Just Keep Pedaling

<R2000 - Dunlop from Game - not a real MTB - just for 'recreational use'. R2000-R3500 - bottom of the range Silverbacks. R3500-R5000 - GT avalanche (or giant, merida, scott bottom of the range) Try and buy new if you don't know a lot about maintaining bikes.

"Eventually had to use a C02 cartridge to get it right." C02 will cause the liquid latex to dry up (the carbonic acid neutralises the amonia which keeps the latex liquid). Use a garage pump to seat the tyres(the Sasol ones work best for me) - press the 'flat' button first. Only use C02 bombs on the trail.

It means your front wheel has to have a differant axle to a normal 'quick release' (9mm, I think). Some wheels can be converted but I had major hassles when I did this with my DT Swiss wheel - so it basically means you are buying the wrong fork. They should also sell a quick release version of the same fork.

Yes. They are Shimano. Irritating because I use Eggbeaters on the bike so I now have 2 sets of shoes.

Who actually works on the bikes - and what is their workshop experience? In my experience you can have Lance Armstrong mechanic 'supervising' the workshop and stuff still gets stripped and comes loose because you have the Three Stooges turning the spanners.

Linden Cycles also have some 2nd hand bikes.

BBB +1

" have to disagre - every accident I've ever had I've looked back and gone "ah yes - if I had taken the line down the right I would have made it..." or "if I hadn't gone so damned fast I would not have hit that pothole" etc. I don't believe in destiny/fate/luck etc. How boring is a life based on destiny/fate/luck?" Anecdotal evidence is next to useless. You telling me that those who died in Sept 11 attacks died because they made some sort of mistake?

It is pretty obvious that anything physical 'does not lie' - it merely follows the laws of nature - it does not mean all accidents are a screw up on your part - it can just be pure bad luck (or destiny or whatever)or other circumstances out of your control at the time.

My last pair were worth it. My next pair won't be as I now have a Brooks saddle = 0% chance of chaffing.

"At the moment - 104 kg. But I am working on bringing it down, hopefully to about 92 kg." Like me you are too big to worry about weight of the bike. Go for the strongest one. Avoid carbon.

"How much torque are we talking about?" Until your veins bulge and your eyes want to pop out of their sockets - then half a turn more.

How much do you weigh?

I am in the same boat - but I know from past experience that strict diet (lots of lean protein (chicken breast) and limited but not zero carbs) does way more for fat loss for me than excercise - its just that I hate strict dieting. You will also gain some muscle which does not weight zero. A better method is to use a caliper on a section of fat or even just to take a weekly photograph.

Other places you should review: Northern Farms - I personally rate it #2 trail in Gauteng after VG - mostly on account of its beauty. Waterval Boven (near Dullstroom) - I recently did this trail - awesome. Port Edward (Natal) - I also did this recently and I really loved this trail - it was at least five different terrain types in one ride - include the somewhat famous Red Desert.

A very cool review of VG. There are quite a few spelling/typos in it but if that is not important to you I can agree to not let it bother me too.

If you put some turps on it with a cloth it makes it a little softer and easier to pick off with fingernails. We talking 3 hours instead of five. You have to give some time for it to soak in. The turps did no damage to my tyre (Swalbe UST's). It is such a mission that next time I am just leaving it. Edit: spelling

"There is a huge growing black middle class in SA who see him for what he is: an illiterate political opportunist." They are not that huge. As far as I can tell they number far less than the white middle class and it would seem many are middle class because of ANC initiatives not dissimilar to nationalising diamond mines - namely BEE, EE, tenderpreneurship or some sort of political business as apposed to an economic one. There are those too who cannot be criticised but they are just too few. History can repeat itself - in Russia there were two revolutions - the first was not disimilar in some ways to 1994 in South Africa - the second was the Bolshevik revolution and that cleaned swept all middle class things out the door. Then again - history can also not repeat itself - lets just keep our eyes open here.

1, 2, 3. Flame him! What are rollers?

"Can't you transfer a gruppo between frames?" Yes of course. Go Troll in another thread.

"but for the average non professional cyclist will this really make a difference?" In my opinion it will make a differance up to about the R30k mark with the differance decreasing significantly after 15k. This is based on gut feel and not any scientific method.

Full suspension should not cost loads more. You can get bikes in that price range - e.g. the bottom of the range Scott Spark comes in near that price.

So many questions... to answer a few: -Upgrading - stick to upgrading wheelsets and forks as these can almost always be transferred to a new bike. -New bikes are significantly cheaper than building on up from new parts - although you we be stuck with what the manufacturer deems best. -Second hand bikes - best to go this route if you have good knowledge of older components or are prepared to do exptensive research. MTB's are semi consumables so expect to have to start replacing things as time goes by - drive chains, brake pads, bearings and many others.

Okey Dokey - where did I put those Australian Immegreation forms?