mazambaan

Straying a little we, my family and a friend had a whine about paw paws on sale currently at Spar and PnP. The PnP ones were from Moz. You buy them slightly green but they never ripen, just rot and inedible (for us). Last lot went to the monkeys

Just an observation I went through Bulawayo in July and the fairly big street we drove on had a clearly, but not recently, marked cycle lane. Not much sign of use or being kept clear and clean unfortunately. Bicycles more used for cargo rather than riding in rural areas.

Who will be first to make O Ring chains for ebikes? I would look at one based on how they have changed dirt biking.

I have a selection of these gauges and, of the digital ones, the Topeak is the best; the other two barely lasted 3 months. Only little grumble is that the Topeak under reads a little I think, particularly at low pressures (I really only need a gauge that goes to 3, maybe 4bar max, most pressures under 2,5bar). Again, only an issue for 4x4; 1bar type pressures where you need 1bar but the Topeak gauge reads 0,8 so you have a smidgen too much pressure (compared with a 4x4 groups' gauges). Believe me on a dune that 0,2bar makes a difference! Looking for a custom analogue from SA Gauge.

Having had a ebike (MTB) for about 6 months I cannot see the attraction of de-restricting (at some cost!) unless one rides undulating gravel roads or surfaced roads. For me, if I needed to pedal to clear jumps at more than 32 kph I would consider a dirt bike. As an upgrade I would like a bigger battery though.

Agreed and there was a time when I would have taken the 300 every day of the week and twice On Any Sunday. Maybe aside from the fuel and if you are on Hammer etc maybe even including that, servicing and maintaining the 300 may not be that much more than a top end bicycle at the agents, even the tyres. Dirt bike kit is more expensive; boots at R12k if you go for good ones (and good ones are much needed). But bicycles have made an overtake I think. My first MTB was a "top of range" GT, XT components and a good (so the LBS salesman told me) fork. BUT, hard tail and vee brakes; all for R8k or so. At that time I would guess a KTM 300 was around R25k new. Times have changed.

We recently travelled with a couple that had a borrowed Bundutop. As you say, the electrics must work but they didn't falter in a month of use after being over some really horrible roads in Bots and Zim. It is quite bulky, takes up the full roof space (again, I would consider load bars only if you intend to fit one), and needs care when packing to avoid items touching the hinge mechanism. But, by their accounts, quick to erect, comfortable, no leaks in a little rainstorm, quite warm and unaffected by wind.

Sure but no one I have heard of has been "attacked" in an RTT. Ground tents; quite a few hyena (Croc Bridge KNP and Umfolosi) and one or two leopard attacks (Mabua). Elephant not heard of; they walked between the tent guy ropes at Savuti. You just feel better. Hard containers; monkeys yes, baboons maybe. We had tents ripped and ammo boxes opened at Third Bridge and lots of stuff eaten, and drunk; wine and all the malaria tabs 😁. I'm impressed if you sleep in a bivvy at Chitake Springs 2 between July and October. What a long time African overlander said about this camp site "However Chitake is by a long shot the wildest place we have visited. As you report, the noise at night is scary to say the least. I will never forget the nocturnal chaos of the lion pride hunting the large and stampeding buffalo herds plus the elephants screaming their outrage and other animals stampeding around your campsite. All of this makes one very reluctant to go on any walks which are allowed in Mana." and "This camp site is also where a tragedy occurred in late 2010. This is where Pete Evershead from Bulawayo was killed by the lion pride". He wasn't sleeping but showering after dark. We ate our evening meal around 5pm on this site, lingered around the fire, even when an elephant came to tidy up the figs dropped by baboons, performed our ablutions in front of the cars, went to bed about 9pm and only alighted after 6am. Plenty elephant, lion and buffalo racket during the night.

It is horses for courses. A ground tent takes a little more time to set up but doesn't have to be packed up each time you move so ideal for a few days in one spot (Kruger Park) and the lightweight or pop up type is great for quick, just sleeping (Namib dune trip). A little disconcerting when wild camping; somehow you feel better in an RTT when buffalo, lion, elephant and baboon are around the camp (Chitake 2 in Zim). Has to be heavy canvas as Mr Monkey and Baboon can rip the lighter nylon etc tents (Third Bridge Bots). If an RTT as ChrisF notes, clamshell is best (we have an AluCab; not cheap) as previously had a fold up hardshell and the 15 or 20 minutes (and 250 calories ) getting it squeezed together on a frosty Botswana morning is painful (particularly while others wait, twiddling thumbs). Does impact fuel consumption but was quick and comfortable (as far as such a thing can be). Quite heavy, leaves no firewood etc space on the roofrack and a 2 man job and half an hour to remove or replace (I have the FRedlin but AluCab will not get into the garage door👺). Did well for a month in Bots and Zim now. If one is considering AluCab try fit only the roofbars; a roofrack is wasted.

He he, I happened to see Horner's Butterfly Effect YT vid after Stage 11 and he was (still) betting the house on the Poga car. Did he?

Good point. I think someone was killed in Durban (a worker as I remember) by bees from a formal hive. Quite a fuss made; for a while anyway.

Excellent summary, Baynesfield worth a mention.

The Lezyne little double action is the best I have had; used on bicycles and motor bikes successfully and, must be 12 years old, has lasted best, touch wood. Always in the Mule. I have though had the fixed head type and advise that always check that the head etc is tight. Quite gloomy to arrive at a puncture; fix. unclip pump and find that the head, washer etc has vibrated loose and is gone forever.

I realise I am lucky (and maybe stupid) but with cycling mates I have never had an issue (I can remember anyway which is a storey on its own). Either we split the bill equally or whoever transports, doesn't pay. Regardless. I do sometimes take the cash and pay with a card; some friends have sources of cash. Stupid is that I have been suckered quite a few times by going out, mostly with business people and friends to lunch (usually), sometimes dinner, and then being stuck with the bill with some interesting excuses; credit card hasn't come through, forgotten, sometimes the colleague just disappears as the bill appears etc. I will have to work until I die. With one guy, since departed these shores, it was an ongoing joke, albeit a costly one for me.

I've posted this before and it is from many years ago when a few mates and I regularly rode the Durban beachfront to Umdloti or Westbrook beach. The Umhlanga River bridge crossing is or was two lanes but not much of a yellow line section compared to the rest of the road. One morning I happened to be on the bridge when an interlink came barrelling down the hill, trailers weaving and a glance back showed the one set of wheels immediately behind me, or so it seemed. I hugged the balustrade and somehow the wheels zigged and I zagged and I survived. BUT, from that day I refused to ride on the open roads, diverting into the sugar cane when almost nobody rode there but that is another storey. I reckon I am still alive from that decision. I will only ride with full road closure or just for a few hundred metres on surfaced roads when I have to. Lesson learnt.

My comments were based on Giant bikes and the battery compartment is not sealed well, if at all. Water can easily penetrate where the pins make contact at the base of the battery near the motor. Just washing the bike will have some moisture there. Drop that thing running in a pool (submerge it) and it is going to get saturated. The incidents I quoted I saw myself, although not the Sani drowning. Be careful out there.

Verily I say unto you, one of the greatest thrills of dirt biking is hammering it on a twisty gravel road (Lesotho etc) in imagined speedway style, even better if you are dicing a mate (until thou becomest the latest of the late brakers). You shall quickly learn that thou shalt not stomp on the rear brake in panic as this stalls the engine and locks the wheel until you add a brain function to pull in thy clutch. Verily also thou shalt not over squeeeeeze thy front brake in panic, particularly in the corner, as this can easily initiate the fun ending crash. Also thou shalt try and fight off the panic that makes thee stand up the bike and go straight because then the earth, thornbushes, rock face or cliff shall verily smite thee and thou shall taste the copper of fear, maybe blood, as well as grass and dust. Well, until thou encounterest the taxi, bus, lorry or bakkie coming in the opposite direction. This can end in wailing and gnashing of teeth.

True (mine has been on the rack during rain with no ill effects) but a few days ago I did see the local bike shop trying to resuscitate a display unit that had got wet in heavy rain and was switching the bike off (no success, new unit had to be ordered). Over zealous washing will do something similar but usually a drying out and squirt of contact cleaner brings life back. At the Sani before this latest one an old stager from Underberg dropped his ebike in one of the river crossings. Game over.

Now that we've had torrential rainfall in KZN it is worth noting that ebikes do have some Achilles heels (sic). They definitely do not like water (and are heavy) so prolonged deepish water crossings and heavy rains spell ebike disaster in these scenarios which are just unpleasant for a push bike. If Sani had been a week or so later there would be many, many tales of woe across the field.

I suppose it depends whether you want the brakes to stop you or initiate a slide or even trail braking. Obviously on most motorcycles (some are linked (BMW?) and some have a left hand rear brake - Rekluse clutch equipped etc) the rear brake is right foot controlled so very different to a bicycle.

Off topic I know but I was told that before one of the earlier Sani's Greg was doing a photo shoot on the Sani Day 2 Umko descent and had a massive crash. Not one a mortal would like to emulate.

Well said; many, many mtb'ers etc have the front on the left and I hopped on one the other day and had to recalibrate very quickly. Not a good idea to start on a steep downhill.

Yikes 10 pages, ebikes are the new "riding with kids" or similar. As a somewhat old codger (rode sani when it was in February; needed an ebike then) and never ridden in a mass ride with my ebike I have only two comments. Sani. Farmer Glen is a businessman and a tough one. If ebikes help him pack the field he'll take them BUT he will do his best to make sure everyone has the best ride possible. So let him know as regards suggestions. He might even adopt some. ebikes. My sense is that the mtb demographic is older, maybe 40+(getting older, maybe more disposable income and less time to train) and ebikes are, I think, the biggest growing segment of bicycling? (they are addictive). These contraptions are here to stay methinks. Best get used to them. Gezundheit.

I think so except a motorbike is so much bigger and heavier but getting used to a bit of a skid from the front wheel is, I think, beneficial. Thinking through the fingers of the right hand. That, as well as looking where you want to go, weighting the outside pedal or footpeg round corners and standing on a bike in various positions have really helped me over the years.

Maybe think about doing one of the BMW etc training courses (if you haven't done one)? Always a good bunch of guys and girls, you always (in my experience) learn something and can slot in (if you want to) for out rides. With no ABS, a good drill is to practice just locking (and immediately releasing slightly duh) the front wheel. That is maximum braking.