My boyfriend and his mountain biking clan will be doing the Argus on Sunday. I love all the excitement before the BIG RACES. I usually wake up early and watch him prepare! Boys don’t really show their excitement like girls do, but this is the time when I know they are bursting out of their skin!! Putting on their state of the art kits with all their little gadgets and supplements! It is so cool and it makes me want to hop on a bike, ride up a mountain and return home covered in mud! Oh and have you ever watched guys as they talk about the wipe outs? It is EPIC 
All this talk about bikes left me with a great idea! Mission TIME! So I grabbed my handbag and rushed off to Olympic Cycles in Claremont to investigate.
I met the owner Jason and his brother Greg. I was blown away by how friendly and helpful these guys are. They have such a chilled approach, but they lead a very professional team and I now understand why all the guys love Olympic Cycles.
It was such a fun experience and I certainly have a few new things on my Birthday list!
I asked the guys for some advice to prevent the first timers from looking like “Freds”.
Here are a few important tips:
Helmets:
This is the most important item! You could get a decent quality helmet for R520.00, but you could pay up to R 3150.00 depending on your requirements. The ladies helmets are a smaller fit than the men’s so try on a few and REMEMBER that it has to be comfortable! You will wear this every time you hop on your bike.
Oh……. before I forget….. WEAR YOUR HELMET THE RIGHT WAY ROUND AND ASK A PRO IF YOU ARE NOT SURE!!!!
YAY! I even spotted a pink helmet!!
Cycling shorts:
I would suggest that you decide on the style of your shorts before you select the rest of the kit. The padding in the shorts is referred to as a chamois and again like the helmets you have various options for ladies and gents. Look out for the pink Woman's Fit tag on the First Accent range.
I really thought that the new Giordana bib shorts are fantastic. The bib shorts prevent you from showing skin when your vest creeps up. The only problem is that if you have to make a pit stop you would usually have to remove your top first. Not with the design!! It has a clip on the front section of the shorts and this allows you to do what you have to do without removing your top. SAVING you time and aggravation!!
Giordana bib shorts: R 2 400.00
1. First Accent short leg: R 375.00
2. First Accent 3/4 leg: R 425.00
Look out for the range of arm and leg warmers. These items are great for keeping you warm. You wear them when you start your cycle and then just remove them when your hot. REMEBER that these items add to your tan lines!! You don’t want a vest and an arm warmer tan…..it is just not cool! Check out the full and half gloves while your in this department.
Olympic Cycles stock a variety of cycling shoes. Prices range from R700 up to R 3 000.00. You would be able to get a decent pair for R900.00. Falke are the leading manufacturers of sporting socks. Breathable good quality socks would be recommended.
Booties:
These are “socks” that are worn over your shoes. Their main purpose is to keep your feet warm when you cycle in winter and they help with keeping your shoes dry when cycling in the rain. THEY DO NOT MAKE YOU FASTER!
Camelbacks are used to store the fluids that you require for the race. They also have storage pouches which are handy for all your gadgets.
Remember to ask the guys about their range of saddles. Comfort is exceptional important if you are planning to stay on a bike for hours.
Contact Jason or Greg for any additional information regarding cycling gear you might require (021 671 5008). These guys are brilliant at what they do!
I would like to wish all the riders the best of luck for their ride on Sunday! I’ll see you next year.
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