WHY DOES EVERY BLOODY THING TAKE SO...LONG TO GET HERE FROM THE REST OF THE UNIVERSE!?
Aw, Sammy, I feel for and with you, I really do. It is almost more frustrating to be 80-90% of the way along and have such delays than it is to have trouble at the start.
Man!
Well, good on you for your wheelbuilding, and the Rohloff manual is being committed to memory, so that's no loss either.
Just wondering...in the interest of expediency, could you perhaps substitute inexpensive parts for those needed items and then replace them once you're on British and European soil? You wouldn't be going too far/heavy at first, perhaps, and this approach would get you going if worse comes to worst. A tire swap and even some cable-operated v-brakes might get you on the road.
In terms of brotherly empathy, I can't get needed parts locally, either, and I'm Stateside! For example, I wanted to pick up a couple extra Schwalbe SV13 presta-valve, 26x2.0 tubes to take with me on-tour. A seemingly simple quest, but...no. BikeTiresDirect.com up in Portland is out with no idea when they'll be restocked. I called the high-end commuter shop in town, the one that carries SmartWool and Brooks and B&M Cyos and Schwalbe tires to ask, and the conversation went downhill from "Hello". The clerk corrected me roughly, telling me if I knew
anything, I'd also know the name was pronounced "Schwobble". Then, after three more go-'rounds, he told me there was no such thing as an SV13
tire. When I told him again I wanted a
tube, he hung up. Guy at Shop #2 was okay with my asking for "Schwalbe", but said they were a tire company and if I knew
anything (again!) about bikes, I'd know they didn't make tubes. This time,
I hung up and placed an online order with CycloCamping.com; the tubes will be here Wednesday. The heck with the locals, I need my tubes. By the way, the locals carried Schraeder-valve tubes for 26x2.5, but nothing in presta that would really work with my Rigida Andras and 2.0 Duremes. Sigh.
I've tried to support the local shops, but I find -- to put it kindly -- they cater to a different consumer demographic. SJS Cycles is my usual "local" shop of choice. Comparable or better prices, no hassle in that they know what they do and do not have, and the shipping times are reasonably short unless I am really pressed for time, as at present.
So, I have an inkling how y'feel, Sammy. 'Sure hope things come together for you soon, and you can quickly be winging your way along that beautiful shoreline on your lovely new yellow Nomad taking some shakedown rides before heading overseas. Take heart: this too shall pass.
All the best,
Dan.
