binxc

They don't need a carrot indeed but clearly something is lacking in the Munga currently to lure them in - it isn't a true unsupported race so it isn't by far considered the "toughest race on earth" and isn't challenging enough? Is it the time of year when a lot of these challengers are in rest season? Or is the high entry fee a deterrent (although the total costs of a self-supported race can easily exceed the entry of the Munga even though those events very often have nominal small entry fees)? Is the marketing just not that great? Think you hit the nail on the head there - the Munga will continue but instead of Lael vs Benky vs Sofiane, we are going to get an assortment of extremely tough and fit but otherwise unknown individuals. It will still be a worthwhile event for the entrants, and the bragging rights of crossing the line (especially under 72 hours) will always be respected and admired, but far from what the original marketing pointed at for this race.

Zero effect on numbers but disappointing for a dot-watcher hoping this would eventually get the international athletes racing here, given the race's initial ambitions. It's going to be tough to attract big names with the combination of high entry fees and no carrot, in an increasingly congested ultra endurance events market. The Rhino Run proved they are willing to come out for a Bragging Rights Challenge. But time marches on and sponsors just get harder to find; perhaps the Munga has reached its final form. Some incentive like credit for the next year's Munga branded events would be nice for the podium places though.

No questions for Kevin but I would like to say thank you for always being so open and happy to share information. It is very helpful for those of us who are considering it or starting out in these types of events.

It was a Bitcoin prize purse rather than cash per se - I vaguely recall when I read the T&Cs at that time, one had the option of keeping it in the wallet or cashing it out. I think the highest equivalent amount was for first place was R260k. Same 0.5 BTC would still be around R140k today.

There is no prize money for Munga either and also not CSA event any more, probably more of a deterrent to the big names. Usually the organisers publish the entry list closer to kickoff, from what I recall in previous years. Makes me sadder in retrospect that Lachlan Morton had to pull out of last year's event; I doubt they will get names on the list like that again if the situation remains as is.

When and where did you notice the change in FTP? During the workout? Do you ride with the companion app? It is possible to adjust it on the fly during a workout via the app or keyboard. As far as I know, Zwift only adjusts it up if you break a 20 minute power record, so it shouldn't drop it unless you changed it manually on the workout selection screen or your profile.

Event Name: Groot Marico Mountain Bike Challenge 2022When: 03/09/2022Where: Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk - Groot Marico, , Groot Marico, Groot Marico, North WestCategory: Mountain BikeCome explore the roads around Groot Marico, home of Herman Charles Bosman, 2.5 hours' drive from Joburg and Pretoria. MTB race on district roads and private farm roads. 45km, 20km and 5km distances (no charge for children under 12 for 5km). Spring Festival at the start/finish venue at the NG Kerk and historic Bosman Terrain. Starts 9am so there is time to drive through from Gauteng in the morning, but we recommend staying the weekend, getting some sightseeing in and maybe some mampoer tasting while you're there. Contact Santa for more details or to arrange accommodation: 0832722958 Go to Event Page.

My partner and I have also not received any emails.

I don't disagree about that. I think what blows my mind is that Munga had decent - albeit variable due to Bitcoin - prize money, and suddenly doesn't (I am sure through no fault of the organisers who I am also sure are working hard to find a new one). The Munga originally promised $1 million in prize money and therefore has created different expectations for me as a dot watcher versus FC, I suppose.

I don't doubt that the Munga is a life-changing experience and like I said, most people aren't there for prizes but that is true for all races, including the Cape Epic. Perhaps I should put it differently and ask how many other races cost that much to enter and still can't offer some prizes for the winners? I realise times are hard and sponsors are hard to come by. Fully agree that self supported races that offer nothing but a GPX are ridiculous. A small nominal fee for a tracker and emergency response seem fair.

Munga doesn't currently have a sponsor; as per their latest communication there isn't any prize money for the winners at the next Grit or the Munga MTB. I can understand the logistics involved being expensive and of course the organisers need to make a profit unless it is a fundraiser for charity, however I can't see that it costs that much to run without having some spare change for prizes. Most people enter this type of event for the challenge and bragging rights, not the prize money, however the value proposition looks very different and they are not likely to entice top-level competitors as other similar events have greater prestige and cost less to enter (or nothing, for the self-supported epic ultras like Tour Divide which arguably have far greater international bragging rights as a winner).

I am on gold. If you click on the various "wheels" on the app, it will tell you where the shortfalls in points are. I have a Discovery credit card, savings account with the bare minimum in and medical aid. My insurance, retirement annuity, other savings etc are all with other providers. You just need to make sure that you have submitted valid proof of these to Discovery for them to count. I'm not super wealthy so it is possible to achieve this. My home loan is paid off though, this probably makes a difference because my savings are not sitting in the access bond to reduce the interest.

True, there is the "principle" of the matter. If it works out cheaper to get day licenses for you based on the amount you race annually, that is probably the better option. The money still goes to the same people and is used by them for the same reasons. The anarchist option is not to do CSA races at all and then give them zero Rands, if your objection is how they use the money.

Just join an online club like ROAG, it is R135 a year, less than R12 a month which is less than a cup of coffee. We have a local cycling club but got gatvol of the politics and lack of support.

We cycled there last weekend. The road is still in good condition although showing signs of wear. One lane has completely collapsed in the direction from Fouriesberg towards Clarens, however you can see it from far and it is easily avoidable. Still better than 90% of the tar roads in this country and perfectly fine for a road bike. I think we saw one of the local elite ladies zooming along, as well as a fairly professional looking team.

From what I can gather from previous conversation with Ciovita, their higher models of bibs probably have more "racey" padding and might suit you better. They are quite a bit more expensive compared to the Corsa bib and don't have the zip at the back for bathroom breaks. I asked why they didn't have a high end model with this function and it seems they feel the target market is different (racing snakes are not likely to stop while riding - fair enough, provided the ride is less than 3-5 hours long). I think they are missing a trick here - there is a growing field of ladies doing ultra-endurance races who would appreciate a high end chamois with the ability to take quick bathroom breaks that don't involve stripping off top layers. There are very few in this part of the market, unless you are looking at spending over R4000.

As a point of curiosity, does anyone know how many people got tested at SA Road Champs this weekend, if at all? Or does SAIDS purely rely on tip-offs where they can almost guarantee a positive result? Not insinuating anything about anyone's performances at this event in particular, it just seems like the sort of event that SAIDS should be doing random testing, or the winners as a minimum.

As a lady, good advice is provided as above. Bike fit, saddle fit, find bibs that work for you and chamois cream (I apply mine onto myself rather than directly on the shorts as I find I can better target the problem areas which tend to chafe). I struggled a lot with pain in that area recently and found that the Specialized Power with Mimic was a life-changer, however the choice of saddle is very individual and you may have to try a few (some shops will let you try before you buy) before you find your "glass slipper". I have found Ciovita's Corsa bibs to be very comfortable and they have a zip at the back to make bathroom breaks easier. They are reasonably priced although not extremely durable for high annual mileage riders, but from your description of your riding, this shouldn't be a factor (yet!). I used to buy First Ascent shorts routinely and rode several pairs to extinction over years, however the quality has declined steeply and now I don't know anyone who has bought a pair and found them comfortable. My last pair also fell apart after only a few months. Unfortunately, there is also a large component of TITS (time in the saddle) needed to get comfortable on the bike, even after all the above are correct. Good luck and don't give up.

There is a lot of confusion, it seems. Originally Qhubeka was part of World Bicycle Relief, who provided the original Buffalo bicycles (the 25kg models). Several years ago, Qhubeka split from WBR and stopped using Buffalo bicycles, switching to locally manufactured frames which were just as durable but much lighter, around 16kg, with better, longer-lasting components. This was over 5 years ago. The Nederberg facility and others like it are assembly plants, meaning that the frames and components were shipped there, assembled, and then sent out for distribution via various charitable pathways. The manufacturing at the RBC factory was affected by Covid, as well as the supply of components, meaning that the assembly of bicycles has not been happening as it should have been. The charitable distributions were restarted towards the end of last year. One hope that the bicycles for sale to the general public will resume once things shift back to normal.

I think there are stock issues with the frames. They were previously manufactured locally in SA by RBC but as far as I know, that project was impacted by the pandemic. The current stock is getting out for donations only.

Hi, you can DM me. I have a contact who can help, either with the traditional frame or something similar, depending on the project.

I can put you in touch with someone who has some of the original type Buffalo bikes (demo condition) R1200 each. DM me for details if you're interested. Singlespeed, full steel frame, almost indestructible.

I can put you in touch with someone who has some of the original type Buffalo bikes (demo condition) R1200 each. DM me for details if you're interested.