linnega

I find training for Comrades helps my MTB

Good idea, but should be "Bicycles are traffic too", as the bicycle is the vehicle and the cyclist is the driver (in terms of road regs).

Could come from a number of things. How did you isolate the sound? Icould be anything from the BB up, the headset is poked or bearings are poked or just dry, stem bolts are too loose, not greased etc..etc. Try removing stem, fork, headset. Regrease stem bolts and depending on what headset you have grease the bearings. Make sure you put the fork and headset back securely, refasten all stem bolts to the recommended torque. If the noise doesn't go away then it could be something else.

...how about - definitely not. Frame is either the same as it was or it is broken (cracked/delaminating).

Sean, it looks like you are going to have problems going forward. The youngster doesn't seem to have enough self-confidence... Seriously though, first time I saw the show and the laaitjie was very impressive. I think he has already won himself a lot of votes for the final.

because most hubbers couldn't find it at CRC? totalcycling.com ?You people disgust me - whats wrong with Chris Willemse Cycles!!! they don't have a special on humility? Is it even available in South Africa? I'm gonna give Julius a call...linnega2009-11-11 06:05:23

I would suggest that any frame from any material could be built to be as stiff (and to feel as stiff) as any other frame of a different material. Primarily the geometry of the bike would determine how stiff it felt. The primary differentiators in the materials is how light the bike can be built and what it will cost. Ti is neither light nor cheap, but has a certain aura about it. Like the difference between diamonds and diamante - there is little to choose between them but the man with deep pockets or a guilty conscience will always go with the diamonds. Steel is heavy and needs to be very thing to be competitive in the lightness stakes. It is also more expensive than Alu. Carbon can be built lightest of all without compromise, but this comes at a cost. Alu is effectively the second lightest material, but costs significantly less and is very easy to work with. So I agree with Lefty - alu wins. As for a ti full-susser, it will be expensive and to make its ride comparable to aluminium, it will need to be helluva expensive. Perhaps compare the Giant alu range to the Titus range to see that. I would suggest that there isn't much to choose between the two from a performance perspective, but no doubt I will get flamed for saying so.

DaveM - your suggestions are excellent, practical and should be in the mandate of any club. I would suggest however, that this only addresses part of the problem. As much as you say the actions of cyclists is in question here, the actions of any one group of road users cannot be looked at in isolation. I think the attitude of the Cradle residents clearly indicates that they believe they have no role to play in the safety of all users of the area. If we assume that all you have recommended is implemented, no doubt confrontation will be reduced, but there will still be a number of incidents occurring where cyclists and motorists get confrontational, and as long as the motorists in the equation feel they are not contributing to the problem, these incidents will be used as justification for why "those bloody cyclists" shouldn't be on "our" road. Chucky, I would suggest that you pursue engagement with the residents for exactly that reason, and commend you guys for making the effort. As for the inane comments around fines, lets apply a little basic logic. You cannot expect someone to take responsibility for others. Cyclelab seems to have set up a structure that promotes safe cycling and positive engagement with the residents, which is more than can be expected of them. Fining them would be like fining the AA because a taxi ran a red light.

because most hubbers couldn't find it at CRC? totalcycling.com ? You people disgust me - whats wrong with Chris Willemse Cycles!!!

Try http://www.magiclight.co.za

I notice that CradleResident has disappeared. No doubt he feels well justified because he has the overwhelming support of even the cyclists on the Hub. That is probably the most damaging part of this entire issue on the cycling community as a whole. Perhaps Gasping has some of the best points. The residents of the Cradle area are not in a position to demand that cyclists not ride there - the road does not belong to them and they have no more right to it than anyone else in the municipality that pays their rates. It is tantamount to me insisting that all motor vehicles be removed from Durban roads because of the number of traffic offences I see motorists commit every day. My points are not meant to justify or condone unsafe behaviour (I think the legality of behaviour is irrelevant in the context of cyclists on South African roads), but to illustrate the fact that all of this is a non-issue. Yes, motorists may get aggravated by some behaviour - get over it. I deal with motorist stupidity every day, the big difference is that the potential impact for me is death - the potential impact for a motorist is inconvenience. Not really a fair comparison. linnega2009-11-10 02:30:30

There is a Saturday ride usually from Erik's (if you don't know East London, get the address for Cycle HQ and get directions to there). The ride is often out past the airport and past Kidd's Beach. Pleasant ride, but the drivers are among the worst in the world and the ride can be a bit hair raising at time. Plenty MTB routes around the Eastern Cape but not mcuh that I am familiar with in EL. There is a testing little route between Beacon Bay and Gonubie, which can be ridden as laps. I think distance is about 8km for a loop. Maps and GPS are online somewhere. Try here: http://www.ecmtb.co.za/index.php?page_name=page&menu_id=9

Applause for the MTB'er staying in the cycle lane.. As for the rest....WTF??? Where is my 2m shockstick??? I see only 1 cyclists not in the cycle lane Also if you look further down next to the sign those cyclists also appear to keep far left. I also see that the guy in the lane has made a special effort to be visible. Not knowing the area at all, is it possible that he is planning to turn right - I see a sign for a road. If that is the case then he is perfectly within his rights to move into the lane to make a right turn. To be absolutely correct and follow the law he should remain in the cycle lane indicate he is turning right and turn across the traffic as the vehicle in front always has right of way, but that would obviously be unsafe (especially with the driver taking photos while driving).

Yes, you can just put on another cassette with a different combination. Not sure how hilly the DC is but always good to pedal slightly easier gears in the first half of a ride over 5 hours. As for the combination, you may well be limited in terms of what is available locally. 8 speed cassettes of the SORA variety are complete units, so the cogs are not separable, so you would need to purchase a 12-25 in the standard combination available. Another option may be to get a 13-27 cassette but not sure how easy this would be to source and whether you would miss not having a 12 tooth cog.

As you have no interest in the area, please start your own debate. I will not address your other questions as I categorise them as 'brain farts' (your mouth fart that!). I do have an issue with this area as it is the nearest training area, albeit not very safe anymore due to the wanton disregard of the law by some cyclists. Perhaps you can't read. I said I had interest in the debate, but not the area or the specifics. This whole debate sets a bad precendent and illustrates poor judgement of all parties - the cyclists, the cyclists criticising them on this thread, the confrontational manner in which the thread was started, and the acceptance by the cycling community of compromises that are simply not acceptable.

Agree with the rest of the rant' date=' but just a note worth mentioning is that it is against the law to ride in the yellow line, and it is within the law for cyclists to cycle two abreast (although motor vehicles are required to change lanes to overtake), and within the law to cycle anywhere in the left lane. I'm not saying it would be wise, just that it would be lawful. [/quote'] I dont know what law you know, but that is not SA law. I downloaded the law awile ago and i can gaurentee you the law says you have to ride single file. It also says if there is a cycle lane you are not allowed to ride in the road. Google it.I would suggest you not be facetious, particularly when you are in the wrong. The law is pretty simple - a bike, as long as it has a driver/rider, is a vehicle by definition as it is "propelled primarily on wheels". S296 of the Road Regs requires vehicles to keep in the left half of the road and "not encroach on the half of the roadway to his or her right...". A number of other sections provide for how to overtake, always putting the onus on the passing car to ensure it is safe and prudent, and to move to the right half of the road to perform this maneuvre (with a few caveats about multi-lane roads and "undertaking" that aren't relevant). The basic rule is "shall pass to the right thereof at a safe distance and shall not again drive on the left side of the roadway until safely clear of the vehicle so passed". There is no further mention of where a bike is required to ride (other than the left half), although S298A prohibits the driving of a vehicle (including a pedal cycle) on the shoulder with an allowance, not a requirement, to move over to allow passing. S311 provides specifically for bicycles, including the much mentioned (and, in your case and others, misread) subsection (2) which requires cyclist to ride single file except when passing another cyclist. Effectively this gives license to ride two abreast as there is no distinction between passing and riding alongside. I didn't plan to get involved in your little territorial war, but I would suggest that at least 90% of the reaction you get from cyclists is that you seem to believe that your anger is righteous. Perhaps showing a little respect to the cyclists may engender a little respect in return. Most of the photos show nothing illegal, except in cases where the cyclists are more than 2 abreast. Even in these cases, the photo's you took show a solid white line, so passing is illegal there anyway. Cyclists have legal right to use the road, they have the historical right (given that bicycles and roads for them preceded the invention of motorised transport) and obviously the moral right in a world searching for greener methods of transport. Perhaps, but probably not, this article will help you get over yourself: http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/Pages/Bicyclesarelegaltraffictoo.aspx Finally, you did mention a bicycle lane - I don't see any in the pics. I never brought that into my initial point as I referred directly to "riding within the yellow line". There did used to be reference to cycle lanes in one of the guideline docs from the department of Transport a few years ago, but I don't recall it making legislation. In the UK bicycle lanes are compulsory in terms of their code of conduct, but recent case law has seen that section being removed from the highway code. The primary reason is that a cyclist should have a choice to ride wherever on the road he feels safest. That all said, I have no interest in how this issue is resolved, but am concerned that motorists still believe that they have a right to be indignant because their (often illegal) driving behaviour has been slowed for a few seconds, and that cyclists seem to have the ridiculous notion that somehow behaviour of cyclists has any impact on the general perception motorists have of their "absolute" right to the road.

Agree with the rest of the rant, but just a note worth mentioning is that it is against the law to ride in the yellow line, and it is within the law for cyclists to cycle two abreast (although motor vehicles are required to change lanes to overtake), and within the law to cycle anywhere in the left lane. I'm not saying it would be wise, just that it would be lawful.

I think Kamikaze has missed the point entirely even though he alluded to it about halfway through his rant. Cyclists are lumped together as "you cyclists" - that is a fact. I like to return the favour and lump all motorists together to include taxi and truck drivers, as "you motorists" as I think its only fair. Having said that, the point is that "badly" is not properly defined even within cycling circles (and even more so outside of the "community"), so our behaviour is unlikely to have any impact on the perceptions of greater society. Some define riding badly as riding two abreast or in the lane, where the law allows the former and requires the latter. Others define not wearing a helmet as bad behaviour, where the research points to helmets being about as useful as spittle in preventing serious injury. Others may define running lights as bad behaviour (it is against the law after all), but there are many cases where it is the safest behaviour. The simple solution is to practice tolerance and understanding within and outside our little community. Don't worry about what others are doing unless it affects you directly and rather keep your righteousness to yourself, especially if said righteousness is based on "common wisdom".

works fine - I assume it is one of the newer Polar straps? Clip off the plastic unit and wash with your other kit.

washing machine

My daily commutes are not filled with the same courtesy, but perhaps its is a function of where I cycle? Durban drivers aren't the best in the world.

Make it a double...