Me-rida

Nice one!

300km, thats easy, I can do that in like only 2 months.....

Damn right he is really a bear, but he is also part man and pig... you will never be able to ride behind him because only 1 person in the world actually knows he exists. That is unfortunately an uncovenient truth.

Silverstar for a nice chilled race.... actually wait I say that now, but when I get to the start line the 'chilled' part will probably change.

I second Grumpyoldguy - Get to a specialist ASAP.

So as not to hijack the Lord of the Chainrings thread... What do you guys the think about having to enter stage races in pairs? I understand the benefits, but the logistics are sometimes a bit impractical.

Definitely must be the strong legs! Thanks, so I guess I should try to not shift under power to preserve the life of the cassette. In terms of dirt, would you carry lube with you on a long ride and apply half way?

Be very careful of the chiropractic manipulations. It is not good to have to many of them close together becasue although the back is being clicked back into place, it is done in a very forceful and traumatic way. The ice will help for the muscle inflammation which can occur after a manipulation. The best thing (in my humble opinion) is to get a proper MRI and get the neuro to diagnose and monitor treatment.

I have just replaced by cassette and chain due to wear. I have only done about 1200km on them, but there is very noticeable wear on the cassette and chain kept slipping. I clean my bike after every ride and lube the chain. What causes the cassette and chain to wear to quickly? Is to do with the way you ride/shift?

I would consider a Silverback Saturn. Its 8 speed with shocks and discs. Probably costs about R4400. My LBS recommended it for my girlfriend she has had no complaints in 7 months. Now for a woman that is pretty good.... My only observation is that is is not the lightest bike, but then that is comparing to bikes double the price. And yes.... they do appreciate new and shiny....

I would think buying a size or two bigger would be the best option.... On a similair note, why is it that I spend all my races (up until the very end)overtaking so called "fat" cyclists? I guess size does not matter.... in cycling that is....

Bar ends like anything else for that matter should be used if you get a benefit from them. If it works use them - I personally use them to protect my bike when I go over the handlebars in the Magaliesburg.

Is it important for your bar ends (fitted to non riser bar ofcourse!)to match your socks? Are there exceptions to the rule regarding matching socks? For example if riding marathons, xc, etc?

What exactly is the cause of ITB? and How to you treat it? (before it gets to the point of surgery) Does stretching, strengthening and physio not work?

Guns can be very dangerous if you do not know how to use them. Knowing how and when to draw your gun is something that needs to be learned and then practised. For a gun to be effective, adequate distancing is required. You cannot pull a gun as you are being attacked as it is a 50/50 situation. You will need to be in control of your attacker and create the distance/time to draw the weapon and cycle it. Alternatively you could carry it cycled, but then if you are disarmed you have less time to react when your attacker uses your own weapon against you. Further complication arise as the times when you would need to use it are generally when you vulnerable and unable to easily move or see an attack coming. eg seated in a car without easy access or time/ space to maneuver or when your back is turned and you unlocking your front door. Having said that, if you know how to use it I am all for it. I do plan to obtain a firearm in the future however at this point it will do me more harm than good to carry it. I do however carry a knife. (which I do know how to use).

The 3.0D comes with discs. Personally I would buy the saturn - it is an extremely good value for money bike! The geometry and set up is very comfortable and for an entry level bike the components are good. One of the comments made by my LBS was that the GT has a stronger frame due to the A shape by the seat post and that the saturns frame is slightly more flexible. However at entry level and unless you weigh in over 100kg I do not think the frame will have much impact. Buying and riding a mountain bike is all about feel though. Some bikes will just speak to you and it is love at first sight. If you love your bike you will be more motivated to ride it.

Are there any in the Gauteng area? Both those are in the Cape.....

Agreed - but that you learn from riding in Magaliesburg up rocky hills. If you don't maintain that constant even stroke you land on you ass your even worse face. Make sure your saddle is in correct place too, if it is too far forward you can't use your hamstrings or glutes.

As everyone says, "Ride uphills more often" but make sure you are learning from each time you ride the hill. ie Why was that easy/hard? What did I do different? The hills are as much about technique as they are fitness. I am also fairly new to cycling but love hills. (Maybe because as a kid my dad would take us riding up Northcliff hill to the water tower so I conquered my fear early) There are few things to consider: Cadence, Leg power and Gear Choice Experiment with different combinations each time you try the hill and see what works best. I like relying on my leg strength so my cadence is slower but gears "harder". For me this is the most energy efficient way of getting the best times on hills. My girlfriend also just started cycling with me and is also battling a bit with the hills, so let me know what works well with you.

Thanks. I (clearly) did not know that. That is pretty annoying, I will test it this weekend.

I am just wondering how the race timing works? In two separate races times have differed substantially from my cateye. The first was the Lionman where my girlfriend's time was about 15minutes longer than time on her cateye. Second time at Magalies Monster my time was about 10minutes longer than cateye. On both ocassions the cateye was started started just as starting gun went and stopped when we crossed the finish line. It does not really bother me that much, but I am just wondering if there is inaccuracey in timing of races or we got sold fake cateyes...

This was my 4th race and I rode 45 km (and walked a couple of the rocky descents) and found it to be an amazing ride. I did however find it to be more challenging than Babbas 35, Mokoyo 42 and Lion Man 35. How technical is this ride? This is with reference a previous thread about MTB becoming too technical and suggestions of a possible rating. (www.thehubsa.co.za/forum_posts.asp?TID=85973)<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Maybe we can get a comparison going of different races? Thanks to all the organisers for a great ride and I will be back next year for the 75km because 45km just not long enough to enjoy that amazing terrain!

Customs duty is levied on imported goods and is usually calculated as a percentage on the value of the goods (set in the schedules to the Customs and Excise Act). However meat, fish, tea and certain textile products attract rates of duty calculated either as a percentage of the value or as cents per unit (for example, per kilogram or metre). Usually the effective VAT paid works out at around 15.4% (They calculate VAT as (Value of Product + 10%) x 14%). However as mentioned there are specific import duties on speific products. It is difficult to say how SARS will classify the trainer and if additional import duties will be required. I know I paid nearly 40% of value of cylcying shirt I purchased off the CRC. As far as door to door my package was delivered to my address, but as I was not home and had to pay import duties they then took it to closest post office rather than leaving it with the guard. Delivery times are displayed on website but mine was a day late, so expect to add 1 or 2 days on. Also check that the delivery time on the website is the international one and not the UK one. I know this did not really answer question specifically, but hopefully sheds some light on the process.

As long as there is about 5 - 8km before the single track starts then I say it is an awesome addition to any race. Plus if you do get stuck behind someone it is a great excuse to give your legs a bit of a break, without looking like you are actually enjoying it. Just throw in a couple of sighs and grunts to make sure everyone around does not think you are actually tired too.

I am also a new rider and the idea of grading makes sense to me. However all the races I have ridden have had a description of what to expect and I picked my races based on that. They seemd fairly accurate. For me it is a case of setting your expectations: If you enter a race above your level, expect to suffer and maybe walk but learn from that. I do agree if all rides are to technical there may be beginners who are scared off, but at the same time if all rides are to easy the top guys looking for challenges will start leaving the sport as well?