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I'm 30, I jacked in uni at 22. I've earned plenty of money and I've been homeless and shit has largely happened because I'm not qualified = no job security (and I have learnt I have no business head.) I would be doing your course right now if I was not studying psychotherapy. Believe it or not, both have something in common; neither job can successfully be exported to a developing economy. They pay about the same too! It'll take me at least another 2 years to qualify whereas you could have your 17th Edition by July and a serious pay cheque come September.

I'm going to guess you live at home right now. That gets pretty old (if it hasn't already) pretty quickly and sharing is fun when you are young but by 27 you'll be screaming for your own place. Most of my friends still share and hate it - even if they are best friends with their housemates. You'll need a minimum of £500/week for your own place - and that will be a crummy "studio" flat.

<-Also girl bad at pushing big gears!

I'm sure I read on the internets that 4th gear is the most lossy and therefore best avoided. I think what I want is a 2 speed hub, one that will get up Highgate Hill and one for the rest of the time - but I've got what I've got so I'll make it work!

I've had a SRAM P5 internal hub (w coaster) built to fit my only bike which gets used for just about everything.

I test rode a Velorbis Arrow which has 61 gi and loved the bike so figured that making my direct drive gear (3) something close to this would be sensible.

If I use the 22 tooth sprocket I have with a 51 touch chainring then I get gears of 38.6, 47.6, 60.9, 78.0 and 96.2 according to Sheldon

These numbers are dutch to me though - does it sound like a useable setup for a london bike?

Once I've read up on chain lines, I'll be asking questions about them too. If I can get this set up with the crankset I have at the mo (shite steel with cottered cranks) I will but will upgrade to maybe the Sturmey set up when I have the available money.

Thanks

In

Dibs on the lid!

Where is work? I have a grinder and 1mm discs for cutting inox. Can you run power out from work? How long a lead do you need? I think I can cobble up 35m. Have you used a grinder before? What is the frame/bits that are locked made of? Don't want to hurt your pride and joy!

I'm back in town tomorrow afternoon, PM me. Perhaps call Kryptonite customer service in the meantime and ask them about a replacement.

I think I'm going to be caught up tomorrow fixing leaks by the phone call I just had :( Will let you know though as it may well be simple enough to sort. My friend has been looking after my boat and she's cool with her but doesn't know every little idiosyncrasy!

Howard, which boat are you? I'm on Roe (70' River Class) but not back until tomorrow, then moving east is you fancy locking through together? There will be a brew on from around 2 if you fancy it

If you live/ride past Little Venice, Islington top lock (I can't remember it's real name but nearest the tunnel) or Victoria Park, there are taps for hoses there. Bring a hose and connectors or ask a friendly boater. Boaters are much more friendly to cyclists who realise the towpath is like a pavement with bikes on it rather than a road without cars.

Glad you got your lock back :) Welding magnets are much cheaper than sea searchers. Mine lifts 50kg in theory (most I've had was about 10 but it's nice to know!

Pallet wood burns way quickly. What sort of burner have you got? The main thing you need is airflow under the coals - a cast grate in other words. I stuck a grate I picked up for buttons into a Jotul wood burner on my first boat which only burnt wood. Worked. I saw them on Brick Lane today - worth thinking about?

Cats: Hessian sacks off the side of the boat provide something to get claws into. Cats CAN swim - most just hate it. Most drown because they can't get back in. You have a fishing net right? If not, get one strong enough to hold a cat. Also good for fishing other boaties hopper windows out that they drop in! What happened to Sprocket made me cry. Where was that exactly? I'll know to avoid the area. :(

The shifter is on the stem...
I borrowed a friend's bike with drops and hated them but I think it was because the bars were so narrow. My plan though is an internal hub because I have one and they are so maintenance free/I can change down when I'm stopped at lights....but it is twist shift (SRAM) so I don't get an option for a trigger :( I'm not sure how I can get it onto drops but there is always a way.

Are suicide levers the ones that go down the front? I've got those but also the horizontal ones.

Zebra - can't make this Tuesday unfortunately due to Christmas faff but next time, definitely!

Woo! Picked it up today, rode from Waterloo to Little Venice, smiled all the way! I don't think I've ever had a bike that fits before! Kind of like the drop bars too and am now thinking that upside down moustaches are the way forward. Still hate friction shifting derailieurs though

I just bought this which I'm picking up tomorrow. I think it's hi-ten rather than anything better but, it will be the first bike since I was about 4 that fits me! Collect Sat am if my car works :eek:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280788763187?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2648#ht_1035wt_901

I figured that I can build up and ride this frame and if it doesn't work out so well I can swap the new stuff I stick onto it onto a better frame. First for ditching are those handle bars....now don't know between north stars and moustache!

Sounds like you found the vertical learning curve Jacqui, stick it out hun, the first 2-3 months are tough as all hell and worse still in the winter - but it's the best time because once you've hacked your first winter, you'll be sorted. Have you set it on fire yet? Emma and I set the boat we rented smoking twice in the first month lol (since no one was hurt.)

PM me (I've not got them due to newbieness) and I'll shoot you my number if things get dire. I would recommend a small chainsaw (not from Lidl/B&Q and preferably Stihl or Huskquervana but Makita will suffice) protective stuff and lessons as a christmas present. NEVER pay for wood! Coal however, is a GOOD thing) I'm just waiting for a Tom on Archemedes to deliver. Dominque on Baron comes your way - I'll shoot you his number too, he's heading toward Little Venice at the moment though I think.

I would suggest getting that rock wool out asap (but not before spring unless you have a friends to decamp to) and fitting space flex or if that's too spendy, Kingspan. Check your mushroom vents are open re the condensation and when you think about re-upholstering, there is black fabric that is anti-mildew/condensation you can get for the bottom of the cushions. Don't buy it in a chandler though - way over-priced!

I'll go read/post on that thread in a bit!

That Soma frame is lovely - and very spendy - too deep for my pockets :( When I'm rich though, I know exactly what I'd do to one! Brixton Bikes were really helpful though (you knew that!) but suggested a mixte might be too flexible for my needs and that I should look at something off the shelf from Globe or Trek - but that's the very top end of my budget and boring!

I'm off to Brick Lane Bikes this afternoon, they have a 54cm Claude Butler frame/forks/crankset for me to look at but it's twice the price of a complete Raleigh Romana with a 23" frame.....just about everything is telling me to buy the Raleigh sight unseen (legit source, not been crashed). It would leave me loads left over for decent bits for the build and provide more to boot. My concern though is the quality of the frame. Does anyone have any experience of them?

Hackney bike workshop sounds a great idea, will hopefully come along! Always north of the river - - it's where the canal is and normally Hackneyish (Little Venice at the moment though) but always travel for co-ops.

Newbie post.

I'm fed up with bits falling off bikes that are too small for me and I don't like the price of the tube much.

I want to buy/build something that's MINE! Must have a step through frame as I mainly wear skirts, some of which are excessively big but they make me happy.

I live on a boat so it needs to be rugged. I'm more interested in spending my time fixing the boat than the bike. I have a SRAM 5 speed internal hub/coaster brake to build into a wheel. My knowledge of bikes is limited but I'm good with spanners (used to drive old veedubs - I had to learn quick!)

Thoughts are a mixte frame - I'm 6' near as damn it - is 21" big enough? There is something on ebay at the mo that might do if it is. I need mudguards and racks that can carry a laptop, shopping, blah blah. I don't like drop bars - either moustache or risers - but would love input on which handle better. Should I be looking specifically for Reynolds steel or does it not matter so much? I want something that will shift when I'm late but generally ride more sedately.
27"/700c wheels. Since I've got the hub, do I need to shell out big money on a rim or can I get a cheapy/reuse the one I found dumped by the bins? I want dynamo lights and am considering using a dynohub - possibly with drum brake - but will that put me in Pashley weight territory? I want something I can throw on the roof without so much grief.
The cranks/bottom bracket. These seem to be really heavy on many bikes. I guess that that makes them slower. Is lighter stuff really expensive here?

Does anyone have anything lurking they can sell for my new toy?

Finally, I know that 56a Infoshop etc do bike maintenance but the advice I've had there before has been pretty hit and miss; are there bike co-op type places where someone can show me how to lace a couple of spokes, leave me to do the rest and then tell me what I did wrong when I'm finished?

Thanks C