chuck

So what is this suspension you all talk about? I ride groenkloof day and night and never had the need for any suspension.

Well say what you will but the truth is that the original poster is right. I've been cycling on the road since the 80's almost never touching a car steering wheel except occasionally on weekends and I could NEVER understand the mentality of cyclists that refuse to give way to cars while riding 2+ wide. Why take the risk? I've got the scars of an accident where a taxi ran me over from behind in the yellow lane so from experience I can tell you, YOU WILL LOOSE THE FIGHT with the car and possibly for your life. Well then at least you can say I SHOWED THE f**kER! I used my part of the road. I've heard excused ranging from ' I will be cause I can' to ' It's safer'. Absolute BS. You would rather risk your life than to fix the odd puncture gotten from riding over crap on the side of the road? Grow up and understand the consequences of your actions. You get injured and my medical aid takes a knock, you die and your family takes a knock. Either way somebody pays and usually it's not you. If there is anybody who wants to justify this type of riding then please justify it to your wife/girlfriend and children. I don't really care. PS. All this refers to training rides not organized events

I know FPC have rides in that area but not sure about days and times. Maybe contact them

It would depend on the type of crank. If it is not sealed you can try and save money by rebuilding it with new bearing - see sticky, but in general the most common way of fixing it is to replace it. To do it yourself is a 15min job at most and you can get away without the 'proper' tools but the chances of something going pear shaped is just so much greater. PS. if you have a definite clicking/grinding sound you should be able to feel it if you remove your chain and spin the crank. Symptoms of my last BB that went south was as you describe. chuck2010-02-08 02:37:30

Crank and BB won't fix it as it cannot cause it. You do not mention new chain rings? Based on the list of new items this would be the most likely culprit/s

Are you saying that the chain is still fine after snapping and that a new link will sort out the problem? Could be yes. Having not seen the chain it's difficult to say since a worn chain can also break but it did not break because it was worn.

I think JB said this as well but a chain do not snap because of wear. It snaps either because of bad shifting, bad assembly or it a factory dub. So a broken chain is no indication of end of life.

Keep your spare tube for cut too big to fix with a boot. Get some plugs for tubeless BICYCLE tyres and some self adhesive boots. I don't carry a pump but have CO2 bombs, 2 on the frame and 2 in saddlebag. Was running too low pressure last week and managed to get a cut on the bead. ~ 30sec to insert plug and inflate with CO2.

I don't believe this is the shops fault. Rather it is the suppliers exchange policy. For some stupid reason we in SA just live with this crap service. If the shop exchange it without the suppliers say so they might be out of pocket if the supplier decides not to replace. Had 2 such incidences recently. Got Accent bibs from Sportsmans. Less than a month later stitching is becoming undone. Response from Accent is 'no problem post them we will fix them' but they do not have an exchange policy enforced through the outlet. Got a brand new drill at Makro. Never used it and when I did variable speed did not work. Because it was after 14 days (16 actually) they send it in for repairs. I took it back in packaging not a single mark, NEVER used. I got it back after 2 weeks looking very 2nd hand. Good old SA, either you take it or you leave it.

Agree with jaco. No short will save you if you do not have the time in the saddle to backup your ride. I use shammy cream because it helps to prevent chaffing if your shorts become wet. Oh and if the pain sets in after just 3hrs I foresee some hard time ahead for you

How cool is this http://www.raysmtb.com

You'll have to define 'lap'. I normally do the longest lap you can do without repeating a section. This included all the single track and all the climbs. It is ~20k's and riding alone with no one to chase (or being chased) I average just over 20. So I'd say 20 is a good average for a not-so-beginner-anymore'

Yip as mac states there is a difference between riding and walking. REALLY pisses me off if people walk on the riding line. So lets assume the rider is actually riding. There are only two basic rules that apply to anything on two wheels: a) The rider in front has the line meaning that he can cut the apex on corners, take the shortest line etc. without looking behind him all the time. It is the responsibility of the riders following to make their intentions known. Having said that b) The rider in front should always try to react in a predictable manner. Do not make sudden movements if it can be avoided. Easier said than done on a MTB. O yes the old saying applies - there are only two type of assholes. The one slower than you and the one faster than you. Pick one.

Beg to differ. Common sense prevails. Yes nothing is perfect and yes it takes time to adjust but thats the point see. IT ADJUSTS. Non photochromatic NEVER adjust.

One word - photochromatic. Shades with interchangeable lenses are totally useless when you are gunning it and enter a tunnel or heavily shaded area. As suggested above the Rydeons looks good.

Just you

I was contacted by Irvin, the area manager, this morning and was informed that although he would not like to loose a customer he is more than willing to return the money for the voucher. I really appreciated the fact that he called me and i might still consider spending the money there. Irvins professional attitude may very well have turned this around for me. BTW I have never had any issues with FPC in Brooklyn but don't use them a lot because it's far from me. To close this I don't think that I need to justify my reaction (seem like some people feel I need to) because I'm the type of person who gives praise for good service just as easily as for poor service.

So my vroutjie dog toe nou sy doen goed om vir my n voucher te gee by FPC. Lekker, ek soek iets nuuts so ek sit toe maar die 45 !@# minute in die verkeer na my naaste FPC in Irene. Ek sien toe n hoed wat ek so baie laaik ek wil hom koop maar hulle het nie my size nie. OK cool klein F*kkertjie sal vir my een bestel en hy sal einde van die week daar wees. Einde van die week natuurlik geen oproep nie ( o ja hy sou my gebel het). Maar ek laaik die hoed so baie ek spring weer in die kar en sit 45 #@$# minute in die verkeer. Yes natuurlik het my hoed gekom, kyk hier is die boks. Maar waar is die hoed . O ja hy is seker weg of weer verkoop. Maar moenie worry nie ons kry sommer een van ons ander winkel af dan kan jy WEER Maandag ry. Hoe is daai? Wel *** jou en die perd waarop jy ingery het. Daar is 53 winkels wat bereid is om my geld nou, onmiddelik te vat. Natuurlik soek ek die geld vir die voucher terug want hulle het iets verkoop wat hulle nie kan deliver nie - DIENS! Kamstig sal iemand my Maandag bel want daar is tans niemand wat besluitnemingmag het op naweke nie. Ek is nou oppad ander winkel toe wat my kleur en size het en ja reg geraai- Hulle is selfs bereid om my geld te vat. Nooit sou ek toe ek in std 1 was gedink het ek sal mense se gatte moet lek om my geld te vat nie maar nou ja dis seker die *** ekonomie wat hulle sulke confidence gee.

It seems as if some people are missing the point of the original post completely. It has nothing to do with having to go for a pee and there is no toilet around. This has happened to most of us at some stage. The point is that as with all things in live consider those around you and walk the extra 3.75m to a tree or bush, go to the back or front, don't piss in the start pen etc. I don't think anybody is judging you because you have the bladder control of a 7 year old but I do believe most are judging you because you have the intellect of a 7 year old. Think about this - females have it much worse than males. They actually have to piss their pants or stop and de-bib. Have you ever seen a female cyclist squat on the pavement or start pen? chuck2009-11-11 22:25:52

OK something that every single article on manual, wheelie or any other form of one wheel rinding neglects to mention is this - Every individual had a different feel for center of gravity, which one wheel riding is all about. To some people this just comes naturally to other it will never come. Almost anybody can wheelie to some degree and the reason for this is that you can keep it up using power instead of balance. Called a power wheelie and has got more to do with power than with skill. As a manual does not involve power you need to know how to balance otherwise you will never, ever get it right. Me? I've been riding 2 wheels for almost 30 years and I fall over standing on one leg so you can imagine what my wheelies and manuals look like.