I use an oil-filter wrench rather a chain-wip. More chain in contact with the sprockets as there is loads of it results in a tighter hold. (also £15 cheaper than a chain wip) Really massive spanner helps too.If you are anywhere near Cardiff you can borrow my 18-inch long adjustable (I don't live in Cardiff, but lent it some time ago to someone who does and keep meaning to get it back from him…)
If your chain-wip has plenty of grip put your cassette-tool face-up in bench vice and turn the whole wheel for extra leverage.

What cranks do you have? Frame only dictates size of shell required, in your case 68mm. THe axel length will be determined by the cranks. Also, are you runnig double, triple or single?

I find foam grips help loads on fast vibratey stuff, forearms numb otherwise. It'lll do your line-selection skills a load of good too, stick with the rigid.

Gave up on CRC a long time ago, their record for dealing with warrenty returns is shocking. Wiggle much nicer.

My road bike works perfectly, and is fairly ecclectic mix (and that is 'works' as in well enough to win club time-trials on)

10 speed Ultgra cassette (with a nice red SRAM lock-ring)
10 speed chain (SRAM something-or-other)
10 speed rear shifter (105)
9 speed rear mech (XTR Shadow)
3 speed front shifter (Tiagra)
3 speed front mech (Sora)
Double chainset (Tune Bigfoot)
XTR UN91 Bottom Bracket
9 speed big ring (Stronglight something)
8 speed little ring (Sora)
Aligator I-link cables

Just make sure rear shifter/cassette/chain are all for the same number of speeds, everything else should be fine. If running a double-ring with a three speed shifter like I do you will just have a dead shift, where you pull the lever and nothing happens, not really an issue.

"But, as I was told by the person at the Halfords call centre, there is no lower limit as to how much the bike can cost… so for a £1k voucher you could get a £50 bike and £950 worth of safety equipment!"

Hmmm. Does this include upgrades? Could I comute on an Appollo something-or-other with a set of Tune Prince/Princess hubs and Stans Olympics? What if I found they didn't work with the rest of the bike (what do you mean, 'only work with disc brakes?) and put the original wheels back on? I may as well keep the Tune/Stans wheels for my other bike.

What Jon973 said.

Used to work for sky, they will keep making lower and lower offers, keep saying no until they offer free replacement (will only be reconditioned box though)

Or watch less telly and ride more, there's nothing on anyway. You just have a wider choice of rubbish than the rest of us do.

Another vote for obscure/expensive-tool lending/hiring, eg disc mount facing tool, BB shell tread cutter, etc.

Also, sell stuff that is there. Off-Beat bikes in Fort Bill sold me a mech hanger they had taken off one of their display bikes as they didn't have one in stock, only a couple of days for them to replace but I was only up there for a short while and couldn't wait. Too many shops I have found won't do that.

Race at Llandegla this Saturday. DragonXC.com for details. Come and have a look at the course.

Definately square.

Shell length depends on frame. Axel length depends on cranks. I have the 1999 XT cranks, the first of the 9 speed ones, and the require 113mm if that's any help.

And a unicyle. And no, I can't.

1993 M-Trax, one of the old Ti ones, 21 speed LX and cantis.
1997 Claude Butler Psycho, converted to SS, comuting and going places.
199? Coppi K14, road/road racing/crits/hill climbs/touring
1999 Marin Attack Trail, 5" coil sprung and now with triple clamps and big brakes
2004 Saracen Killi, surprisingly light magnesium hardtail
2009 Yeti ASR-Carbon, just to make you all jealous. 19LB full suss! Racing only.

Probably enough spares to build another, just 'need' some wheels.

Collecting a time-trial bike on Friday, old and second-hand, blew all my funds on the Yeti. Just need a 'cross bike now…

Am I a trend setter?

Got my first Marin 10 years ago, followed by a beard. Got another 5 years ago, replaced under warrenty 3 years ago. Sold it at end of last year and bought carbon Yeti. Have been comutting on SS for a year and a half (still have beard and first Marin)

Marin riders didn’t have beards until I got one.

It was only on reading the above posts that I discovered one now needs a beard to be a singlespeeder. Why is everyone copying me?

Also, SS has only one gear (obviously) and hyraulic rim-brakes. Replacing tyre a fortnight ago was it’s first maintnance this year, not even cleaned it! Perfect ride-and-forget bike, not riding it because it is now fashionable, also beard is lazyness rather than fashion.

You are thinking of the old Endura DE engines, I’ve got an 11yr old one with 130K miles. Had new glow plugs and alternator in the 38k miles I’ve had it, and that’s it. Had new timing belt fitted just after I got it. Really slow, makes my old TDi Landy look nippy…

Newer TDCi engines sorted the power issue (up from 90 to either 115 or 130) but at the expense of longevity.

Advice If you are doing the run/bike one take an old cardboard bike box from your LBS and lots of bubble wrap

Thanks Njee. I have asked on there, and on the SXC forum too. Finally had an answer from the organisers confirming I do need to enter via BC, so I will just have to keep phoning them.
GB has 15 places apparently. I hope it’s not going to be another one of these things where BC send two people who might get a meddal and waste the other places, only for their two riders to crash, break their bikes and DNF. We need ‘meddal no-hopers’ like me to finish (last) and get some points!

Address should of course read andy_howett at yahoo.co.uk but with a @ and no spaces obviously. Probably a phew moor spilling mistaeks in their two.