linnega

2 bikes - 1 Anthem and 1 TCR comp. Anthem is for anything off-road and pathway/tar commutes. TCR is for anything tar-related and pavement/tar commutes. 4 sets of wheels make these pretty versatile beasts.

If its wet then you don't need lube because water is an excellent lubricator. Just a small problem if it stops being wet.

I imagine the officials were asked to try keep the bunches separate to stop them from getting too large - a perennial problem with the Tour Durban given the fast nature of the route. Frankly though, I don't see the harm in riders hooking onto the back of any group that comes past. In the racing categories, there should be no interference in the race that is happening (ie VA's should be able to hook onto a VB bunch provide they do not do any work on the front). For the seeded bunches, there is no racing so there is no reason why groups can't just ride together however they are formed.

Having ridden my Quartz pedals for about 4 weeks now, I can honestly say they are the best I have used. I have used Shimano pedals in the past and for the last 18 months Eggbeaters. The Quartz pedals engage easily - though not as easily as the Eggbeaters. The pedals feel more solid than the Eggbeaters, in fact the platform is better than anything I have ridden on or off-road. If you are concerned about ease of clipping and unclipping don't be. I have mostly commutted with these pedals so I have clipped in and out frequently. Can't comment on mud shedding yet. What is cool, is the spacer to protect your shoes. I'm sure Crank Bros will follow as their pedals wreck shoes. The only criticism is the pedals stick out below the shoe quite significantly so you are more likely to catch rocks or kerbs. A fairly big issue if you ride an Anthem with their already low BB. Overall though the best pedal I've used.

Supersport didn't do the footage - they just aired what was produced by Go Boy productions on behalf of the organisers.

Easy tiger - just because you don't understand what irony means doesn't give you reason to attack Sean.

This was the press release shortly after the Airborne Torch was named bike of the year all over the place: AIRBORNE TORCH NAMED "BIKE OF THE YEAR" BY BRITISH BICYCLE AWARDS For Immediate Release SPRINGBORO, OHIO, June 4, 2003 - The Airborne Torch? titanium road bike was named "Bike of the Year" by the British Bicycle Awards, hosted by Haymarket at The 2003 Bike Show in Birmingham, England. Marcel Wust a retired professional cyclist and now guest editor of Procycling Magazine; one of the judging members summed it up succinctly: "In terms of its handling, responsiveness and stiffness the Torch was one of the best bikes, if not the best bike, I've ever had..." The praise continued from Cycling Plus Magazine editor Paul Vincent: "the Torch will be the new benchmark when it comes to ti frames." Jamie Raddin, president and founder of Airborne, added: "This award reflects the hard work of our employees, as Airborne proves its legitimacy to both retailers, consumers and the industry. Our mission has always been to exceed customer's expectations with our products and customer service. This award recognizes these efforts." The Torch is one of eighteen titanium bicycle models available from Airborne. Visit www.airborne.net for additional reviews, policies, pricing, and model specifications. Echelon Sports Products is a leading provider of custom titanium and aluminum complete bicycles sold and marketed under the Airborne brand. Airborne products are sold throughout the United States and Europe through a large network of independent bicycle dealers as well as consumer direct through the website www.airborne.net. CONTACT: Jamie Raddin Founder, Airborne (www.airborne.net) President, Echelon Sports Products 937.704.5988 jamie@airborne.net

Airborne had some licensing issues and I believe are reborn as Van Nicholas. Have a look at http://www.vannicholas.com

When one pine tree looks like another pine tree, it is pretty useful to know how you found that awesome piece of singletrack in the middle of a "exploratory" ride in the forest. GPS has its benefits. Whether it needs to be on your watch/cyclecomputer is a really a waustion of how many gadgets you are willing to take with you.

Welcome to the cycling industry - don't expect customer service to be any better from the other distributors.

A fairly common problem I'm afraid. I have had no issue with the way CRC handle these issues. The problem is usually on the supply side and the suppliers are delayed in releasing their product to the online retailers. You do need to be clear that you want to cancel the entire order, otherwise they will assume you still want what you ordered, although you and I know that you just filled the basket with odds and sodds because the shipping from CRC is so cheap/free.

The spacing is different but the difference is very small. A couple pro teams use shimano cassettes with their campag setups. The setup will not be as easy, but still pretty straightforward.

I see that Kloden has finally been directly linked to doping. The rumours went around from early on, but confirmation from the good doctors of Freiburg in a report on Cyclingnews today. Fully justifies Prudhommes decision re Astana.

Or Mr Price Sport, or anywhere that stocks Polar. Both types are usually available. The new version is around R450.

I imagine J-L may ride this year. Cooke, Hunter and Soler will ride no doubt. As for live coverage - should be the same as the last few years, live every day on DSTV.

CentreLock is easier to work with and easier to tighten uniformly. Been using CentreLock hubs with 6-bolt rotors and adapters for the past 2 years or so. If you already have a lockring tool, your are already equipped to install and uninstall centrelock rotors easily and quickly.

SA races/rides I've always enjoyed (or enjoyed the one time I did them): Sani2C, Dusi Mfula, Amashova, Argus, Jock, Eston, 1-day GABRAN. Ones I've not particularly enjoyed: 94.7, Fast One, OFM, Karkloof.

This is what happened to my Giant Anthem: Cracked on day 2 at Sani and left me on my ass in the forest before Nick's pass. Rode with the cracked frame and dodgy rear end to the finish. Had only a cm or so before the whole seatpost would have snapped off. I am getting a new frame under warranty from Giant (with no hassles by the way), but a crack like that does make me a little wary. I know Spidey has had his share of problems with bikes, but I can't find a similar replacement for either an Anthem or my TCR Comp (TCR C series these days) road bike, that offers the same value for money. I like the look of other stuff, but keep coming back to Giant as you always seem to pay more for less with other brands. You can pay less for less but money isn't really the issue - more about what I can get for the money.

Racman, just curious why you included the Specialized but excluded Giant. Both Taiwanese frames (but designed in the USA of course).

In many ways it is the riders that have created a situation where testers view them as individuals who can't be trusted. The riders needed to form the CPA and stand up against doping a lot earlier. All that said, the testers attitude is not acceptable when there are obvious mitigating circumstances. Perhaps the UCI/WADA needs to implement rules where a dope test may be refused and does not count towards the "missed test" tally. These situations would hopefully be few and far between, but Kevin van Impe clearly is not likely to be doping right now as he is not in competition and has far bigger things on his mind.

Have you seen what happens when the short race backmarkers enter the an 18km section of singletrack about 5secs before some "experienced" MTBer in the main race?

Interesting viewpoint, GoLefty. That is the impression I get of PPA over the last few years, but I don't really feel I am in a position to comment being outside of the WC and only visiting every few years. The little power struggle of the WC does remind me of the ASO/UCI battle, except CSA seems to have better ideas than the UCI, and PPA has nowhere near the business sense and capbility of the ASO. Perhaps CSA could take over the UCI and the ASO could take control of PPA.

I would go with the Schwinn. The compact frame is more forgiving generally (thanks to a longer seatpost) and getting the right fit is often easier with a compact despite the limited size options. I once owned a Trek 1000 and it is by far the worst bike I have ever ridden.

Fairly old news though - Procycling had pics of Boonen and the 16 yo together during November. GoLefty - whether something is common is hardly a factor when consider whether it is right or wrong. Perhaps you should keep your worldly view to yourself and not try and impose moral decay (commonly, but incorrectly, called being "liberal" or "open-minded") on others.