Any question answered...

If you can make it to Clapton, Hub Velo seemed very nice and knew what they were doing.

Red Bike Shop!

Welcome to Stoke Newington. You have a couple of options. Hub Vélo as already mentioned is a little further away (my local bike shop in Clapton), or SBC in Hoxton (featuring forumengers), but there are also PUSH in Newington Green (featuring forum OG Mike[trampsparadise]), Two Wheels Good in Church Street, Love Bikes in Church Walk, Bike Mech at the Castle Climbing Centre, Daycocks in Stoke Newington Road, and, erm, Halford's in Stoke Newington High Street. There's also the Hackney Pedlar at Hackney Downs Studios and About the Bike in Dalston Lane.

All currently known bike shops in Hackney here:

http://hackney.cc/shops/

(I haven't listed the guys in the Community Bike Workshop in Well Street yet as I haven't managed to get down to talk to them.)

Where you decide to go will probably depend on how well you get on with the personnel. :) I've heard good things about all of them except for Halford's (about whom I haven't heard anything apart from the way in which Halford's is usually viewed).

I have an old lock I found on the roadside years ago. I do not have a key. Is it possible for a skilled locksmith to make me one? I should probably throw it away/recycle shouldn't I..

Hub Velo are good and not just because they sponsor our fixie team.

I have some wheel bearings I need to replace, but can't afford to pop them out of the bike until I have new ones to hand as its my only means of commuting.

ID marks are: BRS 06-286 >NRR+FF<

Does this mean anything to anyone? Google isn't giving me anything at all.

I have some wheel bearings I need to replace,

Which hub?

ID marks are: BRS 06-286 >NRR+FF<

Could that be NBR, not NRR, for Nitrile Bonded Rubber. If so, then YAY! the bearing manufacturer has told you what the seals are made from but BOOO! they just bought generic seals rather than having them stamped with the actual bearing code - one seal can fit several different bearings.

NBR, it could well be. Ahhh.... bollocks. Its for the front hub, is the only option to pop them out for inspection then?

Its for the front hub

I was hoping you'd be a bit more specific. Make and model.

They should be able to pick it open and then replace the cylinder/barrel.

Ah, of course - braindead moment.

It's from a pair of cheap secondhand track wheels with an axle, no markings on the hubs but Omega rims so I'm assuming Raleigh's Tru Build generic hubs [link]. Cheers.

Knock out one side and measure it, it'll probably go back in fine, at least well enough to last while you order new ones.

Yeah, knock one out....Hhnnnnnnnggh

Thanks. I'll give it a go

Is there anyone else doing generic alloy Garmin out front mounts like the perpetually out of stock Superstar ones?

Turns out Madison's M:part brand do.

Just order two of these cheap plastic ones as they will arrive tomorrow and I am impatient. I will see how they go.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00ET29I1C/ref=pe_385721_37986871_TE_item

I just got a Garmin own brand one from Wiggle and it's actually pretty decent. http://www.wiggle.co.uk/garmin-out-front-bike-mount/

Who can tell me about activism/point me in the direction of somewhere to read? Raging about all the NHS stuff coming through today and feeling pretty useless. Been to rallys and vote etc but I'd like to do more. Does that take me to canvassing?

Also:

Would Tiagra 4600 chainrings look horrendous sprayed black? I hate how they're a slightly different shade of grey to the cranks and can't afford to replace them

Still curious about people's opinions on this

A few questions regarding chain ring bolts.

I have been experiencing a squeak mainly on the bigger gears on the track due to slightly loose chain ring bolts. I bought a tool which, when I got home, didn't seem to fit the bolts. I asked advice from lbs who, quite rightly, noticed that the current bolts were too long for a track bike(first picture). Any advice in getting these out before I resort to just drilling them out?

I managed by to remove two of these bolts by being rather heavy handed with the tool. I have put two bolts in from the set I bought from lbs, however these do not appear to be any tighter, as the nuts seem longer despite the bolts being shorter.

They're sugino 75's with a da chainring and the bolts I bought are strong light ones.

How tight would you expect the chainring to be against the cranks?

2 Attachments

Cut off the overhang then use the crappy tool?

Yes, they would look horrendous.

It might look shit if you don't do it properly but TBH, sell it and get a different one.

Who's going to buy them?! I certainly wouldn't.
I agree though. I have a 7800 chainset with a single ring to replace the tiagra setup for now but would really like a double, I'll just be patient until I can afford some new rings (and to replace the bust rhs shifter)