Any question answered...

Fits the bill, but that listing suggests 3000mAh cells, which is blatantly bullshit.

Read this:
http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/p/18650-batteries-chargers.html

Then search for user Big_f_d_d on eBay.

I've bought a bike on eBay. Seller says he will box it up if I arrange a courier. Bike is in reading, I'm in Edinburgh. I'm in London soon ish and seller says I could collect in person. Train ticket out there is about £35. I can spare a half day.

What to do - collect or Ship?

Edit: just noticed I wrote buyer instead of seller!

collect.

Tell that to your testicles as they're wrenched adrift from your body the next time you go for that pothole/driver/jump/bollard-induced Superman.

Thanks!

Collect. For two reasons, one that you can check it over before you walk away with it and two that you aren't entrusting it with a courier company.

If it helps, a big if. I live near Martins Heron station on the Waterloo - Reading line. An off-peak return is about £18. I can always find a good excuse to drive into Reading (Decathlon and/or Mission Burrito) so could collect it and store it until you're able to collect at your leisure. I can meet you at Martins Heron Stn.
However if there is a chance you won't like what you're buying/you've bought then that won't work.

Collect, pay in cash, less the 10% eBay seller fees and PayPal fees he will save by cancelling the ebay transaction :)

Ah, too late for that now!

Thanks @Andyp and @platypus I am minded to agree. Collect it is.

Thanks for this offer, much appreciated. Collection should be fine but if I run into problems I'll be giving you a shout.

I might take the option of having Constable Savage collect it for me and check for anything untoward:

"Here about the bike?"

You definitely might get a discount.

TV license question..

I've been getting letters from TV licensing and they have been going straight in the bin. I received one yesterday that says as I haven't responded 'they are processing with the final stages of their investigation and an officer has been scheduled for a visit'.

Does this actually mean anything? I own a tv, it's not connected to an aerial as we only use it for Netflix and the PlayStation.

Sounds like you'll get a visit from someone who'll have a look round - I had one come round when I was a student. I don't know what their legal status is but if you're genuinely not using the TV for live signals (or BBC Iplayer), it's probably worth letting them in as they'll leave you alone once satisfied.

make sure you don't have any external aerial equipment / inputs in your house. possibly.

'they are processing with the final stages of their investigation and an officer has been scheduled for a visit'.

Just don't let them in.

Just tell them to piss off. They have no legal right to entry unless you invite them in.

Don't answer your door unless expecting guests. This keeps charity collectors, religious nutcases and TV lic. fuckers at bay.

Ask him to cancel the eBay transaction and that instead you'll pay in cash. He'll get his fees back and you should get a little discount for saving him money (and time spent posting a bike). Can't hurt to ask?

I received one yesterday that says as I haven't responded 'they are processing with the final stages of their investigation

You made the mistake of opening it, and now you are worrying unnecessarily. I repeatedly told them to fuck off some years ago, and I still get envelopes from them about once a month, although I have no idea what level their hyperbole has reached as they go straight to recycling unopened.

@mdcc_tester @hippy @danb @Howard @greenhell @Dramatic_Hammer

Cheers for the replies. The letter has gone in the bin with the rest of them.

I had this, TV inpsector came one evening with trench coat n all. Figured I had nothing to hide so let him in. He observed my big TV, saw it was being used as a PC screen and then he proceeded to put in the system that I had no TV. That was 5 years ago and since then I have had one letter to ask "Has anything changed", to which I replied no and that's been that.

Theres an opt out thing online somewhere, its what I've done for the last 5 years.

Isn't that against eBay regs, and would forfeit my PayPal buyer protection?