tinmug

I'm in two minds about rear suspension. Yes, it is very nice, but it requires one more thing that needs maintenance and is often heavy. The Titan in links above look pretty good. The Giant is a nice bike but this example looks, um, well used. Also seems to be wear on the stanchions? Also the Anthem doesn't not have the best of reputations for heavy riders. The Specialized at Bike Market looks nice too – pity about the mixed bag of drivetrain components and the stanchions look like they may ave wear (pricey to rectify); strangely their condition ratings don't cover that? Might be worth enquiring though. Merida: rusty chain indicates poor maintenance. White forks are OLD forks.

Don't buy the cheapest bike you can find. Find out what the various groupsets are (that would be the derailleur, shifters etc) and aim for (at least) mid range. So at least (plain) Deore in Shimano and whatever the equivalent is in Sram (NX?). If possible go Shimano SLX or Sram GX: very good quality and as expensive to maintain as their high-end stuff. Single chainring in the front nice to have. Front suspension: avoid coil spring forks like the plague it is. Must be air, and of used the stanchions (metal rods) must be 300% blemish and oil free. Definitely scour the used market: some great bikes there for a LOT less than you'd pay new. Awesome journey ahead. Welcome and ENJOY. 🙂

I would head south – west of the river – and leave the car at one of the many guest farms.

... we all saw what PFP and VDP did with the previous Olympics' first big drop ... And to think neither of them are in Araxa. 🤷‍♂️

I'd still go carbon if I were buying. 😅

I don't know, but it is a LOT more difficult to repair than carbon fibre (if at all possible). Upshot of alloy over carbon is price and it will slowly break, thereby saving your collarbones and spine.

Since I can’t find any terms and conditions related to the type/make of saddle you’re supposed to use with Assos bibs I’d say absolutely yes: warranty claim valid. If the agent won’t help you take your fight straight to Switzerland. I’ve seen this sort of oh-because-so-so-the-gaurantee-is-not-valid nonsense in this country far too often. 🤯

😍 Perfection.

I'm sure everything has already been said here, but allow me to add the bits that came to mind immediately (without reading through the whole discussion ... sheesh people, I know it's only Wednesday but there is work to do!). Hardtail: quite frankly I find the stress of looking after pivots and yet another suspension part far more stressful than it sound to me before I bought a bike. Then again my local mechanic is seemingly as skilled as a Mongolian nun when it comes to servicing bikes, and the next nearest mechanic is only marginally better. Also I am poor. And old. So image is not a priority for me. What was the question again (see! I told you I'm old)? Second wheel set does make sense. Or a cheap road bike. it will make you enjoy your MTB even more. * Disclaimer: it's been a few years since I've ridding a hard tail, so I may be writing from a sense of false impression re the comfort and the effects on my wrinkly old arse. But I like mechanical simplicity. And I suppose what I was really trying to say above (but didn't; refer to my point re age) is that buy a hard tail might leave a little change that can go towards a nice little carbon gravel bike. You know you want to. Why else would you seek encouragement? 😆

The R27 – from a road safety perspective – is a lot better with the speed cameras in place (it used to be mayhem with people driving north of 160 km/h, meaning more driving inside the yellow line). Lots of truck traffic (although nowhere near as bad as an N road or the route to Namibia), and I'd avoid cycling it on Fridays and Sundays. Cannot comment on road surface – ride a MTB and don't ride the R27. Another vote for ducking into the West Coast National Park: (gets you off the R27 sooner and) great meandering route along the southern lagoon and spits you out into Langebaan, with a pretty safe passage on north towards the Saldanha airport where you can turn right towards Vredenburg and then on to St Helena (all pretty safe I think, with a narrow stretch as you come up to Slipper Bay again). Another option is to Malmesbury, then west to Darling, continue towards Yzerfontein, short stretch on R27 to West Coast National Park gate. Pretty scenic riding and avoids the get-there-as-fast-as-possible types and fewer trucks from Malmesbury onwards. Enjoy the ride.

Fair argument. I still won't give DSTV a cent. 😆

This service materialised pretty late. I suspect the UCI reacted to growing discontent by viewers (or the sponsors put pressure on them to extend the broadcast reach). That said I would not be surprised to see a smart TV app appear in the coming weeks/months. Easy enough on Mac environment: open on browser and send it to Apple TV and watch in the lounge with popcorn on coffee table. Nothing unique about that; every other device has the same wireless and effortless capabilities. Support the feed (i.e. pay for it) and it will remain available to us in bottom of Africa.

Yes.

Evie and some Kiwi roadie.

Reboot and back in business. 👌