Cheap and cheerful bodge job

Clive, who incidentally is in Japan on business, left me his spare bike that he cycles to work on, (not to Japan by the way) as the headset had a fairish bit of play in it. He knows that I like nothing better than pottering about in the garage, or Dodgy Bikes GHQ as we call it. Anyway the upshot was the top bearing was well and truly minced and the correct procedure was to replace it with a new one. However being a one time farmer has made me into a miserable sod when it comes to spending money and I always attempt something else first! A quick rummage around in the spares department, or clapped out junk as some would call it, revealed a somewhat grotty looking integrated bearing that looked like it would do the trick. A poke or two with a small screwdriver got the seal out and a blast or two of brake cleaner got rid of the gunge that was all that remained of erstwhile grease! A quick clean up with some soft paper, some fresh grease and into the old bearing shell it went. Probably not quite as good as new but damn near it!
In view of the state of the country's economy at present, I should probably have gone to Halfords and bought a new one, but once a miserable old git..... always a miserable old git........

The bike will see him through to the Spring now, and if this weather keeps up I dont think there'll be too much cycling to work anyway!