Bat-ass

with the weight of frames and wheelsets these days, you dont need a light groupset!!! just some solid reliability!!! SHIMANO ALL THE WAY... 9 million bicycles in Beijing, i wonder how many are on Campy or Sram?

Ya, i saw her fighting it out in that 16 games to 14 3rd set yesterday... epic battle... hopefully she can take out Megatron Williams!!

While we on the subject, what about frone deraillers? can you use your existing 9st XT front derailler with 10 speed setup?

Joe low is right.. 21 hours a week is too much. The pro's do that sort of riding, but they spend the rest of their time sleeping and lying around. They are fed buy chefs and nutritionalists (if there is such a word!!). They dont have to go to school, do chors around the house nothing!!!! I can gaurantee you could race at the same level on 10 hour a week most, but with the right intensity and rest. I speak from experience. I have had the same issue as you. I'm a 30 -39 vet with a job and 2 kids, i used to sacrifice crazy things for cycling, for the last year, i dont sacrifice half as much for cycling, now i do around 8 hours a week, and have never raced better.

i'v thrown my leg over a few fatties..... and a couple of skinnies.... personally i think the fatties are great!!!!

there are usually holes at the botom of the seat stays, down by the rear derailler / skewers. Tip the bike up on the back wheel / front wheel up in the air and the water will run out of the frame.

If Lance came here with Levi they would probably win.

29er just more fun to ride... i can ride technical sections now on my 29er that i couldnt ride on my 26!!!!

Meths and petrol are F%$&en flamible, but Diesel / parafin, burns but its not nearly the same... infact, if you had a can of diesel in one hand and burning meilie cob in the other (ie. burning fire breaks) you can put the burning mielie cob out by dipping it in the diesel.

Yes Splat.... but i think Slowbee is refering to the thing on Paul Cordes's handlebars !!!!

My Giants pretty similar, full XT 9sp, and i got my hands on a set of the 2011 anthem wheels (with the DT swiss rear hub). The 2010 std. wheels are solid bombs, but good fro training!! Intereastingly, i weighed the Anthems wheelset against the american classics, on the same scale back to back (both bare ie. no rotors etc.) and the Giant wheels came in at exactly 90 grams heavier than the AC's. Now with KCNC seatpost and bars, my bike is 11,1kg (medium) thats "on the road" weight (pedals, bottle cages, garmin etc.)

Eldron... you gonna love the giant. i'v had mine since september last year, and i just keep smiling while i ride. i came off a 9,5kg carbon hardtail 26er, and the 29er @ 11,4kg is (non scientifically!!) faster uphill and downhill... but more importantly, is more pleasurable to ride. i know you'v had the Niner, so i dont know how different it will be? The only 29er i'v ridden is my Giant.

i want to see Rasmussen back.. i'd like to see him battle it out with the schlecks!!! a bit like he did with conti in 07 i think? that was climbing!! the schleks are great, but to me they lack the tenacity of a true great!! Sadly Contador has that tenacity... he would kill to win, even if he upset people on the way. Look at all the true greats, they made enemy's alone the way! BTW, i dont idolise any one of these guys in particular, but i really appreciate the good guys... doppers or not!!

I have a set of Easton EA 70's. they are exactly 1 year old. I have broken spokes 3 times on the rear wheel. First time LBS replaced the "eatson" spoke. 6 weeks later another spoke broke. So we sent the wheel to Omnico, got it back couple of weeks later, so called re built by there "pros".... 2 months later another went? Thats when omnico had no stock of spokes, and i homemade a spoke (remember the debate on an ealier thread that no-one said was possble) Well that one is still running fine and true. JB, one day when i decide what i want, i will have you build me a set. Just for the record, i'm not heavy on wheels, this is the only wheel that i have ever broken spokes on!!! Nor am i knocking Easton wheels, i have a set of orions that have been awesome since 2007.

im interested to know about this aswell. i have a set of easton Orion 2's. they have awsome hubs (24 hole front and 28 rear). i would like to get my hands on a pair of racey rims for those hubs, and get JB to build them? What rims are available?

Luke.. in road race, if you let the bunch go early in the race, odds are you wont see them again. Try suck wheel as long as you can in a road race, once you isolated you toast... However, in MTB Eldrons advise is spot on, dont go into the red zone for too long to hang onto owes, rather ride steady hard, and with 10km's to go, you'll be amazed at the guys you start catching.

Bogus one... thats the man.. i wasnt sure how you figured it was the same guy, but i see the cell no. starts 076 544.... Criss C, i know you wont find this very comforting, but i had a look at the map, and being from Durban i know that area.. thats where the tough guys live!!!

When you are riding on a flat coarse, gravity is not a factor. So if you are eg. 90kg powerfully built fit guy, on a flat race you are going to be tough to shake off!! BUT, the minute the road tips upward, the 70kg guy next to you, with chizelled legs, is gona drop you with ease. You can train hills all you like, you will obiously improve because you getting fitter, but until you loose weight you at a serious disadvantage!!! If you are a lightweight, and you are having this problem, then Angazi!!!

Ahh jees, Preston's not doing KZN reputation any good here!!! comeon Preston, come clean!! Hopefully he's okay??

never bonked racing, only in training... its this bazare state of hunger pains, absolutely no energy, and barely able to balance you go so slow.... i remember the one time, hallusinating that i could keep riding, but put my head on my stem and sleep at the sametime... crazy stuff!!!!

not available in SA till 2nd quarter 2011. but can be had from CRC or bikeinn. I just had my 705 waranty swopped out and was hoping to upgrade, but Garmin SA informed me of this. Just on the warranty thing, i am glad i bought my 705 here in SA, cause Garmin were really good about waranty swop when i had some moisture inside mine. try easygis.co.za for garmin stuff locally.

MTB shimano and sram chains and cassettes are interchangabl. obviously cant mix 9 and 10 speed!!!

i always had a soft spot for Jan. i really enjoyed the respect lance and he showed towards each other, must be one of the great sporting rivalry's. i dont remember which year it was, but that final mountain top finish where lance gave jan the finish for second place in front of him to ensure that jan got a time bonus that would secure his second place overall. Jan put out his hand to thank lance.

Jens Voigt.... watching him sit on the front in the TDF a few years back in a valley floor. he must have pulled for 30km's betwwen 2 cat 1 climbs... al to get CSC team mate, Sastre,, back in the mix. he sigle handedly shredded the field. Also this year when he paced that one climb, again shredding the field, for andy.. when he pulled off the front, he looked like he was going to unclip. dipite Vino's history, that man has heart and guts!

thats a very good, rational post Rudi h.... i'v done all those stupid things you are talking about... sometimes i am amazed at how i made it this far. i have two small kids, and they are strapped into the best carseats money can buy.