Any question answered...

I think the first bit of advice given to people starting racing is "don't race what you can't replace".
I'm not sure carbon rims would make a huge improvement in speed on a short course like Hillingdon, and I'd personally prefer reliable braking of alu, when you don't know the quality of the riders around you.

Easier to smash off if they're sat in goal.

Schrader valve have a spring inside it to close the valve, whether Presta valve rely on air pressure to do so.

Latter is better for high pressure, less air escape when removing pump.

At least that's what I assumed.

Woods are the shit ones, the others are fine, although a lot of people call presta high pressure even though they both take whatever you put in a tyre easily.

Thanks guys. Guess it comes down to taste.
New bike comes with presta, all other bikes have schrader.
If the schrader bugs me, I'll just switch it out.

Schrader valve have a spring inside it to close the valve, whether Presta valve rely on air pressure to do so.

Latter is better for high pressure, less air escape when removing pump.

At least that's what I assumed.

And yet we use Schrader valves on 300psi air shocks :-)

With correct pump head design, either can be made to close before the pump is detached.

Presta valves will lock closed and can be easily cleaned before inflating - schrader valves can
suffer from unseen debris preventing a good seal and so should be used with a dust cap. Some people don't like dust caps...

You'd still need a dust caps with Presta as corrosion can cause the valve to stick (especially in winter).

corrosion from dust?

When your girlfriends parents invite you & her to lunch to meet them for the first time - what do you do when the bill comes?

Take your wallet out and watch what they do?

^This. make a token gesture protest but let your future FIL pay.

Sit back and see who moves first.

@croft put your wallet in your girlfriends bag, go to the toilet when the bill is due and say "yeah, my wallets in your bag if you need it" to your girlfriend. Hope you have some money left when you get back.

I'm fully prepared to be moar concerned about this bit than the actual meeting =/

Ask her in advance, probably.

I've found (not all first time meetings!) that if it's more formal and we've been invited to join them, they pay. If it's a more casual quick bite then we split things and if we've done the inviting then we pay.

Dads like paying for things, for some reason. And giving unnecessary lifts to their adult children.

My cat chewed up my bar tape, where can I get some that's a bit ninja-fluro?

He'll pay, keep going to the bar and getting shots on his tab.

or say you need a massive poo, excuse youself and do a runner. call your gf 2 days later f rom a payphone outside a titty bar and ask her to come pick you up cos you've run out of cash. if she still wants to go out with you, you know you've got yourself a keeper.

Finally. The answer I wanted.

Just shit on the table, it's the only way to be sure.

http://youtu.be/AXY6fQUDr3o

is a 120mm phil fixed hub axle long enough to reach 126mm dropouts with spacers, as in 3mm extra poking out past the nuts? don't really want to import the 126mm version and then not be able to use on another bike...