HdB

I'm not sure Eskom understands (or cares) why so many people are moving to large grid-tie systems... With loadshedding only getting worse, avoiding it is about convenience. If Eskom was dependable, different story

In our case, the gas stove was already installed when we bought the house. And the bottle is outside, so hopefully safe. I think the oven is a normal electric one. And the gas braai is actually my dad's, but he doesn't currently have space for it, so score!

As an interim solution, I went with a trolley style setup. Two 100ah AGM batteries in the case, and a solar-capable inverter. Will consider the panels in a month or three. And lithium batteries once these are kaput. Early days, but so far no issues running our router, work laptops and multiple screens when the power is off. Or the TV, for the all-important TdF of course. And 99.9% less beeping of the multiple normal UPSs. With this and the gas stove, gas braai or the weber, and load shedding suddenly is much less annoying... Solar geyser next on the (long) list for our new house

HRM is probably all you need, cadence is a bonus if you like having it. Speed should be good enough from the GPS. There are probably other brands as well, but the Marvel ones available on CWC is pretty cheap, and are dual BT/ANT+ so should work with phone and dedicated GPS. https://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/marvel-heart-rate-monitor-strap https://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/marvel-speed-cadence-sensor

Sheesh if only we had a bigger yard... Plus the recent move has our three (much smaller, but also spoiled rotten) unsettled as is; adding pack members now would be unfair.

For those that know far more than I do about inverters and solar panels, if the inverter/solar charger unit (it is similar to those Ellies trolley types that come with two 100ah batteries) has the following specs: - Power: 2500W - Voltage: 24VDC - Charging Current: 30A - PV Input Voltage Range: 30V-44V - Max PV Input Voltage (At the lowest temperature): 50V - PV Array Maximum Power: 840W How many solar panels do not blow things up? For example, a 370w panel might have the following: - Voltage at Pmax (vmp) (V) 36 - Current at Pmax (imp) (A) 10.28 Then two in parallel would not exceed the max watts, be within the voltage range, and below (too low?) the charging current?

My first ride in Sedgefield, we rode to Buffels Bay this morning

Not at all. I completely agree that ideally the clubs should offer some kind of value. If, per the bolded above, the clubs "jumped on the bandwagon" to get some extra money without justifying it through adding value, shame on them, and it should be taken up through the correct channels. Again this could just be a local thing, and I don't know if it is still the case as this was a few years ago, but my understanding is that at the time the local cycling shops were forced to have a club. So it might not always be a case of "the big bad clubs just want our money", is all I'm saying. What I found odd was the "principle" on the one hand, and being a rebel on the other hand. Then again, our club's fees are < R100 irc, so easy for me to speak.

A principled anarchist? If you disagree with the rule, don't do the events that are simply following the rules that have been set for them by CSA? Not sure if it is still the case, but at some point part of the club fees in the Free State went to the regional body - if it were not for them there would have been 0 road events in Bloem the last two years.

Apparently Afrikaans accent + Spanish (I THINK he lives in Andorra, Spain?) = Italian accent He also came 6th at the recent Classic Alpes-Maritimes, not quite up there with the attacks from Fuglsang and Woods, but still. Hopefully more progress at the Dauphiné

This could be interesting, Bike Mechanic Simulator 2023: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1636170/Bike_Mechanic_Simulator_2023/

We're moving to Sedgefield in a month's time, so making many mental notes. Hopefully living there is as nice as the riding sounds!

Perhaps @Sam81 could help, I believe he is in that area these days

Can't speak to the cadence issues mentioned for the H3, although there have been a few firmware updates for the trainer so could have been improved. I connect apps to the cadence sensor on my bike. Mine's given me no issues, and DC Rainmaker likes it for ERG mode workouts. Minor annoyance is that my Scott's rear thru-axle level bumps against the trainer, so putting the bike on or taking it off the trainer takes ever so slightly longer than it would with a cam-style level.

I have not printed any recently; just downloaded the zip-files 🤐 The ones from last year's event are 3216x2136, if that helps. The ones with the overlay are a bit smaller in file size, but still same resolution.

The last few years I've just gone with a digital package, but I think there are quite a few different options

Some are already available I think - if I go from the Racetec page it shows a few for me... although at least two of the 11 are definitely not me, and the group one is wrong as we started from the other shute. Will give it a few more days

Yes, some use barometric pressure. On one race where we started in dry weather, it looked like I had dropped off a cliff when we rode through some rain later on

Managed a 3h12, looking like an orange drowned rat. Entered and could have made it to the start in time for a second lap. No thanks!

A nice easy coffee ride, perfect weather.

According to an article that was on News24 (https://www.news24.com/health24/medical/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/exercising-after-your-covid-19-or-flu-shot-may-boost-antibodies-study-says-20220301-2) recently, moderate exercise after the vaccination could boost antibodies. But yes, rather wait at this point, just in case you are unlucky and have bad side effects 😅

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Grand+Parade,+Cape+Town,+8001/@-33.9249216,18.4225644,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x1dcc6762df0fe88d:0xd7f517640035360d!8m2!3d-33.9249797!4d18.4250083 And starts between 6:00 and 9:45, depending on your starting group

Interesting how wildly different COVID and the vaccines for it affect people. My wife and I had our boosters (Pfizer) on 26th Feb, and apart from the typical minor injection site pain, not a single side effect. In fact, the only side effect we had with all the Covid vaccinations was a bit of a rash on my wife's shoulder after the second dose. Similar situation for both my parents, basically no side effects.

Sjoe, no thanks, 2009 wasn't a lot of fun. I remember seeing quite a few lighties with deep-section wheels rather walking back to the start, before we had even reached Edinburgh Drive