Michael S

Building up a gravel bike. What is the latest on bar tape for gravel use? Any recommendations? Double wrap of the same tape? Mix silicone and cork? One layer of a "nicer" tape?

First edition sold out

Thanks yeah, was hoping to side step double VAT. They do not ship the SRAM Rival Mullet directly to SA unfortunately.

Hi All, Apologies if this has been asked and answered, but 50 pages worth of info is a lot so sift thought. I am looking to import a groupset from Germany. The plan is to buy from Bikediscount.de, deliver locally in DE to friends, have them ship it over for me privately. As I am paying the 20% German VAT, when the package arrives, will I have to pay the 15% on 110% value when it arrives here or only shipping and handling?

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.

Buyer / Seller Reviews, one review stating the above and they will struggle to repeat it. I swear by those reviews and I have not been let down by a buyer/seller with a good rating, they are always the "Bike Hub as a community" okes.

For me baggies are protecting the typically much more expensive bib underneath. A small fall, even catching a tree can quickly rip up a nice bib, which are not easy to fix. Seeing as you are wearing pads, you are probably taking a few quick visits to the ground every now and then which can quickly ruin a bib. I have had plenty of bibs saved by baggies, my baggies have been patched and fixed and probably my oldest piece of kit, bike incl. but going strong. Get a nice fit and you don't notice them. Added bonus, older bibs that go a bit see-through on the bum, but still has a perfectly fine chamois is still good to go without causing emotional scarring to fellow riders behind you.

Like Dexter mentioned. Garmin wants you to splash some cash but there is a workaround which worked for my forerunner 645 and an Xcadey PM. Download the ANT+ Power meter data field app on connect IQ and you will be able to load it as field. Here is the process https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2021/05/cycling-power-vivoactive.html

Plenty of good gravel out there, loads of link up options out to Oyster Bay and back to Humansdorp side etc. Put the largest tyres you can fit onto your road bike and venture out on the dirt.

As someone looking to do Nr1, is the only way to get a semi decent seeding to do a seeding race? Or will other event (In my case Race to the Sea 100 and W2W) be taken into account?

How does this claiming back of VAT work? Our engineering firm might just need a few enduro bikes for business purposes.