Tripleshift - Recumbent Trikes, Bikes and other cool things!

Warm up
Startline
Wynberg Hill
Blue Route
Oceanside Musings
Smitswinkel
The Nature Reserve Straights
Misty Cliffs
Soetwater to Noordehoek
Chapman's Peak
Suikerbossie
Llandudno Descent
Camps Bay through Clifton
The Finish
Analysis and Stats

The final stretch! With 2 weeks to before race and Nicholas due to arrive in 7 days time I took time off work to help Graeme with the last stages. We wanted to be ready for test riding when Nicholas arrived on Sunday giving a full week before race day. So, it was into the Caddy for a daily trip up to Veldrif. With baby Amy due to pop out any day I preferred to be at home for the nights!

Graeme had been working hard to get the fairing ready for the last stages.

We took the trike and crude plug up to Graeme Murray in Velddrif in mid-January for completion of the composite work.

Graeme has been hard at work initially fairing the plug and then laying up the female mould. See the photo-essay below for some of the steps involved:

Nicholas George rode the 2004 GTX race trike to a winning position in the unconventional field in last year's Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour. The time of 3h06m was good for the unfaired trike but not quite up to the standard set by the racing recumbents in past years!

We are using the same chassis for 2005 with a few modifications. Most notable of these will be the addition of a head out fairing. See below for some shots of work in progress on preparing this.

We will also be running the new prototype Greenspeed Scorcher slicks for this year. These have been measured to have between 4 and 6.5 watts less rolling resistance at pressures between 60 and 100p.s.i. Across three tyres this will result in a nice saving of around 12 to 15watts. Although not so critical for the Pick and Pay Argus Cycle Tour which generally runs on good smooth tar the Scorchers are also a high volume 40-349 tyre that can run happily at lower pressures on rough chip-seal type surfaces. This should make them faster than the Stelvio under these conditions.

Over the years the Argus Cycle tour route and times have evolved as the race has matured developing its own special character. The first race in 1978 saw 525 entrants with Lawrence Whittaker first rider home over the 104km route in 3:02:25. Since then times have improved as has the level of professionalism amongst the top entrants. With the Giro del Capo attracting some of the world's best riders winning times are now in the order of 2h30 rather than 3h00 hours! In 2002 Allan Davis streaked home on the 109km course in 2:35:34- an average speed of just over 42km/h!

Perhaps even more impressive are the outright race records held by the unconventional bicycles and their riders.

In 1984 Lloyd Wright appeared in the record books for the first time. Riding a Lightning F40 he came home in 2:43:51 on a 104km course [avg 37.8km/h]. From 1988 to 1990 Lloyd dominated the race scoring three out of three wins and setting the all time course record for the 104km route. At 2:33:03 this was an average speed of 40.8km/h and was nearly 4 minutes faster than the winning conventional time - also a course record - set by Willie Engelbrecht.

The sun hasn't risen yet. It is slightly chilly but that is not really why you shiver from time to time. You shift from foot to foot as you wait to shuffle forward. Check tyres for the 100th time, pat your pockets - raisins, energy goo, the lump of stuff from last months ride that you haven't dared to prise out. Shuffle, shift and begin the cycle again. Tyres - yep, they are still Ok!

Strange behaviour! But then you are boosted by the cameraderie of sharing the ritual with 35000 other adherents.

You are at the start of the Cape Argus Pick and Pay Cycle Tour! The largest cycle race in the world where all riders are timed and some say, the most beautiful. Some say, the most fun. Some, the most uplifting. Some can't forget the crowds of spectators. Some can't forget the hills or the ocean or the wind or the mist or the heat or the start or the middle or the end. Some, a few, don't come back. Most keep coming - year after year!