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Sorry bout that' date=' thought had revised the suspension across the board - guess we have to wait for the trickle down effect.Consider me suitably informed
[/quote']
Agree. New design will probably trickle down to all models from 2010 range. Still, I couldn't find any fault in the previous design.
Test rode a Fuel EX 5.5 for many weeks and loved it! Great allround bike. Assume the 6.5 will be similar if not slightly better. They have the same rear-suss design I think. Trek's new rear-suss design starts one model up from the 6.5, but that's where the price gets higher too.
The 6.5 has a better brake system and front fork than the 5.5, which are two things I would have eventually upgraded on the 5.5 if it was my own.
Sean Badenhorst2009-05-12 09:40:52
What a juvenile press release. How do they expect anyone to take them seriously with immature drivel like that? But then these are people that elected as their leader a chap that says a shower after unprotected sex with an HIV-carrier is an appropriate defence against AIDS.
Instead of trying to tell educated adults what to do, they should spend their time and energy trying to find ways of improving the bass on their sound systems in their Nissan Navaras.
It's amazing what they hang on limp posts lamp posts these days.
Sean Badenhorst2009-05-11 09:46:11
Elvin, I think you may need to direct this query to the Dept of Education. This is the Dept of Speculation...
HA ha Sean' date=' so whats a piecost, R9.50 at Pick & Pay?[/quote']
Sharp man!
I won a piecost last week!
Men shaving leg hair is unatural. No wonder motorists think we are a bunch of lycra clad pansies!!!!!!!!I agree. Next thing you know they will be shaving their chests too.
But somehow you think it's natural for women to shave their legs, underarms etc?
Porky, you wouldn't have landed yourself in this awful mess if you'd just been attentive to your wife's cycling needs in the first place... Now you're blaming it on 'predatory' bike shops. tsk, tsk. Lesson learned no doubt.
Giba Gorge rocks, but for more variety and longer rides, head to Mankele Mountain Biking just outside Nelspruit. They have accommodation so it's perfect for a two or three days of riding.
I was asked by some of the officials to take a rider to drug testing. Well' date=' just my luck it was Sam Hill.What a cool guy. He asked me was his name drawn "random again". I asked why ? He laughed and said his name always some how get drawn. What was nice as well, he gave loads of stuff away to kids, who came to his pits.More interesting info i gained from his team owner. Their team budget for two downhill riders is just over $500K for 2009. He remarked that is was expensive for them to come to SA.[/quote']
Good to see you there Owen! Agree, Hill is very media friendly. His 4th place was impressive since the course didn't suit his strengths. Watch for him on Supercycling tonight, along with GM, Gee Atherton, Kalentieva, Heymans, Schurter who Gerald de Kock interviewed while there.
Rob Warner is a great guy. We organised a Zulu warrior outfit for him which he wore sans underwear for an intro piece the guys did. It's on their site. Took us a few goes to tell him how to say 'sawubona'.
The TV guys (the Freecaster crew and Smareg Media - UCI's official TV guys) were all really cool. They work flippen hard and never complain.
Loved the movie! Place was packed. I sat on the stairs with many others. Minnaar was also sitting on the stairs as was Hill ? the two 'stars' of the film. The movie gives great insight into the DH racing culture and the riders that make it that way. Highly recommended viewing. Holy Roller is watching it tonight and will do a review on the treadmag.co.za website.
Any person who finished under 10 hours achieved a super human feat! I unfortunately swim like a rock - straight to the bottom!
Congrats to all who attempted and finished!
My buddy Lawrence van Lingen swam like a fish. Third out the water (top 3 broke the swim record) and finished up 10th overall. He arrives in Pmb for the MTB World Cup tomorrow and I'm putting aside a looooong coffee break to hear all about his race. Apparently it was ridiculously hot and I don't think anyone broke 3 hours for the run. But I may be wrong.
Anyone know if we can take beer onto the course? Or is there a shop/canteen on route?
I was there on Sunday watching the DH - awesome!! It was very hot!!!They had some coke and fanta stalls at the bottom but did not see anything on the course. I suggest bring a rucksack stuffed with refreshments' date=' a low chair to park on, a hat, sunblock and a stout pair of walking shoes.These is a Spur in the Cascades Centre some 200m away and I suggest we all meet there at an arranged time wearing something orange.[/quote']
Spur schmur! Coffeeberries is the place to meet, eat and be seen in this centre. Best coffee and food and it's got full Burry/Greg endorsement too.
Just helped Gerald de Kock find some riders to interview:
Sam Hill
Greg Minnaar
Gee Atherton
Nino Schurter
Irina Kalentieva
Vibe is awesome. Great buzz and it's flippen hot here today. The Euros are asking for adjustment of the thermostat...
Oh, and bumped into Absalon as he was entering the hair salon for a haircut. The woman that cut his was stunned at his pedigree when I told her - 4 x World Cup champion, 4 x World Champion, 2 x Olympic Champion. Can't blame her - he looks like a student from Maritzburg Varsity.
Sean Badenhorst2009-04-08 05:32:42
intern is out there now riding the XC course with Roan Exelby. Told him to snap some pics with his phone if he gets stuck behind any big names. Well, big names besides Exelby...
You guys in the know' date=' do you think this is a once of event or will they be back next year?
.[/quote']
If it goes well this year, it'll be back. So far, the rider feedback has been very positive regarding the courses.
Interesting titbit for DH nuts, Kovarik won the MTN SA Cup race on Sunday with platform pedals (non-clip) and this is being rated as the second-most pedally course on the circuit (after Canberra)!
Intern and I had a little walk around the World Cup competition area earlier and within 200m/15 minutes saw:
Sam Hill
Gee Atherton
Dan Atherton
Thomas Frischknecht
Jose Hermida
Julien Absalon (we think, he was quite far away)
Sam Hill is actually sitting about 5m from me in the media centre right now checking his email...
Talent overload in Pmb right now!
Sean Badenhorst2009-04-07 04:48:48
Live on web tv here: http://www.mtbworldcupsa.co.za/ and EuroSport if you can pick that up.
2 x 26 minute highlights shows a week later on Super Sport.
Anyone know if you can just arrive as a spectator on Saturday and pay to get in or must you buy entry tickets up front?
Yes, you can buy tickets at the gate.
There's a complex schedule on the official website but I've taken out all the racing elements for a more focussed list (see below). We'll have previews, reviews and leading results on www.treadmag.co.za too. In fact we've got MTN National Cup stuff under our race news section already. Gonna catch some DH action now. Can't wait!
Event Schedule
Thursday 9 April
08h30?14h30: Official downhill training ? all World Cup riders
14h45?16h15: Official downhill training ? Timed session (only top 80 men/top 20 women in World Cup rankings)
10h00?16h00: Official cross-country training ? World Cup riders only
16h45?18h15: Official 4x training
Friday 10 April
08h00?11h00: Official downhill training ? all World Cup riders
10h00?15h00: Official cross-country training ? World Cup riders only
11h00?12h30: Official downhill training ? Timed session (only top 80 men/top 20 women in World Cup rankings)
13h15: WORLD CUP DOWNHILL ? QUALIFYING ROUND
15h45?17h00: Official 4X training
17h15: WORLD CUP 4X ?QUALIFYING ROUND
Saturday 11 April
09h00: WORLD CUP CROSS-COUNTRY ? JUNIOR MEN
09h02: WORLD CUP CROSS-COUNTRY ? JUNIOR WOMEN
FOLLOWED BY AWARDS CEREMONY
09h30?12h00: Official downhill training (World Cup finalists only)
11h15: WORLD CUP CROSS-COUNTRY ? ELITE/UNDER-23 WOMEN
FOLLOWED BY AWARDS CEREMONY
14h00: WORLD CUP CROSS-COUNTRY ? ELITE/UNDER-23 MEN
FOLLOWED BY AWARDS CEREMONY
15h30?17h00: Official 4X training
17h15: WORLD CUP 4X FINALS
FOLLOWED BY AWARDS CEREMONY
Sunday 12 April
09h30?12h00: Official downhill training (World Cup finalists only)
13h15: WORLD CUP DOWNHILL FINALS ? WOMEN
14h00: WORLD CUP DOWNHILL FINALS ? MEN
FOLLOWED BY AWARDS CEREMONY.
I'm there/here already. Looking forward to some awesome racing this weekend. Virtually all the big names racing the World Cup next weekend are racing the SA Cup today and tomorrow... 4X tonight should be interesting.
Trek Fuel EX 6.5
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