Michael S

Looking at Keegan Swensons Insta. Maxxis are coming with new tires. Hopefulle implementing their RaceKing learnings into a gravel tire...

I am still weary that now there are a plethora of bits within the derailleur that can be bent when you inevitably knock your derailleur making fault finding a nightmare. Sure replacable bits are nice, but figuring out which one is slightly out seems difficult. Usually if there is anything iffy to your shifting, step one is check a bent hanger. And 80% of the time thats the issue. (As Seth from Berm Peak says, to check your shifting issues, throw your hanger in some water and if it sinks, its bent) The electronic ones has some mediation to this by the motor giving way a bit under a knock, dampening the impact. This is not an option with mechanical. Is this one of those "problems" that did not need "fixing"?

Here is a loop I did from Paternoster and back, back via the 'road' https://www.strava.com/activities/3910658260

That last 3km bit from the salt mine on the Paternoster side of Groot Paternoster to Paternoster is where you will get the sand with a bit sprinkled on the way there. Yeah my loop from Paternoster to the point close to Brittania Bay was 18km, so 40km should be quite close.

Yes you can ride the jeep track all the way. Depending on the condition of the track, it can get very sandy to the point where the low tide beach is better. Done it numerous times on a fat bike, mountian bike will be okay certainly not with a gravel bike. Suggest timing it at low tide so you have a bail out option as there are numerous spots where you can go from the road to the beach. Drop me a pm and ill share a strava route

https://www.instagram.com/capeepic/p/DHlO6VioEGh/ Something has come to light,

Awesome. Think I am pulling the trigger on one as well! Seems to be great value compared to what you need to buy an off the rack bike locally. Especially if you import the parts and get some second hand stuff. These guys seems to have rebranded the frame as well. https://www.statebicycle.com/collections/carbon-all-road-gravel-bikes/products/carbon-all-road-v2-team-edition

That is clear from previous days. Was hoping John could give us some insights on the why or some other general insights which are not full social media post public nor classified competative advantage for others classified.

@J Wakefield, any non classified inside information on Outride's stuggles? Or will we have to wait till Sunday to hear the story? Edit: I say "stuggles" like top 20 in Epic is easy. But the man has set some high standards in the past.

Outride 3min off within 8km. Seems like Keegan is going backwards.

Swenson struggling. Beers said in the interview he spent all day on the front and Keegan is having issues his back and it is becoming "a bit concerning" Reckon he left it a bit late with coming out to SA, might still be acclimatising, hopefully he comes into it a bit as the race goes on. He was stil crit racing in the US on the 7th of March.

Max chainring usually your problem there. If its not then the terrain is probably rough enough to warrant an mtb anyway.

I very much want to import one of these and get a full groupo from Merlin for much less than what things are going for locally. https://tideacebike.com/products/fm-gv201-noah-carbon-gravel-bike-frame?variant=42818324168887 https://www.instagram.com/p/DEcZic7sRSe/?img_index=1 I have roughly the same set of criteria you have.

Whats the purpose of the green what looks like a zip tie on the pedal?

Any tips on where to park on the day? Staying in Tokai for the weekend wo would be coming from and going to that side after.