Any question answered...

A thread here suggests you will be fine with a grinder.

While on the topic of sockets, does anyone have a 1 9/16"/41mm I can borrow?

£8 for one made by their framebuilder...

http://shop.18bikes.co.uk/m12b0s406p2340/EIGHTEEN-1-2-inch-Drive-socket-%28faced%29-2015

They've just faced them, don't see why you couldn't do the same if you had access to the tools.

Sparky Snr says he'll ask around at work and see if someone will machine one down for me. I'm afraid that he works in an office now and will spend an inordinate amount of his expensive time sorting it out for me, rendering the whole exercise a bit pointless, but it's a kind offer. And I do resent paying £20 for such a silly little thing.

That's just the job, but £13 shipped. Plus dad's on the case now. It's pointless trying to rein him in; he's a force of nature once he's got an errand to run.

Didn't see shipping, if he gets stuck I could probably ride over next week, pick up and post for a much lower sum...

Very kind. I'll see what occurs.

Proposed strike action = post picket bike rides :)

Ah. Junior doctor or railways?

Higher Ed!

Anyone on 'ere know, or is, a person who works in Project Finance / infrastructure financing?

Would the side of the jaws of a 26mm or adjustable spanner not be sharp enough to grip?

Don't want to mangle my nuts. Forks aren't cheap.

I've made do with a decent adjustable before.

For doing the Brompton folding pedal which is similar I used a set of mole grips and made sure they were firmly clamped on before turning.

I think the front wheel bearings say "Japan" "EZO" "609 RU" which would tally with this ebay listing: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/609-2RU-EZO-Deep-Groove-Ball-Bearing-Single-Row-/181992554536?hash=item2a5f9a0028:g:wsoAAOSwa-dWmRKc

9mm inner diam. sounds promising. Is there any reason to doubt these would be suitable replacement bearings for my front wheel? @mdcc_tester

Oh, any UK dealers for these?

Has anyone got a well used/abused/loved cambium (c17 or 15)?

Colour not an issue.

Is there any reason to doubt these would be suitable replacement bearings for my front wheel?

EZO are fine, but SKF are cheaper from http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/p6143/SKF-6092RSH-Rubber-Sealed-Deep-Groove-Ball-Bearing-9x24x7mm/product_info.html

SKF is a #tester_approved manufacturer
simplybearings.co.uk is a #tester_approved supplier
cheaper is a #tester_approved concept :-)

I'm down with that. Cheers.
This should squeeze another few months out of the wheel before the rim folds in half.

Bb30 bearing. Is there a neat way to pop them out safely so I can reuse them or are they one press, one use? Hollowgram axles don't fit through the ones in there currently. Well not without hammer.

pretty sure that is normal that the hollowgram axle is a very tight fit, try putting it in the freezer before installing it...

Yep - freeze the axle.

As above, also you will need to hammer it in

Will also need some chicken fat and a stack of 50p coins.

Anyone have a link for the photo of the kid doing a huge jump on a BMX and about to pile in on the tarmac (he walked away) in front of a line of rider spectators who are watching in horror. All under a blue sky poss in SF?

@danb @Howard @Dammit I have two axles, I just want to test fit the cranks to see what axle length I can get away with. The bearings in the BB are the ones I'm using with my DA cranks. I don't want to ruin them if I don't have to.

What I might do is remove the bearings and just float the axle through the BB shell to see if that gives me an idea of width. It looks like the cranks will end up a bit skinnier once tightened though so it might not be a fair test.