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2 hours ago, MTBeer said:

well done. Tough year this year?

That little ride is still on my radar.

Thank you. I thought 2012 was cold, this was another level, the morning out of Romansfontein I stood on the N6 near Jamestown waiting for sunbeam at 7:30, everything frozen solid. As soon as the sun set each day it became cold. Even Trouthaven close to home was bitterly cold. My night on top of Die Leer was a proper test of equipment and willpower.

It is a ride where you get opportunities to really test yourself in a variety of ways - in that sense it is quite unique and has a lot of appeal to the SA psyche of endurance as it is an individual event and you get to choose exactly how tough you want to make it and you get a sense that we are really capable of so much more than we think. 

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On 7/30/2021 at 8:45 AM, Shebeen said:

there's two (many) ways to do this.

research the FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK out of it and get the best most perfect stuff

                           or

just go. it's an adventure. what could possibly go wrong?

 

biketouring is not new, people been doing it for yonks. I had a gap year in canada in 2004, the opportunities to go bike touring were numerous, i got all my stuff from the sports consignment store (2nd hand cash crusaders, but just for sporting goods), starting with a $25 db topanga I put the whole thing together for $100. took ferries and buses to get out of vancouver and just went to places. bike is the best way to travel and really see a place as you see all the stuff a car flies past, and you cover way way more than foot

No photo description available.

me and the raven spirit

 

DSCF0844.JPG.06072ffed6097322d4cfe527bda25454.JPG

with so many accom options out there i wouldn't bother with rough camping to start. a bag and a credit card takes you to all parts of mzansi

 

ibOKHQN5ETuQP5Gf687Pu3o4MzOq7CQ1wypOcmze-jwjGGAP9YkBBiHD4oOOV6Ki6dT2fxfy-NIiuKBOS3YAXpTS3A7NNWIQMEBu8SH00bz-76ZDCuqsOYQE7wGGIA_aWgMmBnOX2B_xFpAKcR39iyxZFqkqVaElokmgVlF5Zdye_M-uKb6wtkSXLOvJn8iTQoaB5NuoNlRmZ2I4saLnuvz1h_jhfJaV_XvEOlCUo_xIKGCBYWsqXpu6dInguqbzxxxbNHE08VRsgyYB6DJ90Anb1gCYsECl-xSQH4Kqhhqkol2YIFTtUgaJNNY0ZlOO1QeFOjzVwSQWABazx_V6ktF5n_DUx_5TBajUOypBsE3Wo-mCLbLDyl0GmUFWv0meikfigEs8JiQLHsHQNHuQlITpHXRlE3cMsEI_KeiUOCckqXLEDYHSN-zIOSrzZLaWREZqhj85reSqETdWL044UYUd5KL-0m_WgLYQbHNBq9tR0oCQPQ2L0oEiNbek0_yIeRAEit-OuXrpvZ8GQcmhPi0U20GQSDIFfxR2JUU6NyJG5fw7abKWPmhfTfYbwSoi_QMUGkJ6vI0QCSsw3u-cboZurqBMNwVEaNNTfw672kY8moRP6WJ7HOuVrsanQm0rSEjc3LnUJAcGI2l-m9T9SbOk5tz059Vcs_iFgDCuRMyUMvlLBMJmJtH6QG0E1DrG7C9ogKDePd8rg-R_1JkNnVWt=w834-h625-no?authuser=0

recent Beerpacking the overberg trip

Hi There. I see all your weight is on the back.

Does it work nice for you ?

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My bike for the Silk Road.

It is my 6 year old titanium GT Xizang 29er with a Fox 32 SC fork. The drivetrain is an old style 2 x 10 Shimano XT, with a Rotor REX 2.2 crank 36/22 (would have preferred 39/25 but you can’t find the chainrings anymore) and a 11/36 cassette. Brakes are Shimano XT and I bought the new Richie Mini Silver aero bars and it looks perfect to reduce Ulnar nerve damage. Maxxis Ikon 2.35 tubeless tires front and back and an unbranded wheelset from my wife’s bike. WTB Rocket saddle.

I am not the most tech savvy person on earth, but made an Instagram profile where I will, depending on phone coverage, put photos and videos along the way.

The link is: https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=45xmbw85kswh&utm_content=mhrperq

There will also be videos of my bike and equipment.

The Silk Road Race starts on Friday 13 August at 18:00 SA time and can be followed on: https://www.srmr2021.maprogress.com

The other guys from SA that I know of is Arno Crous, Heinrich Visser (won the Munga one year, but is still waiting for his bike to arrive – Turkish Airlines), Sean Hutchinson and Tony Huglin.

Silk Road Bike.jpg

Ritchy Mini Bars.JPG

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Good luck to Eddie! bike looks solid.

Go for it Tony- wishing you all the best!

 Will be following all the saffas.

 

 

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On 7/30/2021 at 8:45 AM, Shebeen said:

there's two (many) ways to do this.

research the FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK out of it and get the best most perfect stuff

                           or

just go. it's an adventure. what could possibly go wrong?

Gonna apply option 2.... And then research the FAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK out of stuff afterwards when I know what really didn't work and what can be improved for the next trip.....

Only problem, I have no way to mount stuff on a bike... So panniers are in order.

Been looking at the Ortlieb stuff.... very nice, but crazy expensive in comparison to the stuff on aliexpress. Is the verdict that it's worth it? What about the Thule options? 

Also, anyone in Pretoria (maybe even JHB) willing to loan their pannier and bag system out in exchange for a 6 cold beverages of your choice? Keen to give things a try before dropping many moola on a set of bags.

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17 minutes ago, Mountain Bru said:



Been looking at the Ortlieb stuff.... very nice, but crazy expensive in comparison to the stuff on aliexpress. Is the verdict that it's worth it? What about the Thule options? 

Also, anyone in Pretoria (maybe even JHB) willing to loan their pannier and bag system out in exchange for a 6 cold beverages of your choice? Keen to give things a try before dropping many moola on a set of bags.

Unfortunately I am not in your area but I have a Thule rack you could borrow and a set of Karrimore panniers.  Never tried the Karrimore on the Thule rack.  Karrimore are bigger (sometimes heel strike) with rain cover and Thule bags are smaller with roll top but quite sufficient.  Unfortunately I use the Thule on a daily basis so they are unavailable.

If you can make a plan I will be happy to oblige.

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A bar bag (roll system with a dry bag), a rear/saddle mounted stuff bag, a top tube in triangle frame bag that still allows access to 2 bottle cages and a top tube above TT bento box should cover you.

That is my plan anyway.

I am considering epoxying some water bottle mounts to my fork. I reckon that will cover all the bases comfortably

31 minutes ago, Mountain Bru said:

Gonna apply option 2.... And then research the FAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK out of stuff afterwards when I know what really didn't work and what can be improved for the next trip.....

Only problem, I have no way to mount stuff on a bike... So panniers are in order.

Been looking at the Ortlieb stuff.... very nice, but crazy expensive in comparison to the stuff on aliexpress. Is the verdict that it's worth it? What about the Thule options? 

Also, anyone in Pretoria (maybe even JHB) willing to loan their pannier and bag system out in exchange for a 6 cold beverages of your choice? Keen to give things a try before dropping many moola on a set of bags.

 

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16 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

A bar bag (roll system with a dry bag), a rear/saddle mounted stuff bag, a top tube in triangle frame bag that still allows access to 2 bottle cages and a top tube above TT bento box should cover you.

That is my plan anyway.

I am considering epoxying some water bottle mounts to my fork. I reckon that will cover all the bases comfortably

 

i guess thats one benefit of having a huge bike. Even with a frame bag i can mount 6 bottles on there no issues haha. probably more if I dig out the holyrail and B-rad

room.jpg

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Just now, MORNE said:

i guess thats one benefit of having a huge bike. Even with a frame bag i can mount 6 bottles on there no issues haha. probably more if I dig out the holyrail and B-rad

room.jpg

PTERODACTYL!!! 

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Just now, Jewbacca said:

PTERODACTYL!!! 

i put that on the other night for "white noise"...and it turns out my wife has never seen it and the next thing I knew she was glued to the screen - thoroughly enjoying herself haha

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4 minutes ago, MORNE said:

i put that on the other night for "white noise"...and it turns out my wife has never seen it and the next thing I knew she was glued to the screen - thoroughly enjoying herself haha

HAHAHAHA 

Next weekend she will want to go to the Catalina Wine Mixer!

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So glad i found this thread. Been wanting to do this for some time. since after munga. doing the long audax rides is awsome but want to do the 1000 miler and then weekend trips from JHB to local plces.

 

Did the parys road a while back. cradle to ventersdrp, then potch to parys was awsome.

 

Have the Silverback gravel Siablo with 29 x 45s.

 

Doing the grit with it and then will see some packing trips.

 

re bags.

 

Sometimes takelot has some nice deals and have been using lizzard and rock bos all under 2k.  also like the warmshowers.com option

 

 

 

 

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5 hours ago, Mountain Bru said:

Gonna apply option 2.... And then research the FAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK out of stuff afterwards when I know what really didn't work and what can be improved for the next trip.....

Only problem, I have no way to mount stuff on a bike... So panniers are in order.

Been looking at the Ortlieb stuff.... very nice, but crazy expensive in comparison to the stuff on aliexpress. Is the verdict that it's worth it? What about the Thule options? 

Also, anyone in Pretoria (maybe even JHB) willing to loan their pannier and bag system out in exchange for a 6 cold beverages of your choice? Keen to give things a try before dropping many moola on a set of bags.

Here's a cheap but worth while pannier: https://www.takealot.com/fine-health-bicycle-rear-rack/PLID72292092?gclid=Cj0KCQjw6s2IBhCnARIsAP8RfAj4ztyEDRvr2887HyTW9hOZ_gEVwSbeTz4IPZZzX_vFx50aP6_iV_YaAjApEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

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