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Congrats! Touch wood I have never broken a frame, despite hammering a Raleigh RDS (jumps, drops and few hard crashes for 8 years) These days there is no excuse for bike co's to build a cracking frame - materials are sorted, so barring a bad batch of tubing, poor finishing off - eg heat treatment gone wrong there should be no problems unless the design is bad and the frame is stressed or underbuilt at that point...

Go for 2 to 4 and leave the undead in its coffin. But get the Wilson custom painted please. Wilson, Session, Fury in that order.

After Graves nearly won a dh WChamps on it, I'd look no further than the versatile SB 66 If I had money to burn of course. I recall a size L on the hub with kashima fork and shock for R30k a few months back.

IMO - Change the chain and the smaller ring at the same time - you have quite a few km on the drivetrain in MTB terms and the worn ring is part and parcel of the problem. That may precipitate a casette change as well though, if the new chain starts slipping at the back.

What bike frame is it and which group set, tri or double.

So we mortals on 150mm bikes have no excuses - downhill tracks can be hammered on them. Or is it the rider :-)

That was the most amazing race - watched it all on RB TV - thank goodness for faster internet, although the picture was worse than usual. An almost unbelievable finish. After Greg went to the top I had little doubt he would win it as the pressure on the others went up several notches. Feeling very proudly South African today.

The Nobby Nic on the back of my Reign lasted 5 rides before I holed it and spent R850 on 2 decent new tyres. It all depends on the bike, terrain and riding style. I generally find my tyres end up with holes in the sidewalls and through the tread before the tread is worn away. The X mark and Ignitor from Maxxis are tough long lasting tyres as is the Larsen.

Not that different at all, except for the name they thought up - these days the basics underlying any VPP/FSR/Maestro/DW link design are virtually the same - its just the piivot locations that are varied and the shape of the rockers and so on.. Shorten the lower link and you have almost got a Maestro bike - make it longer and its FSR like.

Regardless of the geo, a niner, no matter how good, is not as nimble as a sixer when it comes to technical riding, manuals, hops, switchbacks and jumps etc. If all you want is roll over and long distance riding and only the odd bit of tech trail riding, then go for it. I would not ride the Epic on a sixer unless I had to. SA is a good few years behind the rest of the world when it comes to proper technical trail riding venues and rider skills and the bike sales stats show this...

He allegedly hit 80 plus on the previous enduro race too - should be an interesting watch this weekend...

Well done on your victory in the 30 plus Ballies race, sir! And congrats to some of the other winners and podiums. Now I know why these guys were beating me in the local enduro series here.

From a 26er HT? The models you mentioned are all good but Giant usually offers the best value.

How much is XT in copmparison - AFAIK it has most of the cogs mounted on an ali spider and is lighter than SLX again. If you can afford it go XT , otherwise SLX(which I have in 10 spd and it works great if a tad heavy.

I have had this kind of jogger/cyclist interaction quite regularly and I am not even a road rider. Thankfully the growth of trail running means that fewer people are out on the roads in my area, but you still get the odd oke/okette trying to avoid puncturing their airs or twisting an ankle by running in the road with some perfectly good gravel next to them. Most move out of the way, some don't. On the other hand I ride on the pavement sometimes to avoid cars while being extra vigilant for pedestrians and slowing down or moving over where necessary. I recognise that I am not where I should be, and act accordingly. Runners should do the same. As Cassie said, defensive driving,cycling and running is the answer. Just a pity so few people practise it...

Looks good and it almost has normal wheels. Doubt you'll find one for sale here though.

How much do you weigh?

Second the park tool scrubber - I never take the chain off and use clean green and then water to rinse in the scrubber chaning the water about 4 times. Nothing could be simpler. Towel dry and lube.

Just serviced a Reba team myself - lowers, airspring and damper. Online manuals from RS and vids on youtube. Its proverbially P##s easy. Parts were just over R500,00 and oil about R50,00. You can buy quality motorbike fork oil at any motorcycle dealer but you may have to buy a largish quantity. Good for next time. I got away with a decent shifter as I didnt have a suitable 24mm socket for the top caps and used a small pair of side cutters to compress the spring clips to remove the damper and spring bits from the uppers. I was intimidated by the job but it really was simple and satisfying to complete. The wifes fork is now smooth like butter.

Canyon FTW - pity they won't ship here both are way better value than big name brand bikes. Get a relative to order one or use their address when you order and they can bring it over or ship it for you.

Its probably that spot, you know the one everyone goes on and on about ....Gotta get there some time

Greg is proof that consistency rather than speed at all costs is the way to do it - compare him to Danny "the hobbit" Hart for example.... Smith seems to have speed and consistency and BMT all in one.

My LBS did the conversion including parts and labour for R500 - for both wheels a few months ago.

No way bro's - my Reign 1 is far more collectible cos its the last of the sixer Reigns. sorry Captn M, they still make the X in six.

Pity this is so far away from CT - I could have competed in a worlds master's DH if it was closer. Damn.