porky

Thats just crazy - 2k??????? I bought one about 18 months ago, pretty sure it was only R650 / R700. So okay lets work it out, 10% manufacturers increase (fairly standard annually), if it was bought in the last 2 months lets factor in a 30% rand devaluation, lets factor in a 15% increase in freight costs and an increase locally for the supply chain say 10%. - I still only get R1200.00 odd bucks.!! - which sort of tallies with the Chain Reaction price. Yup, no wonder folk go buy internationally and we have a healthy parallel import market.

The point Bruce made was relevant 15 years ago. The world has (fortunately) moved on from there. Manufacturers give small markets to distributors because its easier for them to deal with one person / company, these distributors do not PAY a fee for the rights to sell the product, its usually just done on the shake of a hand and a PROJECTED sales figure annually. Many a manufacturer will give the distributor an annual "advertising" allowance, in other words will credit or supply stock free of charge to the distributor for his outlay in advertising - so this is not a cost to the distributor in many cases, not all, but many. Stocking levels and costs are not an issue either, seldom will the parallel importer get the product cheaper than the official importer, so a distributors stock will probably cost less than a parallel importer, item for item - the reason parallel importers do well is because they are prepared to sell for less, thats all. Sole distribution rights are going the way of the dinosaur, the internet, global sales, a travelling consumer and parallel importers (which is perfectly legal) have destroyed this market. Look at the white goods industry, for every fridge, stove, DVD player, CD player etc sold from the official distributor at least one if not more are sold by parallel importers, its the same in dozens of markets, sporting goods, hardware, power tools, hand tools,electronic appliances, motor spares, complete motorbikes, ceramic tiles,bathroom appliances, computers, moniters, jewelery like watches, footwear, watercraft like jet skis, and on and on and on..........................wherever there is an imported market, there will be a parallel importer. Why should cycling be differant?? Fact is, sole distribution in todays world is a myth, there will always be someone who is prepared to sell for less and there will always be a market for a cheaper product. Counterfeit, well, thats not the same, and the police have a duty to act in those circumstances.

Well,....... I dont know................but I dont feel theres ever a need for violence, sometimes taking the higher road and walking away is the right thing to do, but somehow I think bunch bravado and the fear he would look like a sissy in front of his mates, would always prevent this - but ulitmately it would have been the right thing to do - behaving poorly is not only the realm of the impoverished it seems.!

I understand JL, but theres no need for a quick "beat up session" - lets be realistic, what do the folk from this settlement have to loose by engaging a single cyclist beating them up or worse and stealing whatever he has, - nothing.!! By now this will be common knowledge, so, I fear there will be repercussions, - everybody is so hostile and aggressive these days, bad,bad,bad for all of us.!!

Hmm, I parked at the circus on Sat and rode with a few guys from the circus club who I knew, we went up the steps and turned into Klipriver - we left the Circus at about 7.10am so probably got to the steps at about 7.30am - all was peacefull. But, this is a bad route, trucks, narrow roads, lots of past issues a few bike jackings if memory serves me correctly, still, violence is not called for whatever the case - "two wrongs never make a right" - one wonders if it was not a case of "bunch bravado" and saving face in front of a crowd, one wonders would he have reacted the same, were he alone - I doubt it.! Now we have a case of "cyclists beware" in this area because as WW says, maybe somebody takes it out on an innocent fella/ Gal with a gun or a knife. So Sad. I am not saying what happended to the cyclist was right, but that it was handeled badly, I fear, to all our detriment.

The question remains, "why did the rims develop cracks"? Is it just poor quality material, is it a spoke issue (too tight / too loose) bad wheel building initially or are they just not designed for our "potholed" roads? There must be reason, which may be interesting to know, possibly avoid issues later on again. I must say I had a set of VELOMAX wheels a few years ago, I bounced them through potholes, rode them year in and year out without so much as looking at them, they never went out of true and I never broke a spoke.They were great. Unlike these wheels I have now, which go out of true in the garage.!! Anyway, I owe Johan a favour, so maybe this will "prick" his interest?

OK' date=' I'll let you off, but this is the last time.[/quote'] - Thanks man.! I would have used a smiley on "Bended knees" but I couldnt find one.

Please dont Johan - I have enough issues already.!

I dont know, personally I think you are all too fussy, maybe you are creating problems for yourself - I probably only clean and oil my chain once a month - maybe longer and I average about 200 kms per week - I never have issues and this 10 speed chain now is probably 18 months old, so how many kms is that................?? I dont know, too lazy to work it out. I also take the easy route with that little washer machine you clip on the chain, (GASP!!!! ) and clean green, a few revolutions, spray it off with the hose pipe, re lube and I am done, 10 minutes tops.! - with all due respect to Mr Bornman and company, but to me a chain is a chain is a chain, is a chain, its not a lunar space probe, clean it when its dirty, any oil is fine and forget about it - I think it can handle a bit of grime quite easily.

I tend to agree with Mr Bornman, I subscribe to the theory that there is very little (home and sport wise anyway) too difficult to do yourself, usually we dont have the time or the inclination, rather than the ability. I am not a great technical fundi, but I have done straight forward basic work on my bike many times, setting gears is a "Pita" the first time, but now I can do it blindfolded, changing blades etc is basic work, take your time and work through it slowly and I am pretty sure you could do it yourself easily. Just as an apart incident, my WAP high pressure washer lost pressure the other day, took it to a WAP dealer who quoted me R1200.00 to repair - I was rather surprised because he had new ones in the window for R999.00 - BUT ANYWAY - took it home and pulled the whole thing apart, carefully, found the problem was a small silver ball in a sleeve which regulates the pressure had worn and was allowing the water through, bought the part (R35.00)put the whole thing togther and its BETTER THAN EVER.!!! Okay it took me roughly 6 hours of work, with numerous coffe breaks and trips to the internet for schematics, but if you really want to, you can do it yourself, even without a basic course. porky2008-10-06 08:07:52

I have ridden in the rain, hiked in the rain and even gone canoeing with mine - never any issues - I wouldnttake it underwater like in a pool and I dont think its designed for swimming, but its very capable of been exposed to the odd rain shower and splash.

Harryn, Harryn, I didnt start Hellow Peter and I dont use it either, however there are a number of people who will tell you they recieved justice by the Peter forum - your impression of the forum is irrelevant (as is mine) lets not associate me with something you may disagree with, because I mentioned it as an example. Theres no such thing as customer fairness and retail decency Harryn, - I PAY for what I buy, I dont ask for it for free, and because I pay I have a right to demand a service level I expect. I also have a right to complain in any form I choose, somtimes I may just chat to the manager, other times I will complain publicly - its my choice. ............and I furthmore think its rather rich such a comment been stated by Sean, someone who in a position of media power, cannot tell me he has NEVER had a gripe and used the media to make the fact public.! What amazes me is you propose a "quiet discussion with the manager" about consumer issues - but its fine to crow about, laud over and post on public forums examples of good service and managers who are always smiling. May I suggest the same applies to the flip side of the coin as well - nobody then make examples of good service known publicly either, rather just go and whisper a "well done" in the manager ear - or dos this not apply here,....................... but only to us "consumer activists".?

The principle Sean is your local P&P has a manager on the floor of every store - they ALSO have a central complaints division and publicly make the number known on EVERY till slip - they also actively support and answer to any complaint on a public forum like say "Hello Peter" - they know full well, people get annoyed and leave, not everybody is going to go looking for a manager, so they EXPECT people to complain elsewhere AND SUPPORT the right of the customer to do so. Its the very reason they do so damn well.! Everybody knows Wallmart in the USA, they are the worlds most successfull retailer - did you know the dont even "read" reports from "satisfied customers" on their surveys - they focus ONLY on the complainers - WHY, - well their philosophy is "if the customer took the time to sit down and write a complaint, post or e-mail it to us, or walk around the store to find a drop box - THEY WANT TO RETURN TO A BETTER EXPERIENCE. Customers who are not intending to return - DONT COMPLAIN.! Interesting is it not.! porky2008-10-04 13:54:12

If it was such major issue, why didn't you walk up to Andrew and voice your concern there and then? If I have a problem with a restaurant, I tell the manager/owner while I have the problem. I don't wait till I get home and then complain on a website forum. What rubbish, why should Stenja NOT post the issue?? On this site you will always get those "for and those against" anything - its the nature of the animal - Why SHOULD Stenja go look for Andrew or anybody, to voice his opinion, frankly if Andrew was walking around and he didnt see or know what was going on, he is out of touch - if the staff are so incompetant that they cant find the item, dont know what it is or dont know to offer to order it in - they arent trained and Stenja has valid reason to feel aggrieved. .....Actually, why didnt the staff member go ask Andrew or someone else.???. ..............and lets not go into the "Andrew cant know about everything - he CAN and he SHOULD, its not a 200 employee operation, its a small retail business, - sounds like sloppy staff and poor management to me. I would have complained publicly as well. porky2008-10-04 08:50:44

I have never heard of P & P ever been involved in a price fixing scandel? Care to elaborate? .............dont feel too sorry for the LBS, nobody held a gun to their heads and said open a cycle shop, if they were any kind of businessmen they would have done a bit of an analysis of the market BEFORE they got involved, so one assumes they KNEW the margins before they opened their doors and figured they could hack it. If they didnt, well, I have even less symapthy.! No shop opens on the basis of "a cartel arrangement" everyone gos into business hoping, that with their business model, they can get some of Joes, business, some of Freds business, some of Janes business and hopefully generate enough of their own to be profitable. Somewhere along the way here though, the "principles" they started with, changed, and it became easier to form cartels and collude on price than improve their own business model and generate new and profitable business.

I used to ride the route regularly even though I agree its flat and featureless but seldom do it now, far too dangerous, too many fast moving trucks and too narrow a road.

Really pathetic, now you cant even state your opinion without someone telling you to change channels or "its the only one we got" - well so what?? We only have one surfing show too, its also pathetic, oh and we only have one fishing show, but I quite like that one.! As for switching channels, very old school, maybe we just want to see if it gets better, maybe its so pathetic we are glued there just to see if its really believable, whatever, why dos there always have to have a reason, maybe we just felt like it - how about that.!! As for me, I dont scare easily,............... so heres my opinion, tonight I sort of watched wondering if any mention would be made on the "tremendous future and great health of cycling in SA", - how naive of me, but I continued in hope because its probably the first the first time in maybe 6 months - the show hasnt changed, its still pathetic, if you are older than 16, the music played over the clips is just irritating, has Owen EVER had an opinion of his own, or maybe one slightly differant to Andrews, and who is really interested in a track been built somewhere, maybe they can include the one down the road from me next, its been knocked up by a few intrepid folk who sleep there over night and use the stream for their daily clothes washing, theres piles of garbage you can jump over and if you are lucky you will have a few non paying spectators. .............and really, get rid of that ageing logo and even worse voice over, its gets tiresome hearing Phil mumble on about "the back wheel of Zabel" 200 times a year. I couldnt take it after the Bluff race and switched off so I didnt see the Owen episode, but I am sure it was "riviting" viewing.!! Unlikely I will be watching it again!! Go ahead hit the flame button - see if I care. porky2008-09-23 13:55:01

I dont want coffee. I prefer "Ninos coffee" anyway. I dont want to be the owners friend - I have my own friends. I dont want assistance from some teenager with an earring, tattoos and an attitude. I dont need pricing on all the products - I am not in a supermarket, if I need to know, I ll ask. I dont want to be kept waiting in a que at the till. I dont want to be told, "Sorry" we dont accept "that" type of card - GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER. I dont want to hear - Ill have to get it for you tomorrow - Sorry, I want it today or I would have come along tomorrow.! I dont need to shop in a flashy neon lit, glass and chrome establishment, in fact I far prefer shoping in a smaller place where the owner is there packing stock, has a little grease on his hands and jeans and dives under a pile of boxes to get my "whatchmacallit" - shows me he is working in his business. I dont need to be called "Sir" - I am not Royalty. Acknowledge my presense even if you are busy, its not necessary to fall over yourself, a friendly "Howzit bud, be with you now" will do. Say goodbye when I leave. Other than that be prepared to engage me on price and / or extras of value to me, a free water bottle wont cut the soap.!! There are shops like this - but I have never found many in the cycle industry.!

I pay little attention to politics so didnt even bother to watch the speech, but I cant see why it all had to be so quick, there is only a couple of months before the next election, so he could just as well have hung around, nobody would be the wiser and it would have prevented all this speculation. In any event theres nothing much we can do about it right now, so why worry?

Honestly Jedi, tell the good lady, "Thanks for your input and I will take it into carefull consideration over my bean sprout and brown rice dinner". Then go ride where you want. What the hell is this, the second coming and qualifying race for next years Vuelta, or just a group of cyclists who just want to go out and ride in the sun, have a beer at the end, tell all our mates how good we are and go home for sunday lunch with the wife and kids.?? Forget the c**p and go ride. porky2008-09-18 11:03:48

What c**p.! This is not the Gestapo, its a fun sunday morning cycling event.! Ride where you frigging well want, you paid for the event and as in most cases its the "Golden Rule" - he who pays the gold makes the rules!!. Be courtious to those in the bunch, stop at water points, flirt with the pretty girls and enjoy the day - good grief man, just go and do it. porky2008-09-18 10:09:46