Any question answered...

Ah fuck, yeah you must be right. Thanks.

FFS.

Just apply some gin, that'll fix it. :)

What windspeed forecast would stop you going out? Apprehensive about tomorrow

Depends on the ride. Went out a couple of weeks back for the first big storm. Over by the coast and it was 60% ok/murderous headwind, 25% glorious tailwind, 15% 'shit I am going to die'.

The hail was the worst bit.

We were planning a train to Hathersage for a loop out there but it looks like the wind is far tamer over here so I think a different route is in order

A visitor has had their car clamped due to not paying their car tax (they aren't from the UK and didn't realise it was separate to their driving licence).

No issues with it not being paid and so on but the big issue is that it appears the tax clamping company is closed on Sundays and they need to get home to children and jobs 200 miles away tomorrow. Also, the documents they need to insure it are 200 miles away.

Any bright ideas on how to get it unclamped tomorrow?

Council or private?

Angle grinder?

Hire car and deal with it later?

These guys.
https://www.cartaxenforcement.co.uk/
Looks like there is the option of a deposit if you can't renew the insurance straight off.
Their helpline suggests that they are open tomorrow unlike the leaflet that was on the car so it may be doable.

Well they paid online and it magically disappeared very early this morning.

.

lopsided tiagra brake caliper
fitted a tiagra brake caliper to a bike today, one side meets the rim perfectly while the other side is half on the tyre, fitted the caliper as i would any other but it seems lopsided ? what am i doing wrong ?

refitted the caliper
checked the brake blocks are at the max travel on both sides
adjusted the little screw on the top of the caliper even though i have no idea what it does

still overlapping the tyre

what am i doing wrong ?

Not showing us pictures

Cable pushing one side down? Brake reach too short overall?

hmm i don't think so, just fitted a dura ace caliper and it seats perfectly, cable has spare and isn't applying any force to the caliper

the tiagra seems to have one arm longer than the other, maybe someone has bodged a repair and changed arms to one slightly shorter ? it's an old beater one .... back to the parts bin with you

Has one of the joints seized? Lube it up while wiggling the joints. You may need to take it to bits or use brute force to unseize it.

Best fluid for a parts washer? water based stuff any good?

Ozjuice!

skipping chain query: I have an issue in top gear when pedalling hard, the chain slips intermittently on the rear cog.
Setup is NW 32t 1x10 with a Sunrace 11-42T, Sram X7 Type-2 all of which is stock, chain was changed two years ago to a Wipperman 10SX.
All other gears are indexed properly and run smoothly, shifting up and down the block without issue, until the 11t, which will slip (quite violently, enough to make me use the bike as a 9 speed for over two years now). Cog doesn't look damaged and can't be worn as the bike was barely ridden when I bought it, and as I said I have not used the 11t because of the slippage.
I was wondering if any mechanics here have suggestions. I'd like to solve wtf is happening.

Lock ring for a 12 tooth smallest cog? I had the exact same thing and found out the lock ring was too big.

What proportion of the sprocket is the chain wrapped round? If it’s only engaging a few teeth it can easy I’ll jump. Fiddling with chain length and derailleur b screw can fix this.

It can also be caused by a worn chain. How many miles does it have on it?

this sounds logical, but I would have thought that stock cassette would have come with correct lock ring from factory.
I'll check it out. What is the diameter of 11t lock ring?

chain has 1700km on it and has plenty of life left, all cogs are in good order and chain seems to sit well on 11t. I have played around with derailleur adjustment at various times and thought I had the issue solved but under load it skips still.

Not sure, but you’ll clearly see it if it’s too big.