johanpre44

I was thinking long and hard about this yesterday and realized that with the 104BCD there are some more options and that it will just be better to stick it out with the 30t chainring. Think I will however work on fixing the off-center q factor and see if there are problems running in the big cogs (worst case I can simply add some 2.5mm spacers between the chainring and crank to put it back to where it is now and still having the better q factor).

I still have an older non-boost bike (from 2016, just when the boost spacing started coming out). I bought the bike new with SRAM GX 1x11 (the frame is 1x specific, no mount options for a front deraileur). My crank is nice but still the 104BCD/4-bolt kind and with the 30t 104BCD (Raceface Turbine just before the 30mm cinch direct mount model was released). I'm looking at getting a direct mount crank (maybe a Raceface Turbine/Aeffect or Sram GX) specifically to have an option to run a 28t chainring if things get really steep. It will also be easier to clean, maybe lighter and look a lot better. Riding around home (Jhb/West-rand) I use the middle of the casette, but it feels like when things get steep I spend a lot of time on the large cogs. Around home it does not really get that steep except if I search out those really steep hills but when I go on holiday (visiting George a lot) I do spend a lot of time in the granny gear and suffering up the mountains. And this is the question on the chainline (and chain wear). Is the only reason for the 52mm chainline to give enough frame clearance (this makes sense with large chain rings)? When calculating the centre of the casette I get to about 43mm or 44mm with my non boost frame asuming the 11 speed casetts is about 43 or 44mm thick (smallest to largets cog distances including the lock ring). Is there any benefit of trying to move the chainring closer to the center of the frame (like having a 49mm chainline if possible). When I bought the bike the mechanic who set it up moved the threaded bb spacer (73mm BSA shell) from the drive side to the non drive side to improve the chainline a bit to try and reduce chain wear somewhat (I'm not too sure about this since it changes the Q-factor). Any suggestions or comments on this? should I just stick with the standard and get a nice direct mount crankset?

My Nephew does some MTB racing for his school en Pretoria and he has a fairly nice (but old) bike, a Merida Big 9 XT Carbon which he got second hand. This bike still had 3x10 speed Shimano XT. My sister and I thought we will spoil him and upgrade the drivetrain to a 1x12 (he was not really doing any front shifting because the big ring was pretty much finnished since he got it). I got all the parts together to swap to a 1x12 (Shimano Deore Derailluer and Shifter with a Sunrace 11-51 casette to run on the old Shimano freehub Body and a KMC 12 speed chain), but to my surprise I noticed the crank is an M782 and not M780 triple, so the 104 BCD single chainring does not fit. I have been doing a bit of Googling and it seems like a 96 BCD chain ring with the symetric 4 bolt pattern compatible with a 12 speed chain is a bit of a hassle to find. It seems like Csixx makes one but now to try and find one somewhere. Any suggestions of where I can find one in Johannesburg or Pretoria?

Very cheap, think I will give it a try. Have had bad experience with Banggood in the past, but interesting that the delivery is so quick and free for the moment. Thanks!

I have been using MyWhoosh now for a month or so (maybe a ride or two a week so far). Was using Garmin Instinct 1 for HR and Tacx Flow Smart for Cadence/Power both using an ANT+ USB stick (think it's a Saris) on my 8 year old laptop. I recently upgraded my Instinct to an Instict 2X and everything still works. Must say the graphics is a bit heavy on my old laptop, but for not having to pay R300 to R400 a month for Zwift I will not complain too much. I have had issues in the past with Zwift where the connections to either my Garmin or Smart trainer dropped out for a moment, but never with MyWhoosh.

I recently got a Garmin Instinct 2X to upgrade from an Instinct 1 (which is still going strong and looking almost perfect after more than 5 years). I still have a tempered glass screen protector on my old Instinct and wondering if anyone knows where I can find a similar screen protector for the Instinct 2X but I cannot really find any (looked on Takealot and also Easybike). Any suggestions? For References the instinct 2X face/body is 50mm (glass measure only about 34mm) where the Fenix X series is 51mm (not sure what the measurement of the glass is but suspect it's more than 34mm), guess there are not too many smart watches with a 34mm glass which kind of explains why I cannot find the specific size screen protector.

Couple of good points. Think I will go for the little wider tyres (according to documentation a 28mm should fit, but n larger). I will probably do 1000 to 2000km a year, so if the gators will be good for about 4 or 5 years without perishing that will be great and worth the extra money.

I'm a mountain biker and recently got a second hand road bike for occasional road rides including the odd race (like Ride Joburg or CTCT). On the mountain bike I already have a preferred brand and model of tyres, but looking at the road bike tyres it's kind of a minefield. Asking around a lot of people suggest to just get Conti Gatorskins, but they are expensive and kind of hard to find. I'm also not sure if wider (like 28mm) is better and if there is much of a difference between the wire/rigid or folding beads. Puncture protection will obviously be great (even though they are rolling slower). I have seen good prices on: Pirelli P7 Sport (R350-R500) Maxxis Re-Fuse (R400-R420) Vittoria Zaffiro V wire bead (R320-R370) Any suggestions for good tyres that will be fitting my use as described above or any comments on experience with the above three?

Never thought about asking the local laundry to change the velcro, very good idea! Was thinking of getting a new pair and fixing the old ones and using them every now and again until they really fall apart. Really want to fit those Giro's, but no idea who stocks them around JHB (will even drive to Pta if there are shops that side stocking them)

I'm looking for some new MTB Cycling shoes (probably the XC Kind, don't really like the gravity kind). My Current shoes (Specialized MTB Sport or something) have been going well for the last 6 years but the Velcro straps are not working too well any more (they pop loose every now and again). I'm not too serious and don't need the latest and greatest (and kind of on a budget), but will prefer to get shoes with BOA or maybe laces. Other than Cyclelab in Fourways I don't know any other Westrand shops with a good selection of shoes (don't find the selection of shoes at Cyclelab that great anyways). Shoes that are of interest: Giro Guage with Laces (the Privateer lace is at Cyclelab but the price is a bit too high to my liking), no idea where I can find/fit a pair of these Specialized Expert XC (easy enough to find) The Shimano XC5/500 also looks very good but I suspect the price is like the Giro Privateer Lace if not more, but the XC3/300 seems like a good option (seems like Shimano also have a "wide" version of their shoes which should work better with my feet) Any other suggestions? I really prefer to go to a bike shop to fit and buy the shoes rather than buying online and not having the opportunity to fit.

The non-drive side outer flange is the same size as the inner one, otherwise they are almost exactly the same. Will make a plan to buy from you some time (can use the old end cap, assume the thread should be the same).

My wheelset is on Page 42 of the 2012 Prolite catalog (https://issuu.com/prolite/docs/2012_pro-lite_consumer_catalog). Pic of broken axle (hollow kind with 12mm Inner Diameter and 15mm outer diameter). QR end on the drive side is machined and the end cap on non-drive side is also QR specific and does unfortunately not fit on the 135x12 Axle Something like this (https://reverse-components.com/en/products/135mm-ø12-10mm-rear) will be a brilliant solution to allow me to just use the 135x12 Through Axle (but the prices are crazy). I found a Shimano Cup and cone MTB Hub in my spares box which is busted but the steel axle is still perfect, think I'm just going to make some spacers to make it fit the 12mm Inner Diameter of the 135x12 axle (3d printer to the rescue).

While out for a ride yesterday I noticed that the freehub of my 2014 Prolite Aneto rear wheel was not "freeing" too well, so decided to cut the ride short fearing that something with the pawls is very wrong. Opened up the hub to have a look today and found the read axle is broken (cracked quite badly where the freehub and hub comes together where I guess most stress is on the axle). The wheels came with a set of axle adapters, one of which is a 135x12mm Through Axle. Any ideas how to convert this to a 135QR? I was thinking of just buying a replacement Shimano MTB rear axle (they should be around 146mm long with a 10mm outer diameter) and use a couple of O-rings around it to get it to sit tight inside the 12mm through axle. Unfortunately I do not know anyone with a machine shop I can ask to quickly fabricate a part that will fit inside 135x12 through axle that will accept a regular Quick Release. Any suggestions?

Janee, Afrikaans is vrek snaaks as dit by al die name kom. Een van die skool terme wat ek onthou is anglisisme (weet nie of die spelling reg is nie). Dus kan ek "Bicycle" vertaal in "Baie-Sukkel". Of soos wat ek hom ken as 'n "Martel-pyp". Die "draad" het nou my dag gemaak!

The valves, can never remember which is which. Ai tog. Presta? Is that the one like the car where you "press" the valve to "open" it and let air in/out? Wrong again... Since my "moedertaal" is "Afrikaans" at least I have an excuse when I mess up things like color and colour, tire and tyre etc. By the way, I do not even know the correct Afrikaans names for all the bicycle parts, that will be a fun addition to this thread. I know a Saddle is a "Saal", but no idea what the seat post is called in Afrikaans.