jmaccelari

WTF has that got to do with it? The problem is that she did so without due caution and attention and nearly killed someone. Responsible people slow down and check before doing something dangerous like that. However, there is a segment of society who don't give a sh*t about how their actions may influence others and don't do so...

Are you THAT desperate for a date?

If they are culpable you can...

For those of you who want to see how a bike is locked up on London, here's a picture. I brought my SA lock and the guys laughed. Apparently the thieves here walk around with high tensile bolt cutters that snip SA locks like viennas... This is a Kryptonite New York lock with an 18mm hardened steel shackle and lots of other anti-theft technology. The frikkin' thing weighs close on 3 kilos!

The other big thing in commuting are the internal hubs, like the Alfine and Roeloff ones. Combine those with a belt drive and you get an awesome commuter.

Yep - as the others have stated, there is an insert bolted into the frame, connecting the two stays. You can see it in the original picture - the two allen bolts are the clue. Pop this out and the belt slips through there. It makes changing the belt a bit of a task, but since they don't break and last up to 20000kms, this is not an issue.

Well, some feedback after my first commute: This is the first time I have ridden a single-speed in anger, and boy, it ****ed me up! One gear to start, stop and ride. What a bugger! The workout was fantastic - I did 12kms and really had to work hard. The other thing I noticed is how simplistic it is: no gearing down towards the lights, no making sure you are in the correct gear, no worrying about shifting. Just ride the bike. NOW I see what the SS guys are on about! As for the belt drive, it is amazing. Totally quiet. I could only hear my cleats clicking and and tyres rolling. No chain hum at all! Really wierd. The other thing is the belt is taut all round, so there is zero slack in the drivechain (drivebelt? ;-) ). So the response is very tight. Also no slapping or other movement when riding on bumpy surface or hitting an obstacle. I am convinced there is more friction in a belt than chain - it just feels like there is, so this is subjective rather than a fact. Not much, so for a commuter this doesn't matter. So for commuting, it is brilliant. Looking forward to the ride home this afternoon!

Just heard from Hardus that Koos is still not well enough to have his leg operated on. Apparently he spent 3.5 hours in theatre yesterday...

Yep, but I have replaced the saddle and pedals. I think I'll bling the handlebars, stem and brake levers...

Got this today. It has a Gates CenterDrive carbon belt drivechain with a 55/22 gearing. First ride tomorrow on my first morning commute!

I have just taken delivery of this: It's a steel frame single speed Gates CenterBelt belt driven commuter! Woohoo! The belt drive system is basically a fancy fan belt. They reckon these things can last up to 20 000 kms. Combined with no gears and the fact that it needs no lubrication means this should be a seriously low-maintenance bike. Basically just keep it clean... The "CenterDrive" thing means there is a small groove that runs along the middle of the belt that meshes with a ridge in the centre of the "chainring". This means that guides are not required to keep the belt on - which leads to it looking like the belt is going to slip off the chainring at any time since nothing is holding it on! OK, so this ain't much of a review (yet), but I'm taking it for its first run tomorrow...

Any updates on his condition? Super J?

Just got bad news via Ali Mclean: apparently Koos was hit by a car jumping a red traffic light on his way to his bike shop this morning and is in a serious condition. Anyone who has met or ridden with Koos will know what a gentleman he is... All the best Koos!

And now for the 28"...

Georgina or Georgie?

Georgina or Georgie?

An excellent suggestion!

I'm following this on the TDF site as I don't have access to a telly and the following came up: "The Movistar team is going to collect another victory in the 100th Tour de France. Rui Costa is inside the final 3km of the stage and he's on dry roads (while the rest of the riders are on wet roads). He has a lead of 1'00" on his nearest challenger, Kloden (RTL)... the German who finished second in this stage to * in 2004." *? I never knew Lance Armstrong was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named! Who's Harry in the peleton then? Chris?

You selected untracked shipping? Via the SA post office? Are you nuts? I ordered a single chainring from CRC and had it shipped courier even though the courier cost was the same amount as the chainring itself. Why? Because I needed the item and knew I had a good chance of not receiving it via SAPO. If you want it suck the cost and ship it properly.

Nothing new. Cajees have been operating like this for years. ..

They will not be able to repair, but a warranty replacement will not be a problem. I bought some gloves that were defective and they were swapped immediately with no questions asked.

+1 that.

Use the Edge 8x0. Get the SA topo sheets and you can see the topography, too. The 8x0 will last 2-3 days depending on how long you ride. I have a solar charger and you can also use the charging stations provided.

Nope. Checked that. The only "sporting goods" are golf clubs. Bicycles form part of your normal baggage allowance. For most arilines, the charge is about R500 per kilo over weight. So 10kgs of bike, packaging and so on will cost around R5000 one way!

There are arguments both for and against. In my PERSONAL experience, a helmet has saved me from serious head injury on at least two occasions. However, having moved to the UK, most people cycle here without helmets! It's really weird after having been in SA where helmet wearing is stressed. I was in Cambridge the other day and the roads are packed with cyclists of all types and ages, men, women and children. Very few (less than 10%?) wear helmets! Several reasons are given for not enforcing helmet use: - if people were forced to wear helmets, lots of people would no longer ride. This would (possibly) lead to more deaths (apparently) due to less exercise and more cars on the roads; - helmets can cause other life-threatening injuries (especially "rotational" injuries), that may lead to death; - cyclists feel more protected, so take more risks and ride faster. And the main reason: - Boris Johnson refuses to wear one. In my opinion, I think bicycle helmets are a must (I will never ride without one).