tinmug

I wonder if it’s worth buying a Trek S/XS frame and carry over the components? (10K on Trek ZA website at the moment)

Sooo ... the magnificently talented Mrs. Lill staying on a Lefty? 🙃

MIPS is no more than a standard, ie the allowance of the helmet to rotate on impact (an over simplification …). Five-year-crash-replacement warranty is nice, but it says nothing about the effectiveness of the helmet. if it was my money I’d look at reputable brands and hunt north of mid-range. Another vote for Specialized (their helmets are not even all that expensive).

I'll admit that I didn't read much – on a spread of the Gradualist pages – but from what I gather you get yourself invited – whatever that means – then presumably send someone money, and you go play in the mountains. Entirely unsupported. No watering stations. No nothing. Zip. Nada. I obviously have this wrong.

@MarcoDeS Emily Johnston. Investing in 2028.

Epic. Go out there and make it happen. Huge respect to you. 👏

Firstly: a big fat welcome (to both the forum and, more importantly, the next exciting phase of your life). You bought some bikes. How bad can it be? Those Raleighs will get you out there and give you a huge smile while doing so. So in most ways objective met. You live near hills? You'll probably want something lighter. Want to ride technical trails? You'd want better components. Come to think of it you're probably going to want new bikes sooner or later anyway (we all do). Expensive? While, everything is imported, so there is that. Go ride motorcycles for a few years and you'd be amazed how cheap bicycles and bicycle parts (and maintenance) are! As a general rule the price of a bike is fairly representative of a) components, b) frame material and to a lesser extent perceived brand value (showy offy index). Read a little, speak to some honest shop owners (and mechanics), there are many out there and you will develop a feel for good value for money and what to look at without going over the top. Buying used – if you have an idea what you are looking at – is a great way to step up. The good news is those Raleighs wouldn't have cost all that much, so you can't lose all that much on them either. 😅👍 But first just enjoy the simple act of being out there on your current bike. Life is short, enjoy the present.

If you go back and re-read alleyne's post you will see a vital bit of info: "... but I see it's gone now.".

How do you pronounce the name? And the kit in the photos looks really fantastic. ✌️

4 is a tricky number. And presumably the two smaller bikes will grow, and as you said damage is a major risk down the line ( ... which can be limited by spending 40 minutes inserting half a dozen brightly coloured pool noodles everywhere, then stopping every 30 minuted to check them, then having to get up and 2 AM to get to the ride site by noon, back home before midnight). So there is that. My first though was go trailer with a bike rack on top. Will be pricey, as a half decent (say) Thule mount is not the cheapest thing when multiplied by four. And I specifically mention Thule as their current/recent-ish products are very user friendly and well made. A used trailer is relatively inexpensive too and a handy place for smelly/wet gear. Someone mention a (motor-)bike trailer; why not, but you'll ideally still want a bicycle mount system unless you're happy to deal with loads of straps every time. Then madmarc's suggestion of the KarooRak is brilliant. Built like the proverbial tank, no damage to bikes and easy to work with. Also nice to physically see (and count) the bikes while driving if you're the nervous type (like me 😝). Another option is a two/three-bike platform rack plus a roof-mounted system. Personally my favourite system is ...

@Action_Man Thanks for the reply. I have absolutely zero doubts about the gargantuan efforts that very special cyclist lady of yours had to invest to get here. Seriously, hats off. As for the future: obvs understand radio silence entirely, and only hope Candice gets the resources she deserves. 👏

@Action_Man 1) Huge kudos for an earth-shattering performance. Just brilliant, and produced enormous pleasure watch that meteoric rise. 2) Feel free to prove to 25-plan theories wrong with facts. 😋

Does anyone on Staylive have commentary?

The Argus. When there were only a 2-to3-thousand entries and many of us rode on plain shorts, old tekkies (and the sophisticated serious types strapped into pedals with leather straps). Helmets, if worn at all, looked like a bunch of bananas and many water bottles were metal. Speaking of metal: so were the bikes. Rain? Downhills were more fun because the brakes made a noise but did nothing to arrest inertia. And then you waited a week or two to buy a newspaper to figure out how fast your lap was. No e-bikes. Yay. 😛

Mamil's right: very little in the way of trails around Paternoster. Not a trail (just a dirt road) but you a ride in the Cape Columbine reserve. Apparently there is an MTB trail near Slippers Bay (St Helena), but I have no further knowledge of it. !Kwa Ttu trails (wildlife sightings a bonus), link up with Wolwefontein trail network. Both ends have safe parking and refreshments, and everything in between will expect you to top up your slime in your tubeless tires (third season not quite there yet, but will be soon). Also explore possibilities in Piketberg (mountain area) and lots in Tulbagh (and Ceres etc). Don't forget the wetsuit, the Irish find the West Coast too cold compared to the North Sea. 😅 One more thing ... keep an eye open for slithering sausages (it's breeding season, so there are out, single and ready to mingle).