Stoffel76

I r offended by what u r sayings, us insurance okes are ectually quit clefer... Surely it's the same with seat belts. Back in the day they weren't fitted to cars - now they are, and to not wear one is just plain stupid... Helmets are available (and are relatively cheap when compared to the okes aboves bike), so wear one...

Did 56km around Koeberg - According to my cars thermometer, the temperature at 7am was 3 deg C!!!

My wife is generally cool with me cycling, I normally go at the crack of dawn on the weekends (and as she's not a morning person and likes to sleep in, that actually suits her) or after work, so she doesn't really moan about the time away. And if she does, I just remind her about the weight I've lost particularly as she used to tease me about the extra kg's I was carrying around the middle (but no more! ) Only issue now is, a guy I know lost his leg after being hit by a car and she doesn't want me training on the road because of the danger. Which of course means Argus 2011 is going to be a problem... Anyone got any tips on training purely offroad for the Argus??

+1 But they're a bit heavy for mtbing... lol

I think it’s more a case of jealousy makes them nasty! to them I’ve lost 11kg since January and am now down to 72kg. I got told I was looking ‘gaunt’ (which I definitely am not – could still shed a kilo or two) – but I think the person who said it was not too successful at their own weight lost attempts…

Not bad... but check this out:

Been there done that - my first outing with my cleats was offroad at Tokai, which was propably not the brightest. I hesitated at a small drop off and stopped forgetting I was clipped in. Obviously (as Murphy would dictate) I fell down the slope and ended up on my back with my wheels pointing in the air! Of course it's always funnier when you get to witness it happening to someone else. A buddy of mine was showing off and pulled a wheelie and went right over and couldn't get his feet out in time and landed flat on his back winding himself. It's funny how in the internal "Do I laugh or check they're OK" debate that happens in the split second after an event, laugh wins out every time...

I mtb at Tokai on my own fairly often. But there are normally always people around, although a few weeks back I had some leave and went midweek during the day and there were no other cyclists. Do tend to be a bit more cautious when I'm on my own... I prefer cycling with my mates, but sometimes its kinda cool having some solitude and the whole mountain to yourself.

WHAT, NO WAY MAN! Why should we have to yield to hikers and horseriders? It's way easier and safer for them to stop and get going again regardless of whether they're going up or down. And horseriders? Paaaleeesse! They don't do anything, they just sit there - the poor horse does all the work up the hill! And with the height advantage, the horse rider should see us coming way in advance and move out the way. Kidding, just stirring...

The physics of riding up single track make it logical that those going up have ROW. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> The pleasure of riding down single track makes it logical that those going down have ROW. The result, of course, of two different people each thinking they have the ROW is inevitable? There are pro?s and con?s to both, so at some point someone has to make a ruling and there doesn?t seem to be any disputing that international standard is up riders have right of way (even if you don?t agree with it)? 'Rights' are funny things - just because we have them doesn't mean we must make use of them. Just because you believe you have ROW doesn?t mean you have to exert your rights on oncoming riders. In 95% of the times where I?ve met a rider going the other way, we?ve both assessed the situation and the person for whom it was most convenient has yielded (regardless of whether they?re heading up or down). And in the vast majority of cases a ?Thanks? gets said as we pass. In practice, it seems most people rely on common sense and a consideration for the other riders. Like Splat said, we should be, like, chilled dude? Although, having said that, nothing grates me more that having to stop or slow down on a downhill because there is some chop pushing his bike up the ST because he can?t ride it?

Definitely! Replaced with pvc pipes... Doesn't look as neat as the copper piping but at least there's no second hand value (I hope!)

Scary what you'd consider doing to someone whose just ripped you off!! And I know because I did a lekker long mtb ride on Saturday morning, and with all the rain, the tracks were wet, so by the time I got home I has muddy & cold (but happy!) - only to find some sod had stolen all the copper water pipes from the outside of our house! So, I get to pay a R500 excess and have three days totally inconvienced and my insurance co gets to pay thousands of rand to the plumber and what does the bottom feeding criminal get? At most, R100 for my old copper pipes.

Hey Splat, I was at Tokai as well - but just up to level 5 and then down boulders etc... I borrowed a Light & Motion Stella 300 Dual set which puts out 300 lumens? (wattever...) Was plenty bright enough, but a light on the helmet would also help to illuminate round bends/switchbacks etc...

...how frikkin awesome mountain biking at night is???? Borrowed a set of lights and did my first night ride last night. What a jol! Had to give the lights back though. Now all I need to do is figure out how to fit a set into my rather tight budget...

Actually I can claim no credit for the stitching... I took it using the panorama function on my Samsung Omnia. Hence the low res and the contrast not so great...

Bump

Tokai at sunrise about two weeks back... http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn94/stoffel30/SNC00005.jpg

bump

Anyone lose a saddle bag at Tokai yesterday (13/4/2010) evening? Picked one up on the lower section of single track... Send me a PM describing it and we can make a plan to get it back to you. Cheers Adrian

Can you get into Jonkershoek with a Wildcard yet? Haven't been there for years and I seem to remember that, unlike Tokai, they didn't accept Wildcards...

The finish was a little chaotic, but given the construction work happening in the area, I guess there wasn't too much choice. Although, I bet Lance didn't have to push his bike through a construction site after he finished... Support was great, particularly with the wind. My favourite chirp I heard was going up Boyes, and a young blonde lady on the side of the road was jumping up and down shouting, "You're looking good, you're looking good!" Somewhere from within the pack a gruff voice said, "So are you, so are you!"

I was out on training ride one day and a small group formed. The guy in front of me was wearing a really well worn pair of cycling shorts that were getting very thin and see-through... I really wish he had been wearing jocks! Not a pleasant sight Never had such good motivation to lead a pack since!

[quote name=porky In my opinion and experience' date=' I stay away from cheap insurance, theres usually a very good reason its cheap - they dont pay claims. Stick with the blue chip companies like Santam, M & F, SA Eagle etc and you will never have issues. [/quote] Good advice! As insurance brokers, we only use these guys but then obviously we can't use the direct guys (otherwise they won't be direct ). It's true the direct companies are often cheaper, but then a Tata is cheaper than a Mercedes... Cyclesure is underwritten by Zurich (used to be called SA Eagle). Most of our clients put their bikes on the standard domestic policies, but I did investigate their product a while back. Looked pretty good

Jees, talk about stirring up the proverbial hornets nest!<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> OK, so to summarise? Give way or assert your right of way depending on whether you are ascending or descending and depending on whether the other person is ascending or descending and depending on the terrain and whether or not you had a nice breakafst that morning or a sucky day at the office in the afternoon. Didn?t realise it was so simple!! But seriously, sounds like, with a bit of common sense and some mutual respect for the other people using the trail, each situation can be dealt with as it happens and at the end of the day the majority of riders will go home having had a good ride. Heck, even a sucky ride would be better than a day couped up in an office!