I did once – I was about 13yo! Since then I've only been close a couple of times… but either I don't push myself hard enough or I'm eating better (don't think it's fitness, cos I was very cycling fit at that age!)

Back on the original topic, which levers did you have ? I have the bottom of the range ones (Mirage/Xenon?), and they're pants. Sortov plasticy, starting to kludge shifts, I was thinking of upgrading to Veloce (9spd)

I am in the same boat. I need it very soon, and hopefully near London. Does anyone have any suggestions?

@pistonbroke that's a great story 🙂

Can't imagine *any* bike shop here doing that

Oh, I would have loved to come along, but I'm working

Kettle of very hot water on it.
There's more chance of damaging them through frosting than defrosting. (Water expands when it freezes)

PS. I'm assuming you have, or can get water to boil…

You've the seatpost collar on the wrong way 😛

It might be worth trying Crud Catchers with a Neoguard on the forks (between them they'll catch most of the spray, and be slightly better looking than a moto-x guard (imo)

I think better than a FB group against another FB group, there should be a group about better cycle lanes. Or "We won't use substandard cycle lanes"

The contis had very good puncture resistance.
I maybe did 1500 miles in them or so (not much) and don't recall puncturing them. Which is good, because I'd HATE to have to change the tube on the road! (Real pain to get on/off)

The 'guards are these types : http://www.evanscycles.com/products/topeak/defender-fx-front-ec004905

I hate how they look, but they're probably the best solution.

PS. I'm a Prince Albert owner too, I love the bike for off-road too 🙂

That's not a bad plan. A spare set of wheels will make the process of swapping them back quite easy. Admittedly not the ideal bike for it, but ok if you have one already…

Those fugly moto-x mudguards would be your best bet. Maybe those neo-guards might work ?
I had conti sport 1.3s on my kona for a while and found that most of the annoying spray comes off the front of the wheel, through the fork, and into your face 🙁
If you want skinny slicks then Conti Sports are great, btw. And you'll need the spare set of wheels cos they can be arkward to fit.

@Hairychested, I'd be interested in hearing what's near Drogheda, my mum lives near there, I usually just drive up to the Cooleys, or down to Dublin/Wicklow.

No need for destructive removal, it'll actually slide right out if you use window cleaner (contains ammonia, which dissolves aluminium oxide)
Spray liberally, twist, spray, twist… This has worked for me before. If you used WD40 also, it might make it easier to pull the post out.

Draper do imperial stuff. How about this :
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-36000-Hex-Key-Case/dp/B0001K9THE/ref=pd_cp_diy_0

You can usually get Draper stuff in local hardware shops (maybe not that exact set)

The Cooleys are great. Check out the CLEC website
I've never heard of anything near Drogheda, but I'm no expert. If you do find something do share!

They're M6 bolts.You'll need ones about 18-20mm long. They're pretty standard. LBS would have allen key ones, but a hardware store might have some (not necessarily allen key heads though)

Do it!

I've just gone from a Kona to a Prince Albert (also steel, built for big forks), and I love it!

As for the old frame and forks – don't think you'll get that much for them really. Frame's ok, (not really lusted after though) but the fork is a basic one, and won't get much. Maybe 100-120 for both ?

Personally, I don't think you see enough backwards-pedalling hill-climbers.

@mtbfix, can you hack the freewheels so that each has only one cog on? (Just wondering exactly what this fudged solution would look like…)

Here's one , do I get a prize? 😀

There was an early design where you would have two gears – a forward pedalling one, and a backward pedalling one. The chain arrangement looks like a figure 8 streched around the rear cog at the middle. I am trying to find pics…

Eh, where do you get the remote from? (I've seen them, but not cheap) I also have the gubbins but no remote…

No there won't be 5mm in the difference (even if you were doing radial spoking, it'd be 5/2 == 2.5mm, for 3x it'll be a mm or so)
btw. is this a rear wheel? if so it'll have different length spokes on each wheel…

I think a cable cutters will be fine to get the old spokes out… (edit, hadn't realised you wished to reuse old spokes! 😮 )

omg. There's a Park hammer/mallet. I can see how that would be far superior to other hammers/mallets.

Would you consider camping, or are you credit-card touring?
Camping would give you plenty of flexibility, I think every town of a certain size in France has to have a "Camping Municipal" – basic camping facility.

I have the BBB ones, which are quite good as they're designed to cut cable and cable outers and not flatten it too much (the outers need to be a little bit de-ovalised after)
I haven't seen the Draper ones, but straight blade cutters will usually flatten outers. If they have a hook-bladed one it should do the job.
I like Park tools, but wouldn't always suggest they're the best solution for a home mechanic…

If you've bought a SS-specific chain it'll be quite a bit wider than your average 9spd chain. They're far stronger and can be joined with a chain-tool without a bother.

Mountain morph looks ACE alright!

In a typical kind of fashion, I'm in Ireland and need one last-minute! So, in the pure shock front I've a choice between getting the Specialized Shock Pump[/url] or the Halfords one!

Go for it!
Sheldon says it effectively doesn't matter cos we all climb the same stairs…

smash – BMW takes out a lamp post on a traffic island that the driver hadn't seen cause he was shouting at me as well
I had something similar in London a few weeks ago! It probably didn't help to calm the driver down when I started laughing…

I had a pair of 3/4lengths that had the best shape in the world, and I have kept them hoping that someone would make a copy someday (I would, if I had a sewing machine…). and I have a great pair of shorts now…
I'd be happy to demonstrate the shape, and why it works if you'd make some like it!

At that age they'll let you take him on your laps. (They have an age limit… It might be 12 months at time of flying)
And I think on someone's lap is the safest place for him…

Thanks for the catalogue links – found out the one I gave away was a '96 Hahanna. Not worth a whole lotta money, but fun! Hope the new owner is enjoying it!

I am surprised that you didn't run out of traction on the climbs! I imagine in more boggy stuff you would…

oooooh! Looks nice.

I once gave away a looovely retro kona, can't for the life of me even think which model…

That looks amazing!

I would have said an Open Pro set of handbuilt wheels would look better, but quite like the look of mi(c)k's with Krysiums!

The park one is really good – I prefer not to break chains if I can, so this is a good solution…
And the park one has a magnet at the bottom to suck the metal crap away (and keep it from going back onto the chain)

I spent a frustrating 30minutes trying on swrve gear once – it's all odd sizes! Women's cut is the weirdest shape ever, and doesn't look flattering, and garments in the same sizes were frequently totally different sizes.

I am intruiged by Loeka. Why no shops in London though?!

Women have comparitively long legs, and short torsos, btw.

I always use the effective-top-tube measurement to guage size.
I'm 5'4" and ride a 16" Kona and a 15.5" Dialled… Kona has a 22" ETT measurement, and Dialled 23ish" ?? So I run a 40mm stem on the Dialled – I could probably get away with a little longer.
On an 456, for example, I could probably ride a 16" with a short stem (23" ETT), but would probably go for the 14" (21.5" ETT) where available

…and in road bikes I ride a 20" traditional geo, with a 21" TT.

In short, ignore the seat-tube measurement, and get something 22ish inches across the top. 😀

PS. I thought I should add: I've never owned a women's specific bike – always altered bikes to fit (shorter stems, etc)

Nitto – they have a few mini-front rack. This one is for braze on mounts
On-one had them for a while!

I looove them, it's on my list of wanted kit 🙂

Have you guys seen http://www.minx-girl.com/

I haven't used them myself, but I think they're supposed to be quite good, especially with sizing help (as there is so much variance in women's sizes…)

Admittedly, I don't do much shopping for kit, but I have only 1 pair of shorts that I think fit me and look good! (Oakley – and they were in the odds pile in Condor and I can't get another pair! 🙁 )