Links MTB

Awesome thanks guys! Appreciate!

Going to Hartenbos in a week's time and normally do lots of riding with my wife in and around Hartenbos / Mossel Bay area, as well as on the extensive network of gravel roads all the way to George, and would appreciate if locals from that part of the world could provide a status update on safety in general in those parts and perhaps advise on routes/areas to avoid, please. I understand riding along the train tracks between Klein Brakrivier and Hartenbos is no longer safe - perhaps someone could confirm this please?

Three more attacks (that I'm aware of) in the vicinity of the Woodstock bridge over the weekend! This is now totally out of control!! Two members of our group got attacked as we were getting over the barriers on the port-side of the bridge following the "commuter route". They appeared out of thin air - two guys - one had a pistol, but judging from the way he held and handled it, it was probably a toy gun. They were only interested in phones. It happened so quickly by the time I realised what's happening it was all over and the guys ran across both lanes of the N1 dodging cars. There is thus currently no safe route for cyclists to get into town from Blouberg side and given the seriousness of the situation the only solution I see is for PPA and COCT to negotiate with the Port Authority to allow cyclists access through the Port to town.

Another attempted bike-jacking on Helshoogte over the weekend!! Seems a lot lower down on Helshoogte than where my wife was bike-jacked earlier this year. This was shared by a cyclist friend of mine who got it off one of the cycling groups he's on: "Sunday morning at about 8h20 I was starting up Helshoogte. About 50 meters past the speed cameras two males were sitting idly on the barrier railing. As I approached, I got the feeling that they look suspect. I took my pepper spray (stream, not mist) out and kept it in my hand. I passed the first guy without incident, but as I got to the second guy (10 meters further) he stood up and rushed at me with n knife. Since the pepper spray was already in my hand it only took a second to start spraying at this chest and face. He was clearly taken aback by the sudden action and jumped over the barrier and stood there. I kept spraying in his direction and gave him the %@&$ a good piece of my worst vocabulary. Best thing to do if you see dodgy guys just hanging out near a dangerous spot, is to go to the other side of the road. Stay safe out there."

Eish! I am surprised the race actually went ahead at all!! In my honest opinion the responsible thing would have been for the event organisers to call it off on Friday evening - it was obvious for anyone with a weather app the probability of heavy rain was unacceptably high!

At least you guys received an SMS..........

Really frustrating indeed and I feel for the poor event organisers having to deal with *** weather two years in a row! I did the race with my DC team in 2021 and loved it, but had to nurse some team members home, so was looking forward to doing it again at my own pace. Entered last year - sat there at the crack of dawn in my car in Wellington waiting for the race to start and after the 2nd start postponement & route change announcement I lost my mojo. Entered again this year and training has been going swell, only to see the weather forecast for Sunday getting worse and worse as the days tick by, and I honestly can't see the race happening given the forecast! I wasn't going to do the One Tonner (again for the 6th time) but will now probably consider it - at least all the training won't be in vain!

Jip good point. Thanks Malcolm 👍

I see my wife's stolen Garmin 530 is currently being advertised on Facebook Marketplace!! Have informed SAPS - not sure what they're going to do about it! Have amended the posting in the Stolen Bikes section to include the Garmin's serial number. See the ad here: https://www.facebook.com/share/WcTh7nra8NVJDx3m/?mibextid=79PoIi

Thanks @Phillippe Coetzee - she is luckily unharmed, just shaken.

Stolen: Trek Supercaliber 9.8 medium size 2023 When: 27/04/2024Where: , Stellenbosch, Western CapeAugust 2023 Trek Supercaliber 9.8 Medium Size 120mm Rockshox Sid fork Bontrager Dropper seatpost Kovee Pro Carbon Wheelset Specialized Tan Wall Fast Track Tyres SRAM T-Type GX Derailleur SRAM XX Chain SRAM XX Casette Garmin Edge 530 serial number: 5VW224626Get further details about the incident in the Stolen Bikes section.

Thanks!! Appreciate! Will give it a shot. 👍

Thanks! Excuse my ignorance but which part of the cassette is the "snap ring" and how do I remove it? I've looked at this cassette from all angles and IMO the only possible way to get into the cassette is by somehow removing the 50T cog, which seems to be pressfit mounted onto the 42T cog.

Guys, has anyone successfully replaced the core inside a Eagle XX1/01 cassette? If so, would appreciate an explanation on the process followed please. I have a 1st generation XX1 cassette that had to be replaced prematurely because of broken mounting splines (long story) a few years ago - the replacement cassette is now nearing end of life and I was wondering if it won't be possible to remove its core, which has no broken splines, and use it to replace the core with the broken splines in the older cassette?

Dinner time presentation - through what is said, how it is said and by giving almost zero recognition to the top three finishers in other categories.