Any question answered...

The problem is not lack of leverage - it's inability to stop the crank from rotating with the cheater or wrench. As I understand it, anyhoo.

QUESTION: which car hire company is a) not shit and b) open on a MONDAY?

Boggles the mind that a moderately popular car hire company is closed on Monday. FFS.

They're all shit,

Just ring around until you find one that's open?

Alternatively, zip car?

Looking for a fixed/free rear hub with 135mm spacing. I've had a Surly MTB hub recommended. Anyone know of anything else before I purchase?

You could use a disc/free hub with a bolt on fixed cog, but the surly one would probably be better.

Looking for a fixed/free rear hub with 135mm spacing. I've had a Surly MTB hub recommended. Anyone know of anything else before I purchase?

Do you actually need the flip/flop aspect?

I'm the office now anyway, so the builders will just have to deal with their lack of reward biscuits.

The problem is not lack of leverage - it's inability to stop the crank from rotating with the cheater or wrench. As I understand it, anyhoo.

Yes, this. Though if I were to get the pedal off I could use the hoover extension method to have leverage over both which theoretically might make it easier to keep the non-DS crank in place. Your idea of putting some wheels on is good, though - I've even got a low wall in my front yard that might be able to keep the whole thing perpendicular to the ground and so even better than a curb. I'll give that a go.

If you need a hand later I should be free. Just send a PM.

Thank you! I've got a hideous virus at the mo so I might be utterly wiped out from it this evening but if I'm not on death's own doorstep I might take you up on this.

Take the chainring off, rest the BB on a bit of 2x4 (liberated from the builders), that'll raise the BB high enough that the spider arms won't hit the floor but the cranks will.

Apply LEVERAGE

The chainring doesn't come off without the crank being removed. Srs. Hasn't got a spider. It's some weird thing I've never seen before that presumably uses strong magnets to stay assembled.

Thanks all, I'm sure I'll be able to provide you with a thrilling update soon.

Vis-a-vis cars, Zipcar is probably your best bet, Howard.

I've had success (although you would need to put wheels on) by attaching wrench to pedal with the crank arm at 6 oclock and the wrench at 9 (or 3 depending on which side you're looking / loosening), and then applying bodyweight / stamping on wrench.

Got an on-one inbred 18" with an Onza TuffGuy fork. Currently running a Truvativ 80mm 6deg(up) stem without any spacers, without a proper crown race (cartridge straight onto fork with some beercan to take up slack) and I can't clamp the stem tight enough because the steerer stops about 5mm below the top...

I could buy a Syntace Flatforce and run it upside down, but are there any other low-stack stems with a decent angle that are less spendy? 1 1/8th steerer, 31.8mm bar.

£30 is about the cost of a new uncut Onza fork, a starfangle and fitting, so good ebay availability would be nice..

Drivers: what's the traffic likely to be like leaving London early on May Bank Holiday Monday?

Drivers: what's the traffic likely to be like leaving London early on May Bank Holiday Monday?

Which bit of London,
and,
which direction?

Which bit of London,
and,
which direction?

West central via westway, going northwest

Got an on-one inbred 18" with an Onza TuffGuy fork. Currently running a Truvativ 80mm 6deg(up) stem without any spacers, without a proper crown race (cartridge straight onto fork with some beercan to take up slack) and I can't clamp the stem tight enough because the steerer stops about 5mm below the top...

I could buy a Syntace Flatforce and run it upside down, but are there any other low-stack stems with a decent angle that are less spendy? 1 1/8th steerer, 31.8mm bar.

£30 is about the cost of a new uncut Onza fork, a starfangle and fitting, so good ebay availability would be nice..

So just buy a new fork already.

How and why do tumble dryers manage to manipulate every other thing in them into the duvet cover?

Entropy, the same mysterious property of the universe which tangles up cables and stops you getting away with silent farts.

Drivers: what's the traffic likely to be like leaving London early on May Bank Holiday Monday?

Leaving on Monday morning should be pretty quiet, apart from routes to the seaside if the weather is particularly glorious.

What are those little annoying little 3'' square stainess steel bits that cross the road at pedestrian crossings for??

I think they are tactile boundary markers for white stick users.

Ok.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2006/164/schedule/1/part/II/made

Not for the peds, but part of the road markings for drivers. I've seen it suggested that the studs preceded the stripes, but I can't be arsed to research it at the moment. Leslie Hoare-Belisha has his part in the story too.

West central via westway, going northwest

If you are on the Westway by 8am
it should only be the traffic lights making you stop.

How far northwest?
Oxford/Brum/Manchester?

There are some right on the racing line coming of a roundabout exit I use. Very annoying as its slightly downhill and a cracking run if no cars about.. But for these ruddy studs. Lethal in the wet.

#cyclistsproblems

If you are on the Westway by 8am
it should only be the traffic lights making you stop.

How far northwest?
Oxford/Brum/Manchester?

Dublin via holyhead. Cheers, will start scheduling regular sacrifices to the traffic god

How and why do tumble dryers manage to manipulate every other thing in them into the duvet cover?

Because you forgot to zip/button/tie up the duvet cover before putting it in.

Are the TRP hylex brakesets the only option (other than the $$$$ dura ace integrated ones) for road hydraulic brake levers? Would the levers work with existing shimano hydraulic callipers? If so are they available to buy separately?

There was the SRAM hydraulic Red / Force leavers. Recalled though.

Should be reissued soon.

Recommendation: cable pull for an easy life.

@howard, leave @ 6am.

Staples!