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More drum licks here

I like my Goldtec - even got a rare unetched version due to needing it urgently), but as mentioned they're not silver if that's an issue, the chainline is a bit weird (though I've managed to set it up within reason on a fixed mtb), and the aluminium washers are crap.

I've had a replacement set, but they're still smooth which means there's not much bite, and they're very soft. I use a chain tug on the driveside to stop slip, and have stuck 2x10mm penny washers behind the non driveside, to stop the allen bolt deforming the washer.

First set of bearings still going strong after 1000s of commuting miles, and quite a few hub-deep adventures through all manner of mud, clay, and animal by-products.

I'm getting paranoid about the nuts on my System Ex now though...

I've had those silver System Ex hubs runnig for a few years now, loads of mileage, lots of crappy weather, crusty old roads, still running extremely smoothly - just like new. Don't know if I got lucky, or if other people are similarly impressed.

Probably not for me. Exams looming LARGE now... and council builders, and clinical placement, and end of my wife's maternity leave, and tenants' association meeting, and ex-pat family visiiting, and bottle of Laphroaig Quarter Cask :-)

Yeah, I agree that cabbies, and bus drivers, and the vast majority of other road users are pretty aware (if not considerate) in London at least.

I have noticed that the cabbies in Bloomsbury seem a bit more agit than those in the City though.

I've actually turned up for races in the middle of Essex, stuffed into the back of a black cab, bike and all, with a couple of other riders. However, this is because one of my clubmates drives a cab for a living!

The geezer was one of those brick sh*thouse neo-nazi types. I'm normally a sarcastic mouthy so-and-so, but probably did well keeping my gob shut.

My wife pointed out when I got home that even if I'd gone all 'psycho' and pounded the cr*p out of him, it wouldn't have left me in a healthy psychological state.

I wish I'd got his number though...

Well, just got back from a strange Saturday morning ride round North London.

Left my flat and started riding up Goswell Road and a blue cab is approaching from a side street (Peartree St) on the other side. He speeds up in order to filter next to me, and then cuts me up and boxes me in behind a parked car. Luckily I was still pretty sleepy, so didn't take any bait, cos he obviously wanted to batter me. Maybe he was just some meat-head who owned a decomissioned cab, but I didn't get round to taking numbers:

Cabbie: Oi!
Me: Huh?
Cabbie: WHY ARE YOU DRESSED LIKE A C*NT?
Me: What?
Cabbie: WHY ARE YOU DRESSED LIKE A F*CKING C*NT?
Me: (Just look non-plussed)
Cabbie: YOU AIN'T GONNA HAVE A WIFE OR ANY MATES DRESSED LIKE A F*CKING C*NT.
Me: Oh.

Then he drove off slowly, but pulled in as I started to move off. So I waited, but the lights went red up a head, and he was still crawling along, so I u-turned and went another way.

I didn't think to tell him that it was my wife who bought my jersey (retro-Peugeot thing like Tom Simpson's), that my cap was to shield the glare of low sun, and my black l/s base layer and 3/4 length shorts were to keep me warm. Doubt he was interested.

I'm guessing he was coming down badly off a night of coke, probably lost money gambling, and hasn't seen any action with his wife (if he has one) for a while. As I mentioned to some other riders at Regents Park the other night, being a trainee speech & language therapist, I hope it's me who has to rehabilitate his communication skills after he has a stroke due to his lifestyle of rage and hate.

And for the record, he was dressed like a f*cking c*nt.

Maybe if I stick the childseat on my Pista, that'll even things up a bit on Highgate West ;-)

That was fun - thanks for an entertaining evening.

I think fatherhood is stopping me from being so 'reckless' at junctions and lights. Well, that and the growing sense of your own mortality once you get into your 30s!

Hoping to come along again soon. Cheers for the beer and chocolate!

Yeah, that coasting thing is very unnerving - the first few times I feel hyper-sensitized to the click of the pawls. Thankfully, I usually forget to coast whilst riding gears :-)

A friend lent his fixed to a mate (under duress) to go and buy more wine from the offie. The bloke was adamant that he could handle it (booze talking) went to jump off a kerb, and promptly landed in a puddle of red wine and blood... with a broken wrist.

I notice most first timers try to coast at low speed within the first few yards, particularly if trying to clip-in.

cLOUDDEAD - "Physics Of A Bicycle"

Kraftwerk - "Tour de France"

I usually feel fresher doing epic rides on fixed - any coasting, and the lactic acid seems to accumulate very quickly. Did a roundabout London to Southend and back last year (120miles) and felt fresher at 100miles than after the first 20 (on 81"), so I spontaneously decided to throw in some hill intervals as we got near Navestock... not very popular with my geared cohorts!

Did London to Brighton the other year on 67.5". Needed the lower gear to get comfortably up the Beacon, but also to get back up a much more brutal climb just before Caterham - sort of grind-trackstand-grind-trackstand for about 5 mins. Did feel a bit more wasted/battered at the end of day though due to all the high revving, so I'd always gear up if it's a flatter route.

Neither of these rides were the official versions, but we still set off by 7am to avoid motor traffic as much as possible.

Hello Fixed People,

Mad props (is that the correct vernacular?) to DK for getting things rolling.

Another C+er (scarlettp), and 63xc regular. Central London-based (Finsbury (not Park)).

It's the riders on gears who are cheating!

PS. If you've entered a hillclimb 10 miles from the nearest train station, and set off in a 39x20, try not to miss the appropriate train and end up having to ride to the event averaging about 130rpm. The sobering voice of experience...

Currently trainee speech & language therapist (ie student) - and trainee dad (just got through the probationary period!).

Previously musician, writer, sales assistant, retail manager, builder, car-park attendant, factory packer, screen printer, customer service assistant, bike messenger, mobile bicycle mechanic, indoor go-karting marshall, waiter, kitchen porter, receptionist, English teacher, telephone fundraiser, producer, dealer, blah, blah, blah...

Road: 46x17, 39x14
Distance: 46x15
1 in 4 Hillclimbs: 39x20
Off Road: 39x16 or 17.

165s at the moment - mainly because I've stripped the crank removal thread on the left:-(

Hope to make it on Thursday. Depends if I've recovered from this afternoon's first-swim-in-21-years... ow, my arms!