zombie.zerg Posted June 23, 2012 Posted June 23, 2012 I'll try keep this brief, but feel free to cue sad violin music when I'm talking about "The Past." I remember when I was around 13 (2000/2001) I used to ride around Tokai as often as I could manage. My bike was crap, no suspensions WHATSOEVER but I was young and simply being able to ride was all I needed. Destroyed fore-arms were a small price to pay. I don't recall any of the single tracks having names back then, but I remember hitting what is now known as Vasbyt was one of the best things I had ever experienced. Life happened and I didn't ride as much as I would have liked to. Bike stolen here, other interests there and at the end of the day I no longer mountain biked. Jump to present day, mid twenties.I bought a Game issue a steel-framed lump of death recently. It's heavy as all hell, but at least I'm back in the saddle. Living in the CBD means I ride Deer Park more than anything. Although it has no real continuous single tracks it does have two advantages:a) It's free, which means I can ride it as much as I want to.B) Ok there's no real B but hey, beats riding the tar. I decided to load up the bike and hit Tokai for the first time in almost a decade today. Being an unfit youth I got shuttled up to Silvermine and entered Tokai via the top. Tokai has changed guys. Changed a lot. Firstly, I don't think I've ever seen so much Spandex in my life. Ever.How long ago did Tokai become so popular, I know it's a great trail, but when did it become so over saturated with riders? Can anyone tell me around what year did it start to boom at Tokai. I estimated that there were easily 200 riders up there today. Secondly, I found many of the riders to be quite cold and hostile. Is that just me?*cue Violins* Back in the day, I'm 25 and talk about back in the day , although there weren't tons of riders, there was at least some kind of camaraderie.I stopped to help some guy replace a link on a snapped chain, and he said most people didn't even slow down to ask if he's ok. Seriously, that's not cool. Thirdly, I had to convince myself that people weren't judging me by my bike and what I was wearing, They were, but I'm going to convince myself that they weren't. I don't know what a ninja has to do with anything, but it looked pretty cool. However, I was pleasantly surprised to note that most of the single tracks were in really great condition despite the fact that they must be severely over used(?). The Boulders trail was particularly stunning and fun to ride. I encountered hoardes of Spandex on the jeep trails, but few riders on the single tracks. Is that just me? In conclusion, I'd just like to remind people that we all there to have fun, enjoy nature and get/keep fit. So lets have a bit of compassion for our fellow riders and keep the judgments and aggression for the rest of society... Eddy Gordo and slowpoke 2
DJR Posted June 23, 2012 Posted June 23, 2012 You just have to look carefully to find the all mountain baggy clad dudes and the armour cladded type downhillers! They are all there. Don't let the sour racing snakes get to you, they stick to the jeep track anyway. On the single track people are frendlier. Greet everyone and 90% will greet back. Agreed, Tokai has become very busy, but only on Saturday and Sunday, and only in the mornings. Enjoy!
gwhite Posted June 23, 2012 Posted June 23, 2012 (edited) Firstly hi zombie.zerg, secondly sorry to hear about your experience today on the trails of Tokai. I can't speak for everyone who was riding at Tokai today but I can speak on behalf of the riders that I was with this morning. We were actually on the trails this morning from 11:00 to get some lessons on how to jump. Now the group consisted of a mix bunch of baggy shorts and spendix riders, great bunch of riders. Always greeting fellow riders, shouting out "rider/s" to each other to move off the trail to not disturb any of the other riders on the trails. Riding in the trails with BIG smiles on our faces and lots of laughing. I know of other spendix riders and baggy riders who also share this friendly nature as well as members in my own family. Like I said, I was sorry to hear about your experience today on the trails but there are friendly riders on the trails. Btw, I wear spendix to ride in haha hope to see you on the trails soon. Look out for us the next time that you are in Tokai. We are the bunch been taught how to jump, stopping on the side and chatting :-) Edited June 23, 2012 by gwhite
Clinton1 Posted June 23, 2012 Posted June 23, 2012 Never been to Tokai but just reading that makes me think the OP was being rather judgemental. You seem to refer to those wearing "spandex" in a rather derogatory manner. Perhaps you need to abide by what you preach and realise that they are all there to have fun, even if they are wearing spandex. Roer 1
Clinton1 Posted June 23, 2012 Posted June 23, 2012 Firstly hi zombie.zerg, secondly sorry to hear about your experience today on the trails of Tokai.... Like I said, I was sorry to hear about your experience today on the trails but there are friendly riders on the trails.... Perhaps I am just playing devil's advocate as my sig says but what exactly did he experience? One chap who passed on second hand info about others riding passed without asking if he was ok, and him getting the feeling (so it was in his mind) that he was being judged.
TheV Posted June 23, 2012 Posted June 23, 2012 (edited) If we look at your account it seem's you just registered and then came this first post? Funny, do you perhaps have another account? How did you know about thehub, never said anything before, and then on the day you ride, you register here and post some useless blabber? Edited June 23, 2012 by TheV
timM Posted June 23, 2012 Posted June 23, 2012 (edited) Firstly hi zombie.zerg,............. We were actually on the trails this morning from 11:00 to get some lessons on how to jump. Hey.. I saw you dudes out there today.. was wondering what the story was with the big group!! You guys seemed to be having a good time.. huge smiles all round, and thanks for keeping the trail clear.My experience today was great - I didn't come across many folk on the Noordhoek Peak loop or on the single tracks, but those I did see were very friendly and I shared at least a greeting with every one of them!!! Stopped to chat with a few (some in 'spandex' and some not). I ride the trails often and like the feeling of community generally. BTW sometimes I wear 'spandex' and sometimes baggies - just depends on how sexy I feel!!!!!! : ) Edited June 23, 2012 by timM TheV 1
Clinton1 Posted June 23, 2012 Posted June 23, 2012 These chaps who think it's uncool to wear cycling shorts should really just get over themselves... TheV and slowpoke 2
M L Posted June 23, 2012 Posted June 23, 2012 You must know and accept that not all riders buy bikes from game, never shave their legs and ride on dirt roads with their raleigh helmets, tekkies and rugby broekies. I ride hard everytime. I push myself to get better and more fit, and thats how I enjoy myself. Don't judge or comment negatively about me, cause I don't do that to you. Each to their own. heed0, Zac.A and TopFuel 3
Mellow Posted June 24, 2012 Posted June 24, 2012 zombie.zerg - thanks for the flashback..... (now where do i turn off this violin music) as you've noticed cycling is being enjoyed by more people as part of their daily lives - welcome back.
Sash Posted June 24, 2012 Posted June 24, 2012 I must say I have found people to be fairly helpful at Tokai, I have chatted to quite a few people in the parking area before and after rides and were very helpful when my car got stuck and needed pulling out of a hole. When I was new to Tokai I hooked up with some very helpful people and they showed me around. I did speak to a guy last week who told me how much Tokai had changed and how popular it had become. I have found the mountain biking community in general around Cape Town very friendly (I must say the Northern Suburbs hubbers more so than the southern suburbs) The attire I think is more for practical reasons as well. I would not make generalisations and wouldnt judge a book by its cover.
'Dale Posted June 24, 2012 Posted June 24, 2012 (edited) Bold opening post... Yip, cycling has risen in popularity, especially off-road riding.And all kinds of characters are on two wheels now. Most peeps are cool. Some are weird. Looking forward to a comment by Pain or Shine here...:-) Edited June 24, 2012 by Puncheur
Caerus Posted June 24, 2012 Posted June 24, 2012 Never been to Tokai but just reading that makes me think the OP was being rather judgemental. You seem to refer to those wearing "spandex" in a rather derogatory manner. Perhaps you need to abide by what you preach and realise that they are all there to have fun, even if they are wearing spandex.These chaps who think it's uncool to wear cycling shorts should really just get over themselves... I did not for one second think that the OP was being derogatory or had a problem with "spandex". He just mentions seeing a lot of it nowdays not having ridden in Tokai for 10 years, maybe its you that needs to get over yourself. Beer4Recovery and lyslexic 2
Redlight Posted June 24, 2012 Posted June 24, 2012 Those cold dudes are the roadies, they the ones that shout hold your line, just push them of the track, dont worry we getting rid of them
petatodd Posted June 24, 2012 Posted June 24, 2012 Why would anyone want to ride in anything other than tight "spandex"? There is no shame in being a roadie on the mountain, despite what rule # 18 says Roer 1
Clinton1 Posted June 24, 2012 Posted June 24, 2012 I did not for one second think that the OP was being derogatory or had a problem with "spandex". He just mentions seeing a lot of it nowdays not having ridden in Tokai for 10 years, maybe its you that needs to get over yourself. Oh fun, I wake this morning to find you apparently following me around contradicting everything I say. I just hope I can give you as much attention in my responses as you appear to be giving me. I'm flattered. Interesting to note that others also picked up on the spandex versus baggies topic prior to my post.
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