Abdul

They should perhaps have included a link to their website. http://humanrightscycletour.co.za/

I'm 1.84m and my frame has an effective top tube of 57cm, so I would say the frame is the right size for you. What you could perhaps look into is using a compact handlebar (most common type nowadays), the hoods and drops will be much closer to you and if you still feel you are too stretched out, perhaps a slightly shorter stem like 110 or 100.

Glad you've solved the problem and it's interesting that the cause was the same as mine viz. cracked caliper. Are the 2 of us just super unlucky or is this more common? Has anyone else experienced a cracked caliper perhaps?

A few years ago I went through a similar experience as you with squealing brakes. Tried all the usual remedies like sanding, cleaning with alcohol, etc. Eventually I discovered that the caliper had developed a fine hairline crack causing a tiny bit of mineral oil to leak onto the pad. Replaced the caliper, and it's still working perfectly. The Deore caliper was surprisingly not expensive. The shop I bought it from still has it in stock. Here's the link : https://www.cyclosport.co.za/index.php/buy-now/parts/disc-brake-set/shimano-deore-hydraulic-brake-caliper-f-r-post

I just tried Spoke101's "ghetto fix" on my son's bike with Shimano BR-M575 brakes and it worked perfectly. The wear on the pads and rotors is minimal, the brakes don't feel like they need bleeding but the lever travel was a little excessive for my liking. But this "ghetto fix" solved it. I'll see how long it lasts. If it comes back I'll bleed the brakes. Thanks Spoke101.

This is great news. I love my Madone, even with the useless BB90 bearings that need continual replacement. I've given up trying to get the bearings locally since every time I call a bike shop and mention BB90 they are clueless. I even tried bearing suppliers like Bearing Man with no luck. But I now simply buy them off AliExpress.

It looks like it can be salvaged. I use a G-clamp and gently squeeze the dented metal flat again. Add 2 small pieces of flat soft wood between the clamp and the rim to spread the force and protect the rim. You can also use the g-clamp to grip and bend the dented side of the rim laterally, like you would with a large shifter. If the rim has a flat spot I remove a few spokes around the flat spot and use a small hydraulic car jack between the hub and the rim (with some rubber padding) to gently push the flat spot out. Lastly, file and sand any rough edges to prevent damage to the tyre or tube. The rim will not come out perfect but should be usable again. Remember to be very patient and bend the metal very gently since aluminium cracks very easily.

I use Shield Tyre Shine on my bikes. I originally bought it for all the rubber, vinyl and plastic trim on the cars (what it's meant for), tried it on a bike and liked the result. As the name implies, the result is a shine so it's probably not what you're looking for on a matt frame but you can still use it for your wheels, saddle, cockpit, etc. It's relatively inexpensive; I buy it in a 5 litre can at Makro for about R200 and it does come in a small trigger can. It's a watery, milky liquid. I simply spray the entire bike well (after washing it of course) and leave it to dry.

Most likely, the derailleur hanger needs to be aligned. New hangers sometimes need alignment too since frames are not perfect, especially one which has taken a fall. You probably don't have the special tool but a large shifting spanner and some trial and error will do. There are some videos on youtube which will demonstrate how to do it.

I had the same problem; also a Shimano front brake and not many km's done. The squealing was so bad that my brakes sounded like a siren. I did the usual like clean the rotors and clean the pads with alcohol and sand them but it didn't work. Eventually I discovered the caliper had a tiny crack in it causing a minor oil leak. I replaced the caliper and the problem was solved. To sum it up, the squealing is usually caused by contaminated pads but the contamination is often caused by a leak.

CWC is selling 2 Hornets 29X2.1 with a Ryder tubeless conversion kit for R999. I haven't used them myself but I've been considering them since I like value-for-money products, and bike tyres now cost more than car tyres (insane).