Johan A Marais

I thought this topic was started 21 months ago, and not 21 hours ago. Ebikes for deliveries in my area (westcoast) is pretty old news. I see more of them on the roads than normal scooters, and yes I also find them on the bike paths, passing me when I am heading into a strong SW'r. I have recived many a delivery personally at home from an ebiker.

I am afraid they (GC Riders) are just going to sit in the peloton until Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Sure hope I am wrong 🤐

There are only two ambulances...

You talking to me?

Cold, wet and windy Cape Town.

Cold and misty Cape Town morning, we ride for coffee...

Chasing the sunset at Bloubergstrand...

View from the cable car, Tablemountain

And this is what the rims looked like on an old outdated Spez bike... #justsaying Have not yet done the trails on this baby, hopefully this coming weekend.

The 2022 PTO US Open winner Collin Chartier has been suspended for three years by the International Testing Agency (ITA) after testing positive for EPO in an out-of-competition doping test on 10 February 2023. IRONMAN is the first private, non federation sports company to formally adhere to the World Anti-Doping Code. In a statement released by Chartier, the American shared that he has no plans to ever return to professional racing and takes full responsibility for his actions. His early admission of guilt is the reason for a three-year, rather than the typical four-year, period of ineligibility. In a post shared on Instagram immediately after the news broke, Chartier detailed what made him resort to the use of a performance enhancing drug, sharing he started using it “in November”. (ja right, and we all believe him) Chartier shocked the triathlon world last September at the PTO US Open when he followed his victory at IRONMAN Mont Tremblant the month before to take the win in one of the most competitive middle distance races of 2022, along with the $100k prize purse. He is currently at #14 in the latest world rankings.

LOL - and on the hub adverts... getting ready....

What gets me, is that you know you have cheated, you go on the podium, accept all the prices, you download everything to Strava, and you attached your podium photos etc. The audacity of it all... like really? And on top of it all, you are a well know international competitor with great results. How to end a career - boom!

Unbelievable 😖 "A top runner has been disqualified from an ultra-marathon after she allegedly rode in a car for a portion of a high-profile 50-mile race. Joasia Zakrzewski, 47, finished third in the 2023 GB Ultras this month, but has since been accused travelling two and a half miles of the route by car. The runner, who works as a GP, is understood to have been caught after tracking information showed she attained a ‘super-human’ top speed of 35mph – far faster than Usain Bolt at his best. Just weeks earlier Dr Zakrzewski smashed the world record for the most miles run by a woman in 48 hours. Now rivals have called for the runner – who represented Scotland in the marathon at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow – to be banned from racing." 'How can someone who cheated cross a finish line and collect a medal?' Rivals call for record-breaking British ultra-marathon runner, 47, to be kicked out of the sport after she was 'DRIVEN at 35mph for part of a 50-mile race because she felt sick' Quoted from UK Daily Mail

Ek watch jou!

What a crazy, but I am sure rewarding, ride. Tom, who you referred to, also raved about this ride during our regular morning Vida "business" meetings. On my "to-do" list, must just find the time. It seems like a day-of-fun event, and not let's see how quick we can do it event.

I have been trying for some time now, to engage Alan, Goerdin and Cape Town city, unsuccessfully, via Twitter on the state of the bike path through what I like to call the Paarden Island Mile and Woodstock Mile. Apart from the path being used as a general dump, there are also multiple informal settlements popping up, some on Transnet property and some on City property. Apart from this, there are no lights, due to cable theft, and no CCTV, also due to cable and camera theft. I have tweeted photos and raised concerns. Again, today I raised the issue of the lights and the fact that we are fast approaching winter with less day light, this with ever increasing informal settlers along both miles make safety a real issue. Sadly, I expect no response or reaction. As I do not have many followers on Twitter, I guess the pressure is just not enough, and they tend to ignore these tweets, hoping it will go away. But we cannot stay quiet and do nothing. Please do visit my Twitter (@JohanAMarais) and retweet them. You will note that I did try to stay level-headed in my tweets, at least for the most of it. 😊 Something can be done or should be done. There is more than enough technology available to make it safer, even with the challenges they face. Help me, to help them, to help all of us.

Bree Str, Cape Town Bootleggers for pre work coffee...

We always stayed in B&B's or Hotels. For the investment in time and money, this was in my opnion the right thing to do. If I read this trail of mails, even more so these days. The Woolies pack at the end was however always a winner, not to talk about the warm or cold cloth depended on the day. And the food was really good. The waterpoints were poorly stocked from last year's Epic, and most probably as a result of COVID, and now it seems it is just being made the norm. We do tend to in this country to move on quickly and accept it as we get it. (point in case is load shedding, crime, poor service etc, etc.) Critical for the race, I personally think, apart from great and challenging trails, is awesome food and proper ablution facilities. Moving to B&B's or Hotels do remove the need for the last two to some extend, but comes at a heavy price. But in comparision to what one already invested, it is but a small cost for a massive ROI.

Nice! 🙃

My 5 cents... It takes two to tango. Always try to use the same shop, loyalty, respect and trust is key, and goes two ways with some serious EI from both parties. You cannot expect it, if you do not give it. I am fortunate that I have this with my bike shop. To some extent they know my bikes better that what I do. They give me great service, sort out any issues quickly, even more so ones they may have caused, because I am a loyal customer, and I respect them (all the staff), and I handle any situation with as much maturity and EI that I can muster. And they do the same, always, does not matter if it is my cheap single speed or my (too expensive to mention) mountain bike. **** will happen, it is about the MOT (Moment of Truth) factor. What do we all do when things go wrong. It is pretty easy and lekker when things go right, but when it goes wrong you need the MOT factor. My bike shop has got a lot of MOT, and so do I... (Win Win 😀)

Signal Hill and Coffee.

Wow, what a good response to a newbie, answering the questions asked. I am impressed Tandemuis!!

I am all for this. Organizations must look at every rand invested and calculate the return on that investment. This exercise I guess shows a very small return, if at all. I for one will never spend because of what a so-called ambassador tweet or post. Very few actually can talk with authorization about the brand that they are representing. But, in our local riding groups I am all ears, listen and learn and decide on any spend based on actually qualitative input and feedback (read robust discussion) from fellow peeps.

LOL - and some race with a Roadbike in Gravel races... (and win them) 🤪🙃

I think it will work out quite well (the short route). Anyone saying the view or scenery is awful, I guess it is your opinion. I think the view from a bicycle anywhere is pretty spectacular, and then given this entire route will be lined with spectators who will now have more to see to see, and more to cheer - it could be quite an awesome vibe - give it a chance. The wife and I did a road trip on the CTCT route this weekend (in the car), and I just thought how awesome it is that these busy roads (and they are busy) are actually closed for the cyclists on the day. It is really something to behold, savor and enjoy. I did not yet enter for the 2023 event, thinking, done that (to many times), and got the T-Shirt, but after this road trip, seeing and experiencing the route, the views, the climbs, so busy, but so spectacular, man, I am in it, not to win it, bit to ride it!! And we can do it without cars - imagine that - priceless!!