GBguy

You're welcome!

I've sold quite a bit on Gumtree. I've got so used to these 'okes' offering to send me proof of payment, and asking for me to send the item immediately, that I tell them not to bother. When the money is in, then we can talk. But that story about an insider in the bank is very worrying. I'll have to record these calls in future...

Yeah. We've had the information age - now we have (drum-roll...) the mushroom age, where we are kept in the dark and fed ****. Happy days.

Actually it IS a conspiracy, so that inefficiency and corruption can flourish without us knowing. Do you honestly think we would have been allowed to hear about the Limpopo text-book issue, or the presidential jet, or the Pilgrims' Rest saga, if the flow of information was controlled by ANC officials? But, because we DID hear about them, something is being done. If I have to choose who to trust - our media or our government - it's no contest.

Much better with the sound off

Definitely the road up to the pumpstation - I'm up there at least once a week (when it isn't raining or blowing!) Did you notice that they used it for the Robertson's spices advert on TV (stupid thing with a guy in an open car and a huge garlic on the passenger seat), and also in a recent Top Gear episode (Richard Hammond testing a Mercedes sports car)? I quite often see film crews parked at the bottom.

Took me about the same. Of course, the first time was a little longer

That's cool, too. The reason I don't do that is the bike seems much less stable - more likely to flop about if it gets bumped (maybe I did something wrong). Also I'm sure I read somewhere that it's not a great idea to hang a bike by its rims - something about wheels being designed for compression rather than tension-forces. But I know some of people who do, and I never heard of them having a problem.

Oh, shoulda mentioned - I have the bar-ends on my MTB angled so they contact the wall. Also means I can turn the bike over to remove a wheel and fix a flat without messing up anything on my handlebars.

okay, this falls into the category of "economical" - in both price and space - rather than "functional art". All it involves is a hook, twisted sideways. The front wheels of the bikes don't touch the ground, so the only points of contact are saddle and hoods. Apart from one hole in the wall, there's no damage or marking to wall or bike - and you can take the wheels off, if you want to.

Today my wife and I took a day off (been working hard lately) and drove around the four-passes route (Sir Lowry's, Viljoens, Franchhoek and Helshoogte), stopping for lunch in Franchhoek. As we drove I was thinking about the times I've ridden the same route - I remembered the people I was with, the places we stopped, how I felt at every point on that route. But, most of all, I was just amazed that I could have done it at all. It seems so much further in a car. Even my short training rides are special. I love that I can do that, with nothing but a 10 kg contraption and my legs and lungs.

If you like *really* simple - put one of these hooks in the wall, about 150cm above the floor. Turn the hook so it's sideways, then put the nose of your saddle in the hook, bike pointing towards the floor. Your brake-hoods provide the lower contact points, and keep the bike stable. If you've got several bikes, more hooks but alternating heights so they hang closer together. Cheap and effective. Doesn't damage either the saddle or the brake-hoods (I've been using this method for years). Edit: also means you can hang up your bike without the wheels - can be useful.

Very good points, V12. Commercial machines usually have an external water filter, which can also take up a lot of space... Stewie, you may also want to check out the Brewtus chat forum, here: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups#!forum/brewtus

Woohoo! This is some serious expenditure! As V12man says, the Super Jolly is a very big item - but a classic. The "Office Leva" is the European (220v) name for the (110v) Brewtus - or it can be - it's a bit ambiguous. There are single-boiler and double-boiler versions. Go for double - you'll regret buying a single boiler. Brewtus is, by definition, double-boiler - my (220v) machine is the same thing but is labelled Office Leva. You may be interested in a little history. Six or seven years ago (I think) a group of 'serious' home baristas in the USA got together to design their ideal home-machine. They decided to build it around the classic E61 group head, which was common to many different commercial machines at the time, as well as a bunch of other standard parts. They finally commissioned a Spanish company - Expobar - to build the thing, with acres of stainless steel and lots of nice dials and stuff. All of this is from memory, so I may have some details wrong - you can find the definitive version at the Whole Latte Love website, IIRC. Since then, a couple of other companies have done the same thing - dipping into the same generic parts-bin - including Giotto's Rocket, from Italy. The latest machines come with PID temperature control (very accurate) and rotary pumps rather than the cheap-and-noisy vibe-pump that I have. The downside is that they're still built around the ageing E61 group head, when there have been significant advances in the science of extracting espresso. Also, their prices are in the same territory as single-station commercial machines. If I were doing this again, I'd definitely investigate these commercial machines before flashing my plastic. I'll PM you a couple of contacts, but in your shoes I'd also use the yellow pages. And don't forget to ask about refurbished machines (and grinders).

That's the key.

It's not really cycling related, but I was amazed to find in India that people hoot at each other all the time - but there's no anger attached to it. It's just their way of saying "I'm here, pay attention". Most of their trucks have a sign on the back that says "horn please". To the foreign eye, their traffic seems to be completely chaotic - but I was there a year and I didn't see a single serious accident. The difference is emotion. We are full of it.

Thanks for these links - much appreciated

ain't that the truth! Ultimately - like a bike - it's the operator, not the equipment. Wise words.

Thanks for the update on prices - wow, not cheap! And I just love the look of that hand-grinder - I wonder how consistent the grounds are, under a microscope (which is what matters with espresso). I use the base Mazzer Mini, which is (or was) much beloved of 'serious' home baristas around the world - I'm sure things have advanced in the past couple of years, so I wouldn't suggest it's the best thing to get today. But it is certainly in a different class to domestic grinders. FWIW I have never used the hopper - I spoon the beans into the metal 'throat', which can hold up to 40g - enough for two double shots. Makes it much easier to use in a low-volume (home) setting. If I were doing this over, I'd look for a grinder (and a commercial espresso machine) at one of those auction houses that specialize in catering equipment. Of course there's a risk of getting worn-out or faulty equipment, but I think with a bit of research and care one could save a lot of money.

Stewie - I'm not up on prices. I would guess that any commercial grade grinder would do. What separates them is a couple of things - they have much bigger burrs, so they don't build up heat or static in the coffee. Also they are built to much tighter tolerances, so the individual grains are roughly the same size. All of this is critical to espressing coffee (forcing hot water through a compacted mass of coffee grounds) but doesn't make much difference to other processes, like the Aeropress, Moka, French-press etc. If you're interested, I could explain why, but you can probably work it out. When I bought my espresso machine (for so much money that I'm still in shock, nearly six years later) I also bought a burr-grinder recommended by the seller. It was a mid-range grinder from a well-known brand. But when I set up my shiny new equipment, I found it impossible to make a decent espresso. I was practically suicidal, after spending all that money. So I consulted the chat forum devoted to the Brewtus and was told what I'm telling you now. I took a deep breath and bought a Mazzer Mini - the same kind of grinder you see in Woolies coffee shops - and right away I started turning out decent espressos. IIRC it cost me R3,500 for the grinder. The one i got with my machine is still in the garage somewhere. After a few years of practice, I can produced pretty good espressos - and I know what they should taste and look like because I've been a judge in the national barista championships for the past four years. Edit: unfortunately it's not practical to have your coffee ground for you. You need to constantly tweak your grind to suit your machine and your bean - that's one of the trickiest parts of making a really good espresso. And I'm ignoring the fact that the beans should be ground immediately before you pull your shot - minutes make a noticeable difference. Espresso really is a b1tch to get right.

Now you're talking! I have a double-boiler machine (the Expobar Brewtus), but I think a well-implemented single-boiler can do the job - in fact a lot of professional machines are single boilers with heat-exchangers. For up-to-date comments on these machines there are US-based websites like coffee geek, whole latte love (without the spaces) and others. I know that Gourmet Coffee Roasters import and support some good equipment, such as Rocket. If I were starting again, I'd look at entry level professional machines, which are around the same price as high-end home machines - but better supported. If you're a Rolls Royce kinda guy, look at the single-station models from La Marzocco. One thing - I cannot stress enough that the quality of your grinder is critical to good espresso. Home grinders - even some nice-looking conical burr grinders, just don't cut it. Go professional from the start - even a second-hand commercial grinder - and save yourself some bucks in the long run. To me, the quality of the espresso machine is only third on the list of priorities, behind freshly roasted beans and a serious grinder.

Ah, I hear the plaintive cry of a true convert. I honestly wish there was some way of making coffee like an Italian espresso bar for that kind of money. The closest you will get is an Aeropress with a professional grade grinder. Then save up at least R15k and let's talk again.