Any question answered...

Any tips for quietening 1X drivetrains? 50t with an 11-28 cassette, would quite like to swap to a 11-32. It's a CAAD with shortish chainstays so the far ends of the cassette get noisy with the more extreme chain angle. Chain is currently the same length as it was when i had a 50-34 compact on there.

You could try using a chain for a drivetrain with more gears, like a 11 speed chain on a 10 speed cassette. The chain will have thinner plates which might rub less on neighbouring cogs.

Driving in france with a UK registered/insured vehicle - what do I need to do/know?

Sticker on bumper still a thing?
Specific insurance to drive over there?
Any fees for driving on motorways I should be aware of etc?

Crossing on a ferry to Roscoff, staying around the north west, less than 30 days.

You need a UK sticker, you can't rely on the GB one or EU one that might be on your number plate.

Yes there are tolls on some roads, but you can pay by card and you can check where they are to avois

I don't think you need additional insurance, but check with your provide.

Check if youre going to a city that needs a clean air sticker. You might not need one.

You need the light deflector stickers, but I don't think you need to bother with the triangle, best etc like they say.

If you have breakdown cover, you need to check it applies abroad. It may not.

Isn't there a requirement for Hi-viz, warning triangle for breakdown?

Has anyone started a conga, and if so how did you get off?

Don't start a conga if you're not prepared to finish a conga.

A set of spare light bulbs, I believe.

I think the traditional process involves receiving a phone call once the conga is swinging, making your excuses to step into a doorway and answer it, only to hear some harrowing news as the camera slowly zooms out to show the party in the background juxtaposed with your expression changing. Cue the drum roll and then credits.

Hi-viz, warning triangle for breakdown?

X2 warning triangles is the fucker as most cars come with one.

Also worth checking on the hivis as I think you need x2, but you may now need one per person

Also this is something that'll defo be on the AA in a neat list you can copy into notes.

https://www.theaa.com/european-breakdown-cover/driving-in-europe/country-by-country/france-and-monaco

👍

Always feel bad for the person at the front of the conga, as it was actually started by the second person.

Nice one, thanks all.

Has anyone started a conga, and if so how did you get off?

A line of people behind me always gets me off.

have you started a conga, and if so how did you get off?

Waiting for this on Lamacq later

I have this Evoc bladder and the hose is fucked. Who sells just the hose as a replacement?

Agadon’t start

Can someone remind me of, or link me to the Guardian article which coins a phrase relating to the way people think or make decisions based on the normalization of motor travel. Can't seem get anywhere on Google. @Oliver Schick ?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2022/aug/31/how-car-culture-colonised-our-thinking-and-our-language

Take a kitchen tongs or litter picker to do the toll tickets if on your own.

Litter picker.
Genius.

You can get kits from Halfords etc that will give you all of the additional accessories you need to tick the legal boxes for driving in France - hi viz, warning triangle, light beam deflectors etc. You'll also have to pay a lot in tolls, unless you can take the time to avoid motorways. I've driven from one end of France to the other quite a few times and the cost of tolls wasn't far off the cost of fuel.
Your insurance should cover you, your breakdown cover might not!

A word on light deflectors. Carry them just in case, but don't bother putting them on your headlights. Nobody else does.
Enough cars have adjustable or automatic dipping lights these days that nobody expects to see them.