Gravity Sux

what did you ride sani2c on, gravity? Hi cat-i, managed to get a replacement Spark within a week so rode that. Cost a f..ing fortune and Scott dodn't do any great favours but I am not one for big changes before an event and the main goal is the Epic in 11 days time. Basically the first time I rode the bike was on Sani2c. Didn't manage to get setup exactly how I had it before but it was close. Had some serious pain in the last hour of day 2 only to find out when I got home that there was some "up slip" or something in the pelvis / lower back?%? all to technical to me. Anyway, the phisio has fixed that so besides the emotional ties to the old bike and the financial hit I am back to where I was 3 weeks ago. PS How do you get this thing to reply to a post and include the oridinal text? did it once but cannot figure it out again.

I love my computer, just when you pen a great post it errors and you must start again, attempt 2.... I don't think it is necesserally good news when the cc gets involved. I am still waiting for my reduced bank charges. Even on the bread price issue I read the following ( see http://www.fin24.com/articles/default/display_article.aspx?Channel=News_Business&ArticleId=2481820&IsColumnistStory=False ) " The minister gave special attention to reviewing the Competition Act "so that the guilty can receive harsher sentences". "Until now ordinary consumers have themselves paid the fines of the guilty companies in the form of higher food prices." On Friday Oupa Bodibe from the Competition Commission said food prices had fallen less than expected after companies had been fined." Seems to me that if the shops get fined there are 2 outcomes, 1. Shop cannot afford fine = shop goes out of business = fewer shops = less compotition = still high prices or less choice or 2. Shop pays big fine = prices are inflated to pay fine = customers pay fine = government benefits or cc bives perfomance bonuses I am just as excited about either of these outcomes as I am about paying extra tax.

Thought that I had clarified that I was not serious about the comment on recovering the goods and did not expect to see them again. In saying that, there probably is already a market for these goods. It would appear that those involved are part of a gang that have been involved in other attacks. As a cyclist you are pretty much a sitting duck as these buggers were hiding in the long grass and suprised us. Speaking to the local police I am certain that the bikes do not end up in the townships as they mentioned that they do confront anybody who is riding an expensive looking bike ... so this means that there is someone out there buying thse bikes and either selling them as components or as a whole bike. Whoever this is they really need to be nailed.

Thought the seeding was great. Spread the field out on day 1 so the single tracks were not such a bum fight. Day 2 managed to lead the batch into Murry's meander and only hit the back of the previous bunch towards the bottom of Nicks Pass. The mud really spread the field so the single track sections were pretty quiet after that. Guess day 1 seedings will improve as more data is collected. I'm all for seeding in other races where the field is big.

Same incident, David999 and I were the two attacked

Just to explain where this happened; Spoke to the Lyttelton police this morning and it looks likely that these are the some of the same group that were operating in the Irene / Cornwall Hill area. I believe they will catch them again and hopefully this time they won't get bail. My advice, keep away from this area for the moment as it is unsafe, tell whoever you know. Unfortunately not everybody will hear this and there will ba other attacks until these buggers are arrested. On a more cheerful note, looks like I have sorted a bike for Sani2c. An expensive exercise but we can't let stuff like this stop us doing the sport we all love. If you do have any safty incedent / near incedent please post so that others can be warned and please take these warnings seriously. Thanks for all the messages of support and thanks to all my freinds who have called over the last few days. We were very fortunate to come off as lightly as we did.

idrive, this is the route we were attacked on. We crossed the railway and headed along the road that sort on heads towards the engen. The other option is to turn right towards the highway and then approach through the blue gumbs. They were hiding where these two roads meet (about 100m from where you go through the wall into the Engen) so whichever way we had gone they could have attacked us. My feeling is that the engen is a no go area at least for now. As with the Cornwall Hill area there were attacks every couple of days so I wouldnt be suprised if there is another attack there soon...just don't go there.

Hi Weight Weenie, you are right about the camel back. It is convenient but I became the main target because I was wearing it. Also took a few blows because they couldn't full it off. Had to unclip it for them. I for one are not going to be riding with one in the future. I don't think we would have avoided the attack by not carrying one but I do think the attackers would not be going for something that is attached to you. They still went through our back pockets so you can still expect to loose whatever is there.

Sorry, the above reply was to cat-i

I am not serious, I do not expect to ever see it again. Just know that whoever ends up with it will not know what to do with it and if they do I hope their front wheel dropps out at speed

Definately will do. Do you have contact details or do I just go along there and ask for him?

I did not join the hub before today but have visited it regularly particularly to check for security no go areas, hoping to avoid problems. Unfortunately this morning (8am) a mate and I were attacked within 100m of the R21 (between Centurion and Kempton Park). There were 4 atackers hiding in the grass and they they jumped out at us when we were so close that we could not react. They were armed with pire wrench, grass slasher homemade knife and ? I was targeted as I had a Camelback. The one with the pipe wrench hit me twice on the head (Bell saved me there as I did not suffer any physical damage) and then once next to the knee when I was on the ground. Also picked up a stab wound in the neck. They made off with my Scott Spark (black with white / gold trim), my Camelback and my mates Titan (Red) - so if anyone offers this cheap to buy it and I will buy it back. Lessons from this; 1. Stay away from that area. 2. There were 3 of us, one was far enough back that he could avoid the situation but even if there had been 10 we would have been in the sh*!t. When you are so close you can forget about fumbling for the pepper spray... your hands are in front of you to protect you from their weapons so... stay away fron the area. Don's think there are enough emotions to express off but the main thing is to warn other cyclists that this is now a no go area. It is just a matter of time before there is another hit there.