Ncayi

Northern JHB suburbs mostly. From my place to the Cradle and back is like 110km with 1500m of elevation. Throw in destinations like Haarties and I easily rack up 2000m over 140km. And And I am unit of a cyclist. Every now and then I venture to the south of JHB when I feel like a flat route.

Seeing that this is linked to my bike fit story I thought let me just ask it here instead of creating another thread. I need some easier gears for the numerous climbs I have to do. I currently have a 52-36 chain ring and a 11-28 cassette. I want to increase my average cadence from 78-83 to 85-90 rpm which I used to manage with 50-34. Would I be best served changing just the chaininrings or is it worth it to change to 11-30 cassette as well? If I slap on a 50-34 and 11-30 will I be sacrificing too much speed on the flat? Not a deal breaker but I still want to be able to keep up with the bunch on flat terrain. I tried to figure it out but the tables below didn't really make too much sense to me. Thanks

I'm actually gutted I won't be doing this event this year. I was planning to travel from JHB as I had a blast in the 2022 edition. If it's your first time doing it, just make sure you don't get dropped from your bunch. And if you do get dropped the faster bunch behind will drag you along and leave you in shambles. It's a long way from the great "mountain of Mordor" to Velddrif if you are alone.

I fully agree that crit racing is the future of road cycling in SA (more specifically in Gauteng) if the current status quo prevails. However, consumers typically associate value for money with time spent enjoying the said expenditure item. That's why a 100km race at R400-R500 seems appealing to a lot of people as opposed to a 1-hour crit race. Then there is the purist angle that is also at play. I remember when the T20 format was introduced in cricket, it was not popular among those who preferred a 5-day test match. I feel cycling is in a similar transition where a lot of people still want a long day on the saddle when they sign up for a "race". I also believe we are also generous when we use the word "racing" as most road races are basically bunch rides where we start together and finish together with the same people pulling in the front. While some people sit in and get the same average speed as the rest (I'm usually one of the wheel suckers yelling keep your line). With the exception of the gents who ride with no saddle bags and FTPs north of 350w.

Thats exactly what I am doing at the moment but indoors for now. I also plan to go back to a 50-34 chainring as I can maintain 85-90 rpm on any terrain. When I moved to Gauteng, I installed a 52-36 with an 11-28 at the back and I immediately noticed a drop in my cadence to 78-82 rpm. I lived in the Vaal, and it was pancake flat so there were no major issues. When I moved to JHB I kept the gears the same which was a mistake because the terrain here is less forgiving. The amount of abuse I have got from that hill from republic road to the top of Bryston has been hectic.

That's my general approach with Bike shops as well, I am what you call a loyal customer till you do something that indicates you no longer have any need for my hard-earned money.

I definitely don't take any half measure when it concerns my health don't get me wrong. I will still see a professional and pay. But apart from being a cyclist, I am a social scientist with an interest in economics and consumer behaviour. So this kind of discourse often intrigues me. That's why I decided to take the question away from home a bit. Should I still pay that plumber even though I still hear the tap dancing of the H20 as it drips from the pipe damaging my expensive wooden laminated floor? I am taking into account the numerous undertones of scepticism communicated in this thread about "plumbers"

Might be a slight thread drift so bear with me. I agree with the premise of how the process should unfold. My curiosity then would be should one pay for outcome or time spent? I know I might be opening up a can of worms that is subject to a lot of other factors. example: when you call a plumber for a leak should it matter if they stay 5min or 3 hours? or should an exchange of money occur once the leak is gone regardless of how much time they spent in your house?

I have seen one already and that's what they said. Hip imbalance, weak hamstrings glutes and quads can be contributing factors, so I am working on that stuff. The bio also indicated that it may be a good idea to see a podiatrist. However, I need to be sure that whatever treatment I pursue takes into account my cycling hence my interest in getting a bike fit. Ps. I don't want to be seeing multiple people for issues that could be addressed by one person, hence my original question. But I have more clarity on how to proceed now. What has been interesting though is the public perception concerning many "experts". Bio believes chiropractors are a scam, some people swear that physiotherapists are a waste of money and bike fitters are equivalent to "pig **** merchants" (Game of Thrones reference). So what is the average dude with a dad body and weak FTP supposed to believe?

I have realised that. I have not been doing anything else apart from just riding the bike which in hindsight I realise was a mistake. I am not the most flexible chap, but I now have a plan for that, and I will also be doing some of the bike strength work. I am also dialling in my nutrition with a nutritionist to ease the load my joints have to endure. Luckily age is still on my side so I have some time to sort things out. I have heard good things about Dr Swart but getting to Cape Town would be a logistical nightmare at the moment.

In your view would that be a podiatrist, orthopaedic or something different altogether?

Mine pronate a lot to the point that it can be noticed easily which further exaggerates my "kiss madolo", which literally translates to kissing knees.

I think this has always been my situation and they say the body is good at adjusting to less ideal positions until it cannot compensate any longer. So, what may have been a close position may no longer be the case after the injury as my body's capacity to compensate may have diminished. So, what I have gathered so far is that needing a bike fit is a relative experience but necessary in my situation. So, I will start by consulting a bike fitter and take it from there.

My fit was quite close, not perfect but close enough. The injury occurred of the bike and has complicated issues on the bike. The bio also noted that I have weak hamstrings which may indicate that I mostly use my quads when cycling. I typically need a high saddle and short reach (I have the body of a T-rex) It's a great platform. After using it confirmed that my fit was close. They roll inward (not sure if its supernate or pronate) I saw a Bio and they gave me an exercise recovery plan which has helped significantly. I have a follow-up in a few weeks.

Thanks for the recommendation.

That was my stance initially because I did lots of mileage with no niggles. Till I kicked a bloody ball around at work for a few minutes and all hell broke loose. I used to be a basketball and football player till I had issues with my knees. So I need to dial my feet, so I don't re-aggravate what is a recovering injury. The bio said I can ride on the trainer, but I don't trust my fit anymore for some weird reason.

Thanks for the input, the process flow you suggest makes sense. I know Northcliff have the exact approach to bike fits, they don't reach into your pocket every time you need to tweak something in the fit. With that said it seems the "general consensus" on the hub is that Richard is in fact worth his weight in gold as you put it. I just need to get clarity on how frequently he may need to reach into my pocket.

Like "many" cyclists I have never had a professional bike fit. On my part mostly due to being stingy if I am being honest but GCN telling me I can do it on my own didn't help either. I have been riding for 2 years now in the same position with no issues, but at the back of my mind, I was flirting with the idea of getting one. I always felt that I was leaving some power and comfort on the table and felt a bike fit would help in this regard. After suffering an injury (off the bike) and getting a professional assessment by a Biokineticist I am now rehabbing what he called patellar chondromalacia. This has led me to accept that I desperately need a bike fit. I have narrowed my bike fit options to Richard Baxter, Cycle Fit and North Cliff Cycles. Which brings me to the point of this thread. Is a bike fitter enough or should I also consult with a podiatrist? I have extremely flat feet, knocked knees and duck "feet" the trifactor of bad posture. On top of that, I was once told that I have a leg length discrepancy, extremely tight hamstrings.

Crappy route borderline unsafe. But definitely one of the most exciting races I have watched. I have goosebumps and chills. Go MVDP!!

Hi Craig Specialized has an alloy drop handlebar they market for ladies. It comes in 360mm and 380mm and from my search a few months ago two places may have stock—Cycles Direct in Cape Town and Coimbra Cycles in Gqeberha.

The same thing happened with mine.

I can also recommend ICG. I moved up here a few months ago and mostly rode alone. I tried different groups, but nothing really stuck till I found ICG. They are a cool bunch of people who prioritise safety and don't litter when riding. They also have rides during the week and a long group ride every Saturday. They also do a gravel group ride occasionally.

I consider myself as somewhat of an expert on any discourse concerning Mthatha, I was born and grew up there. It's a good thing the passenger did not get out or he would have been promptly introduced to that sharp object that was in use. A lot of people don't know that passing through the CBD is a definite no no. There is always bumper to bumper traffic that basically makes you a sitting duck if you have any valuables in your car. There is a bypass that allows you to skip all that mess and also save a lot if time. Bikes or not, I never drive through the CBD when I go back home.

Standard disclaimer: My humble opinion is based on my experience. My approach is simple. What I drink when training is what I drink before a race and during a race. With that said I have used a lot of products as I like to switch things up and not use the same product for too long. I have used Biogen Cytogen and Carbogen, USN Cyto power, Maurten, Powerbar, and Sugar water (with an electrolyte tab and lemon juice). In as much as a prerace drink is beneficial, I think your actual breakfast is more important as sports drinks are typically high on the GI index whereas single-ingredient foods are normally low. So I eat a huge breakfast 2-3 hours before a race and dispose of the waste thoroughly before starting the race. But if The Ouzo's approach appeals to you, I would highly recommend the following, especially in this cold weather.

I definitely wouldn't buy a single boa dial shoe (at least not one without a Velcro strap at the bottom) as it significantly limits adjustments. Maybe I am cheap, but I wouldn't be willing to be separated with 6k on any kind of shoe. So, I will exhaust all possible leads on the 701 and settle for a 702 if all of them are dead ends. Thanks for all the information.