GuyduS

Thanks... any specifics as to why? also more details regarding import vs buying local would be appreciated...

Just wondering if there are any pitfalls with buying polar heart rate/computers from international retailers. i.e. import duites, local support, use of local online resources? Any feedback will be appreciated.

I haven't looked too hard, but I have only found one thread relating to anyone buying from Rushsports. Any other good or bad experiences out there?

If we all just Googled what we wanted to know, there would be fewer and fewer forums like this with answers, and eventually Google wouldn't come up with any useful advice... I suppose that would cause more people to ask questions in forums and there would be answers again... It becomes a self balancing system. If you don't like the forum, don't read it or post replies! Its a free world... in this case anyway.

Just to clear up a few things... I meant that the seller should be prepared to pay for the service, not the fitting. (My bad). Its all very well if he says he has had it serviced, what proof is there? If it has been serviced, another check up won't be very expensive, if it turns out to be expensive, there was probably something left out of the previous service or some worn out part that the buyer would end up having to pay for soon. If I buy a bike, I want to take into account anything I'm going to have to spend on it in the near future, either by negotiating the price, or having the extra expenses included in the price. Biggest thing is to know what I'm getting. As for measuring the bike, I would definitely do that now... I went according to the sizing quoted and was wrong...rookie mistake, but from what I see here, I'm not the first to make it. Thanks for all the comments!

Check out the tri shop in Sunninghill. They have plenty of cool stuff, probably race belts too. The guys are very friendly and full of good advice. Be advised, its difficult to walk away from the shop without spending money. They have a lot of cool stuff! website: Troisport

As for steel frames being more comfortable, it sure is... but there is normally a trade off between comfort and speed. In the case above, the Carbon frame wasn't at all uncomfortable, it just felt heavy and unresponsive, as if there was some resistance to the pedaling action. For me the steel frame felt much lighter and faster. Strange thing is that the steel frame is similar in size to the carbon one... Any wise explanations there?

I did take it for a quick spin, but wasn't sure what to look for. Everything worked fine. I guess experience tells you what you're looking for. Unfortunately hindsight is the only perfect science. You can only get experience through doing things, and sometimes doing them wrong, or learning from other people's mistakes.... Hence this post.

Thought I would share this and perhaps save someone else the frustration I went through. I recently found a bicycle that I really liked on the hub. It was a Pinarello FP6 and it was advertised as a 56 cm frame. I went and had a look at the bike and it seemed in good shape. I went in to a renowned cycle store and asked what I should be paying for the bike and what size frame I should get. I was told that I should get a 55 cm, so I though that one cm either way wouldn't be a prob and the store owner agreed. I offered the recommended price and the seller eventually agreed. Very happy with the purchase, I went for my first few rides and was a little concerned. Understand that I had been riding a mid '90s steel frame Pinarello with a cheap set of wheels weighing in at around 11kg. I had just spent a large sum of money on an almost new high tech carbon frame bike with very expensive wheels weighing in at around 8 kg. I was expecting to fly in the new machine, but it just didn't feel right. now worried that there might be a problem with the frame, I took it in to a local bike shop and was told that there was nothing wrong with the bike and that the only faulty component might be my legs. After a wheeling the bike into the original renowned bike shop, the owner took one look at the bike and said that it was way too big for me and that it would probably feel like riding a truck. After measuring the frame, he said that the size was closer to a 59 or 60. I then decided that there was no point holding on to the bike and sold it, losing a small sum of money in the process. Lessons when buying a bike second hand: Insist on having the bike fitted and serviced at a trusted dealer of your choice and at the expense of the seller and before any money changes hands. If he disagrees, there is probably something wrong with the bike and you should probably not take it. Remember that there are a lot of bikes for sale out there and another even better bargain will probably crop up fairly soon. Quote from renowned cycle store owner:" Its better to ride a R2000 bike thats your size than a R100 000 bike that isn't!" PS...Interesting point. I went for a ride on my old steel frame Pinarello this morning and found it great. Despite its weight disadvantage, its still an awesome bicycle.