mrcg

"You can't believe only once you have achieved it, you need to believe to be able to do it". Giant hats off and deep bow to the Specialized team of Matt and Tristan. Incredible effort from the youngster, and it finally hit him in that interview with Max. The tears flowing freely, realising he beat such a large bunch of world class riders in the most prestigious multi day stage race. Of course, without Matt, this would not have been possible. We still nostalgically and rightly often mention Burry, but now after all that Matt has achieved, he is definitely on the same step and richly deserves the biggest plaudits and acknowledgement. 4 wins with 4 different partners is an epic achievement, topped by cajoling a real talent to the top step this time around. It cannot be understated what both have achieved and they have made South Africa so very proud. My heart also beams with Candices' success. Finally her resilience and awesome nature have paid off. Huge congratulations to her and Darren, and of course Allesandra (amazing rider!). Clearly remember doing Joberg2c with them 2016 and just knowing that Candice has what it takes. Some things take time, but man it must taste so sweet right now.

Congrats to Marc and Felix! Incredible effort!! And also a major hat doff to Matt and Tristan - amazing effort to limit losses and still in 2nd place GC! "Only" 1m14" behind. Top 10 racing in men's field is super tight and interesting. Pity the women's race is not up to par. Some more thought and strategising required to bring more top riders and teams.

Another option might be for the city to approach Transnet and build a safe cycle lanes through the harbour. That would actually be the best bet. Right along the fence away from the road, traffic etc. Haven't scouted the route, but if memory serves me correctly, then there is a way

Idea/Suggestion: why not petition the city to BUILD a cycle track along the grass verge (next to harbour wall/fence into/out of town? Think that would work out cheaper, easier and less enforcement headaches than policing existing track which is essentially a lost cause. I've used the grass verge many a time without incident or fines (not on the highway), and think it makes the most sense. Anybody willing to start this endeavour? I'm leaving for extended travel, so not around to drive this.

Feedback: on 2 January I cycled this exact route on my mtb. Zero issues. In fact, I didnt see a single homeless person, nor any encampments on this side of the road. Also , no danger from traffic, as travelling on the grass verge, away from the road. I actually took the first bridge and rode along Lower Church toward Biscuit Mill (actual total route was from Sunningdale to Kommetjie - 60km, with rain, mild wind and sunshine). Awesome ride.

There is another option, which I must admit I haven't ridden in yonks. But, if you have a mtb or don't mind a short route on grass/walking path, then try this: ride until the entrance to the harbour (I assume it is still closed for cyclist entry), then hop onto grass verge on the right (into oncoming traffic). You will have the concrete fence of the harbour facility on your right, motorised traffic on your left and very little foot traffic. Only challenging part is the bridge (to Woodstock etc.) which you can walk. Once you get to the Christiaan Barnard Interchange, you can once again hop onto roads and correct side. It's in total a much shorter detour - I would guess about 3km (see attached map and blue line). I've never considered it dangerous and you are highly visible next to N1 and a lot of passing traffic. So think it's fairly safe. It's only against traffic, but as you are on the grass verge/pedestrian path, I reckon it's not an issue. Stand to be corrected by any regular commuters....

If you want to race in Africa, bring/have your big girl panties

Awesome. Bike hub saviour in dark times👍🏻 🙂

Thanks AR. Will definitely investigate properly. Hoping it's ok

Perhaps @droo ; @BaGearA?? Thanks guys

He tried to run.....😅 Pity, would've loved a review. On a lighter note, just had a taxi crash. Dumb ass pulled into bike lane and stopped for guests. Couldn't stop in time. I'm fine, but bike is broken. Well, the fork. Hopefully frame ok. Have started a topic for advice in replacement. Please help

To all experienced mechanics out there, please assist with advice. Had a taxi suddenly pull over and stop in from me in the bike lane. Rear- ended him despite best braking efforts and my fork broke clean through. Bike is a 2018 SWorks mtb, with a Rock Shox fork. Hopefully the top frame is ok. Will have it checked out. Question: is it possible to replace only the crown and steerer, or must I get a whole new fork? It's a carbon fork. Where would I get such, possibly well maintained used? Thanks for any and all advice. Regards. Marc

Can we get a ride/race report @milky4130 ? 😊

It's impossible to make a decent recommendation without knowing your "geometry", how it fits with the bikes listed (although they are fairly similar) and the overall condition of the bikes. That said, as mentioned above, you can ride a single speed 26" to the finish line. This is a very personalised journey only you can have the most answers to. To make a decision on the bikes, take an experienced and knowledgeable rider to view or see if you can have them assessed at a reputable mechanic/store. Good luck with your journey and enjoy the Epic

This looks lekker. Wish I had seen it earlier. Weather looks comfy too, although seems it might rain a bit in morning. Hmmmmm

Cool docu

Only time will tell how this pans out. For sure the ladies field depth has always been lagging behind the men's. In fact, it's often been sub par. Not sure the XCO ladies will suddenly rush to attend, but let's see. My only concern is for both men and women, if they come upon each other at end of race in single track sections. That might lead to some "problems"

No apologies necessary. I was merely pointing out some additional facts on this subject. Of course, 4x4 drivers also contribute to the problem.....nothing happens in a vacuum

The problem is not necessarily the 4x4's as they usually run lower tyre pressures and have decent suspensions. The high tyre pressure runners with poor suspension and heavy weights (read trucks) are the problem - they are the cause of the bad corrugations, together with wind, heat and "floods".

I would go with advice from @thebob above - try a few demo bikes. Best way to see what fits, you enjoy and learn about your skill set. Slight challenge is, that there are some specific geometry differences with various bikes, which will definitely impact your riding/comfort etc. Speaking of skill set, as @Robbie Stewartmentioned your skill level/experience is key when starting out. Did you perhaps ride BMX as a kid? Any bike experience in general. Not being afraid does help in progressing quickly - helps to check a few good videos on YouTube or get a coach for a few pointers. I think most experienced (older) riders probably all went from HT to FS (usually from necessity), which might seem like a good line of progression. Also, your intended riding will narrow down your choice: short and sharp rides (1-2h) or longer rides (2/3h plus). Overall, taking into consideration your location (having ridden all PTA trails), I would say a HT would probably suffice for a start. If you were here in WC, I would definitely say FS. But that's just me. Go with your gut - it's usually right

Good luck to all riders. Will be mild start and reckon it will warm up very nicely with an awesome tailwind to boot. There was a lot of rain recently so expect there will be a decent amount of water around.

Finally an event that details their routes perfectly! Check the website: pictures and text for each partial section of the track (+-10-15km). This gives a proper insight into what to expect and if it's what you're looking for in an event. Well done!!

So, just to understand: you have a GX cassette with XX1 chain and which chain ring? I'm thinking it could be the cassette. Generally I've found the GX does not to last very long (more or less what you've experienced now). Also, if you tend to ride most rides with overall more use of your 3rd lowest gear, this could wear quicker and hence the slippage. I've opted for XX1 for cassette and chain (CSIXX chainring) - expensive but lasts much longer.

The only conclusion you can arrive at, is to NOT tap around in the dark. Go to the Sport Science Institute and do the required tests and get professional advice. This will enhance any training results for both of you. Or if you, or more importantly, your lady friend is unconcerned and not feeling any side effects, then carry on.

I will share a very powerful "secret" which has assisted me greatly within an event/race, especially in light of the Day 3 carnage at ACE: FROZEN water bottles. This is more of a trick for the max 100milers though, more marathon stage thingy and below. So many many years ago, I decided it would be advantageous to keep the core body temp cooled for as long as possible, especially in high heat conditions. So in my training rides I rode with one or two(!) frozen water bottles tucked down the front of my shirt and bib to train this. This worked a treat for up to 2h, sometimes longer depending on ambient temps, start times etc.! Obviously it is easier to ride with only one tucked in there, but this would suffice. You could use the 2nd in the cage and start sipping it after 20-30min, ingesting cold water, which further enhances the effect. I will modestly state that I am quite a technically skilled rider, who enjoys his downhill single track tech rides - I am decently fast and don't feel in any way hindered by the bottle. As I am also more the endurance athlete, I mostly ride marathon stages up to 100milers, with a few longer one's too (TB etc.). Don't think I need to elaborate on the advantages of this cooling, especially in the beginning (first +-30km). You can even start a bit harder and faster (find the sweet spot here though) and not overpower yourself too quickly. We see the UCI XC pros wear cooling vests, which they then discard just before start. So that effect is gone within max 20min with the pace these guys ride at. Was hoping to have the idea patented, with a special vest with inserts for ice/dry ice, but nothing works as well as the bottles! Try it, you won't regret it. You're welcome 🤪