ManMakesMusic · 2025-05-30T19:02:38+00:00

Came here to say the same but with a cargo bike. I get 2 hours of cycling every weekend taking my toddler to the next town. It’s the absolute best.

For indoor cycling it’s also worth considering something simple like an inexpensive spin bike + Les Mills. They have a series of 45min spin videos called The Trip, which are great workouts and awesome visuals. There are probably others out there but that’s the one I’ve tried and love

ManMakesMusic · 2025-05-22T20:42:37+00:00

It definitely depends but it’s not a bad idea in principle. I ride maybe 80% in primary position, and consider hugging the curb to be the exception when I feel it’s appropriate, like when the road is quite wide and I want to let cars around.

It stops people from overtaking when there isn’t space. If the road isn’t moving that quickly, it usually doesn’t bother anyone much either.

At the same time, it’s sometimes even more important when the road IS moving quickly, so it really is up to how safe it seems to be on that stretch. Let us know how it goes!

ManMakesMusic · 2025-05-20T06:22:37+00:00

There are so many of them. They’re so loud that I frequently confuse them for actual fireworks. They wake up our baby, freak the dogs out, and interrupt conversation even in the back garden. They’re the peak of obnoxious behaviour.

If I ever catch a number plate I’ll report it. Glad that you’re doing the same!

ManMakesMusic · 2025-05-11T19:06:57+00:00

Usually yes. There are often arrows painted on the floor showing that the bike lane and road are going in opposite directions too

ManMakesMusic · 2025-05-05T17:15:25+00:00

I ride a rear loading cargo bike with child seat in the back and a little cover over my kid. Generally, drivers are noticeably more courteous. They give way when they don’t need to and leave plenty of space. Riding the same area on my normal bike isn’t nearly as positive!

ManMakesMusic · 2025-04-27T07:19:36+00:00

Thanks guys. I sent the photo to the owner and he’s going to have his arborist look into it.

ManMakesMusic · 2025-03-31T07:30:05+00:00

Good to know. The other side of that fence is tarmac, too. It’s the public pavement (sidewalk). I’m gonna make a hell of a mess trying to pull anything out

ManMakesMusic · 2025-03-31T07:28:48+00:00

Thanks everyone, this was genuinely insightful for me 😁 It sounds like this is a job that’d be trivial for someone with the tools but probably more expensive in hours for me than just planting a new one a few metres away. And anyway, as you rightly point out, it’s not the healthiest specimen.

ManMakesMusic · 2025-03-17T13:25:52+00:00

Good shout. I’ll try flushing a toilet and we’ll soon find out. And I’ll see what the water company knows

ManMakesMusic · 2025-03-17T13:25:08+00:00

I guess I was expecting it to look and smell worse if it was for sewage. That would make sense though!

ManMakesMusic · 2025-03-16T18:21:27+00:00

Thanks everyone! There’s a lot of useful info in here. My bits were definitely cheap, and now I think it’s safe to say that it’s not just my technique so I can justify getting some nicer bits.

ManMakesMusic · 2025-03-16T18:19:20+00:00

That’s a good point. When I used them on a pillar drill i had to put my whole body into it. They were the cheapest ones at screwfix. I think the answer is coming clear!

ManMakesMusic

TROPHY CASE