Lone Rider

I've bought quite a bit of merchandise from Evobikes, online. I've never had issues.

I did the tour Durban last year... awesome event. I don't think that those of you who have elected to participate this year will be disappointed. It's a very scenic route, with a nice climb near the start to split up the group, and then flat and fast (if the wind plays along) to the Finnish line. I have other commitments this time around, else I would would've been there again this year.

Extra 177 miles to be exact. Your efforts don't go unnoticed...much appreciated

My bike has 20 gears, but no neutral

Hmm...that is a little freaky. Normally guys would be posting minutes after completing the race. Well here goes - I pulled away in VB's, nice and early 6h26 (we were delayed by a minute). Need to remember to start using arm warmers. There was quite a nip in the air, and it stayed with us for quite some time, even after we got going. The guys were taking it quite easy, and the race wasn't very eventful, at least not until the last 5km or so...then the tension grew, and there were quite a number of attempted breakaways, but all got reeled in. Then a few tight turns, and with 300m to go all hell broke loose. I managed a top 20 finish in 2h31. The race was very well organised, just wish they would have timed the short distance start better so that we wouldn't need to contend with the slower riders when the pace started picking up. That said the short distance riders did stay to the left and out of our way - kudos to them. We couldn't ask for a better venue, with sufficient parking and proper toilets. And lets not forget the marshals, who again did a stellar job!

Calibrating your Bushido is something you are going to need to do frequently in order to ensure that your wattage readings are consistent from day to day. I'm not sure if you've linked yours up to your PC/Laptop and are running the TTS software, but on this trainer the calibration function is only available through the Bushido computer. You therefore need to warm up for 3-5min, calibrate the brake (settings->brake->calibrate), and only then link up to your PC/Laptop (if you're using TTS). Also ensure that your training tyre is inflated to the correct pressure (7-8 bar), and that the brake when engaged places sufficient pressure on the tyre...if I remember correctly the manual states that you adjust it till it just touches the tyre when engaged...you then release the brake and then turn the adjuster a further 3 1/2 turns. If you now engage the brake it should exert the correct force. If after calibrating the Bushido, the calibration value it displays is between 10 -15, then you should be good to go.

Dude, maybe you're used to being shouted at but in my view you should treat people with common decency...period.

Yep, they ask for your racing license when you go to collect a number for a veteran category. You can show them a paper copy, or even a photo on your cell phone, but they're strict about it this year.

Go big, or go home - http://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/campagnolo-bora-ultra-50-wheelset

I suspect that they'll send out SMS's with your race group/number by the latest Thursday (...to those who already entered online).

Go back and look at reply #23.

I've found that different skewers start resisting at different angles (probably due to different cam profiles), so this is not always a good indication. The old school of thought is that the skewer lever should leave an indentation (...not a bruise) on your hand, when you push it closed.

All valid points - also check that your saddle is set at the correct height...and try to get out of your cycling shorts and into something dry as soon as you can, after the day's event.

Pepper spray will probably only give you a false sense of security, because I don't think that carrying a canister in your jersey pocket (or strapped to your bike frame for that matter) would've prevented this idiot from attempting what he did. The best deterrent is to ride in a group, or at least with a buddy. Thanks for sharing your experience. It serves as a reminder for the rest of us to be more vigilant...Glad you're ok.

Exactly what was said - the steeper the gradient the more advantage the rider with the higher power/weight ratio will have. On flat terrain, the cyclist able to put out the most power will have an advantage, irrespective of weight (assuming they've both got the same drag coefficient). ...and on downhills the heavier cyclist will have a slight advantage. http://theclimbingcyclist.com/gradients-and-cycling-how-much-harder-are-steeper-climbs/

When in the large chainring and smallest sprocket, shimano recommends that there be a 0.5 - 1.0 mm gap (very small) between chain and front derailleur chain guide. It sounds like yours is set correctly. For it to be flex, you'd have to be putting down serious power. Do you hear the sound when accelerating strongly only, or even when pedaling to keep your speed constant? Does the sound stop when you shift to the next rear sprocket (2nd smallest)? You need to go through a process of elimination. Either way, I'd give serious consideration as to whether I'd want to stick with my current LBS, if they're unable to fix such an issue.

You got your magazine? I guess mine's in the post then. I have about a 1 in 10 chance of it getting here

I did this one last year. Both my Garmin and my girlfriend's showed an elevation gain of around 900m. Not sure how accurate these devices are, but judging by my average speed on what was a relatively windless day, I definitely think the elevation is more than 650m. Note: The Racetec average speeds are exaggerated, the distance covered was 101km - not 105km. I averaged 37.1km/h. Racetec has me doing 38.65km/h. Either way, it's an awesome race. Very well organised, and no cars or trucks to worry about.

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/bike-thong ...some call it sweat guards. others call it bike thongs...I'm not the one thinking up these names :-)

You also need to protect your frame and components against corrosive sweat. Outdoors it's not a big problem because the wind and sun quickly dissipate the perspiration. For indoor training, look at getting a sweat protector/thong, or at the very least throw a towel over your top tube and wipe down the bike when you're done training.

For those in the 165-180cm category, the following should apply: 650b if full-suspension, 29" if hardtail...problem solved.

I recently read an article where they stated that even the most cautious competitive cyclist will crash approximately every 7000km, of racing. Granted this was an overseas article, but I suspect it holds true here too. As for whether riding with the veterans is safer than in open/seeded groups, that is debatable. Personally I feel that the guys racing in "A" have been riding for some time, and should know what they're doing. There will always be one or two "cowboys" in each group, even in vets...that's unavoidable. I rode in VB's at the Ride4Sight, and was forced to bump shoulders with a rider that started squeezing towards me leaving me nowhere to go, and I saw a guy swerve to the right without looking, almost taking out the guy next to him. The best advice I can give is that you try and stay towards the front of the pack so as to minimise your chances of being caught in a crash....and make sure your medical aid is paid up!

Not bad for someone who doesn't race often...well done! Unfortunately not a lot of road races offer full road closure. The only ones I'm aware of are 94.7, Amashova, Tour Durban, and the Argus...

Here's wishing a speedy recovery to all those who were involved in what seems to be a lot of crashes this morning. Things were more controlled in the VB group. I don't think there was even a stray bottle flying out as we went over the rumble strips, which is a first. I bumped shoulders with one of the riders, and heading back a stray cone jumped out in front of me, but that was all the excitement I had for the day. Happy with my 2h50, but not ecstatic about being caught napping about 30km from the finish, when a 15-20 man group broke away. On the bright side, I got some good training in for the Argus trying to reel them in.

They have to take into account the weather conditions i.e. wind, on the day, hence the reason you won't find Beta values before the events have taken place.