MudLark

Alternatively, if a generator is not an option, consider a Tacx Neo 2. They don't need external power to operate – the only function that you lose is the "downhill freewheel" function which most trainers don't have anyway.

Could be. But after 4 months or so (might have been a bit more) of heavy use, including in grinding mud and a new set of pads, one would imagine that any oil contamination was long gone. I did note that there were quite a lot of concerns raised in various corners of the web about the SRAMs squealing. But maybe its a matter of you find what you look for. But I really wasn't crazy about their modulation anyway. Or the the crazy price of their pads. The only advantage that the SRAMs had for me was that they were a fair lighter than the XTs I fitted.

Accurately reflects my experience too.

The bike was a brand new bike. It squealed from the day I bought it until, about four months later, totally fed up, I changed everything, including the rotors, to Shimano. No regrets at all. Money well spent. And I sold the TLM bits for a reasonable price - so the swap actually cost me very little in the end.

Yup. I recently tried to get some new Panaracers onto some new rims - and trust me when I say I'm capable of snapping even the Park Tool tyre levers. For the first time ever I eventually gave up and took it to my LBS. [emoji3061]

Maxxis do indeed have that advantage. Contis on the other hand can be an absolute bitch to get sorted, especially the first time.

Andreas, will post once collected. Wasn't happy doing the hydraulics myself so dumped it on my LBS. Now need to do a bike fit with them and will then haul it home and post some pics. Allow a few weeks because of work pressures...

Okay, looks like we have the bike conversion sorted. Flared gravel drop bars, Tiagra 4720 hydraulic road shifters and Tiagra rear derailleur. The rest so far is factory stock. Next thing is the setup. Bike is a bit big for me but bike fitter reckons not a problem and we can solve for it.

IMHO, 947 is a tougher ride. YMMV.

Had no idea there was a race village up at the monument... Not that I was going to trek up there anyway after having passed my car on the way to the finish line. [emoji39]

Yeah ditto re the finish line. Asked someone where the finish line was... "You went over it back down there." Ditto re the roadkill. Weird. Even saw a hedgehog.

FWIW, in the 4wd online subcultures there's a common term when someone asks a question that is addressed in the owners manual.... They get told to "RTFM!".

There is a road closure section but absolutely nothing at all about water points. The only reference to water on the entire site is all about recycling bottle tops....

Eish bru. Droo is right. I haven't yet read a manual for a new car we've had without learning something I wouldn't otherwise have known.

Ja, those BMW engined 2.8 shortys were (are) great.

Sure sign that you are either a Land Rover owner or a potential Land Rover owner*… :-) *Well, in the old days anyway when Land Rovers were still...ummm... Land Rovers.

Next time... Spanjaard penetrating oil.

What bike and where do you live?

Really sad to be missing this event again this year but I have something here on the Sunday that makes it impossible for me to get down to the Eastern Cape for this.

Sheesh.... Saturday.... an event.... rather large and rotund person on a zooty e-bike with a nice metallic paint job. Flat start... followed by a longish downhill of farm road....followed by some fairly steep and slightly technical ascents. E-biker comes bailing like hell past everyone else out the starting gates and down the road...only to completely flake out on the climb (lack of grunt or of skill, I just don't know), holding everyone else up as they try to work their way around the said e-biker.... [emoji85] I wonder if they don't sometimes induce overconfidence in people who would be better off starting out at a more modest level? Oh well, not like some normal bike riders don't do the same I suppose.

The modulation on the SRAM brakes I could live with. That wasn't an issue although I do prefer Shimano's "clean bite". But what I couldn't handle anymore was the shrieking of the SRAM TLMs. Not even changing the pads helped.

Ditto my experience.

There are many factors, including frequency. Shocks on a mountain bike are pretty much moving perpetually and you have thousands of strokes in a fairiy short time. In those circumstances even fairly light pressure may cause visible wear. But it's a matter of degree and practicality. Everything wears out eventually but practically it may not matter. Whether it matters is very often determined by personal criteria. Some guys replace bikes annually and don't care. Others may want to ride them for decades. Just like with cars.

Sand and dust is a really good abrasive... it doesn't matter what holds it up against the metal surface, if there's contact and movement there's wear. It may be smaller than you can see with the naked eye but its happening all the time as long as there's contact and movement.

How do you know what the right way around is, in the first place?