MDJ

Yes, I've tried both the cheapest Capestorm stuff and the high-end First Ascent gear. In my opinion/experience, the Capestorm stuff is terrible (padding, comfort, durability i.e stitching, wear all suck) - I would/did not buy them again. The high-end First Ascent stuff is great though. I found them comparable to my Ciovita bib, using them on rides of up to 5 hours over 9 months and they've held up well too. I've never used Assos or done rides more than 5 hours at a stretch. I must add however that the high-end First Ascent stuff is not exactly cheap (bibs R1,500+) - its the same price as Ciovita. The First Ascent clothes are however cheaper than "professional" stuff my LBS sells and its convenient - sportsman's warehouse is 5 minutes from my house .

Mostly road, some MTB in-between Distance: 4,882.3 km Time: 181h 22m Elev Gain: 39,606 m Rides: 96 Best Ride: West coast express, my first flat and fast ride averaging over 35kph . Worst Ride: One-toner, day after long trip away, derailleur issues - sticking in high gears, all I remember was pain and suffering.

Just wait until you try a real road bike ...

Sorry man - that really sucks! I had the same thing happen . I arrived at 5am for winter event to discover the tyre was flat - replaced the tube in the dark only for the sunrise to reveal the melted rim. It was a miserable drive back home. Luckily Cyclesure covered the replacement and rebuild - even after I filled out a claim explaining the melting from exhaust heat. In my case it was a diesel car - I take the wheels off now and put them inside.

Yes, I checked mine last night and not only is it upside down, the printing is on the wrong side of the sheet! So they printed the details on the disposable backing v.s the sticker. I had to peel off the backing and use glue to stick the "disposable backing" to the board etc, then throw away the "sticker"! I'd recommend that everyone checks their number - else you might only discover this on the morning and not have any glue handy!

You could try the Shimano XC7s - they are around 40% cheaper than the XC9. I've had a set of XC7s for about a year and use them for both road and occasional MTB trails. You can still hear some clicking on tiles, but on carpet I've worn them a full day at the office and hardly noticed the difference vs. normal shoes. The top is made of a composite material that is breathable, but is also easy to wipe off mud and dust . https://www.evobikes.co.za/apparel/mtb-shoes/shimano-sh-xc7-mtb-racing-shoe.html

Official Gatorskin manufacturer recommended 25c pressure is 95psi = just under 7 bar. http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/road-and-track/clinchers/gatorskin The maximum is 8.3bar, but it does make for a bumpier ride - like I said there will be various opinions .

> What does the 25C / 23C mean? Is that the tyre volume? Google is your friend: https://bicycles.stackexchange.com/questions/16190/what-does-the-c-in-bicycle-tire-size-mean Its basically the width of the tyre, practically you can say that C = mm. So in general 25c = 25mm tyre width. Depending on the brand they might actually inflate to be a bit wider. Some of the older/aero bikes have less space so can only take 23c tyres. Since you already have 25mm, stick to them - probably the most common at the moment. > Also. In case of a puncture, how do you get the pressure back to 7 bar after fixing the puncture? I doubt a CO2 bomb will get the pressure that high. Is it better to carry a hand pump? CO2 bomb will work just fine, remember that the volume of air is A LOT less in a road tyre vs MTB.

Welcome to the dark side! See replies inline below, you'll probably get a lot of varying opinions .

Same experience from my side, I guess there is some "luck" involved - but in my case Gatorskins were better than tubeless road tyres. I tried Schwable one pro x2 and Giant Gavia x2 costing double the price - both types developed irreparable holes (around one per month from glass while commuting). Gatorskins are a bit heavier and not as grippy in the wet/cornering - but I use them for daily commuting, training and fun rides, close to 5000 km's on the current set. One small puncture from a thorn when doing some gravel riding over a 10 month period.

> My question is, do any of you regularly race on a road bike with discs Yes, I've been riding a disc roadbike since December 2016. Also moved over from MTB, sold on hydraulic discs . > Have any of you ever been prevented from doing a race? No, never been questioned or had any issues. I've done about 10 PPA/Funrides including 99er, West Coast Express, with my road disc bike - https://www.giant-bicycles.com/za/bikes/on-road/endurance. I normally ride in the "fun" seeded letters highest group was D batch - here MTBs are welcome.

Yeah I've tried it, limited success and I could "feel" the bump at higher speeds - unsettling when cornering at 70kph+

Ditto, had exactly the same experience with the Schwable Pro-One - amazing to ride but punctures way too often for everyday use and it gets very messy to put in a tube with sealant going everywhere and the tighter fit. In addition at around 1k to replace a tyre it gets expensive. Switched back to tubes with gatorskins - lower cost and almost never get punctures.

Cold, but awesome ride - results up on Racetec!