Titanium Rocket

I didn't pay one cent, for anything.

Must just add my experience: The ratched on my one dial was faulty from day of purchase. Couldn't take them back to the shop, it was in another city miles away from where I live. Ordered a replacement from BOA online. Complete set (both sides) arrived from Austria, 4 working days later. Brilliant service, thank you BOA.

Sounds like special stuff. Does it clean braais? Like the sticky sugar after cooking pork ribs?

I ride plenty, have been using Squirt for +/-10 years as my go-to lube for all conditions. No complaints once you know how to apply it. But must agree with a few posts here, that something has changed with the formulation of recent: it gunges up terribly. I bought a 500 ml bottle about 2 months ago; since this bottle, it clogs up like never before. C'mon Mr Squirt: hope you're reading this, tell us what's changed, this is going to cost you loyal old customers.

None of my exercise activities from Mon, Tue or today are reflecting on the Vitality app. Same for my wife. Finding this revised process with the gambling aspect really irritating.

Can you get stuff from Rush Sports direct? I live close to Pmb and went there about 6 months ago, the guy said they no longer sell direct to the public ...

Updates to both Garmin Connect and Discovery Vitality apps (for Apple) within 24 hours of each other. For the first time ever, my Cadence exercise last night didn't sync within 15 minutes. Now 15 hours later - still hasn't synced. Anybody else.....??

Came off my bike and cracked the reflector on my MR7 - replaced by Awesome Tools for free - even though it was my fault! Next MR7 didn't hold charge properly - total torch replacement by Awesome Tools - not just the battery - no quibbles. Also replaced most parts of my Leatherman after years of serious abuse - free of charge. Absolutely exemplary service and backup. Hope they bring out a proper bike light.

Thanks Myles, appreciated, will send them a mail now.

Can anybody help please: I have 2 x 600-point rides that have uploaded from Garmin Connect into the Discovery app, but they aren't showing as activities. You can see in the Discovery app that it has synced with Garmin Connect, but there's no record of either activity from yesterday or this morning. I am a long-time user of a Garmin 520 and 920XT, sync to iPhone via blue tooth, which then automatically uploads to the Discovery app. Smoothies are so easy! This is the first time it hasn't worked. Any idea what I may be doing wrong, or what's gone wrong? Who does one call at Discovery to sort this out?

Can anyone else confirm whether Discovery has stopped awarding Vitality points for canoeing and surf ski races? My wife tried for the recent Umkomaas Canoe Marathon, and it wouldn't upload. She spoke to someone at their main offices, and was told it's "...because canoe races and surf ski events are not electronically timed." She told the bloke what absolute crap, the Dusi and Umkomaas races have been going for over 50 years, now you're saying they're not good enough for Discovery! Anyway she'll continue pursuing this to the very top today. Meantime can anyone else corroborate this?

Here's another one Nick: http://www.sanidragon.co.za/

Nick, please re-post your stage race link once updated.

Have a look on Chain Reaction - search for 'Blackspire', click on 'Chainrings'. I know they have 38, 39 and 40 rings to fit the Shimano XTR M985. Not sure if these fit the M980, or what the BCD implications are. Email them if it's not clear.

Thanks guys, appreciate your comments. Call me a cynic, but I am a scientist from a world of empirically proven facts rather than sensory appealing marketing claims. If elliptical rings have a proven biomechanical advantage, why aren't all rings made like that? I know I'm over-analysing this thing, but until proven as such, it remains a subjective and expensive choice.

Any first hand comments about the elliptical Rotor rings? Is there a genuine mechanical advantage, or is it just more marketing bullsh*t? The whole crankset is about the same price as an XTR - which would you go for?

Thanks to all, certainly some key messages here. I have been for hormone tests; testosterone certainly down but not low enough for treatment (yet). No other warning lights flashing, diabetes etc. I know I don't eat enough; food is just not big in my life, I battle with huge volumes. There is a very reputable dietician down the road from me, I shall build up some steam to make an appointment. Perhaps at the end of the day, we are what we are. I am small and thin, others are large and round, that's how it is. Science and books will only ever adjust a certian amount of what we are dealt with. But thanks everyone, relieved there are some other super-skraal blokes out there with the same problem. .

It’s not often you hear about someone who battles to put on weight. I have consistently weighed 68 kg for 30 years, +/- 1 kg. I've never had to worry about food or diets or managing weight gain that most people struggle with. I lead a well above-average active lifestyle; I have Polar records right back to 2005, and average 7.9 hours/week activity for those 9 years. This is made up of high intensity exercise: cycling and surf-skiing. And 20 years of competitive squash before that. However, in the last 2 years or so, I have steadily started to shrivel away, now down to 64 kg. This loss is all muscle mass because I never had any body fat to lose in the first place…!! My age is now 55, which understandably has something to do with the wasting away – but not everything. My wife says I look haggard and hammered…she’s on my case to eat more and beef up. I am pretty fussy about what I eat and do keep a subconscious track of carb and protein intake; if anything I don’t eat enough protein. I do know from years of racing that the LCHF diet won’t work for me. Does anyone have any ideas on how to beef up, how to put on weight, specifically muscle mass. (Please don't say pump iron and eat supplements...)

Played serious squash for years, developed serious golfer's elbow (inside the elbow) which eventually became unbearable. Went for the op, very simple and fast recovery. Never looked back and never felt any pain ever since.

Thanks V12man. I believe you've said what I already suspect: Not enough food during the ride. I am a notoriously slow/poor/reluctant eater at the best of times, and worse under pressure during a race. So the tank is empty by Day 3, understandably. This is further exacerbated by intensity: I have the ability to sustain >80% of MHR for 4+ hours on the first 2 days. Again, understandable why the wheels come off on Day 3...shut down time. And yes - I do take anti-inflams during long rides. I have a very seriously buggered knee, now close to replacement time. But I am/was unaware that NSAIDs affect endurance? Good to know, thanks.

I read this thread with interest every day, but I am not a scientist and the physiology is way beyond my simple agricultural brain. I am a small bloke, +/-10% body fat, and currently do not participate in the LCHF movement simply becuase I'm so skraal and eat what I can, whenever I can...weight never ever been an issue...in fact, probably dont eat enough. In my own non-scientific way, I like to think I'm a fussy eater, I dont eat cr*p, and I aim at a 'balanced diet'. Can you guys please help: I have done MANY multiday stage races. Typically, I'm fine on Days 1 and 2....but then on Day 3, the wheels come off and I am absolutely flat. Heart rate won't get going, and there's just no power in the tank. Can't tell you how often this has happened in the last 10 years. The last few posts seem to be telling me something, but any idea what I could be doing wrong? Or what I should be doing...??

Thanks W@anted, you are correct. It certainly is not zero travel or full lockout on Climb mode; I just said 'zero' to illustrate.

Can anyone who is a Fox fork boffin help please? I recently bought a Fox Fork 32 FLOAT 29, 100 mm FIT CTD (non-remote version). Initially the CTD selector worked like a dream: • “C” = zero travel • “T” = roughly 50% travel, say 50 mm • “D” = maximum travel, 100 mm. Now after 5 months the “T” selection appears to have stopped working; there is no clear ‘middle’ differentiation on “T”, pretty much maximum travel as if in “D” mode. Took it to my LBS, who is by the way, a real fundi on Fox shocks. He said something is not right, but he sent it back to the supplier/agent (forget their name, Cape Town somewhere), because it was still under warranty. It came back from the supplier/agent who said “…there is nothing wrong with it…that’s how it should be!” Is someone bullshi**ing me here? It most certainly was not like this when I first got it! Can anyone else with a Fox CTD tell me how your settings feel? Are the 3 CTD settings distinctly different? Or am I missing the plot somewhere else?

Let me add a bit more to my OP above: I cannot run becuase of a very gammy knee, and I absolutely detest gym/weights. Been swimming for about a month now after yet another arthroscopy, back on the bike next week. For me personally, swimming has been so refreshing. Like Ilana says above, it is extremely high-intensity, and my cardio feels better than ever. Upper body also feels good, without all the injury niggles one typically suffers from gym work. So I'm just curious as to why swimming doesn't feature more as a recognised form of cross training for cycling.

Are there any qualified trainers out there who can comment on swimming as a complementary (or recognised cross-training) exercise to cycling? One never read or hears about cycling / swimming as a recognised combination. But you do read about cycling with gym and/or running. Is it essentially because swimming is not a weight bearing form of exercise? So if you're riding 10+ hours a week, is swimming really inadequate for your upper body and cross training requirements? I'm talking about a decent volume of swimming: 1.6 to 2.0 km two or three times a week, 30 - 45 minutes per session, going hard.