Remember that lossing weight at the cassette is not the same as lossing weight at the rim/tyre/tube. The same weight saving at the rim will reduce the moment of inertia of the wheel far more than the same weight saving at the hub/cassette area so I would pick lightweight rims/tyre/tubes before splashing out on expensive cassettes.

I would stick with the shimano ones.

Rose bikes are not buying through Madison at this price. I have an account with Madision and a Shimano SM-BB70 through Madison is £16.20 +VAT, the best rate is for 8+ at £14.20 + VAT. Rose bikes are selling below this so they are importing from aborad somewhere. It is a shame as I do not have the funds to buy in bulk from abroad in this way so I have to buy through Madsion. There needs to be more than one Shimano distributor in the U.K to keep the prices down. I think the next BB’s I buy for the shop will be from Rose bikes!

In fact rolling reistance is a function of tyre pressure, tyre width and rim width along with a bunch of other variables.

ianc the tyre pressures you run are the same that I run and I am 90kg dressed. So try 110 psi and see what it feels like. It’s all personal preferance. I tend to run higher pressure has some who have posted here as I possibly heavier than those folk and less pressure results in a flat feeling on the tyre and more drag which I notice.

I use them all the time.

Are the comps 2.0/1.8/2.0 and the rev 2.0/1/5/2.0? If they are I am not sure as use Sapim spokes then I have tried building a front wheel (less tension than the driveside of a rear) using Sapim 2.0/1.5/2.0mm spokes and I gave up in the end as the spokes twisted when tensioning and stretched to much preventing a really true wheel forming. I got the wheel to within 0.2mm laterally and radially and it went out again after stress relieving. Even making just one adjustment and stress relieving and then another did not help much. Rebuilt it with Sapims Race spokes and no such problems. So I think the 32 hole with comp spokes would be stiffer and rounder and truer and it would stay that way for longer.

But for larger flange hubs these thin spokes might be more useable as lower tensions can be run ad still provide lateral stiffness. So in truth it will partly depend on what hub you are using. For simplisity stick the competition spokes or use Sapims Race spokes + nipples.

Race face do a tool for pulling the bearings out, I have one and a visit to the local bearing shop can secure some excellent quality 6805 bearings which are easily installed in the shell. It is the bearing that is problem not the shell.

Try Park tools webiste. They have a good help and repair guide. Really you need special tools. I am sure a wood drift and being very careful with a hammer would work but I have never tried this method as I have the correct tools.

The tyre width you can run is a function of the internal width of the tyre. Measure that and multiply by 2 and you have the maximium width you should run. Run wider and the sidewall is not properly supported. Wider tyres are more comfortable but make sure you have the right rim first! Tyre pressure is also a function of tyre width as well as rider weight.

23c tyres are commonly run at 110 psi but 25c tyre should be run at a bit less maybe 100-105psi.

I would not get too hung about the weight of a frame. If you are racing aand competative and are light yourself the start worry about weight. If you are 14st like me and not competative you have little to gain about by shaving a few lbs from your frame weight.

Also I have a couple of Pipedream frames in the shop they do not weight 6lbs. A modern P7 I think weighs about that but that because Orange have changed the P7 away from the purely XC bike that it once was. I have two old steel frames. One a Kona Lavadome/cindercone from 96 or thereabouts and another a Marin Palisades 89 single speed. Both are lighter than my Orange EVO2 single speed. It all depends on how you biuld a bike and what you plan to use it for.

I have been thinking about a webshop for my shop and the idea of a web price and a shop price is aborant to me. However there are many distributors who do not care how much you sell for, they say they encourage sale at trade price.RJ Chickens who distribute Tifossi bikes for instance (which I stock) do not control how those are sold. One shop is selling on ebay, others are selling well below list so I have to follow. I do not agree with two prices, I see the website if it ever gets going as supporting the shop not as a seperate business.

I use Sapim Race spokes for most builds. They are not that expensive and Sapims nipples are strong and do not distort at proper tension unlike some cheaper nipples. Also good qulaity sopkes are stainless steel so you do not get corrosion issues with the nipples as quickly as you would with cheap ones. Not all spokes are created equal as with all things bike.