South Africa is awesome.
Most people go to cape town for good reason, but it’s only small corner of a very big and very beautiful place.
Durban and the East coast has warm water and beautiful beaches.
West coast is cold water but also beautiful. Both coasts will have great seafood ‘Catch of the day’ really is the catch of day.
Kruger national is the most famous game reserve and well worth a visit, but again just one of many. Areas surrounding the Kruger are also breath taking.
Johannesburg can be wild but the people are friendly unless they are robbing you, or worse…Which can also happen anywhere in the country.
Cheap booze, great wine and massive steaks will make sure you don’t waste away.
Rent a car from a big company, Avis gave us a great Toyota corolla that hardly used any fuel, and get off the beaten track. Don’t worry if it’s a white car, they were in fashion long before TOWIE.
If you know someone local all the better, South Africans are very hospitable and like to spoil their guests.
Just remember your sunblock and don’t look and like a tourist.
Make sure you have good insurance, most hospitals are private and won’t help you till you have handed over your credit card.
Johannesburg international airport love it if your baggage is overweight or you have any sporting equipment of any description, expect to pay!
Hope you have a good holiday.

Hiace lwb 120 horse power.
Haven’t got any better than 30mgp around London with a ton of gear in the back.
Drove to Afan and it was worse! That was a bit above the national speed limit though.
Ran it on Shell ultra and the mpg went up but still worked out same pence per mile.
What you spend on fuel you will save on repair bills, they are basic compared to VWs and Renault with little to go wrong.
Rear wheel drive with heaps of torque will drift round roundabouts even with all that gear.
Any van will be a magnet to thieves especially parked out in the woods.
Vans will also change with any low emission zone laws so consider a people carrier version like Toyota Granvia, if V5 says light commercial vehicle Boris will have it off you in 8 years (if he lasts that long).
I love my van and prefer driving it to our car.

Downhill is fun.

By saying live traps I thought you meant a cat!

I was just following an AL cab, he totally didn’t do anything wrong! And he was moving…
How I haven’t assaulted one of there drivers I don’t know.
Too many idiotic situations to mention.
And this while driving in a white van!!

Commercial vehicle direct (CVD) are a broker.
A-plan insurance are another.
Both go mad around my renewal date and end up undercutting each other, just say, “yes that is a good quote but I’m happy with current insurer and would like to see what they have to offer.”
Secretly they love that!

I rode that track on a borrowed Kona Hoss with cable disc brakes and fork with no rebound, oh and 26″ wheels with little tread, basically something youd almost be happy to leave unlocked outside a soccer and sport shop.
Surf baggies and skate shoes with a skate lid.
Trend setter or what…
Think it might catch on.

If you are prepared to travel get hold of Tom Dowie through Chicksands bike park website.
He is one of the coolest guys I have ever met and an amazingingly skilled bike handler.
He gives one to one coaching.

Any one remember Sprung 4 I think.
Great video of a cheeky chappie giving it large in Amsterdam, great stair jump into subway.
It was the same sprung that showed Red bull rampage where Robbie Bourdon nearly falls of the edge of a cliff.
Anyone know the name of the tune during that video? Funky!

Road bikes are real cool. Roadies are not!
Lycra is comfortable. Shaved legs is taking it too far.
Legs of steel you will earn from hours of suffering will transform your mountain biking for good. Putting up with near sighted, half whit idiot drivers will make you question if it’s worth it.
Bikes weighing next too nothing with sexy curves will trap you in trendy bike shops for hours. Knee popping gears and twitchy handling will make you peddle carefully till you realise you can’t throw it back-end 1st into a tight switch back.

All in all it is a bicycle and all bikes are cool.
eBay is full of bargains! There’s a bike shop in Kingston upon Thames that makes A visit to London worthwhile, just bring a credit card.
Some of the cycle gear is beautiful.
The racing scene has an amazing history of battles between bitter old rivals, some proper hard men!
Just don’t try greet other roadies while you are out their cycling.
Oh, take a road bike to France! The country roads are smooth, the motorist are considerate and the coffee will make you crank those pedals like a mad man for hours.

Did you get the HT EVO? What’s it like? Looks like a good replacement for my current hardtail.
I won’t be racing. But dig going down hills.

Cool thanks, I have hooked up with cool bunch that head out to boxhill from Epson downs.
Showed me a way to Ranmor through Mickleham, from there Leith hill, Holmbury, Pitch, etc. is easy to navigate to.
I wanted to know if Great Salmons down to the famous ramblers rest and beyond had anything worthwhile.

Money refunded. No harm done.
If you want a Santa Cruz why not try one of the many SC dealers.
Always laugh at people that want champagne service on beer prices.

Don’t get a Camber 29er!
I rode test rode one Good Friday and hammered it.
I am about to order it but don’t want everyone to have the same bike as me.
Specialized warranty service is still one of the best.
But I’m sure you’d hate it!

Tried it with Rage against the machine, got a bit carried away and almost bonked! Had to put on some counting crows to get home….
Can’t do it now though, sound of the wind is all part of the experience.

They don’t make them like they used to.
Thankfully bicycles buck the trend.
How much is that stink bike going to cost in fuel and maintenance? Road fund licence etc etc.
Do you hammer it every time you get out on it? I mean like properly go nuts!
If you do hammer it how long till you hit something like a tree or lorry?
How much do tyres cost and how long do they last?
Insurance?

Now think about your bicycle. Mine gets caned on a regular basis and has cost me me about £100 every year for the last 6/7 years on tyres, cables, fork service etc.
Doesn’t need fuel or oil.
No insurance.
Fix it in my back yard.

Great value I think.

Anything put together in Japan as long as body work is ok. Mazda did a 626 estate with a diesel, I spent a weekend in one with my bike and sleeping bag. I used to work in Mazda service department and we’d only see them for servicing.
Skoda octavia estate will swallow families and bikes.
Volvos are good and old tdi’s will go to the moon and back.

For that money you are spoiled for choice.

Sure something will come up.

We love our Octavia, looked at the scout but they were brand new at the time. Bought 18month old 1.9 tdi. 50+mpg if driven normally. I’m 6″4 and there’s still room behind me for someone with legs. Seats down it will swallow bikes whole. Try dig out clarksons review, he can’t fault it (even questions why you’d spend more on an Audi!).
There was a 4×4 octavia which rides a little higher than standard car.
And Skoda sponsor cycle racing.
Yeti might suit you more but they are popular.
Sure you wont here a bad experience from a Skoda owner.
Local dealer/service centre were useless, so we don’t use them, simples.

Hondas are cool, had one on our list before we bought a Skoda Octavia estate.
Lots of room, swallows bikes whole with the seats down. Comfy. Frugal.
Theres even one with a golf gti engine in it or a fast diesel.

Test ride the Camber 29er!

Ride to work scheme?
Decent energy bars.
Bike test rides, on the hills I ride.

How slow do you have to be riding to be seen by a slowmo like that… and then caught… and fined??

Yessssa!
Missed the last train from waterloo 1 night after some drinks and had my trusty old stumpy ht, only took a nod in direction of the esculator and I was on it!
London is littered with all sorts of cool things. Check out Wandsworth roundabout.
Earlsfields speed bumps. Richmond park at night with no lights.
Hampstead heath.
If only dropper seat posts were around back then.
Now I live in surrey hills… with kids…

Big Ad.

Have you considered a Skoda Octavia VRS? Same as mk5 gti but with a HUGE boot. Great quality interior. They even do a fast diesel if u do the miles. And they sponsor cycling.

Had a T5, it was always in the work shop. Bought a Toyota Hiace with astronomical miles and doubled it. Bought a new Hiace in 2008 for the low emission zone. 31mpg is on the heavy side but always have a ton of stuff on board. Change the oil every year, should go on forever. Oh, rear wheel drive makes it a blast in the wet! Most used Hiaces will have been driven by the owner.
My 1st car was a T2 bay window camper. They don’t build em like that anymore.

Old bikes rule! Old riding gear though…