Icycling

How about just some signage along popular routes with beware of cycles or stay wider of the rider!!! I see signs for leapod toad / horse riders / walkers - where do we see sign along Muizemberg main road to Fishhoek or say for example Tokai forest for cyclist? When I was in Klerksdorp about 5 years ago their were massive sign (about 3m x 2m they looked quite old even then) along training routes used by cyclist, slogans like caution future Springbok cyclist in training and some current ones - I assume these were commissioned by the other body which some people believe do nothing for the cycling masses. In past years the advert in the Cape Argus giving guide lines for project funding deliberately excluded any form of competitive cycling - well thats the way I read it. I wonder if the advert will change for this year!

Having 20 million in the “bank” and claim to be a non profit organisation does not sit well with me and a lot of other people! If you have DSTV do yourself a favour and listen to this weeks Business day TV channel 412 episode of Straight talk with Mark Barnes and how he concludes / their a lot off parallels between this and PPA / cycling if you choose to open your eyes and see them. Not all people think like you and not all people think like me!

When PPA were part of CSA before the “fall out” as a PPA member you also were part of the bigger CSA membership and your PPA anual membership was increased to cover your CSA membership which is now R120.00 (then I think PPA had it initially negotiated at R65.00) - did PPA every reduce their PPA anual membership fee after the “fall out”? Possibly an accountant can look at the finical from years gone bye which I think maybe on the PPA web site to confirm what happened! Or is this just another case well PPA is a business?

http://www.capetownetc.com/blog/formula-1-racetrack-looks-green-light-cape-town/ In a move that could only means good things for the local economy, it would appear that it is all systems go for a brand-spanking new F1 racetrack in Cape Town. In 2016 the racetrack could be a reality, with the proposed route passing through Cape Town Stadium. Africa is the only continent without a F1 racetrack and what better city to host such a prestigious event? Cape Town – we could very well be the face of the new ‘African Riviera’. According to officials the infrastructure is already there from the World Cup to accommodate the racetrack and the beauty of the plan is that it will be a regular money spinner for the city, not just for F1 in the long run. This isn’t a first for Cape Town however. In the early 1960’s Killarney hosted Formula 1 before being moved to Kyalami in 1967. British business magnate Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed that he is looking to make the racetrack a reality in 2016. Nothing is as ever straight-forward as it seems and we can be sure that there will be protests against the racetrack due to the potential noise pollution and other knock-on effects. Personally I feel that if it boosts tourism and brings in much needed additional money into the city, then I cannot say that I’m against it. - See more at: http://www.capetownetc.com/blog/formula-1-racetrack-looks-green-light-cape-town/#sthash.JBRJH665.dpufhttp://www.capetownetc.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/F1-CAPE-TOWN.jpg

I will take the liberty to say on behalf of all licencse cyclist (and some non licensed) and the spectator who like to see the best feild at this event in action - Thank you to all parties involved to working out an agreement on behalf of the cyclists. This does indeed make us “the cyclist” not just feel like “pawn" but rather the people / members that all the parties are serving. Hope the decission is not to late for the likes of CAV to ride!

http://www.highwaycode.info/images/hc_rule_163_give_vulnerable_road_users_at_least_as_much_space_as_you_would_a_car.jpg

Surely PPA should be advocating the highway code (an example below - not sure which country but I am sure all are more or less the same) and that is it? http://www.highwaycode.info/using-the-road-159-to-203 If anything the slogan should be something on the line of cyclist stay alive when overtaking procedure are adhere to (RSA one’s below) or cyclist stay alive when vehicles overtake in separate lane (motorised or non motorised) https://www.arrivealive.co.za/Safe-Overtaking-and-Road-Safety 1. Asking the question – Should I overtake? Any driving movement can be considered with reference to the questions “Is it safe, legal and convenient?” A decision to overtake should start with the question "Do I really need to overtake"? There is often very little advantage to be gained for the risk taken! Only after answering “YES” to the following questions should you start to overtake: Can I see far enough ahead to be sure it is safe? Can I overtake without affecting any other vehicles' position or speed? Am I able to pull back to my own side of the road in plenty of time after completing the manoeuvre? Can I abandon the overtaking manoeuvre if another hazard comes into view? Will I come into conflict with any other road user? Will I end up making a third line of vehicles abreast at any point during the manoeuvre? Will it be legal to overtake here? I would like to suggest that PPA did cyclist a disservice by the slogan at 1.5 cyclist stay alive and rather should have got Government to enforce the rules of the road as they stood! What I believe PPA should doing in campaigning that cyclist may ride 2 abreast (we the only country in the world where this in not legal) - riding 2 abreast should have no impact on the way motorist overtake a single or 2 abreast cyclist if the overtaking procedure are stuck too by the motorist. Then on a more sensitive issue and some country / states have made it legal - PPA should be campaigning for cyclist to be allowed to go through red robots when it is safe to do so.

This was posted o Colnago facebook page 25 October Today, 42 years ago, Eddy Merckx realized the hour record in Mexico city: 49.431 km. His bicycle, built by Ernesto Colnago, weighed 5.75 kg. My question is thus why is this record still recognized? It should also be thrown out for not been within the current rules of the UCI - no diffrent to Boardman's, Obree and ... records etc. The UCI require a bike (even a track bike) to be 6.8 kg! Lets face it the UCI has made a complete mess up of this record and allowing progress in technology of the bicycle. They should get control of dopping before they impose stupid rules on conventional (non fairing) bicycle!

Please read the reply posted today SAIDS sent to myself - doing basically what you have stated. I am not a professional athlete - I am almost 42 years old but I like any other funrider with a CSA license (day license included - i.e. all Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay cyclist) can be subjected to a dope control. Regardless of your cycling capabilities your name will be dragged through the mud!

What I am ultimately saying is sports people who are NOT trying to cheat but want to look after their health by using thing like Multi Vitamin (lifepak Nano) / other items for example Airmune which help you not get sick while traveling may suddenly produce a positive test. Their name gets dragged through the mud / ban from sport for 2 years never to be trusted again etc. Is this really what WADA / SAIDS is job is? So where do you draw the line? My argument is that their are too many substances on the list of which many have little or no effect (positive or negative) for sport (cycling) performance - yet they still on the list. I would like to think when I am competing I would always be negative as knowingly I would never take anything that maybe positive - but now as per the response by SAIDS this morning I cannot be sure. My solution would thus be reduce the list to those substances which are truly beneficial and not something you can buy over the counter at the local supermarket / chemist. You had to knowingly be cheating. Otherwise SAIDS in this country need to make every product purchasable in RSA over the counter as Green or Red an added to the Cal count / Nutritional information block, but that request is naturally a very big request which no doubt SAIDS does not have the funding for as it would run into million thus an unreasonable request - turn it around make the testing / banned substance list reasonable! The comparisons has been made to speeding in this thread - why do you see Camera signage up where they may do speed control! The law is not trying to make guilty people out of innocent / not aware/ negligent people. Thus the warning! WADA / SAIDS on the other hand seem to possible think differently!

I would argue that WADA / SAIDS are kidding! Their list is so long yet certainly in cycling their very few items on the list that make a huge difference. But the list is that long as they have not designed test for that that really need to test for. In recent time Contador served a 2 year ban for a substance which was hardly detectable in his blood. What WADA really needs is a test for blood doping - not a positive on a cover up. It in my opinion make WADA look incompetent. Currently their is a NO Needle policy in place for Grand tour etc again because they have not designed a test for what they try to test and it's not a B12 injection! So as Eldron "made us "day to day" okes have to check what brand of toiler paper we use in case it has a fragrance that is banned."

Maybe this is why I believe the list should be about 10 items long. WADA / SAIDS I believe put way to much responsibility on the Athlete. Surely they should be testing all product available from Herbal teas available at the local grocer - to prescription drug? If they are not then to have such a comprehensive list of ban substance in "not fair" on the sports person. Is that "playing fair?"

This morning I received this - So basically what looks OK to the sports person may not be OK. Not easy to be 100% clean! I don't think the defense of I was not trying to cheat will hold up. "Dear Peter Thank you for your query on Linctagon C, Airmune and Lifepak Nano. Please read my comments below carefully regarding the guidelines on the status of Linctagon C, Airmune and Lifepak Nano Linctagon C, Airmune and Lifepak Nano are all classified as alternative products We do not include Complementary/Homeopathic or Alternative Products/Medications/Ingredients/OTC or Sport Supplement Products/Substances on our database for the reasons below. However, I am able to provide you with guidelines on the status and use of the listed ingredients of the above-mentioned product Please read my comments below very carefully. We do not endorse the use of any Supplements Products/Substances and Complementary/Alternative Medications/Products/Ingredients as it does not adhere to a quality assurance programme and its use is not regulated. We will only give comment on its stated ingredients as companies that manufacture Supplement Products/Substances and Complementary/Alternative Medications/Products/Ingredients are not obliged to list all their ingredients on its packaging AND MAY INCLUDE PROHIBITED INGREDIENTS THAT ARE NOT LISTED. We only endorse and approve registered medicines and drugs as its use and ingredients are regulated by a central body, the Medicines Control Council. The Institute does not endorse the efficacy (do what it claims to do) of a Supplement Products/Substances and/or Complementary/Alternative Products/Medications/Ingredients or Supplements. We can however comment on the listed ingredients of a Supplement Product/Substance and or a Complementary/Alternative Product/Medication./Ingredient and whether any of the ingredients or its metabolites fall on the 2014 List of Prohibited Substances in Sport. The listed ingredients of Linctagon C, Airmune and Lifepak Nano does not fall on the 2014 List of Prohibited Substances. In conclusion it is important that I communicate the following to you when you are considering using supplements: There are no guarantees that a supplement is safe to use You need to assess the need for you to use supplements You need to assess the risk involved of using supplements For further information on supplements I would also like to direct you to the Informed Sport website http://www.informed-sport.com/ for a list of supplement batches that are tested by that organisation. This status recommendation is made on the current information supplied. Ingredients may change without notice. As a result you use these products at your OWN RISK (irrespective whether the ingredients are permitted) and individuals should approach the use of it with caution. I have also attached our sports supplement position statement for your perusal Herbalife Products This consists of a wide range of products and falls into the Complementary/Homeopathic or Alternative Products/Medications/Ingredients/OTC or Sport Supplement Products/Substances category. If you can provide me with the names of the specific herbalife products as well as the individual links on the internet where I can find the listed ingredients, I can provide you with guidelines on its use. FAHMY GALANT General Manager"

Yes I have and was only told this last week, instead of 4 gold medals at National track championship I now will be awarded a 5th in replacement off 1 of my 2 silvers medals. I would be quite willing trade all these medals for just 1 medal at world track champs next month - does not matter the color! Not particularly angry with Mr Short at the track championship event but I will never know if he was negative at SA road champs - he may have cost me the victory their a few months before track champs. What does surprise me is why somebody would knowingly race on a stimulant. What even surprise me more is SAIDS cannot give an answer to certain product sold in RSA! Last week I sent them a email sighing a few product which I would like to know if legal or illegal - still no answer! One of the product I believe I was given in the Cycle tour goodie bag - Airmune. I was thinking of using it before traveling to Worlds in Manchester as I have a tendency to pick up "viruses / cold" on long haul flights. I am not a doctor or a chemical engineer - personally I think the stimulant list is way too long and as Mr Short discovered, a product over the counter can land you with a 2 year ban. The drug list in my opinion should be not much longer than 10 items (we cannot even obey the Biblical 10 commandment) containing those items which definitely improve perform - EPO, Blood doping, Steroids etc On the testing front, WADA need to design test (which can test beyond masking agents) for what they are trying to prevent sports people from using. For WADA / SAIDS to say caught because of a masking agent is almost a guilty as the sports person (my opinion) - design the test to catch the sports person for the drug not a masking agent! The test must be able to be good enough to test / see beyond a masking agent - yes easier said than done but is it impossible?

I cannot really comment here as last year although I qualified by age to ride Vet cat 40 to 45 I choose to ride Vet cat 35 to 39. I think 1st part of the year was the only time I have ever raced against Mr Short. What I can say is at SA road champs he was really strong - I witnessed this 1st hand - I am not one just to though in the towel!

Ask your mate to pass the funds raise over to those Vets who are all self funded going to World Track champs next month in Manchester. I sure all the RSA competitors going would appreciate a little help - let the funds be divided equally amongst all going!

What I will never know is if he was positive at SA road champs where he caught me after about a 90Km solo break by myself - his pace destroyed me and I became a DNF in this event! Possible win for myself under other circumstance.

NOT True email received this morning so that means 5 Gold for me instead of 4! Hi Everyone Please can the following riders return their medals that were awarded in the 1500m and Scratch race at the SA Track Champs in April to Bianca: · Chad Short · Peter John Wheeler · Christhonie Geldenhuys · Jaco Scholtz Due to an adverse analytical finding reported by SAIDS the results of the races mentioned above have been re-worked and the correct medals will be issued at the Durban Grand Prix on Sunday 9 November, as follows: 1500m 1. Peter John Wheeler 2. Jaco Scholtz 3. Gregory Albert Scratch 1. Peter John Wheeler 2. Christonhie Geldenhuys 3. Werner Moolman For any information regarding the issuing of the medals please contact Bianca. Regards, Greg

The road is now closed for about 10 days - basically traffic been sent up Boyes drive at Kalk Bay. Road open again at Muizenberg traffic lights. This of course means the road is very quite and excellent to ride on. The contractor did not seem to mind pedal bicycle passing - but please be polite and take it slow. Motor bikes not permitted

Should a post titled "DSTV - they suck" be started or is it MTN?

Just stats and a comment stated by a good friend of mine! In the past 48hrs: Motorists hospitalized by cyclists: 0 Cyclists hospitalized by Motorists: 4 Can't blame cyclists for being aggro when your life is always at stake every time you ride

Facebook 14 min ago Ciska Du Plessis Austin Jevandre Pauls in serious condition following this morning's incident. Head injuries and bad facial fractures. In ICU on ventilator and kept in induced coma. Brainbleeding and swelling being monitored.

Off Ciska Du Plessis Austin facebook status 29 min ago: Both Jevandre Pauls and Craig.i.am Symons awake - waiting to hear about all injuries....

Look at the aerial shots in between you will notice alway too the right of the motor bike! But even if behind the motor bike it's not the cyclist duty to decide where the motor bike should be relative to the bunch thats up to the Commisairs!

Event Date: Event Name: Race Time: Position: Gender Position: Start Group: Group Position: Age Group: Age Position: Avg Speed: 09/03/2014 Cape Argus Pick n Pay Momentum Cycle Tour (109km) 02:47:11 104/31046 103/24262 $ 104/158 M 40-44 3/3595 39.12 http://results.racetec.co.za/images/icons/spacer.gif 09/03/2014 Cape Argus Pick n Pay Momentum Cycle Tour (109km) 05:49:32 25803/31046 20905/24262 OE 363/489 M 40-44 3185/3595 18.71 It looked like a spread sheet - then I pressed post!