Borriz

In answering my own post of some weeks ago, go look at this review if you're interested in a Zula. http://www.cyclenation.co.za/index.php/home/tech-stuff/22-mtb-tech/235-morewood-zula-first-ride I was interested and built this baby this past weekend.

The epic is different to other races. Other races are tours. The epic is a race. One's training should be at least a 3month full commitment. Anyway, you need to be a slight racing snake to complete this race. Please don't down grade the epic from what it is? Join Day Trippers - you can choose which parts of the stage you want to do. You can even do the entire route, in fact, you can do the entire race if you like. The other fact is that where in the world do you share breakfast and supper with world camps from different disciplines? Standing in line to dish up like you. If you do an adventure you won't be able to. If you don't have the money to enter, then trust me - you won't have the money to train either. The training bit is the most expensive part of the race.

ramp up your hours per week gradually. To get to hours per week work as follow: Week1 = 3 Week2 = 4 Week3 = 5 Week4 = 3 Week5 = 5 Week6 = 6 Week7 = 4 Week8 = 6 Week9 = 7 Do long rides over weekends. long ride times should be at least around 1/3 of your weekly total.

just check if your current bar is oversized. If this is the case you'll have even more problems fitting your controls and stuff. Had tons of problems with a 640mm bar - use to a 580mm. Went back to standard bar and everything sort of fits - biggest contributor to problem was the Hope Tech2 brakes that doesn't allow much pace under neath to fit shifter - but unique to my setup

I heard shocking news that they stock grass green bananas and Pretzels at water tables. Is this true? How is this possible when you pay R20k for a race?

Can someone please direct me or send my the link or tune for the hooter that plays in back ground at the beginning of stage highlights and stuff?

Save more weight by eating prunes and drinking water for week. Pack SAFARI prunes are about R35 for 500g. Can take the weight down by about 2kg. Like Penelope Cruz will say:"cause you're worff it" Just joking! Can't imagine a bike that light. All of a sudden my 12.3kg bike looks like some contestants at beauty pagents.

I normally leave my house in North Riding to join our normal group of guys in Ruimsig. Takes me about 45min to get there (leasurely) and about same time back. OUr routes differ depending on races preparation and social activities. The pace is round about 18km/h. We build routes from about 50km on average to 100km (our traditional Mugg n Cheese ride to Van Gaalens) It is alway MTB as none of us own g-strings :-)

Straight bars are lekker. Have them on both of my XC bikes. Quite narrow as well (580). But be aware! The jump from 640 to 580 might not seem much, but you loose a quite a bit of leverage in that 60mm's. Just check your stem! You might have to go for over sized flat bar, cause of your current setup. And then you'll get a cramped cock pit on your handlebars due to the tapering of the bar and all your stuff like shifters, lock out shifter, brakes, grips and bar ends. All these component have the same diameter. So in short! If you want racing feel - flat bar it is. If you want narrow bars then go std bar not over sized.

invest in second hand indoor trainer. I recon 1 hour indoor trainer is equivalent to 2 hours on the road - because you do a circular route, therefore the hill you just climbed is a downhill on the other side. Then on spinning - the fly wheel is the problem. It propels your leg forward giving you a false sence of fitness, leg strength and ability. With a indoor trainer if your legs stop it stops. I agree with the added resistance - I laugh at people spinning at 140 cadence. All they do is push on the down stroke and relax leg on the up, allow fly wheel to bring leg over. Try this on normal bike then your the cheese!

Well, seeing that you can't go racing snake style wheels, go bling and durable with Hope hubs! :-)

Perhaps look into your saddle distance from your stem. Some extra cm's can help. I'm trying a new approach, seems to be working. doing a fair bit of upper body gym work to strengthen my shoulders and been fine for last few months. Posture is also an issue - make sure not to rest your head between your shoulders but rather rest on your triceps - so bend your arms and take the strain of your shoulders. Which will require stronger core muscles. :-)

Don't spend extra cash on lock out - that money can be spend better elsewhere. For robustness go XT hubs, Sapin lazer spokes and Mavic 819 rims - bling it with colour nipples. XTR shifters are nice, possibly go XT/XTR rear and front derailleurs Thomson seatposts are the best Ritchey stem and handlebar my 10cents

Do you want to save weight, bling the bike, improve performance or make it more durable? Choose one

So after months of searching and head scratching, I felt it necessary to share potential areas to find that creaking noise on your bike. A sign that noise might eminate from an area is black residue that accumulates between the part and frame. So here goes: Seat post Seat rails Seat clamp and bolt Pivots - in case of dual suspension bike Headset Junction where your headset tube meets fork Crank Derailleur hanger (believe it) Dry chain Hub - dry freehub or bearings Complete wheel - had the incidence of creak and last resort was to rebuild back wheel - so potentially the fault was somewhere in the spoke tension or connection of spoke to hub (any advice of view point welcome). Please add to this list if you encountered other areas?

Personally, I won't touch a bike without Fox RP rear shock. Secondly, KTM - yes they look the bomb, but so did Stevens. Don't see them around anymore. Thirdly - if you plan to do stage races then you would like your bike manufacturer to come to your rescue. The race proven bikes are sorted from distribution and stock perspective and will come to your assistance within 24hours (stories about GT and Giant springs to mind at 2007 Epic).

You can also investigate if the creack isn't perhaps comming from where crown (I think - the bar that connects to 2 stansions) meets the headset pipe. My Fox had a creak and apparently it come from there.

Here is my Snoop - cause I look like a pimp with that saddle. Just for the record, the nicest saddle I've ever graced The special features are Hope 2 hubs, Sapin lazer spokes with red nipples, Chris King BB and Hope Tech 2 brakes. I have since then replaced the stem with a white powder coated Ritchey one

Which one in the KMC range?

I need advise! I want to buy a new XT chain from Chain Reaction, was never aware that Shimano classified their chain differently, i.e. not XT, LX or XTR. So which one of the HG range do I go with, or can I go with the Dura Ace / XTR 9 speed one?

Agree with the R10-R15k. Based on some insights of 3 years ago. Included some endorsements like casual clothes, shoes, glasses and about 2-3 cycling kits. Not sure about performance dependencies and winnings from races - but I guess it all goes into pool as road racing is a team event.

The fly wheel of spinning bikes is the problem. It throws your leg forward without you having to do anything. Therefore indoor trainer is best solution if you want value and quality out of your indoor or rather stationary training sessions. Indoor trainer stops dead if you stop peddling so you are forced to complete entire peddle stroke and not just the down push as in the spinning bike

so has anyone tried the proposed car oil + bar oil mixture? What is the ratio? I'm very interested to try this concoction. Also willing to buy the required oil and split into "trail" portions to experiment with

Couldn't agree more. Go test ride all the bikes and then make your decision. 13 odd Rand is quite some money to trust other people with, make sure it suites you!

The Sid is for weight weenies and sub 70kg riders - i.e. not built for heavier riders