NotSoBigBen

After a spin up Comaro in the souf of Jozi I can confirm it works ... like proper not just 'so so'!

Just hold your horses ... I think that finance cadre may just take the wind out of the sales (see what I did there 🤪) of any new kit ideas for some with his speech today ... I do hold some small hope it'll not be too catastrophic!

Right so .... on my weekend long ride I got to thinking. How about trying that 'SRAMErgo' 10sp hodge podge, I have a derailleur. I also know someone that would surely have an old 11-3x 10sp cassette hanging around. So I happen to see both my 'dealers' this morning over at my LBS The Workshop in Alberhoughton Grumpy did not disappoint of course, provided an 11-34 10sp cassette straight from the dustbin! Big Wayne from Cape Cycles just casually mentions 'you'll need a hanger extender' ... how these okes know these things. I had one 😎 Anyway to cut a long story shorter, fitted it all and yes it works a bloody treat! I have also swopped that front 53 crank setup with a compact 50 and also a 'cool kid' Pauls Chainkeeper Gone from a 1x8 53x11-32 (Campag 10sp shifter, Shimano 8sp cassette, chain and derailleur) to a 1x10 50x11-34 (Campag 10sp shifter, Shimano 10sp cassette, chain and 10sp SRAM RED derailleur) Should be kinder on my old legs 😎 The workstand and round the block tests have been successful but the real test will be the next few rides! P.S I have already been chastised by Grumpy about that '1m white cable that must double as a lock when I go the corner cafe' 😒 He did offer an elegant solution using a V-Pipe which I will pursue in the next day or 2

Can't advise much on the gearing issues but just 2 comments .... The right tool for the job (a road bike in a road bike race) and in the first half don't be an idiot, in the second half don't be a wimp! Use it, don't use it as my boet would say to me 😜

It would appear that it's lost on most of the e-bike evangelists commenting that it's not about THEM ........ it's about derestricted bikes and the unfairly influencing of the results of Amish bike races? Or do I have it wrong....

What are they/do they do?

Well done, that's what I aspire to, God willing that is!

“The man who goes alone can start today, but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.”

No thank you I'll wait until, at least to my mind, I really need one to be able to continue riding .... but that's just me it would appear 😜

And in my experience if it's NX, best you do that 😜

Lest I fall foul of this rule ... can you clarify if it's S-RAM or Sh-RAM

A bit like I've said before 'sooner or later everyone wants to ride a Specialized' 🤪

I overheard some guys discussing ebikes yesterday .... according to them there are 2 kinds of riders The first get one simply so that they CAN ride, in this case Amish bikes makes it to uncomfortable or painful to be able to enjoy their ride The second are those who use them to be able to ride FASTER than they are able to given their fitness level (commitment) and or strength/genetic make up Interesting perspective to me anyway

I'm with @DieselnDust You bunch of Philistines!

"It doesn’t matter if you’re sprinting for an Olympic gold medal, a town sign, a trailhead, or the rest stop with the homemade brownies. If you never confront pain, you’re missing the essence of the sport” #ItsWhatIDo

Just 2 observations after my many years of riding .... Firstly there have always been tchops in any sub set of people, be that cyclists, drivers, butchers, hairdressers, IT professionals and even sales people and there always will be 🤪 - however it used to be a small minority, these days it would appear there are a lot more of them amongst us! Secondly traffic has grown exponentially ... as an example a 2 lane road I often cross in the mornings at about 6:30 I'd wait a minute or 2 to get a gap, this morning I waited over 5 minutes and even then I really had to give it gas to get over between the vehicles! The solution? I don't know besides looking out for ourselves, since the 'powers that be' ain't gonna help that's for sure

Some call it the middle of nowhere, I call it the centre of my world! There is something about riding a road bike fast but there is also a certain satisfaction when it turns to dirt and you don't have to turn around 😎

Or not 🤪

The lengths they will go to Chris, blimmin heck next thing you will know they start taking PEDS ... God forbid!

Whaaaaat 😲 Help my trap riders that cheat? Can't be ... I've been told that the only ones riding them are the ones that really need them for health and other related reasons and are only out to have fun. In fact if they take a long time that's the whole idea... I'm shocked to the core! I'll never look at them in the same light again 😜

And that comes from someone who knows!

“Listen to the wind blow, watch the sun rise.” Some rides just leave you with a great big smile! And that even though the legs feel a little tender 😜

'Flat bars belong in gyms' take that back you Philistine!

'Almost a 29er' .... my old timer brain says then why bother? Having said that as a 'tinkerer' myself if you have access to the stuff to try it out then why not ....

You and Pieman keep telling yourselves that 😎