Jump to content

ajnkzn

Members
  • Posts

    237
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by ajnkzn

  1. Fair enough - was trying to see last few days after your comment. Just bad luck it seems.
  2. No I have a Premium DSTV package but thanks for checking đź‘Ť. As a business owner, one of the best ways to make money is to cut wasteful expenditure which was my point.
  3. Reckon Nino may be suggesting he buy a proper XTR chain from one of the bike shops at the race village...
  4. Another dof question - all entries for Epic include tent and accommodation I assume? Surely in terms of; Costs of tents, ablutions, communal marquees, fencing etc etc Admin Food waste Water waste (bike washes, food clean ups showers etc) Green credentials The organisers should drop the price of a standard entry (self arranged accommodation and food etc which is what many (half the field?) people seem to do? And offer a fully catered entry at current pricing for those who do want the full experience?
  5. https://bikehub.co.za/news/epic-bike-check-oli-munnik39s-signal-elite-r7789/ Not to get sidelined from the point of my post, but the above breaks down the exact build. No different from what most MTBers on Bike Hub ride in terms of components (other than rims - DT Swiss 350 hub is not top end). But the point is, you don't need a R 150 k bike to race the Epic well.
  6. If you see Oli Munnik and partner a few years ago on their Signal Hardtails (yes they were kitted with nice wheels etc but still a basic bike), the bike is not what's holding anyone back? I would bet that a R 40 k used aluminium Giant / Orbea / Spez dual sus, well serviced and with a good rider, could get into the top 100 easily.
  7. Unpopular opinion, but if you look at the day's profile and where the Wagon Trail is situated on the way out / back; No matter how fast the top guys are and how far after them one starts (is it 07h00 for top dogs and last batch off at 08h20 - only 1hr20?), if you can't get to 20km in 3 hours or so then I'm not sure it's the organisers who are to blame? It's (arguably) the most prestigious and "hardest" MTB stage race in the world so if you enter, make sure you are experienced, fit, fast and technically very able.
  8. Is there a “qualifying standard” or something that one has to achieve to enter Epic? Like with Comrades etc? Or if you’ve got the cash can you just pitch up?
  9. Just don't see many corporates willing to put in $ 5 000 000 with the viewership of Epic versus XCC, XCO or any of the other sports out there like soccer, golf etc?
  10. Not sure what size you'd need, but in the same price range there are far better used options; https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/gravel-bikes/705715/giant-tcx-gravel https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/gravel-bikes/701795/giant-revolt-1-gravel-bike https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/gravel-bikes/683154/momsen-gp300-169cm-to-179cm etc
  11. If the race winners are choosing the Epic Evo above all other options that they can have for free, surely it says that that’s the fastest and most suitable / comfortable bike.
  12. https://www.renehersecycles.com/the-scientific-guide-to-choosing-gravel-tires/ Some great reading
  13. I have the same issue - slightly older Thule Express but a brand new towball. The turn does happen on a long / windy trip and not much you can do to stop it on the ball / carrier. As per a post above, get a strap with a hook that goes into your boot and loop it over your wheel to stop the rotation. (Like the straps used for the boot type carriers for hatchbacks). Or tape a pool noodle to wherever your bike makes contact on the car. Or try to move your bike "forward" on the carrier so that both wheels are equally in the wind. Or loop a strap over your roof bars (if you have) on whichever side is appropriate to stop the twist.
  14. Hi Team I have bought one of those Staycyc e balance bikes for our son - was on Black Friday special for a good price in the UK and we have family there that it was delivered to. We are visiting the UK in March and I need to bring the bike back. 1) If it's a "gift" from my family in the UK, would there be import duty payable at SA customs? Better to bring it over as a separate item in its original box, or to remove the wheels and squeeze it into one of our bags that will go in the hold? 2) What's the regulation around flying with a battery? I;m sure that people fly with ebikes all the time but I don't want to be unprepared in case of any questions at check in time... Thanks for any help.
  15. You’d have to be pretty unlucky for a hippo to come out of the water to chase you. Early evening and morning if it’s out of the water…different ballgame. The guys at Rietvlei dam paddle with hippos every day - crazy
  16. Following with interest. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp4yEIZIoOz/?igsh=OWRzdnU1ZzVnYTUx https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp28EFQKeKU/?igsh=aTh2eTduZXhhejVn https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpp3pGvoc_W/?igsh=MXdnbDljd3gyMm9qdQ== It’s essentially an Alu version of the MoBu.
  17. Hi Hayden PM me - I ride there most weekends.
  18. From a Dusi paddling history (SA canoe race down what is essentially an open sewer over three days…) As above (be paranoid about cleanliness , especially around communal food etc) but also; 1) You get bike bottles with that extra cap over the nozzle - keeps mud / dirty water / animal poop off the nozzle 2) High quality probiotic - always - the studies around gut health and sports performance are more and more compelling 3) Travelan - we don’t seem to get it here in SA anymore but I think it’s available overseas. Great preventative product that contains Colostrum if I recall. 4) Kantrexil is also the go to if things go south - some of us even used to just start a course on the morning of the race as a cautionary dose. 5) Smecta is a great product for low grade tummy runs.
  19. ajnkzn

    The Munga 2023

    Agree. I get this close to leaving all online forums almost daily due to people having opinions that they can’t just keep to themselves. Just. Be. Lekker.
  20. Hey team Anyone on The Hub racing in 2024?
  21. If you’re battling with wrist pain etc do look into Ergon as they are designed specifically to assist with wrist / hand issues. Burgtec are great but only come in straight profiles. ESI also good, try the different profile ones like the Fit series as these can help align your wrist to the bars better. Thicker might provide a bit more damping but makes it harder to hold the bars when your hands are tired. Also consider basics like bike fit (too much weight on your hands?) and simple things like bar roll and brake lever / shifter angle which might be hurting your wrists.
  22. Keen! Trying to get a Midlands crew to come down.
  23. I’m not. I was there and rode one of the shorter races so feel that I am fairly well qualified to speak to the conditions.
  24. Argus is a harder route than gravel worlds was. There’s nothing stopping you from taking a descent slowly if you are worried about crashing. Study the route, ask locals about conditions if you can’t pre ride portions of route, put some tougher / bigger tyres on your bike and work on your skills. If you look at Matt’s bike he didn’t have huge tyres on, isn’t a light guy and was fine (clearly) on the descent. That’s the beauty / point of gravel racing, conditions change and are supposed to be challenging. Or it would be road racing. P.S. the section in question was the victim of roadworks where shale / gravel had been put down and due to the normal vagaries of SA public works, had not been fully crushed / compacted yet. The organisers made it abundantly clear both with caution signs and with repeated warnings in race briefing packs and prior to each batch start that the road was bad and caution had to be taken. All of the other jeep track / forestry road sections that are not manicured had at the least been swept and checked for any obstacles - one section I recently rode that was full of sticks etc from tree felling had literally been scraped clean so due care was 100% taken.
  25. Seeing as this is a the Glasgow dirt stuff thread that would be silly haha
Settings My Forum Content My Followed Content Forum Settings Ad Messages My Ads My Favourites My Saved Alerts My Pay Deals Help Logout