EigerSA

Judging by my experience of bike shops, it's par for the course.

I got a flip-flop on my benotto but except for trying it out when I first got the bike, I've never done it since. Though it is pretty cool to know I have the option.

Go to the doctor and get a lung function test, this will help to determine whether you have asthma. I have asthma and honestly with today's medications, it's easily controllable. I think you've just became sensitized and now have hayfever which I think is worse. The doctor can also run some tests easily enough to determine what you're allergic too. Try the sports institute in Cape Town since it may be exercise induced. good luck man.

I had a mtb frame couriered from jhb to dbn, door to door and it didn't cost me much more than R175. You should get some quotes.

More people suffer sever head injuries/deaths from collisions involving vehicles and pedestrians than cyclists do, so following everyone's logic here, we should all be wearing a helmet when walking or driving. There were more deaths last year resulting from people just sitting down and minding their own business than cyclists deaths resulting from no helmet. The last few cycling related deaths/serious injuries that I'm aware of involved cyclists who were wearing helmets, no real protection from 2 tons of metal on wheels. I'm far more careful when I'm not wearing a helmet than when I am. If you don't want to wear a helmet, you are perfectly entitled not too, and for those that are so concerned about safety, wear your helmets, and leave the rest of us alone!

If I'm doing a training ride, or know that I'm going to be giving it hard, I usually wear a helmet. If I'm riding to the shops and back or along the beachfront, basically an easy ride somewhere, then I don't wear a helmet. At the end of the day it is my choice, and it's a choice I'll pay to answer for, not anyone else, so personally I think if someone doesn't want to wear a helmet then that's up to them. Though I do believe it should be law for anyone under the age of 16 to wear a helmet regardless of the type of riding they doing.

You have to pretty damn good to weld aluminium since it goes from solid to liquid in a heartbeat. Just take it back to the bike shop. You could probably still ride the bike, you'd just need to make sure the seat post goes way beyond the crack.

How old is the bike? Rather see if you can't get something done under warranty? How the hell did that happen, your seat post couldn't have been in very deep from the looks of it?

If it's the seat post then get a new one?

A mates son of 16 sticks to only doing the 20/25km races, and I always give him a hard time since the longer races are where it's at right. That is, until he kicked my butt so resoundingly that I actually considered faking an injury or mechanical in order to make the constant ribbing a little easier to deal with! With long races you got to always leave a little in the tank for the last couple of km's, but with short distance it's flat out start to finish, that's pretty hardcore if you ask me. I say race what makes you happy, pointless racing long distance and hating it.

I'm in Waterfall, yourself?

Pinetown doesn't really have much in the way of trails or outrides I'm afraid. Your closest and probably safest bet is Giba which would probably be a 15min drive from Pinetown (depending on where in Pinetown). There's the Westville cycling club you should consider joining though I'm not 100% sure as to the state of their mtb'ing, their roadies are active, they've passed me a few times on early morning rides. Riding in Shongweni only a good idea if you're in a group and there are a few who do a ride there early sat and sun mornings, also I think you now need a sugar cane licence which you can get from cyclelab. Your best bet would be to contact Cycelab Hillcrest, they'll know who to contact and I think they still organise a friday morning coffee ride (really really clow ride but a way to meet people) and a saturday afternoon racing snakes ride. Further afield there's the hilton/howick area with loads of trails and regular meets over weekends, have a look at www.mtbiker.co.za for more details there. Someone else mentioned Holla trails which I have yet to ride but I'm told it's excellent.

I'm a huge fan of gary fisher, trying to get my lbs to part with his frame, he's determined to hang to it though! Love the bike, especially the color!

Appreciate that thank you

Well then all I can say is thank goodness I stay in Durban

Because I worked alongside them and count some really good friends amongst them, including a young lady who was shot in the line of duty and is facing a very distressing future. Most of them are trying to just do a job and keep everyone safe, if some takes bribes, well it happens, but don't paint them all with the same brush.

I had a really close incident yesterday when a taxi pulled in front of me, I managed to stop in time though but hy heart rate was seriously up there. I went round to give him a piece of my mind but got the blank stare as well which totally took the wind out of my sails. Afterwards I thought to myself I should've kicked the taxi with my cleats, really dinged it and then claimed it was because he pulled in front of me. Guess it's bound to happen at some point if you ride in traffic. Hope it doesn't put you off and you're okay.

So tell him you are to and ask him to share.

That's so weird, I went through a metro roadblock on Friday night last week, and not one asked for a bribe, guess it must just be in your neck of the woods then, where it's ok to call people 'stupid' fro doing their jobs? So your number plate is smaller than regulation size and after being hassled by the cops you went out and bought a regulatory sized number plate now mysteriously the hassling has stopped, wow the mystery of it lol

Read my posts, I never claimed they were innocent neither did I say they weren't taking bribes. But is a small percentage of corrupt officials enough to label the whole lot as "bribe taking retards"? How is that ok? Although I personally have never come across it I do believe that it takes place, but if it does, do those concerned just happily pay the bribe and go on their way or do they report it?

Why do you need a lawyer? Lay charges against the members with the police, no lawyer required, hell the state prosecutor will even seek monetary damages on your behalf if you request it. Supply the medical report. You posted on a public forum how "metro members are nothing but bribe seeking retards" because you called "one" of them stupid and 3 of them arrested you, so somehow it means that "all" of them are "retards". Honestly dude, if what happened to you is above board then you got the rough end, but that sure as hell does not give you the right to indiscriminately label all of them the way you have, you should apologize publicly the same way you bravely lambasted them publicly.

From my side, I appreciate what you're doing and wish you well, but I already got charities that I support as much as I can. Good luck though, sorry I can't do more.

The same right you have in calling people "bribe taking retards".

Of course we only have your side of the story. Most members don't stand on the side of the road stopping vehicles in heavy rain, which suggests it was probably light rain if at all. No member would in his right mind jump in front of car since they have a healthy will to live themselves so you probably only noticed at the last minute or were distracted or something, and if you reacted to him the way you are so arrogantly and insultingly and reacting here, then I'm not surprised you were handcuffed. And 3 months to get feeling back? Please, I've handcuffed many guys and even been handcuffed myself, 3 months is a slight exaggeration I think, similar perhaps to your story above? How's the false arrest case going? I mean you are pressing charges against them since you were so clearly the injured party?

I looked for a good gear changes front and back, brakes working and wheels still true. Everything else is cosmetic I think. My lbs also sells 2nd hand bikes though I only found out later that he includes a free service regardless of price. As long as it's safe and not going to cost you a fortune later then you're smiling. But I think R500 is a good starting point, less than that and you might be looking for trouble.