New Home Required for Bicycle Workshop

We heard this week that our application to use the Methuen Centre play ground has been rejected due the fact that Wiltshire College run courses on a weekend there, 'sometimes'.  We are therefore still after a new home: workshop, garage, old barn, anything that can be made into a bike workshop.  The space we have defines what we can do.  We currently occupy the snooker room the community centre which is a great space for a bike shop that will be demolished in 6 months time.

With half that space we could not offer a range of reconditioned bikes and would be much more 'picky' about what we would take on.  Our ever growing collection of wheels would need culling and the work bench would have to go.

The recent cold is bringing back memories of previous years trying to work outside with numb fingers on the verge of frost bite.   At lease this year we can be inside this year and stay warm and dry.

The red bike is looking good with its new coat of paint see below.  There are a number of gear issues to overcome but it should be ready in a couple of weeks.  My trawl of stems and bars for this bike turned up some Cinelli models I didn't know we had as well as some red Schwalbe Blizzard tyres, one of which is fitted.

Red Raleigh Touring Bike

The Sirius that we acquired has a hole in the right chain stay where there shouldn't be one.  It looks like its been caused by the chainset rubbing on the metal.  How the rider did not notice this is just impossible to imagine.  It can be repaired but we will not sell it as the possibility of it collapsing is just too great.  No wonder it was binned.

There were recent cycling fatalities in London (6 in two weeks) and closer to home in Bath and Bristol in the last few days.  I don't want to say anything about 'answers' as there are too many opinions already out there.  I would like to morn their passing and empathise with their families and the people who were driving.

Just for the record I don't drive