greatwhite

Hi All, Anyone know a guy by the name of Andre Brink? He was kind enough to stop and lend me an spoke wrench at the Ride for Sight. I agreed to find him at the finish and he rode off while I fixed my problem. I got the guys on the PA at the finish to make an announcement, but it seems he wasn't there. I want to return the tool he lent me - if you have his contact details, please PM me. Thanks

Who stocks KCNC stuff in SA? even the US price with shipping to SA and VAT and clearence is +/-R3050 still a big difference in price though

For the 31g saving over the std DA cranks' date=' I'll stick to my std units too. $1400 pre order on competative cyclist: http://www.competitivecyclist.com/road-bikes/product-cranksetschainrings/2008-shimano-dura-ace-fc-7800-c-carbon-crankset-4593_324_FALSE.html or a little better at ?510.63 on chain reaction cycles: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=23755 See http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/news/article/mps/UAN/2583/v/1/sp/ for more detail of crank internals. As much as the crank looks quite cool, If I was going to be a weight weenies, there are plenty lighter cranks out there for less

How about some bigger sizes? XL (58cm) equivelent to about 61 horizontal XXL (61cm) equivelent to about 64 horizontal

Supposedly the difference in weight between CAAD7 and CAAD8 was 30g and the seat stays being 'ovalized'. So probably the same sort of incramental change to CAAD9. I know a lot of CAAD riders swear by their frames. I borrowed a CAD3 from a team mate and found it a good frame, but when I got my CAAD7, personally, I was disappointed with it. They advertised it as 200g lighter that the CAAD5 which it wasn't (it was about 50g lighter at 1.3kg) and laterally the back end was softer than my team mates old CAD3, but vertically just as hard (in fairness I must say that I had previously been riding a titanium pinarello which was all round a pliant frame, so the vertical stiffness of both frames came as a bit of a shock to me). The only plus was that I didn't break it, but there again I only raced it for a few months.

What changed between the CAAD4 and CAAD5 on the back of the frame?

I bought in a box load of stuff from chainreaction including 2 sets of shimano shoes (madmarc, don't feel bad mine were also 48). I got hit with R25 clearing + VAT. I suspect, because it was declared as cycle equipment I didn't get hammered with the 30% you talk of. I don't know if the game still runs the same, but a few years back my ex was involved with clearing etc and 'tarriff consultants' were the name of the game, because you could declare things in different ways. Using a simple example: a tyre could be a) rubber goods or b) bike parts - both of which attacted different duty rates. A good tarriff consultant was well paid, because he/she saved big importers a fortune.

I guess that explains a lot - I was always disappointed with my CAAD7 - just a CAAD4 with a thinner downtube.

I agree that the training accidents seem to be less previlent. Personally I've hit a car once and been hit by one once. In both cases I was VERY lucky because I was able to take some corrective action before the impact. That said I was nearly hit by a BMW doing, I guess, 100km/h 2 weeks ago when the driver jumped a red light - that would have been tickets for me. Those are the big ones that scare the life out of me. I've been there when cyclists have been taken out by vehicles - bunch crashes are a joke by comparison. And defensive......No, not really - just trying to get folks to see outside the box of 1 bad expereince which unlikely ever to be repeated.

Is the 'optimo' tubing a 6000 series tube?

[quote name=widget Naaah' date=' slow poke I agree with you - I shall leave the "kamakazes" to themselves. [/quote] With that I totally agree - when you can......it appears the slowpoke was trying to 'leave the "kamakazes" to themselves.' Also, if you are riding vets, the chances are that the "kamakazes" should be on your back wheel (if at all), not the other way around. BTW the last crash I had in a road race was in the vets bunch - their skills are better, but the margin for error is also smaller, 'cause everyone rides so much tighter. Look at the TDF - the number of crashes/km riden is probably higher than in Vets racing and those are the 'elite'. I guess what I'm saying is an accident can happen anywhere. That you won't partake in an events because of the "kamakazes" which you should be ahead of anyway is crazy. Events are generally the safest place for cyclist, it's on the road training session with taxis and other intolerant road users you are likely to have the worst accidents. You must be risking the roads regulalry (and the worst accidents) to get fit enough to ride vets. nuff said

Use a thin film of silicon grease on the O ring - you should be fine: will be a more water tight seal and easier to get open in future

The ground out (smoothed) welds have the advantage of removing a (very) few grams of material, eliminating possible weld notches (that could result in cracks), but mostly aesthetics. After all, if you are expected to pay 5-10 times the price for something, it better look good. The more expensive frames are often made with better tube sets too - i.e. butted and sometimes proprietry materials (e.g. cannondale use Optimo as opposed to 6061 of their cheaper frames). Scott used to make 3 different ali frames with different tubes the cheapest was straight guage 7005 (speedster S6-S3)(1.5kg), then the butted 7005 (speedster S2 & S1)(1.2kg) and a scandium frame (old pre CR1 team issue)(1kg). As it happens all scotts Ali frames are now the same - 2008 speedster S60 to S10 are all hydroformed 7005 frames (same weight as the previous S2 & S1), I guess due to economics. Mostly it revolves around weight as you mentioned - its the easiest thing for marketing folks to sell.

When it comes to racing, I have to agree largely with madmarc - the person behind is ultimately reponsible for his/her actions. That said it is bad form to switch people, but mostly its unintentional. Usually its a result lack of skill on the part of one or both parties often coupled with fatigue especially on the part person at the back. I've been switched a few times in races and can recall an instance where someone has bailed off my wheel. No one has ever stopped for me - on one occasion it was my own team mate that switched me - he said sorry at the finish, but ultimately it wasn't his fault anyway. The only time I remember being really pissed off was being switched in the sprint on the last stage of the 'kremetart'. Coming down at over 60km/h hurt and the guy could have walked back the last 100m and said sorry, because it was a clear switch. (he had taken down someone else in a similar fashion earlier that day as well). If its just a fun ride/training session, then I'd say its bad form not to stop. Now the question arises - what is everyones definition of racing? i.e. when does a fun ride become a race? greatwhite2008-01-07 06:19:03

Can't help thinking of the silversands poker ad on TV - the woman says shes stretching her long smooth legs etc. Then the catch line about enjoying bluffing..... Nothing personal Strawberry Mama, just forums are so cool like that...

I see you got the wooden spoon award on the hub, but your employer doesn't have a wooden spoon award - their solution was a little more elegent: 'send him to Lagos' What the hell are you doing in Lagos at this time of year???

As shortlegs said - why spend the money on DA if your just a social rider. However, if you're going to do plenty miles, DA is the way to go. I did 50000km on my 9speed DA, replaced 1 chain ring, a few clusters and, as with any groupset, quite a few chains. The ultegra stuff I had has never done that well: 10-20000km and its toast. I've only just taken the that 9speed DA (which still runs nicely) off my training tractor to replace it with a 10speed I got from casci a week ago. I mostly only got the 10 speed because the price was decent and now I can swap wheels (and other parts should the unlikely need arise) with my race bike. I haven't used campag stuff in years. Their older stuff was very smooth, all their hubs were way better than shimano with the notable except of DA, but the chainrings used to wear really quickly and their cranks were quite flexible. Don't know what they are like these days, but the cranks still look 'spindley' and flexible. If this is how much campag stuff costs these days, I'd save myself plenty bucks and go the shimano route - leading right back to the Ultegra or DA question.....