Dubber

This may be worth a read - make of it as you will... https://www.businesslive.co.za/money/2020-02-26-you-will-never-have-to-emigrate-financially-from-sa/

I think fellow hubber @boink finished in 5th place mens (8th place overall) in the two man team section. He's done a few long races - and he said this one was 'hard'.

if they were administrating cpr correctly he would have sufficient oxygen. This is a great effort by all involved. Thank you for the effort.

I have no illusions of getting the 9 hr medal. I will be more than happy with a finish

Yep - those are better examples. Not that I'm anywhere near those times ;-)

But it becomes my problem when he rides into the back of me a 50 km/h on the pavement while I'm walking pick up the Sunday paper ;-)

That's an interesting question. I'll ask around and see if anyone knows. The major milestone in terms of finishing time is 9 hrs. (This can kinda be equated to the 3 hr finish at the Argus in terms of prestige etc). And by all accounts this is near impossible without a decent start group - much like CTCT. It would be a bummer for international travelers not to be able to have a crack at the 9 hrs simply because they can't do any seeding rides...

Billed as the biggest gravel event in the USA, if not the World, Dirty Kanza has something for the whole family. From the short 50 km routes through to the bum numbing 565 km XL version, there is a challenge for everyone... All going well, I'll be able to report back in June as to whether the event lives up to the hype.

Event Name: Dirty Kanza When: 28 May 2020 Where: Emporia, Kansas, International Category: MTB Dirty Kanza Promotions was founded in 2006 by Jim Cummins, with the assistance of fellow cycling enthusiast Joel Dyke. At that time, gravel grinding was just beginning to catch the interest of the endurance cycling community. However, Jim had grown up in the Flint Hills of east central Kansas and had been riding gravel for decades. Inspired by some of the early gravel grinder events… and convinced the Flint Hills had the best gravel to be found anywhere in the world, Jim and Joel decided to create Dirty Kanza 200. Initially, these two gravel aficionados had no idea the extent to which this whole gravel grinding thing would grow, nor did they give it any real thought. That wasn’t what motivated them. They both simply felt their lives had been enriched through cycling. And DK200 was their attempt to give back to the cycling community. Since then, the popularity of gravel grinding has exploded and is now the fastest growing genre in the cycling industry. The popularity of DK200 has grown too, from 34 participants in 2006, to over 3,400 registered riders in 2019. And while that growth has brought with it a few changes to our format and the way we have to manage certain aspects of the event, one thing has remained constant… DK200 is a grass-roots event, organized and managed by folks who are passionate about cycling, and done so for the primary purpose of providing life-enriching cycling experiences for our event participants. Thank you for your interest in Dirty Kanza®. We hope you will choose to join us in Emporia, Kansas the first weekend after Memorial Day. Should you have any questions about us or our events, we hope you will visit our “Contact Us” page. We look forward to hearing from you. Go to Event Page

So the plot thickens. As mentioned above, the only real way to get into this event is via lottery. And by all accounts (and their own admission) the organizers stuffed up the lotto process big time this year. In short, they sent out a bunch of 'yes's that should have been no's. The organizers haven't said how may extra yes's they sent out - but I haven't heard of anyone actually getting a 'no'. So that makes me think everyone got in. Anyway, because they are now way over subscribed, they are offering deferrals to next year. And to sweeten the deal they are willing to chuck in a free entry into any one of their other events through out the year. While the free event is cool (around $150 to $200 depending on the event), the real bonus is that these events act as seeding event for Leadville. As it stands I would be starting right at the back if I rode in 2020. This would in turn make a long day into a really long day. So at this point I'm considering the deferral, riding a seeding event and then doing Leadville in 2021. So if anyone is thinking about 2021, I've got a spare room in the basement ;-) Just remember to pack your lungs...

That is a real bummer. Will be worth it when the folks eventually make it out. Might not seem like it at the moment though.

Am I correct in saying you are thinking there is no need for Clubs / official organizations for amateur riders? Not sure I agree with you but open to convincing... On the other hand, looking at countries where cycling is progressing (U.K, USA, Belgium etc) all have one thing in common - a fairly robust club and school system.

I've managed to secure an entry for this year - not sure if that is a good or a bad thing :-) For those considering doing it in the coming years, here is a little background: The majority of entries is via a lottery system. Generally opens December before the race and close early Jan - 'winners' announced mid to end of Jan. Thus giving you around 7 months to get your affairs in order. There are a few other options to get an entry: there are qualifying races throughout the year. You need to place in the top percentile to earn an entry. There are also a few lucky draws for entrants of these qualifying events - but the odds of 'winning' a lucky draw entry is a lot less than the overall lottery. And finally, you can sign up to a Leadville organized training camp. I think it is around 4 or 5 days in July. Along with the training camp comes a Leadville entry - but cost is high - around $2200 I think. Should you win a lottery entry, your bank account will be debited on the spot - $450 entry fee. As for the race itself: by all accounts there are very few technical sections. In fact, the race has been completed on a cyclocross / gravel bike by some. There are a couple long climbs (an hour plus in duration), heat is generally a factor and of course altitude. I ski in that region fairly often and can attest to the fact that breathing isn't easy. (Try take a liqui-fruit straw, stick it in your mouth, close your nose and do a few intervals to get the feeling :-) I'll add some more info as I get it

Event Name: Leadville 100 2020 When: 15 August 2020 Where: Leadville, Colorado, International Category: MTB This is it, the race of all races. One hundred miles across the high-altitude, extreme terrain of the Colorado Rockies, this event was created for only the most determined athletes. Starting at 10,152 feet and climbing to 12,424 feet, you’ll be challenged to catch your breath — while the views try to take it away. Go to Event Page

Perfect for J2c - days 5 and 6 :-)

Not sure about Oz, but in the USA it is difficult to get a white car. I think it is only SA that is hung up on white cars and resale value etc?

lol - given that I know the bare minimum I end up reading the manual and watching about 10 youtube videos. Maybe that's why my system worked pretty well from day one

Given that SRAM 12 speed has a year+ head start on Shimano, I guess bike shops have more experience with SRAM than Shimano? So probably their go-to if they are given a choice. SRAM has been my go-to component choice - for no other reason than my first bike came with it and thereafter I was comfortable servicing and maintaining it. All that said, their geo-fencing policy hasn't gone down well with me. (I'm sure Shimano do something similar). If there was/is an alternative to any of these big brands that don't geo-fence and produce a well priced, working solution, I would consider changing. In fact I've just installed a Praxis crank on my gravel bike - all good so far. With regards to the OP and bike shops struggling to set up the Eagle group set: I installed mine and got it working without issue. I don't consider myself an expert. So I find it strange they struggled....

I don't think you are alone. There are a number of us out there that 'need' both formats...

I would say that a smart trainer is the single most effective tool to improve your cycling strength - if you use it! And as smart trainers go, Wahoo is one of the better ones. In my opinion you would need a third party service in conjunction with the trainer - something like Zwift, TrainerRoad, Sufferfest, Rouvy, Road Grand Tours etc. Wahoo do have their own basic training app, but it's pretty simplistic... So add the cost of this service into the budget... And then, if you do add one of these services, you will need to have a device to run said app on. So tablet, ipad, PC. If you have this kicking around great, if not, it adds to the cost. But again, money well spent if you use it!

Topeak do a handful of options. I seem to remember the Topeak brand being available in SA. So poke around and see who sells / distributes Topeak... https://www.topeak.com/global/en/products/Top-Tube-Bags

Also perhaps try routing it in reverse. From handle bars to seat post (or vica versa if that is what you are trying). Also try mounting the frame is different positions in you clamp. Horizontal, upside down, 45 degrees etc... Sometimes the change of frame angle is just enough to make the magic happen.

Used this a number of times. Built up four Chinese Carbon frames. I suspect that their internal routing may be less polished than a big name brand (just an assumption). The Park Tool kit was a life saver. If you are just routing something once, probably not worth the money - but if you build bikes fairly often, it is worth every penny...

In the States, Toyota do an 8 seater called the Sienna - basically a glorified station wagon. All the back seats fold flat and you can easily roll two 29er mtb bikes standing up into the back. And for family stuff you can get 8 people into the car .... Very practical...

I agree 100%. I think Trainer Road, and most of the other training software platforms are decent value for money in the grand cycling scheme of pricing - even after the recent price increase. That said, is TrainerRoad still a good deal when comparing pricing of the other training platforms? I guess only the individual in question can answer that once he has tried them all out. My 2 cents: I continue to use TR, and will continue as long as they honor their Grandfathering policy ($99 per year). It is an easy to use app, well structured and a well put together product. They seem like a good bunch of guys and their podcast is a great value add. However, at the new pricing structure I would have to cut either Zwift or TR (I use both). And I think Zwift is a more all round product - not as polished as TR for training, but still an option. So TR would get the cut... For the vast majority of us, including myself, the easiest way to get stronger is to ride more and ride more consistently. So anything that is going to get you riding more volume and riding more consistently, will improve your strength. If you are already riding 8 hours a week, then structuring those 8 hours will give you better returns i.e TR is a good option. But if you are riding less than 6 to 8 hours a week, getting up to those hours is the first goal. If you need software / trainer app to encourage /facilitate getting to those hours, there are less expensive options than TR i.e. Zwift, Rouvy, RoadGrandTours, Sufferfest etc...