Marlon

Thanks for all the advice and inputs. I missed some of the last posts after work. We pitched up at 8ish, and did the Meerendal Red Route. Yes, it took a while, 2 hours or so with all the stopping to spit out flies and knock ticks off. But it was awesome, I enjoyed it thouroughly, and the permit marshall guy was super helpful and nice. I just had 50 loose nuts on my bike that I had to tighten up, it tortured my Dunloppie quite a bit. I hope it holds up until I can afford a new one. We didn't see many others, and only passed a family once... is Meerendal always that quiet on a saturday? Anyway, it rocked.

Metro police is just latin for corrupt greedy criminals who got jobs. Im with you, but you should report this cockroach testicle before he starts procreating... The bribe was probably a good idea, since they would go out of their way to make sure you get worse treatment. pieces of rubbish, how do they expect us to respect the law?

We rode Meerendal, and had the same issue. You don't hear anything except buzzing, even at high speed. Between the flies and the assloads of ticks we had to stop and knock off every 5 mins, I have vowed to cover myself in Tabard spray before going again. Insecticide on the skin == bad, rather use a repellant.

I have a P7, allright not a bike light, but probably the best Lenser I have ever owned. If theres a way to mount it to my handlebars, then im all for it. I can light up tree tops a block away with it and get 2 hours of a set of charged AAA's... Lenser rocks.

Ok, sounds like I worry too much. So between meerendal and majik it is then! Ill check the information out, and make a choice, i have a slightly more fit friend who will be joining me, so you guys can just lookout for riders who look like dorks Thanks for the info.

Well, generally, I want to do what is expected of new riders. If it requires me riding with the light on, ill do that. I don't have a hardtail though. Singletrack scares me, it means if I am slow, the pro's behind me can't get past, or am I smoking crack here? Thanks for the offer, Ill quickly google Majik and Meerendal! How do you carry 'food' ? Would I look like a gimboid with a small backpack?

Guys/Girls, I am going to just 'do it' tomorrow, and hit one of the trails near me (hillcrest or meerendal or majick, not sure sure yet). I haven't done any of them before, am unfit'ish, and have only been riding around town. I don't know what to expect, or how to do this, especially doing it without annoying the experienced riders. I need some advice, considering ill be slower than most others there, how do I stay out of their way, how do you carry your trail food/water(my bike does not have space or mounts for bottle ) What about getting a flat on the trail? Should i put my taillight on for visibility? Anything you can suggest to a first timer? Would appreciate it more than you think! Thanks

Mmm.certainly puts me in the mood, nice video... I havent done majik either... now I am wondering, on these single tracks, narrow as they are, how should I ride it as an unfit noob? Obviously ill be slower, whats the protocol?

Guys, I post here as a last measure, since I spent many nights pondering over this. I have two problems. 1. Transporting my bike to trails. I have a little hatchback, with no towbar (and I dont want one). I considered the boot clipping carriers, but since I have a factory spoilet thing on top where the brake light is, I cant use those either. How common is it unhooking the front wheel and transporting it in the boot? 2. Storage space, which I have none of... So my bike is currently sleeping (sort of) outside under a roof hangover, and covered every day with a large plastic membrane, to keep dust and moisture out. But the thing is, it is still "out"side, and I don't like it one bit. Im just probing for ideas here, tricks of the trade, if anyone has any to share. I can't be the only one with these constraints cheerios

Be as it may, with my limited knowledge, and full understanding, the only thing I can say is goodluck, I really hope it goes well.

"Amarok is the name of a gigantic wolf in Inuit mythology" FYI

I have to laugh at how sensitive little dimwits always make things a race issue.If that's all they have left, then good luck And I saw this happening at hochland auto cycle tour many years ago, women coming downhill at about twice the speed of everyone else (corner up front) and wambam into the back of the pack, taking about 5 people with her.... and i suppose Im going to be a sexist now?

Oh boy, I had a great chuckle reading your responses, and I must say I feel relieved enough to actually hit a trail this weekend. Ill be the slower guy bleeding from the ears at Hillcrest perhaps. Thanks everyone, I suppose I owe the community an apology, misjudged.

Mmm, I have loved "cycling" for ages, never been topfit, but enjoy it everytime. I don't drool myself wet when I go into the lbs, but I love what i see. I never entered a race, and I don't have gatskuur expensive equipment either. I like MTB, but I hardly ever go to the 'trails'... Instead you'll find me and my riding buddy/ies crossing the local valley, riding next to the rail lines and at the camping spots we camp at. Our/MY idea of a fun ride is to go from point A to B no matter what, sand, tar, field, gravel, water, etc. I don't even think I look very 'cycly' in my riding shorts (which is really just Mr Price shorts I spent lots of time on finding ones that will work great for riding my bike), and I have a (probably cheap) R300 helmet(passing all safety standards btw )... Then I found the hub, and joined, and the question poses itself... 1. either this is a "professionals" only forum 2. I stick out like a sore thumb, and look like an idiot Sure I am trying, and would love to get fit to a level where I can do my trips without getting tired, and no, I don't care what others think... But I am curious, and would like to know if you guys see people like me frequently and say "what a retard lol" or not, because it would help to know. I know I do that often while driving my car and cyclists swerving in front of me, or not looking for traffic when they cross offramps... I suppose this post is a means of trying to gain a better understanding and respect for the disciplines involved. Thanks Marlon

I don't have a raleigh, but I also don't have an expensive snobstruct either. I have a R1k dunlop which would probably get more frowns from aforementioned than raleigh's would get. It's just that I don't care what world they would live in, to think that I give a sh** what they think The raleigh i did have, was my "bmw style" one in primary school, and I remember it taking a beating for years, including multiple times being left in the pool overnight I think people should buy what they can afford, and use what they are happy with, because what "suurtiete" (i like that ) think makes zero difference.