Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2018 i Bicycling South Africa

 I LOVE THIS ISSUE OF BICYCLING. I KNOW I SHOULD SAY I LOVE EVERY ISSUE OF BICYCLING, BUT THIS ONE SEEMS EXTRA-SPECIAL. Immediately after reading the article, I tackled a piece of singletrack in the forest that has become my nemesis. I can’t put my finger on exactly why; but it has something to do with the variety of great content we’ve managed to cram in this month, from Aaron Borrill’s raw and honest interview with the king of sock-doping, Sean Sakinofsky (‘Action Figure’, p46) to the pictures of Mr Sako taken by the supremely talented Desmond Louw (who also took our cover shot). Then there’s a story we grabbed from our US partners called ‘Thanks For The Ride’ (p27), in which cyclists pay tribute to the men and women…

HEY RICH, IF THE CYCLING community in our area has a heart, it beats within your chest. Five years ago, I wanted to start a bike messenger company. I reached out to influential leaders in cycling seeking advice on how to do it. I was 24, clueless, and full of ambition. Nobody would take me or my aspirations seriously. Except you. I had heard of your blog, Cyclelicious, and was floored when you agreed to meet with me, a complete stranger. You provided contacts that would facilitate my desire to create a career out of riding a bicycle. As my passions began to take flight, you never ceased supporting me. While riding to and from work, you would tell your fellow commuters how their employers should be using my company’s…

USSA This 3- to 5-day tour is held annually around June, at various venues, to decide University National Champions, and it incorporates both road and mountain biking. It’s the biggest national event for competitors who are also pursuing coursework. ussa.org.za UNIVERSIADE Held every two years, this is an international multi-sport event, organised for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). The name is a combination of the words ‘University’ and ‘Olympiad’, and the event is the pinnacle of university sports. The most recent edition was held in Taipei, Taiwan. Cycling is not one of the 15 compulsory sporting codes; however, there are three optional sports, which historically have often included cycling. VARSITY MTB CHALLENGE Although geographically exclusionary, it’s exciting to see corporate sponsors like FNB get behind a…

OPTION 1 Probably one of the least-liked forms of training: three to five minutes of all-out effort, termed ‘VO2 intervals’. The pace starts hard but steady, and you hold it, with heart rate going right into the 90%+ region in the latter part of the interval. Recover with an easy pedal equal to the duration of the interval. Build to a total time of 15 to 20 minutes a session, and never more than once a week. OPTION 2 Another great way to condition the aerobic system is with short bursts of 30 seconds hard, 30 seconds easy pedal. Build to 20 to 30 minutes total volume of hard pedalling (so, between 40 and 60 intervals in a session). Heart rate will climb to 90%; this could be…

I WAS JUST ANOTHER FRUSTRATED DRIVER, ‘STUCK IN TRAFFIC’. BULLSHIT. LIKE EVERY OTHER DRIVER AROUND ME, I WASN’T ‘STUCK IN TRAFFIC’ – WE WERE THE TRAFFIC. My bicycle saves my life every day. It’s my only bike, and my only vehicle. Gears? They’re for people who want too much to think about. Hills? Bring it; I know them well. Hipster? I am hip (at least, I like to think so) and I have hips – that will need replacing from too much running and riding, if I don’t do more yoga – but I’m too bloody old by half to fake hipsterhood. My bicycle is a roadster the colour of freshly oxygenated blood. A thing of brilliance called a VanMoof Bambooman carrier…

Sean Sakinofsky is to cycling what Paul Smith is to the fashion world – a sartorial genius, who meticulously crafts his creations with unwavering passion. In Sean’s case, his creative process is fuelled by everything from cycling to fashion, from aviation to the great artists of cubism, modernism and surrealism. While his inspiration stems from all he encounters, it’s the time Sean spends in the saddle that has produced some of his greatest work. It’s sad then that he’s better known internationally than here in South Africa; but this may very well change in coming years, as cycling becomes more lifestyle-orientated and less competitive. With over 50 000 followers, Sean is one of the biggest cycling personalities on Instagram, and his engagement with fans and supporters is what sets him…

 They say there are huge barriers to entry in the cycling world. They are correct. But barriers are not only cost-related. Because even if you have all the money in the world, but lack the correct attire, for the correct occasion, worn the correct way… you’ll find yourself cycling single. Trust me. So serious is my MAMIL about cycling that he even has a Bike Cave. And so serious is he about cycling attire that his bikes all have matching shoes. Not that my MAMIL claims to be the last word on cycling fashion or etiquette. In fact, after over 20 years in the saddle, he still asks my opinion on his gear. “Is this too loose?” he says, turning a nasty shade of blue as the Lycra prevents…

Best wine tasting Tour de Braai (Herold Wines, De Krans, Boplaas, De Doornkraal’s Aan’t Vette Wine Estate) Best partner Has to be the LOPPers, Andrew, Jonathan and Chris, who all waited for me at the Knysna Bull when the intense heat had rendered my cycling ability useless. Best trail sectopn Berg & Bush’s Spioenkop descent, & joBerg2c’s Day 6 Rock ‘n’ Roll section. Best water point I think Day 6 of joBerg2c, where I had a sandwich with bacon, pork sausage and grilled cheese. Okay, maybe more than one… Best kit Tour de Braai Best-looking Berg & Bush Best portage Wines2Whales. Best overall experience Pondo Pedal, purely because we won the last stage and have a wooden fish trophy to prove it. Best medal Tour de Braai (spoiler alert –…

CYCLE TOUR LITMUS TEST If you’re eyeing a little leg-spinner to test your mettle for the upcoming Cape Town Cycle Tour, this is the one you’re aiming for. There are two route options: a 72km and a 110km, the latter of which also serves as the final seeding event for the Cycle Tour. Both routes take in stiff climbs up Tiekiedraai and Vissershok Roads, before winding their way through Durbanville and onto some flatter sections via Wellington Road. They follow the same roads for a large part of the race, but split eventually, giving the long-route racers more winding roads and leg-searing undulations before they rejoin the 72km route for the last stretch to the finish. 25 FEBRUARY, DURBANVILLE RACECOURSE, 110KM, 72KM GAUTENG BESTMED BERGE EN DALE CLASSIC This one…

EMBRACE IT “It’s good training, and makes you stronger. Plus, a tough ride in wind is better than no ride at all.” – Jono Ancer “Treat it like you’re moving through water: don’t fight it. You’ll get tossed around, but if you stay relaxed it won’t kick your ass.” – Lydia Tanner, online editor “Always ride, no matter what. Suck it up and HTFU.” – Aaron Borrill “Attack into the wind. You’ll look tougher than you may feel.” – Mike Yozell, gear writer “Count it as free training! Hooray for having to push more watts!” – Molly Hurford, online writer SCREW IT “I stay off the bike if it’s too dangerous. It’s a chance for a rest day, or to hit the indoor trainer” – Mike Finch “Check forecasts: is…

1. BUY A KID’S FIRST HELMET “There’s a photo in my parents’ home of toddler me wearing jorts, a T-shirt festooned with trucks, an enormous foam dome that sits loose on my tiny head, and a wide, toothy smile. Today, we’d say that white mushroom didn’t fit properly. But in the mid-’80s, it’s a wonder my parents decided a helmet was necessary and found one close to the right size. I took any opportunity to wear that helmet – whether I was strapped into the seat on the back of my dad’s bike or proudly marching around the house. I loved it – and under my possibly protective Spaceball, I came to love cycling too.” – Andrew Bernstein, senior marketing manager 2. TREAT THEM AS EQUALS “In primary…

Rides WHAT IT TAKES TO RIDE... CASCADES MTB PARK F As a Kaapenaar, I’d heard all the usual things about the trails in KwaZulu-Natal – they were smooth, manicured, and nah, not much climbing. Well, I’ve spent the past three months on the slopes of the Cascades mountain-bike park in Pietermaritzburg, and they are nothing like that. Nothing. Let’s start with ‘smooth and manicured’: the exact opposite is true. They are grainy, rutted, sometimes overgrown; and quite often, with fallen branches in the way. And ‘not much climbing’? At Cascades, you spend most of your time either climbing sharp ascents or dropping down some pretty testing descents. A climb to the top of the old UCI World Championship downhill course goes on and on, and is so steep, you have…

Paris “Attenseeoooon!” That’s not how you spell ‘Watch out!’ in French, but it is what she said as she rattled across the Pont Notre-Dame, yelling her warning – shrill and urgent, her flouncy skirt flouncing for all its worth – one golden evening this European summer. I will never forget her. The pedestrians duly paid attention, and no untoward contact was made. It almost never is, in a city where so many people are on bicycles, you wonder why anyone would downgrade to a car. And no-one rides an ugly bike, of course. Chandigarh Yes, in India. But it’s India’s only planned city, way up north in the Punjab. That means the traffic makes sense, even to comparatively sheltered South Africans. So many vehicles – of all descriptions, and some…

After last year’s refresh to the Reverb and Reverb Stealth dropper seatposts, to make them smoother (and last longer between service intervals), it was only a matter of time before the original trigger got a revamp as well. In 2011, the plunger was a solid design. It could be mounted almost anywhere on the bar, which was important because with shifters on both sides, space was limited. Now, thanks to the proliferation of 1x drivetrains, front shifters have started disappearing, opening up the left side of the bar for dropper triggers that resemble shift levers. This is SRAM’s – bigger, better positioned, easier to operate, and it works like a bomb. If you’re already a Reverb rider, there’s an upgrade kit. If you’re not and you want to be, your…

People are often surprised when they hear what I do, and assume I’m the only female in this field. But that’s not true! My interest in bike building started when I became the safety training officer for a bicycle-related NPO in Cape Town. I worked with schools to teach learners to cycle, and would make adjustments to bicycles as well. It interested me, so I did a bicycle-repair course, to improve my skills and use them on the learners’ bikes. Then in 2015 I founded Bicycles And Beyond (BAB) with my friend Beverley Roode, to empower women and children by teaching them about cycling, bike maintenance and repair. In 2016 Qhubeka opened their bicycle assembly plant, and wanted experienced, skilled women to run it. We fitted the bill, and we…

WEIGHT FOR IT… IS IT REALLY ALL ABOUT WEIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO CLIMBING AND DESCENDING? It SEEMS that simple: the lighter rider crests the hill first, and the heavier rider makes it down first. But there’s more to the puzzle than weight, says coach Tim Hall. True, a lighter rider may have less mass to drag up a hill, but he’ll struggle if he lacks strength and a solid aerobic engine. And plenty of heavier riders are able to scamper up an incline. Descending, on the other hand, comes down to skill – before weight, power, or any other physiological factor. “It’s about knowing how to take the fastest line, and when to brake, use momentum, and power out of turns,” Hall says – adding that the sweet spot…

One thing that can derail any MTB ride, no matter how skilful you are, is poor suspension set-up. Most mountain bikes have at least a front suspension fork, and many have a shock absorber in the rear as well. These make big bumps almost disappear as you roll over them. But they only work if you have them set to their active positions. With time, you’ll learn the finer nuances of setting your sag (how much travel you use up just sitting on the bike) and rebound. But what you definitely should know is how to lock out and/ or open up your suspension, so you don’t accidentally roll out onto a crazy-technical trail with a fully rigid bike. FOR MORE TIPS, VISIT: BICYCLING.CO.ZA/BEGINNERMTB…

In the world of endurance mountain biking, Jean Biermans needs no introduction – particularly here in South Africa, arguably the home of the toughest form of the discipline. A former 24-hour World Champion, the 43-year-old Dutchman is as hardcore as they come, with a resilient streak that’s helped him to thrive at the sharp end of the racing spectrum. South Africa is a second home to Biermans – he loves the culture, the people, the incredible scenery and terrain. It’s no wonder he’s celebrated some of his most exceptional wins here, the most notable of which were back-to-back 36One MTB Challenge victories in 2014 and 2015. However, it was another ultra-endurance race – The Munga – that brought him back to SA recently. Though he was targeting the win, unfortunately…

IN 2017, MY INTENTION WAS TO CYCLE MORE. CYCLE FOR FUN, TO WORK, FOR COFFEE. BUT BECAUSE PART OF MY JOB IS HELPING MOUNTAIN-BIKE RACE ORGANISERS GET PUBLICITY FOR THEIR EVENTS, ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER; AND WITHOUT EVEN TRYING, I ENDED UP WITH SEVEN STAGE-TYPE EVENTS UNDER MY BELT. IN A YEAR! FROM THE FORESTS OF KNYSNA TO THE MANGROVE SWAMPS OF THE WILD COAST TO THE DRY, BARREN KLEIN KAROO, MY BIKES TOOK ME ALL ACROSS SOUTH AFRICA. AND ON REFLECTION, THERE’S ONLY ONE CONCLUSION TO BE DRAWN: LIFE IS MUCH MORE FUN ON A BICYCLE. 1 TOUR DE BRAAI & TOUR DE BRAAI II WHAT A five-day tour of the Klein Karoo and Overberg region of the Western Cape, hosted by South Africa’s braaimaster – Jan Braai.…