Any question answered...

Put the kettle on.

Tighten the removable side onto a dropout and pour some hot water onto the stubborn end cap then try to remove it.

I guess this is progress? Now where did I put the vice...

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forget that

Mundane bathroom question. Looking for a replacement shower head, as current one, plastic bits have been borked by the hard water in my area.
Pressure isn’t the greatest in my block but would like something that increases it if possible (I remember ads for those shower heads with beads/pebbles in them that supposedly gave you greater pressure) otherwise something durable with a couple of different options to change the spray.
Thanks

Yup!

I'm after a fixed audax bike, ideally with double discs: the All City Super Professional looks good, but almost all the reviews on there complain about the rear "dropouts" failing to retain the wheel in position.

Is this on account of the small surface area against which the screws fasten and why aren't the tugs doing their job? I'm sure I remember riding fixed with a hollow axle conversion. Could this be enginerded out with serrated washers or similar (although you'd guess someone would have thought of that)?

Those shower heads are all bollocks. If you restrict the water flow you might increase pressure but simultaneously reduce flow, and you need both for a good shower. The only thing that can increase pressure is a pump.

The only good thing about those heads is they often have fewer nozzles which might give the impression of better pressure. My suggestion is to get one of those cheapo heads with a multi-way mode switch that essentially adjusts the number of nozzles in use, and you can pick the option that feels best.

Thanks, I was always dubious about those shower heads, as anything that starts with “they don’t want you to know about this..” is usually rubbish/dodgy.

Will start Googling hard water shower heads..
Thanks

Is there a forum approved set of QR skewers? The OG old style Shimano ones I have are looking very sorry for themselves.

Hope ones? Or are they a bit naff these days?

the reviews on there complain about the rear "dropouts" failing to retain the wheel in position.

I'm betting on user error. The massively over-complicated proprietary dropouts seem to have more than enough hardware to retain axle location. The tugs are not the position retaining device, they are just the position setting device. The combination of the M12 through-axle and the M5 slider locking screws should be more than adequate when tightened to the correct torque

Which 12×142 fixed hub were you thinking of using? I'm only aware of Paul, I'd want to check before buying anything that the Paul endcaps will actually drop in to the AllCity dropouts

forum approved set of QR skewers?

Shimano Ultegra or XT for function, bolt-on conversion for the pinnacle of weight-weenieism

Which 12×142 fixed hub were you thinking of using?

I was thinking of buying the pre-built bike and just swapping the freewheel for a fixed sprocket.

But it's not threaded is it.

I got carried away seeing the likes of this and Salsa's Alternator dropouts and read "singlespeed" as "fixed/free".

I should probably go back to where I started this morning, with the Spa Audax Mono and just bang a disc fork in just buy a Genesis Flyer.

You want off the peg complete or could do a build?
I have an octane one kode with a surly 135mm hub with a double disc hack somewhere in Hulsroys thread.
They also do them complete but yould need to change the rear hub

The closer to OTP the happier I'd be, but I'm not completely against doing any spannering.

I'll have a look thanks!

PS Hulsroy's Hustle? found it

Anyone use one of those electric clothes debobblers? Looking for recommendations as Amazon has 1000’s of them.

Finally a question that is relevant to my interests 👍

I'd want to check before buying anything that the Paul endcaps will actually drop in to the AllCity dropouts

What's your concern: that the caps would foul the "hood" around the dropout?

Any thoughts on these?

https://www.bikester.co.uk/ortler-cargo-detroit-steel-wave-M1153775.html?vgid=G1705679#cgid=36897
https://www.bikester.co.uk/ortler-bricktown-M1260424.html?vgid=G1301302#cgid=36897

I'm looking for something to put a child seat on the back of (so step through/dropped crossbar) that will be usable by me and my girlfriend (only about 3" difference in height) and possibly electric with a swytch wheel.

These look like they meet the criteria but never heard of the make and pretty minimal stuff online about them.

Yes, that. They look pretty chunky compared with the stock Novatec

We have to run our kitchen hot tap (and therefore boiler) for about 45 seconds before the water gets warm. What’s better economically and environmentally; this, or one of those under-sink boilers that dispenses instant hot water? Just for handwash and washing-up.

Can't comment on the brand, but I think the mixte tubes on the Bricktown will get in the way of a Hamax mount.

It's not really a question of economics or environment (well - the latter maybe slightly)
It's more to do with the fact that you get 45 seconds of cold water that's been sitting in the pipe between the boiler and your tap, before the heated water arrives where you want it. I get the same in my place - having to wait even longer for hot water in my bathroom as that is even further away from the boiler. Those under sink water dispensers produce water that is way too hot for the needs you describe. Also, if you are in a hard water area, they get furred up with limescale a treat.
Where the process is wasteful is when you have finished washing your hands or whatever, the hot water that your boiler has worked hard to heat which is sitting in the pipe between the boiler and the tap, now cools down until it once again becomes cold. You could mitigate this to a small degree by insulating the pipe run between the boiler and the tap.

Do you have a combi boiler? Edit: I guess you do from the first line

Yeah it’s exactly that, the boiler is by the front door of all places. Getting the kitchen re-done soon so will look at insulating the pipe.
I’ve used those boilers in workplaces before for handwash as I think you can turn them down. But scale would definitely be a problem being in SE London.

You could also use an insulated kettle for hot water. I just bought this Vektra one: https://vektra.uk/collections/series-1/products/vektra-1-5l-stainless-steel_11
Too early to say how well it copes with SE limescale, but it certainly does what it claims in terms of keeping water hot for a couple of hours.