Any question answered...

What do I do about close pass from 345 bus? Just road safe?

^Ugh. I got passed at about 30cm, in the dark, by an artic doing about 40mph at a pinch point not long ago... it was fucking horrible. Glad you're still here Mr L.

OT: need a recommendation for an understanding soul pref. south/central/not far north to assess a ratty 1970s 753 Raleigh SBDU for un-straightness.

Brixton cycles?

Due to the angle needed and how close the axis of centre of the guide hole is to the frame*, it doesn't seem like something anyone would be able to do neatly. There would be too high a chance of ending up with a solution even less tidy than adaptors. If you're that set on it, you could ask a Ti frame builder to replace them completely?

*awaits Tester to call me out with scients

Go with the dremel route, like tester said.
If you're afraid of dremels, get a set of needle files and get filing.

Need to replace the bearing in my goldtec track pro rear hub. Looks like I need 6001 2rs bearings.

This a good choice?
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/hope-6001-2rs-bearing/#tabAA

Or is it worth splashing out for some more expensive offerings?

Monitors. LCD. Audio outputs. Yes? No? Am I being daft?

Is there any reason not to use vbrake shoes (is that the right word for pads + carrier) in road brakes?

The bolt and nuts is too wide, I've tried and just about work fine on those really old caliper brakes, but road brakes might be tricky.

If you insist, make sure you put the thinner washer inside and the thicker one on the outside;

Failing that, removed all the washer and put it on the outside, ugly as sin with no aligning option but should work.

I should have described everything better, but basically the answer is yeah fine! :)

This question has probably been asked many a time before but I can't find it.

Is it okay to replace a 24" fork on a lopro with a 650c regarding the geometry and handling? Is it as bad as swapping 650c to 700c, which I believe is a common practise?

Oh and BTW the frame would proabaly be a straight tubed lopro so no curves.

Looks like I need 6001 2rs bearings.

Simplybearings.co.uk would be my first port of call, get SKF because the saving on cheaper ones is negligible unless you're buying thousands.

Ta. Will do just that

This. I used the approved SKF bearings in a Gran Compe hub and they were excellent. Much better than the bearings ever were from new. Spins for dayssssssss.

Where can I buy Veloplugs in London, tomorrow?

Looks like BLB might stock them. I can pick them up for you on the way home if you call and check if they have them in stock in the shop?

http://www.bricklanebikes.co.uk/velocity-veloplugs-red

Hi James,

Sorry to hear of the incident, I hope you weren't hurt in the collision?

It's very difficult to advise in this scenario, if the bike did sustain enough of an impact to knock the bicycle out of line, there's always a chance of damage.

As I'm sure you've done, I'd inspect the whole frame to make sure there are no hairline cracks or stress marks. If it's built, apply pressure to the BB and try to identify whether there's more flex than you may otherwise expect.

Only if you're 100% happy the frame is intact would I consider riding it. If it's only 3mm out over the length of the frame, I'd say this would be would be hard to notice.

If you'd like to get it checked, it may be worth sending to a UK frame builder, anyone with a table will be able to straighten this.

By all means, we can send this back to Lynskey but carriage would have to be covered by you, and the process of shipping is likely to take 3-4 weeks to the US using our shipping methods.

In a perfect world, and to avoid any doubt, the car (assuming their fault) should cover its replacement.

Sorry to be non-committal on this issue, as I'm sure you can appreciate, every case is different and while I may be happy with a given resolution, it's not something I can recommend to a consumer.

Please let me know if I can help further with anything.

Best regards,
Dave.

-----Original Message-----
Sent: 07 April 2015 14
Subject: Cooper CX aligment

Hi David

Don Irwin has suggested I contact you. I was crashed into yesterday while riding my Cooper CX. My LBS has checked it out, and using the Park Tool FAG there is a 3.5mm discrepancy at the dropouts when the gauge is resting on the head tube and seat tube.

Can this be cold set out? It looks like the head tube is slightly out - the front wheel of the bike was actually run over.

Or should the frame be written off?

Kind regards

James

Hmm, that's not Lynskey saying that they build to a tolerance of 4mm though - that's the (?) UK importer saying he reckons it'd be ok. Which it might well be.

My concern would be that if the frame fails (the welds around the BB would be my bet) at a later date then is that a warranty job, or the result of the RTA and therefore not really Lynskey's responsibility?

Lynskey would not actually tell me their tolerances and were really evasive. Instead they told me to contact their distributor.

Very unusual considering that their reputation isn't at stake, a driver took a pot at you and wrote the bike off.

Hardly a fault of a Lynskey frame, unless they were secretly made to attract asshole.

TBF, a lots of Canyon alu frame have similar tolerance when checked, even news, so maybe quality control might be a hit or miss.

Dicks. If you don't know what the tracking was when new, you don't know whether the driver has bent it.

Ask the driver's insurer to replace it or accept liability for anything which happens as a result of later snappage.

Reading between the lines, it looks as though he's actually saying that it has been knocked out of line, but it would probably ride OK and a framebuilder could probably put it straight again. I read that as saying it's bent, and it might be possible to straighten it but he couldn't guarantee it. I agree with @Dammit about cold setting titanium. Given its reputation for cracking it wouldn't be something I'd be happy with, and I love titanium frames.

Cane creek SCR-5 levers vs TRP-RRL alloy levers?

Both have a return spring right? Any reason to go one over the other?

For canti go for cane creek (service mode is handy).

Finally got confirmation the frame is within their manufacturing tolerances. A relief.