JXV

Banjo bolts are pure evil. Thought we got rid of them after the original Hopes and quite sad to see them making a comeback. More weight, more sources for leaks, more fragile. I guess the variety of frame and brake mounts now on the market requires a system that allows more range of hose alignments.

I ended up with with a Tallboy LT but the Bronson, Camber, Stumpy and a Pyga were on my shortlist. If you jump and are rough on bikes then 27.5 wheels might suit you better. Go for the longest travel you can get that still pedals nicely......thinking a 5010 or Bronson or maybe a Pyga Pascoe. Stage races/marathons and jumping/drops.....sounds like u actually need 2 bikes.

Have not had a bad experience there but I have had better service elsewhere. I think the shop is entitled to tell their side of the story. Several problems....sealant corroding spoke nipples?...surely the rim tape prevents the two coming in contact? Spoke nipples breaking like that is unusual and hints at a different cause. The back wheel story is horrendous but Ieaving your bike in a shop for months on end is an invitation for problems...human nature being what it is. Not defending the shop but seeking a balanced view here.

Squeal is caused by slight mis alignment between disc and caliper which allows the pad and its backing plate to oscillate very rapidly between the two when brakes are applied while the disc is turning. New discs and pads and caliper alignment will nearly always fix the problem. If it does not, your caliper mounting posts might not be in line with the disc and this is a difficult problem to fix. The other approach is to apply a damping material between piston and backing plate of the brake pad. Sometimes the backing plates are painted and this should help. Copaslip also helps but put it on very very thinly. I would always recommend going as far as you can with alignment first, then try copaslip as a last resort.

My LBS put it this way when a friend was looking for a new bike "the geometry is not much different if at all. Real problem is that women's specific bikes are difficult to sell 2nd hand and automatically have lower resale" If you can find a genderless bike that suits it will likely be better value in the long run.

When you say slipping....is it slipping on the chosen cog or changing up/down to other cogs occasionally? 1)I have seen a chain slip on a cluster where so much gunge had compacted into the gaps between rear cogs that the chain could not seat properly onto the cogs. 2)Bent hanger/derailler always a problem. Difficult to straighten it accurately on the bike. Remove, straighten on workbench, refit....or replace with a new one. If hanger was bent then check the frame wasn't damaged at the same time. 3)Worn RD? When there is free play in the pivots of RD it will not shift reliably in both directions

Yes all correct EXCEPT IF the disc rotor is not exactly in line (parallel) to the pad surfaces. This can result from mis-aligned caliper and/or worn out discs. Both will absorb some lever travel and give reduced braking effort. And yes, to be fair this can occur with any of the popular brands.......... Have owned Juicy 7 and they were nice but the previous model XT brakes were better and needed less maintenance. The current XT brakes are savage with big rotors - true one finger brakes

Yes all correct EXCEPT IF the disc rotor is not exactly in line (parallel) to the pad surfaces. This can result from mis-aligned caliper and/or worn out discs. Both will absorb some lever travel and give reduced braking effort. And yes, to be fair this can occur with any of the popular brands.......... Have owned Juicy 7 and they were nice but the previous model XT brakes were better and needed less maintenance. The current XT brakes are savage with big rotors - true one finger brakes

Dont use paint for a temporary trail marker .... seems obvious. Every sq.m of land in SA is owned by somebody so it is real important to have owners permission for permanent markers

SRAM? If not changing down then either chain too tight or FD not pushing the chain across correctly. Agree with trying limit screw adjustment for the inner limit but also check FD alignment. When upside down chain hangs off top off sprocket under the FD and more easily deflected. When rubber side down the chain hangs a fraction lower and needs a bigger push to deflect it. So look at angle of FD to chainring from above and maybe adjust tail of FD in a fraction. If you are using a directional chain is it mounted the right way around?

PS also make sure u did not spill brake fluid on the new pads while bleeding the brakes

Are the old pads worn exactly parallel to the backing plate? If not this is a sign the calipers and new pads are not aligned to the disc. If the brakes were working well before changing pads this could be the reason. Juicys have those cone washers on the mounting that allow you to get the pads exactly parallel to the disc. Do this alignment first. Then if the brake levers still fell spongy air is the likely cause and bleeding is needed. It wont hurt to clean and gently sand the new pads by rubbing against fine sandpaper backed by a flat surface such as wooden block.

Good answer Johan. Roller bearing can tolerate higher loads than spherical (ball) type but there are other issues. Straight roller bearing cannot take any lateral loading. Tapered roller bearings (like on a car) can take side loading but are also wider/thicker than a ball bearing...thus heavier.....and they need to be precisely preloaded. Overkill for cycling if u ask me

BTDT. If you have rear sus then going SS when ur hanger breaks can be a problem. Most suspensions cause small changes in BB to axle distance as they flex. Every time the chain goes slack on suspension movement it wants to change up at the back and eventually it rides up onto the biggest gear it can and locks out the suspension. May go so tight you cant turn the cranks.....at which point you might break something if you keep riding. Emergencies only IMO. I always carry a spare hanger 'cos I never want to do this again>_>

Been running BFG A/T on Defenders and now on LC100 for yonks now. Routinely getting 100 000 to 120 000 km per set of 4. High price but low price/km. Next set now due will be same again.

Prefer the screw in Shimano BB with Hollowtech II cranks. Reasons: 1) I already have a spare BB (for my previous bike) 2) I already have the tools for fitting/removing it and it is an easier job than the press-fit. Was a factor in selecting a SC Tallboy LTc over a Spez Stumpy when I bought a bike recently. I think I would have enjoyed riding both bikes equally but for a home mechy like me the SC looked to be easier to maintain in the long run.

Dont delay going to the GP if you are still in pain after several days. He/she will be able to treat any real problems better than we can and will also lay out best options for fast recovery. Good luck.

Yes benzene is a known carcinogen but it is not the same as the benzine you buy in the supermarket. Note difference in spelling! Benzine is a petroleum distillate which usually contains only a small amount of actual benzene. The one with the 'e' is the bad stuff but you can't easily buy it in pure form. Flammability of both is far more of a direct risk to you than the chance of getting cancer from it ..... both options are horrible so rather dont use either.

Yes all flammable but petrol/benzine will produce a flammable vapour cloud above the liquid surface at room temperature. Paraffin does not. Bear in mind chain has ferrous metals. Can spark when dry. So can plastic containers (static) and synthetic clothing. People underestimate petrol all the time. You dont have to be smoking to set it off. To ignite paraffin at room temp you would have to actually touch a flame to the liquid surface so chance of accidental ignition is much less. Sorry for the sermon but if prevents just one accident out there I'm happy

Looking from behind I aim the nose of the saddle at the top of the steerer tube (stem)...then adjust for comfort from there. I guess the advice will vary depending how long your legs are and whether you like your bars high or low

Commercially available benzene is a petroleum distillate and doesnt contain much actual benzine (C6H6) which is a known carcinogen. Still dangerous though because very flammable

Benzene is basically low grade petrol. Both extremely flammable and have strong solvents that are not good for you or your skin. Paraffin much less dangerous. I soak the chain in it, shake it up a bit and scrub with an old toothbrush. Hang up to dry in the sun...then refit and lube. Not all chain components are corrosion resistant so I avoid water and degreaser as much as possible. Its a mountain bike - it doesnt have to sparkle

He said the SC Tallboy LTc meets your spec.....except maybe for the water bottle cage inside the triangle....... And they've been available for a while B)

I have 38/26 on my new 29er with 11-36 cassette. It is slightly harder on steep stuff than the 3x9 XT drivetrain on my old 26" bike but a bit more riding will soon sort that out.

How often are you using the 24 ring on your 3x system? I found that all it took was a determination not to use it. Within a few months of occasionally standing up to push hard in a bigger gear, my legs got stronger and soon I was only using 42t on my local trails. Some of my friends the same. Next question, what size wheels are you riding and what style of riding? If 26" then 40/28 should be OK. Anything shorter than 40 will irritate you on the flats but if you only ride rough twisty singletrack you could go shorter. If 27.5 I'd choose between 38/26 and 40/28 If 29er then 38/24 or maybe 38/26.