Originally Posted by
Captain Blight
I'm sorry, I have to disagree. The questions as posed are very solvable, and all the answers given will certainly help NCEL at least make a stab at fixing the problems.
From the way the OP has described the issues with the bike, would say that for the OP, they are not solvable, as the OP does not seem to have the knowlage to do this. it's fine asking questions, but if you can't put the result into practice, there no point.
For the OP going to their LBS, £50 is reasonable for a service in the UK, as the OP is as asking in £, have to take it thay are from the UK. If you can't fix it on your own, find a friend who can help, or take it to a bike shop, and pay for it to be fixed properly, you got the bike for free after all.