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You can add Karoo2Coast to that list as well. What's in a name?
Why not cycle to work and leave your bike locked up there, then run home from work. Then the next day do it in reverse. 
And then one day you can gym in the afternoon after work. Killing three birds in 2 days....huh, think I got that wrong. 
All you okes talking raised heart rate are missing the point. The whole idea behind training is to get a higher heart rate when you rev.
You're like all "ooh, ooh, my heart rate was raised compared to training during the race. FFS! That means you rode harder. Innit that the point?
That's what I was trying to say, racing raises the heart rate and so does donating blood so do you really want to put your heart under greater strain with them both combined.
I'm not a doctor but that just sounds like a dumb idea to donate blood and race. Choose one, seems like the OP is donating for a personal cause and is most probably much more important than a race. The race will happen again next year, I think your friends daughter is more important.
I've definitely noticed an increase in heart rate during exercise for two days after donating blood. And sluggish on the third day.
If I'm taking part in a race then I won't donate since my heart rate goes up about 20bpm average in a race compared to a social ride.
I've got a Citi Golf and use the Thule rack in the last image to carry my 29er. It fits properly and it's probably the one of the less expensive models.
My only suggestion would be to get rubber patches to stick onto the rack where it hooks onto the bottom of the boot. Without that it will scratch the paint work and eventually remove the paint totally.
The roof rack seems like a good option, just make sure you don't forget the bike is up there. I've seen some horror stories on the hub.
Epic fail for the 60km route. I rate there were about 100 riders who lost 25 minutes, because they got lost. Did anyone find out what went wrong?
But overall - really nice race. Goodie bag was brilliant.
There was a marshal after the gravel road section directing 60km to turn right and 30km to go straight. There weren't any marking to show the way so if you didn't hear the marshal or got there at the wrong time you could have chosen the wrong way.
Shimano Rapidfire SL-M770 Shifter it look like it's XT
That's because M770 is the product code for the Rapidfire XT shifters.
I can only comment from CPT MTB stage races that they do not have bike washes on last day, Epic and W2W ride does not have or what I have noticed.
There was a bike washing station at the end of the Epic, remember seeing it at one of the road crossings to the parking area.
The brakes and shifters are bit skimped on the Titan's
I agree on the brakes, they're M505's, the shifters are XT so what would you recommend?
I had the same dilemma as you having now. I ruled out the Giant because I didn't like the SRAM groupset and the bakes are very entry level Shimano.
It was between the Momsen and the Titan, I Scott was out of my price range. I went for the Titan and upgraded the brakes to XT to make it a full XT bike.
I'm not looking back.
I know you mention that you are "not the most computer literate" but most smartphones have GPS built in and an app like Google My Tracks or Endomondo will do all that for you.
So if you have a phone that's capable, like an iPhone or Android you can do this very cheaply.
Just a thought....
But you are arguing to point,
So lets be clear you have no experiance on SRAM?, but yet you claim shimano works better in mud? You claim they are eaiser to setup than SRAM? You claim they need less maintenance than SRAM?
As a bunch of previous posters have said, and has been confirmed by Cycle Factory,
There is nothing much wrong with shimano its not a bad product, but .....
1. They ARE more cumbersome to setup and tune.
2. They are NOT as good as SRAM in muddy conditions
3. They do need a lot more maintenance and tuning than SRAM.
Yeah sure shimano works, hell been riding shimano for years, they just dont work as well or are as easily maintained as SRAM.
And lastly shimano doesnt have gripshift which is a big thing in my book as well, thanks to the boys at SRAM for bringing out 10x2 Gripshift this year
The last time i took my Shimano in mud were in conditions like the pic, and never again will i do that unless I have no other choice.
Hey Covie, I wouldn't drive through Bloem if I were you, those pigs will have you for obscured tail lights and license plate number. 
You can offend a lot of people with a post like that buddy.
Hopefully people won't take it too seriously and see the funny side. From what I've read on this forum, people generally have a good sense of humour. I've also taken part in these debates, so not pointing fingers.
“The person who knows how to laugh at himself will never cease to be amused.”
- Shirley MacLaine
[Pic removed]
Look on the bright side, we will just have to cycle everywhere instead.
2
Get the KY jelly ready!
Have a look here for all the MTB routes in the area. Loads to choose from and as others have mentioned most of them are top quality.
http://www.mtbroutes.co.za/trails/western-cape/peninsula-a-winelands.html
http://www.mtbroutes.co.za/trails/western-cape/overberg-a-southern-cape.html
I chatted to a shop owner in Hillcrest a while ago and at one point, they refused to fit spares if you supplied them... They realise the error in their ways and released a general communication to all patrons that if you supplied parts (ie CRC etc) you would be charged different labour rates than if you bought from the shop and there would be no guarantee (obviously) The reasoning was that they make a certain percentage on the sale of the goods and they have a set rate for fitting said goods. If you supply the parts, their rate is higher as I assume that they are trying to make up for the loss in mark up on the sale that they missed out on.
So what you're saying is that if you had to only buy the part from them and not fit it there that they would be taking a loss (in profit at the least) on the item. How does this LBS stay open then?
A price on anything has a cost portion and a profit portion. Just because you're supplying the parts doesn't mean that they are not making a profit on the service fee.
The LBS should remember that there is value in customer service as well, good experience means repeat business. Taking a small hit in profit now could mean major come backs later.
I think this LBS is being very short sighted.
Yeah, but now we are talking switchback tight. And ask yourself how many of those are there on your local ride and by comparison how much do you "loose" in these sections vs the rest of the ride.
Agreed, a test for me was the switchbacks at Meerendal and had no problems. Then on the plus side it just cruised up Meerendal hill with no problem.
I don't think price fixing applies to one product but rather to products between different manufacturers. Like if Garmin priced their products the same as polar then I'd start calling foul.
I have a set of bontragers as my training set and it just makes life easier for you if you have them fully setup...ready to roll(own rotors, cassette and even chain) like andre said. Its not a neccesary but helps if you are in a hurry. Be carefull of having two cassettes and one chain between them, if one cassette starts wearing it will wear a good chain and good cassette on the other wheelset much quicker, so rather have seperate chains for each cassette
Thanks, that's good advice. Been thinking about changing my KMC X10 chain for a Shimano XT chain anyway, being as it's a XT cassette.
It is not necessary to get another set of rotors and a casette, however you will then be stuck to change these parts which could become a mission. If you can afford it, get rotors and a cassette to fit to your racing wheels. Some options to consider are American Classic (about R5000), American Classic Race (about R5500), Easton EA90XC (about R8000), Easton EC90XC (R20000) or Stans Race Gold (about R9000).
Thanks, was looking at the american classics but don't know how they compare to Stans offerings that seems to be quite popular lately.
Those EC90XC's look awesome! But a little out my price range.
Yes, do it.
What do you weigh? what is your budget for the racing wheelset?
This is where a drop in weight on the bike makes the most difference.
You could possibly drop 500grams off that wheelset and even more if you put something like Ashima rotors ( 85gr each , XT or XTR are in the 160 gr range), so that is another 150 gr off the set).
I promise this will make a really big dif.
Do not do this and then put a Maxxis crossmark tyre on . 2012 Racing ralphs are exellent ( eg 840 gr as opposed to 605gr per tyre).
A set of Stans ZTR Crest rims, 3.30 Stans Hubs , and then have the aluminium nipples replaced and the wheels built with brass nipples ( hand built, nice and strong)
Hey D Vader, I'm 72kg at the moment. Budget is probably in the american classic range. Around R5000 give or take R1000 if the benefit is worth it.
I've got XT rotors at the moment and funny you mentioned it, I've got Maxxis crossmarks that came with the bike. Was thinking about going tubeless rocket rons or racing ralphs when the crossmarks need to be replaced. But getting a second wheelset would obviously change this plan.
Advice on breaks
in Technical Q&A
Posted
M455 brakes are basically entry level so to begin with they're not the best but regardless they should still do the trick. Shimano naming scheme works on 3 digits the first being the series. 9 - XTR, 8 - Saints, 7 - XT, 6 - SLX, 5 - Deore, 4 - Alivio.
Although there are the exceptions like the M505 brakes which are non-series meaning they're standalone entry level.