Any question answered...

A son's classmate's parents both instruct through here - https://www.taod.co.uk/
They're both cool.

No specific experience but we are SE15 and Automatic is an option.

Check Google maps for driving instructors in Herne Hill. There’s a company that comes up near the railway, and they have a network of drivers. I think the chap we got was Michel, but I can’t say for certain. Really calm energy, pristine maybe new hybrid car, brings a large book with diagrams and visual aids, lots of helpful tips, £40 an hour I think (might be wrong).

Alternatively, go by Carnegie library on a Saturday and wait 5 mins for a driving instructor’s car to pass by (slowly).

Nice one, thank you. She is speaking to these guys already, apparently. Struggling for availability but appreciate the personal recommendation.

Nice one, thank you!

I'm going to change forks for a bike that does road in the winter and off road in the summer. Both forks are tapered but of course one is to 1.5 and the other 1 1/4.

As it's a twice a year job I don't mind switching the bottom cups over, but is it as simple as that? Or is it even simpler to swap the bottom bearing out (and then I don't even need a new headset)?

Is the outer diameter of the bearing the same?

I guess it would be if the headtube and headset cup don't change?

I did ask Reilly (who sells a nice looking Ti headset as an upgrade) and they said I would have to replace the cup and they don't do two sizes so would have to go for Hope/Cane Creek etc.

I'd really like they're matchy headset though

Depends which way around you're swapping.
If you already have a 1-1/2" headset, you can keep your existing headset and swap over to the 1-1/4" fork if you could find a crown race that adapts one to the other. You're not going to find bearings to swap over though.
The bottom headset cups are larger for 1-1/2" than 1-1/4"
So if your headset is for 1-1/4" and you're looking to use a 1-1/2" fork, new headset cup time.

Frame protection - what bits do I need for a new bike? Some on the chainstay? Some on the head tube? What’s best ?

Helicopter tape, or frame wrap if you want more protection. Chainstay, head tube, any bits that might get rubbed by a bag etc. Also check if your bars or brake levers can hit the top tube.

Not all third party tapes are compatible with all paint finishes.
You might end up with a really well protected finish with discrete helitape here and there but when you peel he sticker off, it lifts the paint. I've seen that too many times.

I'm not sure if he's taking referrals at the moment but I highly recommend Chris at Cyclewrap.
https://www.cyclewrap.co.uk/
He has done a few dozen wraps to protect custom wet paint finishes for my customers and those of other framebuilders too.

I have used these on my Brompton.

Another key thing, if your bike has external cables, is simply keeping your bike clean. Sounds daft but riding in the wet today will put spray on your bike and little bits of grit will stick... then when you ride in the dry next week, those little bits of grit will be dry and scratchy and the vibration of the cables will just sand holes in your paint. I've seen cable rub break through paint and aluminium and carbon too on a poorly kept bike.

Basically, cover anything that might be a contact point.

Even if you use a frame bag with soft rubber backed velcro, that's gonna rub.

All the talk of manual vs automatic, after three months of using an EV I don't even know how to use a brake pedal and handbrake when driving anymore let alone a clutch.

after three months of using an EV I don't even know how to use a brake pedal and handbrake when driving anymore let alone a clutch

Have you tried? I get an annual refresher on stick shift when my automatic daily driver gets serviced and they invariably give me a manual courtesy car, and it's like I've been driving one all my life before I'm even out of the car park. I guess it's like riding a bike, if you want a comparison people on here might understand 🙂

I'd probably be fine with that but then have to relearn parking without the magic camera assist.

What about adaptive cruise control, auto gap, auto brake, lane assist and auto park? I borrowed a new minibus the other day. I now think most drivers just sit there.

I have all those but not auto park on my mid spec Leaf. I had to psyche myself up for weeks before daring to try the auto gap cruise control thing on a live motorway.

adaptive cruise control, auto gap, auto brake, lane assist and auto park

I think I've only ever driven a car with one of those (lane assist).

I’ll be honest and admit I only tried the auto gap once I’d dropped the students off. Properly scary moments! But the lane assist was the worst, it didn’t want to let me pull out to pass a cyclist, until a realised you need to use the signals.

I've always wondered whether the adaptive cruise control/auto brake is why you see so many cars braking on motorways nowadays.

it didn’t want to let me pull out to pass a cyclist, until a realised you need to use the signals

When I learnt to drive, you were supposed to use signals for that manoeuvre 🙂

True true, in my defence it was a dual carriageway and there were no other cars around, I moved out miles behind them, maybe it didn’t like that?

maybe it didn’t like that?

It's just crossing the line without indicating which triggers the lane keeping robot to fight you over the wheel. Mine is pretty weak, so I can easily overpower it - the first few times it wanted a fight I just assumed it was the tyres tracking a rut, but a later firmware update added a beep so now it's more obvious.

But the lane assist was the worst

Sooooo annoying, particularly on twisty country/mountain roads. I had one hire car in Spain/Portugal where the first few minutes of every journey consisted of turning off the various meepling, beeping, wheel-tugging driver aids.

We are not allowed to turn any of the help off. Can you imagine the the uproar¿