Just Keep Pedaling

Momsen gets my vote. If you are getting a carbon frame the length of the guarantee is very important.

"little bit dramatic there" Maybe, or maybe not. If you hit a tack at high speed you can fall. If you can fall, you can die. It is improbable, but it can happen.

Based on the last thread on this topic they arn't doing it for kicks, but rather don't want cyclists riding there. If someone catches them I hope they get attempted murder convictions.

"What is half-wheeling?" I thought is was when you ride half a wheel BEHIND your riding partners and then when they steer left or right they don't see you and their back wheel collides with your front wheel.

I tell my wife: "Sweetie, the moment you get on the MTB you are no longer my wife and I am no longer your husband. You are responsible for yourself and whatever happens on the trail. If you get pedal shin I don't want to know. If the hill is hard I don't want to know. MTB is my 'man time' and if you want to come along you are going to be treated like a man." It was a bold move, and could have gone quite badly, but it didn't, so happiness ensues.

What were you advertising?

Bike stablity should generally increase with speed but so does the bikes reaction to things like bumps or you shifting your weight. You don't say if you are on a mountain bike or a road bike. Either way, if the bike is drifting and getting unstable it is the bikes way of telling you that the crash is coming if you go any faster.

Assos have a cycling shirt / hydration pack combo. Maybe its more aero than bottles etc? You could freeze the shirt the night before super cooled ride - just be careful your nipples dont freeze solid and crack off.

The Look (frame only) costs about 4000 USD. I will repeat that: 4000 USD. Ouch.

The Look has a cool look to it. Looks like it needs a proprietary stem. My schoolteacher always told me never to use the the same word too often. Looks like she was right.

I think you just answered your own question. It is 800m and 20 km more. I would worry more about the 800m. You could set up an 'artificial route' at Breedt's neck with that much climbing and distance by doing it multiple times.

"technically, the bonnet of a Ferrari is at the back" Ferrari has started selling rebadged V8 Front engine Mazaratti's as Ferrarris. e.g. the California. Warnie probably has one of those.

What I do highly recommned is a female specific saddle from a Specialised store where they measure your sit bones. Since my wife got one she loves cycling.

Nice one PAK. I never knew about that trick.

Hey Theodore - the reason you are getting so few responses is you have posted in the Polls forum. Maybe a mod can move it for you if you PM them. I am going to go out on a limb and say I don't like the specs on the Ghost. The reason is that they seem to have put premium components on the irrelevant stuff (Crank, Tyres, RD, Stem) and cheaper stuff on the things that matter (Fork, Wheels). Choose a bike for serious duty based on the following: 1st: The Fork. Know how much the fork on the bike retails for. 2nd. The Wheels. Know how much the wheels retails for. Must be tubeless rims. 3rd. Everything else. Drivechain is a consumable and the cheaper stuff often lasts longer anyway. Aluminium frames are all good enough unless you buy a no-name brand.

I also have a gmail address. If you fail all 20 points you are a scammer. If you fail one point - not so much.

The reason the keep coming back to the hub is that it is obviously working. My old post got lost in the hub changes: Google still has a cached version. Like any other classified, the Hub is frequented by both scammers and also genuine buyers/sellers. There is no 100% fool proof way to spot a scammer but using the following points as a guideline will get you 95% of the way there. Each of the following will increase the risk that the other person is a Scammer: 1. The likely have only a few posts on the Hub. 2. Read some of their posts - they are only related to buying and selling and not to ‘cycling in general’. 3. They can be a buyer or a seller. 4. They will use something to lure you in. If you see an ad that gets your blood rushing – alarm bells must go off. They like to advertise stuff that is ‘unused’ because I accidentally bought a R50 000 bike that was the wrong size. 5. There are no photos of the goods provided or the photo's have been pulled off the web - i.e. do a Google search for 'Scott Scale' and if the same picture comes up then he is a scammer. If you don’t trust the photo ask for a follow up one e.g. ask for a close up photo of the drive chain. 6. Scammers are not that interested in the condition of what you are selling or how much in how much it costs. 7. Scammers will use a different name each time so asking in the Forums if 'Gary from Bruma' is a scammer will not help you. 8. Scammers prefer not to answer their cell phone. They prefer to SMS you back. 9. Scammer's email address will be web based. Gary69MTb@gmail.com and not a company domain e.g. MikeK@knowncompanyx.co.za. 10. Scammers use prepaid phones. They will not have an older 082 or 083 number as they are always changing phones. (As some have pointed out this is not a very good indicator). Better yet ask if they have a land line at work you can call them on. 11. Scammers will not meet you in person in a safe place. (And for this reason they won’t list their location on their profile so they can claim to be in another province). 12. Scammers don't pay cash - they claim they will make a deposit or do an EFT. They then deposit a stolen cheque and fax you a forged deposit slip (the wonders of Tipex and a fax machine - Nick Leesen defrauded Bearings Bank of $6 billion using this technique). You need your bank to confirm (in writing) that the money is indeed cash deposited or an EFT transfer. (As some pointed out, this is not foolproof but it is the best method after cash). 13. Never, ever, ever, ever accept a cheque or a bank guaranteed cheque or cash cheque – in fact – if the word cheque is mentioned – make an excuse to have no further dealings. 14. Scammers try and make you perform first - i.e. you must pay first or deliver first - even though you have better references etc. They will normally try and do this near the end of the deal through putting some kind of pressure on you (e.g. threatening to call of the deal). 15. Scammers can be other sorts of criminals too - so inviting them to your house to view is only recommended if they 'fit the profile'. 16. Scammers are experts at feeding you bull. If the details and the deal keep changing get suspicious. 17. Scammers can produce references – they normally open a few accounts on the forum. None of references will have many posts etc. 18. If something (like the price) looks too good to be true - it is BECAUSE IT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE! 19. The police will not get you your stuff/money back. Scammers are professionals – they do this all day every day. Think how good you are at your job – that is how good they are not getting caught. 20. Scammers laugh their ass off every time they get someone – so please don't be a sucker.

A better way of saying it is. Choose a bike shop rather than a bike. Even better, choose a specific person in a bike shop. Go on the recommendation of experienced cyclists. New bikes from major brands are highly competitive. You are not going to get much of a better deal by sitting and analysing what components are on the bike. btw - if its a mountain bike - make sure you get one extra - tubeless.

"Now with the running, any good brands I should be looking out for?" Go to a proper running shop. You might pay a little more but they will give you the right shoes by letting you try different shoes and watching you run in them. The one in Linden is good.

At least the cemetary is nearby. Just find an empty grave and lie down there.

The general consensus is that it does not matter much. It might save you have to buy a shorter stem.

Rudy project Rydons. Wait for the next auction. Then again, I am sure everyone who posted above said the same thing.

For 29'ers to be effective they need light, strong wheels. Which makes it (in my opinion) a bad buy in that price bracket. Rather get a 26'er or increase your budget. [Dons flame retardant jacket and takes cover]

What sort of of beginning bike? For your 16 year sporty son who is going to go race with his friends or for your wife who is going to do a 10km ride four times a year. This makes all the difference.

I can read Smart Sam tyres on the photo from here. It has good equipment. Probablly too good as a starting bike. The crank in the photo does not seem to be XT.