brussel

banna it's not about quantity but quality I have ridden three epics, the last two I finished 101 and then 73. I did not do more than a 12 hour week for either of them. I think somewhere further back someone said ride lots on consecutive days and I think that is a big thing. 2 hours every day, with some variety on pace (some easy some hard hill intervals) is key. I'd not do more than 12 hours a week, and then do one or two big weeks where on the weekend you do two 4 to 5 hours back to back rides. I hear people doing 20 hour weeks and it is really not needed, it just tired you out and will make you mentally exhausted before you get off the startline! my 2 cents.

cool!

chubba I am sure you can, just keep doing it in a way that you sand uniformly and not one spot more than another. the steel they use is hard as nails, hence the sander - its a lot less elbow grease!

I use 120 grit on a random orbital sander, no issues at all. within 20 minutes the pads have rubbed most of the scratches smooth anyhow.

www.webike.co.za

well snowbird I say 'only' because end of the month is the marathon 105km gravel travel where the climbing is 2600m - OUCH!

only around 2000m according to a mate with a polar, but it felt like twice that!

I'd have enjoyed myself more if I did not hurt so much I really rivetted most of the day, was a bit sick and low on energy reserves so from halfway I really bled!

I thought the water tables where disappointing...I was so hungry by the last water stop before papagaaiberg I would have eaten one of those laaities mtbmom wanted to mace. all they had was juice - a banana would have been nice great route...but it feels as hard as nails (especially if you do the 75km)

not enough evidence as I recall...

If it is any consolation I know his family well and his mother was disappointed that he did not get convicted of drunk driving. I think it is sad that he did not get jail time too... my prayers go out to his family at this time

hmm covie, last year I was well up front and had some bottlenecking on the single tracks sections.. of much greater concern was the slower riders up and especially down papagaaiberg... but yes we manage to live even with slower riders although I recall some kid breaking his arm 2 years back at the finish of the Argus mtb. Top guys are comin gat 40 kph and the lighteys are doing 5 and weaving...not a good combo.

it all depends on your fitness and what pace you ride at In knysna this year I rode the 75 on half a bottle of water, most of a bottle of fastfuel and 2 gels in a bit over 3 hours. That was riding flat box. At that pace it is only glycogen reserves that are being used and you have not got much more than about 2 hours of gas in the tank, so you have to refuel. I did a 3 hour training ride this week and ate a banana and 1 bottle of water riding at moderate intensity. Then you are burning fat as well as glycogen reserves so refuelling is less of an issue. If riding multistage races it is important to eat better because you are eating for the next day, then the rule of thumb is an item every 60-90 minutes. A banana or an energy bar is an item. The pros eat the same us mere mortals.The difference is they finish a long race in 3-4 hours, slow riders may take much longer. In knysna winning time was 2:58 and I know that there were many riders over the 6 hour mark.

du toits kloof then left onto the radio mast (not strictly legal) but around 19km with 1100m vertical climb

hmmm c50 the specs I saw where the same except as you point out top tube slightly shorter I was speaking more about head tube angle and seat tube than anything else and having ridden them back to back there is no difference at all I rode a Jamis for some weeks...worst bike.ever. seat tube too steep, steering twitchy, just not fun for my style of riding.

I have the copperhead and am very happy with it. The geometry is the same as the Niner frames and it is good value for money. Weight wise it is not the lightest (1750 or so with headset) but only marginally heavier (150g or so) than the giant or the scott. I had a niner air 9 but broke it after 3 months. It was a little more plush than the bulls bike....

if you have a mate going to the UK you can pick up giordana silverline bibs for about R600 they are great I have three years of riding them (i have two pairs and use them 2-3 times/week) they are just beginning to get a bit tired now!

did not know that you got untapered 1.5 steerers... learn something new everyday!

you cannot change the steerer. but as far as I recall cane creek did a headset that allowed you to use the fork on a standard bike..would add 10mm or so to your stack height but you could combat that with slightly greater sag on the fork.

scuff them? I have worn grooves in my cranks

morewoodmad, that was my experiences with my gripshifters what housing do you use?

yip...need to head there later to return something else...

looking at CRC I recall on my previous bike I had the goodridge cables..they really were good...will see what I can source in RSA

wow not bad... I previously had jagwire outers and I noticed that they lasted MUCH longer than the bog standard sis shimano ones...will try to get some goodridge ones...

what do you lube them with? and you've not replaced outers or inners over 18 months? what inners, plain or teflon coated?