Mileage

I see quite a few guys riding aroud the spruit with some serious downhill and free ride bikes. So where do they go to put these bikes through their paces in Gauteng? Also any recommendations for a good trail ride within 2-3hrs of Jhb. Been to Greonies, Van Gaalens etc etc and looking for something new

I dont think the video or the pic above are too technical. However I will try ride them at maybe 5kph.....not 25kph Speed makes not technical very technical very quickly!!!

Hi Corrie I would suggest that you need to spend R4500-R6000 for a decent new entry level bike. This bike will get you through your first 2 years of riding with minimal fuss. Service twice a year (±R300) and for replacement parts as you wear stuff out or crash and damage things. Remember to budget R500-R700 for a reasonable helmet, R200-R300 for a saddle bag and a some tools and R1000 if you want to go with clip pedals and shoes. Check out your local bike shop and the guys there will help you out. At this price point you will get a bike with entry level Shimano components (Alivio and maybe Deore) and hydraulic disc brakes. All of this is more than adequate to ride some races and really enjoy the sport. When your skill levels and enthusiasm improves you can look at selling the bike and upgrading to something special. From your original post is seems you are a novice and so are unlikely to start out with the skills required to "out ride" an entry level bike. I was the same and got two great years out of my Mongoose before I wanted a better bike to ride more hectic stuff. During that time I rode all the popular trails in Gauteng (Spruit, Van Gaalens, Groenkloof, Reitvlei, Breedtnek etc). My main expenses were replacing things I broke falling off and these will break no matter what bike you have. In fact if you are a novice it is better to have a entry level bike as it doesnt cost a fortune to fix things that break in accidents. Some suggestions that are good bikes from reputable brands: Merida Matts TFS 100 or TFS 300 (Linden Cycles has some specials for about R4800 for 2011 models) Scott Aspect 40 or 30 Trek 4500 or higher Specialized Rockhopper Comp Mongoose Tyax You can do searches for these bikes on the internet and get an idea of costs. At this time of year I would shop around and you might get a 2011 model on sale at a great price. Enjoy the trails

St Stithians Boys College in Randburg holds a Gr10 camp each year near Lydenburg. The camp is an outdoor adventure for the boys and includes many activities such as hiking, rock climbing, abseiling, rafting and mountain biking. We require the services of a bike mechanic for the week of the camp. Rides take place twice a day in the mid morning/mid afternoon. The main responsibilities are the maintenance of the bikes between rides i.e. brake cables/pads, gear cables/derailleur’s, pedal/crank/BB’s and puncture repair. The College has 20 bikes which the various groups use to complete the mountain biking section of the camp. The bikes are reasonable for the use intended – Flat pedals, Alivio components, V Brakes etc. However letting some 16 year olds loose ensures that they are sometimes damaged through falls, or poor skills. In addition the person would assist other staff members with the rides on the farm when maintenance allows (which is almost always). These rides take place over about 12-15km of rocky jeep track, farm roads and a small amount of single track. This would involve either leading the ride or acting as sweeper for the back markers, and assisting along the way with mechanical problems that occur. Your own bike for this would be a plus. Activity staff stay in tents at various sites and the boys hike from activity to activity. You would need to bring your own camping kit (sleeping bag, mattress, stove etc) and anything else to live for the week. The College can provide a tent/stove if you don’t have your own. You will need to provide your own food for the week. We would like to travel up with the bike trailer on the eve of Friday 18th November to set up on Saturday. The 1st group would start the riding on Sunday 20th. The camp ends and we will return to Jhb on the afternoon of Friday 25th November. The pay for the week is R3000. Depending on your employment situation you may have to deduct some tax from this as well as factor in the cost of your food for the week. If you are interested in this please PM me with a short CV with your bike mechanic/maintenance experience and cycling experience. We would like to have a person confirmed by early October. Jamie Croly

[if you are interested in doing some reading Petibois, C & Deleris, G. Effects of Short and Long Term Detraining on the Metabolic Response to Endurance Exercise. Int J Sports Med 2003: 24: 320 - 325 Mujika, I & Padilla, S. Detraining: Loss of Training-Induced Physiological and Performance Adaptations. Sports Med 2000 (3) 145-154 Coyle et al. Effects of detraining on responses to submaximal exercise. J Appl Physiology 1985 Should be able to find these using Google advanced search and doc type pdf And if you can find it Councilman, J. Residual Effects of Training. Swimming Coaching Journal

St Stithians Boys College in Randburg holds a Gr10 camp each year near Lydenburg. The camp is an outdoor adventure for the boys and includes many activities such as hiking, rock climbing, abseiling, rafting and mountain biking. We require the services of a bike mechanic for the week of the camp. Rides take place twice a day in the mid morning/mid afternoon. The main responsibilities are the maintenance of the bikes between rides i.e. brake cables/pads, gear cables/derailleur’s, pedal/crank/BB’s and puncture repair. The College has 20 bikes which the various groups use to complete the mountain biking section of the camp. The bikes are reasonable for the use intended – Flat pedals, Alivio components, V Brakes etc. However letting some 16 year olds loose ensures that they are sometimes damaged through falls, or poor skills. In addition the person would assist other staff members with the rides on the farm when maintenance allows (which is almost always). These rides take place over about 12-15km of rocky jeep track, farm roads and a small amount of single track. This would involve either leading the ride or acting as sweeper for the back markers, and assisting along the way with mechanical problems that occur. Your own bike for this would be a plus. Activity staff stay in tents at various sites and the boys hike from activity to activity. You would need to bring your own camping kit (sleeping bag, mattress, stove etc) and anything else to live for the week. The College can provide a tent/stove if you don’t have your own. You will need to provide your own food for the week. We would like to travel up with the bike trailer on the eve of Friday 18th November to set up on Saturday. The 1st group would start the riding on Sunday 20th. The camp ends and we will return to Jhb on the afternoon of Friday 25th November. The pay for the week is R3000. Depending on your employment situation you may have to deduct some tax from this as well as factor in the cost of your food for the week. If you are interested in this please PM me with a short CV with your bike mechanic/maintenance experience and cycling experience. We would like to have a person confirmed by early October. Jamie Croly

After you cross Tana and Linden Roads heading south and ride in the park along Louw Geldenhuis you then cross the little stream on the right, then have the little dam on your right and across the wooden bridge to head up towards the Emmerentia dam wall and botanical gardens. Ride around that little dam keeping right (heading back to Tana Rd) and then just before the concrete bridge go left onto the trail. That will take you up towards Roodevelt Park and the golf course. Ride on the road on the left of Golf course (Schroder) then when past the golf course through the park and then cross Beyers Naude and go in the gate behind the bus stop.The trail goes along Montgomery Park, cross at 5th St then across 7th and alongside houses on your left. When you get to 6th you can either follow the trail right back towards Botanical Gardens. Or continue more left along 6th up the hill and just past the electrical box go right back into the park and follow the trail up the rocky climb. Cool rocky downhill then follow the trail under the trees and round to the right through the weeds.Then head right along the bottom of the rocky outcrop under the trees and as you come out onto the flat grass again go right downhill across the bridge. Go straight up past the tree and look for the trail to go left down hill, across the long wood bridge at the bottom and then go left back towards Botanical Gardens If you ride from Mugg & Bean in Paulshof around Delta Park, around Botanical Gardens,then up round Alberts Farm and back its about 60km. Alberts Farm loop probably adds 12-15km onto Botanical Gardens route. If you look at Google maps on Satelite view the trail is prety clear

What would be the equivelent series of bikes to the Giant Trance from Specialized, Trek, Merida etc And what trail bikes would you recommend for max 25k

If park at the spar on the moloto rd there are several ways to go. You can follow the dirt rd on the side going back towards zambezi then cross at the petrol station and follow the singletrack back on the other side. When you get back to the railway you can either follow the service rd left and ride olong the service rd all the way to the railway depot or you can cross the railway then go left and left again through an old gate and follow the line on that side. Go far enough along and its becomes jeep track and eventually crosses under the railway line and then goes to join the servise rd. On the service rd just past the N1 bridge you'll see some big drop offs. This is a 4x4 track that you can ride on. Look for thee slope up across the tracks. Cool for some jumps and big drops. Also if you go further along the moloto rd and turn by the buffelgat pub if yoU ride to the end of that rd you go over a cattle grate into a nature reserve type area. Go left after the grate and after a short bit look for the single track on your right. Follow this track up to the resevoir and down the other side to the electrical substation Also if you ride right after the cattle grate and go up a reallyu steep hill and then go left the is a serious rocky descent on some jeep track

These look pretty cool http://www.beststungun.com/streetwise-mini-stun-gun.html Priced at ±R500 that would easily fit under shorts or in pockets or for some range http://www.beststungun.com/taserc2.html Bit pricier but still small. Like the idea of the stun gun as you can zap it a bit to warn them off. Although the taser is cool as you can f%^ck them from 5m Sure you pick something like this up here in SA

HI All Ive heard that it is possible to ride further than Alberts Farm when doing the Spruit route. Ive ridden as far as the rocky climb/descent at the west end of Alberts Farm which is bordered by mark ave/ judith cresent. Where to from there? Also anyone know if there is a through route if you go up Melville Koppies from the Botanical Gardens. I tried it onece on the weekend and turned back after a while cos of all the blue/white church people under the trees there. It would be cool to be able to go up melville koppies along the ridge and then across to Alberts Farm

How technical is the black route at Teak? I want to go this weekend with some friends. We have done the Nissan MTB series 40k's and no problems so far. Looking for a solid 3-4 hours flowing ride rather than a really technical ride. Which route would be best? Thanks

There is a reasonable body of evidence in the literature that self regulated training intensities are quite accurate in determining training thresholds, especially for only moderately trained or recreational individuals. i.e. when you feel comfortable you are probably doing the right intensity for aerobic endurance adaptations and when you are uncomfortable you are probably in the right area for VO2 max adaptations etc. See http://www.scsepf.org/doc/241209/05-JESF-A5.pdf So often when you follow a training program based on HR, Lactate, or other training zones that have little or no basis on real measureable physiological "thresholds" you can quickly end up with maladaptations to training stimuli. Also following training programs that are designed for elite or national level athletes will more than likely lead to failing adaptation and overtraining syndrome. One size does not fit all.. and maximal is not optimal.

Did it with my 205 as well. Problem solved

Try www.arcrsa.blogspot.com Search for recovery - a few good articles

On the website www.trailriding.co.za under the Gallery/Daytona tab they have a route that starts close to the Leaping Frog shopping centre in fourways. Anyone know more about this route? Getting bored of the spruit and want somewhere else to ride without having to drive too far. Any other suggestions in that area? Thanks

Can you use a sram powerlink on a shimano chain. I read somewhere that shimano use a special pin/rivet? Anything else I should know about using powerlinks??

Whats the best MTB that you can buy for 10k? Is it better to go for a good frame and ok components/hubs etc and further upgrade over time or can you get something pretty decent for 10k stock

I've got a Tyax Super bought in November. Done a few thousand k's since then with no problems. The back tyre sidewall split open a while back and I've replaced the back brake pads but other than that really good. Tyax Sport is slightly lower spec but seems to be similar except for derailers (I have x5) and hydraulic discs

Some data from cyclists Think its from the 88 Olympics but not disimilar to the rowers

The rowers in the pictures average 185cm. The guy in the Danish 4- second from right is actually closer to 190cm Anthropometric normative data for Olympic rowers and paddlers T. Ackland* 1, D. Kerr2, P. Hume3, K. Norton4, B. Ridge5, S. Clark6, E. Broad7 & W.Ross8

I think that about 185cm and 77-80 kg is pretty chunky Lightweight rowers have to have a crew average of 70kg and no one more than 72.5. Danish Mens Lightweight Four Great Britain Mens Lightweight Double

Limpopo - Tzaneen Use these rides for rowing training camps. 60-90min or more uphill at a time!! From R71 turn off at the Debengeni Falls Road. ?20km. Up the logging roads to the forestry hut at De Hoek, a short down hill and then the big climb up the back of Magoebaskloof and then the long fast downhill on logging roads to the Brooderstroom Forestry Hut. From R528 up the Agatha logging rd which is about 7km and then fast downhill on tar into town for a breakfast coffee. Plenty more off roads to explore along this one and I think that you will find more logging trails on the back side of the hill. From R528 past Agatha rd on left and turn right at a long line of trees going downhill onto logging roads. The road winds down to a river (flows into Tzaneen Dam) and then up some seriously rough tracktor roads. In summer I couldnt get the Land Rover up them. At some stages you are pushing the bike with the handle bar above your head!! But it turns into some great riding up in the clouds and then down through the tea plantations on the other side. Also plenty of off roads for more exploring. There are ridiculous amounts of logging roads and trails available in this area and some spectacular scenery. Most rides we go on are 2-3 hours as we have rowing and gym sessions as well but you could quite easily go for a whole day and not see tar. Could upload some images but it says I dont have enough permission to do so. Any help?? You can see the pics on the SA Junior Rowing Team Blog http://sajuniorrowing.blogspot.com/2009/07/april-womens-camp-tzaneen.html http://sajuniorrowing.blogspot.com/2009/07/june-camp-tzaneen.html

I bought a Mongoose Tyax Super about 4 months ago and its been great riding up until the last few rides. When I use the rear brakes theres a serious vibration that goes through the whole frame and a very loud noise. Its a bit disconcerting going downhill!! The bike was serviced by Northcliff Clycles about 80km ago and was perfect. Ive checked all the bolts and everything is tight. The rotor is also straight. Any ideas??