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It's the trailer

also if you try and true a wheel after you've replaced the couple of broken ones and then others break as you'e doing it and the job expands into one that isn't sensible. Best to make and educated guess and recommend new parts if it may end up that way or cost similar.

True, but I'm imagining he's not going to spend loads on cranks for a first SS build and was just talking about the most widely available eg, Sugino and other cranks that people tend to use for first builds.

True though you can get other sizes and 180mm which might give you more torque if it's SS and you're less worried about pedal strike than a on a fixed.

Also just got the impression that the OP was trying to ask and match his height to a crank length, which might be beneficial but not as crucial in the way that frame size is.

Ok, noob alert here...

2. I am 6ft4, which crank length should I go for? Is it very important to get the correct length, even if it's just 2.5mm different?

Doesn't matter too much and won't really match up to your specific height. Not like sizing a frame. Fixed riders often like the shortest possible available crank to avoid pedal strike. Your choices with widely available cranks aren't huge anyway. 165mm, 170mm, 175mm. Height of the bottom bracket in the frame can also make a difference if pedal strike is a problem. If ou already have a frame then BB is where it is, so not worth worrying about. It's important for some, not for others depending how, what and where you ride > http://www.londonfgss.com/thread5606.html

As already mentioned. Spindle length and type will depend on cranks you're fitting.

It's true that often a broken spoke on a certain age wheel can indicate that more are likely to go in the near future.

Also a lot of repairs that bike shops do don't really earn them any money. The reason that so many shops quote high costs to service and repair out of condition bikes. It can take time. It's quicker to make the mark up on new parts and earns more money for their time than spending hours working on a bike at a relativley low hourly rate. Average £25 per hour doesn't go far when you have shop overheads etc. Couple of hundred sale in 20 mins is more realistic to keep the shop running.

Edit: I don't mean this in a bad way and not having a go at bike shops. I'm just pointing out that they are often realistic with costs businesswise, otherwise they won't be in business for long.

Who said they're going to ride it after they cut the lock?

They don't neccesarilly have to cut a lock. Lots of people I know have been pulled from their bikes in underpasses etc. Common practice for group of kids in Bristol to surround bike and grab sadle to stop you. Had it happen to me once. They stopped me for a few seconds to ask me if I "wanted to swap my bike" for another one they had with them (wonder where they got that and why they wanted rid of it?) and then I managed to make a break for it.

More the type of scenario I was thinking of as you'd be more likely to witness it than a cutting lock theft.

Has anyone ever witnessed someone steal a Fixed bike and try to ride it away?

Partner is showing signs of disapproval of me "needing more than one bike". Currently one Fixed being built stored in shed. One geared tourer stored at workshop. One hybrid with child seat and every heavy utility to weigh it down possible. The hybrid is allowed in the house.

2 yr old son has two bikes in the house. One wood, one plastic and is also allowed toys all over the floor in every room and pushchairs, car seats etc everywhere and allowed to throw his dinner at me after I've spent an hour making it.

How to subtly make 2 other bikes appear in the house?

Stilsons.

Thanks. May resort to that eventually. First thought was mole grips or in the vice but going to try and use what's left of the notches first.

Thanks. It is a bit of a scraped and rusty frame, but looks better already from a wipe down and rust is only surface.

BB lockring is plastic. Looks like someone has already had a go at chiselling it. Worked out it's a 6 notch needing tool such as ... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BBT4-Park-Bottom-Bracket-Tool-Campag-Veloce-Mirage_W0QQitemZ350244809747QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Spots_Leisure_Cycling_Tools_RepairKits?hash=item518c37ac13&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Going to see if I can borrow one as fairly sure I won't be needing it again for any BB I'll be putting on. Got a variety of other tools at the workshop I work at but unfortunately not this one.

Photos ...

Hi,

Just out of interest am trying to find out the make / model of a beaten up old frame. Not sure if details such as lugs can help ID? No serial number on BB or dropouts and no markings.

BB is standard 24tpi and headtube is standard 1". Came with a random collection of components and BB is made in Slovakia but probably not original.

At the same time wondering if anyone can offer advice on my chances of removing the mashed BB and type of tool I might need. Nearest I can see is http://www.evanscycles.com/products/park/8-notch-bb-tool-ec011574 but not sure if it is even 8 notch, or if it is, if the tool will even grab it in the state it's in. Not sure yet if it's seized in there but a a strong probability that it's well rusted / bound. Haven't wanted to mess with it yet for fear of making it worse and losing the few remaining notches.

Photos attached (as a reply --whoops)

Thanks for any help / advice.

You may be able to get the hub spaced for you if you're buying it in a shop. Or you could do it yourself and might possibly need a longer axle if you're comfortable with cone spanners, lock nuts, spacers, measuring etc. Is it a steel frame? If so it will pull in a few mm easily.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

Rear axle snapping usually only occurs on cheap hubs because the bearings are placed just on either side of the hubshell leaving a massive overhang of unsupported axle inside the freewheel/cassette.

Shimano hubs have bearings right at the edge of the freehub so it is supported at its two ends of the axle making snapping very very unlikely. Just a tip for the future.

Thanks for info. I learned this yesterday too when swapping out the axle. This was definatley the cause. The break was in the exact middle of the unsuported area. All the more reason to not have a cassette / gears . Its also been supporting the extra weight of a toddler in child seat for the last couple of years, so I'm sure that's added to the wear.

http://www.geocities.com/fredpipes/cyclelanes/cyclelane4.html

Not had a chain break on me yet in many years of cycling. I did have my back axle snap two days ago though. Luckily I could roll some of the distance home as it was a quick release wheel and the skewer meant it still held in place. Knackered the skewer too though but at least I got home without a long walk. If it had been a solid axle I'd have been pushing it home and would have probably lost all the bearings etc.

You can't carry everything with you for every possible repair but if you can get a multi tool with a chain breaker in it then it can't hurt to carry a couple of links. Especially if yo uhave them left over from fitting the chain when you first put it on.

What make / model tool is the one pictured?

and help me to build my confidence and riding skills up.

Great to ride with friends for this but also don't rule out any cycle training if you do get a response back from anyone.

I've been cycling on roads since doing cycling proficiency at school when I was 8 (in the 80's), and at least the last fifteen years every day in a busy city. I recently had the chance to take an "urban skills" cycling lesson in Bristol. I wasn;'t really sure I needed to do a lesson but it was a lesson designed for experienced riders, just working on skills and methods for dealing with traffic around you. Although I thought I was very experienced riding in traffic it really helped give me extra confidence and fine tuned what I was already doing. I've had more cars give me room and even give way to me since doing the training.

Not sure what is available to you in London but there should be something.

May be able to find something through the following link? ..
http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=175

Cycle facility of the month -

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/

Hahaha. I imagine a lot of people crashed into that lamp post before they installed that?

make sure you look back through previous months. There's some beautiful bits of design in there.

...cars go where?

wherever they want to.

--- actually think the bike symbols on the road you get in London are a lot better than cycle lanes. Wish we had them in Bristol. They're just reminders that cyclists have a right to be there and drivers should be aware that people do cycle on that road. Cycle lanes are generally fairly poor, substandard excuses to keep cyclists out of the way of cars (which is why you often see them on uphill stretches of road) and are often even dangerous, creating a false sense of security and can lead you into bad road position.

Cycle facility of the month -

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/

SImple question (I have UTFS , but got no specific results)

Just asking for anyones preference or reason why they'd get a Fixed / SS flip flop hub rather than a Fixed / Fixed.

If you can put a freewheel on one side of a Fixed / FIxed hub then what are the reasons for needing a Fixed / SS hub ?

I'm looking to build a Fixed / SS wheel for now, but thinking having the option to fit two Fixed sprockets at a later date would be preferable.

As if the figures weren't bad enough for visiting HGVs, it's good to know that more than 1 in 3 UK HGVs is unsafe too. Nice

Also worth keeping in mind that you also need to watch out for left hand drive HGVs having bigger blind spots on the right that UK HGVs when passing them.

I narrowly escaped a French HGV a couple of years ago that overtook me and pulled in before getting passed, pinning me to railings on the edge of the road with just enough room to escape without being crushed. At night too. Not a nice memory, but at least I survived.

Police officier are not always right you know, they too, can talk absolute bollocks.

One of them kicked me in the absolutes once while another two held me up against a wall to help him get a good aim.

They certainly weren't in the right.

You sir, are an idiot

the majority of Ped Crossings here have a separate bicycle button to press for a cyclist, ...There are also lots of Ped Crossings in London (e.g coming out of hyde park) that are also designed for cyclists

yep, Toucan crossings

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toucan_crossing