Slave

Wat beteken dit? 110% vat? Didn't do very good in maths at high school... Simply put, an item costing you R200 will result in a payment of R275.80. Complicated calculation (200 *10% = 20) {200 + 20 = 220} That's the 10% added. 220 * 14% = 30.80 (VAT) so 220 + VAT= R250. 80 Add the R25.00 customs feeand you have R275.80. Teachers, examiners and other mathmagicians, please do not feel free to mark this test question pass comments. I also sucked at math at school.

With you there Mark. I'm a member of several forums. How's that for an addiction? Addicted - Who's Addicted?

ADDICTED - WHO'S ADDICTED. See that number belowyour login. You think that's a post count. BS, it's your addiction meter.

With a name like yours... ROFLMFAO. Absolutely frigging hilarious. (I have some intersting theories on human torture and misery I would like to try if y'all ever catch one of these bike jackers. For reasons of incrimination, I cannot share these ideas on a public forum, no matter how much annonimity we hide behind. Please feel free let me know ehen you catch one and we can swap some ideas.)

Hey hyper7 try this one for your powerlinks. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/

ROFLMFAO. Hahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrr. FTF, you chopper. I can only ride the thing for so many hours a day. I have limited stamina and still need a distraction to keep me in the garage for a few more hours. I ride so that I can spend hours on end in the garage faffing about with the bike. Imagine how suspicious it would look if I spent hours faffing about with the bike and never went for a ride. That would raise more than just an eyebrow. I'd get a dam good smack in the cake-hole too. Haven't you heard, two hours on the road is four hours of faffing. Keeps me out of the house for days on end boet. BTW, because of this equation, I have been banned from riding on Christmas day. Because I ride for four hours and then spend the rest of the day coopedup in the garage. (That is when I'm nor raiding the 'fridge.)

Just how much difference can the two options make? Wthout the benefit of experience, I can't comment with any authority but it just seems so pointless. I think I agree with Mampara. It's all nonsense. Ride a metal bike etc.

Thanks guys. I'm still on an 8 speed rear wheel and an even older frame. Was looking at CRC and it looks like they only have 9 and ten speed chains. Hopefully can get a power link from LBS for8 speed. I saw the power links on the CRC website. They look very different to the "master links" we used to use, but yeah, I get the picture. Thanks again.

Thanks again Dr. Bike. I think I only have one final question here. (depends on if your answer gives rise to more.) IS there a special way that a master link goes onto a racing bike frame. (IIRC, on my old 24" back pedal brake bike, the master link used to go on so that the locking link was on the outside of the chain (facing away from the bike) and the pins faced the front.) Edit: 'k, so there is always one more question. Are there specialised master links for racing bikes? (Roadies)Slave2Love2008-12-11 04:19:54

Thanks all, especially Dr Bike (AKA JB). I will read the long thesis sometime soon, (Copied it to a word doc for later reference), but I would just like to query the removable link (master Link) theory. I was (perhaps mistakenly) under the impression that racing bikes do not have one for the reason that they don't work. Can I put a master link in so that they chain can be removed for easier cleaning? Won't this master link get caught up in the gear cluster / casette or foul up in the jockey / derailer? Will it have any effect on the way the gears change? This would sure beat they heck out of using a chain breaker every time and quite frany, I slightly damaged two links on my last chain trying to join the chain again with this chain tool. Degreaser is probably the best way to clean the grease off the chain and then wash it all off with water. Never thought of that one (Yeah, I know, real dumbass.) I have been using diesel, becuase it leaves an oily film on the chain afterwards. Then I have also noticed that sometimes, despite cleaning the chain, it still seems that grit has managed to get in between the rollers and the brush and cloth efforts to get the chain clean just don't seem to be good enough. Edit: Changed some spelling errors (finger trouble). Add : I currently find that Q20 (not the spray on) see,s to wrok well enough as a chain lube at the mo'.Slave2Love2008-12-11 03:18:04

Can you guys (not excluding gals), put up some basic info on chain care? (I have been accused of starting topics and threads that already exist, but trying to find them is quite a mission) I have noticed when I ride, a lot of sweat drips down onto the chain. Does this affect the chain at all? How much damage can this cause? How often should one clean a chain? What is the best way to clean the chain? Finally, at the risk of creating a low intensity war, what is an acceptable chain lube to use? (Not necessarily a brand specific question, but coastal lubes would probably differ from inland lubes.) Then we need to do this for roadies and MTB. Probably a permanent type post (like the ball bearing thread) should then always be visible so that everyone can benefit from this info. Kind of like a "sticky" post. Such threads can be created for cluster / casette care. JB this one should be right up your street.

Puffy! They generally go into that "pose"when about to strike. When they get peeved they genrally puff and hiss up a storm. Slave2Love2008-12-09 07:27:43

Lotsa bike shopswill tell you to buy new 'cause you can't upgrade. Suckers tol me I'd have to upgrade all sortsa stuff on my roadie if i wanted to go faster. Took a chance and bought 2nd hand wheelset from fellow hubber and presto, I have an upgrade. Upgrade from six speed to 8 and I didn't even change my downshifters to the STI's bike shps tol'me I'd not be able to get away with. So, in my not at all humble opinion, upgrade. I took Mamparas advice and ride a metal bike. Can't do the beer thing, but the metal bike works.

Is that what I felt hitting me on the back of the nut about ten seconds ago? Thought I heard the unmistakable sound of a deo tin hitting solid rock. 'k so relax in your slax there PI. I'm just pulling the piddle. Can I hand you back your damage deo tin? It bounced right outa your handbag when you beach slapped me one on the noggin.

Take a chill pill there dude. No-one is degrading the memory of Senna. His death was a great tragedy and the end of one of the greats of F1 racing. If memory serves, he was the last person to be killed during an F1 race. Like I said, great tragedy. Senna's only fault was that he gave me the impression of someone who thought himself indetructable. Hamilton gives me this same impression. As far as I'm concerned, this is a recipe for disaster. If that's degrading the memory of one of the greats of F1, get over it.

Hey, I'm still relatively new around here and only just discovered it. That and I have an overated opinion of my opinion.

'cause I said so,dude. Seriuosly, great raw talent, but this makes him a little reckless. He reminds me of the late Ayrton Senna and we all know what happened to him. I think he's too impetuous and hot headed and this makes him a danger to other drivers as well as himslef. I think he needs a few seasons to hone the skill and become a more mature driver before he becomes really great. Still can't find a good reason why I don't like him. I just don't. At least with Alonso and Kimmi, I can say with a degree of certainty that I don't like them because of their personalities (or lack thereof), but with Hewey Hammilton, can't put my finger on it. As for Murray Walker, he was just as vociferous about pommie drivers. The way he used to go on about poor (drama queen) Nigel Mansel, made me sick. Brumble et al are no different. Must be a British thing what, don't you kkow oldman. Stiff upper lip, that sort of thing you know. Anyway, Hammy is, for now, a hooglian. OK, I'm leaving now.

You're wrong about Hammy. He's a Hooglian.

Sssshcushe me barmen. hic . I shaid barmen 'caushe I can see all three of you. hic. Can I have anozzher moonshine pleashe. Oops, wrong pub, hic. g'bye. hic.

Aint that the truth Gary. I'm sure most of us only greet other cyclists who are obviously serious or semi-serious cyclists. For those who don;t know the diffs. We only greet those who are wearing cycling kit. I, on the other hand take a certain amount of egotistical satisfaction out of passing the commuting worker at as great a speed as possible and greet him as I fly past. But I don't wave to the "worker / commuters on the other side of the road going in the opposite direction, which is how we usually greet one another (or not). and Yeah, we all get into our cars after a long ride and get really agro on all that adrenaline we just got while out on the bike. Talk about Jeckle and Hyde.

Good ol' JB to the rescue. What would I do without your expertise man? You're like my Garmin dude, I'ml ost without ya. (OK 'nuff of that) JB, when I installed the new headset bearings, I made sure that all the parts were clean and that I used clean grease. Wheel bearing grease BTW, a butterscotch colour. (AGIP). I also made sure that I did not "use the bearing and race to get the bottom race into position." In other words, I tapped the race into place, slowly and painstakingly to make sure I did not damage it. I did not tighten the headset from above before everything was in place. Bike is a roadie and as has been suggested, I'm one of those poefter types who only rides in fair weather. I have not ridden in the rain (OK, road was very slightly wet on Sunday am when I left home but not enough to cause any spray or get water into the headset. Of this I am reasonably sure, if not absolutely convinced, but it goes to that fair weather cycling thing. I just hate being dirty, wet and cold while riding and will not ride on very wet roads. What the pitting looks like is an unknown at this stage. I have not taken ot all apart again to looksee. I can feel that that old problem of indexed turning of the steering is back and noticed it yesterday when I moved the bike. (Steering clicking if you likebut there is no noise as yet.) Just the "feel" of the click. Same can be said for the ball bearings as well. It was a whole new kit I out in just recently and now it i already giving grief. I will accept that the bearings hardly move due to a lot of straight line cycling, but this is ridiculous. As close as dammit, I have done 1064 KM on the new bearing and race set.

I agree with you Christov. It doesn't cost anyone anything to be polite and friendly. I do think though that a lot of the world's woes are created because we are not friendly enough. We have become far too self absorbed and selfish to give a dam about others and this loss of respect creates many problems. Not saying we have to all be big buddies and live in each others pockets, but hell, let's at leat be civil to one another. About a year ago, I got a puncture which I repaired and then got another very soon after that. While repairing it, my pump broke and I was pushing the bike home. Some roadie dudes saw my problem and went out of their way to come across the road and find out what the problem was. Gave me a new tube and pumped the wheel for me. That was more friendliness than anyone can ask for and made a huge impact on me. Since then, I have replaced the broken pump, got a spare on the bike and even have one of those CO2 inflators with spare bombs. Now as to that lunatic at the traffic light with a gun in his hand, just waiting for his next hi-jacking victim, well, he's just a totally different ball-of-wax and he should be avoided at all costs, unless you can get in a few really decent liberty punches and deck him. Also agree that taking offence at not being greeted in return is a bit on the "off the spectrum" side of things. In my experience roadies are not rude. They are helpful and friendly lot and if the dudes didn't greet you back, probably, they didn't see you and if they did see you, tough luck matie. Get over it and get on wth it. Some people are just like that.

Eina. If I get a Chris King bearing set it will be worth more than my whole bike.

M, I purchased them at LBS and assumed they would be good enough. If they are el cheapos and not made to last, where else could I try? Live in Alberton and there are not too many bike shops around. Seems to me that it is the bottom race cup that gets pitted. Maybe I'll just get another and ask my neighbour to have it hardened for me.