France in Focus

I have just finished trying to get all the grass cuttings off the floor after my gardener strimmed it all down for me. It has highlighted the problems I have been having with this and the previous ride on with rear ejection. They have both been in the sub 2000€ price range, but it is a very rare occasion that I can mow the "grass" areas without getting the sac off the back and clearing it out again. Just what have you got to spend to get something that does the job, without leaving all those unsightly clods of grass everywhere.

one of these works for me
https://www.amazon.fr/VEVOR-Ramasseur-B ... 60&sr=8-53

Thanks so you just tow this along behind the ride on and it is all mechanical.

I can recommend a set up like this
Frontal cutter mower which mulches most of the time so nothing to collect plus towed sweeper for first few annual cuts when grass too long to mulch.

WHATS THAT BIT OF WIRE TIED TO THE SEAT?? Sorry caps lock malfunction

hughnique wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15, 2024 5:39 pm WHATS THAT BIT OF WIRE TIED TO THE SEAT?? Sorry caps lock malfunction

Well spotted
It's a rope I use to tip the cuttings out without getting off the mower seat. It's a sort of 'tip & pull forward a bit' operation.
If it's not looped around the seat or similar it can get wound up in sweeper brushes & is a pita to untangle.
I never collect the cuttings straight after mowing as they're still 'green' & very heavy, so usually, weather permitting , I do it the next day when they're dryer & lighter & get thrown further into the collector so it holds more.

hughnique wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15, 2024 5:12 pm Thanks so you just tow this along behind the ride on and it is all mechanical.

It is the same mechanism as a push mower where the wheels are geared to drive the brush roll. Although the unit is not heavy, I have never experienced wheel slip and the solid tyres always seem to grip even with the lighter load of dry grass cuttings, as I do the same as LAF and collect them later.

We bought a Kubota GR1600 in 2006, and she is still going strong having just over 7000 hours mowing on the clock. Absolutely brilliant machine, in the region of 6k€. Used with the collecting box, she'll suck up everything like a vacuum cleaner. Used without collecting, we bought a downshute attachment so the grass doesn't fly everywhere and it doesn't seem to clump even the longer, damper stuff.

Having used her for countless gardens over the years, I think she's earnt more than her keep - and not many repairs to report either.

Bayleaf wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16, 2024 8:01 am We bought a Kubota GR1600 in 2006, and she is still going strong having just over 7000 hours mowing on the clock. Absolutely brilliant machine, in the region of 6k€. Used with the collecting box, she'll suck up everything like a vacuum cleaner. Used without collecting, we bought a downshute attachment so the grass doesn't fly everywhere and it doesn't seem to clump even the longer, damper stuff.

Having used her for countless gardens over the years, I think she's earnt more than her keep - and not many repairs to report either.

That's pretty impressive especially when it's being used commercially.
Works out at about 400 hrs use per year against my 3k€ machine's domestic use of probably about 40.
Just sat here thinking, Wow! that's 10 x 40 hour weeks pa sat on a mower

We also have a GR1600 Infinity Deck, bought 2nd hand from clients who sold up. She is newer and has nearly 3000hr on the clock. Side shoot with mulching option, another great machine but struggles with longer grass and especially at certain times of year when there are "slippery" weed stalks in the lawn. It's like they duck as the mower goes over and pop up again afterwards! OK for cutting rough orchards and the like, but not a perfect finish unless you spend longer going over the same areas a couple of times. Clients will only pay for a "once over" cut!