Any question answered...

I'd check that forum then, I'm sure you'll get somewhere with it.

I know what you mean about it being a bit mean to claim from them, but why should you make good their errors. I don't felony customers to pay for their own ceilings/carpets when I destroy them. Not that i make a habit of it you see.

I am a member- generally for asking plumbing questions, somewhat ironically given what has damaged the bath.

I'll stick a post up.

Neil, have you given any thought to just putting in a shower?

/justsaying.

Yep, there is a seperate shower going in.

I like the bath- it's 2m X 0.8m, so for the first time in my life I fit.

Nice to soak in the bath after a long ride, nice to use the shower before going to work- horses for courses and all that.

My bike is loaded up for supposedly lightweight touring but still ways a fucking ton. I've packed a bare minimum (ultra-lightweight solo tent, ultra-lightweight stove, ultra-lightweight sleeping bag and almost no clothes), but the back end still seems a really heavy. The rear rack is taking about 13-15kg, between two panniers and a racktop bag, and has a maximum load of 40kg. I'm assuming/hoping this sort of weight won't be a problem for the frame, given that I weigh 80kg myself.

However, I have no bag upfront other than a small (Archie's Grobags) tool-roll strapped to the handlebars. I'm very reluctant to put a proper bar-bag on as they're expensive and it's a faff. Will it handle much better if I do or will the steering be sluggish? At the moment the bike feels like it wants to rear up at any given opportunity, like some kind of excitable pony. Thoughts?

Get a motorbike? Go by train?

strap a 3ltr bottle of coke to the handlebars

PM Scoble, He IS touring.

FACT.

Nah.

where are you off to?

Somewhere warm and dry.

;-)

Knot your beard around the handlebars, this will stop them being so wayward, and will enable you to steer by simply moving your head.

Depends where your off to mate. If your in Europe I'd probably drop the stove. Also pick up a compression bag so you can take more clothes and squash them down, will probably take up less room than your current lot of clothes.

weight is the issue it seems, not space.

I read that having the bike loaded front and rear was important... have you got a rack or anything up front that you could transfer some bits to? if not, I reckon get a handlebar bag, think how convenient it will be having your map and compass on view at all times?

To be re-finished correctly the following would need to happen:

Bathroom wall taken down, bath moved down to ground floor.
Bath packed and despatched to re-enamellers.
Bath shot blasted to remove existing enamel.
Bath re-fired/glazed at 800 degrees with fresh enamel.
Bath repacked, returned, re-installed.
Wall put back up.

That's £2,000 just for the enamelling part, leaving out the transport.

I reckon the drainage company will fight tooth and nail to avoid that, and it would take forever.

So I'd prefer to refinish the surface if I can, quickly and cheaply.

Seriously. Make them do all of this. And make them repair any other damage they make along the way. They have insurance.

where are you off to?

Brussels > Antwerp > Rotterdam > Bruges > Dunkirk > Ghent > Brussels

Somewhere warm and dry.

If only!

Knot your beard around the handlebars, this will stop them being so wayward, and will enable you to steer by simply moving your head.

Noted. Will it work with pubic hair, given that I lack the facilities necessary for full beard growth this side of Saturday?

weight is the issue it seems, not space.

Correct.

I read that having the bike loaded front and rear was important... have you got a rack or anything up front that you could transfer some bits to? if not, I reckon get a handlebar bag, think how convenient it will be having your map and compass on view at all times?

Hmm, good advice I suspect.

Too much on the back makes the back-end sway (tail wagging the dog!)
I swear by lowriders on the front...does make the steering sluggish, but makes it more relaxing to ride. As the weight is low down makes it very stable.
Not as good as a handlebar bag as you can't get stuff out on the move......but I'd rather see the front wheel as I'm riding......

I did Liverpool Leeds with panniers on the back with overnight stuff (stayed in Liverpool night before) and tools, supplies etc. Probably less than 10 kg and initially made the bike feel like a barge... when I get round to doing some more serious touring I'll be looking to balance about 30-40% of weight carried at the front and the rest at the back.

I toured last year on my audax bike with carbon forks and all the weight on the back of the bike. To start off with it felt very weird having a very light front end but after a while you'll get used to it. As long as the frame and rack can take the weight you've got nothing to worry about.

I toured last year on my audax bike with carbon forks and all the weight on the back of the bike. To start off with it felt very weird having a very light front end but after a while you'll get used to it. As long as the frame and rack can take the weight you've got nothing to worry about.

How much stuff did you take? In weight or whatever.

How much stuff did you take? In weight or whatever.

I had 56L panniers full, on the rack I had half a tent (shared with friend) and my sleeping mat.

Most of the time I also had around 8L of water strapped to the top of the rack as well.

I'd imagine somewhere in the region of 15KG easily.

uni said theyll give me a ring, does that mean today?

Yes.

the day its almost over shall i call them back or is that annoying?