Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2016 i Bicycling South Africa

“It’s the perfect combination of objective measurement, peer pressure and ego-driven performance.” SEVEN WEEKS OUT FROM THE CORONATION DOUBLE CENTURY, BEV WAS BATTLING THROUGH OUR SUNDAY RIDE – she could hardly muster 7km/h coming up Blackhill from the Simon’s Town side, and the going got worse on Chappies and Suikerbossie. There was no way she’d be finishing the DC. To change this, we decided to join Concept Studio, an indoor high-altitude training studio. I’ve subjected my Facebook friends to a running commentary on my progress since joining. The classes feel like a joint venture between NASA and the US Marines. Special filters suck out oxygen, creating an artificial altitude of 3000m, which their blurb says “increases fitness, reduces body fat and improves recovery”. But before you set foot in one…

It’s not every day you come across a product that features handwritten detail, as the South Industries XC29 rims do. Each carbon rim is proudlyhandgemaak and handgeteken in Stellenbosch by engineers Stephan and Nico. The passion each had for cycling, and for composite materials, culminated in them joining forces in 2015, throwing their weight behind the design and manufacture of carbon bling – like these 29er MTB rims, with a generous internal width of 28mm. The XC29 rims are South Industries’ first product to emerge from the mould. They’re light, agile, and can withstand heaps of abuse, making them perfect for marathon riders. SOUTH INDUSTRIES XC29 CARBON RIM // R6 350 PER RIM //SOUTHINDUSTRIES.CC…

COLOUR BLIND When choosing an energy drink or supplement, I usually go for the least number of ingredients, with no colourants or non-nutritive sweeteners. Colourants are particularly dangerous, as some potential side effects include negatively altered kidney and liver function, reduced red blood cell count, renal and liver haemorrhage, hives, and breathing difficulties. Be specifically cautious of brands that use the word ‘colourant’ on their product without listing the actual colourant name. Whatever they have in them could be harmful.…

1 Get support / Set up next to something sturdy, like a doorway, workbench, or table. The key is to support yourself at a height that’s roughly the same as your handlebar, to stay stable when you’re grabbing or letting go, says three-time Olympic road cyclist John Howard. 2 Get started / Instead of placing your bike on the rollers first, move the bike next to them, straddle the top tube, and lift the rear wheel into position. Then bring the front wheel up. Grab your bench/table/doorway, sit on the saddle, and start pedalling right away while still holding on. 3 Get up to speed / If you pedal too slowly, it’s hard to stay upright. Find a gear in the middle of your range, and try to get to…

Ron Rutland is an ordinary guy, who one day set out to accomplish something extraordinary – a self-powered adventure through every African country, with the goal of finishing at the Springbok’s opening game at the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England. While Japan ran circles around the Boks on the day, Rutland had fulfilled his dream with inspiring humbleness and determination. He dedicated his journey to Lettie, a friend who was diagnosed with cancer just before he left, and named his bike in her honour. FOR MORE VISIT FATKIDONABIKE.COM FOR MORE ON THE LETTIE LOVE FUND LETTIELOVEFUND.COM BODY & SPIRIT (Components) In Zimbabwe, Rutland replaced Lettie’s original saddle with a simple Brooks leather saddle. It took 10 days to soften, but then was a comfortable throne from…

KwaZulu-Natal SAFIRE BERG 100 MARATHON If you’ve been training for the Absa Cape Epic, then by March you should see the fruit of the promise you made to yourself and the discipline you’ve shown. Put all that hard work into practice at the SAFIRE Berg 100 Marathon between Nottingham Road and Himeville. The 100km race is rewarding and not technical, offering scenic views of the Southern Berg, and providing some solid time in the saddle. 19 March, berg100.co.za KwaZulu-Natal SANI2C The KZN trails are at their best in May and there’s no better way to enjoy what’s on offer than to race the SANI2C. This race is on my all-time hit list and has become an annual pilgrimage for many of my fellow fat-tyre brethren. Three days of smoothly-groomed singletrack…

YOU THE MORE UPHILL THE BATTLE, THE BETTER. WHETHER IT’S SAA, NUCLEAR DEALS OR ‘A PUSH OF A CLIMB’…. NHLANHLA NENE Races and climbs go together like dropper and post, Tom and Jerry, and gin and tonic. Climbing separates the pros from the parking-lot heroes. Each race has its own feared hill: from the Stellenbosch Cycle Tour’s Helshoogte to JoBerg2C's colourfully-named ‘A Push of a Climb’ to ‘That %^@# Climb’, which features in the Isuzu 3 Towers. We don’t have climbs like the TdF’s iconic Mont Ventoux - 21km, with an average gradient of 7.6 per cent – but we have a fair number of quad-crunchers. For example, with 1 750m of elevation in just 60km, stage one of the Pennypinchers Origin Of Trails is a climber’s delight. The 99er…

Western Cape GARDEN ROUTE 300 Set conveniently a month before the ABSA Cape Epic, this three-day race is the perfect opportunity to get some long race days under your belt. Covering 300km, the route takes you in and around Knysna’s beautiful indigenous forests and singletracks. There is no camping involved, as Knysna has tons of accomodation. If the full distance is a little daunting, the GR Lite is available. 26-28 February, gardenrouteevents.co.za Free State CLARENS MARATHON OR ULTRA If ever there was a mountain bike event that will take your breath away, this is it! The historic town of Clarens sits at 1 800m above sea level, making this one of the highest situated races in South Africa. What makes this event really special is the scenery. On both distances…

Western Cape DU TOIT TANKWA TREK The Du Toit Tankwa Trek offers three days of MTB magic in the rugged Kouebokkeveld. The route connects a patchwork of ox wagon trails, farm roads, jeep tracks, and – most importantly – enough hand-cut singletrack to put a smile on anyone’s dial. The tented race village is nestled beneath the shade of oak trees on the lush Kaleo Estate. The event’s proximity to the ABSA Cape Epic makes it the ideal event to test your legs and get to know your partner better. 12-14 February, dryland.co.za Western Cape PENNYPINCHERS ORIGIN OF TRAILS What I love about the Origin of Trails is that it's not centred on racing, but on providing riders with two days of proper mountain biking they can enjoy at a…

SHOES STARRING EDDY MERCKX While modern shoes are built using the latest synthetic materials, carbon soles and orthopaedic technology, there has been a shift back to lace-ups reminiscent of this pair of well-worn adidas Eddy Merkx Editions. Modern ‘old-school’ lace-ups offer a more bespoke and tuneable fit, thanks to the increased number of points of contact, which spread the tension when you’re tightening up the shoe. Buying tip: Make sure your toes have enough room to wiggle, that the retention system doesn’t pull on the top of your foot, and that the shoe is not too rigid for your style of riding – after all, not everyone is cut out for a carbon stiffness index of 12! Sometimes you need more compliance, for comfort. Then RELEASED: 1970s Upper provides very…

THE BIG KICK If you want to improve your Cape Town Cycle Tour seeding, then this is the race for you. The 102km route is an undulating affair, taking you past farmlands and wineries in the Durbanville area. The real kicker on this route is a Tour de France-style climb to the finish, which is testing, considering you already have 99km in your legs. For beginners there’s a shorter (64km) route, which also includes that final kick to the finish. 6 FEBRUARY 2016 / DURBANVILLE, WESTERN CAPE / 102KM, 64KM…

THE INBOX OPTIMISTIC MAMIL A while back my bike was stolen, halting my longstanding relationship with MTB. But I got a new bike, and this time I’m really dedicated. Now that I’m going through my mid-life crisis, at 41, I’m looking forward to getting a better and bigger mountain bike, switching from a 26er to a 29er. So while other men buy bigger and better cars (Ferraris, Porsches etc ) to satisfy their midlife crises, I’m looking forward to another mountain bike, because I love the sport so much. – DAWIE DE JONGH ASHLEIGH MOOLMAN-PASIO, 30 2015 SA ROAD RACING CHAMPION, 2015 AFRICAN ROAD RACE CHAMPION, AND CONQUEROR OF THE ‘UNCONQUERABLE’ MARIANNE VOS MOOLMAN-PASIO’S 12-MONTH STRAVA STATS (DECEMBER 2014 TO DECEMBER 2015) DISTANCE 1 580km TIME 53h 23m…

TAKING THE LEAP About eight years ago I was in the motoring industry. Then a buddy called me up saying he needed help in his bicycle workshop. I was pretty keen, as bicycles had always been my passion, so I left my job and dove into the cycling industry – but working in a normal bike shop didn’t cut it for me. I was all about attention to detail, and wanted more high-end equipment and fewer mass-market bikes – quality over quantity. So after seven years I made the leap, with pro racer Charles Keey, and opened up a high-end workshop. A year later and Marx Cycle Worx is booming. We couldn’t be happier. MARC CARR,27 /OWNER OF MARX CYCLE WORX AND HEAD OF TECHNICAL AT SWIFTCARBON /…

FOREVER EVER I saw this wonderful bicycle sculpture in a picture sent to me from London. It’s called Forever , or something. Can you tell me more? – Bert, Bloemfontein The Foreversculptures are by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. The one you speak of is created from hundreds of steel bicycles, joined to form geometric frames and layers. The title refers to the Forever brand of bicycles, mass-manufactured in China since 1940, but appearing to be scarcer on the streets. To Weiwei, these sculptures represent objects that relate to his small world. He says that Forever is a bicycle brand from back when he was growing up. He thought they would make a good public sculpture, because people relate to bikes. Max Delany, an Australian art…

It’s believed that the more body fat you carry, the more you sweat. But research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology has challenged this. In this research, 28 volunteers of varying fitness and body sizes were put through a series of 60-minute cycling tests, while their sweat rates and changes in body temperature were measured. Researchers found that the greatest change in core temperature was due to pedalling the bike, accounting for 50 per cent of the change, while body fat only accounted for another 2.3 per cent. And for overall sweat rate, body fat percentage caused only 1.3 per cent of the variation. So the thermal properties of fat have little to do with sweating. If you’re trying to figure out whether you’ll overheat on a hot day,…

THE HEART TEST To test the health of your arteries, you’d normally go for a stress ECG. But ECGs only flag significant narrowing of the arteries, usually 70 per cent or more. However, atherosclerotic plaques as small as 20 per cent of an artery’s inside diameter can fissure during intense exercise, causing an acute coronary event. There is a more accurate – though expensive – test called the Coronary CT Angiogram. Radio-opaque dye is injected into a forearm vein, while a CAT scan of the heart is performed. Doctors can then see the coronary arteries and any associated plaques while exposing any calcium in those plaques, which would increase the risk of an acute coronary event.…

Q /A Is that beer from my mate in the crowd going to slow me in my race? You might not like this answer, but even half of a 340ml can of beer can slow your reaction time, says dietician Katie Rhodes. That’s no good in a fast-paced and crowded pack. Nor does it help your concentration: “You need a mental edge, especially during a race,” says Rhodes. Apart from that, alcohol is a diuretic, which can dehydrate you, leading to cramping and lightheadedness, and impair muscle recovery. So you might want to enjoy that ice-cold brew after you’ve toiled through your race and crossed the line. Unless, of course, you’re just out there to have a good time – a (small) mid-race beer is certainly conducive to having fun.…

Q /A I hear people say it’s okay to gain a little weight during the off-season. But what’s a healthy amount? It’s good to take a break and let your body and mind recover during the months when you’re not riding as much, but gaining too much weight may make it difficult to get back on track when you’re ready to return to regular riding, says performance nutritionist Christopher Rosimus. A moderate amount of weight gain for someone with a slighter build is about 3 per cent of your weight during your peak riding months (2kg for a 70kg rider), and up to 4 per cent for those with more powerful or muscular body types, says Rosimus. To ward off those off-season kilos, bump up your protein intake and limit…

MPUMALANGA The Panorama Tour 23-26 April 338km 3-day stage race Casterbridge, White River fiona@panoramatour. co.za, 083 564 7767 panoramatour.co.za The Bestmed Jock Tour 15-17 July 334km 3-day stage race Nelspruit eventsupport@ asgworld.co.za, 076 621 1807 asgevents.co.za Clover Lowveld Tour 5-9 August Africa Silks, Louis Trichardt Avenue hpwagener@vodamail.co.za, 082 741 1514 hatoere.co.za WESTERN CAPE Cape Rouleur 28 February-3 March 600km 5-day stage race Franschhoek wendy@hotchillee.com, 082 324 5410 caperouleur.com Bestmed Tour Of Good Hope 29 February-4 March 522km 5-day stage race La Paris Estate Paarl eventsupport@ asgworld.co.za, 076 621 1807 asgevents.co.za Cape Classic 380 November 380km 3-day stage race Montagu a-selby@mweb.co.za, 082 495 0199 capeclassic.info…

Western Cape THE PICK N PAY KNYSNA OYSTER FESTIVAL This is South Africa’s premium sports and lifestyle festival. There are a multitude of sports events to compete in during the week-long celebrations. The highlight for cyclists is the mountain bike marathon, as well as a road race that takes in some of the most scenic roads of the Garden Route. This is a top-class race in the middle of winter. The cultural and culinary experiences the town can offer, alongside the sporting aspects, are fantastic. 2 July, knysnacycle.co.za Kwazulu Natal GRINDROD BERG AND BUSH This is a team mountain bike event that takes place in October, based near Winterton on the edge of the Drakensberg. The endless trails through the mountainous region, as well as the historic Spionkop hill, are…

They call it ‘Too Brutal’. This year, only two people rode it – but how, I surely don’t know. I walked all two kilometres of it, and even then, I was sitting deep inside a world of pain as my sugar levels dropped and the already long day took its toll on my wobbly legs. My partner, Deputy Editor Jonathan Ancer (aka ‘Goose’), attempted the final challenge of ‘Too Brutal’ – a small, final 400-metre section that took riders up a gnarly, gravelly goat track just after the final waterpoint of the day. He got three quarters of the way up before the track pulled at his wheel, and scuppered his momentum. I’m not going to lie – I was suffering. The final 10 kilometres of Day 1 after ‘Too…

WESTERN CAPE MTB 6 FEBRUARY FAIRTREE CAPITAL SIMONSBERG CONTOUR MTB STAGE RACE 60km, 40km Stellenbosch Contact Arina Botha theteam@dirtopia.co.za, 021 884 4752 Web and Online Entries dirtopia.co.za 19-21 FEBRUARY XTERRA SA CHAMPIONSHIPS Grabouw Country Club Contact Jacky McLean jacky@newsportmedia.tv, 083 291 9283 Web and Online Entries stillwatersports.com 27 FEBRUARY HEIDELBERG GIANT PUMPKIN FESTIVAL MTB RACE GrootvadersboschConservancy, Heidelberg ContactWalterBrosius walter@gvbconservancy.co.za, 071 442 4563 Web and Online Entries gvbconservancy.co.za MULTI-STAGE 07-13 FEBRUARY TRANSCAPE MTB 750km (7-day stage race) Knysna Contact Transcape Event Organisers info@transcapemtb.co.za, 082 575 0716, 082 341 2747 Web transcapemtb.co.za 12-14 FEBRUARY DU TOIT TANKWA TREK 259km (3-day stage race) Kaleo Manor, Koue Bokkeveld, Western Cape Contact Dryland Event Management info@dryland.co.za, 044 279 1013 Web and Online Entries dryland.co.za 13-14 FEBRUARY LIGHTHOUSE TO LIGHTHOUSE MTB Danger Point Lighthouse Contact Gansbaai…

After a successful trial of the green colour on a section of Cape Town’s Bree Street in 2013, local government decided if a bike lane was part of a roadway, it would be painted green. A benefit noted from the trial period was that motorists were less likely to park on the green lanes, and if they did they would be easier to prosecute, because the lane was clearly demarcated. Another benefit of the green paint is the skid-resistant surface for cyclists. We also like to think of the colour green as a symbol of cycling’s environmentally-friendly nature Will cold weather lower my tyre pressure? I don’t want to get a pinch flat. When you take your bike out of a warm house and into the chilly morning air, your…

WINNING TIP SPRAY AWAY Use a garden sprayer (the hand-pump type) when washing your bike. The nozzle produces enough pressure to remove dirt in hard-to-reach places, but not enough to get into and damage bearings like a pressure washer would. – Pieter Swart Portable Energy Powder To save time and reduce mess, measure out your tub of energy-drink formula powder into separate Ziploc bags. Every time you need to mix, grab a bag and pour – then fill your bottle with water, shake it up, and off you go. – Junaid Randeree Under Armer When ‘blowing’ your nose to the side while riding, do it under your arm – don’t aim for over your shoulder. That way, it’s angled away from anyone behind or next to you. – Anine Koch…

ZERO NUMBER OF KILOJOULES IN SPARKLING WATER. SOME ARE FLAVOURED, BUT AVOID DIET DRINKS MASQUERADING AS THEM: IF A DRINK CONTAINS ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS LIKE ASPARTAME – WHICH HAS BEEN LINKED TO HEADACHES AND INSOMNIA – SKIP IT. GET A PLAIN ONE AND ADD YOUR OWN FLAVOURS (LIKE FRESH LEMON OR LIME) INSTEAD. “I GOTTA... GO!” Say that a lot? Maybe lay off the fizz before a ride. The carbonation can irritate the bladder lining, which may cause you to pee more, says physiologist Stacy Sims. HELP YOUR GUT IF LONG OR HARD RIDES GIVE YOU AN UPSET STOMACH, SIP CARBONATED WATER. IT MAY CALM BELLY WOES, AND HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HELP SOOTHE INDIGESTION AND CONSTIPATION. FILL ’ER UP Lachlan Morton of the UCI continental Jelly Belly Cycling Team fills…

“...10 to 15 per cent contained prohibited substances...” Last year, four major US retailers had their top-selling supplement brands and herbal supplements tested. The results were pretty bad: 80% of the supplements did not contain the ingredients stated on the label. Some had 0 per cent, and were made entirely of fillers. These fillers included powdered garlic, rice, wheat and beans – some of which are potential allergens. Even more damning, 10 to 15 per cent contained prohibited substances, and a large percentage made nutritional claims not backed by any scientific evidence. While supplements offer consumers the promise of enhanced performance, the reality is that for almost all these products, real food does a better job. There are, however, some products that canprovide beneficial effects. Here’s a short list of…

Q /A While I’m motivated now, I know as soon as winter comes, I won’t feel like riding as much; I just feel down. It might be seasonal affective disorder, but is that a real thing? SAD is definitely real: It’s depression caused by a disruption to your circadian rhythms (your body’s biological clock) due to reduced daylight. According to psychiatrist Dr Al Lewy, symptoms include melancholy, fatigue, carb cravings, weight gain, and lack of motivation. The most effective way to ward off SAD? Get sun exposure as early as possible. Forcing yourself to get out and ride first thing in the morning is worth the effort, Lewy says. Just riding should do the trick too. According to psychophysiologist Brandon Alderman, exercise is beneficial for mental health, with the strongest…

Western Cape DU TOIT TANKWA TREK This race is only three years old, but has made great strides, to become one of the best events in South Africa. It’s a great combination of easy travelling, a relaxed venue at Kaleo Farm (with all the tents parked neatly under oak trees), and food that makes you feel like you’re at a wedding. The local mountain-biking farmers lay out an entertaining technical course to go with the easygoing vibe. The big climb up the Merino Monster, on day two, adds to the fantastic scenery you get in and around the Witzenberg Valley. 12-14 February, dryland.co.za Western Cape RECM KNYSNA 200 I love this race – in large part due to its location in Knysna. As a coffee and “small arty town” lover,…

Lighthouse to Lighthouse Mountain Bike Race This two-day race starts at the the historic Danger Point Lighthouse near Gansbaai, and riders head out on old wagon trails used more than a century ago to the Agulhas Lighthouse, about 90km away, meandering through spectacular fynbos, gravel roads and farm trails. Riders head back to Danger Point the next morning. Because the route traverses an ecologically sensitive area, the race is limited. Gravel & Grape The Gravel & Grape offers a three-day event and a two-day Gravel & Grape Lite, which are both hosted at the AKTV Goudini Spa and take place in the Breedekloof Wine Valley, the province’s adventure playground. The race has something for all kinds of riders: beautiful scenery, great singletrack, good hills. The Gravel and Grape is a…

TAKE MORE CASH Once you’re at the start it’s difficult to get to a cash machine, and using credit cards at the stopovers is also problematic. You’ll need to pay for beers and wine at dinner, so take more than you think you need. TRAIN SUFFICIENTLY Don’t underestimate the difficulty of the course. It’s tougher than most South African three-day stage races, and the terrain is testing and sometimes quite technical. Day 1 is the longest day; but leave plenty in the tank for the last section of Day 2. And the final stretch along the riverbed on Day 3 seems endless. Once you hit the tar, there’s a tough climb of 1.5km before the descent to the finish across the wall of the Maguga Dam. TAKE SPARES AND BOMBS…

I first noticed the Vermarc logo at the 2005 Paris-Roubaix. Resembling a three-pronged trident, it was clearly visible on the dusty kit (it didn’t rain that year!) of Tom Boonen, as he blasted to victory in the colours of Quick Step-Innergetic. Looking back, it was clearly no coincidence that Vermarc, Belgium’s premium cycling clothing manufacturer (started in 1977), supplied the country’s premier cycling team, which in turn sponsored Tom Boonen – the sport’s biggest star in cycling-mad Belgium. PRO-PELOTON FIT The Colora range is part of Vermarc’s top-tier PRR (Pro Racing Research) line, designed and developed for its sponsored World Tour teams – and, of course, for aspiring racers and coffee-shop regulars like you and me. Lycra is meant to be skintight, like a second skin, and the PRR combo…

WESTERN CAPE SIMONSBERG CONTOUR 6-7 FEBRUARY Brand new to the MTB stage race calendar is the Simonsberg Contour. Created to show off the incredible network of trails already in existence on the steep slopes of the Simonsberg mountains (between Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek), it boasts more than 20km of singletrack over 10 wine farms. Riders can expect 55-60km a day for the long route, and 40km a day for the short route. With the emphasis being on a fun trail-riding experience, this is a great opener for the 2016 stage-race season. More info at dirtopia.co.za. – Renay Groustra GAUTENG THE BRIDGESTONE ROUTE 66 MTB EXPERIENCE 12-14 FEBRUARY I have ambitions for the Absa Cape Epic in March, so I’m aiming to use this three-day race through the trails around the…