ChrisF

Bootleggers Franschhoek is also very nice.

Toeka at Brahms - Toeka stoor & coffee shop | Domaine Brahms Wineries Banhoek Farmstall (just after the top of Hellshoogte) - Home - Banhoek Both of these are nice venues where non-cycling family can meet up with you. Play areas for kids, etc. PS - The owner of Banhoek farmstall is a keen cyclist, they take good care of us !! PPS - Banhoek farmstall is working hard at getting their license to sell beer .... a small fortune and 18 months later ....

We turned at Malmesbury at 8:01. Maybe a 10 to 15km/h head wind, certainly not a strong Cape Town wind. But enough for the race dynamics to change drastically. The groups that came past me towards Malmesbury were sitting up and hugging lone lead riders. Through Kalbaskraal a lady was the lead rider, and it seemed nobody wanted to help take the lead into the wind.

@NicholasH can you share the entry numbers ? Looking at FinishTime it seems many did not start. Also difficult to get a feel for the numbers as a rider. Certainly seemed very busy at the finish. GOOD 👍

While waiting for the prize giving and lucky draw I thought I will try out the students doing massages. @NicholasH What a nice extra !!! Obviously nice for the riders. But also a good practical experience for the students. PS - It was a short 10 to 20 minute session on 1 max 2 muscle groups. PERFECT for that niggle after the ride ....

Trip down memory lane 👍

The 95km groups were significantly faster than at Winelands, at least the mid-pack groups. Winelands I started in G. H and a select few of I caught up. With 99er I started in H, and very quickly saw the group was putting the hammer down. I spoked to an older gent, who just smiled and said he is saving his matches for later. I had to put the hammer down to make the turn to Phisantekraal before the next batch came flying past. Before turning to Malmesbury the next group was passing me ... not fun taking those turns in a big bunch (some simply not able to keep a line). Enroute to Malmesbury it was smaller numbers that kept passing me at regular intervals. Once we turned into the wind I made up some positions. But most certainly, the mid-pack roadies were not hanging around on Saturday.

Jip, those A-frames can be fun ... and they do turn into launching pads very quickly ....

The per batch filters makes for some interesting reading ....

Sorry, for which race ? 95km, 75, 45 and trilogy all had young people in the top riders .... from what I see on Finish Time. Even a photo finish for 3 and 4 in the 95km. That must have been something to see.

When I got there, there were a large group of people ... okay, they are sorted and I started rocking the bike up the hill ... I was halway passed when they asked: "Do you have a chain breaker?" Quickly got the bent section removed. No, he does not carry spares ... Neither the 10 nor 11 speed quick links were wide enough .... so I left with them asking others for a quick link ... I felt so sorry for his daughter ....

Last two years Finish Time DQed people that start early. Really should keep on doing this ... only way to sort out the entitled ....

Finish time follows the CTCT format with ebikes ... to some degree. CTCT has a separate category for ebikes, with their times not included in the main race group. For these races, ie 99er, Durbie Dash and Winelands, Finish Time includes us with the main group. This I cost some pure analogue rider the 1325th spot. The KEY difference between these races and CTCT - with CTCT the first ebikes may only start from about 30% down the field. Thus no way they can influence the race results by towing somebody. The real issue is "drivers" (I really want to use some other terms...) that enter races with bikes that have been de-restricted. My average moving speed is 0,9km/h below the speed at which the motor stops assisting. Uphills I was spinning to keep the speed as high as possible. Steeper uphills I got out the saddle and was working those pedals as hard as I could to keep the speed as high possible ..... all while the groups were pulling a gap on me !! Downhills I was giving it my all to recover my average speed. For all of this, my restricted bike and I managed 3:01:01 moving time for the 99er..... deksils ... so close, yet so far ..... Not going to influence the results with that !! Just dont let any ebikes start before 6:30 at 99er. If the marchalls, either at the start or on the bikes spot an early starting e-bike, or one doing 40+ on the straights .... onto the sweeper trailer !!! PLEASE stop the INDIVIDUALS that are trying their damdest to spoil it for the rest. As a side note - I stopped at the Philladelphia turn to help with a broken chain on a tandem ... adding about 7 minutes to my actual race time. After that the adrenaline was PUMPING, and I managed a PB for the last 15km, into that wind. (on a restricted bike )

Jokes aside, that is probably the reason I went to the right (after missing the very obvious sign.) Glanced left ... saw the avtive pub ... Looked right and avoided the pub ....

I know Finish Time is not "your thing". Do you possibly know if scanning the envelope is crital ? Should I go have it scanned tomorrow morning ?

This is AFRICA (read in the Vin Diesel tone for "This is BRAZILLL...) Here we braai tjops ....

Okay, good start. At 1,75m I know that Medium in most brands will work for you. Though you are almost on the cusp between M and Large. Starting out the more upright position and general feel of the Medium will provide confidence to you. YES, a Medium in a 26" and a Medium in a 29" is close enough for your purposes. With the 26" just a lot cheaper, or rather much better value for money, Agree on previous posts, aim for: - airshock, though at this price a decent damper shock will be good enough - 1x11 (one gear in the front and 11 at the back) offers excellent value for money !! and very reliable and cost effective parts. Even a 1x10 might serve you very well - speak to Robert about what brake options he has .... O-yes, Robert is on your side of the river .... ENJOY

Did I see you at the entrance to the venue this afternoon ? about 4:00ish ... You were talking to another gent .... I was trying to figure how to get into the venue with my bike, having cycled there after work. Managed to pull a proper blond move on myself ... With the two gents talking in the entrance I was so focussed on getting in that I ducked right ... missing the BIG sign right behind you showing to enter to the LEFT. One of the volunteers took pity on the toppie with his bike, and got my details and collected my entry envelope for me. Dankie tannie. I asked if I have to join the second line. She asked if I had the new number board.... yes, okay so you can go, no need for the second line .... guess I will find out in due cource if it was important .... in fairness to blonds, both natural and chemically induced .... more prominent signs are needed for (some) ebikers .... (not sure how much more prominent it can be )

E: E-biker doing the 95km. Bonus would be to improve my CTCT seeding. Yes, I see myself as a "weekend warrior" .... but the amish may object ....

@RobertWhitehead is the go to person for this. Your height, i.e. frame size ? Wheel preferance ? 26" offers significantly better value for money At that price it will be a hart tail.

PB in Winelands, by a good margin, still dropped one group .... Winners were "too fast", thus a bad beta dropping everybody.

Finish Time certainly upped their game over the last year. Their emails are COMPLETE. Every bit of information one can possibly need is captured in it. After Winelands I noticed a 15 minute discrepancy on my race time. Logged in later and it was sorted out, without me having to contact them.