MichH

Cruxpearl, i'm certainly no expert, but it looks like some parts can be saved? I suppose the frame is not worth risking, especially any carbon pieces. Very sad, but once again, glad Barend is fine.

Phew. Please pass on my condolences, this is never a nice thing to have happen. So so glad that he's ok, and that you'll be helping to get him set up on a System Six fast. You are so generous with your team members Crux. I hope they appreciate you.MichH2007-02-06 01:15:22

are we talking road or MTB? Have you tried deflating the tyre to get the thorn out?

Hi Saffa G. Nope, wasn't at NF, was at Groenkloof watching the wildlife or trying to find the lung I'd lost on the last agonising uphill!!

Not on the road. Do you MTB?

Hehehehe! This comment is specifically after we were "sarcastically" waving at a car that decided to cross the road in front of us, obviously thinking we were MUCH slower than we actually were. Luckily we were going slower than impending doom speed and could afford to be sarcastic!!

there are a whole bunch of nice MTBers down there (and some beautiful singletrack, sob!). Just ask them!

You have any friends Buff? Just kidding! I'm always in for subtlety first, there's always room for straight talk later

Phew Jinx, this is a difficult one. Maybe you need to sit him down and explain that you don't want to ride with him any more unless he is willing to ride safer. Explain that he isn't riding very safely and you don't want to be the one to see him get killed. Not an easy discussion, but how would you feel if you didn't. You're his friend, he's most likely to listen to you if you handle this with compassion. Good luck

well done enigma! You'll never look back! Are you Jhb based? If so, definitely come and join us!

DTswiss spoke nipples. Are we back to the riding 2 a breast comments again?!

Ag BigBen, I was on your side on that argument, but shoooo you have a loooong memory!!!

It all depends on whether you're looking at optimum health or just enough nutrition to avoid deficiencies. Some facts: Recommended Daily Allowances only keep you from deficiency diseases such as Scurvy Our farming methods and antibiotics in meats, etc have depleted the nutrition in our food down to +- 20% With our busy schedules, who has actually tested that the food they eat has all the right nutrients, etc? I mean actually write a food diary, count kilojoules, RDA's etc? I know I definitely don't and I can't think of anyone that does! BUT, artificial vitamins only have the major components of a vitamin, and can be even worse for you than not taking them. I take a range of vitamins called Nutrilite. They have been around for 72 years, own their own organic farms, no pesticides etc. They do double blind, randomised with placebo clinical tests on all concentrates that form part of their supplements, and all concentrates must have been tested for 20 years before inclusion into existing formulations. My feeling about them? Well, I cycled at least twice during the week at 5am last winter (until the weather report said it was going to be below 5 degrees). I'd come home so cold that a 15 minute shower didn't warm me up properly. Yet I didn't get sick once. In fact, the only time I've been sick was recently when I had a stomach bug, no colds, nothing. And that's in a high stress environment where I'm working til up to 11pm most nights, and getting up at 4:15 to cycle at least 2-3 times a week. Proof enough for me. Oh, and all their products come with a full 90 day money back guarantee.

Myles? Yup. I think he was hitting on me, we kept on 'accidentally' ending up on the same trails at Logwood. And he was doing a wheelie along Showtime, singletrack with dips. OK, so I'm married, but I was impressed!

Swimming Midmar in 2 weeks, suppose I should get myself to a pool to train (i.e. check that I can still swim 1500m). It's tough being young and resilient! Poor dad is out there day and night training, but I guess he only has himself to blame, he's the one who paid for all those swimming lessons! We seem to have found our equilibrium, he kicks my butt on a bike, I beat him annually at Midmar. Now that I think about it, I only get to be faster than him once a year, he klaps me every time we ride!

Keep trying Mampara (giggle). It's suede

Who cares? No just kidding! I know the Ride mag editor and enjoy spending time with her. I don't know the Bicycling editor (although I know one of their crazy DH rider/ journo/ salespeople?) I like Ride, I also feel it contributes more to MTB, plus they immortalised my dad on pg 13, nothing beats that!

Welcome Miss V! No experience with the Triathlons, but it looks like a great series. Dark n Dirty rides from Waterkloof and the following people have been known to ride with them: Cat-i The Thug The Panda Dirt Rider Cois Daemon And some others who I either can't think of, or can't remember their Hub names!

Bored Girl, you must see the massive bruise on my thigh, after my endo on Saturday at Logwood, I fell again on the Spruit in the thick sand and landed on the same bruise! It's now the size of my palm, but thanks to Traumeel it's fading fast!

I think Richard "Bling" Beswick actually has a pair...

Ah garthzga, I am happily married and wasn't planning on taking you out just the two of us anyway. The guys on here know me well enough, I have organised 3 rides of approx 12 riders each in the last 2 months, I've lent my bike to poor Mintsauce when he was up here (poor because he really is used to better things!). My Schwinn has been borrowed for the 24 hour in December, and has already been used by my roadie friend who is converting to The Dark Side. But if you have already tried it out, then the offer is of no consequence, I thought you may be looking to buy and then try, and thought trying and then buying was a better option. And your wife is always welcome to come riding with me!

garthzga, I have a spare Schwinn Mesa for people to try out MTBing. If you're not sure if you will take to riding, we can go out for a ride sometime. I also live in Jhb, so easy enough to set up

Ah the Thug, but then we would have to argue about whether we need to see movement (easier out of the corner of your eye, are those cones or rods?) or shapes? OK, let me stop acting like I'm all intelligent (you all know I'm blonde!), so let me speak from experience. When I was doing that 40km with D n D, I ran my homemade until the battery ran flat, then I had to run the Petzl headlamp (can't remember the model). I fell riding just with the headlamp because I couldn't make out the depth of anything. Also heard others talk about this problem with blue white light?

Erm I FLY, I've ridden with you, and you're the fast part of your bike!!

The only problem I can see with a setup like that is that LED's give off a "flat" light, which means that you struggle to get definition on the obstacles in the path. But it's sure bright enough! If anyone needs instructions on my hubbies marvel of modern engineering, let me know. SLA batteries are heavy, but the light is cheap and good.