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Just saw the ad. Some wobble on that front end - steering fail, to mention just one fault.
...
"perfectly embodies the independent ineptitude we're championing"

... the world over

Nope, plus I'm pretty sure they send as recorded delivery (Free P&P BTW). I pretty much order all stuff from there now. Nearly always cheaper than CRC, Wiggle, etc...

Yep, I'm a fan of Parkers too, had good service from them several times.

Possibly out for a short ride Thursday night (18th) around south/central Liverpool. Me and NurseHolliday possibly so far.

Any takers?

Timely post...

After my bike got trashed a couple of weeks ago and after years of riding single speed/ fixed, I decided to build up a spare parts fixed for daily duties and graduate to gears to replace the nice ride.

Then the quiet nagging started in the back of my mind - silky smooth silver hubs, supertype seatpost, no noise, straight carbon forks, spinning out on hills, 631...there is someting about fixed that is like painting in primary colours, a reduced palette that gives me a pleasure in the object as well as in using it. I'll stick with fixed for its simplicity, elegance and fun.

Having said that, there is a great learning curve from building and maintaining a fixed gear bike - their accessibility has meant that I've been less intimated about building wheels, putting bikes together...I fully expect this to lead to a lifetime of tinkering, with the type of bike reflecting my needs at the time; whether Fixed, Tourer, Recumbent, Unicycle...can't wait!

Good post.

I can't say I'll be riding fixed for the rest of my life, but as a viable and fun way of commuting it gets me out of my bed every morning in a way that I could never do before, it's an excuse to ride.

As Sammy says, there are always other options to try. Currently in the process of aquiring components to 'un-convert' my classic Raleigh - it's going to be used as an Audax machine. Which is an excuse to buy a track frame for tinkering with and throwing about.

There will always be another project, don't try to supress those urges - it's futile!

That sounds like a nasty injury, well done for getting back on the bike.

Do you often take your wheels on the train? I've only had to do it once but got loads of grief about not booking space in the cargo area.

Yeah, you guys are right, there's more to it than just changing the fork offset (rake). Hat He chewed, are the new forks same length as old ones? I was womdering if you' managed to change the head angle by using a longer fork, therefore negating the additional offset.

To OP: There may be some subtle things you could try, like filing the dropouts out a bit more so that the axle sits higher up the fork, or trying a smaller section tyre on the front. This effective shortening of the fork will lower the head tube and slightly steepen the head angle. Beyond that, a new fork that is shorter than the existing may help to sharpen the handling through adjusting the head angle and stiffening up the front end making it feel sharper too.

Just my take on it!

Is that NJS?

sorry if I'm being uppity and preachy but I'm genuinely getting exhausted by all the mudslinging.

What's wrong with mud?

Racist.

Point to note here, if you can't stop your bike due to too high gearing you should really think about running two brakes, just in case one cable snaps.

1. Shinscar
   
2. Scott not scot
   
3. 50/14
   
4. Charco
   
5. P!MP
   
6. won't-do-hills
   
7. Big Daddy Wayne
   
8. horatio
   
9. cliveo
   
10. tomasito
    
11. Bianca
    
12. GA2G
    
13. eyebrows
    
14. rik
    
15. kattt
    
16. dante
    
17. VelocityBoy
    
18. ladystardust
    
19. gabes
    
20. villa-ru
    
21. alockett
    
22. spudger
    
23. Gina
    
24. mattty
    25.Object
    
25. hael
    
26. pIqUe
    
27. Elguapo
    
28. Gustav
    
29. WiganWill.
    31.tika
    
30. town
    
31. alexb
    
32. slag
    
33. murtle
    
34. Dandy Horse
    
35. VeeVee
    
36. fred
    
37. wools
    
38. Mrlemon
    
39. Squash
    
40. Dammit
    
41. yeh731
    
42. Vic
    
43. Matt (baddesigner)
    
44. Clefty
    
45. kowalski
    
46. fruitbat
    
47. fresh
    
48. Skully
    
49. Mini Skully
    
50. Timmy2wheels
    
51. BRM
    
52. Dancing James
    
53. Spins
    
54. Speedball
    
55. first lift last call
    
56. andyp
    
57. badtmy
    
58. Jacqui
    
    

List fixed. Sorry I can't be there.

Normally wear MTB gloves with another thin pair underneath, but I've had frozen hands for about 5 miles until I warmed up enough over the last month. So last week spotted some bargain Karrimor ski gloves in Sportsworld (used to be soccer sports) - £3. used them twice now and they're so roasty toasty. Her indoors told me to go and buy another pair for when they wear out!

Tommy's suggestion of decent shorts with cheap trashable leggings over the top has stood me in good stead for the last two winters.

Also can vouch for Endura stuff - lasts for ages and good value.

Replied to the PM you sent.

Danewesley: Check this out, it's exactly what you want and fairly local too.

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread16323.html

It's including my 'don't ask vague questions about bikes' penalty tax.

Let the fisting commence.

Fair enough. Does it cost extra for the personal service?

400 quid for a soma rush frame, hippy. That's some mark up you've got there!

Try a half-link chain and slightly elongating the drop out front to rear with a file first. You may be suprised how well it works and the half link chains look great too.

This is just my opinion, for what it's worth.

I started the same as you, bought an old carlton high tensile steel early- mid 70's complete bike. It has hte same cotter pin cranks as yours and very similar looking frame and forks. I spent about 300 quid buying seat, bars, stem, seatpost, wheels and second hand cranks, rode it for a few months, ...then I replaced the frame and fork.

I started off unsure how I'd take to riding fixed and thinking I'd keep the cost to a minimum and to be honest, I did - built the wheels myself, etc..
I now wish I'd bought a cheapish track bike (Fuji, or similar) and run that into the ground instead, probably would have had more fun from it but learned a helluvalot less about how bike are constructed and some of the Carlton/Raleigh history.

It all depends what you want from this bike, but if you haven't even got hubs or brakes there will be a lot of parts to buy and you could end up paying as much as 50 quid just in postage if you get loads of cheap bit off ebay - it's dead money.

If you really want to have a go with the Carlton, things to look out for:
1) May be a Raleigh headset size, so if you replace, it may be tricky getting someting to fit.
2) Check the frame number stamped on the BB, it'll tell you which year it was made in (Google on Carlton frame stamp dates or similar). From the early-mid seventies a lot of lower end Carlton frames were given a raleigh threaded bottom bracket (info on www.sheldonbrown.com). If you want to replace the BB and chainset you'll need a threadless bottom bracket, nobody makes decent BB's with a non-standard raleigh thread. (I have two low end Carlton frames which are almost identical, one from 1975, the other from 1963. The earlier one has a standard English threaded BB, if yours is an early one you may be ok).
3) Some Raleigh's and Carltons had non standard headset diameters (info also on Sheldon's site). Be careful when sourcing replacements if necessary. Beware standard size headset cups are a larger diameter and may not fit headtube or fork crown.
4) The cranks you have there are HEAVY and the chainring which is the same as one of mine is quite bendy, make sure it's nice and straight if you intend to use it so it doesn't throw your chain off.

Best thing to do if you want to continue is to strip it all and find out exactly what you have by measuring headset and BB thoroughly.

One thing's for sure Carlton's have got character and there are plenty folks on here who'll give you help and advice if you ask nicely ;)

I've had a similar problem with headset cup diameters before.
Frame: 70's Carlton, with original threaded headset, bought new Tange headset as a replacement and the outer diameter of the cups were about 0.2mm larger than the original. I believe there are two sizes of 1" headset that are incompatible by internal diameter of crown race and by outer diameter of cups. I'm sure the diameters are somewhere on www.sheldonbrown.com. This explains why the a-headset would not press into your frame. The size you want is rarer in threaded form and probably rarer still in a-head form.

Obviously this is an informed guess. You'd have to measure all parts concerned to be sure that is the problem.

Two options:
1) Get threaded for with longer steerer.
2) Turn down the outer diameter of the aheadset to fit. You may be able to do thiis with by hand with a file and some emery tape if you are not too fussed about a perfact job, just make sure you keep measuring as you go so as to not make it too small. Don't try to press the headset in if iit's too large, you'll split the head tube. Be patient and get it down to the right diameter, should be a very slight interference fit (called a press fit, because you need to use a press to get it in).

Good luck.

So very sad.
Giles and all her loved ones, I know you will always miss Eilidh. Take strength from the love you have here, we'll always be here for you.

We're all seen as misfits, odd-uns and geeks, and probably all see ourselves as a bit different and enjoy that fact for one reason or another. The truth is though, we share a common love for cycling and that common fear and danger of riding on roads every day, thats why this touches us so much - brothers, sisters, comrades. Be safe everyone. Love and hope to all.

It could be that we're conditioned to viewing bikes in a certain way. When we were in our formative years we saw bikes as representing freedom and independence yet plausibly obtainable. But, in all those years the basic bicycle has remained constant and true and we hold them in the same regard - known, trustworthy and familiar.

Yet some things change over time without becoming unrecognisable from what they once were - take a fine single malt for example; it's a still an alcoholoc drink but one that through being distilled, pure and cared for reveals complexities beyond it's simplicity. It's almost like it invites you to take a deeper look into it, just like some bikes invite you to explore their subtleties rather than hit you with an immediate visual impact.

...when you ride into town for a night out, knowing you'll be too shitfaced to cycle home safely, because the prospect of taking the tube instead is just too terrible.

...when you ride into town for a night out, knowing you'll never be too shitfaced to cycle home safely, because that's always the best part of the night; the roads are quiet, and the alcohol makes you pedal like a demon.

I had just decided to try my first half marathon at the end of march, now I've wrecked my ankle playing 5-a-side (second time in 3 months). Gutted I can't do the running. How long is typical recovery for a sprained ankle?

Aww, man! Wish I could be doing this, just really really can't do Sunday afternoon.

Shame.

Mr S, how long did it take to get the Team pro to soften up? I must have put about 700 miles in before my B17 was softened up - it's now well and truly moulded in the shape of my butt after a further 3000.