Plentipotential

If you must use a degreaser, Prepsol, direct from Allijam in Polly Street Jhb, R260.00 for 25 lt. These degreasers eat the seals on bikes. Ask me how I know!

I love bicycles, and I love riding. Like many of you what first drew me to bikes was not just the experience of riding, but the feeling that I'd become part of a special community - a brotherhood, really. Nothing calms me more than a long ride down a stretch of country road, waving to the members of my beloved clan. Except when I pass roadies. I hate road riders. Hate, hate, hate. When they pass me on the road, you know what I do? I don't wave. With their little white socks and shaved legs and the fingerless gloves - God, they drive me crazy. You know who else I hate? Yeti bike owners. Oh, do I hate those guys. I don't wave at them either. They think they're so great, sitting all poser like, with their personally numbered bikes, and that teal blue colour. God, I hate them. Like you?re ever going to phone the bike mechanic and ask him how he enjoyed building your bike. You know what I call those bikes? "Look how much money I have Bikes" Get it? Because they're so expensive. They ride around like they own the place. Appreciate the scenery somewhere else, Fat Cat, and while you?re at it, I'm not waving to you. Specialized guys - I don't wave at them either. Why they can?t put the shock in the right place? ?You can have it in any color as long as it?s red.? Aren't you cool! Like they even know what a thinking brain suspension is, anyway. Try finding the BB, you Burry-wannabe racers! I never, ever wave at those guys. Scott guys aren't much better, which is why I never wave at them, either. They always have those stupid fork lock-out levers on the handle bars, and God forbid they should ever stop to help you fix a flat. They make me so mad. Sometimes they'll speed by and look over at me and you know what I do? I don't wave I just keep going. Please, don't get me started on Cannondale guys. Lefty? What are you, a weight weenie? Team ?Half a Fork? my ass. I never wave at Cannondale guys. I ride a Giant, and I'll only wave at Giant guys, but even then, I'll never wave at a guy in full lycra. Never, never, never. Yeah like you're going to get to the podium on your Giant anyway. Nice crotch, by the way. Guys in full lycra will never get a wave from me, and by the way, neither will the guys in the world champion replica jersey. And I'll tell you who else I'm not waving at - those guys with the iridium sunglasses. Two thousand rand sunglasses on a week-end warrior - like I'm going to wave back at that! I'll also never wave at someone with a Buff. Or a headband. Or carbon seat posts. Or white shoes. To me, cycling is like a family, a close knit brotherhood of people who ride Giants, wear baggies and a T-shirt (not Jeep) with regular gloves and a skate boarding helmet, no stickers, no racing gloves and regular shoes (not Nikes). And isn't that what really makes cycling so special. Unashamedly plagiarized from many forums. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Plentipotential2009-06-19 04:39:06

No photo's at the moment. I went to buy one of those kits, R1200.00! Yes you read right. So I got a length of 3mm clear plastic tube at the hardware store (fish tank tube) and a clear plastic vinegar dispensing bottle at a plastic container store. Total cost R4.50. Could use any type but it has a nice spout. Drill a hole in the top of the bottle next to the spout and force the tube in to the bottom, put some mineral oil into the bottle. Attach the end of the plastic tube to the bleed valve, mine is short enough to hang the bottle from the bleed valve i.e. straight down. Clamp the bike into an upright posistion so as to eliminate any sections of the brakelines being lower than the brake cylinder and level off the reservoir on the handlebar. The mineral oil comes in an easy to dispence dropper bottle so you do not spill oil all over the place. Bleed brakes and use the spout on the bleed bottle to replenish the dropper bottle. Use mineral oil only, not too expensive from a bike shop. Not mine anyway. Hope that helps. I bleed my brakes from the top down, takes a bit longer but works well enough Bleed technique from "Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance".

PM sent to book a place.

Easy. Look at the notubes.com site's videos on how to.

Any of the Topeak pumps. Fantastic aftermarket service, and a good product.

How often should you open up your freehub? I read in "Zinn and the art of mtb maintainance" that you should use only oil and no grease. When I did open mine up there was a nightmare going on in there. Cleaned and re-greased but eventually the grease stuck the teeth down and the bike "engaged neutral". Now using oil only and much better.

Use Google to find a tutorial on the web, or get the bike to the lbs for a paid for repair.

Saw a guy this year on a Trek 4400 and he looked looked he was enjoying himself.

Fox RP2 rear shock leaking oil, bike feels odd, shock must be blown. Need to get it repaired asap. What is the best option? Thanks.

Not a great idea. The tube has a plastic lining which is supposed to prevent the gunge growth. If you try and pull a cloth through the tube there is a good posibility that you will destroy the lining bond with the tube and stuff the whole thing with itself. Use plain jik and water, why waste money on overpriced Miltons when a week solution of Jik and water will do the job.

I service, maintain and repair my own bike. Mostly because I can, but also because bike shops are so busy! Do a course and get the tools, basic stuff.

http://i.shopwiki.com/i/data/140x140/9/130/202/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5zYnJzcG9ydHMuY29tL2ltZy9GLzQxMjY1OS5qcGc===.jpg So I need to bleed my shimano brakes, stop in at a bike shop and ask for a bleed kit, yesssir that will be R1200.00! WTF. No thanks, get a piece of 3mm plastic tube R1.50 and an empty plastic bottle and Bob's in bed with my auntie. This is the kit in the pic above, check it out on the web this am available in the states for $54.00! How the fu@k do shimano in SA justify these sort of prices?

I used Stans No Tubes conversion kit, R685.00. Linden Cycles. Easy to use if you follow the instructions and have a compressor. Use the paint brush with dish soap to help get the initial seal. Some tube type tyres are usable, I had Maxxis Cross Mark already, you need the ones without the wire bead thingy because if this gets a kink you will not get a seal on the bead - well thats what I was told. Plentipotential2009-02-04 06:51:16

Gates open 7AM. R20.00 pp and R10.00 per car. Protea hotel, whilst looking like a deserted building site on the outside serve a nice omlett for R25.00 and good coffee.

Tried to bite my tongue, started to bleed, can't take the pain anymore. I'll tell you what sickens me. The amount of gel packets roadies throw away on the road as they finish eating the contents. And I say roadies because when I ride on MTB race routes I never see litter. Why not just return the empty packet to the pocket it came from?

Tried to bite my tongue, started to bleed, can't take the pain anymore. I'll tell you what sickens me. The amount of gel packets roadies throw away on the road as they finish eating the contents. And I say roadies because when I ride on MTB race routes I never see litter. Why not just return the empty packet to the pocket it came from?

You also belong to the CNA??? Was, but now I'm going EPOc with Terror and co.

Thank Dog I bought a cheap bike!

Just bought a Giant Anthem 1. Came from a hardtail with very little experience. Must say that the Giant offered the best value for money from a large reputable manufacturer, to my eyes anyway. Also liked the Silverback, but 5k more.