[Bike Check: Matt Beer's Cape Epic Winning S-Works Epic]

23 hours ago, babse said:

Edge 810? maybe thats why he pushing to finish his rides so quickly before his garmin dies

This is why I keep coming back to this bloody website 🤣

[Reasonable budget for someone re-entering the sport?]

4 hours ago, Brawler said:

Here is one for R20k brand new:

https://www.trekbikes.com/za/en_ZA/bikes/mountain-bikes/trail-mountain-bikes/roscoe/roscoe-7/p/35116/

I have been getting back into the sport after 2 kids and bought this in December. Great advice.

Been all over Tokai and up the Mast with it... Great buy and Gear Change folks are the best!

[Cape Town danger areas]

Gemsbok/Eland looks pretty dangerous in Banhoek Conservancy 

 

[Cape Town danger areas]

12 minutes ago, nonky said:

I can show you a route from the forest to the top of Southern Cross, that's almost traffic free.

Almost traffic free sounds perfect.

Had a near miss with a Double Flatbed on Constantia Main and also a massive Grow Truck on Southern Cross.

[Cape Town danger areas]

I have recently moved to Tokai and started riding the different trails / routes in the area. I want to try Tokai to Newlands Forrest via Constantia Nek. Any advice or route maps for which route to ride and be safe would be very much appreciated.

My biggest concern is the route back from Newlands Forrest to Tokai. Was considering up Rhodes drive and then down Diep River trail.

[New Garmin Fenix 6]

Apple watch is great to monitor masturbation exertion, not much else.

 

enjoy 

 

In fact the Apple Watch is currently the benchmark for wrist-based devices, at least between all of the main stream devices that we have measured

 

The goal was to measure the accuracy of various wrist-worn optical heart rate monitors

 

Nothing beats a Garmin and a HR Strap though

[Cape Town Cycle Tour 2020]

The wind this year was gnarly!

[Noise canceling headphones]

As somebody who once sold high end sound equipment, I must say that I find it difficult to read that word without vomiting in my mouth a little.

 

As somebody who once cycled a lot around melkbos, people use to call me a pedalphile

[Noise canceling headphones]

For the audiophiles - https://www.cplanaudio.co.za/collections/headphones/products/audio-technica-ath-msr7-black-2

[Cape Epic or Bikepacking in Europe?]

Cape Epic.....

it all started with us suggesting to our friends from Finland to do the Cape Epic...

 

Do them both here http://www.swiss-epic.com/

[New Garmin Fenix 6]

Lot's of Garmin 5X Pluses going on sale...

[Rating Low Ball & Rude Hubbers]

I give a Neutral rating for this.

 

Add some comments, be a gentleman.

[Poor Service CWC]

I think CWC sent the pedals with SAPO-hence the waiting period. You are going to get a phonecall from Skynet any day now to say you can pick up your pedals and you have to pay duty fees and VAT. There is hope, just be patient.

 

As indicated in my first Post, shipping is with Dawn Wing on this mess up.

 

Also if you are shipping with SAPO please inform your customers up front and give them a choice.

[Poor Service CWC]

Hope it works for you.

 

Personally I dont understand why we need to contact the agent. 

Then I might as well buy from the agent directly and not have CWC in the loop, or get CWC to import from Shimano and not have Coolheat. 

 

All these middlemen is a bunch of nonsense

 

Support the up and coming smaller guys that will move heaven and earth for your business even if they are a bit more expensive.

 

When we encounter someone unprofessional or providing a bad service, hold them accountable and encourage training and development of their staff. 

[Poor Service CWC]

I have tried to call Coolheat, and their first question was 

"which store you calling from"

" Sorry we do not deal directly with the pubic."

 

So even IF he did try to contact Coolheat he would not get anything done.

 

I sent a polite email about having a conversation.

[Poor Service CWC]

This is SA, 13day period, being sent away and returned are maybe asking for too much.

I'm not saying no comms, but if it is shipped for the account of cwc, I would use snail mail there and for return, unless you specify you will pay for overnight delivery both ways.

 

Check the unemployment rate - https://www.fin24.com/Economy/just-in-sa-unemployment-rate-jumps-to-29-the-worst-since-2008-20190730

 

I am no longer a customer of CWC because of this.

[Poor Service CWC]

besides issues with the CWC staff not getting back to you .... does your fight not lie with Cool Heat Agencies who are the Shimano agents?

 

Thanks for the heads up!

[Poor Service CWC]

I flagged the wonky axle from Day one.   I bought local despite being able to get them abroad (I am in UK / EU every month) for basically 60% of the price.

 

I regret it now, and realised why I generally just buy bike stuff from far away.    Trying to warrantee a clearly defective pedal that is only getting worse (the axle is eating into the gold alu sleeve) drives this home every time I ride my DH bike.

 

I am going to stay away from Shimano and going to fetch these a bit later - https://www.evobikes.co.za/components/mtb-pedals/dmr-vaults-pedals-sandblast.html

 

My pedal bill is now R5000 in 2 weeks because of this nonsense.

[Poor Service CWC]

What happened to your Saints?

 

My Saint SPD axle is bent, basically from day one, and I'm being given the middle finger (didn't buy from CWC, but a cape town store).

 

I definitely dont ride hard enough to bend a ******* Saint axle!

 

I believe that the threading for one of the spikes was not drilled properly from manufacturing process so when I tried to very carefully replace all the spikes with a bigger one, it when in at an angle and then I tried to use pliers to get it in.

 

All spikes went in fine except this one.

 

It is a tough call but risk and no replacement has been pushed back onto me. 

[Poor Service CWC]

On the 10/8/19 I left my brand new Shimano Saint pedals at CWC for a warranty replacement.

 

Shane the warranty and claims lady explained to me that they needed to be sent to JHB.

 

3 days later I followed up and was told that the pedals would be shipped back for collection at CWC.

 

It is now 23/8/19 and my bike cannot be ridden because it does not have pedals.  

 

I have had to repeatedly phone and follow up about my pedals every 3 days. I am tired of being told Shane is busy with a customer and would I like to leave a message and then not hearing anything from her.

 

I have been given different stories about waiting times and Dawn Wing has now been thrown under the bus by Shane today saying that there has been a mix up with the deliveries.

 

Things do go wrong but I expect to be kept up to date with phone calls, sms or email and clarification given by a customer facing employee.

 

Shane has shown she needs training and she does not know how to do her job as a customer service person. 

 

I hope that CWC will provide the correct training to their employees and also note these instances in their performance reviews!

 

This is absolutely the last time I buy anything from CWC.

[My son's first bicycle]

Congrats !!

 

Just enjoy your boy.

 

Maybe he becomes a surfer dude.

 

A 90K go kart is also a possibility! 

 

Small investment if we can move to Monaco one day 

[My son's first bicycle]

 Nonsense! my kid is negative 2 weeks old and I'm already planning away.

 

1. Gonna start off with a bike top tube seat. potentially retrofit some faux handlebars to it.
2. Then on to a balance bike style rocking horse.
3. Next up is a black garage bike, if one with rubber wheels exists.
4. Gives me time to complete my wooden balance bike
5. probably set the wooden balance bike on fire and get a proper one. probably a Muna or strider type. 

And of course things will all go as planned    

 

Here's my version 1 wooden bike. supposed to look like the (now old) Santacruz V10

 

Slick! 

[My son's first bicycle]

I saw such a small boy at the park yesterday on a tiny pedal bike. 

 

He was ripping it up with a proper kids MTB helmet on his tiny head.

 

Looks like anything is possible.

[My son's first bicycle]

My son is two weeks old and I am keen to get some advice.

 

I want to find out when he can start riding and what the best options are for his development.

 

Balance bike vs other options?

 

I want to get him a carbon frame and 140mm travel on the front as his first bike but that is me just being me.

 

What are your experiences as a parent and how can you best advise me?

 

 

[Stuff you learn(t) the hard way by being your own mechanic]

Don’t put the wrong pedal in the drive side crank and then try and force it to screw in at an angle thinking that any pedal can fit in any hole.