Aranda

You are making me an "extra nervous novice" but fortunately, I do not have a very expensive or nice-looking bike. Just an ordinary MTB with slicks !

This will be my first 94.7 race and I can be classified as a "nervous novice" as mentioned/described in the race magazine. However, I am really looking forward to the adventure tomorrow ! Just one question: When I stop at a waterpoint to go to the toilet, what are the chances that my bike will have 'disappeared' when I get back from the loo?

According to the Route Info maps supplied on the web site, the first waterpoint named WP1 - Jan Smuts Bridge, is located 26 km from the start, although we do pass underneath the same bridge after about 16 km. Question: Can we stop and access WP1 for a drink on the way into the city center, or is the first free drink of water only earned after 26 km as we pass over the bridge on the way out of the city center towards Rosebank? Just curious, for after WP1 the waterpoints are between 5 km and 9 km apart.

<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> I am from the Centurion area, therefore I plan to join the SuperCycling Club training rides later this month. With all the technical stuff I have seen on the TV during the Tour de France, other posts on this forum about Negative Riding and also the many accidents during training rides, is it not a good idea to generate such a document at the higher levels of cycling in SA? I am sure we can prevent lots of problems and issues and hopefully accidents if all cyclists have a single set of Guidelines for Riding in Groups and maybe even Guidelines for Training Rides on public roads.

Based on the advice and feedback from other members, I have today decided to take a chance and bought myself a pair of the R80-00 Kenda slicks, size 40-559, for my MTB. Also included were smaller 26 x 1.5 tubes; my knobblies are size 26 x 2.1.<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Since the tire has a fairly deep single channel right in the middle of the running surface and just for extra insurance, I have also bought tire liners to protect against punctures. As requested above, I shall give some feedback after a few weeks of using these new Kenda slicks. Finally, in response to another question above, I got these tires at Centurion Cycles, telephone (012) 663 8047, located in the Bazaruto Shopping Centre, just off the intersection of <?: prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /> Hendrik Verwoerd Drive and South Street in Centurion. (This is a large intersection with a traffic light and the Standard Bank Centurion Branch building on the one corner.)

I am fairly new to cycling and would like to know how/where do I learn how to ride in a group: Doing things the way other riders expect you to do it. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> These guidelines would include issues such as which side to pass, how close can you follow another rider, moving out of the way of faster riders, etc. Any advice for newcomers?

I am looking for slicks for my MTB to train and participate in the Momentum 94.7 race. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Last week I was offered cheap slicks of R80 each and was told these are size 40-559 Kenda tyres and are perfect for the 94.7 race. No brand name or logo could be found on the tyre. Has anyone any experience using these inexpensive tyres or should I stick to the Continental Sport Contact size 42-559 at a price of about R280 each? Any comments?