Any question answered...

Headphones with active sound cancellation, like the Bose ones. Do they still cancel sound when not playing music? Or do you have to pass a sound track through them for the sound cancellation to activate? I need silence.

I use mine with no music source for long flights, simply for the noise cancelling which drops a LOT of the engine/wind noise.

Changing my cross over tandem into a single-sided drive tandem.

Took the front cranks off, measured the BB on both sides and both sides had 15mm axle showing so I flipped it over, didn't flip the axle over. Is this ok?

Do TA cranks have a different size for the extractor threads? My crank puller doesn't fit, it's about a mm too small. There's a chance the threads are just badly stripped.

Finally, I want to drill the back brake bridge to take a modern caliper, is it ok to drill it from the top side? There's no way I'll be able fit a drill in the back side.

Thanks in advance for the answers :)

TA cranks threads are def different, from memory they're 22mm and there's another brand (I forget which) which is similar at 22.xmm and their extractor also works on TAs. Spa cycles still sell a compatible TA extractor.

Edit: beaten to it ^

@Mitch
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b65s72p484

Older TAs have a different thread, don't try to remove with a regular puller!
jesus I'm slow - TA is 23mm

@TheShipwright, @MCamb, @withered_preacher - Thanks!

I bought a set of crud racer mk3 mudguards from Halfords. Fitted them today, went for a 60 mile ride in the wet and they were absolutely terrible. Lots of rubbing and the velcro pads falling off.

What are my chances/consumer rights for returning them? I had to trim the front to fit (the instructions do say trim to fit if needed).

Broadly speaking, cheap steel frames were over-engineered

That may be true, but what he has is 531, which would have a wall thickness of 0.5mm to 0.7mm on the downtube depending on exactly which 531 tube set it was.

I would like a 47T 144BCD chainring for my omnomnoms. Preferably in black. I have found a token option but it looks a bit "meh".

What is out there?

What is out there?

Stronglight, TA, Goldtec, Sugino, Rotor, Miche, Blackspire, FSA and many other less famous names just in black. If you can stand silver, Campagnolo and Shimano too.

Strange mine have been fantastic all winter. You can buy spare velcros direct from the manufacturer. Did you clean the frame properly?

Is there any of those which are considered better than another?

All of them are

All of them are

By somebody 😀

TA would be my first choice.

Here to help

Nice one, I shall have a look, thanks!

Yeah I cleaned the frame and forks the night before, then used the alcohol wipe before fitting. I left the pads for 10mins before fitting the guards.

Does the alcohol in regular (40% vol) vodka successfully kill all bacteria that could potentially lead to botulism?
Like, if you'd put fresh fruit in vodka that's not sterilised or treated any other way like freezing / boiling / adding acids etc.

Does the alcohol in regular (40% vol) vodka successfully kill all bacteria that could potentially lead to botulism?

Like, if you'd put fresh fruit in vodka

I wouldn't rely on it. 40% is at the lower end of the optimal concentration range of ethanol for bactericide use, and you're diluting it further with the fruit. Also, whole (or big lumps of) fruit will take a long time to equilibrate by diffusion. C.botulinum lives everywhere as spores, and alcohol has little or no effect on bacterial spores.

Furthermore, botulism is generally caused by ingestion of the toxin botulinum, not usually from consuming the bacteria themselves, so killing the bacteria will not effect whatever botulinum they have already produced while living in the fruit.

Thank you for your feedback.

Later on, this chili / vodka mix will be combined with a "soup" of tomato purree, bit of vinegar and spices (to become "Mexikaner", a spicey shot popular in Hamburg / Berlin) -
don't know how others deal with the problem, but I figure it might be possible to freeze it once combined - or the pH will drop low enough once tomato / vinegar is added.

Botulism or no, that sounds like instant puke.

It's basically like a Bloody Mary, just more spicey (and you don't drink a pint of it, but 2cl shots, usually together with a beer)..

Why is that concoction particularly susceptible to botulism?

I don't drink food.