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Thanks all, useful advice. I'm emailing Geoff this evening.

So that would be brooch....

I've just had a frame resprayed and fixed after a collision with some street furniture. Whilst waiting, I was given a 55yo broach which once belonged to my long-deceased mother, by a relative having a clear out. I'd like to bend the broach which is about 25x40mm so it could be glued neatly onto the head tube. It was hand made of pewter in Sweden in the 60s. I have no jewellery experience but envisaged heating it up a bit and using a small wooden mallet and a bit of wood the same diameter as the head tube as a 'form'.

Wiki tells me pewter is malleable but I'm concerned I might split or crack the broach.

Does anyone have any tips or suggestions or experience they can relay? I've tried pewter jewellery sellers but they are just that, sellers not manufacturers and so not too helpful.

Thanks

Afternoon

Can anyone tell me about their experiences of using (i) Paul's cross lever with v brakes and (ii) drop-bar levers for v brakes such as Dia Compe EVO-V Drop Bar Levers?

I plan on using them on a heavily laden tourer - no disc option - so I guess stopping power really matters (aint that the way with brakes). Years ago I used a campag levers with one of those eccentric pulley wheel adaptors in place of the standard v brake noodle/pipe and was disappointed, spongey and far from confidence inspiring.

Thanks

Thanks everyone. Informative and often hilarious. I will be using h2o’s cartoon and Ned’s pic in persuading ‘er indoors that I need to throw money at the problem.

I rode my fully loaded 23 yo Reynolds 531 Condor ‘expedition-tourer’ (rim brakes, 26” wheels), into some street furniture outside Selfoss in Iceland. I looked stupid and the top tube has paint blistering some damage on the top and underside of the top tube and a small but noticeable dent on the underside of the down tube. All the ‘damage’ is adjacent to the head tube which is not obviously damaged, like the lugs and the fork.

Judging by the subsequent toe rub on front pannier, weird angle of handlebar and front rack rails, I’ve squished the frame, shortening the wheel base by some inches.
I’ve done some research and spoken to frame builders: maybe £650 with a powder coat and replacement of everything forward of the seat tube: down, top and head tubes and lugs.

If I pedal-on and hope for the best, I’m assuming the frame is weakened but won’t suddenly break? The bike’s job is touring on mixed surfaces with camping gear in the middle of nowhere so I don’t want to risk disaster and want the piece of mind of strong reliable frame.

Should I bite the bullet and shell-out for a new front end or is a bit of damage all part of life’s rich pageant? Or buy a new bike?

Thanks

Those rear racks will outlast civilisation...

Hi. After a fun commute in which I got passenger doored, a pedestrian eased her way through buses to step out in right in front of me and a car turning left clobbered me, I’ve decided I need a camera to record the fun and ward-off lawyers and lynchmobs.

I already run lights in top of my helmet so I was thinking handlebar mounted but wonder if footage might be a bit shakey. 

Can anybody recommend a camera, answer my handlebar concern and/or tell me if I need a rear camera too. I’m not putting anything on you tube or vlogging so  cheap rather than quality is the order of the day.

Thanks

What racks are on the darker bike? Ta

Are those VO Casey's bars? On the 26" with red fork above

Hi

I got wiped out by a van in Winchmore Hill a couple of weeks ago. I've replaced a severely buckled front wheel (which seems to have taken the main impact) but the bike now feels un-balanced, seems to veer off to the side when I (front) brake, and weirdly I cant ride without hands at all, wobbling all over the place and really struggling to find my balance. It feels as though the stem and bars are out of alignment although this is clearly not the problem.

The frame (steel singlespeed) looks fine, no external damage or obvious buckles, bends or dents etc although it's now tough to site the front wheel equidistant from each leg of the fork, although its only off by small amount, no rubbing etc.

Do I replace the fork, replace the frame or buy a new one?

Thanks, opinions, experience welcome.