David Marshall

I never found anything decent when I was last there. The N2 is bad, narrow shoulder overgrown with bush/grass and heavy traffic. You can ride northwards through Salt Rock and stick to the coast until you run out of road but that doesn't give you much milage. It looks like the locals ride very early going south on the M4 towards Umhlanga and do out and back laps. There is a popular MTB trail park.

I've had a few Avalanche road bikes and they are solid. That one should do the job but if you get "keen" you will find it lacking. A carbon fork would be preferable and that crank/cassette option will always be - well what it is! Heavy and cumbersome. You will find the wheels (hubs, spokes and build) very entry level. Will get you from A to B but not with the pack through thick and thin on race day.

I just hate when the year of the bike model listed is way off. Rather don't put a date. I once PMd a seller to let him know that the bike listed as 2014 was actually 2003. He changed the add to 2009!

Be careful of what you see and hear. Different series and speeds of derailleur have different capacities. For example Ultegra 11 speed 6800GS can handle a 32/11 cassette while the 8000GS can accommodate a 34/11. There are hacks to get around the max capacity but in my experience there is always some compromise.

If you ride 50/34, 32/11 currently the new bike won't work for you. Question is what the rear derailleur can handle and if it is worth buying another crank/cassette set up or otherwise looking at a different bike.

I have one from a Sunrace M600 crank. 170mm long. Free plus shipping.

Sorry to hear of your sons accident. I hit the Cradle tar on Saturday and am nursing a broken rib so I can relate to his pain. Sounds like a classic high speed shimmy. Can be caused by any number of factors relating to the bike or rider tension or both. Your approach is the right one - go through one thing at a time and don't expect any one else's experience to be the same.

Decathlon also stock. Not sure what widths.

On the first my guess for a 2015 3X10 is no. 36T is most likely the maximum. To be sure you need to get the part numbers off the front and rear derailleurs and then look up their capacities online.

I always measure the components myself, even if I have them in my database. You can't always trust published data. Based on "Published data" for your components I get front: Left 291mm, Right 292mm. rear: Left 290mm, Right 289mm. As this is close to what you get, as Drew suggests, it is probably a lacing error. Best advice I can give is to get hold of a copy of "The Bicycle Wheel" by Joobst Brandt and follow his lacing instructions.

I have only come across three hose sizes available as "bulk". OD 5mm ID 2.1mm (Shimano BH90), Used in for most Shimano, SRAM and Formula. OD 5mm ID 2.3mm (Shimano BH59). Used in Shimano and Magura MT. Hope has an OD of 5mm and ID 2,4mm OD 5.5mm ID2.4 (Tektro). Used in Tektro, Hayes and Promax. As far as I know all are Dot and oil compatible as long as they are new. Problem as pointed out above is the fittings which are usually crimped on and are brake specific.

It can be repaired. My experience is that they can become stiffer at the repair and the rebuild tension is not great especially on a low spoke count wheel. Also weigh up the cost of a new rim against the repair because you still have to factor in the rebuild cost.

Common on kids bikes. Any LBS selling them should have thee parts.

I can sort it for you. Based in Kyalami. Dave 072 222 7185

I don't understand why you would avoid properly checking the alignment of the hanger. If it is not bent at least you have eliminated it as an issue and can look elsewhere for the problem. Poor shifting can be due to a number of causes. You have to eliminate them one by one. Find someone with a tool and get it done. In my workshop I charge R120 to for the job.