Gumpie

So my company decided to be really nice to me for xmas with a nice bonus. So the obvious route to be is to blow it all on a bike / upgrade, I am current riding a cannodale 29er hard tail lefty (the 2012 model). Its a great bike but is starting to show its age. I am wanting to go duel. So i have seen the new specialized epic and i am in love. Cant stop thinking about that bike. It would be an amazing new bike. But the carbon is a little out my price range and would mean i have to go aluminum. But then i have also been thinking about maybe building a custom bike with a santa cruz tall boy carbon frame and using all the components from my cannodale. This would mean i would have a carbon frame with kinda good components. So, I leave the fate of my decision to you hubbers.

Hey folks. I have started doing a comute ride from midrand to sandton a few times a week. Its mainly mountain bike as i try stay off the road. It takes about an hour and i leave around 6 - 6:30 and ride back at around 4 in the afternoon (sometimes event hit the spruit home) If anyone is keen to join let me know.

I sent you a PM. Please excuse the first one. Man i am still fast asleep today

So the taxman was very nice to me and i have decided to upgrade my frame. I am looking to go 29er Duel that can take a lefty shock. I am currently on a Cannondale Flash 29er hardtail and would like to upgrade my frame. First prize the a Santa Cruz tallboy but it looks like these are very hard to come by. I have also thought about Trigon. http://www.trigonsouthafrica.co.za/FullSuspensionMountainBike.aspx Any other suggestions? Also where is the best place to get frames. Cant seem to find any place thats looks worth while.

Did a really awesome ride on the spruit this morning but something really got me upset. I saw about 4 people cycling without helmets. There was even one idiot without a helmet but had massive earphones on so he could not hear us wanting to pass. I know the spruit is not technical but these guys are giving other cyclists a bad name. I understand there are loads of new riders and what I like to call "new years resolutionists" but common people. What's the protocol when you come across guys like this?

What an amazing race. Loved every minute of it. My body not so much. Day 4 killed me. I hurt all the way through the stage but the route was amazing. Well done to the organizers. The event was perfectally manage. One small issue i had is that the prize giving just took too long with all the categories for the lite ride. Other than that perfect.

I am finding that i am not getting enough training in at the moment due to not enough daylight hours. So i am wanting to get a indoor resistance training. So any recommendations on what to get and what's the best place to get them?

I rate give the guys at omnico a call. http://www.omnico.co.za/Contact_Us.html I took my bike to the one in jhb and they sorted me out no prob.

I am in midrand and am always interested in rides. Are you talking road or MTB. Biggest issues is safety and also the fact there are no routes out that way,

Hey folks. I got a new Canondale 29er lefty at the beginning of the year. AWESOME bike. Loving every minute of it. I am just a bit worried. I have started to notice a sort of creaking noise from the crank. It does not have any impack on the rotation of the peddles but it just seems like there is dirt of something in the crank. I have taken it to the bike shop but they dont seem to be worried. I can recreate the sound if i hold the front brake and rock forward. Any suggestions? I could upload a video if you dont understand what i mean.

The results were up on Saturday already. check www.waterpoint.co.za

I have entered this race but as of yet i have not received any information. No starting time, not details nothing. Does anyone have any more info on this?

Rode this yesterday. Man alive this place is soooo much fun. Really enjoyed it. Concrete strips are not anything to mess around with. We got so lost so many times but just kept on going. The one thing i could not figure out. I am guessing the single track does not have a specified direction. There were a few close calls with riders coming in the other direction. Here is the route we took http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/34409367

Amazing race. It was my first ever stage race and i loved every minute of it. On day 3 and 4 we had mechanical issue but the amount of people who stop and help is mind blowing. The best riding i have ever done in my life. That single track on day three (lite) was EPIC.

Nice.. Super close to my house. Are they going t be having any new opening specials. Would love to see the prices. It will also add a bit of competition to cycle tech in kyalami

A female rider came down hard at Kyalami last night at the bottom of wesbank hill. It looked quite serious and they had to get the ambo out on the track. Anyone have a update on her condition?

here is pics of the shock and front wheel

Hi Guys. I need help. Last weekend i was doing a nice ride out at Teak place. At about 4 km on some nice single track, all of a sudden i found myself being flipped over my handlebars and into the bush. Once i got and and checked i still had all my limbs attached i checked my bike. My front shock had snapped on the cross bar, got stuck in my breaks, which in turn cause a lock up and basically wrote off the front part of my bike. I took it back to Cycle Tech - Kyalami (the place where i brought it in feb last year) and the salesman there even said in all his history of cycling he had never seen a part fail like that. They shipped it to someone in cape town (not sure who) but i have now been told by them that this part is not engineered to break like this and should never fail. They also say that i must of done something to break it!! They wont replace it or cover any costs. Now i am basically without a bike as its going to be super expensive to replace all these parts. Does anyone on these forums have any suggestions / contacts / ideas on what i can do. I ride a Merida TFS 400 by the way with all stock parts.

I am starting to train at gym more and more lately due to the freezing temps in JHB. Due to a difficult schedule i dont always make spinning classes. I was thinking that any keen spinning instructors out there wanting to make some extra $$ could start doing spinning podcasts Basically a 1 hour podcast with a full spinning workout. You could charge a little for it or use an advertising model. Any ideas or suggestions?

Due to the fact that i work from 7 till 6 i really dont get time to buy gear. Whats the best sites to order from. Specifically looking for clothing.

@stewie911. I stay in Vorna Valley and i am working at the JSE in central Sandton. I was thinking of going through Woodmead, then to morningside and up Rivonia road to Sandton.

Hey guys. I started a new job in Sandton 2 weeks ago and i live in Midrand. Now i would really be interested in trying out riding to work. Just a few questions 1. Is it safe to ride alone. I will always be riding on side paths and never in dodgy areas. 2. I will be doing it on a MTN bike. Would this be fine? 3. What routes would you reccommend? 4. I work for a finacial company so dress code is quite important. How do you cycle to work and still manage to look neat during the day? I am thinking i should try it out early on Sat or Sun morning just to see how it goes

Thanks guys. I am thinking of trying our a club ride with midrand cycle club on saturday morning. i want to see how i do with that then will take it further. I went for a bit of a fun ride yesterday .... lets just say that riding with cleats is interesting. especially losing your balance next to a busy intersection during rush hour traffic!!

WOW great responses. thanks. Next question. Are there any nice clubs in or near the Midrand area?

So i just got myself a brand new Mountain bike (Merida TFS 400d) and now i am not 100% sure where to go from here. Any suggestions on what i should do. i am thinking about taking a nice beginners lesson to mountain biking but other than that i am stumped. Any good races you could suggest to start off with? Oh i am based in JHB by the way.