Tandemuis

I hear you and trust me I understand. But take your time and go back when you are ready. It doesn't have to be 24 hours or 48 hours. Take your time and go whenever.

Okay cool. I will be on the lookout for that post. Thanks for your willingness to share your experience.

I have to disagree with you here. You never know if they are connected to hijackings, murders etc. Every bit of information can help. Go to the cops. Give them everything you have. Numbers, messages, dates, times and and and. Check to see if the place you met the "friend" had any CCTV footage. Take everything to the cops. You never know, your case might be linked to higher profile cases. These okes usually dabble in more than one type of crime at a time. Maybe your bit of evidence might be the last piece of evidence needed to solve a murder elsewhere.

Congratulations! That is one hell of a race. A lot of people have tried but failed. You should give us a rundown on your bike setup and equipment and gear you took for the race. Lessons learned and so forth. It should make for an awesome read!

Sorry to hear that. Did you go to the cops? These tsotsies....eish! They must be part of some bigger picture syndicate or something. Can you perhaps share the phone numbers, email addresses etc with us so people will know what numbers and stuff they used?

1000k+ event. Bliksem. Well done! The Munga by any chance? But.... you aren't even going to link us to your pics, youtube or blog? Come on! Don't tease us like that. We also want to see! Pretty pleeeeeeeeaaaaasssseeee. That must have been one epic journey.

That registration thing is a major reason for a lot of companies turning down a warranty claim. I have heard it too many times. I always make sure and ask for proof and all that.

O....M....G.... Really? This is bad.

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, but if you drive a Toyota, have a look at this. Toyota is stopping criminals in their tracks with new security updates - in time for festive season https://www.news24.com/wheels/news/toyota-is-stoping-criminals-in-their-tracks-with-new-security-updates-in-time-for-festive-season-20221221

Did you register your bike with them? Because the lifetime warranty only applies if you register it with them. This sucks big time. Surely in SA we can do something about this with our Consumer Protection thing? I mean, Specialized is not cheap.... Surely they must abide by the same "no hidden" and "clearly noted" and "easily understandable" stuff. Sorry that happened to you. From my side I have only had positive experiences with warranties. But they were not Specialized or Giant. 0000109727-warranty-intl-en.pdf

Specialized does have a lifetime warranty, however it only applies if you register your bike with them. Otherwise it is about 2 or 3 years warranty. You need to register your bike within 90 days after purchase.

Scott states the 5 year warranty on their website. Not lifetime.

My Trek came with the warranty as stated below. I have also sent a message to the 2 Trek distributors that I know, asking about this. I will let you know what they answer.

If you do decide on the Trek, don't cut the bars before you go on a long ride first. Better to test it first before you commit to cutting them. That said, I know plenty people who shortened theirs. It is a personal preference type thing and none of them have the same length now.

Oh man, so you went for a swim anyways! Damn. Glad you and the bike are fine though.

OTB....are you and the bike okay?

Thanks for the pics and the info on the erosion. Looks very sketchy on those roads now. Think you are right about the trail difficulty upgrade!

Come on...you can't tease us like that with only 2 photos of the Red trail...

This is very good advice!

Even though it is a laser, this specific laser does not have a single laser beam as you would get from a normal store bought handheld pointing laser. Think more in the line of wide angle LED torch...where the "light" bounces off of anything and everything and still have the same energy as from the original point of origin... That specific laser will have the same effect even bouncing off of other surfaces (glass, metal, stone, rocks, walls, anything basically) over 40 meters away. The reflector inside the housing, coupled with the lense creates a very wide area of cover. Being infrared, you will not see any light or laser...and to be honest, after 0.01 seconds, you will never see anything ever again. It is a very stupid idea and nobody should do this. I am in no way, shape or form suggesting that people should build this. It is beyond dangerous and should not be attempted by anyone, ever, for any reason whatsoever....ever! You do need to use special glasses that will allow you to see the infrared light as well as protect your eyes. Coincidentally they look just like cycling glasses!

I found this video. Maybe it can help with your journey.

This is very important! Great advice.

Didn't you say that the current "feel" of your current bike is not working for you on longer rides? Anyway, I am going to throw a spanner in the works and suggest you try a ride on the Orbea oiz H20 or one of their higher models in the oiz series. They also offer 120mm of travel front and rear but comes with a remote lockout for front and back right on the handlebars.

62 years and 120kg...you stated that you already have some issues with your knees/joints. I will suggest that comfort is one aspect you should focus on more than anything else. Stay away from anything "race" orientated. I take it that you are not planning on finishing any races with a podium finish? This is more a "getting fit and healthy" type bike riding? Also keep in mind that bikes have a structural weight limit that includes the weight of the bike, rider, waterbottles and any other gear. For example: Some Orbea models have a limit of 130kg, some Trek models have a limit of 136kg, some Specialized models have a limit of 120kg. It is important to note that this weight limit is the rider + the bike + any riding gear. The weight limit differs between models and frame types for most makes and the above are just examples of certain models. I suggest you look at a bike with dual suspension with the aim of being comfortable over speed. 100mm travel front and rear as a minimum starting point. With the flip of a switch you can lockout your suspension... you can always turn a full suspension bike into a hard bike, but you cannot turn a hardtail or bike with no suspension into a suspension bike. Another option...E-bikes. I am not sure how your fitness levels are or endurance. They are a bit heavier, but can carry more weight and they can help you with climbs and long rides if you run out of energy. The other thing to consider is maintenance. The more stuff you have on a bike and the more complicated things are the more maintenance you need and for more parts of the bike. Make sure you get a bike that can be serviced and maintained by a place close to where you live. It is a tough choice as the market is flooded with choices and models and it all can be very confusing. I wish you all the best and hope you find your perfect bike very soon. P.S. When you do find your bike, go for a professional bike fit. This will sort out a lot of issues. It will help to setup the bike according to your body. It really helps a lot and can prevent injuries. It also helps a lot with you being more comfortable on the bike with positioning.

And....how did it go?