Blue Monster

The beta is even lower than last year, even though I think that this years wind was much worse. The A batch time was 10 min slower than last year, and still a lower beta. I will have to do well in the D2D and RFV to get a decent start for 94.7. My Lost City index will not help me at all.

2014 Strava route. http://app.strava.com/routes/808488

AL for the Lost City Race. See you there.

Get a Polar HR strap. It has the same distance between pins from the HRM. My brother and I had the same problem, and it was solved this way. We are both using Garmin Edge 500. No more lost heart rate and the Polar one is cheaper by a long way.

AL for me too. Did 3.22 last year from CL, so hoping for a sub three this year. Also ding the 3.30am thing to get there by 6.15am. By the time we start it will feel like lunch time

What bike/kit did you have. I also got dropped on the climb in A. Came back with a group of guys, but it got smaller towards the last 18km, with me and one other VC (started in A) chap. I was on a black S-Works with black & white kit. Finished in 3.01.

I have been using Ultegra Di2 for the last two months. I built the bike up myself. I had no issues with the build, other than getting the wires over the BB, as Spez wants it. The Di2 shifts well all the time, no issues. The way people talk about the electronic groupsets, the act like there has never been a failure on a mechanical group. I spent every second or third ride having to adjust my rear derailleur, and possibly should have changed the gear cables. No issues with the Di2. Not to mention the braking on the new Ultegra & DAce. It is phenomenal. My old bike had 7800 DA, and the brakes were OK. I had to quickly learn that you need to be more aware when braking, otherwise you are going to see your ASS .

I would like to see the scenery this year. Last year all I saw was water and mud. Jersey was dark brown when I got back. Hope to last past 40km before dying this time around.

To the naysayers, just look forward to a change, ride as hard as always, and be glad that you have road closure. I am glad I did the previous route last year, my first 94.7, and am looking forward to this new route. It will have the same vibe, if not better. Just ride. Edit: spelling

There is still hope for me then. 47 this year, with as PB @ SBR od 2:24. Hope to get close to your time soon. Well done.

I did Kremetart last year with only 6 or so month of bike riding - not even training except for the last three months. I am back this year, and still sh!tting myself, as to if I will finish, but that is part of the fun. Arrange own lunch, as last years lunch was terrible.

Only three weeks left. Can't wait

A Google search, for Cycle Science, puts this thread about no 2 or 3 down the list. That has got to hurt. We need to make sure it stays that way for a long time.

The "comes out the same factory thing is also BS". VW, Audi, Lamborghini, Bugatti & Bentley all essentially come out of the same factory. The different components are manufactured by VDO, Behr Hella, SKF etc. They are not the same vehicle. A common conn in the tyre trade is saying that brand X(a cheap tyre) is made by Y(a high end tyre brand). This is implying common or similar performance etc. Each bicycle manufacturer spends millions trying different carbon layups, with different weave directions, and weave & carbon types to get a specific stiffness and or compliance. The cheap knock offs just make a copy. It would be great for the MODS to make a summary of the facts on the first page, to stop the newcomers from asking if AA was sold a fake or grey import edit: spelling

If this is/was the case, why have CS refunded one person, and apparently when another client was phoned by CB, he was unaware that his bike was fake. I was also offered a "parallel imported" S Works early in January this year. John was discussing his new "S Works", and said I could get it for R 20 000, and custom painted. I ran a mile when I also noticed no serial number on the BB, and told the local Specialized store about it.

Results are up.

No insult. As it turn out I was only about 30 secs ahead of the B group on the road, but top B riders got a better time.

I came in about one or two minutes ahead of B.

I think I was part of the run back to AL. I was on the white Giant T-mobile with black and orange kit. Fell off the group at the right turn in Magalies at bout 52km. never caught the group again. I was definitely not in A group shape today

AL for me too

I mentioned in a post yesterday, that I was offered a parallel import S Works frame. The price was R 20 000. No mention of fake, but parallel import. Cycle Science is clearly not above board, and I will no longer buy from them. We never get an invoice from them, as they add up the items on a calculator and charge credit card. Never thought much of it till now.

I was in the market for an S works SL4 frame. While having breakfast at Europa, outside said bicycle shop, I saw an "S Works" frame on the repair stand. I enquired about it, as I was ideally looking for a good used frame. I was told by John, that he could get me one for R 20 000. It was directly from specialized, but as a parallel import. "Parallel Import" being his words. I was quite surprised, as even a used frame from USA & Europe, would cost in excess od R25 000. I popped in the next day and noticed that there was no serial number on the BB. Decided to run a mile. The shop in question must have contacts with frame manufacturers, as the MITO is their branded frame, which they sell as a high end frame, and price it accordingly. WRT the OPs comment of buying two bikes soon after each other, read his post where he said he wanted if for his 50th. I eventually also got a S Works which was supposed to be my Argus dream bike. But that has its own story, for another day

Get hold of Joanne Van Der Westhuizen from Watt Lab, on jo@wattlab.co.za. Worth every penny.

Forgot about that. The worst part is the drinks and snacks are about another 500m further up the hill after the finish.

A long weekend is not necessary. Drive in to Louis Trichardt on the Friday afternoon, enjoy the pasta dinner and drive back on the sunday. The dinner on Saturday is great and quite festive. We were a little out of town and missed some of the fun, so we are now staying 5 min from the info centre