Any question answered...

If it isn't dead, it isn't fucked.
It has had a setback through lack of water.
It has protected its rhizomes by allowing the above-ground stuff to dry out and go yellow (die)
But it will grow back from the base.
I would ensure it never falls over again by possibly rigging up something with string or adding weight to the bottom, whatever.
It won't hurt to repot it.
Think of it as grass that has gone brown during a drought.

I don't know anything about gears but i've been told this is an 8 speed hub? Is it at all possible to put a 9 speed block on it? Changing out the body?

cheers

alternately, possible to run 9 speed shifters and mech as 8 speed?

8,9 & 10-speed Shimano HG freehubs are all the same, so you can use any of those.

Kool-Stop Salmon are really impressive.
Just be prepared to alarm everyone in a 2-mile radius of your presence everytime you pull the brake lever.

Not used KS but I'd second Tommmmmmmmm's recommendation of SS green (GHP II) as having the best balance for general use: BXP wear quickly.

With plain rims, I use GHP II on the front and "original black" on the back, but GHP II all round with anodised rims.

Am i missing something but it's a campag hub?

The front hub looks to be Record/Chorus (lube port cover), but I don't recognise the rear: defo Campag?

It's got the same oil port as the front hub and the lockring has Campagnolo on it.

Does it have 8 equal sized splines? If so then yes, it's Campag 8-speed, and AFAIK that means 8-speed only, 9/10/11 have deeper splines.

Is there a good guide to bibshorts around somewhere? I can't get my head around searching on this new forum.

If yes, great. If no, what's good? I want to spend moneyz for something nice, but remain pragmatic. I am considering a pair of Santini 'Edge'. (http://www.prendas.co.uk/santini-edge-nat-bibshorts.html)

Yep it does, which i guess leads me on to is it possible to run 9 speed shifters and mech as 8 speed?

Set up your shifter as 2-9 or 1-8. 2-9 will be less annoying, probably.

I have a pair of Assos which are great, and some Rapha Classics from the sample sale which are also very comfortable. Also the Mavic HTC ones I have have brilliant pads but I bought the wrong size so they're not as comfortable as they should be. I found good ones by squeezing pads, the more gel like and less foamy they seem the more comfortable (and expensive) they seem to be in my experience. Saying that, Endura do a pair for around £65 that have a decent-feeling pad.

Try going to Cafe St Germain on a Sunday morning, go round pinching a lot of gooches and you should find something that feels nice.

Or try a shop with a few brands in, whichever seems easier.

Got these and so do at least half a dozen others I know.

I've no experience of other bibs in this price bracket, so can't compare, but I'd buy these again.

Coming from £40-odd bibs to these, the difference was huge.

Couldn't see the port on the rear. from the shape of the hub, I think it's quite early, ie first gen. C-Record era.

This page should ID exactly what you have.

Will the Swiss Stop fit in a standard shimano shoe or do you need to buy their pad holder too?

They go in the standard, assuming you have ones which are removable.

Does anyone have or know someone who has a cochlear implant and has been on and slept on a smallish yacht or boat?
Eg
Length: 72 feet (22 m)
Beam: 34 feet (10 m)

If so how did the noise and vibration from the engine affect them?

Any insight would be much appreciated.

Yet like all assos recommenders you haven't said which you have. Which one, which one?

The santinis?

They're named after a keyboard shortcut I think, F5 Uno or something like that.

Might be these:

http://www.assos-onlineshop.de/epages/61803937.mobile/de_DE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/61803937/Products/11.10.100./SubProducts/11.10.100.10-tir

Howies have decent reviews and are relatively cheap: http://www.howies.co.uk/mens/clothing/cycle/men-s-bib-short.html
(currently out of stock but should be getting more in soon)

not a guide but a horrendously spelled thread. Some info on "bib's" http://www.lfgss.com/conversations/176692/

I have a Phil low flange road hub, front and I'm currently using a qr skewer. Is there an addon/adapter/bolt/widget kit I can buy to convert it to bolt-on or have I imagined it?