With all the hard work done, the goal was to put all these bits back onto the rebuilt bottom end over a weekend. But the engine’s dark history still harboured a few last-minute surprises…

Reader’s garage

Saving you money on essential bike maintenance with easy-to-follow tips

Jaguars have come into and gone from the Buckley fleet over the past 15 or 20 years, but I have not always reported on them, perhaps because they never felt as if they were going to be firm fixtures.

RiDE’s resident spanner-twirler on the mostly cost-free tweaks that’ll give your bike a great start to the year

Will all cycling skills become historical curiosities, wonders the Doc