Evans Cycles

True; and in a good workshop (that doesn't abuse them by dropping them etc.) they're likely to be used often enough to stop them gumming up. For home mechanics that only torque stuff up once in a blue moon the breakaway torque can be significantly off.

So what is the recommendation for home mechanics who don’t want to crush their parts or have things loosen off?

Calibrated fingers. I've never broken anything.

Multi-prong attack

• Threadlock (stem bolts, disc rotor bolts, handlebar attachments)
  
• Assembly paste (stem / bars)
  
• Beam wrench or Torque key or both for low-medium torques
  
• Big beam or clicker for high torques (i.e. crank arms, cassette lockrings, BB cups)
  

This.

Plus torque wrench should come with a certificate of the actual torque setting.

excellent. ordered some crud road racers, just picked them up and opened the box to find scuffs on every bit of plastic in there and nothing to attach them to the bike. why is nothing ever straightforward

Beam wrenches would be my recommendation; Topeak do one that is suitable for lower torques (think it goes up to 8 Nm or so?), and any big one (Draper, Halfords, etc.) should do for BBs etc.

I have a feeling the rear shock had been pulled and given to somebody for a delayed warranty replacement then that was fitted to mine. There was a tag on it which looked a little out of place if I'm honest.
No real bother, popped it down the local shop and had it torqued to spec. Also now swapped out for a Fox DPS remote shock! Damn eBay.

I'd say you're bang on point. That never used to be a rare occurrence at all.

The amount of times I have wasted to make sure it go according to procedure Only for staff to do that and end up with a non functioning shopfloor bikes we can’t sell.

non functioning shopfloor bikes

That hangs around the back for around 6 months before it get's called back to warehouse, only for half of it to be missing...

Then put back together with spare bits and sell it on their website.

Went into The Cut to buy a spoke for my 10 yo front wheel* that popped a spoke this morning.
"sorry we don't sell spokes"

sadface emoji

*third Open Pro rim

Yea, just behind my haunt, appalling service...

Funny that, when I was with Evans, they always sang praise for the cut

Go have a look for yourself then... ;)

Pop into Notting Hill, they'll happily sell you spoke.

Good to know that there are still proper Evans stores!

The best bit was the kid sat at the workshop till area in pristine apron and workshop gloves doing bike mechanic cos-play who had to phone someone to ask if they had spokes for sale.

Usually it's £1 a spoke and nipple providing they have the right length.

The st. Pauls or London bridge may be the best shout.

What size do you need?

Evans Clapham have also got a fairly decent range of spokes

The point is I had a spare spoke at home, just wanted to not have a wobbly wheel for ride back to Lewisham but the OG Evans store where I have been buying spokes for 15 years or something has collapsed into an utter shithouse.

It's always a case of who you get I find.

It's a shame it's a closed workshop there with all the mechanics upstairs behind the scenes. They'd have sorted you out in a second. In a pinch ask for Stu, he's a legend.

As stated above fake mechanic phoned upstairs and I waited about 6 minutes for someone to come down from the workshop I know is upstairs who actually said to my face they have no spokes

Did they have literally have NÖ SPÖKES or just none of the size you required?
Pretty sad demise for The Cut.