Fred van Vlaanderen

Cold morning today at Berg & Bush, but a lovely day out.

I’d rather leave my helmet at home.

En route to Berg & Bush. First time.

Plus 1

In your back pocket?

Maintaining a distance is key for sure. You don’t want to be in a position to have to use anything, ever. Period. But alas, we do live in South Africa. My fear would also be that the weapons you carry might potentially aggravate the assailants and even be used on you. My priorities in these situations are as follows: 1. Cycle in areas which are known to be safe. 2. Always be ready, even though the area is known as a safe one. 3. Hand over everything that the assailants want as quick as possible and get the hell out of there as soon as possible. Do not threaten them. Do not let them close the distance on you. My view is that mostly they are looking to make a quick buck from an easy victim and they are probably after your goods, not your life (I know there are exceptions). 4. As a very last resort, if 1-3 did not get you out of harms way, have something that will enable you to do no.3 and get the hell out of there. Pepper spray can provide the window of opportunity and a knife may help you in life or death situation. I will however not carry a knife for reasons mentioned. These things are tricky in that no one situation is the same, so incredibly difficult to have a blanket approach for every scenario. So many variables at play… It sucks that we live in a place where it is necessary to talk about these things. I pray that you may never need to use any of those, but if you do, I pray that it will have the necessary effect to get you out of there safe.

Even I'll ride an e-bike if I can ride this... 😍 https://bikenetwork.co.za/patrick-morewood-new-pyga-emtb-interview/?fbclid=IwAR18YtgXDcR4adC2EWOMYqPZQLBp-hnEWLeLYr4ktlMMFIjdFg_CDsiA1O8

Nice books 😉

Those were some wet roads!!

Can you perhaps unpack a little as to how you felt the bike was ill-equipped and why you are considering those two upgrades? Yeah, I’m sure they’ll be nice to have anyway, but where exactly did your current set-up fall short?

You forget that they live together, she’s got keys and a firearm and has shown that she is capable of committing murder (assuming it was her). I’d also get out of Dodge.

My brain automatically assumed he won on a mountaintop/hilltop finish. Pleasantly surprised. Lekker Louis!

I’ve let go of that idea. Planning on doing two long rides between now and then, but that’s about it. So much for all the training I had planned.

Anyone else doing this? Getting really excited for my first time one.

Wow!! Looks amazing

Morning spin in the Highveld. Was a crisp morning after yesterday’s rain, but the tracks had the perfect amount of moisture for a lekker time.

Agree

So I get it that they hold people up on the downhills with lack of experience and or skill, but I don’t get the part that they ride people from their lines on the climbs. Isn’t it just simple enough to stay on your line and not make way? If there is enough space, they can pass without impeding you and if there is not enough space, well then they can pass going in the veld. Simple as that in my opinion. The problem of people holding others up on the downhill sections have always been an issue for me at MTB events, even before e-bikes. I don’t see the increased risk that they bring, but perhaps I haven’t done enough of mass participation events recently.

I immediately also thought of this one!!

Huge ride. Well done

We, the hubbers, expect a full ride report here. 😉

Plus 1

Stan’s

Is that your Jakkals? 😆

My approach is simple. I eat big before any training or event. And during, I eat before I get hungry and drink before I get thirsty. I can smash so much food and drink while racing, its crazy. Gels seem to do the trick when the going gets really tough. I don’t have any sort of mathematical approach, but I rarely bonk, because I prob eat too much. This has worked for me through various ultra events. But I’ve found that nutrition is extremely personal and what works for me seldom works for others, so the best bet is trial and error.