DuPs

Do you transport your bike behind your vehicle? Check that it is not your exhaust heating and warping your tyre... Ive been riding Maxxis Tyres the last 5 years. Never had a puncture or any trouble whatsoever...

Extreme Lights already kicked off their BFCM deals as well. Excellent deals on the Endurance+ Cycle Light...

Hi All, can't seem to find the route yet, but this looks great! Can't wait to go and ride it, or parts of it at least.... NATIONAL NEWS - The Cross Cape cycle route, which travels through some of the most scenic small towns across the Western Cape, is expected to deliver a significant economic impact to the province’s rural economy. Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities, is this week leading the inaugural ride of the Cross Cape route – from Plettenberg Bay to Stellenbosch. Minister Winde outlined the province’s cycling initiatives at a media event in Stellenbosch today (11 May 2017), ahead of the inaugural ride which kicks off tomorrow (12 May 2017) at 8am at Mellville’s Corner Shopping Mall in Plettenberg Bay. An initiative of the Western Cape Government, the route is supported by Wesgro, our economic agency responsible for tourism marketing, municipalities and tourism offices across the province, as well as the private sector. At the media launch this morning, Minister Winde said the 742km route would drive tourists to towns across the province, creating jobs and growth along its length. “The route starts in Plett, and there will be a permanent marker to indicate the starting point in that town. From here, you travel along mainly gravel roads and forest tracks through Knysna, Rheenendal and George. The route then crosses over the Montague Pass into the spectacular Klein Karoo, touching Herold, Oudsthoorn, Calitzdorp and Van Wyksdorp, before heading back into Riversdale, Suurbraak and Swellendam. The last leg takes riders through Riviersonderend, Greyton and into Stellenbosch. Rural villages along the route now form part of the Cross Cape, a cycling attraction marketed to tourists across the world. “Cross Cape is an initiative under Project Khulisa, which has the target of adding up to 100 000 jobs to the tourism sector. With this route, we are seeking to increase tourist flow to towns off the beaten track. We are eager for residents in those towns to start packaging offerings around the route, including hospitality services. We’ve seen that a route like this can unlock economic opportunities for residents who cater for riders as they move through. Riders might want to camp along the route, or need a service which ports their baggage from one town to the next. Local entrepreneurs in these towns now have access to an international market. Additionally, in the months to come, we’ll be facilitating a globally-recognised bike mechanic training programme. The Western Cape Government will support a select number of locals to take part in this training, as part of Project Khulisa.“New Zealand’s cycle network now generates over 1.3 million trail users per year, of which 100 000 were international visitors, and an annual economic impact of R350 million. Through a concerted marketing effort, and due to the natural beauty of our province and its people, we believe our cycle network could generate similar results in due course. We’ll be adding two more routes in the year to come to grow our offering.” Minister Winde invited locals from small towns to join the group as they passed through. At each departure point, Minister Winde will highlight unique tourism trends and visitor attractions for that specific region. Town mayors will also attend the send-off in each town. “The Cross Cape Route is the first route from Cape Cycle Routes, a network of routes planned for the Western Cape, which will be launched over the next two years,” said Minister Winde. Tim Harris, Wesgro CEO, said: “As the Western Cape's official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency, Wesgro is an incredibly proud Cape Cycle Route partner and excited by the its launch today. The Route promises to provide cyclists in the Western Cape unforgettable new sights and niche experiences. It will also incentivise them and other people visiting the Cape to travel throughout its multifaceted regions, reinvigorating a number of towns across the province in the process and helping them ward off the approaching winter season slow.” Stellenbosch Mayor, Gesie van Deventer, said: “The Cross Cape Cycle Route will create new opportunities for residents to become more directly involved in the tourism industry, expanding on the wonderful offerings for visitors to region. I am so excited for Stellenbosch to be included as an arrival/departure point on the first route as it highlights the status we enjoy within the cycling community and creates new opportunities for jobs and economic growth in key areas in our town." Speaking at this morning’s event, Shameeg Salie, road cyclist, said growing up in Grassy Park cycling was not viewed as a popular sport, but had grown steadily over the years. Last year, Salie was part of Dimension Data for Qhubeka team, travelling to Lucca, Italy for the team's European program. Salie said the Cross Cape route would expose more people to the "beauty of the Western Cape". "For me it is my passport to so many opportunities. I can't wait to see where it will take me next," said Salie. During the last leg of the Cross Cape ride, Minister Winde will ride in tandem with a visually impaired cyclist, Cindy Jacobsz, who works for the Western Cape Government. “I chose to ride the route because I love cycling and to raise awareness on visually impaired cycling, to experience the beauty of the Western Cape. We can also enjoy the nature through other séances and with the assistance of my “pilot” (the person steering the tandem) see new places and have fun in a healthy way,” said Jacobsz. 'We bring you the latest Garden Route, Klein Karoo, Hessequa news'

Rip

Hi All, I've heard that some people struggle with pinch flats when using tubes in the American Classic Victory 30 tubeless wheels. Do any of you use them with tubes? Can you confirm the reliability of using them with tubes?

I used clip on tri bars on an entry level road bike during the 70.3. Changing my body position made a massive difference! Even at slower speeds... Won't mind an aero bike though, as they look cool

The best aero advice, is find the biggest guy with the biggest calves you can spot. One that doesn't sweat too much. Ride as close to has rear wheel as possible. You'll experience no drag whatsoever!

We want to be exposed as little as possible - ie the least amount of tarred roads, especially if no yellow shoulder...

Thanks guys, we're doing our homework now and will keep you posted. The whole idea of training is that we do not need support vehicles to transport all the bikes. Last year we were 10 people who made a 5 day trip to the Transbaviaans. This year we want to be 15, but with only one support vehicle able to transport only 3 bikes... Unless we get the wives to drop us off in Laingsburg to carry on down the seweweekspoort.... We're keen to spend a night at the Lord Milner though. After all, it's not only about the cycling...

Hi all, we're thinking of training up to Matjiesfontein and then cycling back to Stellenbosch over 3/4 days, staying in B&Bs or similar along the way. Any suggestions for mostly off road? Would like to do 75 - 135 km per day...

???????????? Thanks, good advice.

haha, Its all about the budget though... That is probably option 4.... sell all and get a better bike

Thinking thats the way to go...

I agree, but unfortunately not in my budget.

Hi guys, Advise please. I recently bought my wife a secondhand road bike, that fit our budget. The bike was fitted with an old set of carbon Bontrager wheels with gatorskin tubbies on. A cycle shop in Stellenbosch gave them a decent service, replaced two bearings, and noted that they're 100% apart from that. The tubbies are at the end of their life. Off course I took the wheels and put them on my road bike. Not knowing tubbies for road (I'm more of a mountain biker, recently venturing into triathlons) I'm a bit sceptical to use them, seeing as you cannot quickly fix a tire, should the need arise. Also, I don't want to permanently cycle around with a spare tubby at R1000 a pop in my rear pocket. I see my options as the following: 1. Sell/trade the wheels for a decent set of clinchers. 2. Replace the tubbies (R2000) and get continue riding with them. 3. Replace the tubbies, get a cheap set of exercise wheels, and keep the tubbies as race wheels. Option 3 looks like a bit of a schlep, as I'll have to replace brake pads for races as well. Will also be the priciest option. So, which option would you say is best? And if I go for option 1, do you have any idea of what they'll be worth? Bad image of the wheels, I know.

Looks like its done now

We don't just kill for fun. The enjoyment comes from the boerewors, patties, biltong, cheesies and fillets that we're all enjoying at the moment. But seeing as this isn't a hunting forum, I do aplogise for posting it here. It probably isn't the best place. Hope you enjoyed the rest of the post.

Fantastic article. Thanks.

Having crewed at the Transbaviaans 2015, a very bad case of FOMO led to a 9 man Extreme Lights contingent entering the Transbaviaans 2016. Fitness levels varied, but for us having a team building experience, and crossing the finish line together, was the most important. http://www.extremelights.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Transbaviaans-5.jpg The Wille Honde from Stellenbosch. Names have been withheld to protect their identities as some incriminating pics follow... Pro coaches always give the advice that one should try to give yourself a couple of days to acclimatise before a big event. All of us had to get pink slips, as we’re not allowed out too often, so we decided to combine the TB with a hunt at Kareedouw, the week before the event. This involved a lot of carbo loading. As this post focuses on the TB, I will not include too much info/pics on the hunt (except for down below). Preparation & strategy Our team’s fitness levels varied greatly, with some members buying old bikes four months before the event. All of us are generally quite fit, so it wasn’t too difficult to make the change from trail running to mtb. It can be safe to say though that none of us were over trained. Our strategy was to take it easy until Bergplaas, and then just try and make it to the finish. We thought that we would try to go down the big dipper in daylight, but the evening before the event we let go of that idea. Having decent lights, I do not think that we would’ve been able to go down the big dipper any faster in daylight. Gear and planning You have to be prepared to ride in very cold/wet conditions. If the weather didn’t play along, it would be a completely different ballgame. Luckily we had good weather, so we could skimp on too many extra clothes. Your bike has to be in a good condition. No servicing the week before the event, and no light weight tyres! http://www.extremelights.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Transbaviaans-9.jpg Team kit is awesome, and contributes greatly to team spirit. Rather than getting matching cycle shirts, opt for wind jammers, as that will probably be your outer layer for the entire race. Lights played a big part. Yes a basic light will suffice, but a wider beam (like the Extreme Lights Endurance Cycle Light) just makes going down the passes so much easier. It also allows you to see "around" the corners, enabling you to pick the best line. You will definitely be faster and safer with a decent light. Planning can be difficult when crates are involved, but I do believe that most of the time we overcomplicate things completely. We decided on the following simple strategy: Start off with a thin baselayer, cycle shirt and windjammer (with removable arms). Ride the entire race with our lights already mounted on our bikes. Don’t hand in any crates for CP2 and CP3. Have a full set of warm clothes available at Bergplaas, as the descent thereafter will probably be cold and in the dark. Spares on the bikes: Spare tube, tirelevers, pump and bombs Tyre repair kit, chainbreaker, multitool and lube Cableties and duct tape (which we used) Headlamp for emergency use, spare battery For any major repairs, you’re probably not going to make the end of the race, unless you can get to the next CP. There isn’t much use in putting an entire toolbox in your crate, as your breakdown will probably not happen at a checkpoint, where all your spare kit will be waiting. Also, Racing Tyres are great for doing short sprint races. For any endurance event, riding with a slightly heavier, sturdier tyre with a proper sidewall will definitely benefit you in the long run. http://www.extremelights.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Transbaviaans-1.jpg Nearly at the top of MAC. Still in good spirits. Nutrition If you are used to a specific energy drink, you will probably want to pack that. The food at all the CPs is excellent and you are also given sufficient snacks to pack, which will last you until the next CP. Kudos to the organisers here. The chip rolls, jaffels, sandwiches etc were all excellent. Powerbar also supplied ample energy bars and drinks. Just make sure to take snacks for the first two hours until you get to CP1. You have to eat all the time. I only packed jelly babies for the first two hours and one bottle of Ensure. From CP1 onwards I only ate and drank what the organisers provided. This was more than sufficient. http://www.extremelights.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Transbaviaans-2-1.jpg The top of every hill is a celebration. Strategy We wanted to finish as quickly as possible, without burning ourselves. We vaguely had 14 hours completion time in our minds, but weren’t stressed about this. In the end, we came in very stoked at 13:53. Tips on how we executed this was: Communication is key. All team members need to have the same expectations for the race. If this is not clearly communicated before the event, you will probably get into arguments along the way. We saw many a team fighting at checkpoints and along the route. The frustration of misaligned, poorly or not communicated expectations will definitely spoil your race. We didn’t care about cycling fast, but we cycled efficiently, and didn’t stop for long. The weaker members of the team (myself included) didn’t do any work for the group. Not even early on while we still felt strong. Our job was to try and hang on for as long as possible. This worked great! Synchronising toilet breaks and crates/clothing changes. Rather than all queuing at a CP to go the toilet, we would stop 1 - 2 km after a CP and all slash at the same time. All changed into warm clothes at CP4. We didn’t rol ossies at the CPs. It is very easy to spend 20min to 30min at a checkpoint. That is if you’re a bit of an introvert and not very sociable. 20min per CP = + 1 hour and 20 mins to your time. The longer you go into the night, the happier you are that you didn’t faff too much earlier on. One team member getting the drinks and the other grabbing the food all helps to take off 30 mins to an hour in the end. If a team member had to stop for a short while, someone would remain with him, while the others would slowly continue cycling, while waiting for the other to catch up. This way you would keep your momentum. http://www.extremelights.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Transbaviaans-3.jpg Dry warm clothes are a must at Bergplaas CP4. A midlayer, full finger gloves and dry socks! Tips for next year Sort your accommodation out early on. This year we stayed in town, 10 guys together in one room. The fact that we didn’t have to drive to the start was a major major bonus. When you book, “just out of town” can easily be an hour’s drive on a bad dirt road. Not great for the day. Also take ear plugs along, as statistically speaking, sharing a room with 9 others, at least 3 will be snorers. We drove back to Stellenbosch on the Sunday. It would’ve been much better to stay for another day in Jbay, and then tour back via R62 on the Monday. http://www.extremelights.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Transbaviaans-3-1.jpg Smiling faces as we approach the finish. 13 hours 53 mins and we were quite keen to remove our saddles from bums. Experience In summary, the entire Transbaviaans experience was incredible. Kudos to the organisers for presenting a professional race, that still has a lot of community involvement and soul. The food and service at the checkpoints were excellent. All information was clearly communicated before the start. The scenery was spectacular. There were many memorable moments - singing Afrikaanse volksliedjies | after a team member bonked at CP5, asking to call his wife while five people are waiting to go | having a jaffle while sitting on the toilet | flying down the big dipper in the dark | the beer at the finish line | the tannies that wash and clean your sunglasses at each CP | stoepkakkerkies in Currydough | spending 5 days with an incredible bunch of blokes, making memories and bonds that will last us for years to come. Being family guys, we do not spend a lot of time together on weekends or during happy hours at night. This outing allowed us to bond in a way that most guys bond during their school or varsity years. We’ll definitely be back next year! http://www.extremelights.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Transbaviaans-1-1.jpg Happy campers at the finish. That beer tasted soooo good! A couple of highlights from the rest of the trip http://www.extremelights.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Jag-5.jpg Getting comfortable on the shooting range before we head into the veld. http://www.extremelights.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Jag-3.jpg We were treated to a Jeffrey 500. In the pic a bullet is compared to a normal 30-06 Springfield. http://www.extremelights.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Jag-1.jpg The shot of a lifetime. The farmer where we hunted is an expert shot. He took out his "special" rifle for one of our team members for this shot. Adjusted the scope a further 1.2m high and 40cm to the side. This perfectly centered head shot was made at 468m, with a 16 - 18km/h cross wind. As said, a shot of a lifetime!

What are the prices of the new lights compared to the old prices?