Yang

It weighs in at about 5 grams. It cost me about R17,000 (the cost of the return flight. Actually 2 Euro's- R24.00. Good question Johan- I didn't pay enough attention if it was a single length of wire or not, but I think they are. He churns them out quick quick. The factory (in the pic below), has been manufacturing these bikes for 25 years. He counts among his customers some of the top pro's in Europe, thousands of tourists who have never ridden, and now, me. He also makes tandems and choppers.

Manufactured in Sintra, Portugal.

Hi Crazy- couldn't find decent pics of the cobbles I was talking about. They're about the size of eggs, and barring any masochistic rider who hates his road bike, I cannot see any roadie taking to these roads without losing his teeth, damaging rims, and going into a long stretch of St Vitus Dancing after getting off . The other roads (and I have pictures of those) are like the normal cobbles- big and flat stones that have been smoothed and anchored over time- and slippery in the rain. But most roads have now been tarred. Miguel Zacarias (+351 963095883, mzbike@gmail.com) says that cycling in Madeira is dominated by off road and downhill.

Probably the easiest of the important tools to make is a chain whip. You can clean this with acetone.

Hope you don't mind Yang' date=' I am using this photo as background on my laptop. Thanx for the very nice photo's [/quote'] Am flattered Backlash. You will see the triangular rocks perching in the sea just in front of the cliff in the far distance. Here they are from another angle.

Hi Seb- I actually asked Dan if the kit would be ready before I left- unfortunately it wasn't. Have sardines ever hijacked a thread before? Back to the cycling. For those who know, Estreito de Camara de Lobos is a highpoint near Funchal. On my Polar it indicated an altitude of 1,500m, although I don't seem to get accurate readings for altitude from my Polar. I didn't have a computer or a speed sensor on the bike, so very difficult to say the distance and the gradient. The 1st photo is the proof that I was there , and the second shows where I climbed up from- up the little ribbon of road on the left side of the pic, and there was still a way to go up after this.

No sardines, but lots of bait- other photos make me feel like a voyeur. My nephew got to make a date with one. These photos were at Porto Santo, an island off Madeira, a 2 hour voyage on a cruise liner. I took my bike, and hired bikes for the rest of us. You can ride around the island in a day, although since I was with my nephews I regrettably could not do this. Christiano Ronaldo is building a hotel on the island. All his rich mates are gonna visit and real estate value will rocket.

Plenty of sardines here. But riding was off limits.

Another great view.

These were some of the views. Cani?o.

Young guns like you will give me a sweat when I ride with you before the 94.7. But I haven't said this yet, and to keep this on track well done to Nancy Drew and DD to care enough to fix the bridge.

Hey, I was in Jozi in Sept '81, went riding in the snow then as well. Maybe we can meet up for a pre-race ride on the Saturday before the 94.7.

Well done guys. Cycling in Jhb in mid winter from res to Varsity for me years ago was with anorak, gloves and balaclava, sometimes around zero degrees. How about challenging the rest of your mates- find a way of insulating the brass and the fingers, to get out there with you. If I wasn't in Mozambique I woud definitely join you. Promise.

Some of the roads in Madeira would make Paris Roubaix feel like a gentle walk through a meadow. Some of the cobbled roads (which they call cal?adas) have small, round, smooth cobbles, and would be impossible to ride on with a road bike or even a hybrid. But they have resurfaced most of the roads now. In the photo is a typical road near the Monte, and then another one near the Estreito da Camara de Lobos, overlooking the ocean from about 600m up.

I've never had a speed wobble because of hands free. Mainly because I can't ride hands free. Has there been a poll on this?

Yep, had noticed your early morning posts with Samma. But I'm with DD on this one. I think it would be less painful. And I think that Superman would agree with us as well.

Latest Ride Magazine, August edition p.49 has an excellent article on speed wobbles, why they happen, and what you can do to prevent/ stop them. I've never had one, but maybe that's because my extreme shaking from fright going downhill at speed offsets the oscillations of the frame.

I've gotten up at 04:30 to train, and started riding at 5... in the summer. I've ridden almost every Christmas Day and New Year for the last 7 years. I've trained midday through 40 degree heat. But never have I got up at 3:30 to train.... in the winter.... in Gauteng. I actually don't believe you.

One of the viewpoints I rode to. This is a view over Funchal. The line sticking into the sea is the harbour.

When I left SA to go to Madeira I took my pedals and shoes with me, determined to find a bike that I could use there. Miguel Zacarias is a cycling brother-in arms, and I was lucky to find him. He has a bike shop in Madeira and lent me this. Shimano Alvio group set, but it did the job and saw me through some awesome days in Madeira. he's at www.mzbikes.com.

Am in Madeira, 19:30 local time here and the sun is shining brightly. I managed to wheezle a bike and a ride with a LBS, and am just about to go out with them, on the road. The roads here are very very hilly, and because of the cobblestones they use MTB's for their training. Wish me luck- will try to report tomorrow, if I survive.

I'm writing this from Europe right now. I've always promised myself that my next visit to Europe would be to the TdF, and I can't make it because my agenda does not allow me to get to the last few stages or to Paris. But next year..... next year, I wanna be your friend Mootoo.