Any question answered...

Good shout. My LBS isn't very local and keeps slightly unpredictable opening hours, but I'll drop by there at the weekend if I don't find anything.

ALWAYS bring beers! ;)

That's not a bad shout actually! I'll be in deep shit if he stacks it or gets hit by a car though. Might be a goer if the weather's good.

Had anyone ever successfully used a crystal growing kit?

My one is set up with a pipe cleaner and aluminum potassium sulfate.

Are there some shapes that are better / easier to make?

Any other tips and tricks?

My one is set up with a pipe cleaner and aluminum potassium sulfate

Sounds more like a bomb making kit

Yeah, I pretty much stayed off the roads after a couple pub stops - just bimbling back via the thames path where possible from Greenwich into town, so many lovely old pubs and curious old-london historical sites....

My son's CX bike has ERTO 520 wheels - anyone got any hot tips on who makes tyres in this size?

Schwalbe One (Road)
Kenda Concept (Road)
Maxxis Locust (CX)
Seem to be the commonly available tyres

thanks

and there is no way any of the other 24" sizes will fit, right?

Not without changing the rims 🙂

ain't it always the way...

Any tips on reinvigorating velcro? My Alpkit framebag's straps are not sticking very well anymore. Or does the velcro just need replacing?

reinvigorating velcro?

If the hook side is just clogged with fluff, you can clean it with a dental pick, but it might be quicker just to replace both sides anyway.

No fluff, just faff :(

Looking at buying some used forks. How much is too much tyre rub? Any concerns on these?

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Any concerns on these?

The rub isn't terminal, I'd be more concerned in general about built-up forks, they don't have the best reputation for staying together at the joints.

I slipped on black ice on 14th December, and broke my ankle. I have complained to the council as the pavement hadn't been gritted since the snow on the 11th. They've sent me a Highways insurance claim form to fill out.

If I fill this out, and they decide that they weren't at fault, would this stop me taking some sort of legal action? Or would I be better off going legal straight away with a no win no fee solicitor?

I suffered a bimalleolar ankle fracture which required surgery and an ORIF. Bit annoyed about it

TIA

I hope this doesn't come across as unsympathetic, but unless a pavement was explicitly advertised as safe/gritted, do the council have a legal obligation to grit the pavement? Surely that's just bad weather and bad luck?

Either way, I hope you heal up well and quickly.

I'm not sure - the pavement in question is around 20-30m away from a gritted road and pavement, and there are three schools within 400m.

There are gritted bike paths just around the corner too.

WFCC have a winter plan, but their winter plan didn't work very well, judging from all the people in A&E (just on the day that I went in), and all the people complaining about pavements / empty grit bins etc etc.

Suing a council is not going to help the roads or pavements get gritted. It might help you but it only hurts everyone else. If you can see it in yourself to not do it, then I'd urge you to go that way.

The threat of suing might be useful to get them to do something meaningful about it but I'm not sure if council can be expected to grit all black ice throughout the borough

https://www.claims4free.co.uk/common-questions/other-injuries-questions/are-councils-responsible-for-icy-paths/ - seems to suggest you can't anyhow

In theory if the council was sued, and lost, often enough they would grit the pavements as it would be cheaper. Since they are all almost bankrupt I don't think it's likely to happen.

According to the Swedes gritting roads before pavements is discriminatory so there might be a challenge to be had that way. Would probably take many years for anything to change.
https://usa.streetsblog.org/2018/01/24/why-sweden-clears-walkways-before-roads/

surgery and an ORIF

This is entirely pedantic so I apologise, but the ORIF is the surgery: it stands for 'open reduction & internal fixation'

Here is my temporary tattoo

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That's a bit more subtle than BITD, used to involve a lot of gentian violet and graffiti like artistic talent :)

Done mine today. I’m going to sue myself for being shit at ladders.

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