Innholdsfortegnelse for March - April 2020 i Bicycling South Africa

IT’S NOT A RACE. IT’S A JOURNEY. Nothing captures the ethos of the Cape Town Cycle Tour better than this. IT'S A GLORIOUS CELEBRATION OF THE POWER OF BICYCLES, AND OF THOUSANDS OF WILLING MINDS. For aday, one of the biggest cities in the world closes off its most treasured roads in favour of two-wheeled domination. This is a race that has inspired events such as Ride London and Ride New York – and the idea that cycling really can make a difference. // THE CYCLE TOUR IS PART OF OUR NATIONAL HERITAGE. It is ingrained in our culture beyond just being asporting event; and in 2020, this sporting event will celebrate its 42nd iteration, with a field in excess of 30 000. // AMONG THEM WILL BE REGULARS, NOVICES,…

1996 Ryder brand launched, comprising locally-produced products including water bottles, tyre liners and helmets 1997 Ryder introduces its range of floor and foot pumps 1998 Ryder launches gloves, lights, cages and folding tools range 2000 Ryder extends its offering to include saddles, saddle covers, locks, pedals, cycling computers, storage bags and puncture kits 2012 Ryder introduces tube and tyre sealant (locally-produced) to the range 2014 Ryder shoes introduced 2017 Ryder range exported to Europe, Australia and Asia 2018 Ryder SlugPlug is launched both locally and internationally under the Ryder Innovation label 2019 Ryder Innovation introduces its Nutcracker and Slyder products. Uniquely designed, manufactured and tested in SA and distributed globally…

The women’s race was led by defending champion Janine Stewart, until she scratched with numb, cramping hands. After her win with a broken vertebra in 2018, she’d been the definite favourite. Her withdrawal left the door open for Namibian rider Anri Parker to hold off Elaine Beytel for the win. In third, Munga veteran Nicky Booyens claimed her first podium, making her the proud owner of seven Munga medals – four in the MTB event, and three in the trail run. No one has more. Perfectly positioned, then, to inspire the rest of us to give it a bash……

Any cattle trail in Lesotho There’s something magical about bombing down a path created by nature itself! Mankele (Nelspruit) Some nice bush tunnels to fly through on your way down. Welvanpas (Wellington) I have some good memories from the Absa Cape Epic there, and the flowing trails are perfectly designed to keep you busy for a couple of hours. Karkloof (KwaZulu-Natal) A lot of planning and hard work went into creating anetwork that’s a mix of natural and handmade trails. From open and flowing to some technical rock gardens, there’s something for everyone. In and around George (Eden District) These are my home trails. They’re underrated, natural and steep – the kind of stuff that keeps me awake at night, sometimes. Van Gaalens Cheese Farm (Hartbeespoort) This place, not too…

CYCLING CAN BE torture with the wrong clothing. Runners and hikers might laugh at us as we stomp around the coffee shop in our lycra, but a good pair of bib shorts is absolutely crucial for long-distance happiness on a bike. Once you’ve discovered a comfortable pair that works for you, you’ll be amazed at how much more fun cycling becomes. We spoke to Lauren Neethling, a designer at First Ascent, about what goes into crafting a quality pair of bibs. Q: What’s comfortable for one rider might not be for another. How do you design a bib that should suit most people? A: You have to go the distance during the testing phase. When we were designing and developing our Podium bibs, we had prototypes tested by a wide…

Paper Padding: It can be chilly in the start chutes, but you don’t want to carry a jacket all the way round the Peninsula. Solution: a newspaper – like the pros still do in the Grand Tours – is perfect for keeping your body warm. Plus it’s less damaging to the environment than a plastic bin liner. Something Savoury: Sickly sweet is the order of the day, as we ingest more sugar than an eight-year-old at a birthday party. Pack a small amount of biltong or droëwors, too – or anything savoury and salty – to give your poor taste buds a break. A Saturday Spin: It’s good idea to loosen up ahead of the big day, as long as you don’t overdo it. An easy ride along the coastal…

There are some basic rules that will take you from happy snaps to semi-pro – effortlessly. But feel free to break any or all of them, too; this is art. Light: always have your light source (the sun, in this case) behind you. Unless you’re taking a selfie; in which case, have the phone between you and the light source, so you’re well-lit and not a dark blob. Selfie Skills 101: for an added ounce of drama, tilt the phone. Not your head. The Rule of Thirds: never plonk what you’re shooting in the middle of the shot. If you place your subject in the left, right or bottom third, or even (very occasionally) the top third – or even better, where two of these intersect – you’ll draw the…

Curve GMX titanium frame Curve carbon 29er fork Easton ec70 AX bars Specialized Power 155 saddle (wider, because tribars shift you forward) SRAM AXS mullet gearing: 42x 10-50, 12-speed Curve carbon dirt hoops, DT Swiss 350 hubs Maxxis Aspen 2.25 tyres (1.3, 1.4bar) Apidura frame and top tube bag 4 x 1-litre water bottles Toolkit: multi-tool, tube, bomb, adaptors, nutcracker and Slugplug, chain link (one), derailleur hanger, tyre lever (one). Pump. Piece of tube as gaiter Electronica: Exposure 6pack MK 10 lights (didn’t need a charge), Phone (off), Garmin 1030 (charged 1.5 times), 10 000mAh battery.…

We looked at hundreds of bike tour companies from around the world and scrutinised their itineraries for average tour size, traveller reviews, value, custom options, and the quality of the rental fleet. We also considered timeless essentials such as staff training and logistical expertise that differentiate the best from the rest. We surveyed industry insiders and our well-travelled editors for insight on what’s hot right now: off-the-beaten-track destinations such as Slovenia, Colombia and, uh, Oudtshoorn; the wild popularity of gravel riding; and a wider range of self-guided trips for intrepid or budget-conscious travellers.…

THIS YEAR WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WELCOMING YOU ALL TO OUR 42ND CAPE TOWN CYCLE TOUR. We hope that as riders, you will have a splendid day out on your bike; and as visitors, you will enjoy the beauty that Cape Town has to offer. What started out as a demonstration ride so many years ago, to raise awareness about the lack of cycling infrastructure and safety for cyclists, has evolved into a world-class event, and still holds the record for being the largest timed sporting event in the world. I recall my first Tour, way back when, nervously approaching the huge crowd of happy cyclists on the Foreshore and thinking how stupid I was to enter an event in which I would spend five hours in the saddle.…

But how? That was the first question we asked Omnico MD Alan Hodson, and fellow collaborator and industrial designer Denis Futter, about a South African company that’s taking on the domination of the Asian cycling industry – and winning. Established in 1996, the Ryder brand of cycling components has come a long way since its first range of locally-produced water bottles, tyre liners and helmets. Now the brand has over 300 individual items. On top of that, the latest range of innovative Ryder products is making waves around the world – and it’s completely locally designed, developed and manufactured. “I’m super-proud of the fact that it’s all South African innovation and manufacturing,” Hodson says of the new range. “The Innovation part comes from an incredibly experienced team, all with different…

BLACK AMERICANO IS THE ORDER, RECEIVED WITH THE UBIQUITOUS BENKY SMILE. The Bootlegger server is unaware of the cycling royalty eschewing the luxuries of sugar and milk this grey morning. It’s a week after the leaders of the 2019 Munga rolled into Wellington, and Kevin Benkenstein is still eyeing up the banana bread with bad intent. “I can’t stop eating.” This time, Kevin is recuperating sensibly from what’s billed as the toughest MTB race on the planet. “After Race to the Rock in 2016 (3 000km unsupported across the Aussie outback), I started too soon, and it took me six months to come right. I felt it in the 2017 Munga – lesson learnt. So now, it’s two weeks completely off the bike. Although my wife is wanting to go…

The ubiquitous multitool just got cool, thanks to Cape Town designer and fellow bike-nerd Raoul de Villiers. The local-is-lekker Touch Adjust is the first user-customisable nut-fiddler to cross our workbench, allowing you to choose between four, six and eight stainless-steel bit configurations, depending on your needs. No more pointless parts – carry only what your bike might require, and change your mind as often as you like. Once you’ve built it, this lightweight, slim tool offers great leverage. It’s durable too, with corrosion resistance and hardness the two most important criteria at concept, after good looks. And it sure is pretty, with the hardened aluminium arms now available in myriad colourways, as well as sensible silver. TOUCH ADJUST MULTITOOL PRICE: R880 WWW.BIKE-TOUCH.COM…

TRAIL The (Other) Berg If you’re Western Cape-based and looking for a weekend jaunt, we strongly suggest the Cederberg. It’s a wind- and rain-eroded landscape of boulders and epic mountainscapes, crisscrossed by beautiful sections of singletrack. The riding is fast and flowing, interspersed with some technical challenges. It can get very hot (and dry) in summer, and you may see snow in winter. Most of the riding is on private property. Check out www. cederberg.com, for more info on trails, fees and access to Dwarsrivier/ Sanddrif, Bakkrans/ Keurbosfontein, Kromrivier, Nuwerus and Mount Ceder. ROAD The Cradle of Humankind No list of this kind would be complete without the inclusion of The Cradle Route. It has a clearly designated 2m-wide bike lane, and is well-marked with plentiful signage. Because it’s one…

POCARI SWEAT Lighter than most sports drinks, massively refreshing. BOSS BLACK Tinned iced coffee with a blend of drip and espresso. DORAYAK Pancake sandwiches. We loved the ones with butter and syrup filling. ONIGIRI Rice balls with a savoury centre are a KONBINI staple. Get one with an egg inside. SUSHI In Japan, petrol-station sushi is totally legit.…

SUNSCREEN Burnt skin is not just a problem the following day (or later in life); it can also hasten the effects of heatstroke and exhaustion on race day itself, if it’s a scorcher. A decent sports factor 50 will protect you, and keep you cool. It isn’t just about the ride, either – it’s always baking at the finish-line carnival. DRINK SPARINGLY... OFTEN! You need to be taking in about 500ml an hour – two-thirds of a big bottle. But please – don’t get to the end of the first hour dry, and then down it all in one go, or your stomach will go on strike. Small sips every few minutes is kinder to the plumbing. Take a 500ml Powerade with you to the start – over and above…

THE START All good things start with astart, and with an hour or more in your chute waiting for Uncle Paul’s world-famous ‘Hooplah!’ (and that HOOKED ON CLASSICS/Waldo de los Rios soundtrack), why not distract yourself by getting in touch with your creative side. Capture the tension, the fear, the anticipation – yours, and everyone else’s. WYNBERG HILL The greenery of the leafy suburbs, which you are about to leave for the broad boulevard that is the Blue Route, boasts a backdrop that will astound. Skeleton Gorge, Newlands Ravine, Kirstenbosch and Devil’s Peak guard the road; and combined with the panting masses pedalling up the last major climb for a while, they make a great shot. ST JAMES/KALK BAY Narrow roads, parted from the crashing sea by a railway line…

“2.12. A rider may not use a personal music system, e.g. iPod, or a radio communication device, including a cellular phone, whilst riding, except that members of professional teams may use a radio communication device if in accordance with UCI rules and regulations which can be found at www.cyclingsa.com.” The general rules of the Cape Town Cycle Tour forbid the use of a phone while riding – including to take photos. So here’s some simple advice to keep you on the right side of the feds: if you want to take a pic, pull off the road (carefully), and only shoot when you’re 100% stationary.…

TYRES ARE IMPORTANT. At base level, the right rubber can mean the difference between a painless tour and a puncture-riddled one; but it goes deeper than that. Good tyres will also make you faster (seriously), and help keep your wheels on the tar. You’ll get better feedback from the road surface, and your bike will handle better. But if you’ve ever walked into a cycling shop and looked up at the wall of tyres, you’ll know how difficult it is to choose: different widths, different compounds, such a massive variation in price… Well, the Cycle Tour Expo is no different. Every retailer represented is screaming a different special. Venture online, and you’ll find endless forums devoted to the right pressure, whether or not tubeless on the road actually works… it’s…

Catastrophic derailleur failure? Nils Hansen from Woodstock Cycleworks explains how to turn your bike into a single-speed, so you can finish the race. You’ll need a multi-tool with a chain-breaker. 1. Remove the derailleur cable and cable housing from the derailleur. 2. Take the derailleur off the bike. To do this, you’ll need to break the chain. 3. Here’s the fun part: choose a gear ratio to get you to the finish – maybe on the small ring, and somewhere in the middle of the rear cassette. Keep the chain line as straight as possible. 4. Remove links as required, reconnect the chain, and go and get your medal.…