Jules

Cool. i've been toying with a build like this myself. I sold my GT CX frame earlier this year because I want one with tabs for discs. I have a lekker old pair of Campagnolo Atlanta 96 32-spoke rims. If I build them onto MTB hubs, they would make a bullet-proof pair of CX wheels.

Looking good Eldron. Aren't MTB top tubes longer than road bikes? Have you put on a shorter stem than normal?

It might be instructive to track KE's achievements before and after he became tight with DG.

Take a look at this thread: https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/111040-doping-announcements/

You guys must have an extremely strong rose tint to your Oakleys.

I'm still waiting for SAIDS/CSA to disclose what Russell Lund got bust for at last year's Argus: https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/112809-anti-doping-rule-violation/

TEAM 360Life SUSPENSION 6 November 2012 – Today, Nedbank announced the immediate suspension of its sponsored professional cycling team, Team 360Life. The suspension follows an adverse analytical finding in one of the samples taken during a random out of competition test of team rider David George. The suspension of the team will continue until further notice. Nedbank has a zero tolerance towards the use of any banned substances or performance enhancing drugs and does not condone or support such use in any sport. Nedbank will support the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport, Cycling South Africa and Union Cycliste International in promoting clean conduct in the cycling fraternity. ENDS ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. Issued by Nedbank Group Communications

Best is to buy tubes with removable cores. Just take out the core and use a syringe to squirt the sealant in. it's a two-minute job. Without removable cores, just cut a small hole, squirt sealant in with syringe, then use a normal patch to seal. That's a ten-minute job.

Supporters of tubeless tyres tend to forget that you can put sealant in tubes too. I sometimes run tubes filled with Stans sealant and you'd be surprised what they can withstand. They even seal pinch flats. What's more, you reduce the risk of sidewall cuts and you are guaranteed not to burp. I'm not saying tubes are better, but filled with decent slime, they are nowhere near as *** as the tubeless crowd would have you believe, plus they're a lot cheaper.

It might also have been Morne Styger. He was riding a silver 9er SS and was ahead of me for the first ten km of the race. Unfortunately Morne had to pull out because his chest was giving issues. That was one of the hardest SS races I've done. Was constantly on the limit trying to match the pace of the geared bunch I was in.

Well the Lefty spills over into other areas, such as proprietary headset bearings (R1200 to replace), the OPI Stem and steerer (close to R2k, if you are lucky enough to find stock of the size you want), and the special front hub. BB30 should be slightly cheaper to replace than a normal external BB, although the tools to remove and install are more expensive.

Enjoyed Vori. A good test of the technical skills. Some of those rocky sections can get quite hairy. Got the better of me twice - going to feel it tomorrow.

Brilliant - you will definitely see me there next year, and I will try and talk more of my buddies into it as well. Thanks Margie and the sponsors for a great tour. Thanks Cameron.

Yes

I did. Was absolutely worthwhile. Great event in a beautiful part of the world. There were one or two niggles, which wouldn't prevent me from entering next year: the marshals were not the greatest, the results weren't published online (still aren't), and the prize givings suffered from interminable delays.

How does one enter for the 2012 event? I heard the entry fee is quite expensive

Your bleeding technique may well be better. But the issue here is not how they bite - we all agree that these brakes can stop a train. The issue is when they bite, and some of us think that it's too late. Of course, some of us might find it acceptable - I have slowly gotten used to mine, in fact I have set my trail brake to bite at the same time as the race.

I'm interested in this topic because I have the same issue. I ordered a pair of the XTR race brakes from CRC but they made a mistake and sent me one race and one trail. I find the trail one can be adjusted to bite at the right time, but the race one does seem to bite unacceptably late. As dodger said, the braking power is flipping good. I have bled both brakes twice, taking the greatest care to eliminate bubbles and have as much oil in as possible but it doesn't seem to have helped. I have just had to get used to the way the brakes work, and it doesn't bother me that much anymore. That said, I would not recommend the race brakes. The extra weight of the trail is negligible.

Thanks. I don't think anyone rode all the way up that climb. I made it about halfway up, then walked until it tapered off, then rode up to the big cross.

Yes, that was me

That was a nice ride out in the country. Course was fun and the marking was excellent.

I thought the race was flippin lekker. I went there expecting to do six laps of 10km and was pleasantly surprised to find it was a proper 60km loop, through the beautiful Parys countryside. If I had known it was going to be so rocky I would have run a higher pressure though; my hopes of a podium where dashed when I hit a big rock and punctured immediately. Fixed it and carried on a more relaxed pace than before. The last 2km were not so nice, with mud everywhere and short-distance riders blocking the trail.

Thanks. Just entered the Country Challenge, and I'll probably do Dirtmax, too.

Thanks guys. Fester, that Country Challenge looks like the Walkerville race, which was a really great event. The site says there are only 11 entries so far! Seems a pity that it hasn't been advertised better. sometime, I've seen that Dirtmax race advertised often, but have yet to do it. Are there many water crossings?

This is one helluva good advert for the Shwalbes, and a really *** one for Maxxis! The second-placed African team, Gawie and Nico, didn't have one puncture the whole race. I saw that Nico tweeted that they were running Conti X-King and Race King protection tyres. Any analysis on the tyres the other top teams were riding, and their puncture rate?