stratus5

Look, its quite simple...The front brake goes to the right hand, the back brake goes to the left hand. Thats just the way its always been done. Sissy cyclists who over the years used their right hands and neglected their left are slowly corrupting the art of two wheels by putting the back brake in the right hand since this is whats used most agressively on most cycling courses I guess. My synapse are a bit slow. I ride a motorbike everyday, and its got the front brake on the right. Evertime I get on the MTB and grab a handful of left brake (expecting the back brake) I nearly go over the damn handlebars... Why the difference between bikes and motor bikes now? Was not like that when I was younger. I know...just swap them around, which is what I do, but its a pain when you have to bleed hydraulic brakes, new brake cables etc.

I own two Raleighs. The R6000A road bike and now a beautiful RM9 hardtail MTB. Both bought second hand at bargain prices. Very happy! I was just wondering what sort of mentality enables me to buy a bike for a price such, that the value of the unused groupset/wheels etc on the bike is far cheaper that buying the equivalent new at any LBS. I know a number of people who buy a bike, strip the components and then put them on another frame, not necessarily a better one, just so it does not say Raleigh. If there is no solid performance related reason that makes us just that little bit uncomfortable to be seen on a Raleigh, then it says a lot about how gullible we all are when it comes to marketing Sure, but why is it bothering you? Do you want to buy one but feel you'll get laughed at? It's much more fun to go past an expensive bike on a Raleigh cos you're a better rider. And, in perspective R9k - R12k is a lot to be spending on a bike for a lot of us, so it's not cheap in that sense. Listen to Big H he's talking sense.

Ok, but you have to admit there does appear to be some sort of stigma attached to riding a Raleigh. I was just intrigued to know where it comes from. Could it be as simple as most of us rode cheap Raleigh's to school at some time or another? Maybe its not possible for any brand to cater to an entire market. Sell cheap basic bikes and your entire brand offering gets tainted?

On another topic on this list, the Raleigh got a mild bashing, but it got me to thinking... How much of a bike is really Raleigh or whatever? Raleigh make the frame, but the rest (fork, wheels,drivechain) is Shimano, Fox, DtSwiss, Richey etc For the same money the Shimano spec is generaly the highest on a Raleigh. Are the Raleigh frames less capable? Doubt it since in most cases they are made in the same factories with the same materials, just to slightly different designs. I just bought a 2008 spec RM9 second hand at a fantastic price because there was no market for it second hand. Crazy, just because they make cheap bikes as well, then their top end offering must be lacking? Are they too common? For the less financialy enabled cyclsts only? Why are they seldom giving reviews in Bicycling and Ride magazines etc? Are they actually *** and somebody like Kevin Evans would ride any thing else if only he could get another sponsor?

Sorry, this was in reply to Slowbee's question "anyone offended by my signature? "and the Son of Man, came eating and drinking ..." Math 11:19 Actually now that you mention it... It includes religion and promotes the use of alchohol Some harmless quotes.. Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?" (l Corinthians 11:14). No long haired cyclist please ?The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman?s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God?--Deuteronomy 22:5 No cycling shorts please etc

Actually now that you mention it... It includes religion and promotes the use of alchohol Some harmless quotes.. Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?" (l Corinthians 11:14). No long haired cyclist please ?The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman?s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God?--Deuteronomy 22:5 No cycling shorts please etc

Hi Not trying to be a smart alec, everybody is right, just talking about different versions of the Dura-ace crankset. Latest version (as in the picture with a broken crank arm) looks as follows

I had a similar problem a while ago. Even with the limiter screw at its minimum adjustment and the cable slack the derailer would still touch. The frame was slightly narrower than standard, so the derailer used a plastic shim (2mm?) where it clamped to the frame. This shim width was just enough to push the derailer into the chain. The fix was to take out the one half of the shim on the chain side. I put some tape on the frame at this point to stop it getting scratched. It still tightened up properly with only one shim, but as the derailer now sat 2mm closer to the frame it no longer touched. Craig