Honkdonk

Guys. I urge you. Please do not ride in the vicintiy of London lane (just off Summit Rd - R562) or along the dirt rd section of Monument Rd, Mnandi. Myself and a mate got bike jacked there this morning. 4 guys, armed with guns and knives came out of the grass and took the lot. They were waiting. You are sitting ducks and they will get you. It has been 3 incidents over the last 3 successive weekends I was told by Monitor Net. Fortunately we are ok. Best thing to do is give up and submit. You just cant take a chance with a gun. Just to repeat the area: London lane is that small country road just off Summit (R562), Midrand, just above Blue Hills/Sun Valley. There is a dirt rd that runs off London lane that is popular with MTBers and has a large expanse of veld where the cu*ts can run into and hide. They were very clearly waiting for us, or others to come past and pounce. 08h45 this morning, 1km into a 60km ride. Alas Please be aware. the area has been targeted before and is a popular ish route for us MTBers.

Het guys, please be on the lookout for 2 bikes. Silver 2006 Merida Matts speed 26" hardtail and a silver 2009 Giant Anthem X1. We got jacked this morning at gun point in Mnandi, 1km down the road from my house. 4 guys, 1 gun, 2 knives. I will put a post in rant n rave about the area with more detail

This may be of interest to some.. Race Face Is Closed: The Shot Heard Around The Bike Industry After over 18 years of providing the mountain bike industry with high quality OEM and aftermarket components, Race Face is officially being liquidated. This Canadian manufacturer has been a staple in the industry almost since the mainstream adoption of mountain biking. With legendary components like the square taper Race Face Turbine cranks to one of the easiest to adjust seatpost mechanisms on the market, Race Face as innovated and provided strong components for riders looking for that extra edge. According to John Pentecost at Race Face: I wish the situation was optimistic, but we’ve been told the company is going to be liquidated, and 90% of us are unemployed as of next week. They’ll keep a few people on to assist with the liquidation. My tenure with the company has been short, but it’s been a fun ride. Thanks to all the great athletes, customers, and media folks I’ve had the opportunity to work with. Thanks also to the amazing group of coworkers I have out here. All of you make stuff like this hurt a lot less… …It came as a big surprise to all of us. There were about 50 people laid off here in New Westminster today and we were told that another 20 people in Taiwan were also terminated. In a letter to Race Face employees dated March 14, Grant Thornton Limited announced that it was terminating all Race Face employees at its New Westminster factory, and at its operations in Taiwan. As the receiver will be shutting down the operations of Race Face Components Inc. immediately, your continued employment is no longer required and, therefore, the receiver on behalf of Race Face Components Inc., hereby terminates your employment, effectively immediately. The closing and liquidation of Race Face marks the second major loss of a long time brand in the mountain biking industry. Earlier this year, Titus Cycles also went through the same process as creditors are getting tighter on loans. With the name Race Face has in the industry, I would assume a similar auction will take place and someone will pick up the name much like On One did with Titus. Who will purchase the rights to the Race Face name and what they will do with it will still be determined…but we are sad to see such a fixture in the industry leave so abruptly. Race Face was a premier manufacturer of mountain bike components ranging from machined aluminum with flashy ano coatings to carbon bits that helped shave the weight for many riders. They also sponsored some of the best riders in the world including Steve Peat. Having owned many Race Face components over the years (Deus Cranks, Atlas Cranks, Seatposts, Stems, Bars, Turbines, etc), I am personally sad to see the brand go. Hopefully there is a firm out there willing to bring it back to former glory. We will have to wait and see…

Polar CS 200, but dont go for the cadence option Its all you will need

Get tested. You might find your adrenal glands are shot.

Cut out all alcohol, sugar, gluten and dairy keep up the cardio Lost 5kg's in 3 weeks, sense of smell returned, nasal polyps gone, liver on the mend

Nothing wrong with that. Look around you and see. Most of us are a direct product of our parents way of life and living! As we and the world grow up we realise and see things in a different way. 30 years ago smoking was ace and eveyrone did it with reckless abandon, same goes for driving with kids or having 12 ales on a Sat arvie and then driving back to Potch... We grow and learn, well, hopefully.

You forgot to metion - smoking with kids in the car. Ever smelt a 3 year old that reeks of ciggies? Ever heard them cough?

Deflate tyre slowly. Remove valve core. Take a plastic syringe and fill up with sealant. Place syringe in end of valve stem and refill. Replace stem core and inflate. Easy

110mm as of 09h30 this morning here in Mnandi, just south west of Centurion. Then it stopped, the sun came out and that braai we cancelled was all of a sardine the fire was a burnin. Cant predict the weather for Sheet, and the patterns fascinate me as most of the rain seems to come from the South, but those weather systems that come from the North West - beware and sometimes we sit in the middle and get sqaut, except for a good lightning show and I have to drug the crap out of my dog - poor George!

You can indeed fit a shock. The MTB range is pretty good looking!

Nice to see all the replies. Some say this, some say that. Good thing we have the holidays to account for time spent on wire cable adjustment and dick abouts to get it together. I will be sure to give it my best and report back. Few things to mention though: Had XTR cable in the past and no stress when it come to this particular problem, maybe the LBS ran out, but they should replace like for like.. The Hub is the best! Dont be shy speak your mind

So I can do most of the work on my steed (MTB) but the only thing I cannot get my head around is the gear indexing. Had the bike serviced recently and have not had much saddle time as i would have liked, but have noticed that the rear shfting has gone from ultra crsip and smooth to requiring 2 clicks to get one shift and it has become ever so slack (XT shifters and bog standard Shimano cable, XT shadow rear). Is it a case of cable stretch and I need to just figure out the barrel adjusters? All the material I have read on barrel adjustment says you must turn clockwise/anticlockwise (cant remember which way) but which way are you looking at the bike when you adjust the barrel adjuster? Am sure there are many many many articles on this fine art and plenty of websites - but now that the hols are here figured I could have a go myself and try to get it right. Anyone...?

Thats very funny and conjures up some laughable images! There is link to excercise and letting rip. The bodies movement is a sure way to loosen up your gut and get the juices flowing, and is a recommendation of any Dr worth his weight as a cure to help peristalsis do what it needs to do. Some people are naturally more gassy than others as well. Nothing like a silent but violent in a crowd

Read Riaan Manser's book on his trip "Around Africa on my bike", he did it unsupported. It will give you good insight. Simple bike - hardtail with V brakes, simple components that are (relatively) available in most major centers

Cool Thanks.

It may be a tired topic (as many others are here) but who knows where is a good place to get my fork serviced? Based in Jhb, work close to Eastgate and live out North Fork is a Rock Shock Recon (cant remember which one) Any one know of a good spot. My LBS can outsource it but charge a handling fee. Cheers

Merida Matts Speed. Had all Deore components which I have replaced with XT and SLX. Upgraded the front fork to a Recon. Better saddle and SPD pedals. KORE XCD wheels. Slowly slowly catches monkey.

Bought my 1st bike in 2006 just before the 94,7 MTB challenge. Did the 20km in just on an hour, which with min training and still smoking I though was pretty good. 5 years on I still have the same frame. Everything else is upgraded. Bit by bit as time and budget allowed. Its a good way to get into it and learn about the way things work and fit together. Horses for courses though

Love it! Well shot and subtle enough but a look deeper in and you can appreciate the skill A cycling subculture all on its own

I ride on my own all the time. Had one incident a few years back, but I know now where is safe to ride and where not. And no fancy tricks that could end you up all bashed up where no one can see/hear or find you! Life does not always allow for the luxury of riding partners.

So we all know that 10speed is here. Shimano have their range out and SRAM have the XX. I guess this will become standard on all new 2011 bikes (or will it?)so what does that mean for the 9spd that so many of us have on our bikes? Will it affect the prices on 9spd spares - will they go up due to lesser availability in the market (Supply and demand) or will they become cheaper due to nobody using them anymore(supply and demand). Will us lessor mortals have to do a upgrade, and if so what will that be? Given that for every hubber there are about another 100 Average Joes out there, so thats a lot of 9 speeds that will require spares for some time to come. How long before 10spd becomes the norm and 9spd is totally obsolete? Do you guys think this will be the case at all? Keen to hear from dealers/agents and the like as ultimatlely they are the ones who help shape the market and influence it.

Ordered my 2 Crossmarks yesterday at 11am. They arrived today just on 24hrs later still with the R513 price tag. I paid half that (46% off to be precise). Good deal, good delivery time. So IMHO thats good service and seeing that I was in the Fourways branch last week looking at Tyres - no Maxxis of any sort in stock and dammned if I was going to drop a grand right there on something else. though I did consider the Rubena option... Right time right place comes to mind and how often do you hear that about the www...

Me too Just ordered 2 on the spot

Tony Impey Cycles in The Bedford Centre... Good service, well priced