2 minutes ago, Pandatron said:Also lets be fair, getting to Stage 7 of the Epic i can only believe that your legs are effed and that downhill might be a bridge too far competence wise in the reduced state.
That applies to all riders, or are you saying the people who overtook you on the climb to dive into the single track ahead of you and then walk, did it on purpose?
3 minutes ago, sirmoun10goat said:For all the technically blessed riders caught behind people walking single track, maybe you should work on your cardio and speed and get into the single track before the walkers.
I’m pretty sure these walkers probably think the technical riders are holding up the show while they try cruise past them on the district roads.
Oh really. but we're talking specifically about flowing tech single track with a few rocks and bumps, not the very wide gravel roads where anyone can overtake, even the single track walkers.
6 minutes ago, Pandatron said:If your so fit and skilled, then you wont be behind the plonkers
I am somewhat skilled but not very fit.
4 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:The number of social media influencers in the event has definitely increased. The number of people incapable of riding a mountain bike over anything remotely technical has also increased but these have always been part of the event.
I don’t think it’s easy to point at one particular cause for higher drop out rates the last three years other than COVID.
we can’t prove that having disposable income equates to incompetent MTB skills you’d think that they could buy that also although one cannot buy commitment.we can’t prove that riders are less capable whilst being offered bikes with lower slacker longer attributes that makes anyone a Danny Mccanskill.
we do know that covid has hit everyone globally with effects not well understood. If we consider the 2026 cape epic used a similar route to 2024, had longer stages in more adverse temperatures whilst suffering a lower drop out rate of riders on steeper angles bikes with narrower tyres and longer stems then it is clear that 650B was a far superior wheel size…
Danny rides a carbon trials bike with a very long stem most of the time...
Maybe if the Epic 8 had come out a bit earlier, you know around xmas time, more people would have been riding the slackerest marathon MTB out there and flowed down the tracks like Beers?
23 minutes ago, PygaSchmyga said:"who have no business riding the epic" - lots of judgerigteid around today, yoh
True, but his comment needs expansion.
Imagine paying over R120k to do the event only to discover numbers of plonker riders riding so slowly or even pushing their bikes and of course failing to get out of the way (cos they know no etiquette and their big ego's wont allow it) and therefore ruining your very expensive single track experience.
Now of course everyone knows that this is what happens on the Epic and lots of other marathon type events so I have to wonder why guys like Kolesky even bother moaning. This and the fact that so many other people come back time and again even though they know the best tracks will be littered with riders makes me think many people aren't necessarily doing this for fun, but rather for a bit of masochistic bragging rights.
I'll wait for your response 🙂
1 minute ago, PygaSchmyga said:That's a bit bitter and smacks of sour grapes, no? And so what if people have this view - surely its a good thing to have a goal and achieving it without others pi$$ing all over it? If I were ever insane enough to try run and actually finish comrades you'd hear about it from the freaking rooftops!
Why say I'm bitter, its not like I've tried and failed. Actually i tried to enter once and failed at the first hurdle. How do you know someone's done the Epic? They tell you. 🙂
Met a guy recently who has done 7 Comrades and is aiming for 10, notwithstanding a recent back op. No ego on display at all. Makes me think its just the limited X section of my sample of epic riders. Type A personalities in the main.
23 hours ago, DieselnDust said:funny but I missed the context . I do love the term snowflake. Reminds me of Lewis Hamilton
He left so you're wasting your breath tough guy...
23 hours ago, Jewbacca said:In a weirdly roundabout way, I have no affinity towards anyone having to be a 'real' anything.
A 'real' mountain biker because you can suffer? Eish..... Lest we all forget, Burry was 25 when he died. I'd not quote the wisdom of a 25 year old kid, regardless of how good they are/were at a sport. I'm sure the sentiment was sincere and I'm sure he meant well by it, but it just isn't something we should revere.
I also don't buy in to anyone having to prove anything to anyone in any field to earn 'respect'.
It's a weird thing that people feel they need to endure voluntary hardship in order to garner support in an imaginary pecking order.
If it isn't fun or you aren't doing it for your own benefit or introspection, I'd question the motives.
Agreed. And yet there are a whole bunch of riders who view the Epic as the pinnacle of achievement and have enlarged egos as a result of riding it.Or perhaps its just attracts the kind of personality who make lots of bucks and think that way.
Sorry to hear. Please clarify exactly where this happened.
12 hours ago, love2fly said:On day one Gerald got his riders confused, day 2 or 3 said Speed Company off the front yet they were dropped. Today he mentions Forster.....didnt know he was riding (must have meant Fini). If the Epic wants to be international and so it seems, judging by all the Spanish YouTube comments, they need to get a professional commentary team. Agree that Gardiner waffles but Gerald always waxes so lyrical, even on Toyota Cadence.... I can't imagine the rest of the world believing this is quality commentary....c'mon Epic, you can do better!
The commentary is in-house and also a promo for the Epic and they don't let you forget that. I'd still rather have this free stream than a paid subscription broadcast however.
Just hang around for a few months and they'll be selling "as new for R150k less. I see a world cup edition (80mm travel) 2024 is on sale here for R155k in "mint" condition. Talk about a massive depreciation.
19 hours ago, DieselnDust said:On that’s just horrible. I’ve never had good life out of their chains. One lasted 500km
Taya chains are 50% worn on a Park gauge when you fit them or at least the one I had was. KMC are just way better.
2 hours ago, i24 said:The new Honda Transalp 750 is currently on offer for R169k
https://www.hondacentral.co.za/product/honda-xl750-transalp/
Zack Courts of Daily Rider rated this his best bike tested in 2023.
What is the equivalent MTB, and what does it cost?
That's the same price as that new Titan superbike.
Not sure what you'd have to do to an KTM ADV 890R to make it "race ready" but most people who buy them use them just fine for all kinds of events that could be termed "races" in their normal guise. They come with top notch adjustable suspension, rider aids and electronics that make the Epic 8 look like a throwback. No race was won because of RS electronic suspension, just like the Brain didn't win anyone a race either.
10 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:@Headshotis stunned into silence at the length of that stem
Funny that his face doesn't show it, but you'd swear that stem angle was so he could rub his snoz on the front tyre?
Just leave and go back to Cape Town. You wont be able to fill your water bottle up anyway.
I like the glitches and wrong naming the riders.,. adds to the entertainment and gives you something to b@tch about here and to whoever you're watching with. Its all part of the package,
My favourite is "Ciovita Orange/Yellow Jersey" which has to always be said together. At least its not the Absa Cape Epic presented by XXXXX and XXXXX or did I miss that?
How are those Spesh riders coping with thet enduro style HTA. The HTA I predicted about ten years ago for marathon and XC bikes but was always shot down by @DieselnDust 🙂
23 hours ago, The Ouzo said:Entire thread dominated by pricing and pricing comparisons.
Jewbecca summarized everything at the top of the first page.
But I'll add to the debate.
Last year we launched our new hot hatch, close to 1bar. people had the same reactions, to expensive, I can get XYZ for cheaper wadda wadda wadda. We are still selling them, the price has creeped up to over a bar and they are still selling. And when we launch the replacement for this in a few years we'll get the same reactions.
Back to 2 wheels and the recently launched version of our superbike is close to R600k, its been out a month, all 3 units that were allocated to us have been sold. The one is not even going to be assembled, the guy is just buying it as a collectors item.
Brands will sell what their product at a price they have researched that their target market will buy them at. There will always be the initial shock reaction to the price, but once that desirability hits, the price is justified in their eyes and the product bought.
R600k for a BMW S1000RR (?) sounds like a bargain next to the S Works.
On 3/14/2024 at 8:45 AM, J Wakefield said:If you can’t afford it or like it, no need to bash it and justify why it’s over priced as a reason why you won’t buy it.
Spez will sell these bikes at this price in South Africa and every where else. I know a shop here that has an order list they can’t supply already on 1st drop.
they also selling 15-20k euro custom built up road bikes daily. Its pretty incredible to see.as with anything, there is a product for everyone and that’s great.
True, but as I've said before, the overpricing at the upper end has an effect down the line. If you overcharge for the top model you can also raise your prices through the range as you can see with this bike. No aluminium frame option either. Giant do an ali Anthem I believes but the local importers don't bring them in. So. I'm not sure there is actually a product for everyone, especially in the RSA.
The o
Cannondale debut new Scalpel
in The Bike Room
Posted · Edited by Headshot
HTA from a 2011 Enduro bike. Took them 13 years.
* which is not to say I don't like the new bike. I think the geo and features like a dropper seatpost are great.