The expat cyclist

You know, to me it is funny how easy we as humans buy into BS. Things like 29'ers, 2x10...remeber power balance bands? Just look around you how many "new and improved" stuff is out there! Things that promise you the world. GEWAARBORG! But let me keep this 'bout cycling since this being a cycling forum and all. What I don't get about 29'ers...So in 1969 the Americans landed on the MOON! Now think about it - how much research had to go into it? How much resources, people and time... Then some years ago, BOOM! 29'ers in SA take flight...WE (Humans) HAVE SEND PEOPLE TO THE MOON IN 1969 - why is a bigger wheel NOW such a BIG thing? I mean it is just a friggen wheel dammit. It is not rocket science!!! Now, I am not saying that 29'ers don't deliver on what they promise. I am sure they do. They roll better over rocky stuff etc. So what is my problem then with 29'ers? Well, my problem is not the bike itself. My problem is us. Humans. And the BS we buy into. All of a sudden it is the be all and end all to MTB'ing. Those that have them look down on those that don't. Just this Sunday at a race I heard one cyclist ask another: "So when are you getting a 29'er?" It is like you have to have one to be allowed into the "club". Now, if you have a 29'er, how much difference did it really make to your performance? I am sure it wasn't like it improved your epic time with hours is it? It is not like all of a sudden you were doing times in races that you were never able to do? Yes, I will agree that it could have made a small difference in comfort maybe, but is it worth shoving it up everybodies ear just to make a point? Yes, 29'ers are the next big thing and yes, maybe in 5 years from now, no one will ever ride 26'ers anymore, but getting rid of my 26'er just to get a 29'er? Now that is BS! It is not like I get beaten all of a sudden by guys on 29ers that came from nowhere! Go ahead, buy your 29er if it is time to do it, Just don't do it because you think it is going to make you that much better!!! There is never a miracle sollution to anything, not even cycling!

Short ride = high intensity Shorter ride = higher intensity Long ride = low intensity Longer ride = lower intensity The end.

So if the debat is over, then why is this fred even here?

Almost. You have to know what to stretch and when to stretch it for it to be usefull.

They don't listen man!

As far as cooldown goes there is a lot of controversy out there. I don't believe in cooldown. Period. Many years ago it was thought to be beneficial...These days it seems to be the opposite. For me a cooldown is rather getting home, taking a shower and hi-jacking the couch in front of the TV! I feel it is more important to rest as soon as you can after a race. I would love to warm up. But warming up and STANDING in the start area for 20min just destroys the idea of what a warmup should be doing. BTW, I also don't believe in streching before a race - that does absolutely NOTHING.

My wife and I were talking about this warmup thing just this Saturday. So you warmpup before a race. So this tells your body to get ready. Then you go to your starting block and sit there for maybe 20min or longer. So your body starts to relax. Then the start gun goes off and your body is like: "WTF IS THIS NOW???" So during training now these days, I don't warm up. I just gun for it. Does it help during a race? Yes I think so. That and the fact that I keep telling myself the other guys are also going through this and I just need to hold on a little longer - thing will settle down shortly! It is really tricky to warm up and stay warmed up for cyclists I think.

Ceramic BB?! Damn, why didn't I think of that??? What is your take on bigger wheels?

Apparently if you train harder you also go faster.

It is now the ONLY combo for me.

If you want a tyre for wet and rainy days then buy a tyre for that. The GEAX is not bad in the wet but it was not meant to be a mud shedding tyre. Most of the races in GP are, well, dry and dusty so I use a tyre for that.

I have found my happy medium: GEAX SUGUARO REAR. GEAX BARRO Mountain FRONT.

Ag no. Where dem pitjirs?

Aaaaaaaaah, hitting the wall. It happened to me once and I swore NEVER to let it happen again! Bonking is when you simply run out of fuel. I hate to say this but I agree with TNT - maybe not enough solid food before the race. Eat before the race, drink during the race. I am not a huge fan of eating during a race. My theory is that your body is not going to spend a lot of time digesting food while you are going like a boeing. So what you eat during a race might take too long to digest or will not even get digested fully to be truely usefull. Yah, sure it also depends on what you eat and how easy it is for your stomach to digest.

Hope it heals soon!

Uhm, Cycling?

My first and only post in this thread.

Neutral zone. Hmpf. It is joke really. I have NO idea what the use is of the neutral zone. About two weeks ago I did a race were the neutral zone was controlled BUT that was necesarry as the race started in a parking lot of a shopping centre and we had to go down a public road for about 2-3km. This past weekend at Vori Berg the lead out vehicle was not excatly going slow BUT I don't see the use of a neutral zone at this race.

SRAM prices are going up.

SRAM prices are going up.

Check chainring bolts. Remove pedal. Apply light grease on thread. Re-install. Check pinch bolts on non drive side. My wife has an SLX crankset on her machine and it it silent!

Om met 'n Fisio getroud te wees het sy voordele.

Some say.............

Snickers. Bar one peanut power...Same thing.

You think it will help?