Any question answered...

ah yes - greece is about to sink into the sea - any reccomendations? it's a big place!

Greece will be cold by now

Might be cheap to get there but it's no cheaper than London now once you are on the ground. Prices on everything up 15-20% from last year.

or portugal.

Boom.
Just saw, next 2weeks in Lisbon - ~27ºc

ridiculous

Fibreflare Rear light - worth £28?

Anyone recommend a decent barber in the Vauxhall / Stockwell / Brixton / Battersea area. Open Sundays. The £10 type. I have white man's hair.

Fibreflare Rear light - worth £28?

If your asking from a visibility stance, id say no. But only because you can get excellent regular LED lights by SMART or Cateye, usually for half price from wiggle. Including the long cateye one like this http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-tl-ld610-led-white-lens-rear-light/ which has a similar size. And bigger isnt necessarily better anyway, the intensity of an LED may often be more visible than a less intense but larger flouro-tube.

Paying double for the fibre flare doesn't make sense from a functional stance. But if you LIKE it, it makes all the sense in the world. Go buy it.

Currently running the stock Specialized Mondo Sport tyres that came with my Langster. Shit for punctures. Running 23c, what can you chaps recommend? Only really need to replace the rear.

Does anybody know of anywhere I could borrow a pet chip scanner for a day or two?

My neighbours kitten ran away a few months back and I've just stumbled across a (appropriately older) kitten who looks just like him on a bit of wasteland locally. I didn't want to just take him home just in case he is somebody elses pet but if there is a chance that I could see him again tomorrow and scan for a chip I'd be able to know for sure...

^^ Conti Gatorskin. Best value tyre and it skids well apparently

Gatorskin hardshell - by far the best tyre I've used.

hardshell for skidding. Best tyre for it by a long way.

Currently running the stock Specialized Mondo Sport tyres that came with my Langster. Shit for punctures. Running 23c, what can you chaps recommend? Only really need to replace the rear.

Also dont feel the need to restrict yourself to 23c tyres. Thats what most roadie tyres come in, but stuff like gatorskins (and most things aimed at commuters/tourers) are available in an array of sizes. Larger diameter will offer more comfort, more speed on rough concrete/cobbles, more grip, more durability etc.

Bigger tyres are heavier, but the rolling resistance thing is not as bad as it most people think. When you dont have access to perfectly smooth roads, bigger are often better.

Cheapish black track chainset & bb... what should I get?

Define "cheapish"

Truvativ omnium cranks. Shimano BB.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=31621

Define "cheapish"

as cheap as possible without being made out of cheese and looking like they came off a unipack...

Truvativ omnium cranks. Shimano BB.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=31621

The Sram is nice, a bit more than I wanted to spend really, but will keep in consideration.

I will say though, hollowtech2 is the way forward

Aye maybe, but it's a lugged steel frame that will have a quill stem and a rolls... don't know about the super modern chainset...

Gatorskin hardshell - by far the best tyre I've used.

Thanks, have heard good things of them. I was also looking at the Schwalbe Ultremo DD and DURANO PLUS.

Anyone tried them?

Thanks, have heard good things of them. I was also looking at the Schwalbe Ultremo DD and DURANO PLUS.

Anyone tried them?

Not tried them myself, lengthy discussions on the matter though here http://www.lfgss.com/thread8603.html and here http://www.lfgss.com/thread5985.html

As for the Srams, just remembered I've got £20 worth of crc vouchers at home for purchases over £75... never thought I'd use them... schawinggg!

Thanks, have heard good things of them. I was also looking at the Schwalbe Ultremo DD and DURANO PLUS.

Anyone tried them?

Do not get Ultremos unless you're riding them on an outdoor track or if you live in a magical world where all your roads are freshly laid and glass free!

They have the puncture protection of an inflated condom and a really soft compound, so 'ripple' after a few weeks of skidding. A mate of mine currently runs Duranos and says the same thing about their softness. It's a real shame, because the Ultremos can go up to 140psi, are really light and have really low rolling resistance. For those qualities, I love them.

I'm looking to get some foldable Continental Gatorskins as they are still quite light but won't explode when they go over a grain of sand.

@ mdcc tester
you mentioned a specific type of tape for finishing off bar wrapping, to hold the bar tape in place
could you put a link in here to a good source of some black finishing tape
a decent sized roll would be good

Dicki - use electrical tape, available from any decent hardware store.