WorcesterWheelers

Ja, ja ja, only problem was, I;ve been a good boy since the 1st of March 2009 with new fin. year. BUT, now I've got to try and catch up the last three weeks worth of sales again...... I'll call you on monday for tips on short cuts......

Update on recovery process: Elbow hurt like hell last night after yesterdays 2nd op to elbow. Dr removed a piece of bone fragment and also joined some of the torn ligaments. He seems confident that I will regain full range of motion in the arm (with PLENTY painfull physio to come I'm sure....) As for neck, it feels better every day. Less pain every time they turn me onto my side to change bedding & wash my back to avoid bedsores. After 4 weeks they might be able to remove the "cones" from my head (see earlier picture of me in traction). Ok, enough for today, good luck to all those riding Knysna this weekend. Edited Monday 6 June: (JEESH my spelling sucked) WorcesterWheelers2009-07-06 12:51:18

Well at least my laptop is up & running..... Me, I'll still be on my back for at least another 3-5 weeks in hospital, and a few more at home..... I've not even bothered to ask the doctor for a time scale after the innitial hospital period. A: Because its much too long a time to start stressing about such a long timespan, and B: Since its the second time I've managed to break my neck, I have good idea of what challenges still lie ahead on the road to full recovery. So I'm taking it one day at a time.

I need to start making soooooo many thank you's to so many people: 1st and DEFINATELY formost, I have to thank GOD my saviour, for sparing my life. (According to the doctor's it was a matter of 2mm between life & death!! ) I've had plenty of time to reflect and I'm pretty sure it will dawn upon me while I'm lying on my back for the next few weeks, as to what purpose the Lord still has for me here on earth. More on this later.... 2nd I have to thank my wife Natasha. Liefie, jy is FAAN TAS TIES!!!!!! . I could keep typing for the rest of the afternoon to just tell you all what a wonderfull and supporting wife I have been blessed with. Add to this that we celebrated our 6th month wedding aniversary in hospital.... 3rd I definately have to thank my mate Riaan / aka SPOKES. Not only has be been instrumental in starting a fund for me, but he's been keeping you all updated AND he's helped me sell the infamous Opus too!!!! Thanks ou maat, jy is 'n superster. (And all this while he is actually supposed to worry about training for Veterans world track champs). 4th I need to thank Ronnie Roodbol from COMPUTER MANIA in Worcester. Ronnie was supposed to just join us for aroute scouting trip with his Jeep, and the plan was that he would help with timing. Well that was till I decided to go and play "EVIL KANEVIL" and ended up in a ditch... Ronnie took over the organising, layout, marking etc etc etc etc of the route. (All those of you who have been involved with organising events will appreciatte it even more). The feedback I've received is that Ronnie did a wonderfull job. Then to each and everybody for their best wishes & prayers, all the support has blown me away. Family, friends, club members, customers and so many others. Every single visit, messages, gifts or phone call has been appreciated. BAIE DANKIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not to menion all those who have made contributions / donations, thanks to all of you. Every little bit helps... (The 1st bill for rehab from the physio has already arrived....). 1st Edit: (I'm sure I'll remember a few more) All those who are helping / supporting my wife & kids while I'm lying in hospital, with so many things. "Oom" Flip Piek & his staff from the NID for building the bridge where my accident happened, so you could all ride over "Franna se neck" And a big thanks to MEDICLINIC for installing DSTV in all the hospital rooms, your timing is impeccable. Just in time for last few days of Wimbledon & the TOUR DE FRANCE!!!!! And a HUGE thanks to Phillip Le Roux & his staff at PA VENTER shopfitters, for building a bracket to mount my laptop overhead so I can access my laptop, the shop, the internet and of course www.thehubsa.co.za !!! (Once I'm done with it I'm donating it to the hospital for future patients since PA Venter charged me NOTHING!!) WorcesterWheelers2009-07-03 10:03:41

Been catching up on the past 3 years of lost sleep....... BUT, got a mount for my laptop above my head now.

To all of you traveling to Knysna this weekend, please take care on the roads. And to all those with bikes on the back of their vehicles, make sure your rear number plate is visible, cause according to news reports on the radio they are fining motorists R500 for not displaying your nr plate!!!! Most probably your rear lights also need to be visible.... But at the very least strap a temp nr plate made from cardboard to the back of your vehicle.....

Howzit Poepol!!! (Anybody that has been fortunate to see the show "DEFENDING THE CAVEMAN" will appreciatte this form of greating... Hi there everybody!!!!!!!!!!! I've got too many thank you's, so that will follow later.... just a quick update. Like Riaan said, my laptop is now mounted to a special swing arm, and there's also a contraption that holds an overhead TV. AND the biggest bonus is that the hospital has just this past week installed DSTV! Just in time to watch the last few days of Wimbledon and then of course the TDF!!! Have lots more to say, but gotta go for another set of x-rays on elbow after yesterdays 2nd op. Cheers vir eers.

A message from WW's bed this afternoon "To each and everyone who made any contribution or comment or shown any support, thank you very much. I havent been able to read any of them but by all account youre support has been brilliant!!! Hopefully within the next couple of days my wife and doctor would allow me to put my hands on my laptop and take a look at all the posts. (that's if he is awake )" "Still battling to get used to lying on my back permanently and keeping all the staff and family busy trying to keep me still. Tomorrow inot the theatre for opp on elbow." Francois, Natasha & kids

A BIG thank you to everyone who is supporting us in this time. Francois is in a lot of pain today but we trust that each day will look better for him. We will never be able to thank everyone enough for all the sms's, phone calls, contributions etc. Thank you Riaan for all your support, time and effort. thank you thank you thank you Natasha

You OBVIOUSLY know what I think of this bike......

I'm with "The Crow" on this one. If you take time to setup the shims on the Look cleats, you should not have a problem with accidental unclipping. I've been riding my Quartz pedals for quite some time now, and have been happy from the start. And every single customer that have tried them, have been happy with my recommendation.

How much for the pogo stick?

Does anybody perhaps have an old set of XTR M960 cranks lying around? I'm looking for a set, dont need the chainrings, just the crank arms.

Converting to tubeless, lekker fat UST tyres, imported bibshorts and a thudbuster or other suspension seatpost will all make a difference. Getting all of the above, would probably also cost you the same as looking aroud for a bargain on thehub for a 2nd hand dual suspension frame...

Yep, Every single customer I've sold a Rudy Project Rydon with Photochromic clear lenses too, has bee nnothing but impressed. So am I with mine.

You can come visit us in Worcester...... ManiC Cycles.... Or if that's too far, try Flandria in Stellenbosch.

Aggree with turtlek... There are so many different good products on the market. Best is to get a few samples or sachets of various ones and use them during training, and then settle for the one you find works for you. Me, personally I prefer the POWERBAR range for endurance events. Biggest reason being that it gives me a feeling of sustained energy during the entire duration of the event.

Nice paint job Racman. Enjoy the frame. Time to send my tandem to Tokenfreak for a nice respray......

Hi Wallee. You're quite opservant (checking out your future bike...) Yes, went to the local angling shop and got the Rapala scale for quite a bargain, and also got a small class top scale from CLICKS to weigh the smaller stuff. (I actually changed the batteries this afternoon to start weighing all the parts that we will be swopping on the SC1) e.g. the Token Ti QR (55g) are exactly 1/2 the weight of the existing Ringle QR levers. (110g) Tomorrow we'll update it with the new SLR saddle (175g) and the 4ti Eggbeaters.....

I would guess around 6hours. (Excluding the compulsary 30min stop)

It's never been done like this (all in one go) - well not in a race anyway.. The road conditions are usually good, but it does depend on the amount of rain and traffic.... E.g. Recently did all 4 days of the Hell & Back (in on Thursday, out on Friday, back in on Sat & back out on Sun) There was a marked differance in the condition of the road on Sat as opposed to Thursday, obviously due to all the vehicles follwing the race in and out of "Die Hell" But, back to your question, Cross mark will be perfectly fine. There's no single track. I only have a profile of the usual route, form Oudtshoorn's (De Hoop) side going up the Swartberg pass. This one day event we'll be climbing from Prins Albert's side.

5 - Road bike - TT bike - Tandem - Carbon hardtail mtb - Old Peugot Rapport gathering dust & rust Saving up for a mtb tandem & also very keen to get myself a Cyclocross bike soon.

I was really appauled at the amount of littering on the road, especially taking into consideration that the riders have the opportunity to get rid of their rubbish along the route when they stop for backup along the route. Also very shocked at the fact that only two riders from Neotell had the decency to pitch up at the prize giving ceremony. As for the Cyclelab jnr's, I can vouch for two incidents involving a motorcycle. - 1st the one youngster had a bit of motor pacing behind a motorcycle. - Then the other youngster rode up to the motorcycles and proceeded to grap a drink from of a bottle handed to him by the motorcycle. What made it even worse, was the fact that he did this in the middle of the road and caused our bunch to have to take evasive action not to ride into the back of him.