FondyMig

The early Campagnolo EPS battery required a hole in the frame to mount the charging port. I'm not aware of many frames having this, so we had to make a plan to accommodate this. I nervously drilled a 5mm hole into a brand new Bianchi XR4 frame to mount this, check the the pic. It's 5 years, and no problems to date. It looks like the carbon is well engineered for small things like this.

I've been using the 2-24Nm one for a few years now and it's been great value for money. It's paid off itself with the components I never broke through the years.

Is this list published anywhere on the net?

There's a sturdy bolt underneath the bracket that must be tightened when the towbar is put in place. If you tighten it properly, the skelms can't pull that out without a wrench of sorts to loosen it.

I've been buying from Merlin and using their UPS free courier option since 2015, and I never had an issue with this. The best delivery period was 2 days for the goods to be delivered at customs in SA, the average delivery time is 4 days. Track it online and when you know it's here, call UPS in Jhb and ask about the clearance fees. I usually do an EFT and send them confirmation of payment from my bank, and delivery happens the next day. I've had over 20 orders and never had a lost/stolen item, and delivery was always under a week.

Super service from Andrew and Jon. I ordered my R8000 Shimano, it was delivered within 24 hours. Works like a charm, really pleased with my purchase.

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If your supplier declares the parcel correctly, There are no duties on cycling spares. They just add VAT and clearance.

I just received a parcel shipped via EMS this afternoon - shipping, customs clearance and delivery in 19 calendar days. Its the only affordable option you should select when shipping from Asia.

The BB for Shimano cranks is straight forward. There are 2 ways to do this: Option 1: BB30 to 24mm (GXP) adapter. The cups press straight into the frame, and the axle is 24mm, the standard Shimano axle size. Option 2: BB30 to BSA adapter. The original Shimano threaded cups screw into the first adapter, and sit externally on the frame. I prefer the former: it's lighter, only 1 adapter and looks neater. Price is about $35, depending where you buy it from.

It all depends where you source your equipment from (the price of local groupsets pushes the cost up by more than 30%). If you bring in all the stuff, a rough ball park figure: Ultegra 11s (R10k) + frame (R10k) + carbon wheels (R10K) + finishing kit (R10K) = R35-R40K.

I have 2 Chinese carbon road frames, and am busy building a third. I currently have 2 Fondriest carbon frames and I cannot say I feel the difference between these. I guess it depends a lot on the carbon type they are using (T700, T800, T1000), the frame design, etc. I'm a sub 70kg rider, so that obviously has a bit to do with the feel of the frame, but so far I'm pleased with the quality.

The SAMSUNG sponsorship with Lampre is European based, not SA. They were already sponsoring Lampre last season.

Sub 5 kilo's for a complete road bike; 1 kilo for frame + fork: I'm Speechless! Well done Merida, although I see a lot of resemblance with the Tarmac SL5.

True that. But have you thought what implications the fire has had on the city? We're popping in and out - these people have to carry on with their lives despite the setbacks. We need to count our blessings...