Lori

Need hubbers experienced advice please. I am potentially buying a new bike tonight but need to know its a good deal. Its an Eddy Merckx AFX1. 1 year old. The rider has fallen off once she said, but said she has had the bike checked and its been given a clean bill of health. Said she bought it a just over a year ago for R9500 - asked for R5800 and I have offered R4500 which she accepted, so is it a good deal for R4500? Frame: Alloy 7005 TB Fork: Carbon 1 1/8" Front Derailleur: Shimano Tiagra Rear Derailleur: Shimano Tiagra Shifters: Shimano Tiagra Chainset: Shimano Tiagra Bottom Bracket: Included in Chainset Cassette: Shimano Tiagra Chain: Shimano Tiagra Front Brake: Shimano Tiagra Rear Brake: Shimano Tiagra Brake Levers: Shimano Tiagra Rims: Shimano RS10 Tyres: Gatorskin (these are very good quality and are only a few months old). Front Hub: Shimano RS10 Rear Hub: Shimano RS10 Spokes: Shimano RS10 Brand new saddle (not sure of brand - irrelevant really cos i have a specialized saddle anyways.) I havent seen the bike yet - will see it tonight. I dont know what damage there is to the frame from the fall but how would i know if its bad damage or not? Thanks!!

cool! thats for all the advice! How much do i weigh - more than I'd like to! How much do i ride - not as much as i should, its just a hobby really, im not a riding fanatic, but I do enjoy it I'll look into the bigger casette at the back - and then take the most prominent advice of "train, rtain, train" oh, and loose some weight. I'm sure it will be easier hauling my ass up a hill if i was hauling 10kg less Thanks for the help!!!

ok, this is the site where everyone knows everything about cycling. I have a road bike, nothing fancy, I ride cos I enjoy it. I made a few changes before 94.7 (new saddle and handlebars) and the bike was COMFY! BUT - a friend, also with a raleigh RC1000 kicked my ass up the hills, and she is quite a bit larger than me. Why did she go faster than me - she had 3 rings on the front crank thing (excuse my techincal terminology) and i only have 2. She had 7 easier gears than me! Now - I want that on my bike too! What do I do to make easier gears, whats the cheapest way for me to go here? Do i get a smaller crank and loose the heavier gears since I dont win races on the straight anyways. Or do i get more gears at the back (think thats a casette?) but them if i do that do i need new shifters? Or can I get a 3 ringed crank like my mate - but then again, do I need new shifters. So all you bicycle fanatsics. please help me with the best and cheapest way to go about this and if you have the parts please let me know. Thanks.....

Yip, i got the front wheel on a block

its a 44cm compact raleigh RC1000...so i dont think its too big? Will PM you for more info, thanks!

Can you suggest anything - i dont know which seat will be comfy till ive tried it! At the moment I have the standard raleigh seat, black with white stitching, pretty entry lever seat from what i can see?

Thanks! I'll try moving the handle bar up a bit, also thought to maybe try get a shorter stem? Not sure if it will make much of a difference though. As for the hard seat - I am 10kg less than I was when I did the 94.7 2 yrs ago so it doesnt make sense that I cant handle the seat now i have agel cover, I may as well give it a try

I'm hoping I can get a bit of advice. Long story short, I started cycling 2 yrs ago, trained for the 94.7 - have a RC1000 and took 6 hrs to finish. the next year i was busy with exams and then started my own business. I live in an unsafe area and cant risk riding alone. i am doing the 94.7 again this year, bought me an indoor trainer (dont judge me! i have my reasons - and yes, i have used it) but - my bike is so bloody uncomfortable, after 40 min I can barely feel my ass and my arms are so sore as well as my hands that i have to get off the bike. What can i do to make it more comfortable. I know I need a better saddle (i want to put my mtb saddle on the road bike cos its wWAY more comfortable (sacrilege - maybe??) but what do i do about my aroms and hands. I rode the bike for 6 hours before and hurt, but managed, the way im hurting now, I cant even bring myself to take it to the roads this weekend - its just too sore! please help - ANY and all advice will be appreciated. (ps - im still a novice at the cycling thing but its an amazing sport and I feel intimidated by almost everyone else on a bike)

ive just spoken to westdene cycles - you can get a merida 40D for R4500 and a shwinn mesa GSD for R4000, otherwise linden has the silverback alpine for R3500.. Im looking round too - what to do what to do!!

Im looking for a MTB, been told to get the Silverback Phoenix (im looking at about 5k). Is this a good bike for entry level - I dont want such a entry level bike that I hate riding it, but not prepared to spend more than that for now. Anyone got one, like it? dont like it? pro's? Cons? Offer an alternative?

haha, no - jocks i want new, all the time every time!! So what would you choose - assuming someone has told you the specs of the bikes are pretty much the same... Brand new bike for 3500 or second hand for 3000?

How do you decide how much to sell a second hand bike for. If you buy a bike new say for R6k, and sell it say, a year or 2 later would you sell it at half? Just a generalisation here please - I know it depends what upgrades you did on the bike, the mileage etc, but I give you specs of a second hand bike and you say should be about 3K - how do you know? And how do i know if Im getting ripped off or not?

bandicoot - what did you decide - just so happens I might be looking at buying the same bike, but not sure if i should hold out for a better spec second hand one

the comment on the back of the "trailor" was "disabled but willing" so maybe its best you didnt pass any comments!

im 2 yrs and 2 months! For those of your trying to quick, give Zyban a thought. I used it, took it for 2 months (and thankfully didnt have a seisure!!)- worked great and havent touched one since