SeaBee

Comment from the peanut gallery... I just got myself one of these - fortunately had some test saddles available down here. Awesome saddle - works for me! Took my "own" one out for a 1st ride yesterday and it felt a biiit different from the test saddle, but I expect it's due to the newness.

Tell me more...

I just hope it's the same next year... Some perspective: Be glad you got to ride! I was man-down from early Sat afternoon with a stomach bug, only starting to feel semi-human today - and things are still not as it should be. I would've loved to rather suffer with you all.

The "new to it" type... Point me downhill and show me loose rocks and I still tend to freeze! Buuut getting better, will get there - one day! Learning as I go along.

Wow - that is such a cool surprise! Not at all what I thought of... For me it will mean a bit more stress, esp (I presume) going down that hill. But going in the spirit of learning and enjoying.

Understandable, no worries. Still rideable for somebody bargaining on the existing route's lack of tech riding skill requirements, though?! May seem like a bit of a sissy statement - but I really don't want to injure myself -again!- just as the final bit of road season is about to start... did that 2 years ago. Led to a very frustrating time. Edit: Sorry, that may seem a bit harsh on myself (I tend to be that way). In all honesty I thought for very long before deciding to actually to the mtb instead of the road. Now I just don't want to end up frustrating myself - and those around me. Buuuut then, if you manage to end up there even after me...

Any chance of an updated route map? Or do we find out changes on the day? Agreeing with you there, Tiny K. Road cycling in this neck of the woods is great! Just a cruise through the farms, up a mountain or whatever. Not comparible to "city cycling".

Ooookay, in on this - very much as a FUNride! (First proper mtb event...) If there's anybody behind me when we hit the ST and it happens to be a real mtb'er - I apologise in advance... I'll be the idiot going verrry slowly! No road rage... we leave that to the tar sniffers on the day! *urgh* - I can think of one surprise you can throw at us...

Went through the process myself recently - and worse... with a daughter! Patience, dude, that's all... We stay on a sloped area, so I got her to hang her feet down to be able to avoid falling and gave her push down a gentle slope. Soon she was steering and not too long after that I got her to put the feet on the pedals, then started pedaling a bit, then came the turn before she hit our driveway... and off she went down the street. Biggest obstacle after that is getting them to start on their own - initially you have give a gentle push, then just hold a hand on the shoulder. They have their own pace, don't rush it.

I think it's at all/most of their stores. Had to go and get a new bib and was surprised to see this at Canal Walk - was grinning from ear to ear! Yesterday the mrs dragged me out to Somerset Mall and walking past the CS shop there, it had the same going.

Thanks K! Just went for a ride, trying to remember the route, in the end and had fun... Will play around with this after the season ended. Not a race, just a ride somebody I knew did and I got the file. Can't believe you can't just upload the file and come in along the way and be "directed" from there...

Okay, either I've searcher like... "the dog's hole" or I'm the only one wondering about this. I've got both a GPX and a TCX file from a ride somebody else did. I now want to follow this... So, what is best to use? The TCX or the GPX? Where do I drop the file? In the normal "History" folder where my TCX's are stored? What's the procedure to follow this route? And - here's the catch! - what if I only want to follow part of it? I come "into" the track at a later stage than he started it, then do the track, but then want to do some more riding after about 90% through the track. With all the race weekends coming up, I basically only have this weekend (till mid-March) - so only one shot at getting it right, otherwise I'd have played around a bit before asking help.

Took that Phenom out for a spin after work yesterday. Not a long ride, but some climbing, some single-track... felt bloody good. Which means, I basically didn't feel it! Felt a bit nose-down and adjusted the angle after the ride. Will take it for a decent ride on Sunday before jumping in... But on this topic: the one I'm riding has very little padding. There is a gel version I felt in a shop, which is very soft. I know for road I prefer a hard saddle, but what is best for mtb'ing? Gut feel will tell me to stick to a harder saddle, but does this remain true for mtb, esp on longer rides?

Love that top one, Dangle! Something I still want to start playing with, these night-time shots. Presume it'll take a heck of a lot of experimentation... Thanks goodness for the digital era, that we're not on film any more!

It was on SS6, due to the ball-throwing. But rebroadcasts every now and then. Dale, it may have given you a glimpse, but not a proper look. The broadcast did little to convey the true spirit of the race - the guys not going for the win and their comaraderie... Sticking together and talking each other through the crahp times. They should've had cameras on those last three bumps into Swellendam when the common pleps crawled up there... Crowd support was awesome, they really added the extra cadence when you needed it - you hardly saw that. Neither did it convey the wind properly.

Dale, think you're a bit optimistic there with that L. Double letters will be my guess. My 1st Argus got seeded EE or CC with a 4:09 Burger (my very 1st race - took it waaay to easy!), to give you an idea...

Could manage to lay my hands on a Phenom to take for a test ride or two... the adventure continues.

Mine too... So veeery tempted to rather do this than the road trip. Know the rest of the route, but clueless as to what's going to happen once exiting below the amphitheatre...

duringd - if I look on the map, it almost looks as if the mtb route (long) goes down the tar road below the Taalmonument. Is that the case or is the road venturing into the trees (bos) below the Taalmonument? If going into the bos singletracks - how tech is it? (For a roadie contemplating this instead of the road race...)

I've heard of the Phenom. I see Spez still put it on their mtb's. But even if I search their site I find no product-specific info. Therefore I though it's discontinued or something - and therefore did not mention it as an option. I could feel that "sitbone" thing. First thoughts was man, thing thing "cathes" me... and a bit later it all felt good. Then realised it was pressure bang on the sitbones, and (heavenly!) nowhere else! So the measurement was spot-on for width, I now just have to decide which model. Dangle, when you say this is your first choice of saddle - are you talking of the Romin?

Hey guys, what's the diffs between the two saddles - Toupe and Romin? I suspect the Toupe is more aimed for road use and Romin for mtb? Also, has the toupe been changed? I got a test saddle just to confirm width and it looks a lot higher in profile and "curvey" than one I borrowed a couple of years ago. Looking to replace my mtb saddle.

Gibbs DROPPED the ball in the attempt to discard it. Steve Waughs now-famous words to him: "Son, you just dropped the World Cup..." BTW, I think Clarke's catch this weekend was pretty darn special (the 2nd one - was it Zaheer?). Not easy with the keeper making a neusance of himself as well!

You can ignore my question. My avatar now miraculously has reshaped itself and is now no longer bordered by black top and bottom.

Stooopid q - but how do I get the background to my avatar white?! You can see why... (wording on my old black version of this got "trimmid" - dropping the c and e)

I don't have Avid's, but running out of patience on mine. Just out of curiosity - what do you guys seem to favour as a decent braking system? Seems Shimano is right up there... What else is advised?