BuffsVintageBikes

This is a tricky one: Why were you willing to negotiate significantly? Do he spin you a long story about needing a sponsor/being broke/desperate etc. You then felt sorry for him and dropped your price dramatically because you're a good bloke. Were you happy with the price you got at the time? If not, why?

They say data tells the true story and I found the stats from this past weekends Trilogy 80km gravel race at the 99er rather interesting. Besides the fact that the entries more than doubled in a year, it's the age group info that shows where the spending power is currently happening. The road group on the other hand showed higher numbers in the 40-49 group.

As a bicycle restorer, threads like this make me happy 😄 Old bicycles still have so much too offer riders, both new and old. It always fascinates me that new riders will drop tons of cash on a new bike when they have no idea if they'll even enjoy the sport. There are so many old bikes around to be bought for absolute bargains and the replacement parts like chains and cassettes are a fraction of the price on the newer stuff. 2 years ago I bought a hardly used, 2014 carbon Scott 29er hardtail here on the forum for a great price. It still has a 3x XT up front and 10 speed cassette at the rear. I raced that bike to WP colours in my age group (Marathon MTB) and a podium at the 361 Half. I'm not trying to be windgat, just pointing out that older bikes still have so much to offer and yet so many get pushed into a corner in the garage or have to be upgraded to the latest and greatest 12 speed groupset. I still regularly ride my vintage steel racing bikes in the bunch rides in the evenings or weekends as well. The regulars are used to seeing me on a steel Classic but it's always entertaining to see the new riders reaction when you're sitting in the bunch with them when the pace is on and they realize the old ballie is on a bike that's as old as what he is 😄 I'm not saying we should ignore the advancement in technology but we do need to realize that the market segment that draws full benefit from those technical improvements is minuscule in the greater scheme of things. You don't drive a Ferrari to the office in rush hour traffic so why do you need a Factor VAM for a PPA funride in group F? With the rise in prices of high end bikes, this will become less and less of a thing in the future but as a poor 3rd world country, Saffers total fascination with their attraction to expensive bikes and vehicles is rather strange. No were else in Europe will you find this, not even Italy. Here you hardly see anyone on a 26er MTB anymore, over there lots of people are still riding them. It's weird 🙄 Anyway, enough rambling, each to their own I guess, as long as we're all enjoying the sport and we're out there on our bikes, both old & new 😉🤙

I can highly recommend the new Super Sconto Italian Deli at Devonbosch (at the end of Bottelary road), open 7 days a week. Italian sarmies just hit differently. The Brickfields Cafe that's there is also very nice but sadly they're not open on a Sunday.

You guys absolutely took it to the next level and you can all be very proud of your event 👏

The Gravel Trilogy: Yes man, what a lekka route & ride. We felt every one of those extra 20km's added on from last years event 😊 After Finish Time stuffed up my result from last year with a DNS and had ebikes winning the age groups when they weren't supposed to be allowed in the Trilogy, I decided to change my approach this year and rather enjoy the event with good mates rather than mix it up with the racing snakes. It proved to be the best decision ever because we had a total blast out there. It meant falling back to FG to start with the worst seeded mate but he was by no means a weak rider, he just doesn't race often enough so has no seeding. It also meant we were some of the strongest in our group so spent most of the day on the front and out of trouble. Well, beside the youngster on the MTB who suddenly decided to turn left without any warning at the Medium road route split grazed my front wheel almost bringing us all down behind him 🙄 He was doing the Trilogy as well and wasn't supposed to turn so it was very unexpected. When we turned off the tar at 25km mark we were sitting on a 34km/h avs so we weren't hanging around either. From then on we went all MvdP and WvA 😄 Riding those gravel roads at speed was such a jol. I ride them often but never in anger and if felt so lekka to give it a tonk. The sandy bits made life interesting every now and then but for the most part it was just awesome. Somewhere just before the Klipheuwel trails, one of our mates legs fell off (we won't mention any names 😉) so we had to back off the pace and nurse him home. It meant feeding him gels, the odd push and a stop at the last feed zone (which in itself was simply an incredible experience with people wanting to feed us and shout motivation... and taking photos for us 😄) My wife winning a hamper in the lucky draw was a bonus... and scoring free tickets to next years event... this after she won a hamper last year as well and got us free ticket to this years event 😄 Needless to say, I'll bring her with next year again. She also did the Trilogy but on her ebike out of GG group. The two of us are doing the Cape Cross Tour later in the year and she wanted to test the range on her Orbea Rise. After 80kms she ended up on a 21km/h avs with 2 bars of battery life left (of the 5). I'm seriously impressed with that little ebike... and my wife of course 😄 Well done to Nicholas and the entire team on an absolutely superb event. I truly cannot fault anything about the organizing, it was spot on. Well, besides FT who got me as a DNS again 😖 Actually there was one thing that was a little frustrating, that Rugby Club needs to appoint more barmen for next year. We got very thirty in that sun and the queues were long. The brandy bucket was a winner though... Yoh !!!! 🍻 Roll on 2026... this event is going to get HUGE !!!!

Must have been a helluva job on the Trilogy route, now that's going above & beyond 😉😊 Jokes aside, thanks to your Team for all their effort. If it's anything like last years event, we're in for a great day out on the bike at a very well organized event. I know I'm really looking forward to enjoying the Trilogy route with a few good mates 👍

D. Trilogy - weekend warrior

Glad to hear. I checked now and my result from last year is no longer even reflecting on their site. I've gone from a top 20 placing in the Trilogy to now having a DNF... and the oke on an ebike (which wasn't allowed last year in the Trilogy) is still showing a top 10 placing.... WTF 🫣

That's still young in terms of the guys mixing it up on the Pro gravel bike scene, most of them are in the 30's already.

He's still young but I can imagine he'll be joining Beers and plying his trade in the US Gravel in future years. He's obviously got the skills and proving to have a big engine as well.

Finally a race with a huge downhill finish... that will be fun... and interesting. I suggest you station an ambulance at the bottom of Ouberg Pass 😉

I don't think anyone expected De Bod to close that gap alone, certainly not the commentators. He's a powerful rider.

Jayco-Alula's Team tactics were beyond questionable in that last stage. 3 big strong riders in the split up front due to the cross winds and Alan off the back and they decided to ride for the stage win with Groenewegen instead of dropping them back to bring Alan back in the bunch, despite him being just a few seconds off the split at one stage. They don't win the sprint and they lose 2nd place overall 🙄 I hope someone got a boot up the ass for such senseless decision making. Surely a Podium on the GC triumphs a possible stage win?

Those Klipheuwel trails are a piece of cake on a gravel bike, there's really nothing technical out there to worry about. By that stage in the race the whole pack is pretty much strung out and tired so there's no fighting for lines. Just don't hit those A frames at speed and go over the bars like one of the women did last year. She went nighty night for a few minutes 😖

Have you ever tried renting a bicycle in Europe and see what you pay? I don't think R600 is unreasonable seeing the risks here are probably higher. Having said that, maybe just buying an older 2ndhand bike would be a better option, there's some bargains to be had on the older 10 speed bikes?

15min per race? At my age it takes me an hour just to warm up 😊

Just a heads up on this Classic Bike event happening in March in the WC. With Eroica sadly not happening this year, we're hoping this event will step up and take it's place as a regular on the events calendar 🤙 Saturday 15 March is when all purveyors of Vintage Bicycles will descend on the beautiful little village of Riebeek Kasteel. Choose between the 89 km's Lungo - Long, or the 55 km's Corta - Short route. Both routes are an epic mix of quiet tar roads as well as gravel, that's in great condition! The festivities kick off on the Friday night with registration, followed by Pizza and Grappa in the Olive Grove. On Saturday the party continues long after the last rider is in, with more pizza, wine and the great company of your fellow classics admirers. If you don't have a classic bike, we're not too strict (anything before 1999 counts!) so if you instead want to come on your gravel bike, then come along and enjoy the Moderna Race. il Classico | Entry Ninja – the best outdoor, fitness and sporting event entries in your area.

Clearly they believe that youngsters and old ballies can't corner & jump 😖 That is seriously uninspiring for anyone considering entering the race, I know I wouldn't waste my money on a course like that.

Attacking him in the neutral zone while the rest block sounds like the only feasible option 😉

No bashing intended, merely pointing out the obvious. He's a Master, he's fully entitled to race in that category no matter how strong he is. Then you have okes like Thys who prefers to race against the Elites in most of his races. Difference strokes for different folks 🤙

Exactly, let's not BS anyone here 🤭 I'd probably do exactly the same if I was that strong so I'm not judging but let's call it as it is.

Then why not just ride alone anyway, why the need to race in a bunch slower than you? They don't want to let you go because they want to try and podium in that category, that's why they're racing in it.

I'm not saying it's right either, just mentioning that it's been happening forever. It's also the reason why when you get to the Cycle Tour, so few of the bunches below A ride Sub 3 times because everyone is great at sitting a wheel but they're not so great at sitting on the front and eating wind & pace setting.

They will, it will just take them longer to get there and there aren't enough races on the calendar anymore to be able to do that.