Bike Mob

NeverEnder I support your will for a multiple race season with varied races, 130km plus events and the reality though is that it's not as simple as creating a wish list and going forth. The problem with One Tonner is that there is no shorter route to use for the Junior categories. Obviously the best Climb available that is safe and provides all the parking and logistics necessary will be used. We cant just go camp wherever we want and block off roads. Summer is typically a climbing season, spring is flatter, that's the way it's always been. Racing on a circuit like Paardeberg, offers enough hills over a fair distance for climbers to break the sprinters. but in summer the Cobra doesn't offer the same to sprinters... It's hardly possible to create a course that suits everyone. Just look at the TDF - they take one look at a stage an they will know the outcome, sprinter or climber to win it. To be honest the gripes cannot be had with the PPA as they are working with the WPCA on this and the crits/circuit and HC fall under the CSA/WPCA's organisation, the PPA have used their 3 events that are possible on the calendar. If WPCA can put on more than that then that would be great. The calendar is already very full though so I doubt there will be any room for more events.

The problem with those is it falls under Boland, and not WPCA, so permissions etc are a problem, see above post for Red Hill. That is decent enough.

Darren Lill won by himself... That said nothing is impossible...

Red Hill might be an option... hold thumbs we can get the traffic permission.

The PPA has undertaken to run the league in full support of CSA and help them but running a league in conjunction with WPCA who are the actual CSA appointed body in the WC. As such theyneed to make sure that the racing snakes are looked after in accordance with the CSA rules. This means money needs to be spent on Commissaires, Propper timing, photo finishes, as well as increased safety bysing the think bike marshalls. All of the above incur costs, and that is what sets the League apart from merely running seeded groups where all the A seeds race each other and B ...etc etc. Unless you want to go race in seeded groups where your Race Team will effectively be useless as they are not all seeded the same, meaning all team sponsors will pull out of racing and you'll be back on the pavement paying for everything in your cycling yourself. The money is NOT ALOT when you consider one tubular tire can be over R1000. One Dura ace Cassette is more... you spend thousands on carbon bikes, Shoes are thousands, and carbon bottle cages the list goes on... Have some perspective, and have some gratitude for the people that are working all year to make sure you have an event to take your shiny bike to the start line for. Ask how much a MTB race entry fee is? I remember paying close on R350 for ONE event - the Gravel Travel, Only 75km, one day... I completely agree with iCycling...why have a hill climb 100km away from everyone? and yes maybe the ascent is only 75m but it's as hard as you ride it, hell a flat TT for 6km can be murder.

The hill climb is a bonus event that you cannot expect to separate the entry fees like that for... Ride there, race, ride home. 120km. Wait until you see the entry fees for the paarl event...plus the petrol in getting there every day. Killarney is great value, we are very lucky to have it. the PPA actually discussed adding another killarney race or a few to the calendar, but the circuit hire leapt up exponentially for weekends and there are no calendar days available either there.

The proclassic series last year had only 5 events (origianally three until Cyclelab stepped up to add the Hill climb and crit/circuit races) This year has one more event for the same /less money. Andy as a racer do you care if there are 3000 ppl behind you in a funride, or do you want to race? Most races in europe and the states are crits, circuit races and can be up to 150km long on a 10-15km course. It's not possible to simply bolt on a league race onto a PPA race, plus there are not enough, only three races are eligible to do so, the only one that is not is Klein Joostenburg - and it has never been a PCS event. Engen dynamic and the One tonner are also not possible due to other constraints - so you see there is no other "bolt on" event possible to use. The hill climb will not be a mountain goat haven in Spring - which is typically a flatter season, why include a fraanchoek pass race when all the GC contenders are likely to be "non climbers" or rolleurs. Considering the league fees are covering your safety, marshals, admin, timing, results, and everything else it's really not that much to pay as it includes your ppa race entry fees too, and you will still get the opportunity to win prizemoney. Where else do you find that? The fact is that there are too many other events in spring to additionally run an 8 race league, there are not enough dates to support it... there is also, One Tonner, Engen dynamic, OFM, Kumba Iron, Shova, 94.7 Die Burger and DC, plus MTB events like karroo to coast, pioneer trek, baviaans (early on)... The best thing to do is pay your fees, show up to all of the events and race... look at the winter WPCA races...racers cry out for more races, then they put them on and 30 ppl show up... do you think thats encouraging them to keep doing it? Keep the sport healthy, and that it what the PPA have taken it upon themselves to do, without them and their management it would not happen.

Have two Burgers for recovery and you'll be good to go...it's only 6km

I dont think 8 speed chain will work. Also the 8rd and 9 sp shifters may not work either... I tried 9 sp index on 10sp derailer and had issues. could only get half the cassette indexed ok, then on each extreme it was problematic

still think chain is too new for the used casssettes... try an old chain on each cassette and see.

Conditions on Sunday will be almost ideal for a good time...

Ahem..Yes I do... my time is 8:47. depends on your level of equipment. On this course on a road bike sub 10 is pretty decent, under 9:30 is difficult and sub 9 is pretty damn hard to achieve. With Full TT gear you should aim for under 9:30. I have had numerous goes in different guise and only two runs have been sub 9.

Start times are 8am for all events

1st Event this Sunday! The UCT TT circuit as it's better known is a tough course...harder then it looks!

15 mins max. Yes it helps. it also helps to wear diving booties when you're in there, and you don't need to go in more than waist deep. Had two such baths at Epic!

How does Chris drop Brad on the climb and then Brad is glued to his wheel in the sprints? if Sky wanted a show then Bradley should have attacked and crossed to Valverde himself and told Chris to sit nibali's wheel.

That 2:05 could now be .05 to Froome if he'd been let off the leash in two stages. If Froome was in Yellow would he get the same support from Brad, I don't think so. Chris should have won yesterdays stage, Wiggo can surely help himself in the last 500m The question real question is.... if Brad has a mech or something in the TT, will they tell Chris to slow down?

I wrapped some handlebar tape around the Hook I hang my bikes from. Nice and cushy cork to prevent any damage.

I just got myself some of these and will post my findings on my blog. Hoping for some added speed. Although its really difficult to quantify their power effect in numbers,the one review that sold me on them was this: Think of pedalling at a given high wattage on a flat road. It's difficult to hold, then incline the road 2% and hold the same wattage - it's much easier to hold a higher wattage on a hill than a flat, that's what these rings give you.

Java unfortunately even for the PPA who assist in the organisation of funrides it is currently unclear as they want to assist CSA, especially financially where they seem to have a great difficulty, but also in the promotion and greater good of cycling nationally.

Guys calm down... PPA do not charge fees they do not have to charge. Any money collected by PPA for CSA are paid as is to CSA (no profit). In fact PPA negotiate a discount on your behalf. PPA did not cut the cord, CSA severed the cord when their constitution changed. PPA invited CSA to the table to negotiate a way forward that includes PPA in the good of cycling for the future,m the only way to do this is to re-instate PPA's rights under a clause in the constitution. As far as it stands your PPA fees and PPA races do not fall under CSA and as such no fees should be collected by PPA for CSA., BUT if it is sanctioned racing, such as Elite and SubVet racing then the RACE riders need to be CSA licensed and pay fees as such to cover their CSA sanction and Commissaires - this should not apply to the funrider contingent of a race. Your CSA fees already paid cover you until December 31st 2012.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guo_Shuang I'm gunna Guo with Shuang. and she was on a LOOK http://www.bicycle.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/corvos_guo_shuang_track_china.jpg

So how are we looking?

Lucky Luke better dust off his toe clips...

Awesome to see this series making a comeback!