BBN

I can not stress enough the importance of staying left when cycling off road, especially on single track. Case in point, yesterday, enjoying my Sunday morning ride along the spruit in Delta Park, pushing a fairly big gear along the narrow section toward Barry Hertzog, when I approached a group of four riders coming toward me on the single track. I pulled off to my left and gave them a wide birth when one of the girls decided to come out to her right and straight in front of me !! Well, wham bam thankyou mam and me lying in a heap on the ground wheezing and thinking i'd broken my ribs, luckily not ! I managed to slam on all brakes and sacrifice myself over the handle bars and only make minor contact. One very sore chest and bent back dropout later, everyone was fine. I just dread to think what would have happened if I had hit her full on, I'm a strong 96kgs and was going full pelt! So, just as a note, please make sure all your friends and cycling partners know 'the highway code' and.....stay left!!!

Simple qustion, what exactly is a compact crank?

Mmmmmm.....not sure about this! Drop down menu gone so now you have two moves to find the forum you want then, in 'For Sale' you can not hover over a topic and see what it says you have to enter it! Also, at the bottom of the page you can not select 'next' you have to pick the actual page.

Anyone know of social riders or clubs in the Craighall Park to Greenside area? I mainly ride between Conrad Drive, Emmerentia and Alberts Farm and am looking for a club or group to join up with to ride during the week, weekends and evenings. I work from home so can ride most days from about 4pm.

Interesting, would you use an 11-34 cassette and a bigger ratio on the chain rings to give yourself a wider range? What size chain rings would you use?

Surely because thay have to use a thinner chain on a 2x10 it will not be as strong? How do you set up a 2x9, do you need a different front shifter and derailleur?

I think this is the way to go but has anyone got experience of how well the thinner chain lasts on this setup. Would it not be better to set up a 9 speed with the two front chain wheels, ie 18 speed? M2C.

Hope I have got this right! What is the difference/purpose of a long or short cage rear derailer? How do you relate the steerer tube length of the front shock to the head tube length? How much do you need to allow for the headset?

Probably, thought it may have been the rim width but makes sense, 20x100mm through axle? Is this better? Just to note, I'm asking about mTB wheels. Also wondered what a MTB clincher wheel is?

What is the benefit/difference between 15mm and 20mm wheels? What is the benefit/difference between 6 bolt and center lock wheels?

Thanks Popeye, but being Irish and only in the country a short time my Afrikaans is not too hot.....translation please! Did get the gist of it.

And it seems to be easy to make expensive mistakes. My god, some of this stuff is expensive! 23K for a set of MTB wheels, not mine unfortunately!

This is like going back to school, but I love it this time!!! I thought cycling was easy but it's an absolute mine field of technology...am I becoming a bike nerd??!!!!!

Two questions; What are jockey wheels? How do you work out the gear ratio? I see a lot of talk about 32/44 etc and do not have clue, is it the numbe rof teeth?

Could not find a website for Gecko Cycles and could not find any bikes on the CWC site?? Cycle Factory do have quite a good price on the 96 3000 though.

Interesting reading as I am in the same positon and rying to decide. The one thing I notice is that in all the replies 'no one' seems to have bought a Scott 35!! I have had a look around JHB and can find several Merida 3000's but Scotts and especially Scott 35's seem to be like hens teeth! Both are awesome looking bikes and specs are pretty much the same but what I like about the Scott is the carbon frame and the twinloc seems to works really well. I like the slightly harder setup on the Merida for racing but the Scott is more forgiving and the riser bars give it an easier riding position. IMHO

Take it, which LBS? Maybe they will make the same mistake on a Spark 30 for R15K!!! I wish!

Thanks

Thanks Mampara. Now the next question, who are the main (good) Raleigh LBS in JHB.

Can anyone tell me who the Scott main dealers are in SA and which are the best LBS to go and look at the bikes, prices, etc, in JHB.

Do you know what the import duty is on a complete bike, from CRC or elsewhere? Was also wonder what a 'helmut' is, is it like a helmet but for dogs??

Do you know of any shops in Jhb/CT that have stock or where I can find Cube Mtb's????