Any question answered...

Measure from the elbow/head of the spoke to the rim surface.

If you are 1/2mm out it isn't going to matter in an emergency.

Thank you both.. Perfect, thank you.

I have never ever carried spokes and always been lucky, but I don't blame Roseanna for wanting to be safe.

It is really odd to see the pre-ride panic that I have experienced set in to somebody else.

I'd like to go and sit on a beach for a week in mid-September, does anyone have experience of doing this, and can recommend somewhere that'll be both nice and warm?

Hotels in Paris
Why they so expensive eh?

I need a room next week for me and her and our two kids. One night and near the gare du Nord. Cheap but not broken.
Breakfast included would be g r e a t.

I'd like to go and sit on a beach for a week

I just mis-read that as "I'd like to go and sit on a bench for a week" and thought hmm, that's a nice idea
: ]

Seriously though why not Majorca?

My internet has been intermittent for a week or so now. It just periodically cuts out for between one and around ten minutes.

I don't think the issue is the router, and I've changed the filter and ADSL cable to the router to no avail.

I know almost nothing about how the internet works. Is it likely my issue is with my supplier (one stream) or the actual wires/hardware to my house (open reach?)

I'm not looking forward to spending time on hold waiting to speak to some clueless call centre drone. What can i check/ questions should i ask and who should i call first?

If you call the provider they will be able to tell you if the issue is between the router and you, or between the router and somewhere upstream.

They can usually troubleshoot fairly well.

Great - thanks.

Also , I still have your castle tool, been meaning to pm about dropping it off but summer holidays. Will pm now.

Cheers!

You may also have an option to test remotely if you log into your account online.

Would that be my supplier account? Not sure they are that advanced. I picked it cos it woz the cheapest.

Yes. I know that Virgin have an option to test remotely that will tell whether it's the modem, cable, etc

Help out an idiot: so I'm going to go from renting a single room as a lodger to (co-)renting a flat. This means I need to deal with a few things I have not had to deal with before, such as setting up an internet connection. I know I can look up what options I have based on the address / post code of the flat. Is that actually reliable, i.e. do I actually have all the options listed there?

Also, is there some received wisdom here about what company I want to get my internet from ideally (or which one to avoid at all costs)?

Money saving expert is your friend

I know I can look up what options I have based on the address / post code of the flat. Is that actually reliable, i.e. do I actually have all the options listed there?

No. It's a bit behind reality. Calling a provider tends to give you the best idea. But that only really matters if you want something other than ADSL.

Thanks, that's useful to know. And yes, I'd love to have fibre if available - it looks like Hyperoptic might be a possibility depending on where we end up exactly.

FWIW where we are, fibre was installed, but TalkTalk's website said we couldn't have it form them. So we switched to someone who could supply it. Then talk talk on the phone said they could have provided it just their site wasn't up to date.

Bit of a mess

Isn't fibre like ADSL in that, if one provider can supply it, it's likely that most of the others can?

I've just got back from a lovely week around Granada/Sierra Nevada/southern coast bit. Granted, we had a mate who lives out there as a guide, but I'm sure a bit of research could achieve the same. Cheap flights into Malaga, hire a car, some lovely airbnbs away from the tourist bits (we were in the vicinity of Almunecar, but not within sight/sound of it, because a bit grim), there are some really lovely local beaches (the beach by this charming bar/restaurant is lovely, https://goo.gl/maps/nzJ7QJHhrVkF8HmP9 - slightly nudist-inclined, but probably only 40% naked, no other tourists when we were there, just loads of holidaying Spanish, sea was crystal clear and great for snorkelling/general swimming etc. You have to park up top and then get a bus down to the beach.) and lovely spots up in the hills for airbnbs/walking etc. Would also recommend a couple days in Granada, the old town is almost obscenely charming...

Isn't fibre like ADSL in that, if one provider can supply it, it's likely that most of the others can?

That's one of the things I have no idea about - theoretically one would assume that if you're cabled up for fibre anyone could send the signal through, but in actual fact I have 0 experience with whether it's actually handled that way...

Isn't fibre like ADSL in that, if one provider can supply it, it's likely that most of the others can?

@Howard Pretty much, yes.

BT will own the infrastructure and you'll just deal with them/Sky/Talktalk/PlusNet/whoever.
But the speed itself wont be any different between any of them.

Pick them for price and customer service, because they're all providing the same thing.

There's standard broadband through copper which is available in most places but is slow.

There's the fibre to cabinet which seems to be open to all companies (but isn't installed everywhere) but isn't that fast.

There's Virgin's fibre which seems to be restricted to them (and not at all properties) which is fast.

In London there are random other ones (often restricted to fairly specific geographic locations). If you're in a block of flats, particularly pretty modern, there may be a specific provider for the flats.

Stick the postcode into a few supplier websites to see what you can get.

Is there a HotelF1 near where you want to be? They’re sort of like a portaloo with beds but very cheap, clean and ok for one night.

Is women specific chamois cream different from non-specific cream? and if so do you know anyone that sells it in little sachets?

We have fibre to the home that isn't virgin.

Well... I assume we do!; it's not delivered in to our property by phone line, as I understand it, the new bundle of pipes running up the side of the building are actual optic fibres...

Seems blazing fast and £20 a month.

Virgin also did / does 'cable' which is some kind of fibre or wire to the home.

I'm trying to get my horrible weather bike/ beater ready for winter. The biggest issue is that the drive side crank pedal thread is completely mangled. I don't really want to spend too much time/ money on a bike that I've spent about £40 on total. If I just glue a pedal in there will I die? Should I just suck it up and replace the cranks?