@Bez
In the topic it starts with track bike. But FYI:
The real main difference between a track bike and a fixie or singlespeed road bike is bottom bracket height (and traditionally a corresponding longer head tube).
Because of the steep banking (especially on indoor and other 250m tracks) bottom bracket heights are higher on track bikes. If you take a non-track-specific fixed road bike onto a track you will clip the pedals on the floor. If you have 175mm cranks on top of this you will not get round the banking without coming a cropper unless you’re going fairly quickly, especially on the inside line next to the cote d’azur.
I’m old enough and tall enough that when clipless pedals came in I was able to switch from 165mm to 170mm cranks because they had that bit more clearance.
If you’re never going to use it on a track, as OP possibly is or isn’t (because @TiRed many people do still ride miles with front or both brakes and take them off at a track), then you don’t need a track specific bike and will have a bit more stability (and shorter head tube) with a lower centre of gravity due to lower BB.
That is all.

The why he went public also has an answer.
The Lottery people will give you lots of free financial advice with what to do with your winnings, how to invest, save, spend etc.. IF you go public.
If you have no publicity they won’t offer this and you’re on your own.

It’s when you can’t remember your last all nighter.
And by all nighter, I mean when you go all night without getting up for a pee.

It becomes ridiculous at n+n, where n is greater than the different number of cycling disciplines you ride.

Have them now.
Keep doing everything together. It’s just that they’ll be more of you.
Go and live in a village in the mountains somewhere with them.
Give them the travel bug. They’ll leave at twenty and be worldly wise.
At your age that’s a lifetime away, but at 45 it isn’t.
I’m 50 next year and still race bikes as much as I ever did.
I still travel as much as I ever did.
And expect to for at least another twenty years.
Cyclists keep riding well in to their 80s.

http://www.allsingaporestuff.com/article/health-department-confirmed-semen-found-mcdonald%E2%80%99s-mayonnaise

Binners
I had a very abusive childhood and was seriously drinking heavily by the age of ten. I later went on to narcotics abuse. But it was normal to me and reinforced by mixing with similar abusers.
As an adult I have been asked by children to buy them cigarettes, alcohol and even glue and also lighter fuel. Some of them asked pleadingly. I’m guessing their self righteous goody goody none abusive soft parents wouldn’t have wanted me to but I could understand the children’s seeming desire for them.
Would it have been wrong or funny for me not to have been a responsible adult and gone ahead with it?

I guess the children are lucky you’re not a uraphogiaist.

Depends what year X9.
I think the older ones are D, but I don’t know when they changed or what to.

You’ll tire of explaining how to spell tyre before some people learn.

Went along this evening for track training.
They were doing cyclo-cross training sessions.
No one told me about it!

There is a circuit there just about large enough to hold cyclo-cross events:
http://www.summerseries.co.uk/
Next event there 19 August.
Muddy Hell is in October:
http://www.muddyhell.cx/

And I think there’s likely to be a winter series with events there.
I don’t know whether you are allowed to enter on a mountain bike.
Muddy Hell I’m pretty sure you are. But stick some 29er wheels on your mtb with 1.5 tyres and you’d be fine.

“Off road” (sic) in South London.
Track cycling outdoors.
http://www.hernehillvelodrome.com/calendar/
You’ll need to do an induction on a Saturday at 1.00pm then a number of basic training sessions on a Saturday at 12.00 noon but it then gives you evening sessions and Saturday morning sessions to do. Track bikes provided at no extra cost. You can ride any bike to get there.
Structured training will improve all cycling fitness.

Is the back wheel integral to the stability? Like rear rotor on “standard” helicopter?
Otherwise they could lose a tiny bit more weight by getting rid of it and the rear stays.

Lusso bib tights.
Great quality and excellent value. I’m on my second pair. First pair worn week in week out over several winters on and off road.
They do various thickness and proofing.

I have 7 assorted pairs of Time ATAC or Z type pedals. All have come with cleats.

At a track training session we once had a quick talk about chain tension. It shouldn’t be tight as it actually causes friction and wear.
The guide for slackness was certainly less accute. He picked up the bike and shook it up and down violently. “If it comes off then it’s too loose.”
And that was it.
So some degree of slack and certainly not too tight.
Being able to pinch top and bottom whilst under no pressure by 5-10mm in total should be a good amount I would concur.

On a single speed bike I wouldn’t run it too loose because of the amount of chatter you’ll get from bumps and stuff.

If I have to fly with a bike I try to only use BA. They’re good like that, but pay up front for an extra bag in Manage My Booking option. Depending on where you’re going it’s £34 in europe and £77 worldwide. This gives you an extra 23kg to play with.
If there’s a family or a couple of you and just one bike you may be ok.

Tree of life in more detail

Have you all not seen K-Pax? It’s as true as anything else we have on aliens.
If you have you’ll know there’s no need for UFOs.
So to answer the original question and not just try to inform some of you, albeit rather hurriedly.
No.
And anything that is a UFO is an alien space craft. Hey presto, identified and no longer a UFO.

All life (that we know of) on earth is related.
It’s all one tree of life.
You are related to everything on earth from all the apes to the smallest bit of bacteria. There’s a few billion years of evolution between you and the bacteria and a few million between you and the apes but you share the same origin:
tree of life
I don’t think some of you can grasp this.
Survival of the fittest is a way for evolution to occur but its still the same life form on earth with the same origin.
It’s all from one origin. We haven’t found evidence of other life on earth.
Why not? is all I pose (and how much relevence does this have to finding life elsewhere?)
Extraterrestrial life should have its own origin and its own tree if it exists. The probability of it is between 0 and 100%.
If you want a valid view how about those of the head of SETI.
Paul Davies has a book called The Eerie Silence.
It even starts with what thepurist quoted earlier:
“Sometimes I think we’re alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we’re not. In either case the idea is quite staggering.”
Arthur C Clarke

OK. Evidence so far is that life has only occured once. There is absolutely no evidence (so far) that life has occured more than once.
We can only look at evidence we have.
If life exists somewhere else in the universe why hasn’t it occured here in more than one form?
When discussing extraterrestrial life surely things like that should be considered. I know in fact that it is.

On earth we have perfect conditions for life to appear and evolve but its only done it once. All life on earth is related and comes from the same starting block.
If, in the billions of years its only appeared here once, why is it any more likely to appear somewhere else?
Probablility is about something not happening. Its not happened more than once.
So likelyhood may be we are the only part of the universe that knows its here.

Does the bike fit in the shower up ended, or with front wheel off?
I shower first then clean mine in the shower with rear wheel on bottom of basin and front wheel pointed upwards. Muc-off or Hope Sh1t sh1fter sprayed on, wait a couple off minutes or so then showered off and scrubbed with a washing up brush at same time.
Wipe down bike with old t-shirt.
Lube chain.
Leave bike to dry overnight, remove, sweep shower basin with brush & dustpan and clean with a spray of aforementioned bike cleaner.

spotted this today

I too have an old style ST4.
If I was to replace it with any bike now it would be the new ST4.
Do you really need 140mm front forks?

You just don’t know which way to turn do you? The undiscerning 8 year olds still play with things with triggers.

Another pair of Aksiums?
They usually come out top in revues of that price range.
Mavic Aksium Black Clincher Wheelset £171.00

Great. Thanks for that.

Why the heck don’t more people use gel flasks? They’re much quicker to use in a race, and no litter. I just mark mine so I know how much constitutes the equivalent of one gel pouch so I can pace my intake. Simple.

I have started doing this. You can get quite big gel bottles, 250ml, in runners shops, although I think they’re meant for water.
Anyway. My next task is to get the race energy drink/food sponsors to sell gel direct from a squirty container so I can fill my flask up at the race and never need gel sachets.
Some (Torq anyway) have the sample squirters, and bikefood did a big bottle to buy online.

I had a pair of the first ones and I still think they have great smooth, plush action. They did definitely have some flex but I weigh 75kg (~12 stone) so being lighter will reduce this. Also I imagine they have beefed them up since.
Still the lightest forks I’ve owned.

Thanks for the fright Mr Tandem, but I don’t think tyres are actually really car specific. Van tyres being more heavy duty or as 5lab says, load rated. I have a carbon hard tail you know, 26″ wheels. Not some unwieldy heavy 29″ thing being carted around in the back. ;-)
And don’t go giving insurance companies ideas either.
It’s more a “How many miles are they ok for? And do I change it earlier than necessary?”
I probably do about 3000 miles a year on the motorway

yes

I’d agree with hammerite and do part of the ride. See if you can get a train home from somewhere.
If it is 100km rather than 100 miles you’ll most likely make it and if you ride an mtb regularily you may well be fitter than some of them. If it’s their first ride since summer some of the others will be dreading it too unless they’re all regular road riders.
The 10k time trial doesn’t have to be taken seriously and could acually be a good recovery ride if you just take it steady. No one expects anything from you.
If you do decide to do it here’s a few tips:
Stretch before and after, especially the top half of your body as you don’t move so much on a road bike.
You’re right about removing your peak, it stops you craning your neck too much.
I’d wear what you know to be comfortable. It is a bit chillier on the road though. This will also let the others know you’re not used to road group riding, but introduce yourself as such and also say you’re ready for advice.. this will make the better ones behave responsibly with you and ‘look after you’. Listen to advice, but you don’t have to act on it all.
If it gets you off work, I’d recommend it. But it may take a few days extra to recover as you’re not used to it.

I did the train to Valence from St Pancras last October with two friends. We then cycled to Nice on http://www.grande-traversee-alpes.com/en.html
London – Lille, Lille – Valence
Grande-traversee ride to Nice.
Nice – Lille, Lille – London.
On Eurostar bikes are free in a bag and as we were doing a point to pointa cycling holiday didn’t want bags at the other side so we used bin bags. The big black ones. One per wheel the two over rest of bike. Took four bin bags each for return journey.
This was fine and no questions or even inquisitive looks were given.

I have an ’05 Vito Dualiner that was chipped by previous owner so on longer motorway journeys I can get 40-45mpg if I drive sensibly.

I can indeed get bikes in sideways, I hadn’t realised I wouldn’t be able to in other vans.
Look 986 hardtail fits across fine, Orange ST4 fits but have to turn front wheel slightly.
I put them between two rows of seats – three in front, double in back, I can get a sixth seat in too for those trips to watch events with friends.

I have a single mattress in the back also that I lie on the floor to sleep on. This is good for races but also for a quick afternoon nap at work if there’s time.

I sometimes wish I had door at the back with a rear window, but I grew up with vans and used to drive trucks for work so at least I am used to only using side mirrors.

The one thing I would definitely want again would be air con. I’ve been to Italy three times and France twice, It gets hot in there.

Just after I bought it there was a thread on here about vans. Someone posted that the VW Transporter outsells the Merc Vito 3 to 1 in Germany. That might mean something.

Hayes – Klitschko
Hayes 7 to 4, Klitschko favourite at 1 to 2

Murray – Nadal
Murray 7 to 4, Nadal favourite at 1 to 2

(At betfred this morning)
With ten pounds on either Murray or Hayes, everyone at work this morning went for Hayes – before I told them the odds.

Not impressed by Bradley’s national jersey top at the presentation. Those are supposed to be red white and blue hoops I’m sure.
He’s just a white jersey with the Netherlands flag on the front.
http://www.teamsky.com/gallery/0,27401,17548_7011990,00.html#photo=8

Of course, no one on here has ever left their helmet in the car on a hot sunny day.

I shall do an experiment over the weekend with two large bits of polystyrene packaging. I shall wash one bit in the dishwasher but not the other. I shall then hit both bits with a large rubber mallet and observe the difference.
All providing I survive tomorrow’s crash. But as I was intending to fall sideways and land on my posterior hopefully all should be well.
Oh no, hang on, I think I once washed my shorts with towels on a 60°C wash. Will they bubble and will my bum survive? Or does the lycra just lose its elasticity? I won’t bounce!

They are issues that should be treated separately.
He should personally be guilty of some charge of the cause of death of Ian Tomlinson.
Anyone else might be guilty of incitement. And that will be a separate charge.
If PC Haywood is that naive he shouldn’t be a police officer in the first place. He should know the law, it’s his job.

I’ve been washing shoes and trainers (not leather ones) in the washing machine for years so I thought I’d give an otherwise greased up chuckable helmet a go in the dishwasher.
Is 55°C excessive heat? I can put my hand in water that warm.
No bubbles or anything on the helmet.
Also I’d forgotten it was a colour I never really liked in the first place – only one in lbs that fitted when I needed one after breaking previous one.
dirtbiker100 – But of course I’m planning on crashing tomorrow.
Just after the three hundred and seventy second tree on the right after the wallow. You know the place surely.
Come along and watch . Should be about 12.15 local time.

I was apprehensive, but I can honestly say I can’t see any damage.

All that was done to it was that it was sprayed with 55°C soapy water for ages then rinsed. Things don’t move about in a dishwasher otherwise all the plates would break.
Test ride tomorrow.