NielC

As long as there are powerbands around and enough silly gits buyin 29"ers the thread will continue! These few things help me to ride better: Lose the gut, Eat healthily, Be committed, always, Push your limits. After a while you will see that the external stuff doesn't help anymore. Your own mind and body will only do as much as you think it can. Nothing more.

Hey Chickenrun (Retief) Well said and thanks for a good thread. What irks me is that you get small chicks (ladies) riding 29ers looking like complete tossers with their big bikes. One thing is for sure, they're fancy, but fancy don't work in Africa. If anyone tries to do an overland trip like I did in December you will never find 29" wheels or tubes in Africa. I agree, they're always looking for external factors to improve performance. Makes me think, I shall immediately put my 'fast tekkies' on without putting in the effort or bleeding on the bike and hopefully that will carry me through. Cheers, Niel (o, jy mag maar weer saam kom ry...)

No bike shop should rip anyone off! Fritz Pienaar Cycles Paulshof!

In the words of Lance Armstrong "It's not about the bike". Well done guys for winning such a tough race though. In the end it's about your physical and mental strength and I'm sure there are guys who's butts were whipped (whether on a 29-er or 26-er) by guys on less expensive bikes, just because they are willing to push harder. my 2c worth.

I'm so sorry, I've just gotten so blerrie busy at work. Also, the pics are too large to upload but I've done a picture story on Facebook - please search me there if you want. FB name - niel coertse or search under ncoertse@mdaconsulting.co.za I promise to tell all - gotta find time, apologies again :-)

Howzit, I don't know why it's so difficult to search me on FB - maybe I should change my privacy settings or something. Anyway, I could always add you? chat soon niel

hi, what's ur name on FB and I will add u? otherwise search under ncoertse@mdaconsulting.co.za

Hi Total distance was 880 kilos in 9 days with a 2 day rest inbetween. If you are on FB add me as Niel Coertse and check out my pics. just in a rush now, chat later!

Hey fellow hubbers, You would recall that I planned doing a trip starting 16 December 2010 where I would ride from Hartbeespoort to Maun (Okavango Delta). Well, I made it, on my own!! Niel

Hi all, everything is on track to depart on Thursday 16 December at 4h30 in the morning - trying to get going before the sparrows start farting. I am rather bloody nervous but excited. Going at it all on my own (well, a friend is joining me from Harties to Ellisras). niel

How many kids with ADHD does it take to change a lightbulb? LET'S GO RIDE OUR BIKES!

haahhaha

quite styling!

Howzit, go check out 'Geax' tyres, they're awesome and you can use them on tubeless or non-tubeless wheels. further, you can 'interchange' one direction is for 'speed' and the other more for grip - sounds funny but if you look at the tread pattern on the tyre it makes sense. I got a set for my MTB and they're very comfy and hard wearing. Just ask the guys at the shop to give you a tyre for the front and back wheels as there is a difference between the tread patterns on these. They go for about R650 each...bit steep but awesome.

hahaha! I thought it was a supository?

hahahahahaah! I can think as hard as I want...but I will never ride like Lance or Kevin Evans...

True. it's such bullsh1t. every time I hear the term power balance I get this excruciating pain in my arse.

Anywhere in Harties - loads of B&Bs to choose from and about 50mins drive from jozi

I agree. it's not just the point where your muscles feel 'warm' but when your breathing and mind 'switches' into riding mode. I 'switch' to that mode sometimes even 1 hour into a ride and feel that breathing etc becomes easier and you recover better after a hilly section even.

Very true, as is shown in this case.

I agree but instead of thinking of them as 'madmen' I always ask myself what I can learn from it and how I can push myself beyond my own boundaries - getting out the comfort zone so to speak. I think alot of our thinking is also moulded by society. I never even knew of a tougher race than the TDF, but seeing what this guy did makes them look a bit 'soft' (for lack of a better word! We need to get off our asses and get going!

Stories like this always makes me feel that I am not anywhere close to raising the bar on my own mental and physical limits! It really brings about a deep desire to push harder, further, faster in both my work an sport! Wow!

Just pissed myself laughing!

It's funny how these things happen! The 'sudden ballache syndrome' which goes hand in hand with 'sudden family commitments' and 'drie dubbele kinkhoes'....good luck!

Flashhhh, AHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, saviour of the UNIVERSEEEEEEE!