Robbie Stewart

My Stumpy EVO on Fox 36 160mm / Float X 150mm climbs better than my 120mm Camber. I'm not sure if the mullet setup and 30t chain ring has something to do with it, but that bike is such an easy climber I'm shocked. More so since all the YT reviews say it's a pig in the climbs. The downside is that due to the 30 t ring it spins out super quick meaning I'm permanently in the highest gear.

The Pyga and the Trek are bikes that will handle trail riding and climbing more efficiently. They will descend well enough, but not like the Specialized Enduro. The Enduro, although being able to climb, is geared more towards the gravity spectrum. It wants to descend quickly, and then let's you climb back up the hill again for another go at the descent, but that ascent will be slow going. Decide what type of riding speaks loudest before you dole out the cash. Buy the bike that caters to your intended riding style. All mountain bikes are not equal in that regard. It's pointless buying a cross country bike if you want to ride technical gravity lines, just like an Enduro / Downhill bike will be horrible doing a full day marathon.

That's a HARD NO for me as well. I see mud, I don't ride. I recall so many people having to replace drive trains after the 2019 Karoo to Coast after gritting it out to Knysna in torrential rain and near freezing temps. Many bikes nearly died that day. And then, that grit gets onto your suspension and starts killing your stanchions and seals. Nee dankie. Ek hou verby.

for the same reason they wear lycra . . .

This will keep anyone busy for a loooooong time

I guess a VPN should allay those fears

I rode Lourensford in 2014 when they had an event there on the Epic final day. I recall it being just one long uphill slog. Also, scenes on TV from last year's Epic with all the rain, mud, and hike-a-bikery informs me that the drainage there is a pig that should be avoided on wet days.

I've been on bike hub since forever. I have yet to buy or sell anything on here. But just in case it hasn't been said yet, use Bike hub pay.

I did my first attempt at heading to the west of the V&A yesterday via the N1. I started riding down the cycle path and by the time I passed Milnerton flea market I kept on going. At the Caltex I was about to turn when a roadie passed me. I decided on a whim to follow him and ended up on the N1. Nearly poo'd myself when a container lorry passed me so close I could reach out and touch it. After that I found myself under the elevated freeway and after some twists and turns discovered the way to the entrance to the V&A past The Yacht Club. From then on I rode onwards to the top of Suikerbossie before turning around - in hind sight, I regret not carrying on to Chapmans. As I said, that was my first attempt and I actually enjoyed it immensely. I so wish it was a more viable route. Maybe one day. For elevation, I go and ride the trails around Tygerberg, Stellenbosch and Tokai in the weekends. During the week, I ride the cycle path to Melkbos and just ride at tempo to keep the legs fired up. It works for me, but yeah, I wish we had more variety.

I cycled down the road heading Melkbos way, but then I took a left rather than the usual right heading to town via the west coast cycle path and the N1 ( which was super stressful when a container truck passed me with less than 1m of separation), and found myself at the top of Suikerbossie. The waves looked good enough to go for a swim.

I watched a fellow rider go down hard on the Leatt skills park this morning resulting in concussion and some minor abrasions to his chin from pushing the dirt with his face. His helmet was not full face and that led to his chin pushing dirt. The nature of the crash meant that concussion was always going to be on the cards regardless of helmet type. I didn't explicitly catch what brand it was, but for some reason I'm thinking it was Leatt.

Just bought a pair of clipless shoes from them. 😶

I'll be using that shampoo tip. Thanks.

I tried that today. I'll admit to doubting the vinegar, but it actually worked as advertised. Even after a wash I could normally smell a faint whiff of sweaty odour, but not today. I chucked all my kit into the machine, gloves, shoes and the rest and they came out smelling fresh as daisies. Thanks for the advice.

My right leg muscles just about vanished after I broke my ankle and fibula. I started riding again after 3 months and within 6 months from the break the swelling reduced to a point of looking normal. For the next year I basically just rode weekends, but since I started training in January for the cycle tour both my legs regained muscle and tone to the same level I had before my manual induced break. So @'Dale I'm sure you will regain muscle, tone and strength within no time. I also had to deal with PTSD back in 2016 after a crash put me in the trauma section at Durbanville Medi-Clinic. Upon a return visit to the CT scanner I remembered why I was there after regain consciousness after the crash in that same CT scanner. My whole body went through involuntary convulsions the second time that were so bad the assistant had to ask me to keep still.

Well there goes that route. I used it every now and then to navigate through the boerewors curtain from the west coast side of town since cycling past Dunoon became a no-go.

to appease your mind. No, never. What I have discovered that even with washing gloves immediately after every ride they still develop a pong after time. I use an anti-bacterial wash now that sorts out the smelly business.

that, and your gloves . . . when you realise you are breeding e-coli on your fingers

I reckon its the washing machine killing the liner. My helmet is still new but in dire need of a new liner. Here's hoping Leatt have replacement stock.

This song just hit me in the feels. 1994 was a good one.

Leatt also have something akin to MIPS which works well. I've had a few smacks and it dissipated the force each time. One thing I would ensure is that the helmet you get has replaceable helmet liners. My current lid only came with one, and it is starting to fall apart from regular washing. It's about a year old.

I never considered it as a possible reason until DieselNDust mentioned it, and it made me think, but as I typed my response I was thinking that would be the case since 2021 which clearly hasn't been. Anyhow, I still have respect for anyone who starts the Epic and makes it all the way. I reckon as much as I believe I would ride it all, in all likelyhood I would be doing a fair bit of walking as well due to compound fatigue as Jewbacca said. From the comfort of my couch something just riled me seeing all the people walking on the ST and that reminded me of a time I was exposed to similar doing Trailseeker events. Now when it comes to trails, I ride the ones I want with my mates and barely anyone else, and that suits me fine. Kudos to anyone who loves the camaraderie in suffering a multi stage event.

this is very true. I was very surprised to see Jonkers on the final day. I was even more surprised to see that the "Toyota Technical" zone was deemed to be G-Spot, which is way less technical than Armageddon for one.

@DieselnDust I believe your covid assessment is likely culprit number one. Which brings me to the next question, should the Epic participants be monitoring their cardiac health over the next couple of months if compared to global increases in heart related health complications attributed to covid. That would be an interesting metric to monitor. @Ozzie NL Sure, I don't disagree, and I could state my position less harshly. I am just not a fan of being held up on single track. I am not a Danny Mac or Schurther even with regards to single track skills, but I can hold my own down a technical line because I spend a lot of time riding them. I am stoked for the people who enter and ride the trails, but I would not have much fun being held up (having experienced this before on events I participated in). Your comment re batches refers to being seeded in a faster batch, but does that imply an equal improvement in technical ability? Look, this year's route would entice me to "almost" enter because it looks fun, but I am no racing snake, so I would be in the latter half of the field every stage, and I would be frustrated out of my mind by day three.

@Headshot gets it.