David Marshall

My 2 cents. Source the rims and hubs that you want online. Let your wheelbuilder measure them and supply (or at least specify) the spokes and nipples. A spoke 1mm to long or short on a light 29er leads to a substandard wheel. I won't build with spokes that I am not 100% happy with because I guarentee my workmanship and the spokes.

You can get rivnuts from industrial suppliers and even Makro. You don't need a tool if you are only doing one or two rivnuts. A piece of flatbar with hole in it and the right sized hi tensile bolt is strong enough to set the rivnut. Can be used to tighten loose ones as well.

Riding in a licenced age group gives you an earlier start but you still need a good enough seeding to be able to ride with the group. I think for 50+ it is a seeding of 20 or less. Your seeding relative to what you have in open seeded will likely deteriorate because of the way the groups race, unless you can stick with the strong men. Not serious though - once you are in the group that is where you ride.

The BB shaft length varies from (If I remember correctly) 110mm (for road two blade cranks) to about 128mm for the longest on a MTB, going up in 3 to 5mm increments. You need to specify the length when purchasing the BB.

My understanding is that you would have to have replaced the BB as well. This could mean that the chainline has changed significantly. You may need a longer or shorter BB. The chain ring sizes may also be different on the two cranks so make sure that the FD is positioned correctly ie the correct distance above the large ring and rotated optimally on the seat tube. This can be tricky to set as any adjustment means resetting the limit screws. Hope this helps

Agree

No, you get a double and a trip left STI. You will also need a trip FD as well although you may get a double FD to work over a trip setup

If you don't come right in Cape Town try Rushsports in Pietermaritzburg.

The 10 speed Sram chains are compatible with the Ultegra derailleur. I am not sure if the uni directional Shimano chain will be noisy on a Sram cluster if fitted the wrong way around, just check that the writing on the chain faces outward before you go to the expense of a new chain.

Hi Neg, I see you are in Midrand. I can sort it for you like. Give me a call on 072 222 7185. Dave

Stoke works - contact Droo

Let your wheelbuilder measure the hubs and rims and calculate the spoke length for you.

The blow torch comment was tounge in cheek. I actually use a little gas firelighter - a trick I learnt from working on my Eastons with threads on both ends.

14 bike shops within range of my place and I rate Solomons Woodmead No. 1.

Don't use lock tite on the spoke. I use a lot of "French" words - and a blowtorch - to true wheels which have been treated thus. As JB said, find a wheel builder to retension the wheel.

The air sleeve service is straight forward on the Fox Float. Solomon's has the seal and wiper kit for around R250-00. Remember to let the air out, check out You Tube and keep it clean. Add about R100-00 more for a technican to do it for you. As Droo said, if the damper is not working, or if oil leaks from the controls, it will need some time in ICU. This will set you back about R1000-00 for labour and seals and includes the air sleeve service.

Tighten to the spec for the seatpost. Two bolt types are usually around 8nm. Single bolt ones are higher 10-15 nm. I would start at 10.

Too many variables in the equation to give an answer. I've built a number of 650b and 26in Crests without comback. On a 29er I would take the ZTR Arch over the Crests, which I would not recomend. I have never built on the Rapide rim - they are pretty new in SA but the distributor is solid (important!). WTB also have nice 650b rims. I would base my decision on price and looks.

You get an internal bearing puller which expands with a lip that grips the race. An alternative is to run a small arc weld along about 1/8 th the length of the race and then immediatly tap it out (with a hammer and punch). Just don't miss the race with the weld - not pretty on the aliminium!

Happens often. The distance from the lock nut face on the drive side end of the axel to the first gear needs to be the same on all the wheels. Depending on what hubs you have, this is best modified by adjusting the thickness of the spacer placed on the freehub before putting on the cassette. Having said that it is almost impossible to find spacers of the desired size and thickness. You can also rectify by varying the thickness of the shim washers under the locknuts. These are easier to come by but the procedure is more tricky as you want to keep the axel over lock nut measurement constant and shifting spacers around means you will most likely have to re dish the wheel.

You can use a 3.4 spoke key on DT Swiss brass nipples - slightly loose but quick to work with. For aliminium nipples use a 3.2 to prevent rounding. Oil on threads and rim.

My opinion, the best skewers for road are Shimano.

The only stupid question is the one you didn't ask. Hubs are the same.

You can use any Shimano pulley wheels for 9 spd (and most of them across the different speed derailleurs as well). I prefer the ones with a metal bush to the ones with bearings or the ceramic ones, as they wear rather than fail but that is just my opinion. Just be sure that you fit the guide wheel at the top and the pulley one at the bottom and note the direction arrow.

As V12man said, if this is made law it shifts the onus onto the motorist in the event of an accident, the same as is the current situation if you hit a pedestrian. The motorist will then have to show that the cyclist did something wrong to cause the accident or accept responsibility. The size of the gap is not important but the ramifications of bridging the gap are.