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Its obviously an emotional subject when a cyclist gets injured or killed, but the reality of it is that people are killed every day in tragic circumstances all over the world in cars, boats,trains,trucks, taxis, airplanes,the weather,balloons,microlights,mountaineering,ice skating,snow boarding,skate boarding, shark attack................you know what I mean.!! I am NOT saying its right or fair or we should just dismiss it, what I am saying is that "sometimes bad things happen to good people" and we need to be prepared for this spiritually and mentally. We could all stop cycling on the road and take up darts, but would it change things?..................... not really, I dont want to die anymore than the guy who never gos on the road on a bicycle, but nothing will stop people drinking and driving, its a failure of society and even the harshest measures will not change this. I shall keep them and their families in my prayers - its all I can do.

[ not sure if resting heart rate is an indication of fitness ... or the only indication, or any indication at all? maybe there's someone out there who can explain the science behind heart rates? Resting heart rate (or any heart rate (pulse) ) for that matter means relitively little. It is not always an indicator of fitness and in some cases an extreemly low rate can be an indicator of a medical problem. Many folk appear to think that the lower your resting heart rate the fitter or healthier you are - this is not always true there are many factors involved like, medications, genetics, age, gender, heart size, heart defects (which are normal) etc - although it MAY, in some cases have a bearing on fitness levels in certain athletes. The only way to realistically test heart fitness and physical health is via a heart stress test (ie) you have all seen it , hooked up to a machine running on a treadmill. This will give you an exact reflection of heart health and fitness . Also bear in mind that it is impossible to do one check and state "this is my heart rate" to get an accurate figure one would need to conduct at least 3 but preferably 5 consecutive measurements and take the average. Blood pressure is far more important than pulse rate (heart rate) as far as health gos anyway.

Thats big,big,big mileage on a chain, I assume its also the 10 speed?? - which makes it more amazing. I get roughly 3000 kms on my 10 speed Dura Ace max and its kaput.!! I am not very technical at all but I bought one of those little chain measuring goodies (Park tools is the best and most accurate) and every now and then I just check the wear for myself, in my experience, most bike shops I know, just look at it, step back, stroke their chins,step forward pull it up and down and shoot from the hip.!! - at least these little tools are sort of a reasonable guide. Although I must confess, I dont take very good care of my chain at all, and it may get cleaned once a month at best, but even so, - 9000kms - WoW.!!

it difficult to fund his by now massive and no doubt growing solicitor accounts, and a few well meaning fellas have stepped in to help raise funds for his cause. .........Nothing new in this...............Hamilton was a pioneer of this kind of fund raising, but what interests me is who will support it? Hamilton ran out of funds long before the case was finalised and it looks rather poor for old Floyd as well. Lets look carefullt at it, no sponsor is going to start digging in their pocket for their cheque book just yet, his team is defunct and nonexistant - no backing there (hamilton had a bit more support from his team for a long while - remember the pins "WE BELIEVE TYLER"!!) - I cant see too many other pros funding his cause either (probably thinking - good thing he is gone, gives me a better chance!) so it will be left up to the man in the street and a few family friends - and in general will YOU be digging in your pocket to help - I doubt it - I wont anyway - so things look a bit bleak financially I would say.! Maybe he can apply for "Legal Aid"

I dont think anybody said it was the Cyclists fault, I certainly believe the taxi driver was negligent, but we were discussing more the fact that S.Africans in general are not a law abiding society - we were saying that in the usa, europe etc, its illegal to ride a bicycle on a freeway, (as here), - and if you get run down you have no rights, you negated your rights by your acting illegally. Where as here nobody cares until there is a fatality, then everyone points fingers. We need to become law abiding citizens and stick to the rules, that applies to motorists, cyclists,pedestrians etc - its not good enough to just say, "well he dos this and they do that so I will too" - two wrongs dont make a right. This is the wrong posting topic but I know what you are saying.

I see its actually decreasing now?? I would imagine few of those deaths are "carbon junkies" like us, but mostly folk just going about their day to day life on their "dik wiels."??

Is it basically a sports clothing store, shoes, etc like say Total Sports or are they in competition to say Sportsmans Warehouse where they will be selling basic product as well.?? I didnt even know about them until I read this thread.!!

I hear what you are saying steve, and maybe I am just cynical and jaded but I am not sure where that will get you.!! The CSA has no legal representation or standing to influence the authorities, they can possibly make an unofficial plea or representation to the local authorities but we all know where that will be filed. ...............remember the big hoo haa Dave made some years back about the great "cycle safe campaign" - this was going to be the great cyclist hope and saviour, they all toasted this wonderfull step forward on the SC show, mumbled on about the plans and steps they would be taking to improve our safety and security on the road, and apart from a few stickers, that my friend, was the last we heard of it..................!!

I am not gonna quote the traffic regulations windbreaker................but....................!! I am not in the mood to argue today, we need to live together, thats all I am going to say.

I dont understand your attitude spidy, you seem to feel its quite okay to be rude, indifferant, arrogant, offensive, macho or plain dumb..............as long as you are a cyclist that is.! ..............nothing will change until attitudes change and as in any walk of life its the minority who need to toe the line, as cyclists we remain the minority by a massive margin, so its up to US to change not the motoring public.

Its an interesting comment you make and I agree, but in general the authorities have no interest in cyclists, we bring in no revenue (licensing fees to muncipalities), we have no financial risk (fines for unroadworthy bikes etc!!) and generally we operate outside of accepted road norms, so there is no urgency to look after us as far as they are concerned. Making a sweeping statement like saying the majority of motorists are ignorant Cervelo is quite ridiculous (even if you believe it to be true) - we need to get over this mentality of "us and them" we all use the road and we all need to get along together, by and large we are in the minority and need to get our house in order first, before we start pointing fingers and making sweeping, inflamatory and largely incorrect statements.

I dont know any more - crime I can understand and accept, but the level of violent crime is really quite unacceptable. I often ride around that particular area as the club uses it all the time but I would not ride there alone.

Yup, I agree. I think its not the "PRO -TOUR" as such which has got under the organisers nose but the manner in which the UCI have bull headedly driven it without regard for the interests and concerns of the organisers of the major tours. Its not surprizing though, bureaucratic operations like the UCI, who are, oddly enough, in part funded by the very organisers, races and events they seek to dictate and control, have generally, lost contact with reality and see themselves as all powerfull and untouchable - an image they are learning the hard way, is simply not true. I think the Pro-tour is finished in all but name.!

Yes, in a society that respects the law this is quite common. It reminds me of when I was on a trip in the USA, one day I was caught driving at 15 mph in the "PARKING LOT OF A BIG MALL" where the speed limit was 10 mph - (and yes the police enforce the mall speed limit by speed trapping devices in these areas) - obviously not wanting to pay a fine I told him I was a tourist and pleaded ignorance. The policeman said very politely - Please get out of the car and follow me. So I did. He then proceeded to walk me up and down, round and round the parking lot, telling me how dangerous my driving was, asking did I see this stop sign, did I see this speed limit sign ,did I see this caution sign etc - I said yes, yes ,sorry, sorry.!! Anyway to cut a long story short, I recieved a 90 minute lecture on road rules and driving etiquette, and then he let me off with a stern warning. Thats community policing in a law abiding society.!!

Hmmm, I dont think anybody willfully rides down a cyclist, usually its either a plain accident or a misjudgement due to some or other reason. We can all jump on the high horse here and say "why not this or why not that" but the facts are there and speak for themselves - we dont have cycle paths, we have very few safe cycling signs, the roads are congested, we have irritated motorists who are usually in a hurry, generally the cyclists are not visible etc,etc - so lets campaign for a better cycling enviroment by all means, but until we get it, its quite pointless lamenting accidents due to conditions which are out of our control. Rather, try and control the situation as best YOU can, wear bright reflective clothing, use a bright light (flashing or otherwise) FRONT and BACK, ride single file, use your natural inborn radar to avoid dangerous situations, try as far as possible to avoid congested roads, etc,etc - you ALL know what to do, its just a case of doing so. Any premature death is a sad affair be it a cyclist, runner or lawn bowler but until SA road authorities and road user attitudes change on a national level, I really dont see anything changing - so whats left - WE HAVE TO CHANGE.!

There will always be accidents, its not just cyclists either, I see a young boy fell off a moving boat over the weekend, cut his head open on the propellor and drowned, a boat overturned somewhere off east london and they are searching for the occupants, we have to accept this in life. I feel very sorry for the family and we can only wonder at the distress and pain they are going through, but we need to see it for what it is - an accident - and to lay the blame on a newspaper article and author is really inappropriate.

A quite evening at my vacation home in Hermanus. My new years resolution - stop taking cycling so seriously and spend more time with my wife doing things we both enjoy - actually I have already started by NOT licensing this up coming year 2007 - (the first time in 8 years) - and by booking a five night hiking trail in Mid January in the Drakensberg, am already looking forward to it.!!

Unibet was a foregone conclusion for a PT licence. To be honest as much as S.Africans would like to see Barloworld in the PT, the organisation looks at teams and ability with a hard and carefull eye, and Barloworld is not there yet, so at this point I think it was much of a pipe dream. I have no doubt they will get there, but I think its still a couple of years down the road. Astana, I am sure will be granted a PT license, with riders of the calibre they have signed almost all the events (certainly all the grand tours) would want them to participate - probably just a matter of time until the legalities can be sorted out.

As I have been "out there in the real world on my own" now for about 30 years, (since I left school at 18) I feel well qualified to reply.! People like you seem to be living in your own little world Dick, perhaps you think the earth is also flat, because it suits you?? Well, heres a newsflash mate, you dont live here alone, you have a social responsibility in this community called SA to try and make a differance - however that may be. The rest of your comments dont even warrant the respect of a reply.

Hmm, sounds like a lot of hype and word padding to me. How many disadvantaged kids rode any distance with the team, (I am not talking about pushing them up and down the street)- how many actually had the opportunity to speak to them face to face - (theres a world of differance in seeing the cyclists in an area for publicity reasons) and actually getting down and dirty with them, did they spend as much time with them as they did with the paying cyclists.? I accept they are not here for a charity event and have other things to do with their day, but I detest promotion for celebrity sake (ala Brad and Angelina style) - and I detest capitalistic promotion in the name of upliftment - most good work is done without too many folk knowing about it or needing to broadcast it in newspapers.

Okay, thats fair enough, but I am talking about folk who are not cyclists of any calibre. The Liberty develpoment team are already on the road to some success, I see no reason for them to ride with CSC. I am talking about getting new blood involved, scout the schools before hand, check the clubs and identify exciting new talent and give them an opportunity - thats all I am saying - give those less fortunate an opportunity.

Hmm, lets think about it, most folk who own an elite bicycle like Cervelo, could probably pay to go ride if they really wanted to, so by pitching the opportunity, at lets say, relatively wealthy (and I am willing to bet the majority there, were lilly-white) cyclists, they effectively EXCLUDE the very folk everybody is trying to get on board and into cycling. Now,by all means have this opportunity pitched at cyclists who want to pay and give them a slightly "upperclass deal" perhaps a dinner with the team or something like that, but, why is it exclusively a paying affair?? If everybody was REALLY and HONESTLY interested in uplifting dis-advantaged kids and getting them into cycling (as is so often expressed) - what better opportunity would there be to peak their interest than by allowing a selected number to ride with a pro team, gratis and for free.!! But, I fear as in most things South African, we are great at paying lip service to these issues, but in effect we continue to chase those with the deep pockets, who usually like the "exclusive club" they are in and are not keen on having to share their day with others who may not be so fortunate. Personally, I have no interest or even the slightest inclination to go ride with any team, I doubt I have anything in common with them, I couldnt be bothered making small talk to pass the time,and I have no particular interest in any procyclists life, but thats me, and I make no bones about it, but I cant help feeling an excellant opportunity was lost here to improve cyclings image. ** SIGH** OH WELL**