Underachiever

After this magnificent marketing effort, I'm convinced you cannot buy better (comic sans...). Aero, stiff and light!!! So I wonder, what will the marketing angle be when they launch the Tarmac SL8?

Yep, conquered means exactly that. Point is that life went from social distancing and masks to back to normal.

History in school nowadays.... When Steffan was still at school we tried to fill in some gaps. For local history we visited Spioenkop, Franschoek, Bloodriver, Castle, etc, etc, etc. Fascinating stuff... Fore international stuff visited the D-day beaches in Normandy when he was actually too young to realise the impact of WWII. The American Cemetery in Arromanches and German one is La Cambe is something touching..

I hope you're right and my prediction is wrong!!! A case of a murky crystal ball....

I like to reflect on history a bit, reflect where we are now and then venture a guess on what the future will look like.... History: 1918 Spanish flu. I did a top line read somewhere and they conquered the virus after about 2-3 years. Also went through the 2nd and 3rd waves, and they found people to have natural high levels of immunity + a vaccine. Life was back to normal circa 1921. Current: 2020 - Globally,we are < 7 months into Covid, As we all know, some are over the 1st wave (Italy, France, Germany, etc) and some are very much still in it (RSA, India, US, Brazil, Russia). Some are in their 2nd wave (Australia and perhaps Spain?). Initial indications are immunity is temporary, no vaccine yet. Truth be told, we know very little on how to conquer this one. Future: Perhaps oversimplified - if we get the vaccine/immunity combo right, we will have life as we had from 1921 - 2019. If not, who knows, but cycling will not be top of mind, survival - economic and otherwise will become the focus.

Still only half the price of a plastic Spez wih a nice paintjob. A bargain methinks!!

Agree that one set work well. I found the 32mm tyres are not a good idea in the Karoo. Too hard and you have a bucking bronco, too soft and rims gets damaged. 42 mm works pretty well (Maxxis Rambler??), but despite the lack of tread, it still creates extra drag on tar..

I have a Niner RLT. 2 sets of wheels - 1x 32mm for light gravel and tar 1x42mm for proper gravel I am sure I can squeeze in a 650b wheelset to run 2.1 wide MTB tyres.

Let me know if you can find a Carrera for R25k... Cheapest 2nd hand in a good condition is probably R45k+ But I agree with your principle!!!

Lovely pricing.... I'll sommer buy two. Can then mix & match with my outfits..

Agree!!! Do most of my off season (winter and Nov-Dec) training on the Niner. After that I am ready to fly on the road bike!!

I refuse to pay more than R400, which in itself is ridiculous.

Agree 100% with that, very practical. The contrast is that it is suggested you need R2k Oakleys and a R200 water bottle

First time bikers with Oakleys and a Camelback water bottle...and flat pedals. Seriously???? Oli wrote this??

Mind you - would love to ride Sani2C with this. Might be an upgrade from my current 10.6kg 26er HT.

I thought we're talking Lambo Urus here? The top Range Rover are getting close to race-car status.

Maybe it's envy? Not sure which one sounds more PC.

Hubbers Relax!!!! We all want to have the R200k bike, no doubt about that. In my view this is just a bit of banter to easy the pain of jealousy...

Agree It could have been an e-bike

I wish they will also have such rad paint jobs on cheapies. Why are the bikes that we can afford always the ugly duckling?

Sorry that I hit a nerve? I do agree abt people and passion and money. I would love to have a Patek or Audemars or Lange&Sohne watch, although they tells the same time as my Tissot. I am seriously envious of my neighbour when he takes the yellow 488 for a spin. Perhaps it's about balance. It looks seriously odd, if a non so serious MAMIL rocks up in the washing bay with his R200k bike, just before the sun sets.

+ how many of those end up in the bottom half of the race results.

Agree The lockdown covers are pretty meh!! Way to much!!! Perhaps just me not enjoying the choice of songs. Let's hope there is another gem in the future....

Agree. The power of marketing.... I still race my 2004 Giant TCR (custom build with heavier Campag) fairly successfully on the flatter races. If I upgrade that "non-areo" bike with a more recent (read circa 2012) Chorus gruppo and a lekker set of wheels, I will get close to my current (again 2012) racing bike (6.8kg).

Looooved that series. After 3rd Rock and the recent series of Trial and Error, I struggle to watch John L do a serious role. I think he is hilarious!!