rudi-h

Nope its not the Game. I use Game for everything from week-day runs, IM and week-long bike tours. Works for me and a lot cheaper than anything else worthwhile on the market.

you need to send a pic... aluminium can't corrode from sea water alone

so if that's your logic then you may also ask... what's the purpose of shocks or suspension forks??? If you grow a pair of balls (in your words) then i guess you can ride almost anywhere with a rigid too? but do you want to? I ride a full-sus MTB with bar-ends... because I CAN

I had chin splint problems, so I changed to Asics and that seems to work just fine. A heart rate monitor is a nice tool to to learn your body and your limits, so put that somewhere in your wishlist. Don't worry about gear now, worry about training and enjoying the sport. I did my first tri with a borrowed swim cap, board shorts and a MTB. Oh and the guys kill themself laughing at me, because I used a cambelbak on 70.3... Enjoy!

Because i've driven past there as a motorist while a race was going on. Its not a safe road to cycle without road closure. Thats just how it is.

That's no venue for racing. Organisers should be prohibited to organise a race on such narrow busy roads without any closure. Very sad news, but sometimes the organisers are to blame a little too, not only motorists.

Unless you're a gadget / fashion geek, don't listen to all the BS of new helmets, shoes etc. I've been in the same position as you are. I bought a R4500 road bike 4 years ago (Raleigh RC3000 - tiagra components) with MTB pedals and MTB helmet and have completed a long list of 70.3, Ironman, sub 3h 94.7's, triathlons, Argus' etc. with that bike. Oh yes, you don't need tri-bars, new seat post or an aero helmet for IM. Still using the same chain, same cassette, same brake pads and with a little bit of chain suck the bike is still going 100%. It's not about the bike... Enjoy, just beware of the cars while training, that's the shitty part.

BUMP

Alternatively: The bike is a Commencal. If anybody has cellphone number for anybody working at a Commencal distributor, or for Commencal SA directly, please send me the number. I know i'm asking a lot, but please sms any details. I will be running around this morning and not be able to check the HUB for messages should anybody be able to help out! Thanks again!

Hi I just got in PE yesterday for a 5-day bike trip through the Baviaanskloof with a few friends. My frame has cracked badly (only noticed yesterday on my way here) and I can't find a place in PE to rent a bike. So please, if there's anybody that knows anybody in PE with a second MTB and would be willing to lend/rent it to me, please contact me, you would rock my world right now!!!! Thanks Rudi Haarhoff 0747807776

where are the "baby jumps" where you can practice to play on the big gap jumps? In the bike park, spruit and all these places there are a lot of wuss jumps, but then its a 10X increase when you get to the biiiig jumps? where do you guys practice? and what is the limit of jumps that you can do with a standard 26' MTB with pedal clips and a normal height saddle?

Lot of opinions again, but no fact. My pressure washer (and yes I use it to clean my bike) delivers water at a pressure of 110 Bar. The equation to get water discharge velocity: V = Sqrt (2 x g x h), where V is velocity, g is the gravitational constant and h is the water "head". To convert "head" to pressure: P = rho x g x h; thus h = P / (rho x g), leaving V = Sqrt( 2 x (P / rho)) This equates, without losses to 148 m/s. With a small round orifice like the head of a pressure jet, the loss factor is roughly 0.6. Thus the expected water velocity is 60% of 148 = 89 m/s 89 m/s = 320 km/h So no, at 1/3 of the velocity of a pressure hose, I do not think the water ingress will be a big deal. I believe that if it cant hurt you it cant hurt your bike. and very honestly, i did the experiment by sitting on a bakkie in the rain before, water at 100km/h does not hurt on your body (maybe a little on your face)

Dooood!!! Do you enter a MTB race if you still ride with training wheels? Do you play golf if you only have a putter? Come on, if you really need a wetsuit to "not drown" the you should not even CONSIDER to swim open water. Spend some time in the pool and live with the rules.

just asking... since when do they charge extra for bikes? I've flown to CT and PE last year with my bike and I didn't pay a cent extra. Is it new policy?

29ers were invented by marketing gurus with the purpose of selling 2 bikes to every mountainbiker. Do you really think Burry (chooses) to ride a 29 or a 26 for different races... He gets given two different bikes, one for marathon and the other for XC so that YOU think you also need two bikes. The 2 minute "experiment" is without trying to be offensive the most useless comparison ever (coming from a nerdy science minded guy). So buy the bike you like or the bike that is on special, 26 or 29, just don't buy both! Otherwise you give those marketing guys exactly what they wanted to achieve and you are the douche that fell for it R20k later.

agree that litter is disgusting. I use the "gu squeegies" (however you spell that). You buy a huge bottle of gel and then you have a mini waterbottle that to put your goo in. It's easy and simple and doesn't make a mess at all. If we as a MTB community start using these, then the manufacturers will also make lesser amounts of the packets and sell it in bottle form.

i'm a bit behind here... what is the purpose of a critical mass ride? is just fun or is there some form of a cause too? I understand many cities have this but never quite got the memo.

I think its possible. I got completely ill with fever and the whole works after ironman earlier this year. The crowd support along marine drive gave me such a boost that I ended way faster than my body was meant to handle. I was okay that night and the following morning. That afternoon (+-18 hours after the finish) I started to get a bad fever. Just spent some time in bed and by 9:00 the next morning the fever borke and I was fine again. No stomach issues however.

Can you call it a watch on the hub if it doesn't show heart rate?

Carbon fibre should have a better lifespan than aluminium, because carbon fibre has an infinite fatigue life, the same as carbon steel. Aluminium on the other hand does not have an infinite fatigue life and therefore can fail in the long run (but it will take moer long) I've never owned a carbon frame, nor ridden on one so I can't answer the rest, but from a strength of materials point of view carbon fibre should last longer. However, aluminium will likely handle crashes, dents and chips better than the carbon equivalent.

So every year numerous hubbers ask how they will do in the 94.7 based on times in recent events like OFM, Dome2Dome etc. If you live in Joburg I have the answer to a sub-3 94.7 (given that you don't get punctures) For the last 2 years I have gone to Suikerbosrand the week before 94.7. Both times I have ridden the loop solo as hard as I could. The results: Last year: Suikerbosrand loop: 2h17 94.7 time starting in G: 3h01 (with a puncture in the first km. So for comparison details it is more like 2:57 starting in H - It took me very close to 4 min on the dot to fix the puncture. I know this because i just managed to catch the front of H after replacing the tube. This year: Suikerbosrand loop: 2h18 97.4 time starting in D: 2h50 So here's the magic formula. If you can do the suikerbosrand loop under 2:20 and you start in G or under without any punctures, then you will according to the rudi-h magic formula ride a sub 3h 94.7. That's my bit of useless information for the day.

not the rest of joburgs problem if you didn't go through the trouble to get a seeding dude. The point of a race like this is somewhere where all the newbies can come and enjoy a day in the saddle. did you expect 25000 riders to know the code and ethics and rules associated with bunch riding... sorry to say, but this time the blame is on you. give credit where it's due, its a great race considering the number that they need to cater for. awesome vibe and great safety with the complete road closures. love it every year

i ride both of them quite often. have to disagree, emmmarentia has some killer trails on the far side slope next to marks park. At least better than anything else closer than Groenkloof.

we don't understand greek here on the hub... metric please

never drink only water (my opinion) not saying you need some jetfuel or "R500 a can" energy doepa, but energade, game or something containing electrolytes is crucial, just make sure not to mix it strong. also take a banana if you think you'll be out there for more than 2.5 hours. and take stuff to repair your tires, some okes get peeved off when you rock up without any repair kit and start begging for tubes if something goes wrong. other than that, take it easy and enjoy