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I am 1000% sure the bike has nothing at all to do with Gwins slow time - he has the skills - it can only be fitness and/or mind stuff - maybe some nerves. GM said he was tense up top...

Gwin should have been on an enduro 29er - on that he wins.

I am busy getting used to my Reign 1 - some parts are easy to love - the brakes, shifting, dropper post, clutch rear mech,TALAS, chain guide amazing traction and climbing ability - while some are not as easy to get used to. I have a 150 mm ctd fork and am still tweaking the pressure and trying the dh and trail settings to see what works best for me. Any advice on a tune would help - I am about 85kg in my kit. Are peeps adding oil ton the air spring chamber to change the rate a bit? Do the TALAS forks break in and get a bit less sticky after a while? On teh rear I have a near perfect tune, but landed a jump yesterday and bounced the landing, which was a novel experience - I take it the rebound should be slowed a bit? The bike comes with Nobby Nics - pretty grippy but seem to be very pressure sensitive - too soft they try burp off the rim and slide when pushed (rear) - and apparently when hard, they bounce. Any pressure recomendations? Bike is huge fun - I am stunned at how well it climbs with the fork in its lower position - would definitely race a marathon event on it...

Great coverage IMO - and seemless internet tv despite our slow speed adsl. I think GM will speed up as the season goes - is he usually a fast starter or not? 8th is a lot better than 20th. Needles did well with 15th too and how was RA - 10 secs better than second place. Looking forward to next weekends round...

Sounds to me like Gauteng needs some more good riding areas. On runners - live and let live applies - but this requires consideration from both parties. So, if you are running down the road ie on the tar against traffic flow and a cyclist is approaching, move off the road to let the cyclist pass without having to swerve out and possibly into the path of a car approaching from behind. Common sense isnt it, but lots of runners dont, just as lots of cyclists don't always play the game...

So whats the story with runners who use the side of the road against traffic flow and expect cyclists to swerve and avoid them so they can stay on the smooth black stuff rather than risk a shoe blow out on the verge. I hold my line if necessary - not willing to risk a car hitting me from behind. OP, what you think the rule should be on the road? I disagree that pedestrians cannot change direction quickly - far easier for a runner to duck out of the way at the last minute than a biker. The MTB guy probably thought you would yield because thats what most sane people do, depending on the situation of course. In my book, the runner should generally yield to the heavier faster moving bike as its far easier for a runner to do so. Simple.

Got a pair of Maxxis Ignitor UST's on my bike at the moment. Pro's - cheap from CRC - tough and long tread life - not really a rear tyre by the look of it, but grips like crazy at the rear on the tech ups. Cons- heavyish - way narrower looking than the claimed 2.35 written on them. Overall a good option if ya on a budget.

Haven't read the article but unless he bases the 50/50 stat on decided court cases or careful analysis of all the facts in each and every reported accident, his claim means nothing. I am not aware of any fatal accidents where it was held the cyclist was at fault. I am aware of numerous cases where cylists have been hit while minding their own business and with right of way, me included. Fandacious et al need to drop the fallacious reasoning. We have a profoundly poor "could not care less" driving culture and poor driving skills in SA . Look at the road death toll for December. Small light vehicles will always come off worse in an accident and thats the bottom line.I am quite sure the most common response from a driver in any accident involving a bike is "I didn't see him" which is virtually always an instant admission of negligence.

Agree with AA. Shop around for last years model on special and don't be afraid to buy second hand - post any queries here.

The most senisble post in the entire thread IMO. Safety first. So much agro and unpleasantness in this thread. Do road cyclists behave any worse here than in Europe for instance? I hear tales of infinite patience from motorists when waiting to pass cyclists on busy alpine passes. Where is the patience here? Most of the posts start with a fallacious premis - that cyclists behaviour somehow contributes to fatal accidents and respect is somehow earned, ie if roadies don't do bunches and stick to red lights, motorists will somehow drive more carefully. This is nonsense. As someone else has pointed out, there is little if any correlation between cyclits breaking the law and fatal accidents. I used to commute via motorcycle years ago. Always headlight on high beam. Still came close to a serious accident when a car cut me off. I drive thousands of km a year but have never had a problem with a cyclist. After ten Argus tours I have given up riding on the road because of motorist behavior. I was hit while out on my MTB in the 1990's - broad daylight. I had right of way, car simply cut me off. I could have ended up like Burry, but luckily flew over the car hood and did a full 360, ended up with minor injuries and walked home. Why blame has to be apportioned to cyclists because some break the road rules makes little sense to me. Cyclists deaths and accidents with cars are not in the main due to cyclsits breaking rules. They are due to negligent car driving and drunk drivers. By all means ride your bike lawfully, with courtesy and consideration but don't expect that to make a jot of difference to your chance of getting hit by a car. Even a minor contact can be fatal for the far lighter more exposed biker/cyclist. You are less visible on your bike and motorists arent attuned to look for cyclists.

That bike - the DS looks lovely - amazing to see it ridden so hard on my home trails - makes a change after all the BC vids on Pinkbike...

From my rumour mill - the amateur dopin scene is way bigger than Mr Collin.

I ride a 100/120mm dually - its been kitted out with short stem and the longer fork gives it a slacker head angle. It does okay as an AM bike but requires far more care on the rough stuff than a 150 mm travel bike. I didnt really understand the difference until I swopped bikes with a friend and rode his 150mm Kona Abravadabra. It was literally like magic. Bumps disappeared and the effort required to negotiate rocky singletrack was vastly reduced.He was keen to swop back after less than 0.5 km. It felt much like my first ride on the 100mm bike after years on a hardtail. Some of it is supension sttings, but with extra travel you can run front and back softer than you can on a 100mm bike and still not bottom out on jumps and drops... I don't see the longer travel bike requiring less skill. It will save your bacon at times, as people point out, but if you are a vaguely aggressive rider, what it will do is increase your speed to well over anything you'd achieve on a short travel bike. So, you'll go faster and reach the limits of the long travel bike as well - you'll just be going a lot faster when you stack it into the ground...

Perhaps the robber will think twice before trying anything again. Kudos to whoever it was who klapped him For those concerned re safety for their kids - if you ride during the busy weekend periods, you are probably a bit safer. I'll still take my kid there but maybe some pepper spray as well...

The Garf will find Tokai a tough environment - its not for pussies of any discription, even invisible ones.

Of course we own the trails runner boy/girl- this is CT after all, not Jhb amd we'll defend our turf to the bitter end. In fact, trail runners at Tokai will soon be obliged to wear bright orange bibs and run barefoot to limit their range, so come prepared when you travel down to run here!

Flippit Hairy, and ya didnt even credit me for finding you that Niner porn!!

Who has heard the rumour that Constantiaberg Hospital (the closest emergency ward to Tokai give or take a governement hosiptal or 2) has seen many an accident involving 29er riders of late. The explanation I have been given is that 9ers are so much faster than sixers, the poor 9er owners don't realise this and crash when they hit jumps and obstacles at the insane speeds now possible with this totally incredible new technology. The other explanation I have heard is that many niner riders are dirt roadies - perhaps recent converts to mtb and think the big roady like wheels will keep him/her safe no matter what they ride into, and learn the hard way you still need some skills. Or perhaps, neither of the above, and the usual 9er geometry does not lend itself to drops and airtime... Opinions please Gotta love another niner thread

Thats not that old - a comparable Fox should fit. Call Omnico and give them the measurements from centre eye to eye and they'll probaqbly be able to spec the right shock...

Any carbon 29er hard tail - Scott, Spesh Giant etc if I was fit and feeling tough Otherwise, a 26er 100 - 120 mm dual sus.

What an adrenalin rush - no looking back now. Tokai was perfect after the rain!

What amazes me is all these twits drive cars too - would they simply stop in the middle of a road in their cars? Maybe and maybe thats why they do it on a piece of fast singletrack. Down here, the "upriders" cause problems - the ones who insist on going up tracks that are predominantly fast downhill fun tracks - the distraction factor if you are on a fast section is huge, even if they are not actually in your way... Guess its just the human factor and part of the sport. I drive my car assuming everyone I encounter will drive badly - apply the same to MTB and you'll probably be the better off for it...

Its a great race - very cold usually dry conditions with snow on the berge if you are lucky. Nice mix of terrain - some vineyards and jeep track as well as rolling Karoo tracks which are probably the most fun you can have on an mtb...

At 2.5 my son was on a jd bug at 4 or so on a 16" plus training wheels and eventually without the training wheels. At 5 he went to a 20" Merida kids 7spd mtb and rides singeltrack quite well. Kids bikes seem to suffer from poor gearing. Kids hate hills and even with 7speed gears there isnt one low enough. Am thinking of trying to get a small front ring for the merida to help him on the hills. The other trick I use which works well is to get a cheap piece of ski rope to tow with. I attach it to my sons steerer tube and my seat tube and pull him up the steep jeep track at Tokai - works well, mostly quite safe and opens up new places to ride for kiddo and a good if harsh workout for Dad.

Lol, "all those bucks" = " alot of bucks (sic)" mmmm, maybe in your mind. Your lack of humility is matched only by your lack of ability perhaps?