Hi folks!
Apologies for the delay, I've been trying to find the time (and the mood) to update the next chapter of this story. (I should be at 30,000ft on way to Bangalore but due to a LOL-tastic cock up I'm not).
I'm pleased to say (understatement) that the present was a total hit. Part 1 was me giving him, all nicely wrapped, the old bits I didn't use:
The reflectors
Pump
Knackered toe straps
Split brake hoods
Chain (nicely polished)
Some inner tubes
The bemused look on his face was absolutely priceless as I started to spin a yarn about how these were the only salvagable parts
Then I handed him, all wrapped up, an A4 folder of this thread and the manual that TGR kindly scanned up for me. Again, he was mega puzzled and at this point I sneaked off as the family distracted him. I popped out to the hire car and wheeled her in.
Well, the reaction was proper good. He stood up, totally speachless - then said he was speechless!
He couldn't believe it was the same bike and we spent the rest of the afternoon going over it; explaining what I did, the problems faced, the new bits, the old bits and all the advice you boys gave me.
The family thought the whole tyre label allignment thing was hilarious - it still narks me mind!
No pictures but for good reason. Instead when the spring shows up, I'm going to pop down to darkest Hampshire and we're going to go old skool and go for a ride. At that point we'll get some proper good snaps of the old man and the old man machine in action...along with a 30 something whipper-snapper on one of his "modern" fangled mountain bikes (which to chose? See the signiture...maybe my new A'ha?).
So, look out for April / May time for some spangled shots. Once again many thanks to everyone who posted on the thread and gave me advice, it
really was appreciated.
