argie1

Penny Farthing wheel going to make a "comeback?" Asking for an old friend 😉

I have only had to visit Garmin once. My old Forerunner 645 screen went nearly blank, but the electronics were fine and would download to my Edge or Samsung phone. Dropped it off, waited for my repair quote, replace screen R 2 k, and it made me think. A new unit R 7 k less 30%? After a few weeks delay on my side, I paid for the repairs the Monday and received a brand new Forerunner 255 the Friday morning. This was way better than me being impatient and buying a new unit less the discount. Excellent, thank you Garmin.

Also in 1B. 😎

As a teenager I used to deliver the morning Cape Times before school and the afternoon Argus after school. What homework? Thats how I got into cycling. When we decided to enter the first Argus Pick n Pay cycle tour, (using money orders) we did not know much about cycling further than newspaper deliveries or to the beach and back, maybe 6 km. After a few years, that sub 3 grabs your attention. We managed to do all the detours over the years. I really liked the Boyes Drive part, the view over False Bay was great when you weren't watching the wheel in front but the descent was deemed too dangerous, like the descent into Kommetjie. I still train very hard, but not enough to make a sub 3, but I have something to dream about. My parents and little sister have supported me every year but they have all since passed away. I can't tell you why I still ride the Argus other than for me it is the excitement of the entry (I am in for 2023) the training with my club buddies (all the after ride "refreshments") the trip to Cape Town over the last 20 years, (locust swarms, tyre blowout, etc. for 2022) The hype of collecting my number and searching through the club 21 names. Saturday Camps Bay breakfast ride, will make you think its race day. Rising very early on "race" day for brekky, the trip to the start, the warmup ride are my lights working? the checking of all the stickers/tags, the long wait for the gun amidst other riders, hardly anyone you know, and WHOOPLA. And before you know it, it's all over too soon until the next year. But then I don't do many races anyway. I will be 65 one day, should I make it 50 tours?

I understand there are around 300 entrants for the ride tomorrow.

You giving me goosebumps with all this talk about the weather. Any day we can ride our bikes should be a great day. Lining up for my "mid life crisis" tour, 41st.😎 The weather can do what it wants, as long as the tour goes ahead. I haven't been this far up front in 1A since ..... the canon blasted off at the old castle in 1980.

Only 7 years old and parts have been discontinued they say, so why should one consider a cannondale in the future?

Thanks to you lot that took us down a virtual tour of the expo from memory. Used to get my BP, HR, weight, glucose, cholestrol, etc. measured each year at the expo until they stopped that for whatever reason. Last year's expo we watched a guy on an exercise bike linked to a juicer, spinning away to make orange juice.

Glad that you are okay and have recovered your bike.

I own both a scalpel and a defender, thought it was going to be about that oil leak ...

So why did a mountain bike come in first? One guy I spoke to that rode it on his gravel bike with "skinny" tyres said the corrugations, sand and ruts held them up. I don't have a gravel bike but if a guy who finished in the top 10 last year is doing it this year on his mtb then I think I will use his experience. Of course the mtb that came in first could have been wheel sucking the gravel guys along the way, who knows?

Surprised by Advendurance this is not like them but that doesn't help the OP. Doing my first one this year but have a lift to the start and back from the finish. May I suggest a search of Race to the Sun on YouTube and then after watching, those with gravel bikes can argue on Friday why a mountain bike came in first.

I used normal road tyres for a while and once I got to about 20 hours per month the tube would eventually wear through after 3 months. Even baby powder inside the tyre didn't help to reduce friction. A new tube would last a week then I would change the tyre. I don't have a taxc tyre but I do have an IDT specific tyre, think it is a conti but its at home and I'm at work so can't confirm. Been using that since October 18 so far so good, it is marked for IDT use only and feels more "sticky" than a normal road tyre.

Just as a precaution, don't leave valuables in your car, such as GPS, dash cam etc. No point in tempting fate. I travel from Fish Hoek and used to take the first train but the last time the driver never pitched up in Simonstown so had to leg it back to my parent house to get my car and fly over ou Kaapse onto Blue route to make my start in time. Had lost my start card in the process and was turned around at the entry gate to a tent where they printed me another card. Luckily I had time in hand. Now I leave at 5 am by car for a leisurely drive to Sea Point then that allows me time to warm up before going to sit at the start. 1F for me this year. might have to go 15 mins earlier.

I started 2B last year, managed a 3h06 but there were a bunch of guys that did sub 3, so not impossible that far back. Have moved forward into 1F. Will see what happens at Smitswinkel, whether or not we (1F) improve on that this year.