gogo@

Hope this includes MTB! will be visiting you!!

Lots of good advice here, but to add, have a look at an app called myfitnesspal. It has a wiki-type database of foods with their calorie & nutritional values which you can add to. It runs a daily count of energy in versus energy out set to your daily calorie goals. Great tool for weight loss. I'm not a diet fan as I think you need to set up healthy eating for life.

Please answer the man's question! (but I hope you're wrong, although I doubt it... takes a lot to do what CS did and in my opinion FA doesn't often measure up to CS at its best)

Tread carefully...

No, I'm talking about heat you don't often get at the coast... but you're right about the possibility of getting toasted at the back. Though I think it's more likely the wind will do it's thing.

He he he. From a blue lizard?

You had one???

shnapp - just can't do the milk thing so it goes with water and some protein powder.

!! Maybe I was the dead buffel... going to larf my sox off about that on my next overheated ride! Sure, VdB, definitely helps to train to those conditions... I do late morning and lunch-time rides a lot but funny thing is this year has on the whole been a lot cooler where I am. But... had some 'fun' on real scorcher of a ride this weekend, saw my average speed dropping and felt sluggish (dead buffel) on my next ride which got me thinking... What I did find works a treat is to take a frozen water bottle in your back pocket as it stays cold much longer than on the bike. And cooling your legs with water...

I suppose various parameters affect the answer to this question, like how fit (and how fat) you are, how well hydrated you are, how hot it is... but, I'm still keen to hear what people have experienced? What kind of drop-off in speed/performance would you expect if you're cooking in the high 30s?? And should you stick to HR targets for hot weather training rides, or adjust upwards? And then how do you handle these kinds of conditions when you race??

Your description of literally 'feeling' your heart beating too hard fits. I could see it! It was difficult to find info on myocarditis but what I did find out was that it's most difficult to deal with in people who have a 'less severe' case of it. Some guys get a resting pulse of 220(!) and often land up in hospital but if they can avoid permanent damage they recover quickly and fully. What worked for me was taking beta blockers. I think I was on them for a couple of weeks only and that mainly because I couldn't sleep due to jaw pain. Nuts, but the neural pathways that link brain to jaw and heart are shared. I didn't want to take medication but that was really dumb because the bb's slow your heart down and let it rest. I had the same erratic pulse you describe, in a similar range... and that went on for some months, but became less and less noticeable. Also had palpitations and very occasionally still do. I can now claim a HR 'max' of 240-something! Have it on my polar!! Because you've had this for so long, I'm pretty sure you should see a cardiologist. The question I would think is whether what you're experiencing is due to an ongoing inflammation of the heart muscle (the underlying cause) or if it's compensation that can lead to long-term damage. Hopefully neither, and you just need to manage your recovery. Even your GP could do a stress-test ECG, or a resting one if he thinks that's safer. But this might not tell much either... that's the bummer. Sometimes there's not much for docs to go on except your description. I was advised to start exercising again at very low heart rates - 50% HRR (using karvonnen formula) and building up slowly. Definitely a good idea to go see a specialist physician if you can and get a referral to a cardiologist perhaps. Otherwise if money is an issue, try to find a GP who is interested in exercise physiology. I was lucky cos mine is a runner and has a strong interest in the heart. Even so, he kept saying it would take 6 weeks as if he was talking about a torn ligament - and it took MUCH longer... the issue is the underlying cause (the virus) and whether that's been sorted. Please update on your progress... if you work out where the key problem lies, then you can make a plan for recovery. Immune support (try moducare?) and rest are key, I'd say, along with what a physician and cardiologist can tell you...

Wind at Cape Point Wunderground... 5am 14 km/h ENE (65°) 8am 16 km/h NE (42°) 11am 11 km/h North (356°) 2pm 27 km/h East (96°) Looks like one of the bone throwers has their map a different way round??

If Hayleyearth wants her bike serviced properly, what's wrong with that? My view, the service you get depends on what they think you'll spend... I know this shop - it's where we bought our bikes 10 years ago and that was only because they stocked the particular bikes we wanted, not because they did much to attract us in as new customers. Since then they've missed out on making more out of us because their shop-floor service is poor. Being ignored is not nice. Being told that parts available on CRC are no longer in production (!) is also a bit weird. And getting treated like you're a bird-brain that still needs training wheels just maybe because you're not of the gender is also not great for building customer relations. I don't live in PE so can't build an 'LBS' relationship with them, but why can't they be a bit more friendly? Their stock is nice, some great bikes (but don't ask for small), and Garth gave us a good deal on our bikes - but their service won't keep me shopping with them... Hayleyearth: suggest you find a mechanic somewhere you can talk to and trust - then look after him (or her!), cos I'm still looking. (If all they left off your bike were the tyres' dust caps, you're lucky!)

Find this sad... Some of my CS stuff is the best out. But I found, from about 2yrs or so ago that I much preferred FA, because of fit, performance, style and availability. And damn, I hope that burglar and the buggers buying from him got good use out of my CS jacket (and the Mtn Designs sleeping bag & Goretex jacket I can't see my way to replace). But, sad to see what was a great company go this way.

If I remember right, under CSA rules, you cannot organize a race without their sanction which means collecting licence fees?? How does the sport grow then? Organizers have to fork out to the traffic department as well (why? Do we only have Mon to Fri 9-5 cops?) and sponsorship is limited. So costs go up... and we complain it's getting too expensive. That's us who have mostly spent a good few grand on our hobby. So what about developing the sport? We have a local example of a race that is no more because of this kind of nonsense. Local bike shops also lose out. I can go on. This is ridiculous. Monkey-stick-paw-in-jar, jar-breaks stuff. Hope there is a way through and one positive is that PPA IS there and fighting it out, whichever way it goes.

+1 call me an old fart (you will, I know) but I've had it with this some rules are rules and some aren't. Why can't you just get your act together like everyone else? There was a *character* last year with no race number who thought it great fun to stuff around in the bunches heading down the Blue Route, trawling crosswise into the traffic. There's always got to be one I suppose... Back to topic: which rules did y'all say matter??

Thanks! I'll be doing daylight recce so this is what I was looking to hear.

And here's another idea... Use the train if you can. It's another bit of fun 'cos lots of people with bikes invade the system. And it's a doddle back to the station from Greenpoint. You can get train times and tickets at the Expo.

Hi there, this really sucks... what cardio symptoms are you experiencing? I'm responding because I had myocarditis (acute but mild, but that's a pretty relative statement) after what was probably a cocksackie infection. It didn't mess around and went straight for my heart (or rather, it seems to be an immune response that 'mistakes' myocardial tissue for the virus) and did the chronic fatigue thing as well. What happens is it's as if the heart muscle is 'strained' - cannot function properly so various types of overcompensation occur - like raised pulse and enlarged ventricles. Took me some months to get over properly - the acute phase lasted about 6-8 weeks. You obviously watch your resting heart rate... DON'T do any kind of exercise if that is significantly raised (5-10%) and watch it when you are exercising. Though, seriously, you should have an ECG to see what's happening. This will tell how well the ventricles are coping. There's also a blood test or two that indicates if you have any tissue damage. Your heart just HAS to rest... I can go on a bit. This was a really horrible experience for me because I kept trying to go on as 'normal' but just not cycling. Weight lifting however light is totally out as it does load your heart. I found lifting things or walking was even too much! My advice is definitely go see a cardiologist if you can and at the very least get an ECG from your GP. The other thing is everyone is different. Sounds trite but docs try to apply a general picture to you but there will be variations so you have to use what you can observe about yourself along with what your doc can figure out... This is important when you're training because it's you who's monitoring your body. A heart rate monitor is an absolute must but I'm sure you're using one already? Also, keep doing what you can to support your immune system, and REST. Hope you come right soon.

Really depends on what day the conversion happens and for some reason it's not pegged to when your payment is made. I think this has as much to do with the Reserve Bank as your local bank. If the Rand strengthens it could work in your favor. There's no way CRC can work all that out!

Just a thought - don't think I'm using latest OS so could it be that??

Hi Matt It's no big deal (for me) just a curiosity. But it did get me checking posts I thought were active but weren't until I realized this. Happening on the first mobile page (https://www.bikehub.co.za/) with top most topics (not 'home'). Using iPhone4.

What happens after the hazards go on???

And the Barry MisunderStander thread tooooo. Help!

Like now. Apparently I'm writing on the Bridge Cycles website thread at the same time. No worries...