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Very helpful, thanks a lot! Hopefully it'll all make sense when I start doing it (that's how I've learnt to do most jobs - through trial and (mainly) error...)

My front hub, a Miche Primato, has develped a grinding, clattering noise and hardly spins. I'm guessing the bearings have had their day, after two years of my 33 mile daily round trip. Does anyone know what type of replacement bearings I'll need, and where to get them from? Also, I've never looked inside a hub before, does anyone have an idiots guide to what to do?

Any help appreciated!

Thought I'd resurrect this to mention that I had some brooks bar tape that was glued rather than stitched as well. The glue came apart as I was overzealously wrapping it (I was pulling too hard to try - unsuccessfully - to avoid folds). I ended up supergluing the ends back together and it worked fine; it feels a bit hard where the glue is but it's not too bad. Mind you, the tape looks sh*t now, it's unravelling and I can't seem to get it to stay in place. Next time I'm getting some cheap stuff, no point in shelling out £30 when you could get 5 rolls of perfectly good tape that'll last just as long for the same price.

I might be wrong but I think the saddle in the picture's a Team Professional, not a B17 - beautiful and very comfy saddle (I have one, and I prefer it to both the Swift and the Swallow I used to have). Good luck with the build!

I have an old steel Cinelli 2A track stem for sale. It's the older-style stem with the top bolt. A nice bit of kit and (I hope you'll agree...) perfect for an older track bike. It's stamped 'Cinelli Milano' on top, dating it (rather vaguely) somewhere between 1950 and the 1970s. (This site gives a lot more info if interested in the history: http://www.43bikes.com/cinelli-bars-stems.html)

The chrome's a bit flaky but it's a sound stem. Measured centre to centre, I make it approx 90mm. Here are some pics of it mounted to my Roberts (taken from my Velospace). I don't have a camera at the moment but I could probably sort one out to take more detailed pics if necessary. Pick-up in E3 or N1 preferred but I can be flexible as I go all over.

I'm open to offers (or possiby swaps but I'd prefer cash).

Thanks for looking!

Hi robertstrack, I just thought you might like to meet your bike's cousin ;)

(BTW a lot of the parts have changed since this picture was taken...)

This thread is depressing.

Velorution are fantastic - I spent many long hours in there with my girlfriend choosing colours and components for her Brompton and going for test rides. They were very friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and relaxed.

Copper or chrome rails?

Does the bridge have to be drilled for a brake for it to fit? (Mine isn't)

^^^

Perhaps it's the chain rather than the chainring?

That's fukken lush

Faced with two identical bikes, one labelled 'N+1' and the other labelled 'Chris Crash', I'd pick the one labelled Chris Crash every time. N+1 is just too impersonal. Chris Crash is much more human, expressive, funny, charming etc - those sort of things matter to me.

I ride a Roberts - not very funny but I've bought into the heritage and tradition. History and a human story matters.

^^^

No, the Goldfinger's £15. The Paul lever's £35.

I thought I'd bring this old thread back to give a quick review of the Paul lever.

I bought one on a whim last week after my old trusty Goldfinger got knackered. £35 in BLB - expensive but I'd just been paid and felt richer than I actually was... In a moment of weakness I was seduced by the simple curvaceous aesthetics, and of course the etched-in playing-card symbols...

The first thing I noticed when I got it home was that it doesn't have a hinged clamp, so I had to untape my bars to put it on! Very annoying. However, once on it felt reasonably sturdy. It has a thinner clamp than the Goldfinger, meaning you can ride with your hand closer to the stem, which suits me nicely. I went out for a test spin and noticed a slight rattle from the lever - but then I realised this was because I hadn't tightened the barrel which tensions the cable. This worked well and seemed nicely engineered.

So, with everything dialled in properly it worked fine - pretty much the least you'd expect from a brake lever. The nicely CNC'd shape - curved for one finger - fits my shapely fingers well (I should have been a pianist, or perhaps a hand model...!) All in all, it's a solid bit of kit, but no better than the Goldfinger in terms of functionality. But then that wasn't why I bought it, was it?!

In summary... if I was faced with the same choice again, I'd get a Goldfinger and put the £20 difference towards something else (e.g. rent!) - but if you have your wages burning a hole in your pocket and you don't mind the lack of a hinged clamp, it's a perfectly decent choice.

Thumbsup!

Perhaps they made a deal to buy up a batch of deadstock Coppi frames and then had track ends fitted to them...

Not that it matters since it's a really nice frame.

Flahavan's Irish porridge oats are the best I've had in my 32 years porridge career. I come from Northern Ireland and grew up eating the stuff - I like 1 part porridge to 2 parts milk, simmered until it's so thick you can slice it, with a spoon of sugar and a pinch of salt mixed in. Then I add a moat of milk around the edge.

I'm also a big fan of fried kippers with buttered bread...

mmmmm breakfast

^^^ I run Velocity Aeroheads (laced to Miche track hubs). They're lighter than Deep Vs, and I think they strike a good weight-to-strength balance. Decent build quality, and a little more understated (aesthetically) than Deep Vs. I like them.

Thanks for all the hints peeps, I really appreciate it!

Gah! In a fit of overzealous bike-maintainence I've gone and rounded the allen bolt on my brake lever! Does anyone have any tips to get it out?

Beautiful bike.

Mario Vaz could probably replace the headtube for a good bit less than Mercian (his brother does the repairs - he's a welder for Roberts).

Looks a really decent frame for the price

CyclingWMD - AMAZING Mercian...

What kind of bar tape is that? And (strange question I know) what make of helmet is that?

72 - suits my swervy london riding and also gets me up highgate hill, a good balanced ratio