Any question answered...

Thanks for all the suggestions. Frustratingly there’s no stock of any of them anywhere. There’s no hurry.

I'm 5'5" and ride an XS frame normally. No real issues but you wouldn't fit a saddle bag.

Canyon's smallest road and gravel bikes are 650b. I have one.

I'm 5'5"

All the problems are about 3" below you.

@ExTra: the bank recall process timescale (which I don't think is guaranteed anyway) and HR system audit logs are not your problem.

I wouldn't engage with them further - given you have a union and thus a route to legal advice, call them first thing on Monday. After all, that's one of the things you pay them for.

Edit: also, paying your own money, however small, into a possible fraudster's account is not likely to help!!

https://www.paulmilnescycles.com/forme-calver-jr-pro-cross-disc-alloy-frame-carbon-fork-bolt-through-38cm-700c-4702-p.asp

Also Hup do a good small cx bike/frame

https://kidsracing.co.uk/collections/cyclocross-bikes-700c-low-standover/products/self-build-bundle-hup-evo-drop-bar

You mean bank details? I actually wrote a very angry email asking for proof and telling them they are taking a piss but my mates told me to hold off until they “make their decision”. I just want to get paid and move on...

Im aware there are geometry problems with small frames / big wheels, could you help me out with specifically what those are, in a nutshell?

Toe overlap mostly. But if you are running short cranks and have small feet that's less of a issue....

Excited about that self-build CX job, just specced one up, looks like the best way to a nicely specced bike.

geometry problems with small frames / big wheels

Pretty much all at the front, which is why Terry did 700R/650F back in the olden days. If you make the front centres long enough for your feet to clear a 700C tyre, the reach ends up too long, and once you make the head tube long enough to accommodate two bearings, the stack ends up too high for very short people to get into a properly racy position.

Excellent, thank you :)

Regarding paying wages, is the Truck Act still in force and its theft if you don't actually get paid?

I’ll give my union boss (I am a rep so they’d be messing with the wrong person) a call first thing Monday. This is a job I had always dreamt of or at least the employer is, and finally I got it and got to leave my last job which is racist, they robbed me off of 3 promotions last year because I am BAME. And this’s happened! I have only been with them for 6 weeks. Luckily my boss is on my side (for now), she’s already apologised to me so maybe I’ll get her to apply more pressure before getting union involved properly. I really want to avoid having to make a complaint or potentially sue them... worst case, I’ll go off on a 5.5 weeks summer holiday fully paid. The big kick in the teeth is that is a 5.5 weeks wage because I joined end of March so obviously didn’t get paid for March .

I know, which is why it’s frustrating because they are insisting that I changed my details on the online system between the starter form and getting paid.

If that's what they're claiming then require them to prove it. It's their version of events - it's for them to prove it's true.

I actually wrote a very angry email asking for proof and telling them they are taking a piss

Hold back on the claims they're taking the piss. Press on whether the demand for a document trail to back up what they're saying.

I don’t actually say they are taking a piss of course... 😬 I’ll ask my boss to do the work, I thinks she is very ultra senior. She knows they are taking the mick. I just feel so powerless because it seems like they are holding all the moves. I can ask for proof, they can refuse it or doctor it or whatever, bottom line is if they don’t want to pay me, it’d take a lot out of me to get my money back.

But very luckily, I have a comfortable buffer with saving and have no student loan. They are fucking with peoples lives.

I had a look online I don’t understand what it is. It says sth about wages must be paid in coins and wages deduction limit?

I’ve got a frame spaced at 140mm, with standard dropouts. rather than buy a QR disc hub and squeeze it to 135, I was thinking of buying a 142 x 12 through axle rear hub and using an axle to convert it to QR, ie:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lixada-12mm-to-9mm-QR-Adapter-MTB-Bike-Thru-Axle-Hub-Quick-Release-142mm-P2K7-/164717292723?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286

Could anything go wrong?

Which frame is it? Is it supposed to be 140mm from the factory?

Yeah, it’s a tandem frame

Anyone know anywhere with 10 spd cassettes in stock?

Anyone help with what this screw would be called (from an old 'Exage Motion' rear brake) and likelihood of sourcing a replacement?

What are the dimensions of a tin of shoe polish? Kiwi will do.

Is that just a brake cable pinch bolt?