pauloc

R1200 for one chainring?!? That's ridiculous. You get the whole crankset for a few hundred rand more!!!

I've got a slightly older model of the Avatar (using it for MTB), and I've never really found it to be super comfortable either. I've always thought it might be a setup issue, but after experimenting with different setups I still can't find a comfortable position. I'm definitely going to be checking out a Fizik Gobi when I'm in the market for a new saddle.

Seriously - no sentence at all? If he came forward willingly doesn't that mean that he admits guilt?? Our justice system is seriously stuffed. I was watching Carte Blanche on Sunday and they were covering the Kebbele Murder / Suicide trial. The 3 hitmen that admitted to killing him were set free because they co-operated with police and were honest about the incident. Surely that doesn't give you the right to get off with killing someone??

I'm guessing this isn't Morningside in Durbs?

Seems like a lot of earlybirds that got the worm here! Anyone try and not get an entry?

Very interesting thread... Don't think there'll be any agreement reached though The Genze and Kaess break away brought a bit of excitement to an otherwise uneventful stage. Made everyone wonder if there'd be an upset on the cards. I'm no pro so I'm not sure if there is an unwritten rule that applies to MTB'ers, but as a spectator of the race, I'm all for a race to the finish line.

Thanks for the tip! Will give it a bash this weekend.

The general consensus seems to be that it is mostly due to the sintered metal pads that come with the brakeset, but I'm not going to buy new pads just yet. Will definitely try out the organic pads when the time comes.

On paper the Deore's should be better than the Alivio, but as pointed out at this level the difference should be minimal. They'll both be very sturdy and rugged shifters.

Impressive stuff from Evans! What's the outcome though - all sorted?

Cool - so you already have the SLX's. I was in two minds as to whether to open that can of worms I was torn between the two but ended up going for the XT's. Although they stop like a handbrake on roids, I'm not overly impressed by the squealing banshee noise that gets emitted from the my back brake. If I had to do it again, I may just have opted for the SLX's and used the difference in price to upgrade some other bits and pieces

My advice would be to look at the Silverback first. Technology has come a long way in five years, so the Reno parts are definitely less abused than the Raleigh and the parts may be better spec'd, especially the fork. At the end of the day they there should be little difference in the actual frames.

Hey Caerus, Post mount vs IS mount is how the brake caliper attaches to the fork and frame. For post mount, the mounting bolts mount in line with the frame i.e. directly from back to front if looking from behind the bike. With IS mount, the mounting colts mount perpendicular to the frame i.e. from right to left if looking from directly behind the bike. You can get adapters to switch between the two, but obviously you should try get the right one for your bike. Check out this page for some pics.

Seems I was beaten to the line... TWICE! Bummer

Sorry to hear bout you bad experience. It might be worth giving them a call rather than sending emails. They can always claim there were issues with the email system / the email somehow got 'lost' in cyberspace. Another advantage of phoning is that you get to escalate right away if the call center agent doesn't give you the answer you want.

Must say I flipped through the latest Bicycling mag last night and nothing really caught my eye. Not expecting much from this issue...

Have they ever gone below the market price / they just come down to a more realistic price from their bloated price?

I've also wondered where you can get them. Maybe an idea for one of the cycling mags to give a free one with the next issue??

Couldn't agree more. I don't have the time / will to haggle on everything I buy. Imagine you walk in to stock up on spares and you need to haggle a price for tubes, tyres, tools, lube, etc. It'll turn the whole experience into a long and frustrating affair. Personally I'll sus out a shop and if I get a sniff that the prices aren't kosher I'll do an about-turn and won't go back. I don't believe in supporting businesses that take advantage of the uninformed. I shouldn't have to spend hours online gauging a market price before walking in to the shop.

If pictures speak a thousand words, then videos speak a thousand pictures I've found a lot of very useful tutorials on YouTube and BikeTutor covering all aspects of bike repair / maintenance. You can also check out the ParkTool website for detailed tutorials.

One bit of advice I can offer from experience is to do a quick sum of what you'll be spending on each of the parts you're looking to upgrade. Depending on the extent of your planned upgrades, you may find it easier / better value for money to just take the knock and buy a complete bike. I've been upgrading my bike over the past few months and it's got to the stage where if I'd known how much I was going to spend I may have re-considered the piece-by-piece upgrade

Price is on the site - R11,065.

I remember hearing a rumour a while back about a possible trail that was being built in the nature reserve by Kensington Heights (between Morningside and Springfield) but that's all it remained... a rumour

Ja - that's the one saving grace about the roads in the area. There are some monstrous climbs Did you ever try get all the way to the top of McDonald? That last section is crazy!

Nice work on the detailed response Velo Sports! Goes a long way to building faith in the brand. The bikes do look awesome, but I'm not finding any reviews out there. Is this a new brand? Also, is this brand solely targeted at the SA market (as per the Volcan business model) or will the brand be available globally?