Rydogg

Foldable. Not sure where you can buy them. They come with the Specialized Roubaix bikes.

JHBers earn more money than us KPs. So they can afford to pay higher membership fees. Makes sense...

I just got a new set of tyres. I haven't managed to find any definitive reviews for them yet, so I thought I would share my experiences so far. Please just note that I am not a roadie at heart (MTB FTW) and have limited experience in road bike products. This is my third set of tyres in my roading career. Feel free to disagree with me. Product: Specialized Roubaix Pro II, 700x23/25c, aramid bead, 120TPI Features: • Improved durability and puncture resistance over previous version • Casing: 25c 120 TPI casing • 700 x 23c dual compound tread • Dual radius Tread (DRT) design for low rolling resistance and great cornering • Compound Center: 70a • Compound Shoulder: 60a • Bead: Aramid • PSI: 115-125 • Approx. weight: 240g To start, I got them for the “Roubaix factor”. That is, the rough road durability. I thought that they would be great on the rough cycle lane from Table View to Town for my daily commute. Well, I wasn’t wrong. The rubber is so soft and squishy, even when pumped to 8.5 bar. It just soaks up all the little stones, uneven tar, paving, sandy sections and even hopping the pavements is way easier. I just love the ride comfort. But, with soft tyres comes the puncture risk problem. I haven't had any issues yet, but I can imagine they are a little less puncture resistant than most tyres. The tyres effectively have 2 radiuses. The inner radius (black part) is the 23c and is supposed to be the normal riding surface with low rolling resistance. The outer radius (red part) has a bit of a lip that sticks out and gives it the 25c. I found this to be a bit of a hoax. Anything below 8 bar, the red parts still touch the road slightly and you feel it. So, you have to try and focus on keeping the tyres as straight as you can, so that as little of the red part touches the road as possible. The rolling resistance is huge with these tyres. It feels like they are very fat and constantly flat. They are also by no means light at 240 grams. They are definitely training / commuting tyres, and not racing tyres. That said, the cornering is peaceful, to say the least. As soon as the bike tilts, even just slightly, the outer parts kick in and it feels like the tyres are sucking onto the road, like octopus tentacles. I love it. Sure you might lose a little speed around long corners, but you will feel more confident at tackling them at higher speeds. So, to summarise: • Ride comfort – Great • Rolling resistance – Not so great • Cornering & Handling – Great • Looks - Average I hope I haven’t bored anyone. Over

I agree! Can you get a year pass for Oak Valley?

Ok, next question: When/where do we register? On the day?

Re wobble vs. ding: Not sure how to describe it. The outer diamter of the rim is perfectly round when you spin it. I don't feel the wobble when I ride. It's the side wall (braking surface) which moves laterally slightly when you spin it, so the brakes rub at one point only. I was just worried that when I pulled on the brakes, the rim would be forced to "bend straight" every tiem it reached that point. Isn't this bad? I used to build my bmx wheels from scratch all the time, but then the tension in the spokes didn't really matter that much. They used to snap all the time, but it was ok. I don't think I would trust myself with road wheels.

Ok, for R100, it's totally worth it! My original estimate was way off.

I'm new to road biking, so forgive me: How important is it to have your wheels 100% true? Someone just gave me a set of Shimano RS10's which I will be using for commuting / training. They are in really good condition, except for the rear one, which has a slightly bent section at one point. So when I brake, it bumps at that point. Is this critical? Or is it ok? Also, how much does it cost to true a wheel?

I agree with eating before all rides! I have tried not eating before my rides in the morning, but found that I was way stronger (and happier) when I ate something. Even though in theory you can train your body to run on empty, training with energy is still better training in the long run. If you insist on not eating before, keep your ride to low intensities and under 60 minutes.

Who is the guy being interviewed?

Could someone email me the kml file?

I also didn't know Specialized made 24" kids mountain bikes...

Brilliant day! Did you guys see the 10 year old kids that made it to the top? I couldn't believe it!!!

I met some of you there on Saturday afternoon. Good job with the maintenance. I will definately try be there next time. Hey, did you guys see my dad (the old guy) jump off the bridge? He was so proud of himself

Awesome, just entered. DC training session #1!

Good news But how do we enter? It's only 2 weeks away...?

Yip. Looks like it is cancelled. Weird.

Hey Kris, You mean Hanno? I don't think the guy exists. I've emaild him a few times already...

So is anyone doing this race? I can't seem to enter anywhere...?

I know a guy who watches a video of some guy riding through a forest, while he's training inside. Might help

Weather is looking good for Sunday

Heart rate is always a problem...

If the guy bought them just to resell them and make a profit, I think it sucks! It means that someone else, who actually wanted them, missed out on a great deal!

Also, when you sit up straight, you use your core muscles more. It's like having something extra to push against. Try it - compare climbing while leaning forward to climbing while sitting up straight.

Has anyone got the exact stats for Kloof Nek? My phone says +/- 200m in 2km... I think it's a bit steeper than coming from the other side.