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No worries, my own fault, I should have put in the post - people often say they find Sidi's (in fact cycling shoes in general) a bit on the small side and so you should buy a euro size up. I don't know, I'd say narrow more than small, but if you haven't worn them before this is perhaps something to bare in mind. You're welcome to try them on if you're unsure.

Gambleroni, *FRANK - "You have mail!"

it's "thought shower" now apparently.

brainstorming is not PC

I thought it was blue sky thinking.

On my way to getting a set of wheels for my nice bike, (i've still not got any I like) I've accumulated these that I don't need.

1. Miche Track hubs laced to DRC ST17 rims (32h). Silver hubs, black double butted spokes, silver nipples, black rims with silver machined sidewalls. Barely used, (about 5 hours in total) basically as new but for a bit of brake block black on the front rim. Included - Rim tape, lockring, miche carrier thing, 17t 1/8th sprocket and a pair of (used) tubes and tyres. They're ready to ride - SOLD
   
   

2. Amazingly nice and super light but street riders beware; tubs! On track though or if you're brave...or careful...
   Campag Victory Crono rims on Miche Pr1mato (28h). Silver Dbl butted sapim spokes.
   Brand new Pista CS tub on the front, a Conti Sprinter on the rear, it could do with being turned around. Dura ace 15t 3/32" if you want it. £85 ono
   
   

3. A pair of Sidi Bullet II - Silver, Size 44, used but pretty good nick really, no cleats. SOLD
   
   

3 Profile Airwings, Deep drop ones, 40 c-c, SOLD

1. Oh and some silver SKS race blades, good as, SOLD
   
   

If you want to come up and have a look you're more than welcome. I'm in sunny Dalston.

Hell, he's only an inch or so taller than me, I reckon I could put that saddle down a bit. I'll take it. If it feels a bit too aggressive I can always put some BMX bars on it. That wouldn't look sh1t, no, no it's a great idea.

Aye, dogsballs is right, but for around town...

No, no it is quite all right. If you heard it from my side it was funny. I can't believe anyone would have thought I was being serious though, tone of voice in writing is so often impossible.

If I did think it was a shop I don't know what would be more; the disappointment when I didn't win anything, or the relief when I didn't have to pay for all the weird shit I would have attempted to purchase.

its an auction, not a shop- you know that right.

I know that. Sorry, in my head I was putting on a funny voice.

I'd definitely buy that Merckx for only €89 and this Roberts TT bike is only £82! Can you believe it, these fools don't know what they have.
This Ebay shop thing is amazing and so cheap. I don't know which to choose. People said the internet was cheaper than the shops but this is really unbelievable!

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38.l1313&_nkw=roberts+653

Indeed, the longer the crank arm the more leverage you have (No it isn't just about saddle height), but on the track pushing a huge gear generally isn't the chosen thing. And fixed on the road is likely to require a lower gear still. The issues then change from one's ability to gain leverage to one's ability to spin. The longer arm hampers this. Some tall roadies (Boonen - 6'4" for example) run 177.5 or 180, but on the track few riders of any size will run more than 172.5, and neither pedal strike nor toe overlap are problems when riding at speed on steep tracks like Manchester. On the road these can be issues, toe overlap at low speeds, pedal strike on corners at high. Toe overlap is a particular issue because track frames generally come with shorter top tubes and tighter angles than equivalently seat tube sized road bikes.
Basically I think you will find 170 to be perfectly adequate. I think campy do a 172.5 as may DA if you must but most, me included, would feel little if any improvement around town. Any longer than that anyway and you are in custom territory, although 180 road cranks are fairly easy to buy OTP.
Oh and if pedal strike is a major concern, say on a low BBed conversion as opposed to a track bike then small/single sided pedals can make quite a difference IMHO.

As for frame size, people like different fits and it is to do with all sorts of things like proportions, flexibility, habit, preference, engineering, ruling bodies and inevitably fashion. Your height is only one factor, more importantly it should be split between inside leg (proper, the fact you wear 32" leg jeans or whatever is not an accurate gauge) and torso length.

A good place to start re the complicated and by no means absolute world of sizing is
http://www2.bsn.de/Cycling/ergobike.html

That said, factor in that track bikes don't fit quite like road bikes and that you probably aren't that worried and we are probably back to where we started.

The vinegar thing was recommended by Mercian when my mate's post seized in his custom frame.
If you are going to heat the seat tube go steady or wrap in something coz you'll damage the paint. Also you'll need to cool or keep cool the post as the aluminium will swell with the heat more than the steel. And you're still gonna have to twist as it will still be stuck. Some component freeze spray from Maplin will do the job on the cooling front. Try to spray inside the post whilst heating the seat tube but be careful of the joints. Then TWIST. When it frees it will go bang and you'll think you've snapped something but with a bit of luck the only snapped thing will be the join between the post and frame. Then back and forth and up until it is out.

Well I knew they were all black because I've been looking at getting some. I've PM'd you pistanator. (That isn't jacking the thread is it? Sorry)

Or track specific so (sort of) no braking surface problems but what about Navigator Pistas? Debadged.

Are you serious? It might work on the shrinking side but you'd just shatter off the top outside the frame surely? You'd still have to heat the frame and I think the alu'd be so cold not only could you not touch it but it would also be incredibly fragile. At a guess like.

Get some wheels, any colour, ride em in London for a week. Done

If you heat the frame with a blowtorch the steel will expand, yes, however alu expands at a lower temp so will effectively get more stuck until it melts, at which temp you have taken all the paint off the seat tube and possibly messed the frame's brazing. Heat + plumbers/electronic freeze spray down the seatpost plus twisting with seatpost in vice or pole through an old saddle and you'll be all good I reckon. Hard work, but in my experience worth it. In war though, there are always losers. Hopefully just a seatpost in this case. Oh and the heat will bake the paint a sort of yellowy colour. If you're gonna repaint it anyway just melt it out.

Woah, no it is all stuff I got for her. I'm 6'4", I don't reckon that little jacket is gonna fit me. Well not unless I wanted to rock some really avant-garde tiny clothing style.

Jaket? Sorry. I am stupid.

Hey up all,

Does anyone want to buy some silver SKS raceblades (clip on mudguards), barely used, complete with ties and packet thing (+ some zip ties, just in case). £20, no offers I'm afraid.

& also

An unworn X-Small Gore-Tex Paclite jacket made by Sunrise (they're German). It'd fit if you're about 5'5" with a 28" waist. One layer, taped seams obviously, waterproof zips, drawsting on the back of the collar, no stupid huge tail thing, race blades you see. It was over €100, I dunno, £50?

My girlfriend has apparently decided, after my investment, that she thinks the best kind of waterproof is a huge red metal box with four wheels.

I'm off to my folks tonight until Sunday but, in general, I'm Dalston if you wanna come and have a look/try or whatever.

Cheers, David

+1 Prav
+1 AndyP

I'm not sure but I think the "Sheldon Brown" chant is mandatory.

In the time I have written this it will no doubt be covered, but…

I would say it is potentially quite a big job, depending on how seized it is.
First off is it an alu post in a steel frame? (If it is Alu in Alu it is probably there forever. Steel in steel is another matter; removable, but uncommon these days.)

So Alu in steel I’m guessing. First off you can hurt the bike, but if it is a beater, go for it. Movement straight up and down is best for the frame but good luck getting anything unstuck like that, so for the purposes of this, twisting is your friend. So is plus gas but only so far – I haven’t unsiezed anything with plus gas alone. If the seatpost is a one piece put an old saddle on the post put as long a bar as possible through the saddle and jam the bike in something and turn that bar. Back and forth, be strong but smooth, don’t jab at it. The longer the bar the easier the job. If the bar is flat steel that is good, as like a ruler it will flex one way but not the other so it will be easy to get under the saddle and yet strong in the twist. If the seatpost has a bonded head there is a very good chance you will break the bond at the head before you break the bond with the frame. (Think how much post is stuck in the bike compared to how much head in the post.) Give it a go but I’ve done other things to get those out.

Failing that the other options are a bit more convoluted but if you have no joy give a shout back and I and others can expand on the joys of pipe frieze spray and blow torches.

It will come out. Don’t worry.

Man alive how could you explain such a thing without it being riddled with double entendres.

Whilst not an ideal solution, until you get the bit you're after, electrical tape and a pit of an old tube can combine to form an excellent gripping surface for such items. Also I have found running the light/bracket upside down - so under the bars as opposed to over, goes a long way to curing the light falling forward problem.

And if it did originally take 27" wheels and you want to ride the free side, I'm sure someone on here has an old weinmann calliper which will be long enough to stretch the extra bit to a 700c rim so you can ride it regardless. Or just forget the freewheel, ride the fixed side and no rear brake. It'll be all good, and for £40, great!

I could be wrong but as far as I knew 622cm is the bead size of 700c wheel(and tire). Of course the c doesn't stand for cm that would be way too easy. So so long as you have taken that size from a tire, you have yourself a 700c wheel. Obviously the wheel from edge to edge is going to be a bit more like 630ish cm to allow for the bead to clinch to the rim, but I suspect you're all good. I think the bead size is called the Erco(?) if you want to check it. Good luck.