stratus5

After never having a single allergy my whole life I now get chronic hayfever every summer. Moving to Tableview and the refinery seemed to coincide with the problem. Now when I exercise if I do any sustained effort of more than 90% max heart rate I start to cough. After a race as I cool down I then start to wheeze ... no real trouble breathing, but the lungs seem flooded with thick mucus. It could be exercise induced asthma (bummer), but I want to find a doctor who can have a proper look at this rather than my local GP who tends just to hand out antibiotics etc. Anybody recommend a good doctor in the Cape Town area who can do a professional evaluation of my breathing problems? If I did not race my bike, I would not be aware of this problem, apart from the usual sinusitis issues.

Joostenberg: 2h23 2641 Calories (Polar HRM) That's more than 1000/hr ... No wonder I puked on my new (second hand) bike at the finish I weigh 99 Kgs ... and have to work very hard uphill to stay with the bunch. I think every now and again a handicap race would sort the men from the boys. There are one or two riders from H group that could do with having twenty two liter cokes strapped to their backs. Lets see how you go uphill now

Somebody is making a lot of money though! Saw powerbands advertised at R500 at Sportsman's whorehouse yesterday

I wonder if rather than all the linear regression data fits against the Argus time etc etc, thy don't just take the winner of the G group and assign a delta such that the winning time stays just inside G. Last season G/H looked to be incredibly strong. They even caught D a few times. Don't think many of them were promoted because G/H looks even stronger this year.

They seem to have used a delta of 0.6 for the WCExpress. I.e they considered it a very easy race They seeding seems to be calculated as follows ... Winners time = 1:56 = 116 minutes If you did a 2:14 (Winner of H group?) = 134 minutes Then your seeding is (134/116 - 1) * 100 / 0.6 = 25 (H group is 23 - 26.5) 0.6 is seriously harsh! The moment there are hills, then the delta get closer to 1 or even over 1 for the roller coaster etc? This is pure discrimination against the bigger guys who pull the pelatons between hills.

Time Freight seem to be the best option price wise ... Estimated price is about R500 depending on final packed size.

Which courier? Could sponsor FRAIL to ride it down probably cheaper

Hi I want to buy a bike from a hubber in Jhb, but I live in Cape Town. What is the best method to ship a bike down? Anybody had any experience, recommendations etc? All advice appreciated. Thanks

Ouch ... Hope it all comes right. One or two inches closer and the front of the taxi would have hit me. I cant see any happy scenarios in that case ... I ride a motorbike as well. A few months ago a teenage taxi driver being pursued by the cops in Cape Town went straight through a circle and hit another motorcyclist. I arrived a few moments later, and having some paramedic training tried to help save the guys life. Externally he was OK (Lost his right foot) , but internally he must have been a mess. Sadly he died whilst I was still supporting his neck and the first paramedics had arrived and pumped him full of adrenaline etc. I think this morning I was so relieved that this was not me I just wanted to get out of the situation as fast as possible and have a shower etc. I don't think I handled it correctly, but its easier to see that now once the adrenaline etc has worn off.

I am a big guy on a large bike, with a bright yellow First Accent top. He saw me, just took a hell of chance and cut it to close. I don't think there is anything that could stop a situation like this... They don't care, life is a bit cheap ... Yesterday a golden arrow bus cut past me a bit close and then immediately braked and pulled into the curb cutting me off such that I had to get off the bike. I punched the bus, rode round to the drivers window and gave him hell ... got the blank look.. The particular piece of road (northern boundary of century city) where this occurred is just short of where I was hit today. The taxis and buses drop people off exactly where its not designed to handle that sort of activity. Not a cop in sight ... ever

Yes, carefully protected it with my right hip and elbow One scratched bar end is about the sum total of the bike damage. Its an old Gary Fisher Tasanjara which I use for commuting. Built like a brick

Currently an exercise in frustration. I cant get the footage without a police case. Once the police case is open, I still cant get the footage ... it has to be viewed by a police officer and he will then decide if its worth following up etc. I am going to try, but based on past experience, since I am not badly injured I will receive a priority of zero.

Physically I know I am OK. Bit of road rash and a bruise or two, but I will try and get a copy of the CC TV footage just in case.

As an aside ... adrenaline is wonderful stuff. I went to the gym and showered etc, but have a short ride to the office after that... Normally I cruise slowly in so as not to start sweating etc again, but this morning I had to hold myself back cos the body just wanted to go go ... ride the frustration and pain out of the system I guess. Its worn off now.

That's the frustration, I don't think there are any meaningful charges that would stick ... so at most he may get cited for reckless driving ... I cant see the cops with there current inefficiency/workload etc following this up. If I had broken bones etc, it may have had more weight, but it kind of pales into insignificance compared to the murders rapes etc that they don't follow up successfully unless you are somebody important/famous. Would it actually bug a taxi to get one more reckless driving citation? Had this been a first world country, then yes could have got the buggers license suspended etc, maybe a bit of money for pain and suffering .. a new bike would certainly make me feel better

I have been cycling on and off for years, but this morning a taxi finally got me after plenty of close shaves ... I had turned into Century City and was entering the traffic circle to turn right to get to the virgin active gym. The circle consists of two lanes; as I enter the circle I always split the two lanes, so that cars on my left can exit left and cars on my right can continue round the circle. I don't mind if a car on my left continues round the circle either as I have plenty of options since we are both going the same way... Cant think of any other way to go safely around these damn circles ... I had even indicated nicely and the right hand double lane was clear for at least 50 meters behind me as I entered the circle ... as I was about halfway around the circle a taxi overtook some cars behind me and came speeding up the inside (right hand) lane and at the last moment tried to exit left by cutting across the outside lane. I can remember absolute surprise. Never in my life did I ever expect a vehicle to try and go around me when I was already crossing the second of the two lanes on my left. I don't know how the f#$% he expected to go around me ... maybe he misjudged my speed, but thankfully he missed me with the front of the taxi and doing about 60 km/h turned across me, sideswiping me off the bike. He caught my hip and handlebars so I was spun off the bike, but luckily had a rucksack with all my clothes in etc which took most of the impact. I was not badly hurt. Some bruising etc and the adrenaline took most of the pain away, but its a bit more eina now. There are no real lessons to be learned, nothing I can suggest to make cycling safer. **** just happens sometimes. The taxi did stop ... took him nearly 50 meters ... Whilst sprawled on the tar I thought I may have damaged my arm and was holding it protectively, so of course the first thing he did was grab it and give it a shake to see if it was ok. I gave him a piece of my mind and asked what he thought he had been doing, but got the blank look. Thanks to everybody that did stop and took down the taxi details etc. The cameras at Century city also caught the incident on film. I don't think it has any value, but if anybody wants some film to show the dangers cyclists face, I guess we could get a copy ... Because my bike is OK (scratch or two on a mountain bike) and I don't have any injuries that wont heal in a few days there was no reason to follow it up any further with police reports etc, but it does kind of leave one lusting for some sort of revenge

I have often wondered how different my life would be had I an English speaking white male (British,Dutch and German in the mix) been born anywhere else in the world? Would my education have been different? Would my morals both taught and genetic be different? Would I be poorer, richer? My parents would always have ensured I got the best education possible (regardless of location) and I would still be and engineering or IT professional. Should I feel guilty about being middle class/ privileged in an African context when my cultural legacy, not location almost ensures success? Whites are the end product of thousands of years of cultural evolution. We have been invaded, raped and pillaged by waves of barbarians. Survived religious intolerance and we will survive Africa because we never look back. We get knocked down, but we get up again because we know how.

I dont think Bicycling got it right, or else they dont include Boyes Drive. A sub 3 has to get to the top of Smits in 1:11 according to the mag (If I recall correctly). Thats seriously fast!

Whenever I see a race advertised with some hills there is the invariable comment that this will sort out the wheel suckers. Ahem ... from my humble experience and as one of the larger stronger types I know who the guys doing the work at the front are and its not you skinny types. Skulking behind the big boys and then blowing them away up a steep hill so that you can wheel suck on the group in front makes you way worse ... especially when you pride yourself for having broken away from the group. Yes some peolple never do any work in front, but that because they are also "reserving" themselves for the next climb, that makes them no worse than the specialist climbing types. This is just sour grapes because I am scared of the Visserhok climb coming up in the 99er

Hi Mark Be careful. I picked up some sort of virus after our local Simonsvlei ride. I have been coughing for 10 days now and my temperature is all over the place. It is not responding to cortizone or antibiotics. I see some of the top local riders (David George etc) are also ill with a nasty virus , so I suggest if you are still sick rather go for a very gentle ride or stay in bed.

Oh, then you really should not cycle in a bunch, or if so, than stay in the lead. What with all the snot,spit and sweat flying about you have not got a chance. If you really need to clear your nose, blow it on your hands, and then wipe it on your shorts, or go to the back of the bunch. Even if you do manage to get it out and onto the tar before it blows all over the rider behind you, the next bicyle tyre picks it up and throws it into the air for all to share Now have a upper repiratory infection after the Simonsvlei race. I have already had the gastric flu after my first race this season. I had not been sick since the Argus last year.

Test fire of the A10 gun

Hi, its not very common, but some people suffer from excersize induced headaches. If I dont push too hard, then I have a mild headache most times I excersize at present. If I push hard (100%effort for as long as I can hold it) then I am rewarded with a migraine that affects my vision and my head feels bruised for days afterwards. There is lots of information on the net, but no cure that I can see. Its not very well understood as exercise cures migraines in most people. I dont think that hydration or nutrition will change the headache, but I do think its fitness and blood pressure related. My headaches reduce as I get fitter and I then as a result I then seldom stress myself hard enough to get a migraine. My blood pressure is high (140/70) at present and I think most of my problems may stem from this. I managed a 2:49 for the Burger with a only a mild headache after the first big climb. I suggest you test your blood pressure as a first step.

Hi I have a set of Shimano valve extenders for a presta type valve, which came with small rubber O-rings. If I screw the extenders without the o-rings they leak which makes it difficult to gauge the tyre pressure. I have seen plumbers tape recommended for the seal, which could fix the problem, but where the heck are the o-rings supposed to go exactly? I have tried various combinations, but with no joy. Once the tire is inflated, do you leave the extenders on, or unscrew them? If you get a puncture on the road, the tube has to come out anyway. They can always be screwed on again when you need to inflate the tyre again every few days ... I think. The brass extenders seem a bit heavy to leave in when you have spent all that money on lighter rims. Thanks Craig

86 km/h down Visserhok before I sat up to slow down a bit. Dont really feel in control any faster than that! Beware the higher speeds though, birds dont seem to be as aware of you as normal I ride a motorbike and have had very few close shaves with birds over the years, but let me get over 80 km/h on a bicycle and its almost guaranteed some dumb pidgeon is going to try and fly into me