Where has your bike taken you today?

[madmarc]

On 7/4/2022 at 10:24 AM, TyronLab said:

Having fallen prey to my incessant lusting and reminiscing about a Rook Scout, and a SS, this bike unexpectedly jumped onto my bike rack this Saturday. It means I'll need to let Ou Stuk *** go to fund it, but I'm pleased as punch with that trade.

Straddling a Scout again was like coming home to a clean house with a crisp Milk Stout already poured waiting on the counter. Single speeding is exactly what I'd hoped it would be, removing any form of filter from just experiencing riding a bike. My obsession with Stranger Things and being reckless enough to attempt most of one of our hilliest routes on its first outing has made me dub it Hellfire (what my quads were feeling grinding up Fisher's Hill). I was hollering and giggling like a maniac the whole ride, just pure unadulterated, unfiltered, comfortable and nimble fun! There's something primal about grinding up something steep at 40rpm, and once you reach terminal cadence on the flats you sit up and just enjoy the experience. 

As chalk and cheese a combo as you can get - A cheapo 650B steel singlespeed and a top-of-the-pops eTAP carbon-everything Grail.

 

I've had many steak pies from that windmill - I won't mention the stories from the Dunedan though - I would get banned from the hub

[TyronLab]

7 minutes ago, madmarc said:

I've had many steak pies from that windmill - I won't mention the stories from the Dunedan though - I would get banned from the hub

Dude, De Bakkery is De ******* Best! It's a staple at any work "function" (i.e. excuse to buy food on the company credit card) to get two boxes of their mini sausage rolls. I have inhaled fistfuls of them, and they have always been little cylindrical pockets of meaty perfection. 

[TheoG]

18 minutes ago, TyronLab said:

Dude, De Bakkery is De ******* Best! It's a staple at any work "function" (i.e. excuse to buy food on the company credit card) to get two boxes of their mini sausage rolls. I have inhaled fistfuls of them, and they have always been little cylindrical pockets of meaty perfection. 

Never been there but will have to make a plan, look awesome.

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, NotSoBigBen said:

Having one of those times where I just can't seem to get a break if you'll excuse the pun .... but hey

"You could stand me up at the gates of Hell
But I won't back down"

 

Just as long as your brakes still work ... 

 

Even a bad day on the bike is better than a good day in the office !

[TyronLab]

49 minutes ago, TheoG said:

Never been there but will have to make a plan, look awesome.

You totally should. Climbing up Van Riebeeck (Edenvale's main road) is a right of passage for any Jo'Burg cyclist in my opinion. The fact that you can get delicious pies and pastries at the top is just a win. 

You can string it together with other bits in the area to make for a proper bit of climbing (as far as Jozi goes anyway):

https://www.strava.com/activities/6420993572

From the east it's:

• Efficient Engineering
• Greenstone
• Van Riebeeck
• Saheti School
• Club street
• Linksfield/Smoker's corner
• Cobbles/Kallenbach
• Sylvia's pass
• Sovereign
• Back up to Efficient Engineering

[Frosty]

17 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

Just as long as your brakes still work ... 

 

Even a bad day on the bike is better than a good day in the office !

Except NSBB is a retiree, so his bad day at the office is different to us still serving time.

[Frosty]

6 minutes ago, TyronLab said:

You totally should. Climbing up Van Riebeeck (Edenvale's main road) is a right of passage for any Jo'Burg cyclist in my opinion. The fact that you can get delicious pies and pastries at the top is just a win. 

You can string it together with other bits in the area to make for a proper bit of climbing (as far as Jozi goes anyway):

https://www.strava.com/activities/6420993572

From the east it's:

• Efficient Engineering
• Greenstone
• Van Riebeeck
• Saheti School
• Club street
• Linksfield/Smoker's corner
• Cobbles/Kallenbach
• Sylvia's pass
• Sovereign
• Back up to Efficient Engineering

You can tell how long someone has been riding by asking them to describe which line to take through Cobbles.

It’s not the same as it used to be… pity.

[The Ouzo]

45 minutes ago, TyronLab said:

You totally should. Climbing up Van Riebeeck (Edenvale's main road) is a right of passage for any Jo'Burg cyclist in my opinion. The fact that you can get delicious pies and pastries at the top is just a win. 

You can string it together with other bits in the area to make for a proper bit of climbing (as far as Jozi goes anyway):

https://www.strava.com/activities/6420993572

From the east it's:

• Efficient Engineering
• Greenstone
• Van Riebeeck
• Saheti School
• Club street
• Linksfield/Smoker's corner
• Cobbles/Kallenbach
• Sylvia's pass
• Sovereign
• Back up to Efficient Engineering

you did a fair bit of back tracking in certain places. A bit of revision to the route can cut down on the back tracking a fair bit.

But a great ride, all done on a SS makes it even more impressive. Well done.

[Mr Legs]

And a day later there is Sunshine and short sleeves on the green Klipheuwel Trail.

[TyronLab]

27 minutes ago, ouzo said:

you did a fair bit of back tracking in certain places. A bit of revision to the route can cut down on the back tracking a fair bit.

But a great ride, all done on a SS makes it even more impressive. Well done.

Oh no, dude, that ride was from a few months (and bikes) ago. I was just exploring the area a bit, figuring it out as I went along, thus the backtracking.

Although, now that I've conquered Sylvia's on the SS with the big boy 42t chainring I'm keen to see how far I can stretch before needing to walk. I'll try this loop in full and if that works, Suikerbosrand.

If you look up into the bright weekend morning sky and see a shockwave travel through it, followed by what sounds like two lightning bolts thwacking a heavy oak tree, those would be my kneecaps ejecting from my legs and rocketing into the atmosphere.

[TheoG]

Just now, TyronLab said:

Oh no, dude, that ride was from a few months (and bikes) ago. I was just exploring the area a bit, figuring it out as I went along, thus the backtracking.

Although, now that I've conquered Sylvia's on the SS with the big boy 42t chainring I'm keen to see how far I can stretch before needing to walk. I'll try this loop in full and if that works, Suikerbosrand.

If you look up into the bright weekend morning sky and see a shockwave travel through it, followed by what sounds like two lightning bolts thwacking a heavy oak tree, those would be my kneecaps ejecting from my legs and rocketing into the atmosphere.

Suikerbos on a SS, you are much much braver than me.  Those two/three long climbs, 1x12 (granny) for me .... 🙈

[The Ouzo]

20 minutes ago, TyronLab said:

Oh no, dude, that ride was from a few months (and bikes) ago. I was just exploring the area a bit, figuring it out as I went along, thus the backtracking.

Although, now that I've conquered Sylvia's on the SS with the big boy 42t chainring I'm keen to see how far I can stretch before needing to walk. I'll try this loop in full and if that works, Suikerbosrand.

If you look up into the bright weekend morning sky and see a shockwave travel through it, followed by what sounds like two lightning bolts thwacking a heavy oak tree, those would be my kneecaps ejecting from my legs and rocketing into the atmosphere.

I saw that when going through your strava, after my comment above.

 

but silvia's, on a SS, maybe if I drive to the bottom and climb on fresh legs, but I seriously doubt I'll get up there.

[TyronLab]

2 hours ago, Frosty said:

You can tell how long someone has been riding by asking them to describe which line to take through Cobbles.

It’s not the same as it used to be… pity.

I've only ever ridden it in its current form, so I'm keen to hear about it from when everyone had a moustache and drank Lion Lager (by choice).

52 minutes ago, TheoG said:

Suikerbos on a SS, you are much much braver than me.  Those two/three long climbs, 1x12 (granny) for me .... 🙈

 

34 minutes ago, ouzo said:

I saw that when going through your strava, after my comment above.

 

but silvia's, on a SS, maybe if I drive to the bottom and climb on fresh legs, but I seriously doubt I'll get up there.

In all honesty, you'd both be surprised at what you can manage in a tough gear. We're just used to having the luxury of riding at constant power/cadence and the gears doing all the adjusting. I didn't think I could make it either. Not trying to be a hard man, just find it fun.

['Dale]

Cultivate Your Inner Peace In These Restless Times

Edited July 19, 2022 by 'Dale

[DJR]

16 minutes ago, 'Dale said:

Cultivate Your Inner Peace In These Restless Times

Good to see you getting back on form and glad that your sense for composition was not damaged!😜

[capediver]

Halfway house?