Grease_Monkey

Best bike I've ever owned... https://www.transitionbikes.co.za/collections/sentinel/products/sentinel-alloy-gx You can also get the NX carbon version at around the same price.

An S Works Enduro does not cost 60k...

Edit: not worth it.

Awesome, you won't be dissapointed!

You are going to get about 5 pages of responses, 90% of those responses will say Lyne Components. Cheap, easy to service, bullet proof, great back up. It's a no-brainer.

I'm sure there will be... but my point is pretty much the same as yours - insure your event one way or another if it so expensive!

Not as far as I know... Cogent imports them, so unless they have found stores here it is only them. They do overnight delivery though. Really pleasant guys to deal with so I am happy to pay the bit extra for shipping.

Many insurers have a built in product when you take out bike insurance. I know my CycleSure policy has event cancellation cover... I don't know the details of it to be honest, but that's just because I don't really do expensive events. I'll probably have a good look over it when I plan a stage race / multi-day event again.

Secure, small, doesn't rattle, doesn't touch your seatpost (dropper post friendly). The only saddle bag you will ever find on any of my bikes: https://www.cogentindustries.co.za/product/speedsleev-ranger/

I'll be riding. No one in the mountains so seems like a safe place to be...

Did they put it on a vegan diet?

I am assuming they want to go ahead with the event in May 2021 as planned. Waiting for 2021 to do 2020's event means you are essentially cancelling it.This is about as good as it gets IMO, the event goes ahead, no one loses their entry fee. Maybe a couple of changed flight fees, and a few that won't have the dates open in their calendars - but overall a pretty good outcome.

I also think a Fatbike will be your best option. The upside of them is that you can get them at very good prices 2nd hand. It was a big fad, and very few people actually used them and now want to get rid of them. I'd look at 2x10 gearing for range... Good luck on your journey, and kudos on getting started!

Well that is what a couple of friends of mine that were entered for the Epic are doing now. Not bike packing per se, but they are just going to ride all the local trails in the next 2 weeks.

Am I wrong in saying that your post had nothing to do with Corona at all? You were just making a bit a snarky (comis sans) sorta remark that the Epic (ie: greatest race in the world - again comic sans) is about to start? That's how I read it... I think the timing may just have lead others to read a bit more into it than intended?

I think most guys' personal insurance should cover this. I am with Cyclesure and they have a race cover product that I get with my bicycle insurance which should cover this - that is unless they have an Act of God or Pandemic clause such as the airlines do...

It is the right call, but I feel for the guys that put in all those hours and cash into preparing for Epic. It's a massive commitment, and regardless of why it was cacelled, I can imagine it must really suck...

This should sort you out... https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/products/tanpan

Yep, those two know how to ride a bike down a hill!

How to ride plum pudding:

I doubt this is the way most riders will be tackling the prologue...

Judging from your current tyre size, you should be able to fit a 700c wheel with 40-45c tyres. I would definitely borrow a set from someone to check first though...

Done at last. Been a busy few days so I've been slow to get to it. Well done Jewie, seriously awesome what you have done for the doggos and kitties!

Fair enough, that's quite a distance...

There are some options out there, and I am not anti e-bike at all - but do you really think a battery and motor will be at home on a gravel bike? In my mind a gravel bike is typically something people do looong distances on, and it feels to me like a battery will limit that. The range on e-bikes don't really exceed 100kms, and from what I have seen most of the nutters that ride gravel bikes do 100km as a warm-up....