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We need to see pics of the Grubb now you've got it built up...

If nobody local wants the villiers sprockets, I'll take the pair with a couple of quid chipped in for postage.

Oooh, there's plenty of clearance on there for some mudguards and deep drop calipers ;-)

If it's a road-double-with-inner-ring-for-42mm-chainline then Parker international have the necessary 110mm italian shimano JIS BB on sale mucho cheapo.

logo comes off with scotch brite pad

Can't believe I didn't think of that - you are indeed the dogsballs...

Good point - am I being overly picky wanting matching logos front and rear?! It's for a 50's road/path frame so went for the sys ex as the lbs stocks them and the logo is fairly unobtrusive... don't think I could live with on-one laser etched on there.

Gotcha - thanks for the offer, but I was hoping for something newish.

I'll pass on that thanks - though it's probably worth you keeping the axle & bearings as spares if the shell is fubar!

Slightly twisted? Could you expand on that?!

Anyone have a spare large flange sys-ex hub? I bought a pair of 36 and then got given a pair of 32/36 rims!

Happy to swap for BNIB 36h.

P.S. I'm in Bristol so would need it posting.

CoppiThat -

I'm a size 8 normally but size 9 in bike shoes but need Specialized or similar for width, hence the need to try them and see if they're a narrow feet only brand at which point I'll just give up on vintage stylee shoes!

Andy P - thanks for posting your finds, that's fucking awesome! I now just need to find someone that sells the buggers so I can try for size.

You've done the 'street' photos, now you need to do the old man photos of wrestling the fixed up Burrington Coombe with veins a popping and mudguards a scraping :D

G-Bitch, do you reckon you could push for an update of the painted bike on the road? you could have different styles depending on where you are... a hipster one with risers and spok's, a drug dealer one with a rubbish full suspension mountn bike on the pavement, a commuter one with a bromton etc etc. or just get he picture changed to something that actually looks like a bike....

hope your improvement plans were well received by the way..

Classic idea - however I fear it would be lost on anyone outside London. Fortunately I don't get involved in anything as mundane as signing & lining except for requesting it!

If like me, all you're fussed about is getting some bike time in when it's sheet ice out or pissing down with rain (basically when you feel like a pussy) then the Tacx Ecotrack rollers are perfectly good. I find them a bit better with a geared bike mind so you can whack it in a nice high gear for a better workout.
http://www.leisurewheels.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b48s36p2692&rs=gb

I just got them for £60 from Surosa but it looks like they're sold out now (2007 product).

its weird to see so many bikes all the time since 18 months ago i'd seen two others in 5 years i think. i suppose its a good thing, just weird.

How do you think I feel after moving from Birmingham?! (A veritable bicycle desert)

As a transport planner specialising in sustainable transport, I have to say that I don't care how much of it is fashion or whatever - more bums on saddles can only be a good thing. On that note I'm now off to present my case for some highway improvements (improvements for peds and cyclists) to the lead member of Solihull council - how fucking virtuous do I feel!

Trevor Bull - he's the LBS mechanic from when I lived in Brum and suggested I ride a fixed wheel when I was asking about 'as low maintenance as possible' bikes about 4 years ago! I knew he was an ex-pro but have never seen any photos of him in action.
Superb.

http://www.hewittbikefitting.co.uk/

Selection of OTP Taiwanese frames or the man in the workshop out the back can custom build you whatever you like.

Spotted two fixed gears each with 2 brakes and mud guards, one was possibly a kona and the other not too sure. they each were cycling past the sea wall on the downs about two minutes apart.
both were wearing messenger bags and had helmets

If one was a bright red Raleigh then it was probably me.

Thought it might be worth pointing out a few of the common 'errors' in riding position as set out by Paul Hewitt (http://www.hewittbikefitting.co.uk/index.php?page=bike-fitting) and confirmed after my fitting session.

1. Saddle too low - very common as anyone can see when out and about.
   
2. Drop from saddle to handlebar too high - mine was something like 14cm at one point, it should be around 4cm for the type of riding I do.
   
3. Reach too short - in my case, and apparently commonly, in response to point 2.
   
4. Saddle too far forward - you need to get set-back right with the old fashioned plumb line method (90 degrees/ L shape shin vs crank at 3 o'clock).
   
   

It's all about the contact points - pedals are fixed (to some extent - some small adjustment on cleats) so you just need to get the other two to work in relation.

Oh and if anyone ever finds themselves up Lancashire way then I can thoroughly recommend Hewitt's for fitting with the added bonus of it being only £50 which is refunded if you buy a bike/frame from them.

I just wish they did a Lorica (synthetic that Sidi use) version.

It's simply to facilitate fit - for example I had to swap the inline post on my road/audax bike for one with 25mm setback because I couldn't quite get the saddle back far enough to achieve the proper* 90 degree (dead straight shin bone - hang a plumb line from the knee) angle with forward crank at 3/9 o'clock.

Edit - forgot to add. The key component of a 'more relaxed' set up is to simply reduce the drop from saddle to handlebars, it makes far more difference than people give credit for even if you are still quite stretched out. Some frame geometries facilitate this (think Spesh roubaix/allez/langster) whilst others have a more 'racy' geometry which would need lots of spacers on the steerer as well as an angled stem to achieve a similar riding position (like the Ribble winter frames or Cannondale CAAD frames). If you're like me with long legs and relatively short arms then it's a right PITA.

Hope that helps.

*proper for my riding style/purpose - would be different for say a TT set up.

Ed this simply isn't true. I've cut chains and dlocks, using bolt croppers and angle grinders. this was both as a bike mechanic and to clear old bikes out as well as help friends with lost keys.

It's just a complete fallacy that a chain needs to be on the ground to be cut!

the main thing about chains vs dlocks is that both is better as 2 tools are required. Cheap / thin chains are not worth buying and you need high quality steel to ensure better security.

IMO good security :
Buy the absolute very best quality you can.
2 different types of lock
fill the gap when using a dlock (crank is always good)
buy hardened steel large chains. If you're worried about weight, buy extra locks and leave them around town
fill the allen key holes with a ball bearing and superglue for seatpost / bars / stem / brakes
think about what your locking up to - most iron railings can be broken with a good kick for example
Don't rely on your bike being visible as a deterrent, I've seen bikes stolen in broad daylight with hundreds of onlookers by the shadiest looking chavs and no-one pays attention
don't rely on cctv

From what I can gather, this is crucial - there was an article last year in the CTC magazine where they got in those two guys who are constantly challenging the sold secure ratings (mostly for m/bike locks) and have proven that every single SS Gold lock can be done in under a minute without even using power tools.

The one bike they had to give up on was locked with a mini-u that was difficult to crop up near the cross bar and was filled with wheel/seat-tube/bike stand so they couldn't get a mini-jack in to break it open (very common method and a piece of piss on even the most hardcore Abus U lock as long as there's a few inches gap to fit it in).

Search captain cropper on You Tube.

Saw proper hipster style bright orange frame with orange deep-v's and bar tape to match outside the Bristol uni building the other night. I had to laugh, it was even locked up hipster style 4 foot up some wall/railings! Looked pimp as fook mind.

That suits me - might have to come along for one soon.