Any question answered...

Cheers everyone thule it is then.

do not rely on the security of Thule bike carriers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB4ThUOTT0s

who does the best enamel paint jobs in the uk?

Best in what sense? Modern enamel paint jobs are unavoidably not as good as vintage ones (which had nice thin paint to show off lugs, whilst being tough enough to shrug off knocks and scrapes), because the older paint was full of hideous solvents that are now banned.

Argos in Bristol have a good rep, but are pricey; I've used Bob Jackson in the past with good results.

This is true. A few years ago I lost the keys to the Thule lock which was securing a friend's MTB in place. Couldn't find them for love nor money. Went to Halfords, bought a flat-blade screwdriver and a lump hammer, and had it off the car in under a minute in Halford's car park. They're essentially the same as a café lock - they'll stop an opportunistic thief, but not someone kitted up for thieving. Still, I can't think of any bike rack that would be more thief-resistant.

Of course I found the keys a few hours later... Still haven't got round to replacing the lock with one that can't be opened at will with a screwdriver.

And it was a more secure version than shown in the video, which secured the bike using the fork dropouts rather than the downtube.

i want enamel for its durability, after that, highest quality of finish is my priority.
considering argos, bob jackson, and ellis briggs, so far.
hand painted logos would be nice.

New enamel isn't that durable.
If that's your highest priority, powdercoat would be the go to.

i want enamel for its durability

You really don't. Pretty, yes. Durable, no. Chips as soon as you look at it.

i know powdercoat is more durable, but it doesn’t really polish up as nice as wet paint though does it

Yes, but you listed durability before quality of finish.

i asked who does the best enamel paint jobs. i didn’t ask what kind of paint job i should get.
i’m looking at enamel because of its durability compared to other wet paints.
i’m looking for the highest quality of finish from painters using enamel.

Does Vaz still do enamel? You're looking at the old school ones for enamel, Mercian, Argos, Colour-Tech, Ellis Briggs etc. Modern enamel is no more hard wearing than other wet paints.

Just rattlecan it.

White gloss powder coat and a pack of sharpies

+1 for the powder coat.

i know powdercoat is more durable, but it doesn’t really polish up as nice as wet paint

Have you considered Cerakote? Shiny and hard wearing.

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Purely anecdotally, based on forum posts over the years: if money no object, Argos, otherwise Bob Jackson. All painters seem to produce duff jobs once in a while, but those two seem mostly reliable. If you're going for plain colours, get ones that can be matched with Humbrol enamels or similar for touch-ups; metallics are trickier, but can sometimes be matched with car paints or nail polish. Flams are the prettiest, but any chips and scrapes are there to stay.

I got my frame done at Argos, it looked incredible for about 5 minutes. Literally anything chips the paint off though.

To their credit, they did offer to re do it, but I never took them up on it. End of the day no point having something pristine that gets used, and there is a really solid primer underneath.

In summary, I wouldn't pay to use them again unless it was a frame I'm hanging on a wall.

good input: thank you people

I got my frame done at Argos, it looked incredible for about 5 minutes. Literally anything chips the paint off though.

Argos did my Hetchins, and did a very good job of it, but it does chip easily. Still, that's enamel paint for you. The only paint more fragile than enamel is chromevolato.

What size socket(s) do I need to adjust the bearings on a pair of MKS touring pedals? I can't seem to find this info anywhere.

There are a couple of ways you could do it. In no particular order:
1) Try a left-handed drill. I've never used one but they usually start drilling, grab a bit and wind the remains of the stud or bolt out. They're supposed to be pretty effective.
2) Drill down the middle and use an Easy Out. I've had mixed success with these with both cheap and branded ones. I'd recommend branded ones with the shallow flutes like Dormer. The key to these is a) drilling the right size hole and b) knowing when you're giving it too much welly and making a judgement if it's going to break. There are some tips to making these work successfully.
3) Drill it all the way out and helicoil. Easy peasy and always works.
4) Weld a nut on the bit sticking out - works really well but only if you have a welder.
5) Actually, if there's some sticking out you might get away with a stud extractor. Search for Irwin stud extractors.

I'm guessing the answer is "no" and that any possible effect would be in my head, but I'm looking for a reassuring pat on the back from The Internet.

Will I notice a difference going from 399 to 405mm a2c?

Not really, you loose about 0.5° in the head tube angle and negligible rise in BB.

Interesting stuff, had to zoom out from the distributor map quite a ways before anything showed up - and then it was all gun shops, seems to be a real favourite with that crowd.
I guess it makes sense if you want a coating that's durable but real thin.

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