Zebra

…as per the above posters; potential sponsors need it laid out - in writing - what you can do for THEM; you may under-achieve or even over-deliver, but they NEED a value proposition to begin to PICTURE likely R.O.I. One more thing; the person in the company (marketing) may have togo UP the chain for approval - say to Director/CEO - to get funds for you - make THEIR job easy by giving them the ‘ammunition’ to assist you….

I, too think a couple couple of 3-day stage races BEFORE jumping in to an 8-day stage race works well; …my Epic partner and I did Sani2C as a ‘warm up’ for our first Epic, and then used the Sani again before the following Epic; it is a great opportunity to see what works, and more importantly, what is NOT working… Any good stage race should do, think of it as running a HALF-marathon BEFORE running a FULL-marathon, if you get the analogy! (…and where possible, avoid a hydration pack WHERE POSSIBLE; let the Donkey (bicycle) carry your fluids, not your back, and let your back breathe (for 8 days!). If there is a particular stage you need one, thats different. Good luck, and you bike is fine; invest in training and maybe a warm-up shorter stage race. And a coach sounds like a good idea, though we never used one. Wished i had, but this was ‘05, ‘06 & ‘07.

@ChrisF even better, that COULD work! Attach a teeny metal tag, with customers INITIALS scratched on it, attached to wire hanger for submersion, etc. Average customer to have 3 chains; a waxed chain ON the bike, 2nd waxed chain IN their garage, awaiting fitment, and 3rd chain ‘in for waxing’. As customer DROPS off a chain removed and now needing (re) waxing, he COLLECTS the stored, ready, waxed chain. Killing 2 mossies with een skoot! Wonder if i can FRANCHISE the idea? Else open a CHAIN of these stores? 😂

I can think that in a major centre - say CT, & JHB - there MIGHT be an opportunity for a savvy youngster to wax chains as a side-business - a BIT like taking your dry cleaning to the dry cleaners - have a chain ON the bike, and say at least one more that 'goes in' to the youngster for a wax treatment (Chain Day Spa, Pty Ltd!) - you collect it when you get a gap since you are in no rush with a waxed chain already ON the bike: then rotate as necessary, rinse & repeat! Youngster does a bit of VOLUME of chains, makes some money... Rider is saved fuss/mess, and even set-up costs, etc. Could be an affordable win-win?! Chris

@Robbie Stewart as per Robbie’s observation, yesterday i attended Polar Bear swim in Small Bay, Blouberg, nice summers day driving past Woodbridge Island, the STENCH was next-level, and for a good km or so. Made sure windows were UP on return journey, still smelt it, but a little less. I see they have a massive Generator (with guard) parked on the pavement nearby - this SEEMS pump-station issues? Cheers Chris

…agree with others; at your height, DEFINITELY look at XL, your height is outside of Large… Agree to TRY buy a 29”er, but there WERE people your size on 26”ers, and GOOD 26”ers sell for ‘pennies’; often with a decent groupset, too; you MAY find a GOOD 26”er for less money than a 29”er, but your R5k is very low - R9k to R12k gets you more bike (29”er), etc… Second hand market WAY better value than new, just CHECK drivetrain components, and fork seals (if you can?), since you do not want to buy an affordable bike and then throw good money after bad, as it were! Good luck, and. - i think - DOUBLE your budget, and you will get a few years of trouble-free riding, if you chose right! Maybe take a knowledgeable mate along so he/she can give potential bike the once over! Chris

Another magic commute HB - Paarden Eiland, with a surprise! the 'plug' (Caisson Gate, thanks, Google!) had been REMOVED from the dry dock, so no possibility to cross the Bascule Bridge across the Dry Dock District this morning... ...instead cycled further down to the Clock Tower Precinct, and went across the Swing Bridge - made for a nice change, and the seals on that landing platform were having a real rumble, about who was allowed - or not! - on the platform! Chris

HB - Paarden Eiland commute - stopped to take a picture of Nelson M. and F.W. De Klerk statues in the early morning light (apologies to the great man for using his legs as a bike rest!)... ...this slight pause meant I then arrived j-u-s-t as the draw-bridge was being raised - it takes a while - so a motor yacht of the 'rich/famous' could serenely makes it way through the canals, and into the yacht basin... The light this morning was SURREAL - the not-yet risen sun was already casting its golden glow onto a '1000 office windows’, turning them early-morning gold! A really cool experience! (the V&A is a fascinating place to ride through - early - so MUCH going on - incl 4 or 5 blacked-out minivans waiting to take some VVIP's somewhere, all - engines running & drivers standing by - outside the Cape Grace Hotel!) Chris

…also subscribed. They have an authentic/believable offering, seemingly little ‘hypeing’ from themselves, which I respect, etc. Keen to follow along here… Chris

In support of what you say, the older 2022/2023 Model Year Revolt is fitted with 38mm tyres as standard, and allows for 43mm tyres without flipping the chip, and up to 52 mm with chip flipped.

I agree with Dusty - be sure to CHECK 'Sporting Goods' allowance(s) on their website - you may well find that they do in fact accommodate a bicycle, even if both wheels removed and in a somewhat smaller box, etc? Worth DOUBLE-checking!

Sample of one, AND subject to confirmation bias, but here goes: I recently bought a Giant Revolt Gravel bike, reduced nationally from R33k to R29,995, but found new at ONE store for ‘just’ R25k; hydraulic brakes, 10 speed (way cheaper to replace cassette and chains than 12sp, but identical gearing ‘spread’ to the newer, 12-speed model…), and it seems to tick MANY of your boxes; more relaxed geometry/greater ‘stack’ than most road bikes… space for FIVE water bottles, else 3, with then front and rear luggage carrying mounts, etc. its a large, if in CT, and you wish to test-ride it, just shout. Cheers Chris

I reckon a price will help your case - maybe consider putting a price down? GLWS - beautiful-looking bike! Chris

Yes, a fair bit of paperwork, but no charge, which is rare in this day & age. Want to keep Harbour permit 'current', using it weekly, or at least monthly, etc! Cheers, Chris

Brilliant commute earlier this morning - HB - Paarden Eiland; snapped a pic whilst cutting through the V & A WaTERFRONT - 'whilst the City sleeps...' (actually, I am often amazed at how MUCH action goes on early mornings!) Chris

Sure, but it (Unbound) is arguably the biggest/most contested/most prestigious ‘Ultra’ Gravel event, watched worldwide. But your sentiments noted…!

Yes, loved your video, almost felt we were ‘along for the ride’, as it were - lekker! Am going to suggest you SERIOUSLY enter 2026 edition, and give us ANOTHER video, please! Cheers Chris

UNBOUND, Life Time Grand Prix series…Live! Live - and free to watch - for the 1st time (from the organizers, anyway!) at 5pm SA time, or 10am CDT time, arguably one of the toughest events in gravel cycling one-day event - 10,000 ft of climbing, and 200 miles… Go Laughlin, a-n-d Matt Beers! www.cyclingnews.com

…there is a ‘cheat’ to get more speed than regulated 32km/h out of an e-bike; i have never done it on my own bike, but a mate who is VERY fit has ‘wikkeled’ his g/friends Giant Liv-e so she can keep up with him, costs ZERO, and works very well. Illegal in Nanny states, just so you are aware….. Chris

Luke Moir 19th…

…no amazing pics, b-u-t INSPIRING company…. on a routine washing-delivery ride to my elderly Mom, riding up Chappies i sat behind a hand-cycle, and we chatted a while… …did not catch his name, but he was disabled from the waist down, unable to cough, nor sneeze (interesting factoid)…and he was making GOOD progress up Chappies. I asked him about close shaves, being so close to the ground, etc, and he mentioned SEVEN cars hitting him in a 12-year period; all seven cars were driven by the Fairer sex (sorry, Ladies!), but more importantly, FIVE of those seven accidents were as a result of distraction/confirmed cell-phone usage. One of the accidents broke his hip, & femur - hectic that he rides on, keeping well left and hoping for the best… Setting out myself with 5kg bag of clean washing and a heavyish seat post-mounted basket, i felt that is was a bit of a schlep; man, did i get a reality check chatting to him!!! If anyone knows the gent, please let me know his name? He turned around atop Chappies, whereas i went to Noordhoek, so never got his name. Apparently, he used to work with the late Tim Brink! INSPIRING!

…possibly my bad: i read your early comment saying “Does it really take a 6 working days (and counting) to decide?…’, and see that that may relate to a DIFFERENT decision. All good.

Whew, @zatek, unpopular opinion, but here goes: it feels like you edited MANY of your posts to give a bit more clarity, after-the-fact, well done for that…but…. …I, too, feel you cannot claim for someone else’s carbon wheels damaged the ONE day you swapped your wheels out. Would you really have phoned insurance during working hours to advise them of the temporary swap (and cover needed, for the next day)? Only you can know, but you did/could not since after 7pm at nite… you complain FREQUENTLY about ‘it taking 6 days for insurance to decide’; I do not feel that is an unacceptable amount of time, in fact i would be HAPPY - if i had a claim - for it to be settled in 6 days! …you rebut nearly EVERY constructive counter-point to your own view; i reckon the ‘odd’ ‘you may have a point’ would be more balanced. Finally, you yourself feel you may have got your ‘line’ wrong over the railway lines; for that reason alone, i reckon you could be a BIT less forceful on the ‘delay’ in payout, rather being happy they are considering your claim, and in full knowledge that - yes - you pay your premiums, so are rightly entitled to cover. Sure, fight your corner for whats right, but maybe a little bit more nuanced. Peace. Out.

…talking of keeping an eye out in the area… …meant to post this comment LAST week… Wifey driving me home from work Wed late afternoon, and again i see a good police presence, meaning 2 policemen OUT of their van, right above the Salt River/ Woodstock Bridge homeless crew, and INTENSELY monitoring the situation… …anecdotal, but i really do feel security is much improved on the Woodstock/Salt River cycle lane… …last week i commuted in, only to find my hard-to-get Harbour//Transnet pass, had expired, this was 06:30am, so i rather took my chances on the grass alongside the N1… …fond are my memories of MANY commutes (HB -P Eiland- HB), using an otherwise brilliant, smooth, well thought out traffic-free cycle lane; i hope to return to it someday. Chris

I reckon you should try NAVWORLD, if not getting assistance from Garmin directly: they are more likely to assist - at the same price/conditions as Garmin, but are customer-facing, etc. Cheers Chris