Bos

Hows the Aquila's Flippie? Enough space between knobs to flush out the loose stuff on the loose over hardpack @helderberg? My gat jeuk vir nuwe tires.. but somehow I keep buying other stuff that looks nice I'm very much running a summer setup still, which works fine for my local trails. But I will eventually have to get rid of that 2.25 Ibex and "SS" on the rear.

If you're willing to go 26'' you'll be surprised what you'll find.

Funny guy..

I've got a frame from the same Open mould company. Evolve also sells it and calls it the "Alpen" a 135/150mm trailbike. One year and 3 months in I'm very happy. The biggest problem untill now has been the Effective seat angle, which because I have long legs gets pretty bad with the 150mm fork since the frame was actually designed for a 120. I have Remedied it by getting a Pike DPA, with 120-150 and although I have not been able to ride it properly since being sick and now being on my way overseas for a week, I'm very happy. This is the Evolve one, pic looks weird because its a small and the seat is dropped. But Its nice and light and I am yet to break it. Also, I have not bothered to service the pivots since I built it and they still run smooth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5lBKoKzMR4

There is a tree at the bottom of a down-slope in my back-garden, the slope just long enough to get up to about 25km/h. In the evenings that I don't get to ride, I do little "chicken runs" around the tree(If I don't make the turn I hit a wall), going higher and higher, death-grip style with a foot out. Its nerve wreaking but amazing how much grip there is to be found If you're willing. Does a lot for ones confidence, just knowing that I have hit a slightly off-camber corner at a certain speed before definitely lifted my flat corner speed on trails.

I might give it a try. Agree with you on the statement above. The worst we really get is loose gravel over hardpack, and for that, you just need sturdy long enough side knobs, and I'm convinced the "death gap" Franna talks about really helps here! Speaking of the "death gap"..seriously? Franna you even caught yourself saying it, its for BITE! No honestly, go look at 80% of the best rated tyres, they all have it. Anyway, I think its up to riding style.

@Headshot You seem pretty sold on the 2.5'' Aggressor? I need a new front tyre and theres one of those in the classifieds.. If I may ask what are you comparing it to? I am still on a 2.25'' Ibex, which I trust wholeheartedly, and feel the pointy knobs with sharp edges cuts through the crap pretty well. I'd probably be looking at a DHF or Ibex 2.4'' as alternatives. DHR II might be slightly "to much" as rolling resistance is a consideration and Im not worried about the wet to much. Maybe I should just buy and see. If I don't like it use it on the rear. When comparing It really does look like the main differences are, slightly smaller tighter packed center knobs, slightly toned down tighter packed cornering knobs.

As good a reason to cancel an event as you might get. Already got the #pinkticket from wife, so I'm doing a "big day out" in Jonkers or something.

So this Event has been canceled? That would suck. It was going to be the one I got a decent posse for and nice warmup to the EWC events. I've noticed that they have had some issues with numbers and I hope it's not that?

OK I was looking for an excuse to go ride some new trails But thanks. I hope the trails were not tooo flat? I know Welvanpas, theres some epic trails on there for sure.

Did any of you folks do the Val du Charron Enduro last year? I'm considering it, just to get back into it before the EWC events. Would want to Recce the trails, though but since I have never ridden it, I have no Idea where the stages were and I understand its quite a big trail network.

Cool. Some guys say the Assguy is quite a slow roller, opinions?

I feared that.. whats the 2.4WT like? I'm waiting for a deal on the hub.. But I'M also really happy with my IBEX just a tad narrow and has a whobble in it after my crash.. Just thought I'd go check what all the hype was about and get a DHF. Magic Mary also looks good.

Theres a Maxxis DHF in the Classifieds, but its 29 x 2.3inch wide. I recall reading that they mount up on the narrow side. I'm not looking for plus tires, but I do want to upgrade from my IBEX 2.25" which is a touch narrow. Can anyone help? (30mm ID rim)

Hey man.. I am a big suspension puzzler. I get a sett up I like, but then my fingers just itch to much and I end up doing something to it again.. My latest changes has been the Formula NEOPOS like soft volume spacers that I am running in my fork. Because I'm relatively light but do lots of aggressive riding I had the conundrum, that to give proper mid-stroke support I had to up the pressure or Compression damping which wasn't very comfortable, and vice versa, With the addition of 3 of these soft volume spacers I now have much better mid-stroke support and can back off the compression which is making the fork feel buttery smooth, coil like. I suspect the debonair forks might be much better at this. Also I removed the volume spaced in my rear shock just to see If I could feel the difference. I couldn't really, but recently thought I might have to get my rear shock serviced since It wasn't feeling as buttery as before. I had to put 240psi in there to not sag more than 30% and I'm 70kg's. So yesterday, I had the kids and couldn't go ride, so I opened up my rear shock, put the volume spacer back in and pumped it back up. 150PSI and I was sitting on 28% sag, on top of that I noticed it felt much smoother. Obviously the excessive pressure was causing more friction in the internals. So volume spacers do much more than ramp the progression curve up.

Gutted for Vergier.. I had him and Rach A for my "expensive" pics and had he not crashed out I would have been in the points. Points came in from Walker and Rach, and some locals which are usually a good pick at home. Loris Vergier 3 Matt Walker 135 Jure Jabjek 50 Jackson Frew 0 Rachel Atherton 200 Sandra Rubesam 70 Really bummed about Santacruz's blackout. They have some head-scratching to do, and I'm not talking about puzzling about with pointless suspension settings and pitt-vlogs when you're not performing. Rachelle A looked out of touch on the bottom half of that course. Like she was getting tired? It was a darn physical track though, I was cringing watching the men blow through those G-outs on the bottom. (The Coil vs Air shock vlog with Jordy was quite interesting)

Thats the thing.. One can only hardly afford two big guns. And If they fail.. well that's how odds work right? I went out on a limb and chose Matt Walker since he's been beating Danny and Gee consistently and he was bang on the money. Lets see how he does this weekend. Id better be on red bull TV come Sunday.

Anyone ever used Formula Neopos ? I have been looking for some, to try alter my forks spring rate. In doing so I started looking for rubber products that could possibly work and seemed to have the same shaw hardness. I found some! Its used for die making, they are high quality, very hard wearing, yet not to hard, and most importantly closed cell. I can now get away with less compression damping which leaves the fork feeling very supple and active while soft enough to give OK small bump sensitivity, but in the 30%-75% of the travel range its very usable. Will get more to distribute if anyone is keen.

Call me a puzzler.. I swear I could feel my fork was to soft with the longer stem, which does make sense.. More weight over the front when things get steep. Definately better climbing position. Might just buy a cheepie 60mm stem and check.

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/downhill-fantasy-league-who-to-pick-for-your-team.html I just tweaked my team big time. Dropped Greg.. lol. I Obviously love the guy but not enough to put my money on him. Lets see how things go after this weekends IX cup

Look, at a XC/Marathon/ Road race, whatever discipline where climbing and endurance is more important than downhill performance, the good old cx lid will always remain king. But, trailbikes are becoming more and more capable, and like what I did, the DH course is now suddenly much more appealing. I Had a near OTB also at the Hellsend flowtrail going fast (on the fast bit when you pass the DJ's) and I thought, my word, that would have Killed me!..And that's why I now have a FF. Took me a little while to get use to it, and when Its really hot I take the chin bar off and strap it to my camelback, other days I don't even bother. They do isolate you from the elements a bit, and I am contemplating If I would even have hit that jump in those conditions without the full-face. All in all it ended up well. I'm just bruised and swollen everywhere.

Took a Proper Slam on Iron Monkey on Saturday morning. Wind took my wheels from under me on the bigger jump up at the start of DH2, landed sideways and high-sided like I've never been slammed before. My Bell Super R2 chinbar broke in two. And the MIPS looks permanently Skew from the rotation. I've got a slight black eye from the abrasive impact, inside the lid. I'm pretty confident that had it been a "proper" full-face, I would have been a bit better off, think they are padded better, but would I have been wearing it? probably not, and If was not wearing the full face at all, Id probably still be chilling up there under a bush. I think I am now converted, excuse the pun. But going 3/4 of the way above wont save your face when you're really getting tossed.

This is slightly closer to the topic.. I'm currently looking for the right length stem.. Had a 70mm, which was nice for all-round riding and while I was use to it It worked. Then I went to a 45mm, which cornered better and better in the air.. but it puts me even further over the back when climbing. Then I put the 70 back on the other day for some longer rides and almost went OTB a couple of times, though climbing was definitely better. Is 60 the holy grail? What are you guys running?

Lucky you! Growing up in Knysna I surfed(boogie) there a bunch, and had one of your CR experiences in the middle of December holiday rush.. I was trying to sneak up to the peak on the inside next to the rocks and paddled across to early. a 3-4 ft thick bomb broke in front of me. I didn't even feel them go, snapped my leash and lost my pants. No board to hold in front of my weener, my car key was looped around the string in the pocket of my baggies, as one does, so I HAD to find them. Of course some mates found them first and had a laugh at my expense. having a good laugh thinking back at that thrashing..