Spidermonkey

Ja it's definitely an experience to remember!

If you snoozed last time, catch a wake up! Choose your squad carefully....

Event Name: Krunk Race - Prologue #2 When: 5 March 2017 Where: Benmore Gardens Shopping Centre, Gauteng Category: MTB The Krunk Race takes place on a tight, twisting indoor track. It's a team race, so make sure you have 3 riders who are ready for anything. The kicker is that you can choose ANY bike. BMX? Single speed? Downhill? Any bike is legal on the Krunk track, as long as it is human powered! Battle other squads over 3 warp-speed laps of the Krunk circuit to claim the top spot (along with some awesome prizes)! R150 will get you a squad entry for 3 riders. Entries open on 20 Feb, so get your squad in order, as the number of teams will be capped! Go to Event Page

Event Name: Krunk Race - Prologue When: 3 February 2017 Where: Benmore Gardens Shopping Centre, Gauteng Category: MTB The Krunk Race takes place at night, on a tight, twisting indoor track. It's a team race, so make sure you have 3 riders who are ready for anything. The kicker is that you can choose ANY bike. BMX? Single speed? Got a mate with a downhill bike? Any bike is legal on the Krunk track, as long as it is human powered! Battle other teams over a few laps of the Krunk circuit to claim the top spot (along with some awesome prizes)! Go to Event Page

Nice vid! Shows how one has much more freedom on the bike, especially in traffic! (Personal highlight: drafting the truck)

*won't let own child cycle to school* *wonders why so few other kids do*

Well, it's black, and it's a bike...

My 1000 lumen light from Extreme Lights works fantastically on and off road. It has a bright centre spot, surrounded by a diffused 'halo'. I wouldn't go with anything less than 1000 lumen though.

She's holding herself back. If she was really into it, she'd change her own tires.

Just like the bike, that couch also needs to be recovered immediately.

Yeah...I know the feeling...I was once cruising on a slight uphill, with some good pace, and giving it horns. My good vibes were cut short when an ice-cream seller (plus bike with bells and ice-cream) sailed past me. Feels bad man

The rack I modified only had two semi-vertical bars connecting the horizontal rack structure to the dropout mounts. Custom pannier racks have more to prevent the bags from rubbing the wheel. I used some 20l drybags as panniers, which initially sagged and began to rub . I realized I had to bridge the gap between the semi-vertical bars, and used two straight(ish) sticks that I found nearby the trail, attached horizontally, to accomplish this. 100km later and my pannier/rack setup was still fine, with no rubbing at all! This is not to suggest that you use my 'rustic' solution, but the point is that a regular bike rack can be made into a touring rack relatively easily and inexpensively . Most pannier bags have rigid backing anyway, so wheel rub is not even a factor. The pic below shows my modified 'touring' rack, which has proven to be bomb-proof. I've included a red line showing where horizontal struts were essential on either side to stop my gear from being chewed up by the wheel. http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu29/mountain_ninja/Rack2_zpsdf88a751.jpg The whole thing was kept together using compression straps - much better than bungee cords that stretch and loosen. You can see why rigid panniers would be far better than my setup (although, this configuration definitely did the trick and worked out fine!) I suppose the question is: how much are you willing to spend... http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu29/mountain_ninja/DSC00536_zpsff0861b9.jpg I guess YMMV

Custom touring racks are going to be very pricey. Another option (which I've recently chosen) is to buy a set of cheaper standard bike racks and modify them to accommodate panniers. Speaking of panniers, there are plenty of online guides for making your own set. You could also look into using frame bags and seat bags as an alternative. Having tried both options (backpacks vs panniers), panniers/frame bags are definitely the way to go, as they keep your centre of gravity low. Also, when covering significant distance, there's far less fatigue when additional weight is kept off your body and on the bike. Good luck! I'm sure the touring will be lots of fun

It's always the last Friday of the month. Always.

It's bad enough riding with the flow of traffic on a bicycle. Most roads have no shoulder, so when another cyclist is traveling against the flow of traffic, at least one of them has to swerve. This is dangerous for both cyclists and motorists. Unfortunately I have been in this situation many times, and it is not cool.

Balls of steel. He looks like an adult who can take responsibility for his actions. I say, if it's not holding up traffic, roll on!

After changing from my usual nylon commute gear, to experiment for a while with a daily bicycle commute in full work clothing, I now present some key findings: It is far less hassle to cycle in work clothing. However, as keen as I am on this practice, there are some pitfalls: I like cycling (much) faster than 'no-sweat speed', so... ....sweat is obviously an issue Cotton work clothes take longer to dry than nylon T-shirts, so... ...cycling in the rain is a problem, that leads to... ...mud-stained pants from rear wheel spray (my bike has no clearance for mudguards) and passing-car slosh (got a face-full the other day) In light of these findings, I have reverted to my usual nylon riding clothes. I have commuted for years in such gear, and now will continue after the downsides I experienced. Perhaps winter is a better season to attempt my work-clothing commute, because of lower temperatures and less chance of rain (at least on the highveld). After all is said and done, I suggest trying a work-clothing commute at least once in your life - it's a great experience. Cars seem to treat you with more respect if you're dressed like a normal human being!

Although I own bibs/jerseys etc, I find it more comfortable to commute in nylon shorts, nylon T-shirt and sneakers. These dry very quickly.

I strongly agree with this philosophy - dressing 'normally' may encourage more motorists (or other road users) to give cycling a try. When faced with cyclists in full racing kit, the road users are intimidated and less likely to identify with the cyclist and will continue using motorized transport.

Good point- it is far easier to cycle in work clothes in cooler weather. I am now thinking of getting a rack and panniers to avoid the sweaty backpack syndrome.

Just read that thread, and I have done so many times...worst part is not having mudguards! But I always travel with rain gear in case of a downpour.

I suppose that is the downside, especially if one suffers from BO and has a long Ride to the office! I've commuted in work clothes several times, and it's not actually that bad. Granted, I leave early and only do about 10km to work. The great part is not having to mess around with a change of clothes and find a place to hang up the riding gear. I also tried to cycle at 'no-sweat speed' when possible!

Carrying a change of clothes with me on the bike gets a bit much sometimes, but the alternative is arriving at the office in slightly sweaty work clothes. I'd like to hear your thoughts on dressing for the journey vs dressing for the destination!

Looks amazing, I can't wait to use this route!

Great idea- I've been lugging two pairs of gloves around. What a pain. Same could be said of legwear: in the morning it's too cold for shorts, and in the afternoon it's too warm for longs...