The expat cyclist

When someone says 29'er, I wanna go "POWERBALANCE!!!" I wonder what the placebo effect would have been if people just concentrated on the negatives of 29'rs? Slower acceleration. Higher inertia to overcome thus basically changing your pedalling style etc. Slower steering responses.

Spinning or grinding? SRAM or Shimano anyone? I was told by Benita de Witt (Google it) that I should spin more because grinding isn't good for me. Tightens up my muscles etc. You know what - she was wrong and right. These days I don't really grind and I don't really spin. I find what works best for me and my body type!

I agree - this is a sad story and one that I don't like to read about at all. But reading the story in the paper, I feel it is a bit harsh blaming just the driver for her death. If the driver of the truck was speeding or drunk, it is another story... But as sad as this is, the cyclist (according to what I read in the paper) looked over her shoulder and ended up right infront of the truck. I have done this myself a couple of times - looked over my shoulder and then go off my line more into the road!!! These days if I drop something while cycling, I slow down, get off the road and then look behind me!!! It is a pain in the ass but it safe!

How much does it weigh?

Two things I have learned this year already about going uphill: I am faster uphill with: 1. Lighter wheels (I think you will notice it more in MTB) 2. Less weight - that is body weight. The end.

Selling your friends hmmm?

I have actually once forgotten my wife at home...Wen't out to load the car...Got in and drove to the gate...Saw the wife in the rear view mirror...Sheepishly reversed back. Told her I was just making sure the bikes are secure in the back...

I have bonked only once in my life and I swore I would never let that happen ever again!!! This Sunday at Babbas it happened to a friend of mine. He was with me and some others in the top 5 with about 7-10km to go. He slipped off the back end somewhere and when I looked at the results on Sunday he was waaaaaaaaaaaaaay down the field. I thought he had a mechanical or a fall or something. He said he started feeling so bad he nearly stopped! And this is someone that has beaten me hands down before! To me that is just the worst thing in a race!

Just incase someone forgot their bike at home.

It is cheap and it works.

So it bounces up and down as you drive on SA's perfect roads? What do you do when you have 2 bikes?

Should be clear enough how it works. Never had a bike slip or fall down!

Corsa Utility - size does not matter! I load 2 bikes on the back and hold them into place with an old raod bike tube tied around the front fork. This holds the bikes upright and secure. Takes me 5 seconds to load and affload the bikes. In between the bikes I put a plastic box that holds all our cycling gear!

They are tighter than...well, they are.

I got the excact same setup. However, I put the Mezcal in the front and the Saguaro on the rear. Reason - look at the lable the tyres came with and the Mezcal is a better wet tyre than the Saguaro and also the Mezcal is a 2.1 and the Saguaro is a 2.0. So it made sense to me. I tried it in the wet at Babbas this past weekend and it was perfect.

Oh yes, there is just one rant I had about yesterday's race - I always thought the tar section was a neutral zone. But that dude on the 4 wheeler went of like a crazy man yesterday!

I'll give him a shout.

Right, so me and the wife are coming down to CPT for our annual holiday etc. and we are bringing the bikes along. So where are the places to go MTB'ing? GPS coords will be nice if you have...

Uhm...What abouth the fast older guys that also thanked every single one he passed? Got myslef a nice second...and a power balance band!

Nope. They are new.

Nog nie rerig geride nie so ek kan nie comment nie. Dit reen te veel.

I hate the wet.

This does go fast - when the wife rides it. Seat tube needs a respray though.

Hope it flipping stops raining - I wanna go ride!

What a mission getting a headset for my wifes MTB, a merida xc500D! I need help: Headtube outside diameter - 50mm Headtube inside diameter - 44mm Standard FOX fork - 1-1/8 inch??? Al I need is something that takes sealed bearings!!! LBS's look at me as if I am asking for something out of this world! I used the cane creek website headset finder. They call it a zero stack. Fine, bit what bearings go in the headset??? That they don't show! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!