Any question answered...

What do you mean the big 2 week shutdown?

Seriously unless you have kids in school why would you go on holiday in July or August? The weather is still good in September especially in Southern Europe everything is less crowded, the locals feel less harassed and therefore are generally more approachable and friendly.

because it's a quiet time at work and I can't take three weeks off in September.

I didn't mean to sound pessimistic, but I've had 3 blackburn lights die on me now

They're fine--they're just burning black, as they should.

What do you mean the big 2 week shutdown?

Two weeks that pretty much everyone takes off at the same time.

Originates from factories and probably exacerbated by the centralised socialist collective mindset of the French population and State.

Quick google says:

...The worst weekend in France throughout the year is one week before the late summer Bank Holiday (late August - U.K.). The crossover of the "juilletistes and aoutiens" (July and August holidaymakers) in late July sees millions of people moving across the country over the weekend with travellers either starting their holiday or returning home...

http://www.day-tripper.net/drive-in-france.html

...and: http://about-france.com/week-planner-2012.htm

In September France is empty though. We were the last tent (apart from some Germans) in a campsite down Cote Sauvage way one year, happened almost overnight.

Nice.

Why is Google Chrome crashing every time I type 'w' into the search/browser bar at the top?

I've cleared my browser history, made sure I've got the latest version, and tried disabling what little plug-ins I have, but it's still crocked.

down Cote Sauvage way

Nice.

Make your mind up, where were you?

I know its practically Bordeaux but its still pretty nice as long as you ignore the natives.

hmm maybe I should have two holidays.

Make your mind up, where were you?

Oh shit, I just saw what you did....

You funny.

That's how exasperated life is making me. The British Library and Google Chrome have given me the Schick humour transplant.

Full mudguards, preferably silver, to fit over 26" x 2.5" tyres?

Lol, you may aswell pinch some from a 1970's motorcycle.

Also, can anyone tell me what you would have a 24.0mm clamp for on crosstops?

For the 23.8mm diameter of the thin bit of '26.0' road bars, i.e. they fit outboard of the centre bulge/sleeve.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=53957

someone explain the colour options of these pasela's to me.

Trans Black
Black
White

What exactly are they referring to? Are they all amber wall?

The white one doesn't have gum walls: http://www.discountcyclesdirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=10222

One of the black ones is all black: http://www.discountcyclesdirect.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=411_123&products_id=13154

The question is which?

Trans black is gumwall.

I think trans = translucent, though amber walls aren't really.

I think it's trans as in different.

trans = translucent, though amber walls aren't really.

The coating applied over the casing threads is translucent, so the colour is the natural thread colour.

Anyone know of somewhere in the Camden/K.town area that does decent wheel builds under the £30 mark. I have the hub, rim already, might need new spokes.

Lol, you may aswell pinch some from a 1970's motorcycle.

Found some cheap 60mm wide ones. Will have to do.

http://www.lunarcycles.co.uk/

these guys are good and in the area but I think £30 is probably too low an expectation for a wheel build. All the best.

A colleague of mine told me today that insurance companies won't cover bikes without a break? Anyone heard of this before?

They will quite rightly refuse to indemnify you if you ride brakeless on the road, that's a standard term in any insurance - no cover if the loss is a result of your law-breaking.