RossTopher

I'll probably be lynched for saying it...but what about cable disc and upgrade to hydro calipers like those TRPs = easiest/cheapest balance of parts and maintenance costs, with advantages re brake surface as @Jewbacca mentioned. I never thought I'd need or want 11 speed, until I tried to find 10 speed Campag cassettes that I don't have to sell a kidney for, so the answer should factor in the manufacturer.

excellent, thanks @Naidy, it sounds like going the sram route actually opens up a lot of options. 12 speed always seemed like a world away for me, but i will look at the kit, and not make any rushed decisions on the cassette. Seems like the best option is to go rear wheel shopping, and that at least gives me a good foundation for the 11vs12 speed and cassette range considerations. then i dont need to mess with the chainring for now. it least they're easy to change, so i can swap out the 40 and maybe a 44 as needed.

thanks @Wayne pudding Mol. heard nothing but postives re garbaruk, but 11-46 is a bit too wide for my needs, and it just doesnt meet the need unless i'm going the XD route. Seems the ethirteen 9-39 is probably the ideal solve.

I'll likely go new, most probably Lyne or Rapide. Actually ended up with an incredible set of Roval rim brake wheels recently on clearance, so will keep my eyes peeled. burned myself with 2nd hand wheels before so i am very wary. hard to tell on inspection, but finding out at a service how badly damaged the internals were, or ending up roadside with multiple spokes snapping (32 spoke wheels) etc. It's in no way the sellers fault, but wheels likely won't behave the same when you're over 100kg, buying from someone nearly half that.

thanks @Sid the Sloth. i am keeping a close eye on this. Sure its pricey, but compared to other stores or bringing one in, it looks a relative bargain: https://getstokedonline.co.za/product/e13-xcx-plus-11-spd-cassette-9-39t/ that should mean no chainring change, and i really just need a rear wheel for now. i can get a matching front wheel when the funds become available

thanks for the info. food for thought from everyone. checking the ratios on Sheldon Brown, it seems i dot get much change between the 4 options, a half kph here and there, so if i want real impact, consensus appears to be the 9t/10t cassettes. I have WTB TCS i19, on shimano 105 hubs. my rear hub is 142mm, so is it as simple as buying an MTB/gravel wheel built with an XD driver?

that is a lovely bike. i swore i'd never go 1x, but the bike i got was too nice, and the 1x11 has been fine. i have 2x10 on the MTB and a hybrid gravel build so if i go somewhere that needs the options, they offer that. so this is really going to be about 90% tar, mainly for the paintwork

thanks, i'll give them a shout. its a 110BCD 4 bolt assymetric, so not the same as the 4 bolt 110 shimano setup, nor the 5 bolt 110's. the only place i can find the 42 is Bike Addict, and thats only online, so the only way to find out about its existence is to "order" and wait. i think a 46 or 50 may be overkill for my needs, i run a 11-42 on my MTB with 26/36 up front a and find the 42 so inefficient. i prefer to grind than spin

thats the cassette!!!! if it works on your road bike, i should be good with those ratios. i may not get the 50t up front, but i must just up the rpm. bonus points for that entire setup being so easy on the eye. gorgeous.

@Wayne pudding Mol and @ACE Cycles . thanks, it does seem like the ideal "money no object" solution. I have looked at garbaruk and e13 and while the prices are high, my reading says they'll run forever, and a lot more resilient than the sram 10t cassettes. my bike has 105 hubs though, so i dont think i can just replace the freebody with an XD, so it will be new wheels + the 3-4k cassette... which is a bit dear

yip, i am looking for the most cost effective option, so no changing of shifters etc. its an 11 speed Apex1 hydro groupset, with Rival1 RD which i believe you can push to 46, but thats overkill for me. sounds like 42t in the front is the way to go. bigger chainring is more efficient.

my first foray into a 1x setup. Its a cyclocross bike which i intend to use primarily as my training/do-it-all road bike and casual adventurer. (i have dedicated road and mtb's so dont need to hit 500kph, or climb everest on this) It has an APEX 40t up front with 11-36 at the back. so far its unfaultable, bar the odd spinning out (but thats good resting time). i am in no rush to change, but want to hear thoughts of more learned folks, as i do feel like both top and bottom end may get limited on that chainring. i was initially looking at getting a SRAM/sunrace 11-42 (or shimano's slightly different ratios), but a bit of research has me set on Shimano 11-40, which has much better ratio jumps. obviously neither changes the top end. the Sram 11-42 is ostensibly the same as the 11-36, with my most used 12t sacrificed for a massive jump at 36 to 42. the Apex BCD is bizarre, rings are like hens teeth, so while i can get a 42t, i think i should, as i cant find 44 anywhere. i want to future proof and make sure i get the right cassette and if the 2t gain is worth it. if i went 11-40, would there be any noticeable speed gain from up front, or does the downside of tougher climbing outweigh it by not having a 1:1 ratio? I've done the Sheldon Brown stuff, but want some real world thoughts. Long story short, whats the best combo: 40t with 11/40 or 11/42 42t with 11/42 or 11/40 PS: 2x is better! PPS: not currently considering wheel changes to cater to 10/9t cassettes for top end. its just too costly, and seems those 9/10s dont last. having said that, the rims are 19mm IW and cinturato gravel h 40's, so its pretty much the limit. so is a wheel change the only real answer?

the popular spots are the Checkers and Village centre with Vida and Bootlegger. Personally, i prefer Barra (on Gladstone) or Virginia (on Chenoweth). a little quieter, and great if you also have franchise "allergies" both have lots of parking space and bike racks, make a good coffee, and are less crowded on a Sat morning.

those hit all the roads i know and regularly ride on my own. one option on the 2nd route is to take Malanshoogte from Addeley. you get a stretch of dirt before a smooth tar climb over to Visserhoek and then over back to durbanville. adds a good couple hills that the other roads lack. if you're able to stretch it to Wellington/Hermon, there is the Porseleinberg road. just dont try access it from Voorpaardeberg, that leads to private land.

+1 for Sludge. Not sure if there's any difference between the mtb "uniseal" vs road "pro series", but I use the road one. Had 5 punctures in 3 days on 38c gravel tyres that seem to have a thorn magnet in the tread. 50ml in each tube and not a single flat since. I use Enduroseal on tubeless setups, and decant the big bottle into old Sludge bottles. Handy for topping up, and carrying on longer tours and less plastic wastage. Edit: I see they do sell 1litre bottles but it's double the price of enduroseal, and bizarrely enough, it's nearly R100 cheaper to buy 10x100ml than 1x1litre

very nearly got a set of these, but it was the long/short set for gripship (i think) so left it. all their grips look lush. i have the bartape on 2 bikes and its a revelation in comfort, grip and durability. i hear great things about the inner bar ends too.

i dont do full-on MTB'ing, so went for the Fabric Ergo's. wings give great wrist support for long hours of grinding, like the Ergons. Just a lot cheaper. The wings are well designed so dont intrude if you need a more traditional hold on descents. Shop around, figure out your preferred shape and feel, and don't rush it. nothings cheap, and it can make or break your ride. DMR deathgrips look and feel great. Them and the ESI's seem the go-to for proper offroading, which is above my needs and abilities. as mentioned above, its all down to personal preference. its "whats the best saddle" lite.

thanks all for the info. i feel so dof, i never even considered a bike shop. at the fit, i was told to get 2.5mm from a hardware store and try 1, then 2 for the ideal fit. so was fixated on getting from a hardware store. managed to get a 14 today, and learned that if you get 2 from a shop, they are free. if you ask for 10, you pay R75 added a couple to each bike and at least the look axles have a bit more thread than shimano (or so i have read). should keep my heels from the stays. @Zebra i have been looking at those for a while. they could well be a long term solution on the road bike, so will see what the Fitter says on follow up and may give you a shout if yours turn up. there are some on https://gpm-sports.co.za/cube/bikefit-pedal-spacer-20mm-solid-pair.html, they're just helluva pricey.

I need to move my pedals out slightly, so was on the hunt for washers. i believe the pedal axle (including thread) is about 14.2mm. so would need a 14.5-15mm internal diameter. I finally found M14 washers in a 3mm width, but need to bore them out slightly to get them over the thread. it seems M15 is non-existent and 16mm is way too loose. can anyone recommend a place in the CT northern suburbs who could help, or if i should rather get some laser cut? thanks

I have a few pedals, brake levers and v-brake components. I'll dig around tomorrow and get everything together and pm you to arrange drop off. its not much, but may help someone

yes, thank you @Steady Spin , a local shop found one for me. appreciate you checking up.

Did the bikefit show up any uneven interactions with the bike. If you're only getting it on 1 side and spot, are you maybe listing to the left. Are you left handed/footed? Different leg lengths or a pelvic alignment issue could cause that? Bib/saddle testing could get expensive. Good luck with the recovery.

thank you @RobertWhiteheadand @ridr, i appreciate you both making the effort for something so miniscule. i am going to call around today, and will let you know if i am still stuck.

Thank you, that would be excellent. Attached a pic of the brake mount, and from the net. Appears bolts come in m8 and m10 bolts, and I should be using m10

1 boss battle away from the end... i am hoping someone possibly has some old v-brake bosses lying around. maybe if you have a bike with disc and v-brake mounts and could go without the vee bosses/posts. will pay! i was changing brake arms and the pivot unscrewed with the arm, then i messed up the thread trying to extract the bolt