Yang

Mads, it can get complicated, and forgive me if this looks like preaching- I'm no expert- just a guy who believes that anything that doesn't have to do with cycling is a waste of time. If hill climbing is hard for you it may have something to do with your power to weight ratio- either your legs are having to propel a couple of extra kg's up hill, or you need to workout your legs, or both. If you said yes to questions 1 to 7 it does not mean that you have to get off the bike. If I was you (and I have been there before), I would do some active recovery training days, aka light turning of the pedals, resisting the temptation to get high wattage into the pedals. You would get out, turning the legs in an easy gear. You will know when you are ready to kill those pedals, because one day you will go out and feel like nothing can stop you. Don't let your age make you think that you will be going backwards. You will be able to increase your speed and especially your strength if you carry on cycling, well into your fifties. Just keep it up and target your events for a PB which when you achieve is a victory against age. An if you don't, you're at least still better off than the sedentaries around you with webers for stomachs.

Its much easier for a runner to become a cyclist. Runners have a higher cardio output than cyclists because their weight isn't supported by a saddle, and if they do hill running, this tranlates very well into climbing on the bike, since similar muscles are used. I used to hurt most going into the running leg of my tri's, and since I stopped some years ago, I have cycled with ex-runners and am not surprised at how quickly they adapt and start putting up great times. Swimmers have their bodies suspended in water so are the least advantaged in terms of transitting to cycling and even less to running.

MTB, ok, so age is also creeping in- we take a little longer to recover than we used to. But with rest you should be ok.

Yep- never got into the twitter thing.

Sounds like you need to get off the bike for a couple of weeks. Ask yourself: 1. Having been supermotivated up until now, you went out training and racing every week? 2. In your training you felt strong and stomped on those pedals in the big ring and flew away from your mates? 3. When you missed out on training for two or more days you got worried about your form, and complained to all who would hear: Aaiiieee- I've missed out on two days of training. 4. Or else you have a busy job, kids.....? 5. You haven't taken a break off your bike for more than 2 weeks right through the winter? 6. Your diet on the bike was minimal, and you didn't supplement after the rides with protein/carbs? 7. Your workouts are long and every session is like a race- excessive and tense? 8. You're young and think (or used to think) that you were invincible and nothing could stop you. If yes, you have overloaded and you are experiencing the symptoms of fatigue. You trained, got yourself fit, peaked, and tried to carry on peaking. The result was a drop off in fitness, you tried to overcompensate by training some more, thus getting yourself deeper into the doodoo- the dreaded fatigue. So how do you fix it? You get off the bike for up to 10 days, 14 better. Then rest- sleep late, park off in front of the TV for two weekends, graze the food you want, then get back on the bike. You don't need to spend money for someone to tell you this.

Iºve read all the posts, and I can see what happened to me in November last year was typical of Mark. I went to Jhb to do the 94.7 and on the Saturday I joined up with the Cycle Lab riders for their Saturday ride. Afterwards I went to the coffee shop in the Cycle Lab centre for a coffee and muffin. I was sitting there at a table on my own and this guy sitting at another table with a youngster invited me to join them which I did. He introºd himself as Mark Stockton, and his son, and I said that I knew his name from the Hub. I had a great time sitting there shooting the breeze, like long lost friends, and when I asked for the bill so I could go he insisted on paying, not taking no for an answer. That was my experience of Mark Stockton. Buddy, the next coffee and muffin is on me, when we hook up again in the Great Beyond.

Faceplant, are you sure its not as simple a problem as your HRM set to displaying your average HR instead of actual running HR?

Nope Crack, that was at AGS. In his first post he said that the Rudy's were between R2100 and R2400. Your Rx photochromic glasses at that price I think are comparitively much better value for money. I may pm you to find out more details.

Good man. If you overtook him on your bike your prospects for continued employment would probably be cut.

ASG, thanks for the response. After all, every objection to a sell is a request for more information, and an opportunity to make the sell stick, so respect. I love those Rydons- looked at them when I picked up the Zuma at the Argus, but came up with the same problem as Crack- price, especially for prescription lenses. Ouch. I think that what you don't reveal is that you have targetted the more discerning market which has the disposable income to spend on the upmarket brands, which includes Rydon which have unquestionable and second to none quality characteristics. And that there is a particular consumer psychology that identifies lower price with lower prestige and status. So what you are is fact selling, is attitude, prestige and status. The fact that there are many who fall into this bracket as cyclists with money (especially us MAMILS - middle aged men in lycra) means that the brand can sustain those prices. But R2400 for a pair of glasses still seems out of proportion- ie questionable value for money. The same applies to those exquisite machines in your other post- I believe that its aimed at people who are willing to pay for the prestige of the name, and not about the intrinsic value. As it is for most cycling products actually, isn't it? I look forward to checking out the bikes at the 94.7. And to the extent that you are successful, well done. Really. BTW, I spoke to Bernhard at the Argus expo as well, when I managed to get his attention from amongst the dozens at the stand.

ASG, why don't you take off the name and offer them at a quarter of the price you will be asking for? You'll still make a profit, and sell many many more. Maybe you could sell the brand name decals/stickers separately for R45,000, and the bike without the decals for R15,000? How's that for a business model?

Mr ASG, why is it that a pair of your little strips of metal, a couple of screws and some plastic so expensive? 4 pairs are the same price as my technologically miraculous 50" plasma TV at R9999. Why is there a profit margin of 1000%+ that makes it feel that its a rip off? Why? BTW, I got a Zuma at the Argus Expo this year. It came in at a better price than the ridiculously priced Giro helmet just down the way from your stand. Its a nice helmet, despite its puzzling name for many SA's. You were either expecting to attract large numbers of ANC members into cycling, or that was the payoff to a politician to get them into the country duty free, or you were not allowed to rebrand for SA.

Indoor training is indispensable if you're serious about training, you wanna beat your mates and do PB's and you battle to find the time. I used an IDt for 9 years and stepped up to Tacx iMagic last year and haven't looked back. Maybe if I lived near civilisation I might have spent more time on the road during the week, but almost every week for the last 10years I've ridden on the IDT /Tacx on Tues and Wedn. The Tacx takes it further with wattage display and recording. I use an old chromemoly Trek 470 that I sweat all over and which stays on the IDT permanently. Its now getting a makeover because its worked so hard it deserves it- new paintwork, new decals, new groupset (Sora). Get the disciplne and ride IDT.

Sorry about that mate- not the way you want to bleed when riding- coming short and bleeding on your knee or elbow you can live with, but dogs are another story. Must have been scary.

As said earlier, have returned 3 bikes to their owners. These bikes ended up at the "LBS" in the local village, brought in by guys in SA. Each of the bikes I've seen (including this Maverick and a Scott hard tail which I posted but was never claimed and eventually disappeared) I've posted on the Hub and got a response from the owner who in each case has said he wants his bike back. So I go back to the LBS and negotiate a price which I then tell the owner about and he deposits the money in my account and I arrange to get the bike to him. As you can imagine this creates a bit of a problem, because its now creating a bit of a market, and I am seen as the Go to Guy for stolen bikes ending up here. But I reckon its worth it to get the bike back- of the 100's of bikes stolen all over the country, some of which end up in Moz, at least I have made a difference to 3 okes. I don't get the cops involved- they're not interested, and the only way to make this happen is if the owner comes up here and lays a charge with the LBS, who basically says that the owner "left" it at his shop but its not his. Then I don't try to take the bike away either. I live here and train in the area. The last thing I need is some pissed off dick thumb to chuck a stick in my spokes as I'm riding the trails, or to break in to my place to help himslef to my bikes as compensation. Now the Maverick. The reason its still available, is because it was bought by a guy here. I told him about the blood, guts and tears on the bike. I made sure that every time he rides the bike, he feels the pain of the guy from whom it was stolen. So he agreed that if I could locate the owner through the Hub, he would get it to him. So far no luck, despite the fact that I have been in contact with the agent and a Durban based distributor, and given them the details of the bike. So its in good hands, safe in this guys house, waiting for daddy to claim her back.

Well, I must say that the paint work is really bland, but the specs are good, with fancy shocks and groupset. I would have stripped the bike and left the frame on the pavement.

Friday pm bump.

Lunch time bump.

Late morning bump.

Thanks TiBones. C'mon guys. I can't believe that nobody on the Hub does not know someone who used to own a Maverick, and who had it stolen. Its a connoiseur's bike. Its not your ordinary run-of-the-mill Giant, or Specialised, or Trek. Unless the guy who used to own it let it go quietly, like leaving it out on the pavement outside his house overnight so it would get stolen so he could put in an insurance claim. Is this why there's no response?

Thanks for that V. Have just sent them an email.

At this rate this valuable piece of machinery is going to be staying up here in Mozambique.

My wife tells everybody about how the only reason I don't take my bike to bed is because it would leave grease marks on the sheets. But I tell her that what makes me love her is what makes me love my bike. Love is an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which I suffer from. If I didn't suffer from it I would not be able to love her, the bike, chocolate milkshake, etc. Next I'm going to practice making eyes like the Toyota boxers.

Bump.

Greetings DR. And BUMP.