BlinkFan

Other years the same thing happen. The mens podium and highlight are shown when the ladies race is at the peak. It just feels like basics they are not getting right. Thank goodness Cecil Nurse isn't a sponsor!

So unrealistic... how did they manage to get time for riding with 4 kids (not pictured here)?? I mean, why else would they have this van :-)

Wonder what their marketing budget was to also resurface the pass...

Ya I still only have 5kWh of battery. So I need to limit my discharge during the night, and even top it up with grid. Because if my battery is at 20-30% at 06:00 in the morning and I get hit with loadshedding I'm screwed. When I have money again I'll get another battery. Or a bike. Depends on how Cyril handles Eskom.

35A x 220V = 7.7kW for AC passtrough? My house has a 60A main breaker and 63A earth leakage. This dates from the 1980's though, so new stuff might be different.

I think the Lux power is an excellent option. The addition features of the Deye comes at a price and it will take me quite a long time before I pay it off using the savings. In short - it will take me longer before I can buy a new bike.

You need to make sure your CT Coil is installed correctly (this is the hardware that measures the grid power draw) (sorry about the red text...)

When I started doing research I couldn't figure out why the Sunsynk and Deye were double the price, and I was seriously considering just going with the "cheaper" solution. BUT after a lot of reading and research to just understand what all the mumbo jumbo in the specs mean I did end up going with Deye (Sunsynk is the exact same hardware, just different UI and better local support). 5 year warranty vs 1/2 years for Axpert (and its derivatives) AC passthrough feature - my 8kW inverter has 10kW AC passthrough (the 5kW interver has 8kW passthrough), meaning that when there is grid power I can basically do whatever I want. without risk of tripping. The house has a 60A breaker, so the max I can draw anyway from Eskom is 13kW and you really need to switch on everything in your house to get close to 10kW (in my house anyway) True hybrid inverter with excellent PV/Batt/Grid blending. Mine is set up to use PV during the day to power the load, and excess is used to charge the battery. If PV isn't enough for the current load then the battery will supplement (if above x % state of charge). IF PV and battery isn't enough, then grid will supplement further. This means that during the day I use basically use no Eskom power (battery is typically fully charged by 12:00). Grid feedback. So right now I can't feed back to the grid (meter doesn't allow it), but the inverter can measure the power draw of the non-essential stuff on my DB and then push back just enough to supplement Eskom power for those loads. For e.g. my pool pump is on my non-essential side, and 13:00 when the pump goes on the sun is typically good and PV power my pool pump fully even though it's not connected on my inverter. My Geyser is also set up to run for an hour or two during the day using the feature. The geyser always draws more than PV can supply, but then my battery (which is now fully charged) supplements the PV. And then there is mostly still enough time to charge the battery back to 100% before 17:00. If the finances allow I would advise people to go with a true hybrid. I was lucky that my work helped finance loadshedding solutions, otherwise I would have gone with Axpert.

If Bulls want to compete with the top guys again they should probably make a move, being German and all...

Don't you mean "16th edition of the Momentum Medical Scheme Attakwas Extreme, presented by Biogen". 😅

Or snow

Flip, I wish more (lazy) people will join so I don't look so bad!

I was so bummed for Manual! Would have liked to see a tussle with the old man in there! Timing for that attack was just a bit off.

Key part here is - "before 18:00 in the week". In Cape Town traffic. Nope! Yes it's possible to get there, but it shouldn't have to be such a big logistical nightmare just to ride your bike on the weekend. If they do want to keep pre-registration then keep these points open until 20:00 at night. And add one for the poor Stellenbosch/Somerset-West people.

I have the same bike. Mine came standard with a 46T cassette, and it helps a lot. Even so, I still got me a backup 30T for the front which I put on before something like Attakwas. 30/46 will get you up most hills. If not, nothing probably will.

Maybe a couple of guys still heading back from 361?

Saw this last night - https://www.rydercycling.co.za/ryder-products/saddles/swift-2-0-saddle-324-detail Seems to be a Power saddle at a third of the price. So if you're not sure if a Power is going to work for you then try this first. I have a power on my MTB and it's the saddle that has worked the best for me yet. So I think I'm getting one of these for my road bike to test it.

If you measure technical with "how much you have to get off and walk" - Attakwas

"Race" report: Swim - After the initial disappointment of hearing it's a shortened swim, I realised it was probably a good decision. I'm a decent swimmer, and once I got about 50m in I realised it was a good call. Very choppy with big swell. Pushed a bit harder due to it being shortened, and came in after 39 min feeling good. Bike - Started the bike feeling very good and pushed going out (this was a mistake). After the turn around at 50km it was into the head-wind. I was still feeling good, and the wind was not yet thAt bad. My back still felt good and I could stay in the tri-bars for most of the the return leg. Loop 1 - 3:18. Started loop 2 feeling okay-ish, but once we turned away from the coast up the first climb I realised I was in for a tough lap. Stopped at the 120km water point to fill up bottles. This was also where my wife caught me (we started the day together). We left the waterpoint together, but from there she just kept slipping away from me. When I turned at 140km it was about 13:30 and the wind was really pumping. At this point my back and neck was also killing me, which meant a lot less time in the tri-bars. Suffered up the heartbreak climb only to be met with a beasterly easterly on the "downhill". Limped back to transition. Loop 2 - 4:10. Total time 7:30 Run - This is always rough for a non-runner, but the efforts on the bike took it's toll and I would be in for a world of hurt. After 2km I was walking. I struggled to eat and drink initially. And I only later realised that I dehydrated a bit during the bike. With the wind you never feel hot and I neglected my nutrition. Rookie mistake. I had a strange and uncomfortable "I have to pee, but there is no pee, and if I try to pee it burns" sensation for the next couple of hours. Apparently this is a symptom of dehydration? My wife "caught" me at 30km (she was on 41km). After saying goodbye as she turned in for the red carpet I knew I would be in for a lonely last lap. Cramping had set in nicely by this time and the Ironman shuffle was all I could muster. The pavement looked very inviting during this last lap, and a couple of times I almost stopped (don't know what I would have done once I stopped, but stopping seemed like a good option at the time). Luckily I wasn't the only guy having a hard time and I made some friends. With 2km to go I found some reserves and manged to run/shuffle almost all the way. Limping home I came in with a shocker 6:37 marathon. Total time - 14:58 Once again a humbling experience - more so that my first Ironman a couple of years ago. Huge respect for my wife smashing her first event in really tough condition. Super proud! Will I be back...? Do I have a choice...

What I've done in the past - just pack a bottle of degreaser spray (they don't always have at the bike wash). Then after the stage go get your bag and get your degreaser then head off to the bike wash. Rinse chain/cluster/chainrings then apply some degreaser, wait 5mins, rinse again. Go eat. Then come back and apply some lube. 95% of the time this is all you need to do after a stage. For the other 5% - wing it and go to the mechanics if required.

From next year the masters category will become interesting!

Lakata: "The guys infront of the race - it's a freak show. These guys are impressive."

Spoiler alert!

Actually it's 9:53 wtf

Jip, the gravel/tar/gravel/tar pass going down to Citrusdal. I drove it (with a car) about a year ago and it was very rutted in sections! So well done navigating that safely!