It is, in fact, all about the bike(s)

Indulge me, I've had a bike-centric day, and we don't seem to have an off-topic area.

Lance Armstrong, as well as being a weapons-grade, super-deluxe, fully-fitted, wall-to-wall knob cheese, was also completely and utterly wrong; it is unquestionably all about the bike. Always.

Working from home today, and got to spend an hour or so of my lunch break continuing the scrub up of my barn-find mum's Christmas present. Coming up quite nicely with the help of wire wool and autosol



All it needs is a rear brake cable, and a basket for the front - estimated total cost; £20. Having pottered round on it (far too small for me) to test brakes and gears, I've come to like the basic honesty of sit-up cycling... I fancy a 30s Gent's thing for my next-but-one project.

End of lunchtime and I get an email from HR to say my cyclescheme voucher is approved at the maximum of £1000. So, fully committed employee that I am, I took a second lunch break and rang the local purveyors of bike porn Prestige Cycles to enquire as to whether they would build me a Surly crosser within budget. Unfortunately they said yes, which completely ruled out the rest of the afternoon as I had to spec the thing to within budget.

Then, tonight I cycled the couple of miles over to my mate's place on the Peugeot. Utterly hopeless CLB bendy brakes, tube shifters, massive gearing, 'interim' pedals, plinking rear spokes, and short top tube with arse up - nose down riding position. Icy roads, and Hove hills. Scared myself witless. Love the old nail, but those brakes are going the minute some decent long reach Shimano appear on eBay.



Having returned home for tea and medals, I dug out the Trek and went for a spin round the block to remind myself what functioning brakes feel like. Took great delight in being able to change gear without risking fingers in front wheel. Remembered how skittery Gatorskins are in the cold. (excuse the modernity)



Then lastly got a text from mate confirming that I could have the 70s frame/forks he has in his cupboard. If I recall correctly it's a 60cm Carlton, January's project is go!

A thoroughly constructive day all in all.

Busy day then ...

Two things i want to mention -
I seem to be the odd man out where Armstrong is concerned - i certainly do not condone the drugs or his treatment of other riders, but the actual fact that drugs are used in sports, not just cycling, has been somewhat acceptable to a lot of people over the years. I heard a radio programme regarding this and it basically talked about the battle between the chemists - initially the best chemist produced the best drug and hence, the best results. This was followed by the same - except the best chemist then found the best way to hide the drugs. The competion was between chemists and not athletes. It was very interesting and made sense. I think Armstrong is most at fault for hypocracy more than anything else - but that is my personal view and i suspect, when you think about it, the hatred of him may be due to his hypocracy as much as the drug taking - but few people seem to admit this.

The second is much less controversial - do you know what happens after one year in your cycle to work scheme?

EDIT - brakes for the retro -
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-Deep- ... 27cd521c75
Hope you get up in time to get them!

I don't care either way mostly when it comes to Armstrong's use of go-go juice. What I can't abide is his treatment of those who didn't play his game - the Irish masseuse and Tyler Hamilton especially.

Anyway, enough of that, cyclescheme - yes, mostly... I think. It seems to be that once the year is ended, work effectively give me the bike and I'm liable for BIK on the residual value.

Cheers for the caliper find - missed them by 20 minutes, and they went for a fiver! :x

Any ideas what the residual value is? I guess it is a percentage of the price paid. I know a liitle of this scheme as we have it at our work but there is some confusion as to what exactly happens after a year.

One guy said he thinks you give the bike back and you get credited with its' value and you can do the same again eg - at the start the bike is £1000; after one year is is valued at £600 - you start again but have £1600 to spend. Like a leasing scheme but you gain every year.

You should get out of bed earlier - the early bird .... and the brakes!!!

It seems to vary from firm to firm, from what I've read - some seem to offer to sell you the bike at the residual value (thus avoiding BIK), some seem to require the bike back, and some - like mine - seem to hand you the bike (thus incurring BIK).

I certainly haven't read about it accumulating year on year