EnigmaCat

The Hout Bay Cycling club urgently needs help. The club was formed to provide a healthy outlet for boys from the Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg communities. The club has been running for 5 years and in this time more than 60 teenage boys have enjoyed the benefits of cycling and being part of a well organised cycling club. But we need more volunteers to keep the club going. What kind of help is needed? - Riding with the boys, teaching cycling skills, and general supervision (1 to 3 rides a week) - Various administrative tasks (secretarial and accounting). - Mentoring and help with school studies. - Able to help with minor bicycle repairs ( major repairs are taken to bike shops) - Transportation of riders and bikes to and from fun rides (5 to 6 events per year) Without more helpers the club may be forced to close its doors. So if you live in Hout Bay and would like to get involved and can spare a few hours either during the week or at weekends please contact Iain McIntosh 082 658 2148 or Janet Moss 021 790 0807 or Mike Calvin 079 036 9319

A lot of people don’t know about it and pass right by on their rides. Going north it is between the Red Hill junction and the Dido Valley road. There is no sign only an opening in the retaining wall. It looks like something you would not want to take a road bike up, but is fine. The is no Scarborough side although if you turn left at the top you tie into the Red Hill. Top part is the steepest 18%

Maritime Reaction Squadron Hill: 1.5 km - 10% avg, rough surface and lots of switch backs, near Red Hill

Very sorry about this. They were a group of cyclist from Spain here for the Epic. They were in Hout Bay to ride with the Hout Bay Cycling Club www.HoutBayCyclingClub.com in coordination with our sponsor Laureus Sport for Good and to film a documentary for Spanish TV on the charitable work being done by Laureus. We take responsibility as we did not fully brief them on the rules of the road. However we did tell them to ride single file at a stop on Chapman’s Peak Road a little later on. Again we apologize for this.

This video was made in Portland, Oregon. They have done incredible things to promote bicycling. I lived there for 20 years and bicycled to work every day I could. An inspiration to the world. http://www.bicycling.com/news/advocacy/americas-best-bike-city-portland-oregon

I bought this online at http://www.ptd.lu/store.htm from Luxembourg about 3 weeks ago. Took 5 days by standard post. Really enjoyed it.

All I can speak for is Ventoux. Avignon has a train station and TVG station. There are lots of places to stay in Bedoin and other nearby villages. You just have to get there from Avignon (35 minutes by car). I assume by bus. Not sure what the issues are for bikes on the train or buses.

We rented Look 566 Carbon bikes as we were only there for a week and did not want to ship our bikes. They had 50/39/30 front and 12/25 back. A little lower geared than my compact Ultegra, but was actually quite nice for those steep parts.

Stop by Chalet Reynard on the way back. The pommes frites are fantastic. Just to be on one of the climbs you have watched on TV during the TDF is an amazing feeling. There are still the messages to the riders from the 2009 TDF on the road. The road through the forest is the hardest part, only a few switch backs, just straight up at an average of over 9% for about 6 km, then flattens out to average of 7%. From the bottom the climb only one flat spot near the chalet for about 200 meters.

Spent a 8 days cycling in Provence about a week ago. Mostly just cruising around the fantastic country side and roads. Oh yes the food, amazing. Did get serious one day and rode up Mont Ventoux from Bedoin. Its unrelenting and a lot people suffering. Stayed a great little hotel called Hotel de Pins. Mostly cyclist and mostly speaking Flemish. Ventoux is a bit of a pilgrimage for many people.

Very happy with all the work they have done for me!

Ok I get the message. Wife is not going to let me sell it. Had to leave the 110 Defender in Kenya when we moved back

Thanks, I saw this option, but not available here.

Exactly! That's how I get it in now. The top comes down, take the wheels off, everything goes in back and top goes up.

I am having trouble finding a bicycle carrier for my 2007 Mini Cooper convertible. Because of the soft top there is no way to attach the top part of a carrier to the roof. Also there is no way that I can see to install a tow hitch. Any ideas would be much appreciated. Right now I have to take off both wheels and stow it the back, but no way to get two bikes in.