Robrider

Why do you want to change? I prefer shimano, but changing for the sake of changing, I don't think is a good idea.

I'd love to see you take a merc to a merc dealer and say, "I ordered these parts from overseas, will you please fit them?" Edit to add: I do agree with your point though.

Hey, Its a good idea. It seems like a similar concept as the night racing at delta park every Wednesday night, held by RH. Its great fun when I've been, and there are always a fair amount of people. Where is the venue?

couple years = not a manufacturing fault. R200 = not worth the effort.

In case anyone doesn't know about this, I found the advice here very useful: http://www.swimsmooth.com/

Standard Bank have an app too.

Nah Race = racing snakes Trail and adventure = everyone else who thanks their lucky stars they finally got an entry (I.e. no difference)

+1, literally yesterday afternoon. The nicest and most helpful they have been in 25 years of banking.

Can't help with camping spots, but a word of warning... It can get mighty cold in the midlands.

The assumptions are quite high, but the point is that it is an expensive race, and there's no question about that (just see the 1000's of hub topics about it). Add travelling and pre- post- event accommodation for the non Cape people, and it really does add up. I recon there is a big market for this sort of training plan. I much prefer the DIY approach and enjoy reading up on training. But that's not for everyone. To the OP, it might help if you were a bit more clear about what exactly you are offering, it sounds like you are deliberately being vague.

I hear the exchange rate is down at the moment

I hate the way that every single year, everyone bitches and moans about how boring the tour is. Maybe you should watch WWE or desperate house wives.

How do you define tough? Distance, technicality, climbing or a mix of all? I don't find Barberton particularly tough technically, the climb is long, but smooth, so not that tough, but the length of the ultra would make it a tough ride. But by that measure you would have to include other long races like traansbaviaans which are long but not technical. Again, the Monster is a killer race, but I wouldn't go as far as calling it the toughest trail. I would lend more weight to "technical"+"super steep climbing" rides, and would go with Thaba or mankele

My predictions: There will be no major shake up in the overall standings. The favourites will all mark each other, but none will attack till the last climb. Not much time to be gained, and its still early days. So I think if someone has a bad day, they can lose it, but they won't win it today. One of the more aggressive/opportunistic riders will try attack on the early climbs, eg Gilbert. Sparticus will follow all the attacks at the end, to hold on to the yellow (hope he does), but won't get the stage. If the front guys are all together at the end it could be anyone, like Evans did last year. An early break with some climbers could stay away today, especially if they aren't a threat to GC.

Fair enough. But I'm just trying to understand. If you improve, you will push a higher Watt at the same Heart rate, all other things equal. So how does it know your watts have gone up over time, if your HR is the same? There must be some other metric it uses.

Sho, I won't lie if I said I was a bit sceptical. HR is a measure of input and Power a measure of output. That relationship determines how fit you are, no? Also, please explain this senario... Robbie Hunter and I are sitting doing steady state at the same HR. Obviously he would be working harder that me. How does it know the watts? Surely there must be some kind of calibration

silver duct tape?

Where?

A boer maak a plan... Cable ties, old inner tube, pvc pipe...

Majority of events are day time events. There are only a few that are night events. If it doesn't suit you, don't enter them. There are plenty others. Have you actually tried it? It will blow your mind

I used the specalized rib cage, until it broke. I was going to replace it but couldn't find it in sock. got a Xzakt instead and its been great. The clamp, I tried topeak, and they were terrible, broke during the first downhill. Then I got this cheap plastic thing at linden cycles and it works like a bomb. I refuse to use ones that clamp to seat rails, as they are carbon and I'm a bit over protective.

Take some drugs and ride our bikes...?

LOL. Bet if she was, someone would have stopped...

Spinning bikes have a big heavy wheel that acts like a fly wheel. when you get to the bottom of the pedal stroke, the momentum pushes the body upwards when standing. Its actually easier to stand on the spinning bike than it is to sit. On a bike, when you hit the bottom of the pedal stroke, you stay there until your top leg gets working. That is one of my biggest irritations with spinning classes

Agreed.