"mad MAX" (aka Yokel-Motion 1.0)

Actually Suffolk Punch would be quite cool to have for your decals, if for some mad reason you decided not to go with the ITFC theme.

what is the benefit of the "locktite and handtight" method? why not use grease and a tool? not having a go just confused

Loctite® method allows the bearing cups to self align somewhat if you get the axle in before the thread lock cures. If your BB shell threads are properly concentric and faced square, it doesn't make any difference. Also, some crabon frames with bonded-in threaded inserts are a bit marginal if you apply 35-40Nm to them, it can break the glue holding the metal insert in the crabon shell.

...if for some mad reason you decided not to go with the ITFC theme.
I hate football.

"Sir Bobby Robson"
Completely forgot: I used to work with Paul Robson, nice guy.

/moreCSB

#stillhatefootball

Plenty of cheap NOS UT around, so a 175mm version is on "the list"

I wouldn't bother, small changes in crank length make no difference and if anything the trend in TT/Tri is towards shorter cranks because they give more room to move around to get aero gains.

I understood that longer cranks offered a gain when riding at a (more or less) constant pace; whereas shorter ones were better when there were frequent changes of pace.

Nope, that's just another old wives' tale.

Wheel cover?

Soonnnnnnn!

Need to sort out the front end first. Trispoke is the obvs choice, but I'm not sure that something deep and spoked wouldn't be better value, offering much of the benefit more cheaply.

I was trawling the Time Trialling forum yesterday for some pointers, but it was hard to glean much useful info: you think this place can be partisan and entrenched?

I then need to decide on what wheel to skin: I'm pretty happy with the R501 I have on there at the moment. It would be nice to have a 23mm rim (currently 21.something), but bearing in mind my chainline (45mm), a new wheel looks a bit pricey for a modest gain. I suppose I could just get a new rim laced to the hub?

Is there going to be a peace time respray of the frame? Right now it's bit of a war time colourway.

Ultimately, yes: doves, unicorns etc.

PX 82mm fronts can be picked up very cheap

There's a reason for that :-)

Hed3 ftw, once somebody else has taken the initial depreciation hit they hold their value and last forever. There are a couple of wheels which are a little bit faster in some conditions, but we're talking Zippand Smart/Enve, not Chinese crabon.

Having flogged a couple of groups, I've got cash to splash on a front wheel. :)

Last night I happened to meet a local tester (SPOCO champ, so he has some form) and asked him about trispokes.

He found them a bit flexy: as we're the same height (6' 3") and I'm a bit heavier (85kg), I'm not so sure now.

Anyone else found this?

They're flexy if you're sprinting, but you're not going to notice any flex when you're tucked, which will be 99% of the time.

Lord!

And there's me thinking i'm some kind of unique eccentric because i live in a velo cluttered domestic enviroment.

He found them a bit flexy: as we're the same height (6' 3") and I'm a bit heavier (85kg), I'm not so sure now.

Anyone else found this?

I'm quite a bit more than that and have never had a problem with the Hed3 being too flexy. Plenty of tandem crews use them too.

After I wrote that, I found your comment to the same effect on TT forum: guess I'm on the lookout for a HED3 then...

Fignon, I am thinning out somewhat: see above.

After I wrote that, I found your comment to the same effect on TT forum: guess I'm on the lookout for a HED3 then...

You can probably borrow one for a test drive from somebody, plenty people have them. I've never heard complaints about their mechanical performance, but they are a bit Marmite in cross winds, depending on your bike set up. Some of use have no trouble even in a gale, some people find them a handful in a light breeze. Although there's some correlation with rider weight (fatties keep their front wheels nailed down harder than whippets do), that's not the whole story.

Scilly, what do you think of the 'fixxer'? you been pulling any rad skids?

It's been fine: I don't skid.

Not much more I can add really; I haven't thought about it since fitting, which I suppose is testament itself: truly "fit & forget"!

Should have a 100mm stem, 20mm front tyre (switch the 23mm to the rear) latex tubes and a 1R8 next week.

Then I need to sort the gearing. Currently have a 49t ring and a 16t Phil: if I then get a 55t ring and 15t and 16t rear sprockets, that should give me a reasonable spread.

I also want to get the axles tapped to take screws, a Raltech and a Zipp Vuka based cockpit.

Q1: Pretty happy with the 501 on the rear, but there are plenty of mid-range Shimano wheels at good prices at the moment: is there anything significantly lighter around the £100 mark?

Q2: Best price for Phil Wood rear sprockets? £45 at Hubjub.

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Looks good. Rear brake though? Can you angle the base bars down a bit so the flats are parallel to the ground?

Once you factor in shipping Total Cycling are cheapest for Phil sprockets, and you'll be getting all your Vuka stuff there anyway.

Why the 55t and 15 and 16t sprockets? I'd go for and 51t and 53t with 14t and 15t sprockets

Q1: Pretty happy with the 501 on the rear, but there are plenty of mid-range Shimano wheels at good prices at the moment: is there anything significantly lighter around the £100 mark?

They all weigh about the same, you'd get a bigger performance gain by switching to a 23mm rim. Since your aeros will be covered by a RalTech, you can use whatever touring/29er rim is going cheap. On-One are still flogging Novatecs at £16.99, hook one of those up to a Rigida Grizzly remembering to move the locknuts around to get a chainline to match the UltraTorque and you'll still have something that's lighter than a real disc