HomerSimpson

Met a puffy in Jonkershoek (on the "newish" uphill ST Meurant built on the south side for the XC), just as I was making one of those little switchbacks...fastest I've ever gone from struggling to make the corner to spinning out the gear. I quite like snakes, but I hate puff adders. They will just lie there and let you step on them. Be very aware this time of year of snakes, particularly on sunny, windy days.

Actually WD 40 contains a number of things: a mixture of "light hydrocarbons" (which basically just helps spread the oil, then evaporates), some alcohol (this "displaces the water") and OIL. So if you use WD 40 the alcohol displaces the water, the oil/hydrocarbon mixture spreads on the part, penetrating all the little nooks and crannies, and then most of the "light hydrocarbons" evaporate leaving the oil behind. WD 40 is a pretty effective chain lube. I've been using it for at least 7 years now (both MTB and road). And I ride my MTB in the Western Cape. In winter. In the mud. I posted a picture some time ago of my MTB chain/front der after the Stellenbosch MTB mudfest last year. WD 40 as lube and 60 km of mud with no chainsuck.

Permeability of most rubbers to gases vary from gas to gas; differences between air and pure nitrogen is negligible; there could be a significant difference between CO2 and nitrogen. CO2 is much cheaper than nitrogen, but diffuses though rubber more easily as I recall. Oh, and CO2 does f*%k up Stans quite quickly, so after a few "bombs" into your tubeless tyres it might be a good idea to refill the Stans.. HomerSimpson2009-04-16 03:40:59

Lately the police in Stellenbosch have made a lot of comments about improving "service" and tackling problems by working with the community; I think maybe the cycling community in Stellenbosch should get together and address concerns like these with the police. The R44 at Cloetsville is a hotspot right now, but there are other areas of concern as well. I share Lem's sentiment about "mobilising". We all deplore incidents like the one involving Erik, but we all share the tendency to expect "them" to do something about this (with "them" being the police/local goverment/government/zuma/zille/whatever). Maybe the time has come to do something constructive (or attempt to at least). Maybe we can get a "Stellenbosch Cyclists Forum" going and then start talking to the police about problems and possible solutions? Lem?

Hey guys, if you are that upset about it all, just pick up the phone and give Meurant a call....maybe he can give you the reason why this particular trailwork was done in Tokai. Venting here is probably not going to get anything done?

Afternoon. Meurant Botha (Dirtopia) just got a brand spanking new one (Reign X1). Give him a call and ask what he thinks.

Bought from: Rock (and sold to him) Popeye Joss DT and I forgot... Buff TitusTiHomerSimpson2009-03-27 05:50:19

Heard that LA broke his collarbone? Anybody confirm/deny this?

Motivation for this winter was easy...looked in the bathroom mirror as I was about to get into the shower ....WTF??!?? Actually I find it easier to ride in winter. I spend about 3 times more time on the MTB than the roadbike, and MTB in the winter is just more fun (down here in the Cape)

Johan, I do the original check with a cheap chain wear tool, then if this starts indicating that some wear is present, I use the wooden ruler (I inherited a sturdy foldable 48-inch ruler from my dad's woodworking toolkit). If both these inidcate that the chain should be changed I do so. I do not keep a log book, but I do keep spares for each bike that I service. I always keep the chains (I pack them in the box the new chain comes in with a notation of the kms done, this is a rough distance, as not all rides are recorded, and time on the indoor trainer are also not considered). My rationale behind keeping the chains is that I want a spare if I am suddenly caught short (say before a race). I am also a compulsive pack-rat. I once tried to keep a record of tire wear, but I gave up, as too many tires were prematurely retired after getting sliced by glass or metal.

OK here goes: Self: Roadbike 1 (Giant OCR3 but with Tiagra, not Sora) Chain 1: 10 700 km Chain 2: 8 000 km when the bike was sold on (still the original casette) Roadbike 2 (CAAD5 with 105): Done just over 4000 km. Original chain and casette. Self MTB (Scott Scale 70) Chain 1: 5 500 km Casette 1: 5 513 km (LX, changed the chain and then realised I'd have to change the casette as well, hence the 13 extra km. The 13 km is accurate, the other distances are reasonably so) Subject 2 Roadbike (sora equipped) Chain 1: Just over 9 000 km Casette 1: 13 000 km and still going strong (from which you can gather that Chain 2 has done about 4 000 km) Subject 2: MTB (Scott Reflex 30) Chain and casette have both done about 2 000km to date. Subject 3 Roadbike (Tiagra) 35 000 km shared between 3 casettes (original 12-25, junior gears and new casette 11-23 with new(ish) wheelset. All three casettes still appear OK (no chain slipping or gear changing issues). Chains: Fourth chain in use now. Don't have the exact km data for the previous chains, but changes were pretty regular, so I would guess about 8 000 - 9 000 km per chain. Chain wear on the last chain is acceptable (checked the night before the Argus) Subject 3: MTB Chain 1 and casette 1 lasted just shy of 4 000 km, BUT they were victims of a snapped rear der that then became intimately involved with said casette and chain (2007 Knysna MTB) Chain 2 and casette 2 have been in use since the above incident. Most of the above indicates that by and large we (as a family) get around 9 000 km per roadbike chain, and I certainly expect at least double that per casette. For MTB it appears (from early data) that riding a MTB in the Cape will limit casette and chain life to about 5 000 km

Homer' date=' if there is one guy's data I'll trust it is yours. I'd love to see it and get a perspective on the two sets of data already on this thread. [/quote'] Ok I'll go make some up....I mean I'll go dig it up...Seriously though, I just need to check distances again: Have three test subjects in the house, total of 6 bikes (3 road and 3 MTB).HomerSimpson2009-03-11 02:04:22

Exactly what I have always thought

You can't believe anything a tribologist tells you. It's all superficial... OK I'll get my coat, I know where the door is.....

Unfortunately the dang mountain in the middle of the peninsula makes it difficult to get real benefit from the S'Easter. It'll be quite bad after you turn off from the bleu (bleu?) route and get progressively worse as you get closer to Simonstown. The last little drag up Smits will suddenly be downwind, as will the 60k/hour dash to Scarborough/Misty cliffs. Then the fun is over. As you turn right at Ocean View you'll experience a block headwind...then once you get to Noordhoek you will realise why people go to the beach on that side of the peninsula when the S'Easter blows.HomerSimpson2009-03-05 06:36:16

Its called SHHHHH...don't tell everybody about it! And Jonkers has been closed to visitors since yesterday afternoon

Not good. Can still see the smoke coming from the valley. Let's just hope they stop the fire before the rest of the valley is affected. Most of the ST is below the second contour road; hopefully they stopped the fire above that! Must be hell to be fighting fire when the outside temperature is touching 40?C

What Stellies stage? Race 1: Wellington-Bains-Gouda-Wellington Race 2: Durbanville-Vissershok x 3 Race 3: Paarl-Franschoek-Villiersdorp-Worcester-Du Toitskloof-Paarl Race 4: Argus

'Kay...

There can be no potential gradient or ion exchange (could conceivably happen with glass fibre but not carbon). The only possible reason for apparent "swelling" would be improperly cured repoxy resin, so that some exudation of resin (or garvitational flow over a long period) to the surface could cause some contact adhesion. Epoxide resins will swell only upon exposure to chlorinated aliphatic solvents (like chloroform or dichloromethane) which are unlikely to come into contact with the seat post/bike unless the owner is a complediot (commonly known as a complijit) who decided to clean his bike with these solvents...

I was too busy having lunch to answer phones. But you are right, can't think of a reason why the two epoxy/carbon parts should fuse (unless one of the two parts was incompletely cured/tacky, but that's highly unlikely. HomerSimpson2009-02-23 06:22:43

Stellenbosch: Road R304 at Kayamandi. Watch for people loitering along the road. R44 at Cloetesville; particularly on weekends, watch for groups parked out under the trees. MTB Papegaaiberg.

Rule of thumb with composites design is: avoid sharp changes of direction/acute angles.....too many stress concentration points!

Was pretty bad in Stellenbosch last night. Fire started in the JH valley and then spread rapidly (as wheelz said) driven by a 50 km/h SE wind to the mountain above Coetzenburg and than across to the Paradyskloof side (bad camera phone pic of the mountain burning above Coetzenburg last night below). All the fynbos + trees above the Sports Science Institute destroyed (roof of building apparently also caught fire at some stage). From a purely selfish perspective I'm glad that the reserve in JH apparently escaped major damage (which means I can go ride some ST this afternoon, maybe)