Paul Ruinaard

Hmm - i think maybe there has been - Rockshox and Fox on active electronic suspension developments for the Commencal frames? Fox on the Brain shocks with Specialized ? Santa Cruz VPP is licensed to multiple frame manufacturers. Disc brakes required massive reengineering of forks and dropouts. Boost Hubs ? the move from 29er geometry? Through Axles vs Skewers in hubs. Not sure these happened randomly. And these are the ones that spring to mind.

Okay i think I understand what you are saying (post is a bit garbled) however I think you are evidence of what i was trying to say 1.) Agreed you can spend your hard earned cash on what you want - your choice. I know this very well I can assure you. 2.) The point is that when value becomes disconnected from the underlying asset and you are quantifying lifestyle (which is what the bike brands have learned to do). 3.) This equation creates bubbles which eventually lead to crashes in markets. the price of lifestyle and the money chasing the expression of success is a much larger pie than people wanting to ride bikes for example for transport. As long as the manufacturers can equate achievement in the world and status with their goods (or the acquisition thereof) you will be willing to demonstrate your ascendancy through acquiring increasingly expensive goods which have marginal gains. The concept of a 2023 Sworks Epic being better than a 2022 is very tough to defend, unless it is as you say demonstrative of your hard work and achievement in the world. then its an outward manifestation of how well you are doing, but its value isn't related to cycling any more, its related to having the best most expensive bike at the start line. Its not going to improve your cycling or your sense of achievement unless your peers you associate with are identifying similarly. The thing is when the bike sellers start to align with that need and desire then they can charge you what you are willing to pay for it. And if you are doing well and you want the goods then hey you can afford it so thats all lekker and well. No criticism there. But to close the loop this is what has happened. The bikes aren't costing more, they are costing less. You are buying the lifestyle and the image more, which is driving the price. This is well done to the marketers at the bike shops and manufacturers to get this and make their goods align with it. No question its what made them so much money. However when those get uncoupled and the money chasing the bikes is now subject to inflationary pressures and the recessionary climate the chances are there is less of it. Thats when markets tumble. Thats the point IMO.

Dont know where you are but Wes at Mellow Velo had a replacement strap for mine which was significantly cheaper than the Garmin ones. Also on Takealot there are third party strap vendors but make sure your measurements are right

The thing is we forget what happened with Schwinn and where Giant came from. Go google it. Giant was Schwinn's contract manufacturer in far east - schwinn saw lots of savings so got them to do everything. Next thing Giant closes the tap on Schwinn and starts making Schwinn's bikes basically as their own. Thats the precis version and the summary of the lesson, and they weren't the only high end American manufacturer caught in the trap. So now play this back again in the light of Pinarello, Specialized etc. being made in far east essentially as are all ally frames. See what can potentially happen and especially if the margins are nice and fat. As an LBS I would willingly support a high margin brand of no name brand bike if i could get it reliably. There are many stories about the bike industry but the simple truths of economics are really at play here and supply and demand and bubble markets caused by aberrations and false conditions which will normalise. An XTR equipped Specialized Sworks M5 alloy in 2005 with everything on from Fritz was R 35k and then I thought I was crazy. The same level of bike is now 6 x to 7 x the price. An Epic Entry and costs in 2006 was R 30k all in. Now R 100k for the entry alone and add on all the extra costs. The maths dictate that theres a lot more fat in these equations. Where it is in the supply chain TBH i don't know but my instincts tell me its the manufacturers who are making 100% margins - the Shimano's etc. FWIW I just built a simple hard tail ally bike for pedalling around locally to ride some of the more risky routes where i want to be able to ride on gravel cause theres no shoulder. All in for R 11k with 1 x 11 and a Rock Shox Revelation I had lying around. The bikes spec would have been seen as very high end hardtail 8 to 10 years ago - now its cheap as chips. Its super light, low maintenance and easy as pie to take off the rack and just pedal. And lots of fun to ride (although hard tails and old people who are used to full sus are always going to be a bad mix :-)). The point is i could have spent R 45k getting exactly the same thing or more of it. So its also the fact that we always want the carbon wheels , the new frames and the 1 x 12 groups that is the craziness. You don't need it. What you are riding is probably way better than you are at any given time. You want it. And that want is what makes you rationalise spending silly money on bikes. I have done it many times - bought the ultimate in groups and put it on cutting edge frames and then had this beautiful bike thats lovely to ride but no real difference from my previous bike when it comes to the actual riding. We buy in to all the BS about FACT carbon and Sworks and Pinarello Dogma and the electronic shifting with 1 x 12 and the need for XTR or Dura Ace or Record or AXS which the whole industry touts, but if you are clever and buy something a bit older second hand and then keep it for some years you can ride last years cutting edge which isn't good enough for someone else but way better than what you had or what you are capable of actually finding the limits of. The industry is designed to perpetuate the myth but the truths around cycling and building simple bikes that ride well, will always remain the same. Whether on an R 11k hardtail or a R 270k ebike you still can only go riding with your mates and the sensation of the ride is all the same for the R11k rider when you come back for coffee after the turn for home. The guy on the fancier bike gets the same experience of being out with mates and the same enjoyment of his race or his ride as what the guy on the cheapest bike does. And thats why we do it - or am i wrong? FWIW when I went to TDF for the last week in 2004 the Europeans were astounded to see the bikes the South Africans unloaded from the bus. They couldn't believe that there were so many Colnago C40's, Pinarellos, Litespeed etc all specced to the best with record or Dura Ace in one place. They honestly thought we were semi pro cause there was no way they would spend that amount of money on recreational toys. Most of them were on ally frames Giant TCRs, Trek and the like or even older Steel. And they rode them well and stayed with us and dropped us on many climbs. The thing is they weren't focused on the bikes and the peeing contest of who had the best hardware, they were there for the riding. Long story - but it all really rides the same give or take a bit. So the top end Specialized Epic Sworks MTB is as good as the ally low end give or take 10% TBH. IMO that is. And the skills needed to extract the difference in the two platforms dont exit in 98% of the riders. So 98% of us would be better off with the cheaper bike or wouldn't be any faster. Same for all brands. The Ally ebike is as good as the carbon one TBH. The pedestrian mid range fork is good enough for weekend warriors if tuned correctly. You dont need the fancy stuff. You want the fancy stuff. Thats what the big brands know and they work on that marketing and psychology. My 2 cents worth.

This thread never fails to inspire me. Some of you guys are pretty good with the camera and software. Keep at it.

https://www.velonews.com/gear/fallout-from-the-pandemic-bike-boom/

Sounds like you know what you are doing and have a plan. Do some training and you can then just close the gap with that :-). The last 10 to 15 kms from over Suikerbossie can be pedalled on anything if you aren't too tired, I think its a plan to have like 10% left in the battery after Suikerbossie which would be IMO the ideal. The drag to the finish can be long especially in to a headwind so if you havent done it before an dont know how to pace yourself you may want a little more juice for a comfortable finish. If you know the route then its pretty easy. look at the suggested inflation on Slicks - i have seen them up to 3,5 bar.

My wife did it. change of batteries is nice. You are just not allowed to go under 4 hours. My wife did a 4:02 on 2 x batteries and had a great ride - put it this way you have all the big climbs in the end so its nice to have some juice to get up them quickly if you aren't that fit. It all depends on your bike and your fitness levels. Some newer bikes will easily make 109km on a battery or a battery +extender, just depends on how much you need to turn it up. FWIW batteries are often heavy so its nice to have it at about halfway and change it somewhere without having to lug it with you. Also think about changing from MTB tyres to slicks which will markedly increase your top speeds and also reduce your rolling resistance and therefore your need for battery and motor assistance. Gearing of the bike is important - i put slicks, a 38 front gear and then hacked the software on the bike to get it to assist up to 38 kmh. If your bike is limited to 25 kmh it will drive you crazy on road rides.

Isn't it time a reset happened especially when bike prices are cranking in to R 270k for something that used to cost R 35k 15 years ago. The input costs associated with bikes have also dropped materially in the longer term, yet prices have continued to rise as the demand supported it. So prices are unrelated to value and are being set based on perceived demand. Once the perceived demand drops off and the real demand is way below the actual supply - markets will contract and people will go out of business especially if you have warehouses full of stock. The longer the elastic is pulled back in terms of the price rise based on perceived demand, the greater will be the heights it all falls from when it contracts. You don't want to be sitting with warehouses full of stock when inflation is resulting in a recession. Thats when you will see it all dumped as cash flows become king. Or in simpler language the bike industry has got fat and complacent during pandemic demand and have geared for an unrealistic assumption this will continue. You just need to look at the stock valuations of the pandemic darlings since 2020 to date for some lessons as to what is going to happen next. Zoom, Peleton, Netflix , Gamestop, bitcoin, FTX etc etc etc to name a few of the standouts where valuations where stratospheric and unrelated to underlying results.

You can do this on Strava as well with Premium. Just do some googling.

Many times - never resolved to my satisfaction - jotted i down to learning and bad mouthed the bike shops so much that i probably cost them 10 x what they owed me. Fritz pienaar in Sunninghill dropped my colnago whilst carrying it down the stairs from the workshop - nothing ever happened. Recently used a bicycle transport company for bike to be transported to Argus - they dropped it, damaged STi's and bent the levers in - but still denied any responsibility. Bike shops just smile and wave in the majority. Even when they know its their fault.

drill them out and replace the cleat plates in the shoe - much simpler and quicker.

you will get a nice ebike for that - dont forget to get all the accessories - helmets, glasses, shorts, shoes etc can add up as well. I dont know Grotto Bay well but I am sure you will also have a good amount of wind. Wind and cycling mix 50% of the time - when you are going with the wind. Keep that in mind when you plan your rides.

Plenty of nice bikes on the second hand forum. There was a carbon GT hardtail for R 12k i think. As they said - get some kays in on the easy hard roads first - big boys sink on sand so steer clear. Riding on any beach looks cool but screws up a bike as it has an exposed gearbox. Add sand, salt and water to the gears and they will die very quickly. Best idea is not to do it. Ride down lekker farm roads for a nice jol in the early mornings when theres no wind. Take it easy and start slow - you can give yourself a heart attack if you havent done some exercise and just go riding . Ideally get an ebike but thats probably a next step.

So did the break up occur because one of the people in the group got frisky with another persons significant other and slipped her a portion on the sly? Happened in a club i rode with as well as with me (albeit the ex didn't decide to leave for a fellow cycling buddy). The result was one very interesting cycling club get together where it boiled over in to a couple of blows on the dance floor at the year end party. I carried on riding with the club after my ex left me as i think she knew it was my turf. Respect the turf - lots of cycling clubs out there, no need to make it awkward and have people at the front and the back of the bunches taking turns to counsel the disaffected parties.

thanks guys. Its not easy to get batteries and replacement batteries. there was also a bunch in Bellville building booster batteries for ebikes. Not sure of their names.

Holy smoke he's back. Haven't seen that name on the hub for many a year. Unless you are an imposter.

I cant see many road rage incidents in the main drag of Prince Albert unless there is a major Olive Oil spill or someone gets in front of you in the queue for koeksisters at the bakery #justsaying. Jhb is next level stressed IMO.

It wouldn't be the first time something on the hub has veered in to therapy. It certainly gave me a vent to many of my inner discussions over the years I have been here and it is probably a loose community of people still even from the wild west days of yore with Sheriffs and sub plots etc. i know you guys are trying to commercialise this pace a lot more but i think this string is like the Xmas wish on radio stations. Its done a lot more good than you think. OP: I think there is method in our madness and maybe a sub text that isn't evident. this is like an AA meeting for short fused people who are universally aghast at what happened to you but are identifying that this can happen and HOW it happens and that it could have, in a different setting and in the past, been them. If for some strange reason the perpetrator is here watching and reading these posts (not so crazy as its a crime that wants notoriety and bragging rights) or his mates are - also not so crazy, then theres a chance that you can flush him out by showing there is a way forward. He isn't a happy person and is a ticking time bomb. It either goes bang and he goes out in a blaze of glory or he redeems himself and addresses his demons through whatever channel he chooses. WRT the other posts i think there is a lot of merit in what is being said: - there is a base level of stress by just living in JHB that makes you hyper aware and your cortisol levels higher - you then embark on a dangerous activity like cycling in a dangerous place, which raises awareness - you get passed close by dangerous cars and threats to you are constant so you are hyper vigilant - pedestrians etc could all hijack you - you then do an activity which requires high levels of exertion and is competitive which involves more adrenaline and exertion. Given this its like adding igniter to propellant and add in the tribalism of cycling with bunches and groups etc. Whilst i am aware that what is being said implies clear intent i.e. the attacker pursued the person and also assaulted him away from other people, this IMO is more pathological behaviour and a deeper psychoses. You aren't looking for approval from your mates and you had clear intent. thats seriously different. This is like a stalker identifying prey at a night club and raping on the wya home. very different. IMO as much as we would like to flush out the perpetrator they have done this before, its a modus operandi, their tracks are very well covered an di will also predict that when and if ever caught this will be the last person you expected to react like this. there is a level of malicious intent here that is deeper than all the trigger events we have been describing. My 2 cents worth

I just got a fitter and turner to make some adapters. Wasn't very difficult at all

Hmm the piece about working out very quickly how to inflict maximum hurt is eye opening. For me If i was in the past triggered I would use bottles, bricks, guns, poles etc. I am also aware i don't register pain when triggered. I can feel the blows if someone strikes back but i just don't register - its like a dull impact but no pain. I have had a memory of people in a situation many years ago much older, stronger and more mature hitting back in the hope it would stop me but i would just carry on coming. My brother was 6 years older than me and he and his friends knew to stay away and not trigger me. Like you say - formative years and a long time ago. I still find myself working out the odds in tight situations and a calmness descends, things go quiet and i make decisions very quickly. In hindsight people are amazed at how i change and will go from retreat and walk away to attack and forward. Again i recognise this in situations and cant say i would have done what happened here to the OP as this was deliberate - but inside every one of us lives a shadow, you need to embrace and love that darkness. Very pop psych and all but also pretty necessary. Inner kids etc are also part of us. Many hours on bikes and very extreme distances also helped to run away from some of this stuff

Hmm very interesting reading for me personally. I have noticed i have a trigger and even if i get slapped by a branch in the face on a bike ride I absolutely hate it and it ruins my day. I have no idea where it came from but its intense and feelings triggered are uncontrollable rage. I have worked out if you hit me in the face for some reason its like a blind rage that builds inside and the red mist descends and I will attack without any consideration of the outcome. In the dark distant past of the biggest bullies in high school slapped me for some unknown reason. The sort of guy who was fighting every weekend with the gangs, not to be messed with and an evil person. Think he ended up in prison or a record for violent assault and GBH. Gym bunny, roid rage, first team hooker etc. I turned and walked away as I was a lot smaller and less strong and less inclined to fight. Somewhere in this he dropped his guard which was his mistake because as a the rage built I turned and launched myself at him and just carried on hitting him and using everything within reach to beat him with. I would not stop and it took a number of guys to pull me off. Logically at that point i was in big trouble and i was thankful there were guys around to stop the fight as i was in for a can of whip ass. And this was evident from the beginning. There was and us still no way on this earth i would have in my right mind picked a fight with him or even tried. I would just have swallowed my pride and walked away. . Roll that forward and now I know at this age that i have this alter ego in me capable of dark things and have even warned people about this. Its completely consuming and literally a red mist descends and as you say because of this i will not own a gun. I am the sort of person who will pull a trigger with zero remorse and if activated would pull it multiple times. I don't need or shouldn't be allowed guns and the like . In summary thanks for the share it helped me share something i have really kept a secret for a long time. How does this relate to the OP - well some piece of me feels for the person who is charging around assaulting people as he is a very scared individual who is externalising rage and possibly abuse he suffered and a piece of me wants to see him helped. Everyone deserves to be given help and a chance to redeem themselves. I am not sure if he is vicariously following this - but i am sure this rage inside him wasn't built out of a single incident and he also needs to know he can and will get well if he faces his demons. cheers happy Friday. Good luck to the DC competitors. the wind is evil down here.

all out of stock FFS

Holy sh$t thats cool. Did not know that.

Nope totally agree. Whatever gets you on the bike. I keep thinking of the continuum that leads to this. You start all gung ho as a noob, then do every race known to man ten get tired of that , then you start MTBing and get even more extreme. then eventually after all that when you have been far and have PB's etc and everything is achieved - you pine for a fun ride with your mates. So the final stage is when you are riding with mates socially. Thats the arc of a cyclist. Be it in races or not. When the views from your house are next level and the rides are so good you are spoilt for choice then you are really somewhat spoiled and need to guard against becoming jaded.