2018 challenges

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found this interesting

 

 

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then you watch this one and it throws what you would normally think out the window...my foot size is 273 mm long by 107 mm wide...i have been wearing a size 45 (one size bigger) which is a "comfortable" fit.

 

what i understand here in this video...if i get road bike shoes a size 44 wold be the right size...because it should fit tight...they are not designed for walking around. 

 

 

 

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and just to confuse you a little more

 

when purchasing cycling shoes...has anyone every used a measuring device to give you the correct size...

 

i know from having my butt measure with the butt meter at a specialized shop...it did make a difference...my saddle was changed from a 143 to a 153...now i feel my sit bones and not being chaffed to shyte in the centre on my shorts. 

 

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Hours and hours of research...do i change from a mtb shoe to a road bike shoe.

 

will i get more efficient power transfer if i change to a road shoe  and do i really need it.

 

am i having problem with riding long distances in a mtb shoe...hot foot...numbness in the toes etc.

 

cost to change over...pedals...shoes...cleats...and if i go the cheap route are there any benefits...if i use a plastic sole shoe with a road bike cleat or just upgrade to a carbon sole mtb shoe.

 

4 bikes...1 type of pedal...1 type of cleat.

 

for now...it looks like i will be sticking with the mtb cleats...i already have them on all the bikes...i dont have any issues using them even on long rides (some as long as 6 hours)...i am however going to spend a little more money on a better quality carbon sole mtb shoe (at least 9 on the stiffness scale) ...considering the price you can get a xc9 it might even be an option...for now it looks like an xc7 

 

 

http://www.shimano-lifestylegear.com/gl/fw/technologies/stiffness_index.php

 

 

 

a handy chart to determine shoe size by actual foot size

 

 

https://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewContent.asp?idpage=45

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XC7 ordered and should be here tomorrow...which brings me to cost...people always mention supporting your local bike shop...in this case I have...I went to my lbs and tried on a few pairs of shoes...helmets etc...then shopped around for prices...which ranged from R2700 to R 3500

 

Shame on shimano ...making it extremely difficult for customers to support our LBS...prices from all the LBS in Durban from R3300 -R 3500 depending on payment method...CWC price R2900 and international R2700 + all the duties etc.

 

I could order them from CWC for R2900 and save Around R400...I have chosen to order and collect them from my lbs...as I did with my new helmet....also paid a little more than I was quoted online.

 

Call me old fashion...but I still prefer to feel and try on things then make a decision...my wife on the other hand...doesn't even go shopping she buys online...she don't like...she sends back.

 

I do believe it is only a matter of time and lbs will no longer sell merchandise...online suppliers will put them out of business...like hiring DVDs and using fax machines.

 

I considered getting theRC or XC 9 and buying online...@R3750 ...online would have been a no brainer...compared to R5999 at all the LBS...however after spending many hours doing research on which shoe to get and whether or not to upgrade to a road bike shoe....The XC 7 has more than I need and has a little flexibility for walking...unlike the XC 9 which is according to reviews is very stiff and doesn't have adequate protection around the sole...gona try these for a while then decide if I really need a road shoe.

 

going from an XC 31 anything would better for stiffness...however I can't say a bad thing about the XC31...I bought them when I started cycling for R1000 and still use them for both road and mtb...water...mud and many many many km of walking up hills on sand rocks and tar.

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Unfortunately that time has also arrived (gona need to sell a bike to upgrade kit)...bibs....cheap ones are looking worse for wear...eeeeish not cool from the back... the assos ones even though they are still in mint condition including the chamois...they are getting loose...downside to weight loss.

 

note to all the fatties...don't spend huge tin on good kit if you plan to loose lots of weight...shop around...you get huge bibs much cheaper if you shop around...my assos TIR only cost R1500 brand new...I can't complain...the weight was a slow process....so I have go a couple year use out of them...the problem is they now look like hots pants when they slide up my legs...eeeish hold that thought [emoji13]

 

I see there are specials on assos S7 ...going for around R2000.

 

Maybe I should send assos another email and complain about them being loose...who knows maybe they will replace them.

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They arrived a day early....lets see if they help with the motivation to get me going...I need to run them in [emoji6]

 

Good colour match with the marshmallow [emoji3]

 

 

 

Also picked up a cool brass bell.

 

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Took it nice and easy at Giba last night...one down side to having bling shoes...i took the long the long route so i could miss the river crossing...didnt want to get my new shoes wet  

 

 

Decided to go try out the new shoes on the circuit this morning...now i know why i prefer doing the afternoon circuits... i even got a PR for my fastest loop today...so sad...the fact that i cant keep up with the faster groups i understand...but being lapped 3 times...eeeish time to unload whats left of this fat gut... join the cadence classes again to get  those twitchy thingy mabobos active and start filling in the activity chart with blue. 

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you find this and realise how badly we are being rear ended by shimano.

 

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/za/en/shimano-xc7-mtb-spd-shoes/rp-prod155251

 

i am all for supporting my lbs...but when you pay R3300 for a product then find it selling for this price...enough said.

 

i am not saying the lbs is the problem...all the prices i got from the bike shops around Durban were the same price less a discount if you did an eft...RRP ...R3500 less the discount...R3300.

 

dont even  look at the discounted price (R1779) look at the recommended retail price RRP R2500 other online shops RRP is R2159 

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Marriott freedom ride (one of my favorite) and tour Durban coming up in April...time to get the butt on the saddle and clock up some mileage...at the end of the day that is all that really counts...i am battling to complete a 80 km ride at the moment due to lack of time in the saddle.

 

been a slow start but there is improvement 27 km - 61 km - 103 km and last week up to 200 km in a week.

 

This will be my 3 rd Tour Durban 100 km...

2016 - 3:44

2017 - 3:42 

 

I will be happy to finish in 3:40 ...due to lack of commitment i cant really expect a better result.

 

I am going to have to figue out a way to stop the mass binging...as soon as i start clocking the mileage...so the lust for food begins...i manged to eat an entire pizza on Saturday night and a bowl of ice cream....made me feel ill afterwards...i knew it would...but did it anyway

 

have considered a few options...spinning classes (a fee and stuck in a sweaty room)...cadence classes( a fee and also stuck in a sweaty room) or just go and ride the circuit on Tuesday and thursday mornings (just the cost of fuel to get there and the bluff group pass you 3 times in an hour ) 

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new shoe update...leka for climbing...tight around the feet (maybe a bit too tight)...looks like they might need to be replaced...front upper distorting inside...catching on my toes.

 

buying a bicycle...that you dont ride often.

 

rather use tubes and dont go the tubeless route otherwise you gona be wasting money replacing mootie.

 

if you feel the need to get disc brakes...use cables...not hydraulics...otherwise you gona be bleeding brakes and replacing bladders.

 

service your BB often...especially if you wash your bike a lot like i do.

 

do you really need suspension...washers/seals get brittle and damaged...causing leaks and huge cost to repair. 

 

do you really need 3-4-5 bikes...unless you service and repair your bikes yourself...it gets expensive.

 

make sure you replace your aluminum nipples with brass nipples sooner than later.

 

running 8-9 speed bikes is a cheap option...replacing chains and cassettes doesnt become bank vist for a second bond experience. 

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having my sister on holiday for a couple of weeks is certainly helping with the motivation...we have been getting up at 4.15 am every morning for  cycle...some might say wasted km...doing it anyway to try get back into a routine or who knows maybe it becomes a habit.

 

I had a frame and a spare set of wheels...she bought a few parts from her bike she wrote off in an accident in the UK...and thanks to one of the lbs...a couple hours later...we had a bike ready for her to ride while visiting SA. 

 

should drop back into the double digits in the next few days...can feel the gut is getting soft again (happens when the weight is about to drop)

 

still battling with the knee and shoulder ...i believe i should have gone for a xray after i hit the ground...however doc indicated that if i lift and rotate my arm...it wasnt broken...not letting it become an excuse to get out of riding. 

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35 kg lighter...16 kg still to go...see what I mean by the black tight shirt..

 

 

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Still waiting for Feedback from shimano with regards to the problem with my XC 7 shoes [emoji57]

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A couple years later...i still haven't fixed my weight problem...so what I have decided to do instead of watching "how to become a better cyclist" videos...it's time to start watching... no not how to loose weight videos ( there are tons of them) you wanna loose weight... every diet I have tried in the past couple years has worked ...depending on the commitment ...so you achieve the results...by the way bread doesn't make you fat...

 

I have lost a lot of weight...improved my cycling abilities...and most important...got healthier (no more pills) no cholesterol problems...no more type 2 diabetic scares...don't snore anymore ( wife is very happy) minimized my chances of a heart attack...my concern now...being 50 + ...is all the other problems which could happen ...cancer...etc caused by the junk consumed...I had a friend who is no longer with us...she died from cancer...was told she only had a couple of months to live...changed her eating habits...she lived 2 years longer than the doctors said she would.

 

 

However...I am at that point where I need to learn how to eat healthy...I need to cleanse my inner body and change what I eat...learn how To prepare food...understand what it is I am putting in my mouth and why.

[eccc whippet]

after browsing for a video someone suggested on netflix...i came across this video...got me thinking. 

 

 

 

 

http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/