PhilipV

It looks like a younger version of someone I know, and it's something he would do. But I would hazard a guess that it would be the 15km at the Die Burger MTB challenge and it was with his wife.

I have 3 Holdfast racks, and 2 thule. You can get all the Holdfast parts, and they don't cost silly money. My next rack will be Holdfast again.

It depends. I've bought a Stihl brush cutter there that I knew was undervalued, and in great condition. And a Carpenter mate of mine buys Bosch cordless tools there to send on site with his crews. He just replaces batteries as needed. And I'll buy well priced knives there. In fact I'm carrying a Leatherman right now that I got at a local cash converters.

This is one cost saving I'd gladly pass on to the organizer. My kids really don't care if the medal is plastic or tin when I hang it around their necks after the race.

Ding. Everything just fell into place for me. I met you at Tremor Coffee in Ceres on a Friday when you rode to Hogsback a while ago. Next time coffee is on me. I need to stop sending one of my drivers on the Op-Die-Berg trips and do one myself and go get me some Grondpad Coffee. And sommer ride Houdenbek while I'm there.

Stellenbosch has many great coffee shops. There may even be a Seattle in a fresh stop/caltex, but the local coffee guys know that they have it really good in stellies. It's the heartland of coffee in the Boland. There are more coffee roasters than SCC shops in stellies. Actually, coming to stellies, claiming to be a coffee lover and drinking franchise coffee is akin to going to Jonkers and riding the jeep track and skipping all the trails.

Epic doesn't contribute a cent towards trail maintenance after the event.

Every year I have epic FOMO. Following the updates doesn't help. This year I'm on holiday with my family, and while chilling in the hottub last night while it was raining outside I told my wife that I'm really glad to not be sleeping in a tiny tent and have to slog through the mud tomorrow. This year the FOMO is a bit less.

Jeez. That goes either around the edge of Knoflokskraal, or through some of it. Well we'll know for sure after W2W, but I sure as he'll wouldn't ride that side of the N2 on my own anymore.

I'm willing to eat humble pie on this. I reckon the 26inch bikes you see will be the absolute entry level, and kids bikes. And I reckon 26ers are an important step in kids bikes. So much so that I've kept both my wife's old 26ers and have a couple of nice wheelsets and forks in storage to build and maintain killer 26ers for my kids. I will probably have to make a plan to get decent tyres one day, but we'll figure it out.

I don't see that happening. There may be a resurgence of 650b trail bikes for the purpose you describe, but don't think that these will come to SA where people are marathon bedonnered.

In terms of the Bike in your own garage that you still ride, it's not dead. But in terms of new bike sales, it is dead as a dodo

W2W won't go to the Houwteq side of the N2 where the squatter camp is. They'll go from Houw Hoek to Paul Cluver and just stay on the Mountain's side of the road and will be fine. TBH I don't think W2W has been in the affected Lebanon trails in years.

No man. Don't be like that. Bikes are meant to be ridden fast. Falls happen. Scratches and breakage will occur. Chains that fall off can be put back in again and handlebars straightened. Your boy might be the next Sifiso Nhlapo, Burry Stander, or Louis Meintjies. But if you punish him that talent will remain undiscovered.

Geniet dit! Eselfontein is in my humble opinion the best trails in the Western Cape.

Those beveled edges makes me happy. Much like your post box. That reminds me. I have leftover ply. And a very ugly post box.

Something to work up to. I reckon making a project out of it and doing it solely for self fulfillment is the way to go. Doesn't need to be an event. Up first is the Maxirace 45km on Saturday. Might have to chew some cement though.

Stay away from Lebanon. It's a shanty town now. I'd suggest organizing a Hemel and Aarde day pass (snapscan?) and riding to hermanus via H&A. Perhaps meet the crew there for lunch?

Oh yes please! I'll sign up for that. I live at the foot of the Hottentots Holland mountains and drive over the passes on a nearly daily basis. I drove up the back of Franschoek pass today, and spent way too much time dreaming about running the last bit into Franschhoek

No I'm too impatient to learn CAD, so I used hand drawings, followed by test fitting it as I progressed. I can do basic things in sketchup, but it takes me too long, so I usually grab a pencil and a ruler. getting the top piece to fit, while allowing the side pieces to rest on plastic trim was the kicker. But I ended up putting single sided rubber tape underneath all the support pieces anyway, I did Technical Drawings in High school, that helps, especially with understanding where the item will fit in the space

My bakkie sleeps outside, and I frequently park at dodgy while running or riding and needed a place to hide stuff so that an opportunistic tikkop doesn't see anything enticing inside. So I built a box that goes behind the seat that looks like the floor of an extended cab. But it's high enough to store my backpack in one side and work stuff (fire extinguisher, spade, first aid kit, jumper cables, tow ropes and ratchet straps) in the other side. It has no bottom so that the cubbies for the jack and tyre equipment is still accessible. Simple plywood (scrap wood from other projects) construction upholstered (oorgetrek?) in automotive carpet. No fancy joinery, but I had to do get a bit creative in finding a way to to fasten in down. Ended up putting U-bolts in and strapping it down with turnbuckles to hidden holes in the floor for a seat. It's strong enough that my kids can sit on it. There is already things that I'd like to change or do better next time, but alas, that is for a later version. Finished project. Carpet was glued onto the top, cut-outs and front, and stapled where they are not visible. Fortunately the smell of glue has dissipated. Test fit.

Authorized dealers are still independent, in a setting where qualifications are a swing and a miss. So it will boil down to Dragons training the workshop staff in stores on Giant products. Which won't be a bad thing. But you won't service your Suzuki at Mark's Indy and expect Suzuki SA to honor a warranty? That being said, I concur with Bodger above, take your bike to Williams for a Giant issue.

I can attest to this. I do the lowers and air can services myself, but for dampers (lets call it the 100hrs service) my suspension goes to Droo.

Agreed.

Com on denominator is that the driver all sit higher than a bakkie, SUV or car driver. OP: If you can see safely over the bikes, it may be worth a try. I'm pretty sure every second speedcop on a power trip without a clue will try to have a go on writing you a fine though. also, double check how strong the mounting points for the front row bar is. If it is there to push into the water it may not be able to handle the dynamic load of a bike(s) on the front.