Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2015 i Bicycling South Africa

THE RULE OF THIRDS: Any photographer will tell you that positioning your subject on a ‘third’ line of a picture will make it better. Divide your frame into three thirds across and three thirds down, using two lines down and two lines across. When you take a picture, position your subject on either of the two third lines down. The same goes for the horizon: By positioning the horizon on the line of the lower third, or the line of the higher third, you create space and interest for the viewer.…

While that coffee-shop muffin may look tempting, you want something more substantial, says cycling nutritional coach Jordan Dubé. That mushroom-shaped hunk of sugar and flour is full of carbs that are high GI, so your body converts them to glucose quickly. That may lead to a blood-sugar spike and subsequent crash, meaning you could end up with an empty tank before you’re ready to stop. Instead, combine fats and proteins with low-GI carbs, which offer a steadier energy release. A meal of 60 per cent carbohydrate, 20 per cent fat, and 20 per cent protein is a good place to start – try an omelette packed with onions, peppers, and greens. If you’re in a hurry, two slices of low-GI seed-loaf toast with almond butter and fruit preserves make a…

WINNING TIP POWDER YOUR BABY To make your tyres last longer, dust new inner tubes with baby powder before installing. It makes the rubber’s surface slippery, preventing tyre and tube from sticking to each other, and reducing friction that could wear a hole in your tube. – Rita van Wyk Getting Cranky Shift into the big ring before working on your front derailleur, or on anything close to the crank. That way you won’t mangle your hand on the teeth of the chain ring. – Ryno Labuschagne Spin Cycle For beginners: it’s useful to join a spinning class at the gym a few times a week. It introduces you to the various techniques and terminology you need to know to start cycling. – Leonie van Zyl PRO TWEETS Louis Meintjes…

THE IDEA OF ‘EATING CLEAN’ IS MORE than an excuse for your friends to Instagram their salads. It means filling your plate with nutrient-rich, whole foods that have undergone as little processing as possible. Not only does it help you stay lean, it improves your energy levels and sleep quality – all of which translate to better performance on the bike. Try these five clean-food swops to improve your fuel before, during, and after the ride. KEY NOT CLEAN CLEAN CLEANEST Salmon FARM-RAISED TINNED WILD FRESH WILD Farm-raised salmon is far more likely to be exposed to antibiotics and persistent organic pollutants – which are associated with obesity, diabetes, and cancer – than fish raised in a natural environment. If you can’t get fresh wild salmon, go for the tinned…

1 #battenspill This is an example of great storytelling. Fellow pro Angelo Calilap took a bad tumble at a race called the Tour of the Battenkill. Over the next few weeks, he used this hashtag to document his recovery on Instagram. If you’re going to cover an event, make a plan. Look at all the content you’ve created, and don’t be afraid to trim – post only what moves your narrative forward. 2 Squaready Sometimes my most creative content comes from working within a set of rules; for example, Instagram’s square-only format forced me to pay extra attention to photo composition. While you can now upload landscape and portrait photos to the platform, landscapes in particular will display more cleanly in your feed if you use an app like Squaready,…

THE SCOOP ON THE FAKE IMPORTING TREND IN SA: FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH. The world of importing fake and grey bikes is a little like Fight Club. Remember the first rule of Fight Club? You don’t talk about importing fakes, either. But we found a Cape Town counterfeit dealer willing to spill the beans about the murky business he’s in. The dealer – who, unsurprisingly, has asked not to be named – got into the importing game while building a bike for himself. “I needed a carbon rim, so I decided to import it via a contact in China.” After success with the wheel, he started importing other parts, and soon his friends got wind of it. “Then their friends started contacting me, and it just grew.” He’s upfront with…

1 BONTRAGER TLR FLASH CHARGER Take the guesswork out of seating your tubeless tyres with the TLR Flash Charger. It sports an additional high-pressure air cylinder that can be ‘charged’ with air and then released in a single burst, seating your tubeless tyre on the rim. Simple and klaar – no swear words or trips to the petrol station needed! R1 700 dhbdistribution.co.za 2 MATBLAC QUICKDRAW Tired of lugging around a bulky wallet that takes up too much space? Handmade in Cape Town, the sleek, genuine leather Quickdraw wallet reduces clutter by keeping things to a minimum. A slot on either side will hold your two most frequently used cards, while an internal sleeve offers space for bank notes and up to five more cards. Less is more!…

THE INBOX KEEP IT UP, MARITZBURG ! Two years ago, driving through Pietermaritzburg in the mornings entailed rolling behind large groups of cyclists, taking up the only lane in the suburbs. This meant starting your morning at 20km/h – not good if you’re an overweight social pedaller like me, raising my (already high) blood pressure. These days, things have changed. Cyclists and motorists are working together: cyclists pull into single file as a car approaches, and the majority of the motorists are more than willing to wait until it’s safe to pass. This has made even me dust off my bike and spandex to join in! – BRUCE FROST FACEBOOK FEEDBACK WHAT’S THE FASTEST SPEED YOU’VE EVER CLOCKED ON YOUR BIKE? MOST OF YOU SAY BETWEEN 60 AND 80KM/H. HAVE…

Mountain-bike stage races have become increasingly popular in SA: there are more now than you can shake a shock pump at. But accusations have surfaced that some events are being strangled by the iron grip of corporate culture – not only from sponsors, but also from some riders. Glen Haw – aka Farmer Glen – is pushing back, and he’s determined to shake the Sani2C loose from its corporate clutches. The world-class race he launched in 2005 has become “too corporate-y – I should have stamped it out early on,” he admits. He believes there’s a new generation of ‘entitled’ riders, who throw their weight around when they don’t get their way. “We’ve had riders swearing at us. The spirit of mountain biking has become hijacked by people who are…

In today’s world of large-scale mechanisation and gigantic economies of scale, our heart skips a beat when we come across the likes of artisan frame-builder Dave Mercer and custom painter Jared Mahaffey, who work hand-in-hand to create unique works of art like this pearlescent orange beauty. Every steel frame that leaves Mercer’s workshop is 100% custom-built to the exact, and often eccentric, specifications of each loving owner. From the shape of this frame’s oversized Columbus Zona tubing (identifiable by the white dove) to the specific angles, there’s no other frame on the planet quite like it. Once off the brazing jig, Mahaffey painstakingly paints – by hand – every detail, from the metallic gold lugs to the airbrushed and stencilled logos and graphics, culminating in what is a truly personalised…

December is a difficult time, as holidays and parties make it tough to maintain your weight. But it’s a good time to mix up your riding and hit new routes, to keep training fresh especially with the longer days giving you more time to fit in early-morning or late-afternoon weekday rides. The added bonus to this is that it creates a kilojoule deficit, which allows you to eat a bit more when the parties come around. And if you don’t eat as much as you’ve burned off, you could actually lose some unwanted mass. Be conscious, though, of keeping a decent and continuous output – heart rate 70-80% on long rides – so you consume a reasonable amount of energy, while stimulating excellent aerobic adaptations. A three-hour ride at 200…

Q /A Can I split up my weekday training ride between the two legs of my commute, and get the same effect as one longer ride? Go ahead and use your commutes to get your shorter rides, says Jason Boynton, an exercise physiologist and Cycling Level 1 coach. Technically, two short rides are not exactly the same as one longer one of the same total time and distance: you’ll have a long rest in between, and spend more of your kays in warm-up mode. But the difference in the training effect is minimal, he says. Just don’t split up your weekend long rides, since you need to practise fuelling and know how your body will handle the extended saddle time. And try to still get at least one day off…

CHECK OUT THE SELLER So many counterfeit items originate in China that a seller based there should be an automatic red flag. Legitimate dealers have dedicated websites outside of their marketplace identities, which should be listed in their profiles. Use this to verify their dealer status with the manufacturer. READ LISTINGS CAREFULLY When it says “email for colour/graphics,” it probably means the seller has omitted those details to evade brand security. Also, positive reviews can be misleading; they might be notes from buyers simply saying the item arrived on time. Likewise, a seller’s membership in a “preferred/verified seller” programme may have little to do with the legitimacy of the merchandise. RESEARCH BRAND POLICIES If you see frames that look like Venges alongside others that look like Dogma F8s and Look…

TIP OF AFRICA Cape Agulhas offers the perfect environment for a great ride, as well as a family holiday. There are beaches, vineyards, and a bit of history – the lighthouse is the oldest in the country. The race has a 70km main event, and a 30km for those who’d prefer an easier afternoon. There’s also a 10km for novices, and several short kids’ rides. The 70km has become legendary – the combination of distance and terrain is testing, with sand, gravel, jeep track and some leg-searing climbs. The 30km route is not as tough, but it has one climb you’ll either love or hate, depending on your skill level. The 10km is the easy one, but that doesn’t mean you should skip it if you’re fit. The route hugs…

IN THE WORLD OF INSTAGRAMMING CYCLISTS, KEVIN RODNEY BENKENSTEIN IS THE GUY! So popular is @kevinbenky that his style of Instagram photography in SA is being copied by other wannabee Instacyclists, who tag their pictures simply ‘#benkystyle’. Benkenstein is based in Joburg, and while his relatively small group of 805 followers doesn’t compare to the followings of national celebrities and Taylor Swift, he represents what’s best about riding a bike in South Africa. Benkenstein posts pictures on his feed using a mixture of wide-angled scenic shots and close-up styles, mixed in with his trademark ‘bike-in-the-centre-of-a-desolate-and-scenic-road’ shot – i.e. #benkystyle. The cycling-and-Instagram phenomenon is nothing new. Ever since the social media platform started out, cyclists have been posting stunning pictures of the places they ride, the kit they wear and the…

OLD TOUR DE FRANCE VIDEOS My grandparents recorded the 2000 Tour de France on their VCR. I’d watch those videos over and over again. Dutch rider Erik Dekker of Rabobank wasn’t a climber or a sprinter, but he won three stages that year. He threw caution to the wind and just went for it. Watching him put it all on the line gave me courage. Before that I was happy with just finishing a race or ride. Those videos taught me the value of taking a risk – if that means getting dropped, so be it. Some people are happy sitting on a wheel; I’d rather go for it and achieve something. Through the possibility of failure, there’s a bigger chance for glory. AARON TUCKERMAN, 31 / CAPE TOWN…

Dr Sharleen Hoar, a performance psychology consultant who works with high-level cyclists, shares some tips for being cycling-happy. BE SELF-AWARE “The happiest cyclists I see are ones who are extremely self-aware,” Hoar says. “The closer cycling aligns with their values, the happier they are.” MANAGE YOUR TIME You might be unhappy because cycling infringes on the rest of your life – so cut down on volume. Hoar says if your life feels out of balance, you may be making yourself miserable. GET ORGANISED If your shifting is sub-par, or your cleats are so worn you can’t pedal, it’s easy to see riding as a chore. Clean up your gear, and get your bike in working condition. If you remove the external barriers, you may find the internal ones disappear too.…

While you may think your fitness gives you a healthy heart, you should consider this: regular participation in exercise and athletic competition is also associated with a threefold-increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest. How can that be? It’s caused by the combination of intense physical exercise in athletes with underlying cardiovascular disease. Among individuals over the age of 35, the primary cause of sudden cardiac arrest is a fatal heart attack. This occurs when an atherosclerotic plaque in one of the coronary arteries ruptures and forms a clot, starving that area of the heart of blood. Contrary to previous belief, just being fit does not mean you’ll be protected from a heart attack. You still need to look after that body. Here are warning signs for older riders to look…

Follow a process rather than a plan, and keep it simple. As an example, training can be organised into three phases: 1 PEPARE FOR TRAINING Introduce High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), but at a low volume. Build endurance with volume rides, especially if basic aerobic conditioning is lacking. Develop basic bike-handling skills and off-the-bike physical conditioning, make smart nutrition choices, and monitor recovery. 2 ADAPT TO TRAINING Increase the volume of HIIT and endurance training (as aerobic condition improves). Develop more advanced bike-handling skills and off-the-bike physical conditioning, make smart nutrition choices, and monitor recovery. 3 APPLY TRAINING (RACE) Maintain HIIT. Prepare for your race with tapering. After the race, evaluate your performance to adjust future training, recovery and tapering. Reduce but continue off-the-bike conditioning, developing more advanced bike-handling skills…

1984 The year Australian pro Phil Anderson and American world champion Greg LeMond began wearing Oakley Factory Pilots. “Greg and I started giving them to selected riders,” Anderson says. “No one really wanted them. But once the price ($150 – in 1984!) was released, they became ‘extravagant’, and all of a sudden every pro wanted to be a friend and get Oakleys.” 75 percentage of the peloton wearing Factory Pilots by the middle of the 1984 season NO-FLY ZONE Modern lids like the Giro Synthe and the POC Octal come with docks designed to keep glasses from sailing off your helmet, even on bumpy roads. Hardshell helmets became required headgear in the pro peloton in 2003. Great Britain’s David Millar was one of the first to pioneer the art of…

“About a year ago I found my almost-forgotten, rusted Hutch under a tarpaulin above my folks’ garage. It sent me back in time to when I was nine, to my earliest racing memories, and the enthusiasm that led to me falling in love with two wheels – an energy that still flows through my veins.” These emotional words by Gary Barnard, two-time SA Downhill champion and multiple provincial BMX, Motocross and Downhill champ, speak volumes about the connection that so many of us have to that special bike… the one that sparked it all off. THE GOLDEN RATIO Barnard’s nine-year-old legs powered out of the start gate on a 43-16 gear ratio – his ‘golden ratio’, he jokes, as the ‘big boys’ raced on a 44-16 combo. The Hutch’s three-piece…

The in-house testing lab at the HQ of Specialized Bicycle Components in California is a gleaming example of engineering efficiency: a spacious shop where brutish machines rip and wrench bike frames and parts to - and past - their limits. On this particular morning, a special frame sits on the frontal-impact rig. The Venge is an intimidating broadsword of a bike, with a menacing coat of matte-black paint bisected on the down tube by a murderous red slash. A bright white decal spells ‘McLaren’ on the top tube, the logo of Britain’s storied supercar maker and F1 racing team, and Specialized’s longtime technology partner. The pedal-fatigue test is long and numbingly dull. Test engineers fix the fork to a rigid point on the test jig, and the rear dropouts to…

GIRO AEON HELMET Helmets sold in the US must undergo Consumer Product Safety Commission testing and carry a sticker certifying that they pass (or a Snell B90A sticker, essentially the same standard). Many fakes purchased in the US have incorrect markings, such as a CE (European standard). The CPSC test has multiple components: One measures the integrity of the straps; several others measure impact. DYNAMIC RETENTION TEST The helmet is strapped and adjusted to a level head form. A 4kg weight is secured to the chinstrap and dropped 0.6m. The straps can’t stretch more than 30mm. The Fake Exceeded 30mm = FAIL IMPACT TEST A helmet is strapped to a 5kg head form and dropped from various heights onto flat, hemispherical, and ‘kerbstone’ metal anvils. Peak instantaneous acceleration on impact…

VERSUS SOCKS MOST STYLISH WAY TO BRACKET YOUR PINS BANANA WATTS! Stellenbosch has seen considerable crime reduction – crimes of fashion, that is. Versus Socks is a small operation based in Stellenbosch, started by two young guns (Hanno Lategan and Jurgens Uys) who are passionate about providing clean and simple yet striking sock designs to roadies and mountain bikers alike. Critical to Versus Socks’ success is their height… not too low, not too high, smack bang in the middle – mid-calf, to be precise. Bravo guys, we love crime-fighters at Bicycling! PRICE R89 WHERE versussocks.co.za MTN-QHUBEKA CERVÉLO S5 TEAM EDITION THE PRO BIKE WE DROOLED OVER DROOL. In July the cycling world was held captive by the incredible journey of MTN-Qhubeka, who enjoyed a dream Tour de France: Eritrean…

WESTERN CAPE CAPE AGULHAS MTB CLASSIC 12 DECEMBER Two hours’ drive from Cape Town, Cape Agulhas plays host to the Cape Agulhas MTB Classic. The area, rich in unique fauna and flora, offers a tough 72km challenge for the experienced rider, a 45km scenic route and a 35km route – as well as a 10km option for beginners and kids. Surrounding towns and villages include Napier, Elim, Bredasdorp, Struisbaai and Arniston, as well as De Mond Nature Reserve. With so much to do, why not make it a family weekend at Africa’s southernmost point? – Renay Groustra FREE STATE THE MUNGA 2-7 DECEMBER In December the race calendar goes on holiday, but if you want to postpone your break, why not ride The Munga, the self-proclaimed Toughest Race on Earth?…