Daideron

I hope you give cycling a proper try, as it is a great sport! My 2c however...why not try a proper bike shop, not Game or SW. I know they offer cheaper bikes, but at the end of the day they are not actually assembled by mechanics who know what they are doing, and you'll end up either getting frustrated and quitting, or sending it to a bike shop and spending more money to get it running properly. So, rather go to the bike shop first, discuss the situation with the manager and see if he has anything that will be on parr. Bike shops will assemble their bikes properly, you'll get the right sizing info from the start and that makes all the difference. I am the first to agree that "its not about what bike you ride"...but you'll enjoy it more on a bike that has been assembled properly! Trust me, I've just been through this same ordeal with a friends son, and the bike they bought has ended up costing so much more to get it rideable. Here on the Hub there are lots of generous people when it comes to advice and assistance, and I am sure there are probably some good deals to be had second hand. Maybe some of the MTBikers can advise? Enjoy regardless, and always wear a helmet!

That Merckx is absolutely gorgeous. Where di you get that? You said it was built by someone is Australia? It really is an impressive bit of work.

I'm 64, trust me on this, building a bike is easy. Road bikes are fantasticly easy to build. And I must say that I find it therapeutic. Wheels on the other hand, thats quite tricky. I would not recommend trying that yourself. Spoke length, tension and dish are tricky things and some bike shops dont even get this right. But for the rest of the bike, easy peasy. Consider that most bike shops hire young kids fresh out of school, with no experience at all...and they spend their days building bikes! Really easy stuff. I also seem to think that if you buy new components, still boxed, they will contain most relevant instructions. If you want to be really thorough, keep them filed and on hand for future reference.

Wow, fantastic. Truly truly fantastic. Keep up the good work

I am all for the riding, and I do understand that some people are tired by the end. But rules are rules and you are surely aware of the distance and severity of the ride when you enter at the gate, so to me there is no excuse for 4 really fit looking riders to be taking that short cut, not to mention hurling abuse at us for driving the right way round. Ironically, it was a cyclist that they almost collided with (Me) who is a little more understanding than most road users. I would be really sad if the day were to come that cyclists were banned from there. The roads are fantastic, and all the other riders we saw and passed were really pleasant.

Hi guys, I am going to sound really really grumpy here as I have to just make this known. Saturday I decided to take the wife for a picnic and a drive through the SBR. At 64, I tend to struggle a bit there, and even though its not the same as a ride through there, a drive can be pleasant too! Now, we had just come up the very steep 2.5km climb from the reception area, and right at the hairpin bend (approx 200m from the summit) comes 4 cyclists the wrong way and almost into the front of our car. Cheek of it all, they still shouted at us for being in the middle of the road! This is a one way system, and I have been told on a number of occassions that cyclists must obey the one way system. Failure to do so will result in all cyclists from being allowed to ride there anymore. Please guys, stick to the rules, ride the correct way and dont spoil it for the rest of us. And to the four I mentioned, learn some manners as you really did make us all look really bad. Sorry for the negative post

They will only make that mistake once! Could also be considered as descent control training! Seriously though, I'm sure a word with the local neighbourhood watch/security company would not be a bad idea. I'm sure some arrangement could be reached that would allow riders to use the hill.

That is funny! Good chuckle! Not trying to sound contentious, or trying to be "otherwise", I just think the neighbourhood are thinking of their safety. Its not an unreasonable thing to do. I know it upsets the training routes, but many sleeping childrens safety is far more important than hill reps. Sorry guys.

I could not agree with you more. Yes, Northcliff hill is a long time favourite, but given our country and its state of violence I can see why communities will band together to make their neighbourhood safer for all who live there. I understand the sadness of not being able to ride up a challenging hill, but I dont think it was put up to upset cyclists, just to protect families.

My condolences to the families. This is tragic news. Boatsie, welcome to the Hub. I am not sure about riding on the R59, as it is a "highway" and cyclists are prohibited from highways. I have seen many cyclists riding on the R59 between Klipriver/Nigel offramp and Brackendowns/Kliprivier rd offramp. I know that they use this to avoid the dangers of the old Johannesburg road as it is a popular highjacking spot. But, its as to my knowledge illegal to ride on the highway. Any one here with some better advice?

I have always thought highly of Christoph, and to hear this is quite a shock to be honest. I always say there are two sides to a story, but I'm struggling to see a side for Christoph that could justify what he did. I dont think it is necessary to be nasty towards him, but I am very dissapointed to hear that this is how he behaved, and he is very lucky that further action was not taken against him. Sorry Christoph, I would love to think you were justified, but I just cannot agree with what you did. You should accept responsibility and make a public apology.

I am curious to know what is the most asked question here on the Hub?! Most likely "Whats the weight?!"

Sorry Ricky Bobby, I hate to spoil the party here, but the TT bike is definately a Hansom! The telltale sign is the use of a make shift lug where the top tube meets the seat tube. Gotty was notorious for that. Also, the internal cable routing, had it been done by Bianchi it would have had triangular styled lugging around that as well. Sorry! Chances are it is either a Reynolds 653, or 753 tubing, as that was Waynes preferance. Good stuff, and a great bike. Is the fork 26inch? That full C Record grouppo is amazing, just like Velo said!

Are you certain the TT bike is a Bianchi? The rear lugs look like Reynolds lugs, not Columbus. Does it say Bianchi on the frame anywhere? Gotty made a lot of TT bikes in that style both for the track and road. Wayne Burgess was an Argus winner and an all round great guy.

Looks like a late 1980's Bianchi, possibly Columbus SL, although the Formula 2 is not something I have heard of in a long time. Bianchi made use of the odd graphics and lighter grey decals in the late 80's, which became darker in the early 1990's. My first brand new bike was a Bianchi similar to that one. Just dont make them like that anymore. You have a very nice bike there Ricky Bobby, I would give my proverbial to have found that bike, with those calipers. Enjoy her.

He was a strange bloke, but a nicer guy you would be hard pressed to find. Pity though, he was a great frame builder. I never rode one of his frames, but he did some nice stuff. He was ahead of his time, while guys like Gotty were doing normal run of the mill stuff, Macintyre was really experimental. Cape Town? At least he'll fit in there

What ever happened to Gemini cycles? Duncan? Macintyre?

I mentioned it on another thread a couple weeks back, the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve is a haven for cyclists in Gauteng. Which is evident in the number of GU packets lying by the side of the road, as well as PVM wrappers and the occassional punctured tube and bomb cannister. As a nature reserve that reluctantly allows cyclists to ride there, I dread the day their staff actually do a clean up, because that will be the last day we get to ride there. Littering is shocking, and shows you have absolutely no thought or concern for anyone or anything other than yourself.

Read a story years back about a man in the UK. He was from the Yorkshire Moors and was headed home along the farm roads, when all of a sudden a copper jumped over a low farm wall and stopped him for speeding. He begrudgingly accepted the ticket and set off home. Once home he called the Police and reported two trespassers who were illegally on his property! The two traffic cops who had stopped him were in fact on the other side of his wall, and thus illegally on his property! Being the UK, and where they take these matters a lot more seriously and with all the needed adherence to the laws, the two traffic cops were in more trouble than he was!

Every one of Lances victories were on Dura Ace, and 1999 was the Japanese companies first TDF win. Contador added to that in 2007, Sastre in 2008. Evans was on Dura Ace, and Contadors 2009 and 2010 victories were on Sram. Before that, pretty much everything else was won with Campagnolo. With minor exceptions like LeMond in 1989 on Mavic. Campag has the pedigree for sure!

That is funny!

I'm a fan of Shimano and Campagnolo, love them both. But I have had issues with Shimano groupsets in the past. Ratchets go in the levers and are impossible to have repaired. Derailleurs give problems with their springs. And in over 4 different decades of riding, I've had a few groupsets! However, never ever have I had an issue with a Campagnolo groupset. There is an old saying "Campagnolo wears in while Shimano wears out" You will not go wrong with Campagnolo. And TNT1 is correct, Chorus is the equivalent of Dura Ace, and remember they have Record and Super Record above that! You will not have an issue with Campagnolo. If there is one thing the Italians made properly, its this! Go Campag and never look back

Thanks for the feedback Mr Bornman, really appreciate it. Find it very informative.

Or even 200metres to be honest!

Thank you mr Bornman, I appreciate your input. I was just curious as to what you would think of the wear and tear on those carbon lugged titanium frames. You say they present their own problems though? Would you care to elaborate on that as I am interested in hearing what you mean? Christie? I agree with you on aluminium. Personally I love a well made Aluminium bike. The Cannondales offer such a nice ride (the older CAAD3's and 4 are what I rode) and so responsive. However that said I do still love the ride of a nice steel bike. Danger Dassie, I had a Colnago in the mid 1990's with a Tange tubeset bought from Alan van Heerden cycles. Was surprsied to see it was not Columbus, but Alan assured me it was just as good if not superior to the Columbus tubing. Oh, and if anyone has an old steel Bianchi "MAX" frameset, or a Merckx "Leader" in a size 54/55cm please let me know? In the early 1990's when Titanium was all the rage, the Merlins were such a sexy sight! The unpainted tubes were like nothing I had ever seen before! I remember reading an article in the American Bicycling magazine where they had done a review on all the latest fanciest exotic bike parts. One of the parts on test was a pair of Carbon handlebars, and I remember them saying that they flexed so much that the testers were scared riding them! Now, 20 years down the line, I cannot remember the last time I rode without a carbon bar! Where will we be in the next 20years? Mr Bornman, whats your take on a Magnesium frame? Ala the Kirk's from the 1990's?