Any question answered...

If it's turning and shifts in and out of gear then you're OK.

My chain is a tad to short for big/big. If it ever goes there it instantly reminds me of the fact and shift back to safety pretty sharpish

A horizontal cage increases your speed. Big aero advantage.

Thanks for running belt suggestions all.
@rhb seems I needed to check the decathlon website rather than the shops, that one looks fine.
@6pt as does the NB one.
@Pifko - maybe I should check it out in person but just seems bulky and awkward to put on (pull up rather than fastening like a belt) and a few reviews that said "can't flip with phone in" "phone fell out" etc.
Hopefully @spinnnout is sorting me out with something 🙏

What's the go-to 26" axle mounted front rack? I've a pizza rack with fork mount adaptors but it's a bit of a bodge

Pelago Commuter worked very well for me.

The best I could find was this
https://www.lavuelta.es/en/video-gallery/presentation-de-la-vuelta-2023-en

your stage is at 4.18.

I can't find a ground map though. There's a section of the website which calls itself the "Route book" but doesn't seem to have the turn by turn description I'm looking for, because it also goes past my house, earlier in the race.

Cheers Steve, that's pretty much as far as my search got me.
There are only a couple of main roads in the area they'll pass by me so should be straight forward to work out

Any recommendations for somewhere to stay that isn't a hotel or an airbnb within an hour drive from Roscoff but close to a beach (unless the place comes with a pool).

Lovely stuff, many thanks - looks decent

Maybe try the ajumtamento? The tour will have applied for a tramit to close the roads, and that will be on record somewhere? Or they will have to give warning that the roads will be closed? OTOH, last time La Vuelta came here, we got 36 hours notice about exactly which roads would be closed - so maybe I'm being too optimistic.

I once read of a secret website that published all the road books for races, but I can't find it now. If you've got a couple of hours to waste...

Unsure where to stick this on the forum but consultation open for Silvertown Cross River Cycling Service
https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/silvertown-cycling-service

Bus shuttle, potential future ferry. I know some forumers have used and enjoyed the Dartford crossing shuttle. I can't quite see this appealing but perhaps any additional link up is a positive...

I have one, it is very good.

Just had a quick peak at the local 'ayuntamiento' (the dullest thing on the internet/planet) but no mention of it yet. Perhaps nearer the time....36 hours prior *eye roll

Are the emissions from burning one litre of petrol the same regardless of the car?

My car (a 2006 1.8 litre petrol Civic) generally does at least 50mpg, and I can get 54+ out of it on long trips, but it's VED band is 'G' (152g/km) which is £240 a year.

My Mum has a 2016 1.4 litre petrol Polo, which is automatic. It's mpg is no better and I'm pretty sure slightly worse than my Civic, because it's automatic, and not a Honda. However, it is in the 'B' VED band (108g/km) so she pays £20 a year.

Surely this is bollocks - if I'm burning less petrol, aren't I emitting less CO2? There's no way cars can capture CO2, right?

Emissions like NOx and particulate are not directly related to fuel consumption. CO2 is though.

What you are effectively seeing is how much the manufacturer lied about the fuel consumption or how well they cheated the test. Plus between 2006 and 2016 didn’t the tax bands change and/or wasn’t there a change in the way they were tested?

I laugh at your 54mph. My 2005 Insight does 60mpg in traffic in the burbs and I can push it well past 100mpg on a motorway journey. But I have to pay £200+ tax and it’s not ULEZ compliant despite being one of the cleanest production engines ever built, because it’s a pre-2006 Japanese import.

If you want to do some maths, 1 litre of petrol makes 2.3kg CO2. You can work out what [probably hilariously unrealistic] combined fuel consumption the numbers on your VED bands relate to.

CO2 is though.

Thanks, I thought it must be.

What you are effectively seeing is how much the manufacturer lied about the fuel consumption or how well they cheated the test.

Did I mention my Mum's is a VW? Hah. Now it all makes sense!

Plus between 2006 and 2016 didn’t the tax bands change and/or wasn’t there a change in the way they were tested?

From 1st April 2017 so not relevant for these particular two cars.

My 2005 Insight does 60mpg in traffic in the burbs and I can push it well past 100mpg on a motorway journey.

Amazing. They look cool too. No good for transporting two bikes and a load of other shit though unfortunately.

Plus between 2006 and 2016 didn’t the tax bands change and/or wasn’t there a change in the way they were tested?

Everything from 1/3/2001 to 31/3/2017 uses the same banding system. I'm guessing the clue is in the "VW" part, they are the main people who cheat emissions tests optimise their engine mapping for the test cycle

Just had a nightmare flashback over stoichiometric equations from my schooldays.......... Fuel / air ratio and all that lol

2.392, to be precise ;)

I have a spreadsheet! Fuel wise, we've emitted 2.9 tonnes of CO2 so far in three years of car ownership.

I have one annoying gap on my spreadsheet because while the fuel at Hanover Garage in Winlaton (Blaydon-on-Tyne) is always cheap they don't put quantity or price per litre on their receipts.

Maybe find a US friend and get them to send you a case of it?

@gbj_tester just thought you might like to know; direct from Walmart in Dallas, Texas 😀

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