Next bike?

Not really, the only exception being as you had, quill stem with lugs, Pretty sure that's the direction I want to head. Hadn't thought about wheelset at all.

I have seen both the deep wheelsets (like the vanilla above) work well with the lugged frames or slightly more traditional with gumwall tyres, would need advice on these too, I guess I'd have to just do a bit more research on that.

Did you source the mercian direct tiny? Send them specs or just a lucky find?

Time really is a factor for me, as I'm working hard at the moment to build some sort of business outside office hours too,but I guess I have the other one to keep me going.

[On a side note, getting some lower back stiffness after riding these days, reckon a shorter stem would sort me out, finding it hard to get a short 1" threadless on ebay, would shimming be a better way to go...seems to be plenty more options?]

I got incredibly lucky with my Mercian. Couldn't afford a new one at the time!

MTB stems should get you as short as you want -try chainreaction

Ha! I dont believe it - I know the guy in the front with the red jacket and the hat! I'm gonna send it to my friend, she'll have his email address - or more probable, his Bebo account.

He's gonna come along to the next forum meetup and kick the shit out of all of you.
And nick your bikes :-)

Ta Ed, maybe I'll delve a bit deeper into the bob jacksons too, you find them good to deal with?

well, they're pretty much the kind of people who rather deal with customer via phone than internet! but yeah they were good, and even thought the frame are OTP, it's a really nice ride with a good mixture of road/track, not too stiff like a track, but neither relaxed like a road. However go for the mercian route, their Super Vigorelli start at £500, which mean you'll have enough money left over for says, chrome on lug, fancy lug, etc.

Another thing is, you definitely should considered a CycleFit, that's the best way to get the best performance and comfort out of riding your bike, you should feel like you can ride indefinitely, until your body scream for sleep, water and food, as not everyone is the same, some people have slighty longer chest, shorter legs, long arm, wider shoulder etc.
That how I found out a 58cm frame with a 57cm seat tube frame size is the perfect fit for me, and consequently the new bike end up feeling really comfortable, fast and feel like I can do hundreds of miles on it.

About deep V wheels, it's more of a personal opinion really, if you like to have deep v rims, by all mean go for it, but it'll be slightly heavier, on windy day (when it's really bad) you'll notice that it's a little hard to keep the bike straight etc.

Thanks Ed, good advice. What way does the cycle fit work, did you originally do yours on the pista and then send the measurements on to bob jackson?

Ha! I dont believe it - I know the guy in the front with the red jacket and the hat! I'm gonna send it to my friend, she'll have his email address - or more probable, his Bebo account.

He's gonna come along to the next forum meetup and kick the shit out of all of you.
And nick your bikes :-)

This picture was also used for a Goldsmiths night club night called Pikies and tramps or some shit. Typical Goldie scum.