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There's a Levis + Charge Bikes + Kinoko promotion tomorrow:

+1 for the heads up, I work near there so will give it a go.

Coasting down the hill towards a red light, it changed so I rolled through. A second or two earlier and it would have been a bit cheeky but it was no longer fully red and was at a turn-in a one-way street. This apparently displeased the mug on the On One waiting at the lights, because he overtook me and aggressively cut in front missing my front wheel by about an inch. I mentioned this to him at the next lights;
Him: "Yeah but you jumped the red light back there so you're giving the rest of us a bad name, so as far as I'm concerned you don't exist."
Me: "So if someone does something wrong in your eyes they don't exist , and I'm giving us a bad name?" God help any pedestrians in front of this guy.
Him: "Go on, jump this light, I really really hope you get hit by a car, that would make my day that would." Classy.

Perhaps if he didn't cycle with mirrored sunglasses to match his silver cycling outfit like some kind of bargain-basement Robocop he might be able to tell red from yellow.
Fashion tip: mirrored shades are not a strong look if you have a face like Gareth Southgate having an allergic reaction.

A chippy was unloading his van and was delighted to see cyclists arguing with each other instead of him so at least it made his day.

I've been thinking about it and you're right that I should expect some criticism, and I knew that people wouldn't like my bars or the black bits, but I thought I'd avoid it by only posting it in the Gazelle thread. Perhaps that was naive. I was even initially going to say I knew the chainring wasn't ideal and how I'm going to take the black bits off and out them on a beater etc when I posted the pic but I thought "why apologise?", I built it and I'm pretty chuffed with it, there's the pic and thanks for all the advice.
Anyway, somehow I've fallen into the trap of arguing on the Internet, which is the new pissing into the wind.

That would be a fair point if it was a reasonable criticism, but what actually it was just "get some new bars". If it had been "I don't like your bar arrangement" or "Christ that's ugly" that would be fair enough, it's a reasonably expressed opinion, but it read to me like a pronouncement from on high and I don't respond well to those. There's no such thing as wisdom without humility. I didn't post it for a pat on the head, I posted it because I asked for some advice a couple of pages back, it was kindly given, and those who gave it expressed a desire to see the bike when it was finished, which is why I said "here you go then" and not "PROSTRATE YOURSELVES AND MARVEL AT THE MAGNIFICENCE OF MY CREATION PUNY MORTALS".

Yes if I was going to spend any more money on it I would have bought a nicer chainring and chrome brakes as planned.
I got as far as buying the seatpost but then it turned out my old wheels couldn't be trued and replacing those cleaned me out, so no chainring, I'm not made of money. Its already cost me more than a complete 2nd hand bike. On the plus side, the old wheels would have been black too (although they were lighter than these Mavics) so it looks better than it might have done.
TBH I didn't buy the frame for its very nice looks, I bought it because it was the right size and clearly in very good condition, I've (literally) fallen foul of rusty frames before.

No, given the handlebar arrangements and other bizarre contraptions I see on the street, and on this site, I'll do what I like without a second thought. I mean, who's doing the marking and what do you get if you win first prize?

If you don't like that then you're really going to hate what I'm going to do to my Langster when I get it, deep drop track bars are pretty but no use to me.

Couldn't give a monkey's mate, that's what's comfortable for me. I'm not buying new bars or new levers to put on an old frame.

Here you go then.

Top Tip: If you're having trouble getting a crown race in at home, I can recommend the extension tube from a Henry hoover.

Thanks very much, yes I'm going to do it all myself on Saturday. Unfortunately I forgot to measure the stack height last night.
It probably doesn't matter for today as the only 1" threaded headset available retail in London is the ugly Miche one at CycleSurgery, or whatever they have at Kinoko but I'm not paying those prices without measuring. I have to come into town tomorrow to try to find a helmet anyway.

Quick question - can I use the same grease on headsets and bottom brackets? I've only got Lithium grease at the moment but can buy more today.

Yes I'm going to measure the stack height tonight to be sure, cheers.

Thank you very mich for your advice, I'm more confident about having a crack at it myself now.
TBH my main concern is getting it done quickly but it looks like between them the big retail chains have various 1" threaded headsets that I could feasibly walk in and buy this weekend.

Now I'm swithering. So desperate to not get the tube next week that I was considering bringing it to work in a cab tomorrow, taking it to Kinoko for the headset then assembling the rest at work and riding home. It would probably be cheaper to just take it to my local Evans.

It's a 1979 Gazelle Champion Mondial, here:

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2hcdsg0&s=5

Ah thanks. I did search, honest Guv.

I think I'll get it done in a shop, I don't want to risk damaging the paintwork.

I'm building a 531 frame.

I was told yesterday by a bike mechanic that even if I managed to get the right sized headset for it I would need a special machine to assemble it with enough pressure to properly seal it.
I don't have any reason to doubt this but I was surprised that I hadn't heard about this before on here - I've only built one bike before and that came with headset installed.

TBH I'm tempted to get him to do it anyway, as even if I could do it myself it would probably take longer to source the right headset and get it done, whereas if he does it will be a professional job first time, then I can finish the bike off and I could be riding on Monday, saving myself another week's tube fare. He didn't quote much for the work.

Dunno about on here, but on my extensive Fleabay watch list complete bikes in good condition seem to go for around £200-£300, more if they are rare or special. I couldn't tell you if that one is rare or special but looks in good nick.

You can spend as much or as little as you like. My first 531 cost me about £200 total but the frame came with headset, stem, bars and BB, so I only really had to buy wheels, crankset, seatpost and seat, bar tape and brakes.
If you are more interested in looks than money double that estimate, I bought bottom-of-the-range everything.
Then there's tools, they always add up.
It will almost certainly cost a bit more than whatever you estimate, there's always something.

What's this about Giro falling out with distributors?

I've been looking for a large Aeon but can't find one, there only seem to be smalls in limited colour ranges on the various websites. I assumed it was because they were about to bring out a new range so no-one was getting stock in, but I can't see any mention of an imminent new range either...

I don't know how much you're willing to pay but I've just bought a Gazelle Champion Mondial 531 frame from Holland and the postage was only £19.50 on top, he took 5 days to get around to posting it but once he did it only took 3 days.

I've had a Monza and an Ionos, both did their job. Thinking of getting an Aeon but there seem to be very few in stock anywhere, I haven't seen anything about a new range or replacement model... [/GiroEvangelist]

Blimey. Which Mavics are they?

My Gazelle has arrived! Lucky I didn't buy any bits for it, as it's not white, more a sort of mother-of-pearl affair, and the blue is very metallic. Now: fun with headsets.

Let us know how it goes please, will still get this frame fixed if its economically viable.

Good points about matching colours. On reflection blue tape with white hoods would look rubbish, so it'll probably be all white, although I'll look at blue hoods if I can get close colours.
To put on it I currently only have a chrome/black Sturmey chainring & crank, black EX seatpost and black Spoon saddle, chrome Cinelli Headset & bars, black 15mm rim wheels. So desperate to get back on the road that if the frame arrives in the next week I might have to use them, can't afford to replace bits for cosmetic reasons, but I will slowly buy more suitable bits, and use the existing bits on my next frame. It might not arrive until just before payday in which case I'll just go nuts on eBay, crank/ring, seatpost, saddle, wheels, the works.

Oh I can't wait, and its.... AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION TIME.

http://i41.tinypic.com/2hcdsg0.jpg

A: White tape, white hoods
B: Blue tape, blue hoods
C: White tape, blue hoods
D: Blue tape, white hoods

Then imagine it with white post, blue seat, Miche express crank, chrome chain, Mavic chrome wheels. Enjoy imagining that, because all the available bits I currently have for it are black.