Skubarra

Also respected that - still got hate on the hub though for not ratting out his drug suppliers. Nothing will ever please the hub mob 😁

I base my opinion on how amateurish it was done rather than on the believe that he had a great moral compass in his younger years. Not sure one can read too much on what happened the day David was busted, wasn't it based on new tests that were done on old samples? Sure the same tests would have been done on Kevin's samples as well My theory but that said, not exactly a hill I would choose to die on.

Personally I found it more likely that Kevin started doping at the tail-end of his career when age & failing health started catching up with him. The amateurish way he went about it makes it very unlikely that he was getting away with it for a long time, definitely not Dr Ferrari level stuff going on.

The Tygerberg marshalls I know are paid-up members who volunteer for marshalling duty. Don't know if there are exceptions but I hope not, can see how that would create problems.

I was always under the impression marshals also have to pay their annual club fees? Is this some kind of special arrangement for certain individuals?

This is my pet hate of Tygerberg, and the big reason I never invite friends from outside the area to ride Tygerberg with me. Although as I understand this is more driven by the property owners than the club, and we have access to the trails thanks to their goodwill so I just zip it and mumble to myself.

As someone living on the Tygerberg trails doorstep I am instantly offended by this comment. But I did ride bottelary a few weeks back for the first time in years, certainly was a lekker ride and I enjoyed the singletrack. (directions as confusing as always though...)

Not sure why they changed their mind, but I'm positive there would be enough time to clear the route before next Sunday

SMS said online entries are open, I think till wednesday

There would be a safety officer, and it will be that person's call to cancel the event conditions are unsafe. Only happens occasionally though, weather have to be extreme for event to be called off.

If mtb trails are your nr 1 priority (and woolies foods nr 2) - with respect to the other options - I don't know why you would even bother to look outside the Somerset-West/Durbanville/Paarl Winelands "triangle". More trail networks in the wider area than you would be able to ride in months even if you tried. And if you can't find a neighborhood that is quiet/rural enough for your liking you are not trying.

LOL! You can have my entry if the prediction is still monsoon on Saturday night

Yes - very disappointing. Will make a call Sat evening but I have no intention of braving a storm just to mtb.

Exactly what a scammer would say...

Kind of with Milky on this one, guess one can try to work the insurance system but wear and tear not technically insurable. Not sure one will always get away with that approach.

I was one of them! The early gravel bikes also didn't convince me. Took me a few years to come around 😁

I think its a decent low cost low risk plan to get into gravel riding if a mtb is what you have and you don't have the budget for a gravel bike now.

I think with the right tires the difference would be far less? Only have been riding a gravel bike for a very short time but my gut feel is that 90% of people participating in funrides (ie everyone outside the real sharp end of the field) won't be worse off if they swop their road bikes for gravel bikes with road tyres.

This ^ Seems that gravel bikes improved substantially over the past few years, a big portion of gravel bikes you would see in the ads are older bikes from people upgrading.

Take a look at the field at the starting line up when the Swartberg Gran Fondo is hosted in your town later this month. Was at last year's Gran Fondo when I realised for the first time how big Gravel riding (and racing) is getting in this country. Imagine a mtb or road event attracting that many people to your town... I for one was very slow on the uptake, resisted the switch to gravel bike for very long. The one benefit for me now is my mtb can now be properly set up to just do trails, it doesn't have to be a jack of all trades anymore. I am actually now also enjoying my mtb even more!

Apologies if this is a stupid question but have you been to one of the Thule stores, last time I needed a spare part the store ordered one for me

Unless people are now dropping out of the Epic due to heart attacks and strokes I call BS on the covid theory. For one if that was true it would not be unique to the Epic we would be seeing it on all large events in all sports including the likes of the Cycle Tour and Comrades and that has certainly not been happening. If one's priority is merely to have fun on technical trails why on earth would you spend R100K+ on the Epic? All the better trails that were done this week and more are publicly accessible to go ride at a small fee without the crowds at a time of your own convenience. If you enter the Epic I guess the priority is to be part of something bigger and whatever challenges/satisfaction come with partaking and preparing for that. Getting stuck in traffic when you are slow would be part of that challenge.

The first obvious route for me is the old TipTrans race route - take the main road through town north (which runs parallel to the N7), turn right onto Niewoudts pass to Algeria, from Algeria take a left to Clanwilliam dam and then back on the route to Citrusdal - some nice gravel sections and a lekker downhill from the top of Niewoudts Pass. About 120km route Then from Blinkwater up Middelberg Pass out to Op-die-Berg and back - a big climb and a mix of gravel & tar, road should be fairly quiet. Again about 120km Third option I can think of is taking Grey's Pass (the gravel route running next to Piekenierskloof/N7) starting at the Modderfontein farm over to the Swartland/Piketberg area and do a loop there - even up Piket-bo-Berg if you have the time & fitness. There are more options to the Elands Bay side but these are the ones I have done.

MTB'ing i don't know - don't think there are easily accessible options unless you have contacts, maybe a local can comment on here.. Gravel - options for days in all directions, where are you staying?

@KK are you looking for gravel routes or mtb trails?