#Pete#

Does it come with plastic pivot bearings when the current ones fail?

Looks like recently - they're in his'comeback' photo series. Similar looking training photos and recent video on livestrong.com. When he made his cancer comeback everyone was writing about how didn't regain the upper body weight he lost during his illness and could now compete in the mounatins. He was strong as a triathlete - looks like he's put his natural muscle mass on again. Unless there's some trick photography I think he's carrying more muscle than I've seen in any TdF victory...mmmm?

From Cycling weekly's interview with him yesterday: I saw some recent pictures of you cycling, Your upper body looks much bigger than when you were winning the Tour. I'm 170 pounds, which is very light for me at this time of year. And there's not a lot of fat. I usually start the season at 180, I'm 170 now. At the Tour, I'm 164. Still looks like a lot of muscle to lug up the hill to me? #Pete#2008-12-04 10:04:59

But does it get you to the top of the climb 1st? http://www.professionalcycling.info/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/rasmussen.jpg

Yup, Rhodes Mem road towards Devil's Peak last week. We sat and stared at each other for a while before I remembered my phone had a camera. Seen this one twice at this spot - it's > a metre long and IMO 'owns' this section of road, sir. Seen a slightly smaller one at the neck in Tokai too. Snakes scare me.

Quack.

Pretty - does it come with matching grips? (preferably on a 'funny' handlebar)

Great idea! Did the students enjoy it as much as you did?

You can't easily go much 'larger' than 34T for your cassette. So if you're comforatable riding with a 22 x 26 as your easiest gear, that equals a gear ratio of 29 x 34. Hope you won't miss the 28, 32. Me - I'm not nearly strong enough and prefer not to push.

If I spend R12000 will it make me go train? ;-) (Actually, if I throwing money at it will help motivation maybe I need a new bike.....)

Is this near Hartebeespoort Hekpoort Skeerpoort area? (Inlaws live there; next time I fly with my bike). Wheres the start of the trail?

Mmm, clearly need to plan a trip out to PMB at some stage (maybe for work or something....)

Mmm, keeping these deliberately vague, guys? :-)

Following on form the Red Route Thread - what's the best stretch of singletrack in SA? I think to qualify is should: Be rideable on any bike (sorry to the downhillers). Be at least > 1km long. Be open to public at least some time. For me the whole descent into the Umkomaas Valley on the Sani2c is hard to beat, even though it's not my local. #Pete#2008-09-29 09:49:51

IMO the red route is certainly beautiful and a nice family outing for a fit family. The scenery scores a 9/10, and I love doing it. But the route itself I'd only score a 5 or so. There is just almost nil technical at all except the little steps to the river. Most of the singletrack is fairly straight and wide. Spend some money on it and build a few sections giving it some curves and flow, and adding some rooty (it is forest after all) narrow descents to keep it natural and it will be a winner though.

ITB. Rest, ice, stretch, check position, shoes, cleats etc + then start again. Usually occurs as one increases training load. If not has a lot to do with position. SSISA should be able to sort you out better than most. Unfortunately you made need your fit reviewed. The generic Cyclelab fit may not suit you.

1. Honesty 2. Knowledgeable 3. Fast service on the day and for items ordered. (There's little point when I can often order soemthing form CRC faster than my LBS can get it). 4. Superb workshop that go the extra mile and care. I think one of the problems is that staff turnover in many shops is very high. The little shop with the owner recognising me is always appreciated, but in todays world I don't think they can survive financially.

I think sunlight, calcium in the diet and some weight bearing exercise such as walking you suggested is a good idea no matter what. Nothing to stress about, but it's true that cycling is not beneficial to bone density.

http://www.nof.org/osteoporosis/bonemass.htm

An xray of a foot can in almost no way tell what your bone density is. Have you had any fractures?

I have had lots of problems with this with my funny high arched feet. So much so that after the epic I had lost all sensation in some of my toes for 2 weeks. The hard carbon soles don't help, but other than thst it's not the shoes, its your feet. After trying a lot of things (and wasting money on the Spesh inner soles and other inner soles that on emolds in the oven I finally solved much of my issues by: 1. Moving the cleat back from the the ball of the foot as in this recommendation: http://www.cyclingnews.com.au/fitness/?id=2004/letters07-26#Cleat I've been intrigued by the discussion about moving cleats back, but have not been brave to go 'all the way back': http://www2.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2007/01/cleat-position.html http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness/?id=2007/letters05-08 http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness/?id=2007/letters05-15 http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness/?id=2007/letters05-22 2. Secondly I had custom innersoles made with a HUGE metatarsal pad - highly recommended but not cheap. But I had them made such that they'll fil road shoes + mtb shoes.

http://www.cptips.com/knee2.htm http://www.cptips.com/knee.htm