eala

TAX was not even mentioned .In my case 60 cents of the 100 returns to SARS

Very well said ! I have the same attitude nowadays . If i am late somewhere i apologize and plan better for the next time .I even give way to taxis .Live over the trouble and not in it !!. I have decided not to be the D@#S in the bakkie

I was waiting for this name to pop up .At a weight of 100 kg without bike ,I tend to take frame quality serious .I had a Kona frame replaced under warranty without much drama .Quality tends to keep value also .So you pay a lot for new ,but get more at the sell also

In many parts of Europe ,you will not dare to even attempt to pass .If you hit a cyclist in France ,no matter what , the non cyclist is wrong and will be prosecuted .I once hooted at a lady on a bike that was barely moving in front of me .I will not do that again !!!.It was in a busy town and it felt as if everybody wanted to lynch me there and then

I have noticed the same when i was there a year ago .I could not believe the places i found cyclists on tar roads

Sounds normal to me

I don't think Canyon will be missed .Saffas like quality even at a high price .But they know quality and the don't like warranty issues .They will pay more for a used Santa Cruz than a new Canyon

I carry one large one litre bottle on my bike and another 750 ml in my stomach before i set off and i might add i weigh 100kg .Has worked for me for years now .The problem is to find a decent one litre bottle .Sponser made a very nice sturdy one ,but i lost it .Getting back to the original thread now. Get an XC bike and add or build it with a 120mm fork .Any 90,100,120mm rear travel is enough .Slacker head angles are worthwhile and i don,t use a dropper seat post yet

Still riding the KONA i bought from them .

He is good but there are some serious talent that he has to get behind him to medal and i don,t see that happening

George area and inland from Hartenbos and Mosselbay there are miles of perfect scenic gravel roads with almost no traffic or people other than the local friendly farmers

I played rugby and cycle .A life without scars is a wasted one .Who wants to die with a healthy body

I also have one of these .The bigger one can take my XL and XXL bikes and i can carry 3 bikes ,all L and bigger .The tilt is a must

Also lost a friend [55 old ] to Covid this week .I cannot help to feel the moer in with the Government playing Roulette with lives .I was lucky to get the vaccine earlier this year .He should also have had a chance

This guy is clever and talented .The MvdP of the inter-webs

Seriously impressed !. I was sukkeling carrying myself and bike down there .I still believe Gravel bike riders need a ,Weird licence, They probably hide it under their beards and flannel shirt

Why, and it is not safe for themselves and others around them .They can,t brake or turn as fast as the proper equipment

Let Van H make you a few shirts !

That pretty much sums up they way i see it also .It is so much easier to decide at the spur of the moment ,today i am taking another route than the usual and i don't have to worry if my skinny gravel tyres will make it ,or this road might become really bad for twenty km and i will be stuck with no suspension and skinny tyres on rocks and sand .Don't forget that a thin tyre does not work in sand ever and carrying speed through a ditch is the way to go with suspension and strong tyres ,but cannot be done on a gravel bike .I have had many opportunities to go the gravel bike route and every time i realize that they are imo only a rugged replacement for a road bike and nothing more

Exactly .I tried rigid once ,and once only .I tried thin lightweight tires once only .Modern hardtail is the way to go

Suspension ,Two bottle cages ,multiple hand placements ,narrow tyres

I have a few bikes that are rotated regularly .I also live in Pretoria and was looking hard at getting a gravel bike ,but as soon as had to pay i realized that i also will encounter what you encountered .In my mind i know that a proper hardtail with enough front suspension is the way to go .In the past i rode my first road races on a HT MTB with hard tires and a 40 sprocket in front and a 2 x 10 setup .It worked really well .I have done gravel events with the same bike and only swapped the off-road tires for narrowed slicker ones .For proper MTB ing stage races the big tires come out .I recently went all out and bought myself a high end HT frame and will continue the same way

If the chain is good there is little wear on the cassette

I have the same problem with a Sunrace cassette .I use the best chain i could get and the cassette just does not wear

Big Stans Arch fan here .Still riding my cracked rims with no issues