Royal Mail Recorded Delivery, what a 'mare

A recorded delivery is not guaranteed to arrive in any way over and
above the standard postage, they go in with the rest of the mail and
the only difference is that a signature is required upon delivery.
Has your recorded delivery actually been confirmed by the recipient as
not having arrived? As I can almost guarantee it has been delivered, it
just wont have been confirmed into the system due to one of several
reasons - postie could be off sick/on holiday/failed to hand in the
delivery card for scanning, person in the locker might have had the
card back but hasn't scanned the barcode or has missed it, website
hasn't received the conformation, etc etc.
It happens a lot, recorded deliveries actually going missing happens
very very rarely - less than 1 in 50,000. Another thing to remember,
you sent the letter, you have conformation it was sent, so stick to
your timetable.Do you think the bank would listen if they said they'd
sent you a letter and you said you'd never received it? Of course not.Royal Mail recorded delivery is not a reliable service.
It would be extremely interesting to see statistics from Royal Mail as
to what percentage of recorded delivery items are actually signed for.
In my experience it is extremely unusual to be asked to sign for a
recorded delivery item. Indeed, I received one yesterday where someone
(probably the postman) had removed the recorded lable before delivering
it without obtaining a signature. Additionally many items are
prohibited from being sent by recorded delivery

Things to look out for when buying new Alloys

PCD:

PCD stands for (pitch circle diameter) and is the diameter of a circle drawn through the centre of your wheels bolt holes. PCD is measured in millimetres and also indicates the number of studs or bolts the wheel will have. The most common fitment has 4 studs and a PCD of 100mm, hence the fitment 4x100. Check the fitment guide above to check the fitment of your car, if you are unsure consult a technician.OFFSET (also referred to as 'ET'):Your car requires a unique offset. Simply this is where the outside of the wheel needs to be in relation to the bodyline of the vehicle, realistically you can go 5-7mm outside these recommendations, but always consult a technician if you are unsure, as there are often other factors that need to be considered.Detailed Explanation:There are 2 main reasons for fitting Alloy Wheels: Weight and Style. Alloy wheels are a lot lighter than the equivalent size of steel wheels, so the unsprung weight of the car is reduced. They also look 10 times smarter than a steel wheel, even with a fancy plastic trim covering it.Two things to look for when fitting after market wheels is the PCD(Pitch Circle Diameter, ) and spigot size. The PCD is easy to match as this relates to the number of studs you need to hold the wheel on the car. The ACTUAL meaning is the diameter of the studs from the centre of the wheel.Spigot size is a bit trickier....the spigot is the bit in the centre of the hub that you rest the inside centre of the wheel on whilst aligning the studs and screwing back the wheel nuts. On generic after market wheels, the spigot hole inside the wheels is a lot bigger than the spigot on the car. So what you need to do in this case is fit spigot locating rings. These are just rings of aluminium or hard plastic, that fit over the spigot on your car and then have a proper fit with the spigot hole on the wheel. If you don't have the spigot taking all the weight of the car, chances are you'll break one or more studs when you drive the car hard or have to brake hard. Remember the wheel nuts are simply there to hold the wheel on, NOT support the weight of the car. Also, as there is nothing to centre the wheel, you'll notice the wheels go in and out of balance because as you drive around, they'll move around on the hub.It is quite normal to alter the size of wheel when fitting alloys. When changing to alloys - you can replace with the same size of wheel, and keep the same size tyre, or move up to 13" wheels. The larger the wheel and the smaller the tyre profile the more impact the wheel chosen will have on the overall look of the car. The important thing is to keep the same overall tyre diameter. This is done by using a lower profile tyre. Increasing the tyre width and reducing the profile height will give the vehicle different handling characteristics. The car will be a lot more responsive when cornering, but a lot more sensitive to bumps and irregularities in the road.To give you an indication of what can be done if you want to change to a bigger wheel.Take the first number of your tyre size (this is the width of the tread) and multiply it by the second number (this is the profile height expressed as a percentage) and then divide by 100. You now have the height of one sidewall in millimetres.Multiply it by 2 (for top and bottom sidewalls) and divide this by 25.4 to convert to inches and add it to the third number of your tyre size (the rim diameter in inches) to give the overall diameter in inches.If you want to convert back to millimetres multiply by 25.4Wheel SizeTwo measurements, the Rim Diameter and the Rim Width, normally determine the wheel size. This is best explained with reference to the diagram:The Offset of a wheel measures the distance between the wheel centreline and the wheel mounting face and is measured in millimetres. It is extremely important that wheels of the correct offset are used in order to maintain the correct track of the vehicles.Offset can be Positive or Negative and is best illustrated in the two diagrams below.Most Modern vehicles are front-wheel drive, and as such generally require positive offset wheels. The main exception to this rule is 4x4 vehicles, which often use negative offset wheels.ClearanceIt is, of course, extremely important that the clearance Pitch Circle Diameter of both the vehicle body work and steering/suspension components are maintained. Failure to do so would most likely cause damage to both the tyre/wheel assembly as well as the body of the vehicles. Clearance is achieved by selecting a wheel of the correct size and type of tyre. Quality alloy wheel suppliers can give such information. Pitch Circle Diameter (PCD)The P.C.D. can be defined as the diameter (in millimetres) of an imaginary circle drawn through the centre of the stud holes on the wheel and/or the vehicle wheel hub.When new wheels are required, it is essential that they have the correct P.C.D. for the vehicle concerned.Just because a wheel from one vehicle has the same PCD and offset as the wheel from another does not mean they are interchangeable - the centre bore of the wheel and hub must also be the same to ensure centralisation of the wheel, and the shape of the spokes must ensure clearance of the brake calipers. Many manufacturers use the same wheel fitments as others, but some are unique.Wheel Location on HubAdaptor / Spigor Ring Arrangement Motor vehicle manufacturers use a central location collar on the stub axle hub in order to accurately locate the wheel. The wheel collar diameter varies, depending on the make of vehicle.Many replacement allow wheel manufacturers use an adapter (spigot ring) to vary the diameter of the locating hole. In this way, a particular wheel can, by changing the spigot ring, be used on a variety of vehicles.The adapter/spigot ring arrangement is illustrated in the diagram.As an example, TSW Spigot rings should always be fitted without the tapered edge facing the vehicle hub. This is to allow easy and accurate location of the ring onto the hub collar.Upstepping to High PerformanceLegal and illegal wheel/tyre combinationsVehicle performance can be maximised by selecting a lower profile tyre and larger wheel diameter combination. Care must be taken to select the appropriate replacement wheel / tyre combination to avoid problems.For example, it is a legal requirements that the tyre and wheel assemblies stay within the body of the car. The fitting of larger diameter replacement wheels is referred to as up-stepping. Up-steppingPlus One or Plus Two denotes how much larger the wheel diameter is.This approach of up-stepping allows the tyre section width to be increased whilst maintaining the correct overall diameter. This allows the optimisation of cornering force and grip whilst maintaining the original gearing of the vehicle.Aspect RatioAspect ratio is the ratio of section height to section width. It should be noted that in general, tyres with a lower section height (i.e. where the aspect ratio is lowered) have a higher cornering force and therefore improved performance-handling characteristics. When you have bought your new alloy wheels, you will need the special nuts to fit them to the hub. Stud threads vary, so dont rush out and buy the first set of wheel nuts you see at a bargain price because they may not fit and will strip the thread on the studs. Then you'll need to buy new studs and either fit them yourself or pay a garage to do it for you.Alloy wheels need special studs so that they fit inside the indent in the wheel and tighten up onto the stud properly. Normal nuts used on steel wheels are not suitable, as the nut will probably only go halfway down the stud, and when you brake suddenly or with normal driving over a period of time the nuts will work loose, or wear away the alloy hole in the wheel making the wheel useless, and the worse scenario would be the studs breaking and the wheel coming off completely.Rover Alloys use Rover nuts, many other manufacturers use either generic nuts or special nuts to fit their own brand of wheels. These nuts are not interchangeable, you can't use Rover nuts on some alloy wheels, and vice versa.You should also ensure that if using wider wheels that they do not protrude outside the line of the car, as in the diagram below.So please check you have the right specification alloys and the right nuts to hold them on!Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any more queries!

loola pushchair

why pay 190.00 for a new boxed loola off ebay without garauntee.when you can go to mothercare and have one with a garauntee for 200

Emmaljunga Twin Cerox

DON'T BUY THIS PRAM UNLESS YOU HAVE MONEY TO BURN

When I first got this pram when my twins were born I loved it as it was big and looked great. I soon realised it was too bulky and awkward to fold and too big for my car boot ( we have an estate car).

Now my twins are 18 months old and I have finally thrown it in the bin. Basically it has been back at the factory more than it's been in my house. Apparently I walk too much and my children are too heavy. Three times now it has been sent back with the same fault. Here I am walking along the street when my pram collapses with my babies in it. It literally just folds. Not good!!

I've always thought you get what you pay for but not with an Emmaljunga pram you don't. All the joins are made of cheap plastic and the aftersales service isn't too hot either. Generally when we have a problem we have to wait about 3 to 4 weeks to get our pram back on the road. Any parent of twins will know you just can't live without your pram for that length of time. At the price it's not as if you can afford to have another pram just lying around as a spare.

I hope this helps anyone looking for twin prams/strollers

Lazy Town /Peppa Pig/ Night Garden Products

Before getting in a mad bidding frenzy for all those supposedly 'RARE' hard to find items (because people wanting to make a few quid have bought them up.) Try shopping around. I expected not to find any lazy town /peppa pig/night garden products at all after looking on ebay and being convinced there was going to be nothing out there. I was surprised to see that the shops had a reasonable range.

I have bought most of my lazy town stuff from TK Maxx. They had loads of stuff. Even the 'RARE' Robbie figure which have been purchased on ebay for over 30 quid. Cost me 7.99.

Mothecare/Toyr us/Woolworths/Asda

In the last day I have bought various Lazytown and Peppa pig stuff from Mothercare. They had the big bang bam box, jigsaws, ropes, lunch bags, moveable figures and Peppa pig figures and various other items. Including some Peppa Pig girls pjs'/lunar Jim/night Garden Pj'shot items on Ebay.

Toys r us - gotanother lazy town jigsaw , but again check them out theyhad otherlazy town items. Also had loads of night garden stuff and Peppa Pig. Including the Space Peppa , and the double set of stuffed toys with Peppa and George, Iggle Piggle with his blanket. I bought a Peppa Watch and tons of jigsaws - Peppa pig jigsaws buy one get one half price. Shrek /Lazytown/Thomas/Roary/Night Garden all available.Watch was 7.99 , jigsaws 4.99

Woolworths - figures , dressup sets , jigsaws and various other items , even cheaper than toys r us.They have Peppa Pig sets for a good price including the Peppa Pig House selling for 14.99.One just been sold on ebay for over that and doesnt include the postage. The Peppa pig jumbo play setthat includes the car with the 4 figures , a playground , and grandpas train. Bargain at 19.99.

ASDA - was selling the super sportacus set for just under a tenner and they are still selling on ebay for 20.

Amazon -

Seem to have sellers with many Lazytown productsin stock and for many no postal charges. There seems to be quite a few things at sale price.

What I have found hard to get were the pj's for boys. So i have had to buy them off Ebay. Asda expect more stock in the next 2 weeks of the pj's but didnt want to take the chance.

Internet shopping is handybut not if you are paying over the odds for products that arent that hard to find.

What is Swarovski Crystal

What is Swarovski Crystal?

Many people misunderstand that the raw material used in the manufacture of Swarovski crystal objects occurs naturally, like rock crystal. Swarovski Crystal is not a natural crystal, it is man made at the factory in Wattens using basic formulae perfected by Daniel Swarovski and his three sons. In this section, we will tell you more facts about Swarovski Crystal Beads and answer a number of questions frequently asked.

Why is Crystal more expensive than glass?

Higher density and purity.Crystal quality is dependent on the production method and the processing of the raw material. Both factors play a major role in determining its brilliance and the measure of its value.

What distinguishes Swarovski products from imitations and those made by other manufacturers?

The factor that sets Swarovski crystal products apart is -and always has been - the superior quality of the cutting and polishing. In recent years,crucial role has also been played by exceptionally creative in - house and freelance designers.

Why there is so many different Swarovski Logo?

Swarovski has many different specialized divisions.Swarovski Components - Infinite possibilitiesSwareflex - Safety on the world's roadsSwarovski Optik - With the eyes of a hawk Thank you Please do also have a look at my store! If this was helpful to you please do vote! Thank you

Kawasaki Versys / ER6 TYRE GUIDE

I have recently purchased a Kawasaki 650 Versys and have already taken it on a supermoto only track day at Brands and tried some different tyres. This basic guide may be useful to ER6 owners as they share the same engine and cycle parts, although they are differently styled. Anyway this is what I've found with tyres so far on the Versys...

DUNLOP D221 OE

Original equipment on the Versys, they are very similar in the way they feel to the old D207's. Dry grip in normal conditions is adequate although the front will let go albeit in a controlled manner when the pace hots up. They seem to lose grip in very hot conditions, but never feel unsafe. Wet weather is a different story as they both front and rear need more care. If the weather is cold and conditions are slippery they are both lible to snap out, shattering confidence both on the brakes and on the throttle at even the mildest of lean.

DUNLOP D207RR THE RACER

Generally these tyres suit the versys down to the ground and are an instant cure to most peoples handling problems. They give good feedback in all conditions and are rarely troubled by the 650's chasis or engine power. Some care has to be taken in colder, slippery conditons, but in sensible hands they're safe as houses. They generally have way more grip than most ER6 or Versys riders will ever need in all but wet, cold wintery conditions, easily the best choice for summer and faster riders. If you can't find any or want a more modern tyre Michelin Pilot Power 2CT and Dunlop Qualifier RR would probably be the way to go.

BRIDGESTONE BT020 THE NOVICE

Another excellent tyre choice for these types of bike. There is generally less grip than the 207RR's, but more than the D221's and rider feedback are the 020's strong point. It doesn't matter how bad the conditions are the tyres allow you to save yourself from doom every time (so far). Both front and rear can be held right on the limit of adhesion for as long as needed even in wet, slippery conditions. They also seem to have as much grip as the 207RR's when it's really bad, so these are the choice for winter. Also they should give really high mileage as they are a sports/touring tyre and have a harder compound of rubber in the middle. Beginners and born agains that lack confidence will find these much easier to use than most other tyres, and probably find grip levels more than adequate until their riding improves. Again if these sound abit old hat the new Michelin Pilot Road 2CT may be worth a look.

Hope this little guide helps any fellow Versys riders, I'll update it as and when I try some different rubber.