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Lekker Alan!

When it comes to support local/lbs, why aren't more bike shops going to alibaba (business to busines version of temu, aliexpress etc with real wholesale prices)? I would obviously buy local if I could get the same products at competitive prices (and yes. If it's on the lbs shelf, I'll happily pay 30-40% more than the clicknpay options).

For those curious on size, Varia RTL515 vs Trek CarBack Radar (via Reddit). Pity the mounts aren't the same in the photo (both seatpost) The Trek one seems very chunky indeed!

New wheels so excited to try the bike out.

Dunno... White South Africans and America exists due to the european obsession with world domination on the back of slave labour. People need to get over their in built prejudice

All this is 100% correct and I agree. Alan is riding out of his skin, if he wasn't thats one thing. He's there at a time where everyone has guns so its whoever draws first.

I get that As someone who has also raced UK/Wales XCO, New Zealand and a number of other places, I was lucky to have a hand in building Hadleigh park olympic venue and a few others over the years We have always joked that a Gopro would make Godzilla look like a garden variety lizard. BUT, this track isn't 'technical' as far as some other World Cup courses go. Jumps are different. Lots of features doesn't equal technical. So while the climb is steep and loose in places, most of the course lends itself to pretty good under tire conditions when not hitting one of the jumps. While I'm not suggesting the average person would get around there easily, saying it's technical because there are lots of jumps isn't quite the terminology I would use. So clearing that up without going further is probably what I was trying to do. Not saying it's easy, just that differing definitions of what the features bring is where sarky comments seep in. There are jumps on the course I would not be overly comfortable hitting on lap 6 with my heart rate revved on tired legs. 100%

Thanks mate was getting irritated. But now BSB Qualy is on. Damn you VPN/GCN/OBGYN people. And Rallying. And soccer 😭

I expect more lbs to close if we all start running towards the click and buy culture of these unknown brands Not sure of actual back up with those NV luvU bars! 😂😂😂😂 Chinese are allergic to IP! No wonder the courts are full of patent overlaps. Every dollar they win, your contribution goes to cheap labour and world domination! You think about that on your next long long ride.

Having been participatory to some XCO courses in Wales and NW England as talking to to guys like Bennet and Meurant I've learned a few thigs about course requirements. What you and I consider a technical challenge doesn't work when you have 120 people all trying to William Wallace the feature. Technical climbs have to be either narrow and fast or slow and wide to allow riders to clear it. There has to be a flow that sets a rhythm for the race. Creating bottlenecks is a disaster because you then break the race within 500m. So course designers have taken the idea of spreading the field out with a wide steep climb at the beginning leading into a fast flowing section before the techy stuff starts. Hence start loops often don't have techy features but rather hurding features that thins the field gradually before the race settles on lap 1. Then a series of races also has to have a variety of courses Some are steep (Albstadt, Andorra) some fast (Stellenbosch, Snow Shoe, Mairipora), some a mix (les Gets, Mt St Anne). Then there's the 2Dcamera flattening features on the trail. i'm sure we can ride more technical trails any day of the week but I can assure you that the easiest World Cup course is a more technical than any most trail we ride daily

the 715 is slightly thicker that the 515...bigger battery to drive camera..but nothing out of the ordinary, fixed to your seat stem, its no more an issue than most other rear lights except those tiny button type which aren't very bright...the Varias are BRIGHT as F!! Also the 715 has a better more sturdy clamp adapted from their Camera VIRB camera mounting system, a whole more better that the 515 and its 1/4 urn Garmin style mount. The functions of the Trek unit looks almost the same as the Garmin...reports do say its detection range is a bit of an issue...much shorter but it does have some sort of AI to determine lane position, something Garmin lacks...it just detects anything inside its signal arc and you can't tell if the vehicle is 4 lanes out or in your lane...they need to work on that! Otherwise, these types of "gadgets" are really useful... HOWEVER...as I always remind others, NEVER let it replace a quick eyeball behind you if you intend turning or deviating from your line....

... we all saw what PFP and VDP did with the previous Olympics' first big drop ... And to think neither of them are in Araxa. 🤷‍♂️

Couple of these articles doing the rounds - https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://restofworld.org/2023/temu-mobile-gaming/&ved=2ahUKEwjQztrs99CFAxX3UaQEHbrbChIQFnoECCcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0uI800qDzm7hECy70BZgu2

Gravel bike is something you get when you have 💩 trails 😂 or as a second or third bike.

Tried one out for a week in the past, wasnt for me 🙏🏼

Should of got a gravel bike

Well its Official now. Thank you for everyones inputs I do appreciate it. But this is the winner.

Dunno Jumps are not the same as 'technical'? I've seen far more 'technical' courses with rocky climbs, rooty kickers and tight, off camber turns on rough, uneven terrain. Jumps aren't really the same as 'technical'. There could be a difference in what people would term what. I've done massive jumps on my BMX but couldn't ride it down the Plumber or round parts of Coetzenberg with much success.

I've built my own carbon frame out of hacked up carbon frames..... I also won't use no name carbon bars. I'm not so concerned with cranksets, but bars are a no no. I also don't really trust 2nd hand carbon bars. The guy who owned them before you could have been a ham fist and over torqued his brakes, gear clamp, dropper clamp etc so the bars could snap there. Most failed carbon bars I've seen have snapped at an over tightened clamp point. 3nm is not even finger tight. It's funny how 'the west' and the media are making such a song and dance. I saw an article by the Daily Maverick that came across as a disgruntled teenage girl who had just discovered a thesaurus. Published 'whataboutism' based on no fact. It's a direct to consumer Chinese market shopping hub. A large part of our consumer oriented economies have been based on exploiting cheap labour and manufacture sold at a huge markup because of Brand Name shipping restrictions and an ease of use scenario where you're paying for someone else to deal with the sourcing, shipping and risk. Rebranded Chinese parts and branded east made clothes and socks has kept food on SA tables for years. Suddenly these manufacturers have said 'hold on, we can take on the shipping and create a platform that allows people at home to do the sourcing'.... THE DEVIL! There is always risk when importing foreign based manufacturing, hence trade shows, QC visits and supply meetings. I'm all for it. I've ordered a few small bits and pieces like a Taylormade driver sleeve adapter, some corded grips and a set of hosel cleaners. Nothing I'd bet my life on, but stuff you can't get here or is ludicrously expensive due to a protected market

Park walk (I dont run 🤪) at D'Aria, followed by a lap of Bloemendal with @KB280DT Lots of coffee with friends. Good for the soul.

Harsh; there are a few who go the extra mile…. see what happens, and THEN ‘dis them, if you must; presently you are mentally setting yourself up for failure. Cheers Chris

See something like a steel wanabee spd cleat ? Sure I'll use that. That clamp that's china bs oilslick , yup I'll use that. Some noname naked carbon handlebar ? Narafuk is that coming near my bike

It’s what I’ve always thought when considering Chinese frames, winspace, elves and whatnot, you rolling a dice at whether you’ll receive a banging frame for the money or lengthy and nightmare warranty claims or even worse, something dangerous.. 🤷🏼‍♂️