levett

I've generally had good experiences (actually very good), I've only had one 'unhappy' deal (a set of pedals that should have included cleats and I never got the cleats)

The rules of the road are that the driver of a vehicle should drive at an appropriate speed to be able to stop in the event of an obstruction, and continue that the driver of a vehicle must only overtake another vehicle if it is safe to do so. Simple as that!

Most roadies will say 'compact' - for my self (migrating from mountain biking to road), I would say 'triple'. I'm no expert (far from it), but I find that the 'range' in gears on the triple suits me - no way could I be described as maintaining a constant cadence! It also depands on 'strength' and, in my case, power-to-weight ratio - being heavy, I struggle on the hills and need the lower gearing to 'grind away'. On the Telkom Challenge, many rookies walked up Hekpoort - I went for the granny gear and plodded up - sometimes down to 6km/h - but I made it up!

If your 26er MTB will accommodate it (and your MTB has disc brakes), you can get a set of 29er wheels and have slicks on them. I had a 700C Rim and MTB Hub (disc brake) made up (by JB) for my wife's Scott Scale 35 MTB to use on the road (now fitted with 700 25C tyres).

A slight hijack (sorry) - are the Fox 'nrmal' and 'Remote Lockout' forks the same? i.e. can you change the lever for a Remote Lockout arrangement? If you can, you may be able to get a 'kit'.

I've just read a review of the Trance X1 (Giant) - http://www.tredzblog.co.uk/2008/02/giant-review.html "Before we get into the good stuff it?s worth mentioning that it seemed to be the bike that had more people coming off it than any other." So it wasn't my fault!!!!!

Rumour has it that XTR is going 2 x 10-speed next year - as per SRAM XX Existing XTR will then become the XT upgrade? Or will there be some other nomenclature? As SRAM introduced XX.

The only ones I can get that fit me (after trying Shimano and Olympic amongst others) are specialized (pricey but comfy for me - EE+ width with a high instep - what they describe as a 'large volume' foot)

I also went the same route as you (and got my Road Bike for the Argus last year) - I use MTB SPD pedals on my Road Bike (you can get 'light ones specifically forthe road) and you can get road shoes that accept MTB SPD cleats. I liked the idea of only having to get used to one 'interface'/method of clipping in and out. you see a lot of MTB SPD pedals on Road Bikes - oh and you can walk better!

I usually think the same with Gels - however I used the Wasp Vanilla 'somehing or other' in the flask on the 94.7 and found it strangly 'nice' warm - it seemed to have a 'toffee' sort of taste. But the fruit flavoured ones that I've tried before - at a 'warm' temperature

Thanks Eldron - It will have to be 'fast healing'! I'm riding the road 94.7 with the Wife tomorrow (and she didn't want me to do the MTB as well!). So, come hell or high water, I'll be there and riding (if not fit) tomorrow - it's going to be fun

I got to the end battered, bruised, and bleeding (with a bent bike) after my tumble - went to get a bottle of energade (fine) and asked for another and was told that each rider is only allowed one! I realise they can't supply an unlimited amount - but!

I don't think that was me - but it's all a bit of a 'blur' - I crashed after the section at the side of Kyalami, and after you went up the hill, turned left (by some greenhouses), then after a section beyound that. More than that I can't say, since I didn't really 'come round' until I was transfered from the bedics to a 'sweep' backie. There was another bike in the backie and, apparently, he went off to hospital. Mine's just aches and pains amd a few cuts and bruises - nothing serious - but will make riding the 'road event' with my wife tomorrow more fun It was somewhere around where the dot is (give or take - as it took me a while to take the Garmin off the bike and stop it)levett2009-11-14 08:20:47

I crashed out at around 46.5k I thought my front was running low (slow puncture), but did not want to stop and then it bit me So I finished the race, first in the medics truct, and then in the recovery truck. If anyone helped me thanks (don't really remember much before getting out of the medics truck). So now I have a severly bent fromt rim (scrap) and have lots of aches and pains - just ready for tomorrows race! The worst bit of the coures was that part going past Hugo's Place (?) we waited an age!

My wife (a vegetarian) got a bottle of Barbeque Sauce Me (a meat eater) did not get anything Watch out for 'for sale' adverts for thousands of bottles of various 'sauces'!

Now that's light for a set of 29er wheels (my wheels weight around 2kg with Hop Hubs and Velocity Rims and my On-One wheels weigh in at almost 2.3kg)

and which rims? What is the 'wheel weight'? levett2009-11-12 03:47:22

I use Evox S2S - sad I know, but I'm actually getting to like the taste!