Any question answered...

Hard to see how they could be four times better, to justify the price ratio.

R353 in Black £14 at Evans
R463 in Silver £18 at Evans

These Mini-Vs look like the cheap crap brakes you get on £99 supermarket full-bouncers: http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/BCTK926MV/tektro-mini-v-926al-pair

Avid Shorty Ultimate Narrow: nice but pricey.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/avid-shorty-ultimate-narrow-cantilever-brake/
Shorty 4: nice, but slightly more than CX50, and they're black.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/avid-shorty-4-cantilever-brake/

Animation. Which is the best University or course in the UK ?
Thanks!

Q
i have a front caliper beneath a rack that doesn't turn with the bars/fork/wheel.
when turned hard left the cable snags slightly. pic.
is there anything other than a brake noodle with barrel adjuster i need to sort?

Animation. Which is the best University or course in the UK ?
Thanks!

Save the £30k and pay for one on one tuition or short courses, loads of equipment and travelling around to gain inspiration. Serious suggestion.

In the Arts field you can generally do an MA without a BA if you have experience, so if you ever need an academic qualification you can go for it in the future.

Serious suggestion.

Based on your successful career in animation? I didn't know you were the dude behind "Frozen".

noiser - yeah, either noodle or longer cable and housing would be easiest.

washers

knurled side together or shiny side together

tester are there any informative articles on washers
their purpose
their benefit
the mechanical advantages of washers
theres an odd set up on a bike i bought, it has two washers per side, should i be using two with a nut or would one suffice
is there a reason why two might be used on track hub or would it just be a spacing issue ?
do they slide against each other allowing for tighter tightening ?

Based on your successful career in animation? I didn't know you were the dude behind "Frozen".

Ive been to enough art & design universities/met students to know that the people who do well learn everything they know by themselves. They were both gifted artists and technical whizzes before starting and continued to develop through their own initiative throughout their studies, often at odds with their course content.

I have a friend who has had a long career at the high end of the Animation industry, worked for years at Cartoon Network, Aardman, and Recently some big feature films.

Ive also attended some "learn about the industry and how to work in it" type workshop/presentations by people like Pixar, met all the major players behind Wall-E just after it came out.

But forget all this, its just common sense. Jump into a university course if you have the cash lying around or if you enjoy being in debt.

washers?

there's more to them than we commonly think

tester can help with teh SCIENCE

Two questions which I am having trouble with.
Anyone know if they make 26 or 25.4mm risers where the clamp area is either 26 or 25.4mm and the rest is 22.2?
Alternatively are there any shims on the market that can fill the void left from using a 22.2mm bar with a stem meant for 26mm bars?
Can't find much on google apart from suggestions about using old inner tubes and coke cans, which I might end up doing for the sake of convenience.

Pretty much all old fashioned MTB bars are 25.4 in the centre and 22.2 at the lever clamp/grip area.

Whatever you do, dont use old tubes as shim.

I've used them before and it's been fine but not from 22.2 to 26mm.
Think I'm going to have to invest in some new bars and a shim.

Found a shim that'll go from 22.2 to 26.0. It's a seatpost shim but I can cut off the flange.
If anyone is interested: http://www.bicyclehero.com/gb/wheels-mfg-seatpost-shim-22-2mm-to-7sizes.html?gclid=CPK98NCuyb0CFbLItAodAAoA_Q#.Uz_5ua1dVRJ
Pricey.

Bargain bins are full of 25.4mm stems and 25.4mm MTB risers with 22.2mm grips sections, why are you still looking for a shim?

I like the bars I'm currently using, rise is perfect. Plus I'd rather buy just a shim instead of bars and a shim.

Anyone know where I can get these in the UK?
http://www.retrofitz.com/purchase.html

Seems like the worst idea ever, why not get these for the kind of short low-intensity rides you're going to want to do in non-cycling shoes, then you won't wreck your nice sneakers and you won't make a clicky-clacky noise when you walk into the pub.

I've got proper mtb shoes, I've got those Chrome Kursk ones that kinda bridge the gap between casual/proper cycling shoes and I've seen people riding with spds attached to everyday footwear. I have more trainers than a human ever needs in a lifetime (but still not enough) so I can spare a pair. I just wanna give it a try as a project really.

What was the race a few years ago, maybe flanders when the bunch came into a climb and some rider tried to squeeze past boonen and got bounced into a ditch?

Het Volk 2012. It was Lars Boom who went down.

andyp's second favourite clip after Lance + Beloki 'cross descent.

Thanks. Any link to a clip. YouTube search not getting anywhere.

Where is the "LFGSS approved" place to purchase White Industries splined sprockets from in the UK?