Schmorglebot

Yikes! That's some bad luck! Chest infections are never any fun but exerting yourself while you're sick can have some just awful consequences like myocarditis and other cardiac related complications. Definitely a wise move to err on the side of caution next time you're ill during race week. Glad you made it through!

Here's my take on proceedings, very similar experience to Cookie88: I was in A as well and I thought the pace was quite spicy up until Contermanskloof where things regrouped and people began thinking about what was ahead. I tried to inject some pace into things by gapping the group on the front and having a smooth safe solo decent on the first downhill. Once we picked up Paul Smuts ($ guy in the Absolute Motion kit) I knew he was the man to watch. He is off the charts strong and would make anyone cry on Vissers. I managed to crest with him and a good bunch of us regrouped on the decent. From then on the tempo was fairly high and the guys doing the bulk of the work were fairly vocal about how they felt about people sitting on (btw I really appreciate being berated because I'm not as fit or as strong as you, so thanks). The gutter was real on the R312 and people were getting shelled out the back. I did some work when I saw the front but I was cooked until we caught %. The beasts towing us didn't sit on and went straight to the front of %. The intensity lifted briefly on Vryguns and Slent but it was on the M58 that the attacks started coming thick and fast. A good couple of times there was a breakaway of about 3-4 riders but thanks to a few carefully timed super-tucks we always closed the gap. The big kick came on the climb to Spes Bona where about 5 or 6 of us managed to break free and it was a free for all to the line. I started my sprint a bit late and only managed 2nd in my group but honestly I was just happy to get over the line It's my second time doing the 99er and I must say that having the climb up front certainly makes things a lot spicier. Last time people were trying to save their legs for the final climb and the pace was pretty pedestrian, then all hell broke loose and then the race is done. Big kudos to the MVP's doing the big watts

According to the 99er's website there should be full road closures on Van Schoorsdrift and the City of Cape Town will be repairing the potholes. Fingers crossed they do a good job, that road has "attack here" written all over it. "Full road closure has been applied for the portion of Van Schoorsdrif (Old Malmesbury) Road (DR1111) from the R304 (Philidelphia Road) to the CTN Ostrich Ranch turn off. Pot holes on Van Schoorsdrif Road will be repaired by the City of Cape Town."

I figured if I didn't inject some pace with an attack, people we just going to sit. I never stood a chance of getting away. You did some solid pulls yourself, appreciated having someone to recover behind without the pace dropping. You, the Maties guy and the PowerBar guy were yster

That was me! I remember that move, you went like a bat out of hell! I think I bridged but I didn't snap fast enough and the group was on my wheel. I was also pretty tired of chasing everything down

Congrats! I think we did quite well in D, considering how few of us were doing work. Everyone came crawling out the woodwork in the last km or so. Stoked to have had a safe, puncture free, and fast-ish ride on a perfect day, despite riding through 2 or 3 patches of glass

All in all I'm happy with the look of the new site, and I can get used to the changes in navigation but I've probably visited the site half as often as before primarily due to the fact that I no longer get email notification when a new item is posted in the classifieds. I understand that I can sign up for alerts but the quickest option is "daily" alerts. Can we please either get 3 options "Weekly" "Daily" "Instantly", or return to the "subscribe for email notification" system? My F5 key is getting tired

Oh okay, that's perfect then. Thanks for clearing that up for me. I'm pretty much looking at all categories because I'm (and I suspect I'm not alone) addicted to bikes

Am I missing something or can we no longer subscribe to a particular classifieds section for email alerts? I see we can create alerts ala Gumtree, but sometimes I'm not looking for a specific thing, just broadly looking to spend my money :3

Just finished A Higher Calling by Max Leonard. A book that looks at cyclist's strange obsession with climbing mountains, filled with history, trivia and anecdotes about our willingness to inflict pain on ourselves and our friends in the pursuit of up

What he said ^^^

Early mornings are the best, I'm talking sparrows fart early. The tar is great and the shoulder opens up once you're past Rooi Els. Personally I only ride there when the Wannabees ride to Rooi Els, otherwise it's not the safest. If you really want to ride there I'd hook up with the aforementioned cycling club. Safety in numbers plus they have a follow car to alert drivers to your presence. Barring that, the furthest I'd go is up Steenbras

What do they do if you just place several orders for 1x R6 race food bars?

You did a good thing

Give Robby a call https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/344900-robby-rodrigues-bikefit-coaching-nutrition/ He know's his stuff

I suspect record DNF numbers. At least you can empathise with the guys who rode world champs this weekend, also brutal conditions

1. Have a spare derailleur hanger. You don't think you need it until you need it. Seriously, stop reading this and phone your LBS and ask them nicely to order one 2. Grease your threads, it's quick, easy, and saves lives (and threads, and sanity)

In my eyes everybody wins. As long as you're not squeezing the selling down to his absolute lowest price, he's getting the price he asked for, win for him. Then you sell it on, win for you. If the seller wants to be butt hurt because he think's he could have made more money then that's their problem. It's a free market after all. They wouldn't have complained if you didn't resell despite them being in exactly the same situation monetarily

Mmmmmm salty sugar water

I need some sort of Top Trumps side by side comparison

Maybe I'm just a hobo but I buy Powerade concentrate because I can make the most litres per Rand. About R5.70 a liter vs R8 a litre for Game Am I missing something?

Dude could bench 100KG at 15?! That's a pretty clear indication of genetic potential! Colour me impressed

+1 on Bryton! I also have the 330 and had the 40 before that. Absolute bombproof units and definitely the best value for money out there. People usually site the janky menu system as a drawback, but really it's the difference between changing something in 10 seconds or 20 seconds, hardly a difference. Battery life is great for long trips and everesting, wifi upload is perfect, boot up/satellite acquisition is super quick, and the weight is low. They've actually released a new dimpled aero version, the Bryton 60. Probably a bollocks gimmick, but it's nice to see that they're still developing and innovating Bryton easily have Garmin beat in my books, I'm still a big Wahoo fan though

Decent prices on Craft stuff: https://www.runwaysale.co.za/main/craft-apparel-accessories.html

Is Dlamini in the TdF squad? It would be great to see him have a crack at the KOM jersey