Thermophage

You, IMO, would not sound daft

Don't think there is one. Mayne on the George Hillbillies FB page.

Probably ion the region of 35km and 1300m ascent. It's almost always similar to a Jonkers event

submerge your cable inner in melted candle wax for 20min or so. Take it out, wipe it clean and install. Least mess and last very long.

You'll be lucky to find any tyres which are not older stock which are under R1k now. Spez Ground Control in Grid Trail casing out back. Not sure they still have a lighter casing...most likely do though.

They look pretty bloody good and have made life super simple to understand the casing construction. Look at that combined with the tyre mass and you can really make an educated decision on the casing for you Some there I'd definitely like to try, but let's see whether the local supplier will ACTUALLY bring in the "Enduro" casing...Not like more and more people are riding bigger bikes and/or ebikes or anything...LeSigh

*bubble butted* ...

Good idea... But only if you can avoid the massively useless Strava times. Unfortunately they're just too erratic for use in a reliable event kinda thing. Either way... Gotta be on the sneaky cos if tmnp wants their cut it's gonna suck 😋

Yooooweee...Ya man, a lil off piste riding is great for the soul Kids...what are those? 😐 I don't have a property large enough for baby goats

Maybe it's just turning 40, but I feel you. I have 4kol pluk for all the media stuff and honestly that first Witfontein Enduro was more of a Jol than last year, even though last year had (some) better trails. I think a mates race or two around TM, or Big mates Ezel weekend will be an absolute jol! Only accommodate maybe 10 people at a time, but simple enough if there are a few Android phones about and people with some clue

🤣 Twice a year on a full sus yoo...one for the fork, once for the shock...see...Twice 😋

It was the jump in price from the previous that I think got everyone (and myself). While not expensive relative to a bike or servicing...**** adds up if you'd like to race the series for an overall chance at something like some people. It just felt expensive for what you get, considering one can ride the venues any day of the year for nothing. But yeah, some people wont mind. I do feel sorry for people riding with their kid/s though...That'll add up fast. There was a comparison made to the cost of WC DH and KZN Enduro events, I don't recall the numbers, suffice to say the value proposition from both of those seemed substantially higher. Anyway, min sweat off my back, I'm not a fan or racing (or going fast for that matter) anyway, but it woudl on occasion me nice. Jonkers is the only event which really is tough from both a fitness and trail technicality standpoint, so that is worth doing IMO if you are going to pick one in the CT area. I just wish Status Quo was still open and included as well

R580 if no CSA licence, otherwise an additional R50 for a day licence if I recall correctly.

Yep, IMO too expensive. But people had the race froth and entered anyway.,..Which will make it seem as though people are OK with the cost. That being said, the cost was necessary considering the additional costs they HAD to incur for all the covid kr@p and red tape they had to jump through. Witfontein George is still a go and an amazing event on proper trails too. Don't expect Hoogies/Conties or even a lot of Jonkers level trails here. Steep, loose, rocky, rooty etc etc and HUGE smiles

The long story...And this will refer to any insert of the Foamo variety...(in addition to the sealant absorption et.al. mentioned previously)... On paper sidewalls they are detrimental IMO as they make the sidewall more susceptible to cuts and tears by not allowing it to move out of the way of an impact. Have seen this multiple times, so therefore IMO a no-go for that. If you are running a stiffer sidewall (think Schwalbe Super Gravity, Spez Black Diamond [now Grid Gravity] or MaxAss DH [EXO+ is not comparable to SG]) then they are far more beneficial (as above is mostly negated) and you derive the "full" benefits of of the pinch flat protection, BUT at the cost of additional mass of the insert over and above the tyre. TBH, most people considering an insert are considerably better off just upgrading the casing of their tyre as the mass of the lighter casing + insert is not dissimilar to the stronger casing, but doesn't have the sidewall problems associated (this varies from brand to brand and which casing from each brand you consider "strong" ... i.e. NOT prev gen EXO+, but have yet seen or tested the revised EXO+. For anecdotal reference I am 73kg or so unkitted on 27.5 bike and flat pedals and ride predominantly loose rock and in-situ rocky trails around TM area. I wouldn't say (I doubt anyone I ride with would either) that I ride gently or finessed. With a Supergravity casing out back I can reliably ride 1.65 Bar (24PSI) out back and with Black Diamond 25 or 26PSI without pinging a rim. With EXO+, try 30PSI. While 30 is not excessive, the feel (damping from the tyre itself) is not great. Adding an insert further contributes. They will never perfectly fit inside the tyre and the inertia it has means it moves at a very slightly different rate to the rest of the tyre. One can feel that. So my choice...las the extra 250g, get the stronger casing, toss the insert in the bin. Tyres MUST be something you put on your bike and don't have to worry about, a MORE APPROPRIATE CASING FOR YOUR RIDING STYLE is most certainly the way to go. If you are racing (and thereby riding faster and potentially even more dumb than usual), then for the additional security an insert can provide over an above the casing, or if you just don't care about pedalling around the extra mass or the slightly deader feel in the rear....go for it.

Used SAPO twice again last year without any issues. Maybe I've just been fortunate over the last 10 years using them for stuff from the overseas land.

Pleasure dude, I'm certain you'll prefer that Butcher to a DHR2 and the casing is superb. Chat to SJ at Revolution, he's the most likely to have for ya

You do find them occasionally of late as Rush brought in some DHR2. Having run this tread pattern I would suggest you get a different tyre for the rear if you like something that will give you control. In my experience, the Spez Butcher in Grid Gravity will be immensely better in all categories (rolling, braking, cornering and sidewall strength) than the DRH2 in DD...Also...It's readily available locally, unlike the DD. I was quite severely underwhelmed by the strength of teh DD casing overall, after having searched so damn long for one as EXO+ is basically a recipe for plugs and rim dings on TM area for me. Those Grid Gravity from Spez and SuperGravity from Schwalbe blow it completely out of the water. For what it's worth, i woudl still run an insert with the DD< but zero need (unless you're a real chonker or big dude) with Grid Gravity and SuperGravity. I can get away on TM and signal hill with 25 and 24PSI respectively in the rear tyre with those and not ping rims. Haven't had a need to go lower.

Cruise from Woodstock to Missing Link and back yesterday on the frankenGravelBike What a jol on this bike too

Depends on the model and build kit and heavily dependent on tyres. But not a lot. Not nearly enough to be concerned with the mass. But it looks like the base model Comp is around 12.2kg.

I mean if you don't have three other friends to share then life is rough dude The MTO Jonkers is Jonkers alone and is a single person permit. The family permit usually covering 4 people is R1300 and you can tag on additional people at a discounted rate (last year as many as you like...but they changed the pricing this year so not sure what else would have changed).

The TMNP activity permit and the Jonkers family memberships are the absolute best value So much trail for your money it's incredible and the variety is unmatched. Thanks for the spreadsheet...I love a good tabulation of data

Update your bike pic! :P3 Also, just shout and i'll be there ya know mos

Legend. Thats the one, T9 and T7 is the compound, Grid Gravity the casing you want for the rear for sure IMO and Grid Trail if you putting it on the front. I run 2.6 at present, but only cos thats all that was available. 2.3 will fit more rear triangles.

Tell that to the vast majority of mechanics in the world