River Rat

Hey Helpmekaar & Covie, there are some good suggestions in your posts. Unfortunately the name calling detracts from it and I believe that this is Trevor's main point in his post although your comments are rather mild compared to some of the emotion laden posts I have seen on this thread. Covie's main point is extremely important we cannot control the actions of others but we can control our own and that is where I believe that we should do everything possible to support those residents and businesses that wish to engage with cyclists. We should do this by supporting the Avianto and any other event in the Cradle, not only by participating in the event but also by engaging positively with residents and motorists regardless of provocation. Further, read Trevor's post carefully and you will note that even he wants to engage with us positively. It is just a pity that one has to sift through some of his emotions to find it.

Thanks I did not know about the road event and will make the organiser aware.

Covie, Thanks for the compliment he was only 12 months at the time of the photo and is now a 55kg lovable brute. As for the race I'm with you on the fun aspect and it is really great to see that Avianto are trying to facillitate MTbiking in the Cradle area and it would be sad if their efforts are thwarted by a low turn out. Hence, I'm hoping that other MTbikers will also get behind this to support the race and not ignore it because it is a new and unkown event. Anyone else prepared to get behind this?

Exactly my thinking! Does this mean you're going to do the race and contribute to the development of another trail?

I would like to add to the rather positive and proactive element of this debate and suggest that we look at the opportunity being presented by the Avianto race on the 16th May ( see my post under the Events Forum). Granted it is an MTB event and may not be of benefit to the roadies but, it is clear that some of the businesses in the Cradle are trying to promote cycling in the area and we should do everything possible to support them. I would like to promote that we approach this race as an opportunity to develop this race (which is new on the calendar) as well as positive relationships with the landowners in the Cradle. So please let's support the race and give feedback to Tim Garner the race organiser. (For the cynics let me declare upfront - I am not involved with Avianto or the race organisation, I do not live in the Cradle, but I have a good knowledge of the structure of the World Heritage Site because of my involvement in the development of the intrepretation centres at Maropeng & Sterkfontein Caves)

I agree, it looked like a great family day and the kids were having a bike fest! But I do want to appeal to those the use the tracks to stick to the directional signage and to those that do to educate the others that use it to do the same. I had a lovely mom and daughter cruising down a single track in the opposite direction to the signage and ourselves. Fortunately we were going up and slowly at that and a collision was avoided. If the situation was reversed we would have had a serious problem. For the short time that I have been riding it has become clear to me that falls are part of the sport but lets try to minimise the avoidable ones. There I feel better now!

Hey Swissvan, you have just taught a man how to fish!!! I love the link for a whole lot of other items! Many Thanks!

How does one go about adjusting the height of a handlebar with a threadless stem? Or can this only be done by a bike mechanic and if so who do recommend in Pretoria? PS I am familiar with the quill stem adjustment.

Urgggg.....Thats like having sex in a canoe.......... F**king close to water Don't knock having sex in a canoe - you get the man in the boat plus the motion in the ocean. Oh yes the lighter you are the longer you float so don't knock castle light!

All I can say is beware of the downhill tornado! But you'll be safe on the uphills.

And all I wanted is some directions!

So I guess a few comments (provided that the grammar is correct) at my fellow riders would not be out of place!

I am noobie to MTBiking so please take my comments with this in mind. On a training ride yesterday morning at Fountains I tackled the route sticking as best as I could to the directions of of the arrows on the sign posts. Those of you that have riden the track will know that a some stage the route narrows significantly and some sections has vegetation that is as high as an elephants eye. It was on this section that I was confronted with a group cycling in the opposite direction. Fortunately there was no collisions in fact not even a near miss at that. But it struck me that there could have been an accident. Is there any protocol in terms of sticking to the directions as suggested by the arrows on the sign posts or is a free for all acceptable?