Velouria

We're all weekend warriors, unless we actually get paid to ride our bikes. We might think we're race snakes, but we're just weekend warriors that go a little faster than the average weekend warrior. If going to work entails pinning a number on your back and wearing tight clothing, you're a racing, otherwise we're just fun riders. I also think we don't realise just how well off we are with the number of races that us ordinary folk can do. You'll be hard pressed to find an event calendar like ours anywhere else in the world that attracts the real race snakes and weekend warriors.

Best I've had is 12 hours, but generally it seems to be around 10% an hour. That's with bluetooth on. While not ideal for monster rides, I still love the 1000 for everyday use. I use my old Edge 500 for anything up to 17 hours, although it feels like I've stepped back in time with a very simple and archaic device. I've discovered a new feature - I use the 1000 as a guide to my position on the bike. If I can see my reflection I know I am quite aero. I also get to see the snot and sweat dripping off my face, validating that the pain I'm feeling is real.

I'd say the teams were equal strength - but with completely different styles and personalities. He was super strong last year, and he rode on restricted gears. Currently writing exams, so his form is a little off this year.

I just went from looking forward to this weekend to wanting to roll up into a ball and hide under my desk. Is it too late to do some last minute training?

Nothing like riding with Jarryd to feel old, unfit, fat, slow and technically useless. Very cool video. I'd buy a Rocky Mountain if it gave me half those skills

No idea. It caught me by surprise while on a ride... RTFM?

Discovered a cool feature (or an annoying irritation) the other day. Garmin also have the idea of segments, and if you cross a segment, it automatically starts pacing you against your best segment time, showing how far off the pace you are, and how much distance is left. Just another way an LSD ride can be turned into a "bleed from the eyeballs" PB hunting exercise, if you're that way inclined.

Just like CTD, I also have one - and it truly is amazing. I went from an Edge 500, to the 810, which was quite amazing, and now the Edge 1000. The difference is just as pronounced. The touch screen is amazing - works in the rain and with gloves on. The access to info is impressive, and setup is so much easier. A nice touch is getting notifications from your phone on the device. As usual, the actual GPS stuff is top notch, and the new pickupless speed and cadence sensors are quite nice, and make transfer between bikes quite simple. Concerning the bike profiles, this is what Garmin has to say: Added activity profile totals, which includes total distance, time, calories, and number of rides. If you miss the bike profile odometer feature, you can track totals by creating activity profiles for each bike.

Contact Craig at Cape Cycle Tours. We did a similar thing in April and had a fantastic time.

Thanks Vetseun. The Spin Doctors are legends, and it's always great bumping into them at crazy races. Our next date is DC.

ER24 do medical support for Sani2C, a race with simular logistical challenges. I've had a mate airlifted out the Umkomaas with a dislocated femur. Sure, the entry fees are different, but not significantly. It's the organisers that place a higher priority on safety and well being that is the only difference. While a bust up shoulder is pretty shitty, we're lucky it wasn't something far worse. Hopefully this was the wake up call they could end up saving a life.

The Pink Fluffy Monsters' ride report is here: http://www.velotales.com/2014/08/trans-baviaans-2014.html http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wRcbdDYcYVs/U_NaK7DDMfI/AAAAAAAAci0/B3KsfQvXaQU/s1600/10548993_10152634105001425_7622989446414114520_o.jpg

Poor check point organisation skills result in you taking 5 minutes longer than planned. Taking 3 hours is called enjoying the break, sampling the tasty treats on offer, resting the legs, and talking k@k with your mates. Right now, I think I'd like to try your definition of poor check point organisation skills next year!

I didn't see Geddan in the lead group - but then again, between the dust, sweat and suffering I didn't see much. I think Wikus put that GPS route up on the web on purpose - apparently plenty of people got quite worried at that fork when the GPS told them to turn around. Anyway - that's the same split that's been in 10 of the 11 previous events - nothing new. To all those people who finished on the other side of midnight - you are the guys and girls that I really admire. Well done. Riding fast is easy, riding long is for the real champions.

Brilliant! Sounds like a decent enough reason to go for a bike ride with a couple of mates. 310kms and just 4 Strava achievements? I think you're going to have to do it again! Naah - I'm not doing 336km again. Next year we HAVE to beat our record of 361kms. Perhaps not on the hottest day of the year though. Not at all. Although it's not CrashTestDummy's blog, he does feature a lot. Pretty much the guest star.

This was covered by: Turn right at railway line It's a jeep track that runs next to the railway line. We used a section of it a few years ago when we did the detour. It's the bit after the railway line to Fountains that I'm not sure about, but I reckon it should be simple from there.

Cycling? You do that in your own time. This is an adventure with mates! Baviaans is easy - it's downhill all the way to the sea and you should be done 8pm.

Here's a summary of the briefing (if you do attend, you won't hear anything anyway as Wikus mumbles a lot): Load boxes on trucks by 9 Be in chute by 9:30 Go to toilet at 9:35, 9:40 and 9:55 Listen to rendition of the National Anthem at 9:57 Hear Wikus mumble something Start at 10am Turn right Turn left Turn right Turn left Checkpoint 1,2 and 3 are quite obvious Make sure to turn off left to checkpoint 4 (if you go downhill for a long time you've gone too far) Checkpoint 5 on your right Turn right Take the left fork Checkpoint 6 Checkpoint 7 Turn left Turn right at railway line Somehow get to Fountains on tar Finish Beer time

Taken! By me!

Not quite today, but a trip I did not so long ago to the Wild Coast: http://www.velotales...nskei-2014.html

Yup, this race has become an intuition. A slight change to the team this year, but we're still looking for that podium. Keep an eye out for The Pink Fluffy Monsters!

All depends on the weather. Last year 9hrs was good for a top 10. Winning time was 8h17.

I beg to differ. Campag, unlike other component manufacturers have a good "record" of after sales and support. A look online and you'll see you can still buy 8 speed bits, as well as being able to buy full service kits for Ergo levers etc. I don't think the argument is 10spd vs 11spd, or weight, or amount of carbon contained in the components. It's all about looks, style and status. The Record 10spd says you've been riding Campy for years, and the groupset is probably just starting to wear in. Ideal for matching with an old school brand of bike, Willier, Bianchi etc. You chose Record, it didn't choose you. While the Chorus is pretty much the previous year's Record, it does say that you're new to Campy, and probably only bought it because it came with your bike, which is probably a Cannondale or Specialised or something similar. Functionally, you won't notice the difference, and it might be nice to have another gear that you don't use, but you'll always get those looks from people either thinking you are cheap, or aren't a real Campy connoisseur. Given that choice, I'd go Record. (I rode a 2006 Campy Record 10spd groupset for 7 years, upgrading to 11spd last year. My wife now rides my 10spd Record groupset, both on Spez bikes)

Bartosz Huzarski, NetApp Endura

Good thing we have that 1m rule keeping us safe. I wonder how many people have been pulled over for breaking it. Actually, I don't. I bet it's closer to 0 than we think. We need active policing, and hiding in the bushes on a Sunday behind a speed camera doesn't count.