Chris NewbyFraser

My experience o these bikes is that they area great crossover machine. Smoother gravel roads are easily travelled and the rough tar roads that are becoming the norm are ironed out beautifully. I sorted out the harsh effect on my rear by putting on a Thudbuster 32mm seat post. All I needed was a lightweight front shock which was not designed at the time. I still hold that the Spez front shock with its super short front travel that bottoms out constantly is a waste of money. Now that I live in southern Kzn with its character laden local 'tar' roads, I really wish I had not changed my gravel machine for a proper road bike. It would have been perfect for this region.

Probably gloating in a gentle way.

Back when Specialized started selling their Diverge gravel bike, I bought one and posted notes about the experiences I had, both positive and negative. A number of Hubbers trashed the idea of gravel bike specific riding, with various arguments about the bike just being a skinny mtb or fat road bike, and no doubt a number also felt that the discipline was doomed to failure. Well now, with the UCI announcement of a formal global gravel series and world championships, I wonder what the nay-sayers think about the sport now?

The answer to my question? On Bikehub (where else!) I found a pair of Shimano 105 (5800 series) which Shimano's web site says is ok for my Tiagra 4700 levers. Put this on my road bike and found the braking is about 25% better and the feel is not 'dead' as I felt with the Merida comp. Now I feel in control of my bike. Well worth the investment

From what I understand in literature, the current 4700 series has a different pull ratio to earlier ranges so its possible it wont work properly. I have to agree with you on the TRP / Tektro. I had mechanical TRP Spyre on a Spez gravel bike and got rid of them pretty damn fast.

Since retiring and moving to the Kzn coast and its steep slopes, I find the rim brakes on my Merida Scultura 300 struggle to stop me at speed. I have the stock standard Merida Comp callipers with Shimano Tiagra 4700 levers. I changed the single piece Merida brake shoes to the Shimano brake shoes (not the cartridge type) but this had little noticeable effect. I am looking at buying some used Tiagra 4700 callipers to replace the Merida's but before I do that I am hoping some Hubbers have some specific experience to share with me. Will the 4700's be a worthwhile upgrade or is it not worth the money. I cannot afford used 105's which have the correct pull ratio to match the 4700 series.

Do the lesser models offer less travel? Methinks 150mm is more than the majority will use and has the negative of extra weight and cost

I remember there used to be a very informal 3 day thrash that ran from the central Berg somewhere to Midmar(?). I recall legends about its laid back camping personality with an 'extremely' chilled character owing to its liberal nightime refuelling policy. What was its title? This made me think that the upper Midland area would be a fine setting for an amateur road rider 2 to 3 day stage tour, but based at a single venue. Roads are not too busy with some routes(like the climbs out of Estcourt, Mooi River, Bergville) offer stiff tests while the rest all are rolling hills and the scenery is attractive. This is well within easy drives from Gauteng and Kzn. I wonder if, with the stage racing craze running in mtb and gravel, there is a possible future for a road event? Any enterprising clubs willing to look at this.

I had a hollow feeling yesterday when watching the finish of Saturdays stage. Roglic turned on a pace which was so remarkeable it reminded me of the Armstrong surges. Can a rider be so much stronger than his fellow racers? I look forward to seeing a race where he is up against the rest of the 'elite of the elite', like Pogacar and hopefully an on-form Bernal.

I see that Paris Nice is on. Maybe dstv just chose to ignore the (probably more expensive) super exciting Classics and got the far less addictive multi-day tours at a good price. Probably hoping this will continue to enslave their current cycling viewers

. True, thats not expensive on its own. But, in order to watch cycling, rallying, global touring cars and sailing, then the totals might add up to more than dstv - bit tough for me as a fixed income retiree, which is why I am hoping to find very affordable sites to access

Are there any lower cost sites where I can look at cycling? When I get my data line it will be expensive to buy the good subscriptions for my cycling and rallying.

On what website were you watching? With dstv seemingly dropping live cycling, I am going to get a Telkom line and package so I can watch cycling and rallying

Even the doyen of SA Cycling, Mighty Mouse, was unaware of this sudden change in cycling coverage.

I was hoping to be able to start watching some quality cycling this weekend but I see that DSTV is not broadcasting any cycling, despite the UAE tour happening now and two huge classics this weekend. Have they dropped cycling? That would be the end of my subscription to them.

Aplogies to readers: I left out a key word in my opening sentence in this post, that being 'change'. "I love change and that......."

Firtsly I must point out that I love and this lavk of needing fixed stability affected all aspects of my life. I followed the normal path of a bike loving kid. From my first tricycle in 1978 to a scooter to 'sports' bicycles on rural gravel and tar roads,to real roadbikes for racing. My first change was in 1984 when I buggered off to the US, bought a full on Specialized touring bike and pedalled around there and Europe for a year. I saw the new fangled mountain bike thing in Boulder Colorado but scoffed; I was a roadie, of course, even if my steed looked like an over-loaded pack mule. But the itch to do something different needed scratching and one fine 1994 day at a bike shop in Edenvale, I saw a Wheeler hardtail and just fell in love with the bike. Bought it, joined what was then the fledgling, laughed at, sport in SA and had lots of fun. Saw that a bike shop was bringing in full suspension tandems and against advice (I was told that mtb tandems are too hard to ride) bought one, a Ventana. An absolute joy, so easy to ride, even with a missus who had no intention of being overly adventurous. So after several wonderful bikes, with the mtb industry ruling, the itch started(I was still married to the same cycling widow so it must been a cycling itch) and I looked longingly at those sleek roadbikes, bought a used beauty and enjoyed it for a while. But Joburgs suicidal traffic kept me in a state of fear and cycling became an emotional challenge, not a joy. Exit the roadbike, hello again to mtb. The itch had NOT been snuffed out. Scratch,scratch, scratch till I bled....resulting in my mtb and roadbike being sold and a stupidly expensive gravel bike coming into the house. I again joined a fledgling discipline and again got laughed at by mtb'rs and roadies (who's laughing now?). The bike supposedly had a good gravel suspension compliance in the headset.(a load of *** as the 20mm blew thru so fast it would hammer the frame). 3 months and the bike was gone, replaced by a stunning hardtail mtb with suspension seat. In the peak of full-suspension fever I went against the market and reverted back to a super rigid Giant carbon hardtail. A complete blast, so much more fun than the porky Camber I rode at that time. Retired to the Kzn lower south coast. Only two little mtb parks to ride and very limited gravel road suitability for old single riders to venture along. Boredom! Scratch, scratch, scratch......mtb gone, hello road bike. Yup, I have left mtb and gone to that 'die'ing in South Africa' discipline, the road. First ride Yowzer!! Who rides gears like this. Where's the granny gear. But what a pleasure. So little effort needed to go places. It feels good. But those gears!. Gonna need a Lotto win so I can get an e-bike. Scratch, scratch, scratch......

Don't have one yet. Am looking at buying a road bike (about 10 years old) but the gearing is too tough for mky old legs. A 32 cog on the back would make it acceptable. But not at the expense of shifting efficiency. Thanks

Is there still a shop or distributor who brings in wolf tooth products? I need a road bike rear derailleur adaptor to enable a cassette of 32 to work with a standard Shimano 105 jockey

Interesting concept. Got keen just now until a negative I saw with this is; if you are bombing down a long gravel hill, using the stretched aero position on these bars, it is impossible to react to harsh bumps or access the brake. Also, the aero hand position has the hands close together so there is reduced leverage if the rider hits sand etc. Gravel bars are will have to be the way to go for me

Is there an exiting thread that deals with converting a hardtail into a gravel road machine? If not, is there any build guidance and affordable part selection that would help me? I plan to keep the shocks and good wheelset but will obviously need the drop bars and brake/gear levers. Can I use the existing M6000 brake calipers with gravel bike brake levers?

Hi Grant. I have had multiple dual suspension bikes and while they were nice for seriouz trails, the added complexity, servicecetc is a negative. I bought a Thudbuster ST(short travel) post fof a gravel bike and it worked well. I then put it on my very rigid Giant XTC and it transformed the ride. Offering 32mm of travel, it made my ride on trails great. The argument that it constantl changes ride height does not hold in the Thud's case as it pivots backwards/downwards, keeping the saddle to pedal distance constant. Only your arm/handlebar range changes when it is active but this is happens all the time on all bikes because of the way a person continuously adjusts sitting position, bending, standing etc. The Thudbuster has been around for decades and is considered the standard for the industry. Not the lightest but is patented movement makes it the best. The possible annoying things with it are: not easy to mount a saddle bag without the bag getting scrunched; if your bike frame is too large and you are riding with a very short seat post, the Thud' design might prevent you getting the correct saddle height; the post only comes in two sizes i.e. 27.2 and 31.9 so you might have to shim the fit.

Did Alan Hatherly start? Never saw him and the results don't list him. And why on earth did Mariske Strauss make that hard effort on the opening lap? She never recovered from going into the red.

I turn 5 years old at the end of this year (well, maybe I should add the other 60?) and would like to do a year of mtb marathon events on a competitive level. To those who know, are there Grand Masters A and B sub-groups based on age? A rider in his 66th year is at a bit of a disadvantage going up against a spritely 60yr old so I would prefer to be rated against my own ages(although I will still get hammered by the top gents).

Armed robbers ambush security guards at Klipsriviersberg Nature Reserve Julie MauleKlipsrivierberg Nature Reserve. Image: Facebook/Ann Edith Venter The guards were robbed of all their possessions, one guard’s uniform was stolen, and they were tied up and left at the entrance gate. Security guards at the Klipriversberg Nature Reserve south of Johannesburg were held up by two armed unknown males, one with a firearm and the other a knife, at the nature reserve’s main gate side, on Tuesday evening, reports Comaro Chronicle. They were robbed of everything they had on them, including one guard’s uniform, which they stripped off him. The guards were tied up and left at the entrance gate. Mondeor police are investigating a case of armed robbery. The suspects were wearing balaclavas, and no arrests have been made.