Tiny K

Well from our first attempt of 9:10 to last year's 6:25 with William's team - BEEEEEEG jump!

Lekker for the bike build re DC team - keep your feelers out at an early stage. See who is riding (maybe start a thread like I did). I know William is looking at 6hrs this year I am going to die if I do ride with them - but I guess it's all about conditioning and building on where I am now. Edit: 'Dale is looking at his first DC too this year..... just saying. Otherwise, put your own team together. I am sure that riding Elites in Spring will definitely be an eye opener for me but a good learning experience. Would love to ride in a team at some point too, even if it is just for the experience

Thanks man Your training should happen over the winter period - LSD (long steady distance). 100Km + rides where you keep you heart rate lowish (vs race HR) and do the mileage. Come a month before Spring 2012, you start with speed work, short distance and only two midweek rides of high intensity. Well that is my plan..... I'll let you know how much I am failing come one month before spring

Dunno how much it cost...... think it was 2m of the 30x30 tubing, 6m (maybe more) length of the 36x19 tubing, 2.4m 25x2mm plate. If I had these plans, it would have taken a day. Was a hell of a lot of trial and error. Making sure that the size was right before cutting (the age old saying: measure twice, cut once). Took around 2 months - was making it at my parent's place and only popped in there once a week for a few hours (sometimes just to confirm sizes).

Yeah - I used the Holdfast SA2000 base plate so no, goose neck won't work the fixed plate version of this one (older model) http://www.holdfast.co.za/app/webroot/uploads/images/a73490b1df9d6e61386926ea8ea69418.jpg

The arms on the pivot pin at the top - they lift and clamp onto the top tube of each bike hence the three arms. Will try remember to take a pic with the bike on it on Sunday when I use the rack again.

I would say around 10Kg's Alu would have been lighter.....

Same here with my Bay City - felt strong in the beginning but faded up Ou Kaaps. 3 top races are Burger, D'ville High and Bouckeart Soenen. Finish the year on a B seeding of 10.32355...... not too shabby from starting in spring 2011 in J. Edit: Bay City is 4th best but good recovery from 99'er crash (in 5th spot)

So, after using this rack for a while, I have finally gotten around to actually measuring it and taking pics. If you want the CAD drawings, drop me a PM with your email addy and I'll gladly email it you you (in either PDF or DWG format or both). I used: Holdfast Towbar plate (I have another holdfast product that works with this plate) - with locking pin. 30x30x1.6mm Square Tubing - uprights 38x19x1.6mm Rectangular Tubing - the rest 25x2mm plate - to keep wheel on tube 8mm rod - for the pivot of the arms Holdfast clamps for top tube support 10mm rod for wheel rubber hooks - I picked these up on the side of the road so can be smaller and differently designed. They are too long as is imo. Holdfast rubber straps - to secure the wheels Edit: one thing though - that 110mm from the uprights - make sure it works with most bikes. I used my old Bianchi with internal BB as the prototype bike but my new bike has external BB cups - makes the distance needed to the uprights a little more - it now fits just just on the first rack.

As far as I know, the race scheduled after the argus has been canned last I checked the website....

Oh, right

Hey! I said fatigue first!

update firmware. I got a ride that measured 15000Km about - plotted a point in Antarctica. Edit: but as you say, it could have been your wheel going out of true.... but not that much surely! Edit 2: I use satellites for my distance and speed. Only use the magnet when I am on the IDT.

If you get dropped, the leaders of B WILL catch you....... I started in E last year and we caught C and D riders in their masses going up Chappies. Even some higher seeded guys that had dropped off their respective bunches.

Yeah, it's quite a pity that they focus the majority of the attention on the elites and not on the ladies, SV and Vets

An aspect that I have not 100% (more like not at all) grasped in the 2 years I have cycled

That is a risk you take - sitting in a fast bunch means that you will go faster than what you would have in a slower group....... and also allows you to sit wheel of the group behind should you drop off and get caught by them.

You racing your Bianchi yet? That pic looked awesome. Forgot to look on Saturday what bike you had on the back of the bakkie when I said hi.

That is a bit contradicting..... Edit: found a better word.

Note to self: do what you despise and sit wheel for the first half of the race. A is going to be VREK fast.

You are disqualified from this because you have one already......

Yeah, I know you wanted the photo's and spec of mine a while ago - was designed for road bikes but will work just as well for MTB's - will try take pics tonight and take some dimensions

According to who?! LOL! The ticket smallh had in her hand won it.......arguably, she had both tickets. Anyway, when you say clamp on, is it the updated version with stabilising straps and rubber top straps? As I said to 'Dale - you gotta be in it to win it....... can't actually remember which ticket won it. Threw the other one away once prize giving was over.

Ok, so the upgrade to the hatch model was: - they brought the bicycle carrying arms closer - the support arm at the bottom (rests on the bumper) was made wider for better stability - the stabilising straps were introduced for lateral movement. Anyone use this newer version?

Was that the new or old model rack? I know they have updated both the tow ball clamp on (placed the arms wider rather than straight up) as well as the hatch one (dunno what they changed there) - might have added stability straps for the swaying.