DaleE

They are now in 2nd place. 25min behind 361 and 30sec ahead of Multivan

OK, so I was wrong .... presentations already!!

But surely they have to wait for the ladies, mixed, masters, etc before presentations? At the minimum you would think that a little privacy would be the norm .... odd for a race with no lack of facilities!

you would have thought they would let the riders go have a proper shower and get dressed .... not a bucket of water in a tent in full view of the spectators! What's that all about? Surely there's no rush to do the presentations?

Ok, it seems I may have been a bit fast on the draw here .....I was not aware of the 200 rider limit, nor the fact that they had lumped novices with pro's (sounds like the wrong ratio of ego to skill in that front group!). So, I apologise if the comments were out of line. I guess Lange has a point then. You're totally wrong about me lasting to Wynberg hill with them ... wouldn't even make it to the Holiday Inn !! ... and have NO desire to try.

let me see if I understand this .... he's grumpy because there were 375 in the group?? We had 425 in our group, no one crashed, time was good and those who were fast enough were there at the end together for a bunch sprint .... despite 2 dogs running into the road at Scarborough!! A crash is caused by stupidity / testosterone overload / ride error / etc .... not the size of the bunch. Unfortunately it's one of the risks in this sport. Can you imagine the Team managers for TdF blaming a crash on the size of the bunch?? Its a fun ride ... and a BIIIIIG one .... there are lots of people .... some folk had to walk up chappies due to the traffic jam of bikes .... we had to stop for the dogs in scarborough ..... Im sure others had other "hiccups"..... but everyone I spoke to enjoyed it ..... that's just the nature of the ride!!

Yup, thats the way to do it. Especially for short riders you will find that some brands simply do not make a bike that is the correct size for you, e.g. I liked the look of the scalpel, but their sizing is wrong for me ... but there are plenty of brands and bikes, you will find one that fits.

Also have a look at Mynetdiary.com for a good calorie tracker. Will help you understand how foods are made up (carbs, protein, fat) iPhone android etc apps also available which sync with the website so you can capture foods away from your pc. I've found that actually planning what I eat for the day ahead has made a big difference.

After trying many things over the years, I've found the Eco-Atkins works for me. It's basically a low carb, high protein, high fat diet. Fats are predominantly fish and veg based, not meat ( although there is still more than enough meat in the diet for me). I had a heart attack 6 months ago so high cholesterol items need to be managed carefully. Just be aware that it's more a change in lifestyle than a simple do-this-and-loose-50kg diet. Don't try to jump in both feet at once .... Make the changes slowly over time so that it's not too onerous. I've been adapting my diet for 3 months and am nearly at the perfect balance. The idea is to get your body to use fat and protein as its primary source of fuel. This process takes a while -3 weeks or so but the change has been noticeable. Spin offs are more energy, generally eat less, faster on the bike and lower fat % For more info google Atkins , paleo or ketogenic diets or have a listen to what Tim Noakes has been saying lately. Also look for a book called 'Paleo diet for athletes' by joe friel .... A good balance of this approach but tailored for the requirements of athletes.

Many thanks for the replies - great to get first hand comments. Looks like a reasonable option (in fact the only option for a 29'er) ... even if I have to remove the RD.

I'm in the market for a bike box (must be hard shell, not a bag). Does anyone have any experience / comments / opinions on the Bike Safe range? http://www.bikesafe.co.za/ And if not Bike Safe, any others that can be recommended? Needs to be able to take 29'er (medium size). TIA, Dale

I'd try the agents/distributors first. SRAM http://www.capecycles.co.za/brands.html Not sure who shimano agents are in SA.

The two are very similar in functionality and support. For me it would build down to the following ... 1. go play with both, see which one feels more intuitive, 2. have a look at their respective data analysis systems. Garmin is either online (Garmin Connect) or off line (Training Centre). Not sure about Bryton but THINK it's online only. 3. What maps can you load on the unit (T4a, etc) I have a Garmin simply because I have other Garmin products, have used them for years, and they all talk nicely to my computer. Also, nice to have one application to plan all routes, etc on (BaseCamp). Garmin has been VERY good to me over the years in terms of support, warranties, etc, so I will continue to support them.

It's Western Province Cricket Club (WPCC). They started a cycling section a few months back. Apparently do a couple of rides each weekend.

Yup, in the light of the guilty sentence, it does seem unfair. We also need to think about the athlete ..... consider the following theoretical scenario .... Contador fails a dope test .... the UCI bans him from all racing till the court case .... the UCI takes 18 months to get round to sentencing and appeals process (as has happened) .... and he is found NOT guilty...... ! Now, the guy has been cooling his heels for 18 months, has no income, no team and is probably out of shape. I guess he would bring a claim against the UCI for lost earnings, etc, etc - a legal mess of note. I don't know what the answer is, but a shorter time from testing to sentencing seems to be in the interests of everyone. We want a clean sport, we want to know that those competing are entitled to do so, and most importantly for the sport, we want to know that results won't be changed long after the champagne has flowed.

Gets my vote ... but only if his team gives him the freedom to go and not to have to babysit Wiggins again With all the time trialling, don't be so quick to rule out Evan's doing the business again. As far as the 2 year ban goes .... unlike 99% of the folk here, I think the way it's been handled is quite correct. The UCI has dragged their heels with this thing for 18 months, It would be grossly unfair to start counting the 2 years from today. What should have happened is sentencing and appeals all done within 2-3 months of the test .... quick justice so everyone knows where they stand. The idea of a cyclist competing while there is a case against him going on is crazy; but what else do you expect the guy to do while he waits for the UCI to get their ducks in a row? I do agree that any money and trophies should be handed back. Anyway, I doubt they will appeal, hopefully he's learned his lesson and we'll see him back in the TdF in 2013.

Welcome to the Fairest Cape .... and the Southern Suburbs! Closest club to you is at Western Province Cricket Club (entrance in Ave De Mist). I don't ride with them but understand they cater for beginners. Best option is to call Dean (Club manager) on 021 6573330 and ask him who is the organizer. Only other club I know of is CycleLab Westlake - don't have their number with me but they should be in the book.

Thanks. Did try a 29HT but didn't like it .... found the advantage in weight and climbing ability was more than off-set by the loss of comfort and speed on the flats.

The 26'er is a 2011 model and last one in the shop, so selling it off at a huge discount .... and that's why its at the same price point as the ally bike. Have shopped around a bit ... price on the 29'er are on par with similar spec'ed bikes from other brands.

77kg's and 1.73m .... so not the largest rider. I think that the 29'ers have improved a lot in terms of geometry, so they're not limited to the taller riders anymore. Your comments on comfort and hours in the saddle make lots of sense.

I don't think so. Both are full suspension and will do the same job. The choose of frame material is irrelevant apart from the weight .... or am I missing something here?

Ok, so without trying to start (another) "29ers are the best thing since sliced bread" thread, the question is like this: I have the option of getting one of the following bikes -price is the same for both. The 29er is 2.3kg's heavier than the 26'er .... is the advantage of the larger wheels worth the extra weight? Bike details are: 26'er full carbon 9.8kg's. X0 throughout with Easton EC90 stem, bars, post etc 29'er ally 12.1kg's. mix of X0/X9/X7 with Easton EA bars, stem, etc Both are full suspension and forks and shock are similar. Both are good brands ... let's not get caught up in brand loyalty Bike will be used for the usual stage racing stuff (Sani, W2W, possibly Epic next year). I'm a middle of the bunch type rider (3:10 Argus), so not looking for podiums with the thing. My usual riding is Tokai, Deer Park, etc ... in other words very little flat riding, mostly up-and-down stuff. Comments? thoughts?

Hi Neil, I have a T6d and been pretty happy with it. If you send me your email, I can send you a pdf version of the user manual. It's really a LOT easier to setup than any polar watch I've had, but you still need the manual. Dale

Yup, works fine - including the routing. I found that it works best with t4a loaded to the sd card and not on the unit memory. Also remember to disable the base map once you have t4a loaded, otherwise the unit it seeing two map sets and does funny things.

My understanding is that sludge does not work well on tubed tires simply because there is movement between the tube and the tire - breaking the seal. I'd guess you'd have more success with slime if put in tubeless road tires (tubeless as in mtb, not tubbies). Dale