1kTT

I was there spectating and can confirm that the course was way harder than any one of the MTN national races in SA. There were plenty of grown racing snakes in tears. The real problem was that the conditions were so different to anything we have in SA that it was hard to translate local form into a result. Max Knox and Yolande Speedy were great though!

havnt noticed it on my set but will take a closer look this evening. can you post a pic ?

Hi All, I am seriously eye-balling a time trial bike but never seem to see any time trials in Gauteng, so not much point in getting the bike then... Can anybody tell me what time trials are around or point me to a website ? Thanks

Hi, If anybody is interesting in doing paid tech support for two riders on the 75km route, pls PM me. Thanks!

Hi All, I am looking for somebody to provide technical support for Saturdays SA marathon mountain bike champs. Preferably somebody who has done tech support at another high profile event Epic etc. We have a budget to pay for support so not expecting anything for free. If you would like to assist, please PM me. Thanks

Guys are amazing. Always go above and beyond for me. Recommend 1000%

Not kidding, 100% true story! I was so stunned it took me a while to realize the guy wasn't joking. He actually asked me for my "cycling cv" at that point I said cheers and left. Before anybody asks I am not a totally useless cyclist- top 100 Epic a few years back. Sad thing is that the bike is brilliant and I would buy it again in a flash. Just not from that shop. Ever.

I had the single strangest experience in a bike shop ever at the Melrose Arch concept store. Went in on a Sat morning to but a carbon epic. They had one on the floor and I said please can I buy it. Sales man said "no I won't sell it to you, I can see you are not a podium contender and it's too much bike for you". Needless to say, a short heated discussion followed. Guy took my number and said he will call me back after "thinking about it". I kid you not. No phone call ever came. I bought the Specialised Epic bike from another shop a few days later and have been completely happy with it ever since. Great bikes, worlds worst service ever.

I have the new XTR brakes, 6 bolt and no cooling fins. They work brilliantly. We wouldnt use the XTR rotor but just used another 6 bolt one instead.

glad everybody is okay. thats is exactly on my usual saturday morning route, so would have been a nice anniversary present since i was jacked almost exactly a year ago. after our incident, we tried the private investigator route but had no success. havnt felt this down about SA and riding in ages

You can also get special double sided tape from Tufo that is used to stick tubbies on. Really easy- you just peel off one side, stick the tape on, put the tubbie over it and peel the second layer off. Takes 5 mins max and easy to get the tubbie straight etc. No idea who stocks it though

Hi, I think your chance of getting it fixed are slim. They are great when they work but notorious for breaking I have had 2). AFIK Ergomo itself went out of business a while back. The local agent was the bike shop near Kyalami race track (Cycletech Kyalami??), maybe try them.

I dont want to quit, I love riding too much. I just cant see myself mtbing anywhere around JHB North anytime soon. It just wont be any fun thinking that round any bend you could have a gun at your head. sad but true.

I was one of the cyclists robbed. The report above is completely accurate. The guys took the 5 bicycles and left the motorbikes. After having been through the incident, I went back and had a look through all of the posts on the hub about what guys would do- guns, pepper spray, escorts etc. I can honestly tell you that there was absolutely no chance to use a gun (nobody was carrying one) it all happens too quickly and there are too many variables and people around to get caught in the crossfire. I cant see pepper spray being of any use either other than to escalate the situation. Riding in a large group made no difference, we were 5 guys (plus the 3 motor bike riders), all experienced mountain bikers, alert and in a pretty close group. I dont think the guys would have had any problem handling 10 cyclists. I dont know what the answer is except at the moment I will not be doing much mountain biking.

Thanks CliveDS, that pic brings back a lot of memories. I was there hanging off the back somewhere.....

I ride there all the time, very very sad. glad you guys are okay

this is so so sad. bought my first bike when I was about 10, a bmx, from the Idol when he had the shop on Louis Botha. Felt like a king just being in the same room as him. then I had the absolute privilege for racing with him on the road and track towards the end of his pro career. Like everybody has said, he really was the Idol- looked so effortless and classy on his bike and always a beautiful girl close by. then in later years i will never forget how he could sell Colnago's to everybody in the Northern Suburbs, making you feel like he was giving you the most special deal ever and that you really really deserved the bike. RIP

I used the KCNC mtb cluster a while back. It was very light and shifting was fine but it wore out in less than 1000km. Thats around R2 per km just for your rear cluster.......

Hi John, I agree that carbon's advantage reduces as the profile of the rim reduces but I am surprised that you say that at some point an ali rim will be the best material. Could you give an example ? How do you factor in the superior design and construction techniques that are only available for carbon wheels ? Finally are you saying that a carbon spoke is the same stiffness as an ali or steel one for the same length ?

i should be getting a 'cross bike in the next 2 weeks. very keen to try it out!

i know,but i dont know another way to describe it. ?if you have to ask/are worried about your fitness, you will definitely not survive front of engen and probably not illovo either. ?there is a very simple way to find out, just pitch and see.....

main road engen is freaking hard ie if you can just hang in at the front you will be too strong for any other group in the area. ?there are a couple of slower engen groups but i havnt ridden with them so dont know av speed. illovo is a more like a fast social pace with a fast and medium group in summer and usually 1 group in winter.

hey Bruce, What sort of power readings were you aiming to keep on steady climbs/flats ?