Andymann

Sadly, this was a R30K+ bike in it's heyday, but shouldn't cost you more now than about 10K. I wouldn't pay more than 12K at the most, and even then that's pushing it.

We raced Merida 96'ers for 2 seasons and they really are great bikes. The only areas we found to be a problem were the lower swingarms which had a reputation for cracking, but from what I understood, were related to not regularly servicing the rear suspension links (the other area which needed regular attention - the bushes seemed to wear pretty quickly on ours). If you do buy it, take it to your LBS and have the bushes serviced, just to be on the safe side. We also found that the sag on the rear shock needed to be set up correctly - they have a tendency to push in the corners if the sag is a bit too much. But that's also rider specific, so you might not have this problem at all. Great bike otherwise!

Off the topic, but I am so hoping that John-Lee Augustyn regains his form next year - there's nothing like a good comeback story

Damn - I really enjoyed the challenge of these races. I'm even more p-ed off now that I abandoned the last one, because I was really keen to get my revenge on lap 2 this weekend....

My wife is very lucky to be one of the sponsored riders, but even with this, there is a budget - and unfortunately, the budget didn't cover a 50K TT bike with decent wheels - we had to really negotiate to come up with the R35K which got her a top-notch frame and groupset, but basic Shimano wheels. So for us, (until the cashflow allows it), this wheel rental option really is a worthwhile option.

We rented a set of Jet 7's for the GTN champs 2 weeks back - the wife's new TT bike didn't come with decent race wheels, and I trashed the tubbies on the Zipps we had planned to use during a quick training ride the week before, so it was pretty convenient in the end. It was all pretty flawless really - picked up the wheels on the Saturday, swapped the cassette, set the brakes (the Hed's are wider than most, so the brakes needed to be slacked off a tad) and race on Sunday. Cue 1 x ladies GTN elite champ. Can't say for definite if the wheels made the difference, but they certainly didn't hamper her in any way whatsoever. We've rented them again for Jailbreak on Friday.....

I was lucky in that I was able to swap my M596's for a set of new XT's with a mate of mine - he was selling his 26er. Apart from the ability to set the lever travel on the XT's, (and of course the bling XT logos), I think the M596's were actually better at stopping than the XT's.......

I just had a funny image of a bunch of guys following a thread on www.thealternatehub.co.in chatting to each other about how long they can string along this scammer Eduardo in Namibia........

When we worked on the mine in Ellisras we had a braai every Friday. And had to write HIRA's for chopping wood, getting the braai ready, lighting the fire and cooking the meat. No kidding. They were that serious about safety.

This is the Hub I remember when I joined in 2010 - a bunch of cyclists having a chat and sharing a few laughs. Not the crap I see now where almost every second thread deteriorates into a mud-slinging match.

I had a Magura Durin fork on my Merida, a Reba Team on my Giant, and a Fox for the first time on my Scott. I loved the Reba, but the Magura was by far the best fork I have ridden - it took about a year to really settle down, but once it did, it was oh so smooth and plush. The Fox I am riding now just seems really harsh - or as my old Yamaha mates used to say, it is harder then a whores heart.... hopefully it will also "run-in" over time, but I am already thinking about a Magura fork upgrade come bonus time next year.

They are extremely strict - there were a few top Triathletes and one extremely good Ironman athlete who didn't make it into the Ladies elite group. I suppose though that rules are rules - if you want to get into the Elite group then you need to do the qualifying races....

Moolman won because she started in the Elite ladies group who were racing for position - it's not unusual for the times of the elite ladies to be slower than some of the batch ladies who have the benefit of riding in a group with some pretty fast men. The elite ladies race is usually a lot more tactical....

I had quite an exciting ride - last year did a 2:40 so was desperate this year for a sub 2:40. Loaded the gpx file from last year into my Garmin as a route and spent the whole ride racing myself from last year..... was quite interesting to see where I was faster/slower this year to last year.... I was 2 minutes ahead of 2012's version of myself, until I hit heartbreak hill. Where apparently last year I was faster.....I lost the 2 minutes, and an extra minute in the last 5km. Oh well, next year......

I heard that crash and it sounded nasty - it was less of the scrapes and shouts you usually hear, and more a thud and silence. Not pleasant.

I have an issue which hopefully someone can assist with - I can log onto www.thehubsa.co.za through the browser, but the moment I try and click on any link, be it to log in, view a thread, anything, it boots me back out to my browser home page. If I click on a link via twitter, it will go to the first page fine, but again, if I click on any of the links it reverts back to the browser home page. It used to work fine, but for some reason now it doesn't. Coincidentally it does exactly the same thing with the Superbru site.....

I upgraded my Scott 940 with a set of Aluminium Ritchey WCS Advantage. I was a die-hard American classic fan, but couldn't get a set, so I opted for the Ritcheys. I've just completed the W2W Adventure, and I have to say these have got to be the best wheels I have ever ridden. I sent them in yesterday to be checked, because we had Mud, mud, more mud, rocks, mud and finally very enthusiastic cleaners with pressure washers. Not a ding, not a loose spoke, not even a need for new bearings. My AC's needed a full service after Sani 2010.....

I'm not a JHB resident, but I've often thought about that same idea, but in PTA - Klapperkop was my idea, and would be great for spectators too.

Returned back home last night from an awesome 3 days of riding. Yup the mud was ***, and the Cape has a few climbs hey, but all in all a great race - zero mechanicals, zero punctures - did brakes on Friday night as a precaution, but probably could have lasted through till Sunday. I suspect the race boys might have some fun in the ruts we left though - especially on day2. And is anyone else wondering just how pissed off Oom Piet must have been to haul a wagon up that bloody cliff????? And that was the route they thought was the easiest????

Yup.

My wife was in the Pta East Community forum meeting with the Police yesterday. Sorry to say it guys, but a bunch of white cyclists getting robbed of their bicycles (even if it included being shot at or stabbed), is not getting any attention at all. They reckon because the incidents weren't reported there's nothing they can do.....

Picked up a 700 x 28C Kenda slick from Bester Cycles on the weekend - R115!!!! Works like a dream. I'm seriously looking at going to buy one for the front and using them on the road - not even nails are going to pass thorough those Wellington boots.....

For what it's worth, it's not a solution, but I suppose it's a start - we did see quite a prominent police presence in Garsfontein road last night. So at least the SAPS are in the area - lets give credit where credit is due!

Difficult one - I deliberated at length before I decided on the Vortex - I really wanted the equivalent of a power-meter, without paying the R15K of a power-meter - and at R7K the Vortex was exactly that. Probably not as bling as the Bushido, but for me it's fit for purpose.

There - added another Pro.....