Any question answered...

Do I need special chain ring bolts?

Seems so! Bastards.

Trying to wrap my head around what's different about those bolts.

Wondering if maybe the ring can be installed onto the spider with normal bolts if the crank arm is removed.

Long bolt on the left

Short nut on the left

@Timmeh, @Hovis, @mdcc_tester

Thanks chaps. I've gone for Keo 2 max. The bulk of the cost will be the new shoes, so switching to SPD-R if the Keos disintegrate, shouldn't be a huge hit. Besides, I won't be commuting on them, so hopefully I'll be ok for a while.

Haha, I asked for that eh @Sumo @withered_preacher.

What I meant was why is that bolt different; I hope that particular hole in the spider isn't a different thickness.

Will disassemble later today and find out I suppose.

Tightening the spokes won't make the wheel stiffer (unless some are slack).

Yes it will.

I'd up the tension.

Ronnie Pickering?

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Tech/Debunking_Wheel_Stiffness_3449.html

No it won't... Unless they are totally slack in the first place.

Quote from article @Thuekr just posted:

"Within a ‘normal’ range of spoke tension, wheel stiffness is unaffected. "

and sheldon brown /Damon Rinard:

http://sheldonbrown.com/rinard/wheel/index.htm 1. Does stiffness vary with spoke tension? ...

Some believe that a wheel built with tighter spokes is stiffer. It is not. Wheel stiffness does not vary significantly with spoke tension unless a spoke becomes totally slack.

Ok, my mind is slightly blown.

Thank you @Hovis , @Thuekr and all.

Ok, my mind is slightly blown

It shouldn't be if you do a simple thought experiment. When gauging wheel stiffness, you're really asking "how hard will it be to push the rim to another position with respect to the hub?" When you try to push the rim sideways, half the spokes are resisting you and the other half are pulling on your team. However, since you know the rim won't move all by itself, it must be the case that until you turned up, the two teams were deadlocked. Now imagine each team starts pulling twice as hard; still deadlock, and your contribution still tips the balance just as much. In the case of radial movement, the opposing forces are spoke tension and rim compression, but they are still balanced before you show up, and they are balanced whether the forces involved are large or small, otherwise the rim would be accelerated in the direction of the net force.

Hooke's law, innit. As known about since 1660.

Anyone know the best time of day to skip massive queues at a walk in clinic?

I've gone from puzzled to satisfied. Rep.

Hooke's law, innit. As known about since 1660.

Wow that's ages ago, no wonder I'd forgotten it.

After the bloody kids have gone to school and before they get home. Avoid lunchtime too. The best time is usually half an hour before you arrive and two minutes after you've given up and gone home.

Which Co2 thingie do I want?
They all seem pretty similarly priced so perhaps just go for the nice looking Lezyne one?

Co2 is for chumps. Minipump.

The unich one I have is good. Can take unthreaded bottle things too.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Unich-CO2-Injector-Pro-Tyre-Inflator-Pump-Blue-and-Silver-106mm-Bicycle-Bike-/141665377377?var=&hash=item20fbea1c61

Why should I buy the SON generator hub over the Shimano Alfine (apart from the lufguss circle jerk points)?

edit: will be some trail riding but majority on road I would expect.

Because shimano alfine weighs a ton?

Hello everybody - I won a nice old steel GT triple triangle MTB on t'ebay the other day, and I'm looking to build it up on the cheap.

I have very little experience with 26" MTB rims/wheelsets - what should I be looking for on ebay/gumtree? No discs, v brake only.

Mavic xc717 is good v brake rim. Can't go wrong with deore XT hubs.