Zebra

Met a group last weekend who had cycled from the top of Black Hill (Glencairn Expressway) through to Simonstown, down past the Lewis Gay dam, ending up on the Old Mule Track…. 2 questions: 1. I have heard I should not ride this alone, due to possibly sketchy characters - any thoughts on this? 2. I can see it it could be easy to go left (dead end?) early on, when right. - a big loop - seems to be the correct way; any pointers before I tackle it? I have a vague memory of doing some of this back in the early 2000’s, but VERY vague! thanks! Chris

No, not new, been listening to the same complaints for years, thus my post… Obviously, I am not here to ‘get people on my side’; as you state, but rather, to share my view, just as you have done. Anyone can renew when they possibly making a trip near the Southern Suburbs area of CT, but even a special trip is worth the riding opportunity,YMMV. I sleep well at nite, knowing I am not sanctimonious, but rather jut saying…….let’s do the right thing, and pay our dues. I accept that for some (many), the process is unwieldy! See you on the trail! Chris

Noted; thanks for informing me (us); was unaware, and I read through the statements. Appreciate you taking time to post. Cheers, Chris

I am a ‘payer’. Regularly. Not sanctimonious, but feel it is the right thing to do. guys photoshopping dates? Then likely bitching about corrupt govt officials! Much ‘ink’ spilt on these pages of how hard it is; how their systems are outdated, how this or that rider would do it differently… I have a contrarian view; toughen the f@ck up, spend 20 minutes ONCE per year to get the permit, pay R1.04 per day (R380 per annum), ride some truly amazing trails, and SIMULTANEOUSLY write/lobby the authorities - well- TRY and lobby - for some of our fees to be re-invested in developing/maintains our trails… There may be well a few on here who will ‘drop’ R5k -without hesitation - on incremental gains by buying an accessory, or replacing a part, but boy, do they WHINE about the fee… Pay the once-off annual fee / ride the trails for 12 months / enjoy / the end. Chris

Can you prove this? Not doubting you, just keen to know your source(s)? Cheers Chris

Interesting concept - I too think in this market (and SA is a small market, by global standards) you might battle, b-u-t I do like your idea of a bike that can be CONFIGURED to the bike you want/need: drop bar or flat bar, SS or geared - that there alone broadens a market... Now, if you can think of a bike-related project you can EXPORT in the current climate, to the global market - an accessory, etc, THEN I think you have a much better fighting chance...

This. Assos bibs (do seem to) last forever.

A very wet and stormy ride,Hout Bay, to OuWa Pad, Tokai forest, and back to Hout Bay. More standing water in Tokai forest (upper reaches) thanI have seen in many a year, and many trees/branches down. A brilliant ride. pics show a BRIEF ‘gap in the clouds’! Met ‘Droo’ and 5 of his fellow riders at Chardonay Deli in Constantia on my way back - sounds like he and his mates had a blast, and had done some hard yards on the way there. Was amazed at the cluster sizes on all 6 bikes, obviously I am 2x, and my modest cluster thus reflects that, but their gearing was truly impressive…! Look, I was cheating, being ‘Lectric’, and all, but I tried to keep in lower settings, for a real workout!

I got sponsorship for a couple of Cape Epics, well, myself and my ride partner; we chose a THEN (2006 & 2007) hip & happening product (yes, CROCS were a ‘thing’!) and then wrote to CROCS owners, met with CROCS owners, and got a not-insignificant sponsorship from them, 2 years running! What helped ‘sell the sizzle ‘ (Steakhouse analogy!) was that we wore CROCS before and after EVERY stage, had some give-aways, did an interview of two on how -genuinely - CROCS really were the most comfortable thing after feet stuck in riding shoes for +8 hours, AND supremely practical for showering, bike-wash park wear, muddy campsites, the list goes on! So we gave the sponsors a logical REASON to sponsor us, and gave them the coverage that helped sell more CROCS…. WE only placed top 105 & 106, 2 years running, (so not top 40!), but created enough hype (and laughter), to give our sponsors RETURN ON INVESTMENT. (ROI). Over to you… Chris

love2fly: context? Not uderrstanding your post, thanks Zebra

Hermanus Lagoon, early morning Friday….

I too, agree with much of what HAIRY writes, but MTBRIDER 1234, you make some good points, too… 1. I too would NOT go for a 2-smoker, lots of reasons, my 5c. 2. that change you talk about; wheels, indicators, etc, is quite onerous; fun first few times, then QUICKLY loses it’s appeal… 3.1 E-bike with a spare or 2 spare batteries would be VERY versatile; that said I get a HARD 90km out of my (single) battery, and battery-efficiencies are only improving (put a point, obviously - the law of diminishing returns). 4. I am often surprised at just how MANY unorthodox route changes I can make on an eBike, versus say my motor-bike(s)… 5. Pollution; many articles on the web on why battery is less environmentally damaging than petrol; suffice to say, pollution from ONE power plant is easier to manage than say pollution from 10,000 cars, and then solar charging is becoming a BIG consideration, too. 6. there are even clever chaps out there doing math to see how an electric vehicle (car) can be a MOBILE BATTERY returning power to a home at night, coupled with so.at during the day - fraught with complications, but fascinating stuff! Reading and learning along with you, MTBRIDER! Chris

ah yes, I remember now, thanks! Chris

1. Yes, WELL worth the purchase. Way better than sweating in a gym (IMO), using ‘car time’ to get fit AND have fun, but not on a Fixie! At least not YOUR route! 2. For me it was VERY worth it to convert my existing bike: a) it had sentimental value (2 or 3 Epics, + Sani2C, etc…) b) 26’er’s became a ‘hard-to-sell’ item, yet commute brilliantly… c) my bike was an Alu S-Works, or rather, it had great Groupo / running gear, that I would have got Pennies for… d) Chilled Squirreldid an AFFORDABLE conversion… …and e) when I ride it hard (when I am not not commuting), I get a serious workout! 3. Unsure, but the Hub will know…! Best money you could spend! One final thought; I-F your bike could take a flip/flop hub, then you could have an EASY gear for the 90% uphill commute TO work, then swap wheel around 180-degrees, and use HARDER gear home? Chain length difference accommodated by long drop-outs? Dunno! Never had a Fixie!

Interested to know who you are ‘with’, Ouzo, supplying bikes and boxes…? Cheers, Chris (Flying Brick…)

I was unsure what constituted a Gran Fondo, so I Googled it: The Italian Cycling Federation defines Gran Fondo as • at least 120km long (75 miles) • chip timed from start to finish So, genuinely curious, does anything over100km constitute a Gran Fondo, in S.A.? Cheers Chris

Man, I was really wanting Thibaut to win that stage, rather than the other 2, even though they were supreme climbers; I just felt I was watching less ‘Vanilla’ racing, and more seat-of-the-pants stuff! Made me think back to 80s cycling: Kelly, Armstrong, Ulrich, and even the Badger and Lemond! Very impressed with Thibaut, going to watch more closely going forward!

Curious to better understand WHY one, and not the other, Ben? Thanks, Chris (Bafang-equipped, keen to know more of other systems…)

Audi Claremont Club 100 Time Trial, back in 2007… I was involved in the organisation, so never go to ride it, (real pity), but the route was a cool route: 40km, starting inside the controlled environs of Soetwater (Kommetjie) for a km or 2, out of the gate, right turn on to the coastal road, right turn at bottom of Red Hill , staying on coast road, around Cape Point Nature Reserve Circle, and a hammer-fest back to Soetwater. We got 114-odd entrants, for the first- and only - AUDI Time Trial, and I was proud of my slogan contribution on the posters; You KNOW your Argus time… Do you know your Audi time…! (meaning; how many riders know their actual 40km TT time!) Would like to have participated, alas I was organising, I think we should plan another one, MINIMAL Traffic Police involvement, since just a SINGLE road crossing on the way out, and a SINGLE road crossing at turnaround point… Chris

I buy them from Olympic Cycles, since there is a SA importer who supplies cycle shops, but whilst many cycle shops stock saddles and their grips, etc, sometimes these inner ends need to be requested to be ordered in, etc. Cheers Chris

I have some experience with SQLabs INNER bar ends on a MTB, for a better aero position on the longer road/dirt section,nand they work EXTREMELY well for their intended purposes, and I can reach brake/operate gearing without moving my hands. I come from a time-trial / tri background decades back, and these little grips come close, unbelievably, to a sweet body position, have just ordered a 2 nd set, for another bike. edit: as I said on here earlier, the inner bar-ends feel quite close to the hands-on -the-hoods position experienced on drop bar bikes, and THAT is a comfortable - and Aero- position -on say a hard tail bike, etc. https://bermstyle.com/review-sq-lab-innerbarends-411/ Chris

No pics - yet - but finished my3rd Eroica, for me one of the nicest cycling weekends on the cycling calendar - anyone even vaguely THINKING about it, it is a very special ride, on vintage steel, around 60km (Eroica CLASSIC), and then obviously 160km concurrent Gravelbike ride, and 160km’Hero’ vintage steel bike ride, which is pretty next level… So, if thinking of it, DOit next year! Chris

..the 35km route, with 650km elevation, yes, you read right, seems kinda tuff…? 35km …650km elevation This route is for cyclist who are fit enough….

This. Exactly. 2005, 2006, 2007; never owned an Amabubesi item…just ride/live/enjoy…., the rest is just ‘puffery’ - see what I did there?! 😆 Puffer-ry 🤣

Incredible, just incredible. If I had a hammer…