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Would you consider posting to me? I'm in West Yorkshire.

The shoes have improved. They now have ratchet buckles instead of just velcro.

I picked some of these up yesterday morning, three velcro straps on mine, no ractchets.

Fell on ice twice on an Audax ride yesterday.
Now in Macclesfield hospital with badly broken ankle.

Trying to type on flakey internet touch screen hospital device.
Take care out there chaps.

FYI - ppl say the one in St Pauls is good, and after going there today and the guy behind the counter putting his phone call on hold to ask me if he could help and the mech giving me some free crank arm bolts, I'm sold on their good service.

Fair enough.
I live up North though.

I got on of these in the spring, Good value I reckon.

Its handles well and is very responsive encouraging and rewarding spirited riding.
I fitted a decent quality fixed sprocket and needed a longer chain.
Also replaced the uncomfortable saddle with an on one big nose for a tenner.
Have been very happy with it and done many miles commuting including a few long Audax rides.

I would just say to set it up and check out the build yourself as mine was downright dangerous the way it was set up from Halfords, and don't bother taking it back there for any servicing.

I live up north and commute to work by bike.
Thankfully road conditions here are not as bad as London.
I've been heart broken when reading about these tragedies on the forum.

It seems to me we need a national TV led campaign akin to the one that the government ran in the early 80s when compulsory seat belt wearing was introduced. These featured Jimmy Saville and the "Clunk click every trip" strapline. I remember these being shown ad nausaum at the time as a way of drumming the message home. I was reminded of them by a recent article on the BBC website.

I think it needs to be a national campaign, stuff thats happening in London now happens in the rest of the country sooner or later. Cycle use is on the increase up and down the country.

Oh yes, and apples. A shed-load of apples. Believe they have natural anti-hysthamines in. I'd go for old varieties, which aren't bred for fast-growth and massive yield, so maybe Cox's (yumm) or if you can find them, Beauty of Bath (amazing apples), Codlins, or maybe cook with the old-fashioned cookers like bramley or maybe russets.
Natural anti-histamine in apples is Quercetin, also in onion.

You can buy Quercetin supplements in health food shop.
Just about the best natural hayfever remedy IMO.

do some core strength exercises to help your back. I ride a short bike as well and sometimes u just need to build up a little strength to get over the hump of the bad back

Good tip.

Set the bike up right of course but then set ourself up.

Work out a stretching routine or learn Pilates, worked wonders for me on long Audax rides.

Get more anti-inflammitory omega 3 fats like flax into your diet so that your body is less biased towards a state of inflammation. You'll ride further and faster too.

I got into riding fixed gear when I converted up and old 531 framed bike I'd had hanging around for many years and used it for winter commuting.

I wanted something better. Rather than spend loads building from scratch I studied this thread for an off the peg bike that would suit my purpose.

I road tested three bikes at Cycle Republic (Halfords in disguise)in York.

Surly steamroller
Kona Paddy Wagon.
Boardman

I liked the idea of the Surly and the Kona.
The Boardman felt just so together on the road though.

I like the Hydro-formed frame which place the metal where its needed.
I like the fact that unlike most aluminium frames it has smooth welds ( how do they do that? super smooth welding or filler).

I bought my Boardman from my local Halfords in Huddersfield.
The bike was already built up and on display.
The staff member insisted it was checked over and set up over before I take it away.
I would have been happy to do this at home but thought it best to go along with it in case it would have invalidated the guarantee or something otherwise.

I'm not impressed with the way the bike was prepared.

Riding round the car park the cog unscrewed right away because the lockring was not done up.
On the non drive side of the axle the there was a space between the locknut and the cone nut (not really a cone nut because its a roller bearing) meaning the track nut was not done up against anything solid.

The front brake was adjusted up with the quick release button on the brake lever in the released position.

The worse thing was that on the first outing I got a couple of miles down the road when I heard an almighty crack, a rear blowout. When I got the tube out it had a big star shaped hole in it and the tyre bead was detached from the tyre in that area.
My Theory is that the tube had been installed trapped under the tyre bead. The tyres were fairly soft out of the shop and I'd just topped them up. I've had to fit a new tyre and tube.

Bit concerned about the Truvativ Elita GXP chainset as I've heard rumour that the splined fixings between bb spindle and crank are not suited to fixed gear applications and if they ever come loose in use they are probably going to be permanantly damaged.

Still not been out on a decent ride with it yet.

Thanks for listening

Rather obvious questions, that have shown a certain contempt for using this site's SEARCH function,
I rarely show contempt.
I'm capable of gross ignorance and general incompetence however.

Oh yes, do tell us about the Boardman Fixed you bought, and what was good about it, and what was bad.
Oh I'd love to......... be back later with the details.

My first post on here.

Just to say I've bought a Boardman single speed bike from my local Halfords a couple of weeks ago.

I'm in my fifties and have always cycled but started riding fixed about 18 months
ago for the first time.

This is the first time I've ever bought a bike from Halfords.

Had a few issues with the way it was put together some of them pretty serious in my opinion.

Is this a reasonable place to tell the story, seek advice and the like.