Riding with a GPS on sure helps, and not just with avoiding getting lost!
I have seen a few posts about tips people give and the comments by this that know better, but this is for newbies and something I wish I cottoned onto when I first bought a big bike, and especially on long and faster trips.
here goes:
i have done many club rides, even joined Geoff in Lesotho and found one of the biggest challenges for me was riding at speeds I was comfortable with (tar and/or gravel) but when far behind the bike in front of me, I would get very nervous when it came to a rise in the road not being sure whats up front waiting for me or bends I would only realize where sharper than initially thought (and for the boffins out there - I've done the "in cold out hot" etc etc).
what has changed my riding style, given me more confidence and helped me keep up with faster riders, is simply riding with a GPS on, zoomed in close so you know what's coming! I have an old Garmin Zumo 220 and only have RSA and T4A Western Cape maps on it and Donford pulled a McGyver move to install it for me - can't download shit onto it because it's technical and boring, but just knowing what's coming without a rider in front is great.
Besides planning your trips, uploading routes to your computer etc if you that way inclined, it's a great safety tool if you take a peek to see what's ahead.
so those who know better, good for you, for those that didn't know this and find this helpful, good for you too :-)
Don't mistake the map for the territory Craig. The GPS only shows you what is supposed to be around the corner, not what really is there. And what about oncoming traffic, animals or broken down vehicles? Rather focus on what you can actually see, and ride within your capability. And with our "look out for the rider behind you" policy, if you get lost it is someone else's fault.
I had an amusing incident a while ago where the map showed that we were supposed to be crossing a bridge over a river, but there was no river and no bridge. We had been counting on this obvious landmark for navigation, and ended up in an argument over whether the map was right, or the road. Obviously not the map.
Yep Charles, it certainly isn't the be all and end all of riding safety, but when doing lets say 70-80 km p/h on gravel and you come to rise and don't know which way the road may or may not bend, I tend to back down to about 20km until I see where the road goes because I'm not comfortable pulling all the tricks experienced riders have to handle such things and I certainly don't like such surprises, hence the use of the GPS as a guide (and so far it's been 100%). So instead of slowing down to 20km, I will now do it at 40km to 50km, and this is what adds to the confidence and probably annoys the riders behind me less, which used to be the sweeper and/or back up vehicle :-)
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one that takes corners at the speed of the SA Post Office! I think I'll just trust my eyes. If I can't see what's on the other side of the corner I already know I don't have the skill-set to tackle it at higher speed anyway.
Nicely said Zanie. I suspect that most of us take a bit of a chance around blind corners - and so far most of us have been lucky. But look at what happened to Andre on Geoff's last Lesotho trip...
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