Brandon P

On my Medium Scalpel I use side cages which aren't too thick (between frame and cage where bottle slides) and can fit up to a 710ml bottle in the downtube. I then use a 500ml in the saddle tube cage. On a longer summer ride where there are no places to fill up I take a third bottle (710ml) in a cage attached to the back of the saddle post (as high as possible).

Placed an order this week, standard shipping, being sent via DHL, expected Thursday so 7.5 days if SA customs doesn't hold it up. Just couldn't find stock of suitable gravel tyres in local bike shops (700x43c with slick center tread) and SA agents seemed to be out too.

My guess on the reasoning for this is pedals with electronics in them likely won't be as robust as non-power-meter pedals and MTB pedals tend to get bashed on rocks etc. Impressed my Shimano XT pedals have lasted so long. Been very happy with my Vector 3's but price and high risk of damage would make me hesitant on the SPD versions for MTB.

Am thinking of getting one of these, supporting local. Two sizes sml (18cmx10cm) and large (21cmx13cm). The price is R450 for fabric and R550 for leather including delivery. Not sure on the volume though in litres: www.instagram.com/mango_time_bags

Could imagine something like this could eventually be used for race timing if it had the mass tracking software to support it and is accurate to the line (bluetooth/wifi). No need for expensive start and finish line gear or a power source at those points.

In my view you would need to attract the riders 1) to the parking and from the parking 2) to the shop after a ride. The riding options and safe parking get us to the parking whilst the shop offering or a discount such as get your parking fee off a meal at the shop can maybe get us into the shop. As others have said, Coffee needs to be good. Offer breakfast & a cappuccino deal, even if its once a month. Or a seventh-heaven deal whereby you get your 7th cappuccino free.Perhaps if people knew a trail route through from your place to Northern Farms and/or to the Cradle loop then they would consider starting from there for variety or a bit more mileage.

The Revelate Pika and Topeak Backloader bags have served their purpose for me for overnighters. Best is to limit your packing space so you can travel light and keep it as simple as possible. Pack everything firm, eliminating movement.

Post revive... There's a 180km water/hydro bike challenge from Corsica to Monaco, relay teams of 4.

Thank you so much! Wow. That resolved it and was so easy too. I'll be paying more attention to fine-tuning these settings as I get more data.

I've been following the 'Fitness' graphs for my activities and finding the fatigue vs fitness lines very interesting & useful. My road bike and indoor trainer have power meters but my MTB does not. Saturday I did a longish MTB ride which barely features in terms of fatigue, yet it took more of a toll than Thursdays. If compared to my Thursday morning road ride which had a lower ave heart rate plus duration was less than half that of Saturdays, Saturdays activity should be a sizable bump in my fatigue. Ofcourse the best way to rectify this in future would be to equip the MTB with a power meter but is there a way for me to manually (or otherwise) compensate/correct the activity so that the impact on the overall graph can be more accurate? Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Ditto

Sad to hear of Delta Park now falling victim too. Delta Park should be a lot easier to secure than the stretched-out Spruit. But would no doubt be a cost of some sorts.

WOOHOOO

Hi JBR, I'm 175cm's, Had a medium VIpa XT and have been riding a Medium 2017 Scalpel since um, 2017. Prefer the Scalpels Medium to the VIpa Medium. The VIpa almost felt on the small side in terms of handling but was comfortable and was the right size for me. The Scalpel just has a much more playful feel to it and feels like it fits me better.

I found Louis Garneau MTB shoes to be wider and more comfortable than other more expensive brands I've owned.

Haven't used the cleaning tablets through my Breville since I ran out of the first lot maybe 8yrs ago. Just too expensive to make sense. I dilute white vinegar and run that through the machine (using rubber jobby) and steamer whenever the 'clean me' light pops on, which is roughly every two months. Filters, I do use and replace every time. Always got them from @home who I believe are the SA importers of Breville. (https://www.home.co.za/pdp/breville-bean-to-cup-filter-set-6/_/A-334002AB2) Machine still works like new, cup after cup. No other maintenance has been required other than the occasional brushing of the grinder.

I'd suggest: Your multitool from CWC with chainbreaker.Quicklinks x2.Mushroom plug.Tyre levers.Two bombs, maybe a pump (for when the bombs run out or when you only need to top up on the trail after plugging). Latex tyre sealant doesn't like CO2.Spare mini-bottle of Stans (for you or your pals when tyre is dry emergency. Then also don't need to top up tyres as often). I take a second bottle on longer rides or bigger groups.Small bottle chainlube.Plugger, spare plugs & blade (e.g. Ryder Slug Plug).All of the above is in a tiny saddle bag (small enough to go in my saddle) or taped to my bottle cage or saddle post. Haven't carried a spare tube in over 15yrs (trekking/riding/racing). They are fairly useless in a used tubeless ridden tyre.

In terms of comfort, I just didn't understand the initial gravel builds on rigid bikes with narrow tyres to ride the corrugated gravel roads we have. Considering all the advancement and direction MTBs have taken in recent years for comfort & performance, this seemed to be the opposite direction for gravel. Interestingly I see the newer trends and what the avid gravel riders are doing is shifting to wider tyres, some suspension (Lefty Oliver / Lauff), rear compliance and also 1x gearing systems.

I very comfortably ride a Medium 2017 Scalpel. Love the fit, its perfect for me. Had Medium VIpa before this which was my fit but felt slightly smaller in handling and not as comfy. I'm 175cm and a 72cm BB to top of saddle.

This pic did its rounds, also someone saying it was taken in KZN. Then someone pointed out that its not a type found in SA but an American snake.

An alternative too, also from Takealot, is the conductor stand at R389. Simple, light and easily stowed away if needed. The top surface plate is a lot wider than the picture depicts, can be angled as you wish. https://www.takealot.com/on-stage-sm7212b-conductor-music-stand/PLID41712823

Unless you're entertaining people and making more than two espressos at a a time I'd highly recommend a Breville Barista Express : https://www.home.co.za/pdp/breville-barista-express/_/A-334002AAAA1 It heats up almost instantly so is ready to go when you feel like a cuppa. Doesn't have the rinsing process before and after using it like some automatic machines. Its compact, including a grinder so every cup is fresh. Is consistent. I have the older model so have had it for many years without the slightest issue. As much as I'd love to have a Rocket type machine (drool) I can't justify the cost of it and the accompanied grinder for my use or the space it will consume in the kitchen.

Thanks for the suggestions. The pic was just an example. Would have thought there would be a much bigger local demand and supply for such things. Seems one has to have their own made.

We're all cyclists and we like our coffee yet the cycling-coffee paraphernalia (in South Africa at least) seems to be very scarce. Anyone know where one can get cups (cortado/espresso/normal mugs) from other than to import rare pro-team cups? Would think the bike & coffee shops could be making a few extra bucks selling things like this. Bike brands extending their brand exposure etc.

Have to agree. I've had my Breville machine for over 5 yrs now. Suits my needs perfectly and makes a great espresso when using a good bean. (Green Bean in Muldersdrift = highly recommended). Works well for making 1 or two espressos at a time. Is a bit slow or maybe less consistent if trying to churn out more that 2 in a hurry, but can be done fairly comfortably. Always wanted an industrial machine at home after working with one in a high traffic coffee shop in London nearly 20yrs ago. The Breville isn't the industrial machine I dreamt of but doesn't consume a lot of space, requires little maintenance, makes a superb cuppa and allows me to tinker a little and taste beans from all over. It's also affordable. Only bugger is I now seldom enjoy the coffee I get from coffee shops.