philippe484

No satisfaction though .. I'm thinking of challenging someone to a duel

I've worked in the high end cycling industry as a technician for more than 25years so the opinion I'm about to enumerate is deeply held and backed up with lots of personal history and pain. It's understood that opinions will differ but if you have one on bicycle frame material, I'd expect that you've done your homework.. I have and I'm very definitely a steel man. It needs to be recognised that there are a very wide range of steel qualities used in frame construction, starting with high tensile tubing and going all the way to titanium. Not many shops offer their clients anything like decent steel framed bicycles and very few make after market frames available .. there are good reasons for that but I'm one of those guys who just hates new ****. My bikes last, steel bikes last ! There isn't a single bike I've ridden (and I've worked in Dubai, on the most expensive bicycles in the world) that I would take over my old single speeded chromoly Kona .. which is why bike builders use STEEL. Maybe some of the people reading this recognise the bike, I've had it up for sale on this site before but no one was prepared to pay my price so I kept the bike .. happily, because I believe in intrinsic value and this bike like my Bridgestone has intrinsic value. It will also outlast pretty much any overpriced latest, greatest bike out there.

Today .. just around town (Oudtshoorn) on the electric, yesterday .. out toward the Caves on the singlespeed, some time back all over the country and other countries too .. I've loved my bikes and where they've taken me

Event Name: DIY Adventure Cycling When: 12 November 2016 Where: Cango Ostrich Farm, Western Cape Category: Multisport I've looked after competitors and route developers over more than 20 years and it's time to help people get out there on there own or with a few good friends so this is going to be a lecture/informational/chat to help facilitate that ... Go to Event Page

Very nice work Meurant and its great that Gary Barnard is still out there thrashing

I'm not a regular contributor here but this subject ... I find interesting When Trek got really strong in SA (nearly 20 years back) I worked at Hopkins Cycle Inn, we were good friends with Deon and his team while they grew the brand until it was the strongest in the country - Deon being the great marketing person that he is tried to get Steven Bowman to become the first concept store in SA. I did'nt like the idea then and I don't like it now - if you own a spez only their agents are supposed to be able to help you and because of some 'special' bits only they CAN help with a number of issues that should not be a problem for decent technicians, specialized does make excellent bikes (as do most of the established brands) but unless you live in or close to the major centers servicing can be a problem and many of the able mechanics dont like the brand because of there exclusive attitude. I have done work for a number of top performers across various cycling disciplines and my personal preference is steel or titanium, NOT carbon .....

Hi all - Im the dude from the bike shop in Glencairn !! The bike park meeting on Friday is realy, realy, realy important and you should read through our website and be at the schpot on time. For more info - http://theworkshopcafe.com/index_files/Page478.htm

A couple of old boys worked with JP on the Cape Pioneer Trek last week as mechanics, I wuz very pleased to be shoulder to shoulder with Steven Bowman once again. For those who dont know - he was the first Springbok mountainbiker, the original owner of what was THE cultural hub of young mountain biking in Cape Town, and a true gentleman. We worked deep into the night for a week in the Klien Karoo (a magnificent place) the bikes were sweet with a few surprises for me in terms of "the best" stuff - having very short lifespan and dying so dramaticaly, nice too that the mechanics are now being recognised as skilled technicians! The Cape Pioneer will certainly soon be the Cape's premier mountain biking stage race (seeing as the other on is no longer the epic) or what say you?

It was interesting and some fun too when the issue of how to ride safely on South African pavements etc was discussed recently. Like it or not I am taking it to the next level - if you ride a mountain bike on the road or have to cover some distance to get to the good stuff and are in the Glencairn area over the weekend - pull in to the big old orange hotel. As a long term survivor I will share some tricks. A whole bunch of hire/rider education bikes are to be distributed from said spot this weekend - exciting man!

The rear tyre wears faster for other reasons too - its no problem to use a worn tyre on back though I been using semi slicks and other peoples seconds on back for years. Pay some attention to tyre pressure to give you iether optimum rolling resistance or grip on technical climbs. While others have argued tyres to the point of rediculous over the years though I still am quite certain there are not many riders that would be able to make one work better than the other if the tyre pressures are bout right - FRONT tyre is important though!

Ah!!! whatever just get on with it an deal with what comes thinking how much worse things could get ..... works for me!

Weekly on Sat at 2pm in Winter I ride some special lil singletrack an other bits from Southern Right Hotel in Glencairn - one route goes like this - a nice gentle quiet tar climb with a tight right onto single track eventualy up the horse trail (a hard climb but much shorter than Ou Wa Pad) a test of staying all the way in the pedals too though - a left an right an onto single track that will put that smile on for you when you done it a few times - Accross the Kom 4 way robots and at the bottom of Ou Kaapse Weg is a place that you will probly not find but it leads to a section that you realy want to find - Trust Me

Ive been narrowly missed too many times and in some quiet places, busy places, all the kinds of places and in the mindset (Im the guy thats gonna get hurt) that wise people would advise. When all is said and done this is mine and only I am going to look after it with the kind of care it needs so ----- ****em I too wanna see the red of there eyes!

Ive been involved in MTB land access for many years now and there are practical considerations like this one. We must surely understand farmers security concerns but what about public land where people are employed to maintain such land for public use? JA WHAT ABOUT THE TRAIL FROM CAPE POINT TO LIONS HEAD? HUH?

Nice looking stuff an if its cheaper why not - but original is probly better! Surely there are geeks out there with lots of pertinent info but in my experience the guys who designed the stuff got it right, eventualy.