Any question answered...

I need a vacuum cleaner. I don't understand these uprights, I am used to a Miele lump you drag around. What should I get? Is there a Tester Approves House Hold Appliance thread??

Thanks for the advice. Going to give it a miss this time and rent instead but will bear this in mind for the future.

Get another Miele lump that you drag around. They consistently score highly on Which (8 of the top 10 on which are Miele, the other two are Bosch) and the like compared to the far more expensive Dysons and other uprights.

Highest rated upright is the Dyson DC40 Multifloor_2015

My mum swears by the slightly older Mieles. They were higher power. Apparently vacuum cleaner power has fairly recently been capped by EU regs and the new ones (whatever make) aren't all that good, so you gotta try to source one from a couple of years ago if you want to actually pick up dirt.

This is bollocks. Dyson have never produced a vacuum cleaner above the new EU limit (@1600 watts), yet consistently get excellent reviews and work well. There's a huge amount more to how well a vacuum cleaner performs than the amount of power it draws.

Henry.

Is there a Tester Approves House Hold Appliance thread?

There's no thread, but Dyson is #tester_approved, and Miele is #tester's_mum_approved

+1 for henry

Is there an approved flat bar brake lever to work with mini v brakes (90mm arm, specifically trp cx9)?

Is there an approved flat bar brake lever to work with mini v brakes

Tektro FL750 seems popular on the forum, personally I think they look cheap and nasty without even having the redeeming feature of being cheap. FL-540 and FL-740 look nicer, but this seems to be a place where Tektro haven't managed to do any better for the money than Shimano, so my go-to would be one of the Claris, Sora, Tiagra or non-series models, e.g. BL-2400 BL-3500 BL-4600 BL-4700 BL-R440 BL-R550 BL-R770 BL-R780. There's little between any of them on either quality or price, so you can just pick whatever is most conveniently available, or choose the one you think is prettiest.

Thank you, that is really useful.

Just for posterity, I had assumed (I presume incorrectly) that avid speed dials could be adjusted to suit mini vees with their adjustable cable pull doohickey. Was I way off base here or might it work in a pinch? I don't have them, so it's basically just idle speculation plus my lack of knowledge of hybrid/commuter groupset stuff.

I had assumed (I presume incorrectly) that avid speed dials could be adjusted to suit mini vees with their adjustable cable pull doohickey. Was I way off base here or might it work in a pinch?

You were incorrect, in the sense that even dialled down to minimum pull a Speed Dial will be pulling considerably more cable than is needed for road calipers/cantilevers/mini-Vs. For somebody with strong hands they might be tolerable, but may not pass the EN14764 test requirements in respect of stopping distance with the specified lever actuation force.

I have a pair of BL-R550 in silver if you're interested...

Well Dyson use an entirely different bagless system, don't they? Maybe they're not affected as much by the power limit as 'traditional' vacuums like Miele. Either way, my Mum's done a load more hoovering than I ever have. She got one of the new ones and then got rid because it was useless. Anecdotal, I know - but she's happy with the older, more powerful model.

I unfortunately have to go to Milton Keynes tomorrow.

Looking at train tickets online it appears I need to choose whether to travel with London Midland or Virgin. I can cope with that going but coming back I'd prefer to just get on the first train to arrive. Any idea if I can do that on a normal return ticket?

Why can't I find any 'nice' and 'quality' leather shoes that are suitable for cycling in? I'm trying to get out the habit of wearing trainers all the time, but I don't want to pay £billions on vintage style touring shoes.

Or, any ideas on leather shoes that have a short toe cap?

Were you thinking of this?

This?

http://rufflander.co.uk/shop/heritage-footwear/arturo-cycle-shoe/

I have them, very nice and comfortable, quite old fashion, good grip on pedals, not so much walking.

Thanks, yea, saw them a little while back but feel a little like they're a halfway house, but in the wrong direction. I'd prefer something that I wasn't going to need to work on the sole and heel of straight away.

Ah there's a pair in my size on the auction site, I hope nobody here bids me up! Be nice to get them cheap enough to try, even if they are well-used.

Potentially although likely not right now, as I don't have any bars other than drops. More hypothetical at this stage. Will give you a shout if needed, ta.

Nah, I forgot that adjustable ones like that exist but I was really just wondering about the range of adjustment of the avids.

Gotcha. Makes sense.

Aagrah, Akbars, Mumtaz...
3 large and successful Indian chains, are they limited to Yorkshire?

If anyone's still talking vacuum, definite vote for Henry.