Willehond

I find CRC a lot more expensive than the German/Dutch sites lately (maybe because of the weak Euro?). Not the bargain it once was

Hey, it's Friday, it can't get more relaxed where I am. (Cofee's great too!). Just thought I'd throw a stone into the bush and see if a yelping cat jumps out. Glad to see my aim is still true! Anyway, I read a great piece from Tim Krabbe (the guy who wrote the great "The rider") where he says that sprinters are despised in the peloton for having a natural, unearned talent that is only needed for 500 metres at the end of a ride. Luckily sprinters are usually arrogant, self-serving individuals who couldn't give a hoot what the rest of the peloton or us "internet guru's" think.

The one thing the Giro has proven this year is that shorter stages over rolling hills/short sharp climbs is what cycling needs and riders like. Give us more of that and exciting riders will rewarded rather than the wheelsucking sprinter primadonnas!

That is probably the worst idea you've ever come up with (and you've had some stinkers! ;-) The whole idea of the GC fight is that it is a war of attrition and the survivors fight it out in the last week/stages. This way the GC fight would be determined in the first two weeks and then everyone would switch off because some B-rate sprinters are duelling it out in the last week. I'm not buying it

Cipo famously never finished a Tour de France and never had any intention of doing so, but can you imagine the Tour without the victories of the famous Saeco train? No, it's part and parcel of the whole show. The organisers want to torture GC contenders with brutal routes, but want the sprinters to liven up the flat stages so they have to expect some of them to leave early. Cav is recovering so that he can peak in the Tour and that sounds logical, so good on him. Do you think it would be better for the Giro that he skips the Giro completely (if he can't finish) in order to rid ethe Tour and go for green? No, I think if you ask the Giro guys they would rather have Cav for 50% of the Giro than see him go to the Tour of California becuase that is doable in 8 days. If you want to nail Cav on anything, nail him for hanging on to a vehicle on a climb! That's just nasty cheating.

Wow, do people actually still use pins to link chains?! I'm way too impatient/unhandy for that. Been using SRAM's different links for ages and never had a problem.

How's the road doing? When Jens falls, the road has Jens-rash...

What is rugby? Cycling is the sport in Belgium and Holland where all the tough, hard kids go and rid themselves of their frustration and from the previous posts it seems tough kids in SA go and play rugby!

Another satisfied BBB user! Getit. Awesome bit of kit you'll never want to be without ever again

Send your hotshot trackie over here for a couple of crits in Belgium. He will either learn very fast how to behave and thrive amongst the real hardmen or return to Cape Town with his tail between his legs and a passion gap bigger than the Polsmoor ladyboys! Mommy and Daddy won't count for squat when the real riding starts. PS You guys are soft!

Otherway round smartie: Soft ass, hard cock! Let me go train...

Strange you should mention that. Just this weekend I had an entertaining discussion with my kids about the alternative use of Jelly Babies as gelatinous cushioning on long rides. Carcbs vs. cushioning - the versatility of Jelly Babies. I'm sure someone will write a book about it one day PS My wife did not enjoy the discussion. Especially when it turned to the merits of restoring salt balance by consuming the salty, crunchy brown babies...

I am really disappointed in my pair. After 200km's mys butt still hurts, so they don't seem to be any better than my usual shorts. I expected more!

Very true. My trip back to SA in March made me realize I turnn into an angry motorist the moment I venture on to the SA roads. I don't know what it is, but I got hooted at, flashed and passed on the left-hand side and that was just on the drive from the airport! It's almost as though you have to defend your position on the road just to drive from point A to B. It's a general attitude and I have no idea how it can be fixed. The other thing that got me was how vulnerable I felt riding on the open roads in the middle of the Karoo. Cars and trucks scream past you on your little plastic bike. Very unnerving. Good luck and keep spreading the good vibes. If everyone relaxes just a little bit it might just rub off on others. Remember; just smile and wave

Ja, ek het die afgelope winter nie geskeer nie, toe val ek op teer. Groot slab vel verloor en weke lank gesweerde hare uit die wond gekrap. Nooit weer nie, nou skeer ek heeljaar lank!

My sincere condolences. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family in this tragic time.

Oh boy, TNT just turned this into a religious thread. Now we're gonna have the holy trinity of religion, 29ers and smutty pics in one thread! It must be Friday...

Well done! Knew you would easily slaughter it with your stats, but still nice to see you doing it so easily on such a nice day.

"The company's press office at headquarters in Alba, northwestern Italy, said Ferrero, a cycling enthusiast, was riding a bike on his usual training run on a road in Capetown when he fell off. It said it wasn't clear what prompted the fall.With him on the business trip was his father, Michele Ferrero, who turned the company into an international sweets producer and invented successes including Nutella and Kinder in the 1960s and helped make the Ferreros a billionaire family that is now Italy's richest." http://www.ajc.com/business/ceo-of-sweets-maker-914621.html

Highroad is the one team that is not tied to a wheel sponsor. They have always insisted on using the best (or personal) option available when it comes to wheels therefor you will see them riding what they want. Probably the best endorsement you can get as a wheel manufacturer!

The white ones are popular because it's the model the Omegapharma-Lotto guys ride. I just loved the black look and the bike rides better than she looks! Would be a sin to put it in a case! Saying that, I have a mate who bought a stunning black Focus, but is always too scared it's going to get dirty. THAT's a crime!

Two years old, but I still love just looking at her!

Intern, as a veteran emigrator of note (I liked it so much, I did it twice!) I can possibly give you a bit of advice regarding talking about your experiences and I'll do it with the help of a cycling example: Often non-cyclists (the emptyness of their lives shock me, but that's another story...) ask me about doping in cycling and why everyone dopes and I've realised that all my arguments and well thought out examples just don't seem to through the wall of inexperience. Nothing seems to work, so I've resorted to the only thing that works: I nod, say "Doping sucks" and walk away. I advise something similar regarding emigration.... Doping sucks

What makes you think I don't ride a mountainbike? I play for both teams ;-)

OK, let me get this straight, you're saying on an alpine stage or a Paris-Roubaix you are saying Overend will beat Merckx? Based on what facts? I am really curious.