tubed

You in marketing? Not even I can stretch weight and volume to be equal.....

My apologies, I am 100% with you!, being sarcastic is not great first thing in the day.

We have the same intention - environmentally better products, so I say 'lets agree to disagree'. Perhaps in Denmark they will recycle that wrapper, in SA a very high percentage will end up in wastefill. Squirt will sell more product, improve operational efficiency and margin. Bottom line.

All the same people you see carefully folding their gel wrappers for intentional recycling after their ride..........

Point taken, but I prefer reduce, reuse and then lastly if needs be recycle. I think you will find that most products which are aimed at convenience find their way into waste and not recycle. I wish it were not the case. Just look at the gel packets as a case in point, I see few of them being recycled. Just to make a point - I am big fan of the Squirt lube and the SA success story - its just a poor product in my view.

How so Squirt? I can reuse and recycle the plastic bottles. The laminate plastic is aimed at convenience, ie you have created a product which is aimed at throwaway. I get your efficiency in transport - that's more margin and profits to Squirt. Its a idea we should move away from - not market as an environmentally considerate product.

it looks a bit like those gel wrappers still lying in the gutters at the top of Suikerbossie weeks after the Cycle Tour........more convenience, more unnecessary waste. ironically the packaging says "less plastic waste" chalk up another one to the greenwashing marketing dept

I trust this one LEZYNE PRESSURE DRIVE S 120PSI , used it this morning to help someone out, the hose is great as it keeps the valve from taking the wiggling. Wouldn't go anywhere without it. Takealot has various models in stock

Speed traps seem to be from about 7:30am, bikes have just started arriving earlier, from 5:30am this week there was one idiot in the dark. Most arrive at about 6:30am. Largely timing and intensity correlates to airing of motorGP - boys are frothing on a motorGP weekend. *note to self - see if I can get my new rescue to look like a Malinois

I had a quick look at the Epic this year as it passed Houwhoek en route to Greyton and then drove alongside some of the small groups as they headed along the vdStel Pass road. By most accounts a tough day. I've seen many editions up close and have mates riding this year, my thoughts: Was a proper hard race - in the men's - no team got to dominate - so they thrashed each other each day, SCR came out on top as they were the best at thrashing. Flame suit on here: Sauser, Kulharvy, Nino have in the past acted like the Don and dictated the pace if they were not on a great day and had a lead to protect." Despite the No1 on their boards - Matt seems like a genuine nice oke and Blevins had "newbie" on his back - there was no mongrel to put SCR in their place and Nino was off the back fixing slow leaks in Lars or Aspens. It all made for great viewing. The women had a small field - but from what I saw on the road, they didnt hold back - the racing was quality, again thrashing each other. Really chuffed to see the Saffas of Lill/ Strauss & Preen/ Rabie dictating the race at times. A week prior Lill and Preen were leading it on the road up Suikerbossie in the rain - great attitudes and great athletes. Hope they hang around for a few more years and continue to get the support they deserve. On the dropout rate - for me it seems to be preparation - know folks who ABSA asks to ride each year because of their clout and those who dont think twice about the price - some finish, some dont, some prepare, some dont. Anyone can hire a decent coach nowadays, but some just dont follow through on the prep and take a chance. *spelling

Thanks for posting the link to You Tube, I went back and watched one, then watched them all last night - compelling viewing for me. Well done on your approach and especially on the footage/ edit so quickly after the stage - really enjoyed it. Looking forward to the rest and hopefully 2 GC bottles of bubbly on Sunday. Good Luck!

Thanks for sharing, well worth the read. Martin is the epitome of resolute, regardless of the circumstance. At the sharp end of the race we have Matt Beers, excelling, coached and equipped by the best and fully deserving of his status. At the blunt end of the race we have Ngubo, showing grit and determination and fully deserving of his entry. Proud of the Saffas. I'd be intrigued to share a beer with both.

This! that young man will go far. Preceded by this, you Sir, are a gentleman. My Monday morning has indeed begun well.

Exactly - the pro road cycling market is an efficient one with more supply than demand. The best riders got picked up and the rest have largely found their places where their value determines they should be. Saffas are a visa nightmare - that counts against them - so they will always need to fight that bit harder than the Euros, maybe its the same for those from S America, where there is equally as much talent trying to get through the door. We need to get over the fact that our past entitles us to a leg up, the Euro market dropped that idea some years ago. Riding double laps of the sunny peninsula every day at this time of the year is not reality if you hope to race in Europe.

Great write up, plenty of info with all of the feels, makes me want to go, thanks for sharing

Agree with this - there is a fine line between ignoring an obviously degrading part/ problem which will manifest if it doesn't get attention and the need always to always be fiddling. Best example was a good rider, and bike industry guy (always fiddling) - decides on Freedom Challenge near Baviaans to tighten more, an already perfectly tight quick release, which he strips by overtightening and then spends a day waiting for a new one from PE and another day riding like a madman to catch his mates. Bike shops love these guys......

The only thing I agree with here is the statement on Nexthash - that opportunistic relationship reeked from the start. It was a signal of desperation. For the rest - the people you mention are worth mentioning because they were competitive on the world stage and didn't rely on charity, just the opposite, they found little support in institutional SA. Doug rode the charity angle/ ubuntu way past the sell by date - the team needed results - simple as that.

I'm not sure if it was ever confirmed, but it was said that the late great Burry 'didnt have the best numbers', whether its true or not, he had such a competitive drive and seemed to gel in the team environment with Specialized, my point is many with great numbers seem not to gel in a particular team and they flourish in another - Valgren last year springs to mind. So the numbers are an entry point, but the program, environment and culture are just as important and that for me seemed to be Vaughters was going with Padun. I have no particular insight, but my sense from what John has shared, is that the impact of a Peiper vs a Vino or Lefevere is a key determinant. Sam Bennet won at will, when he fell out with Lefevere I think even Cavendish would have beaten him. Roll on 2022, loads of young talent about.

'It takes one to know one' – Vaughters sees no red flags in Mark Padun | Cyclingnews Being a sceptic of most pro riders medical info and that which they or their managers choose to reveal, I did find this an interesting interview, it seems frank and genuine. Added to this the breakout performances of Bahrain last year and some of the ensuing comments, it is going to be interesting to see how this signing pans out. Despite being a sceptic, I love a good result and it would be wonderful to see if the healthy changes proposed can bear fruit.

I am sad to see the team fold, which seems inevitable now. I think DR should be applauded for what he has done and not be judged too harshly on the current demise, these are very tough times - to find millions of Euros is a very tall order. Saffas are always going to have to bust down the door and take on the establishment in cycling, like we have seen with the travel bans - the Mandela aura has gone, its Euros looking after themselves first. If we want to even get our foot in the door, then we need to do a Greg Minnaar or a Matt Beers and win fair and square - those two guys exemplify what is possible, give them a gap and they will show you what Saffa determination is. I think its been a very good year for SA cycling just on those two performances alone. Similarly what John and Jeroen have done at UAE, Brent at BikeExch is testament to Saffa excellence via determination, sacrifice and hard work against the establishment. + Alan Hatherly - hopefully it's his year next year too - he's through the door and mixing it - results to follow soon

This is very true - and I would add that doing something like this and finishing it (even if it takes more than one try) is of inestimable to you as an individual and inspires those around you. It has the ability to reshape your view of what you are capable of, what is trivial (eg comfort, devices) and what is important (eg people, not giving up). It will reshape your view of your health, fitness and mobility. I'm probably sounding like I am romanticizing these events, but just watch someone in your circle make this transition and you will want some of it, I think that in part is the allure of dot watching, it is a vicarious look inside what we all wonder of what we really are capable of.

Nice to see so many people supporting local manufacturing too - Indola, Vye, Leatt, Ciovita etc. It makes a difference to these businesses and the people employed by them - spend locally if you can - please.

I lived in a pair of 'thebusiness enduro mtb baggy' for 16 days in Freedom Challenge this year, I'd say they are 'the business', I was impressed. I liked the clip and integrated belt which stops the plumber's crack effect I bought them new before the event, never tested them and loved the large pad as it was necessary (depending on the terrain and temp I wore my Vye bibs too (cant have enough padding), never just the Vye bibs they are too thin and cold in Karroo winter). If you have to climb over many barbed wire fences and push through thorn bushes, you want your assets protected by baggies, not Assos - in my humble view. The Vye bibs are great for the roadbike to the coffee shop,

I seldom get irritated enough to say negative stuff on this forum, but jeepers Cavendish is an egotistical, ungrateful pr*ck. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it ends in big tears with Lefevere, of course it will be all Lefevere's fault, just as it was Doug's, then Illingworth....... What will really piss me off more is if he uses mental illness again to excuse what is just at times pure prat behaviour when playing to the crowd no longer works.

I think you might be surprised what Covid has done to all of those who relied on freebie marketing budgets or MC duties. The go to athletes mopping up at the moment are TatjanaS, GregM and some of the rugby folk. For the rest it is very slim pickings.