deonkretch

I am finalising a sideways-mounted varia bracket - especially for dropper posts. It tucks the varia in below the seat. We've been testing for the last couple of months and so far it works perfectly well - even at the 90º angle.

Try https://whereby.com/ been using it with our team for the last couple of days and seems to do the trick. Simple to setup, screen sharing actually works quite well. Up to 4 people is free, need a 9$ subscription for multiple "rooms" and up to 12 people per meeting. Not sure what the broken Seacom cable is going to do to all these services - timing of this sucks!

Lynskey Ridgeline with wide drop bars and a set of Hope V-Twin brakes (Cable to hydraulic)... rides like a machine :-)

Have a look at this talk by Frank Abagnale (Catch me if you can) - some really valuable information at the end about Credit Card vs Debit Cards - https://youtu.be/vsMydMDi3rI?t=2594

Same frustrations with Skynet from Chainreaction that everyone else seems to be having... Finally got hold of them today so fingers crossed. Order shipped on the 5th of December... grrrrr

Muddy water = Tastes better than Epic Pro and should leave you less bloated :-) On a serious note - Try PVM Octane. Tastes quite decent and seems to work - but with any of these supplements it comes down to personal preference!

Agreed 100%. Citrusdal is like the F-word in my vocabulary. Seems like a large portion of the 2019 route is on well-developed trails, fewer km's on district and wide open gravel roads... perfect for the XC guys...

Blur or Tallboy as most of the guys have said on the forum. I'm on my 4th Tallboy and have tried some other bikes... nothing comes close. RushSports' support has been fantastic since they've taken over from the previous importers. Find one. Ride one. Buy One!

Also looking at a pair of these to convert my Lynskey Ridgeline to a gravel grinder / commuter... Any idea where I can get locally (yeah, let's hope)? Any suggestions for a cost-effective brake/gear lever setup. I have a Sram 1x11 on currently so it would be great if I only have to worry about the bars and levers at this stage. (XT Brakes - but full SRAM is probably an option?) PS. @Nathrix, I'm going to have nightmares about that Garmin setup for weeks to come!

Ride both if you can. The one thing about Di2 that is appealing is the Syncro-shift (or whatever it is called). It basically means that the bike will handle the shifting of the front derailleur automatically - all from just one shifter.

You can cut back on everything, but never, ever, cut back on the Gin!

Sounds great - will definitely have to get some more info from you!

Just had a quick look at some posts about the Cape Epic purchasing Wine2Whales and started thinking about the costs of stage racing... Here is a quick link to a Google spreadsheet if you're interested in adding to the list. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_wf5OJzbYdcxKS_nkgJhvfUm87flBt_SWsBtOPSVaBU/edit?usp=sharing This is not a post about whether it is cheap or expensive or the Rand vs Dollar debate - more about an actual comparison of what these races actually cost. (Entry fee, excluding any of your incidental extras like travel, mechanic packages, massage etc.) Here is a quick summary of what I have so far... Rand for Rand the Joberg2C still provides great value for a longer event in terms of costs per kilometre at a low R64,51 for 2018 (With free coffee and magnificent food) and the Cape Epic topping out on R113.83/km (with plastic cups for water). *Disclaimer: Rates are as accurate as my 2 minute Google Search provided. Accommodation and food is based on my own experience and rating (No, I don't 'bant' and I like steak, pasta and beer - probably too much!) PS> I would love to compare some of these with the costs of doing an international race like the Trans Portugal or Trans Alp!

Not a single little blue pill? Sorry, can't help

Thanks for the info. Yes, I have had an ICE ID on my arm for the best part of 4 years - I never take it off.

Rohloff = 14spd. 0,001% of the maintenance. But the pricetag and weight is not too lekker!

Condolences to Greg's family & friends. Quick question - the ER24 band on the seat post - was that perhaps linked to his personal details? Do the paramedics know to look for something like this?

That colour scheme will go well with a late 90's FPC sleeveless camo shirt... Post a pic if you know what I am referring to.

Had to check the URL after reading some of the comments, thought I was on www.DietHub.co.za My 2c's - Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight (especially around your belly). Some reading/listening here: http://adbl.co/2sWTv57 (Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health) Well done on losing the 20kg's!!

Mr Brown - you know your way around a camera! Great pics!

Here is a little-known secret... pinch some of SWAMBO's Omo (Liquid), add water - at least 50% and put the lot into a spray bottle. Spray onto the bike, leave for a minute or two, gently brush with a soft brush. Rinse. Ride. Simple, fast and your bike even smells like fresh laundry! For chains - get your hands on SMOOVE's chain cleaner (Smoove Prep)... I used to do the "paraffin with chain in a bottle clean-up" every now and then, but this stuff is so much easier to use. Spend a couple of Rand on a proper chain scrubber like the Park Tool jobbies - it is worth it! Oh yes - SWAMBO = She Who Always Must Be Obeyed. Happy riding!

Tallboy with two sets of wheels. Done!

Test all the bikes mentioned on this thread. Then go and buy this: https://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en-ZA/tallboy

It is all relevant to what you want and what you are willing to spend for it. Yes - R7k for a cassette is silly... but do you really have to pay R7k? I'm all for supporting my LBS - especially on stuff where you need a warranty - but a cassette? Hell no... We live in a global economy - so look around. Just did a quick search and found this in Germany (yes, they still ship Sram to SA) Chain - 36Euro @ R14,46 = R520 (then add vat at 14%) = R592,80Cassette XO1 Eagle - 247,62 Euro @ R14,46 = R3,566 (+VAT) = R4062Does it last longer? Definitely - I have close on 4000km on my cassette and it is still perfect. Honestly - I found that it gives me that one bail-out gear that I was missing on the 1x11. Do you need it, probably not? Do you want it, of course!

How much climbing?