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So that fun thread about the new Spesh Epic has disappeared. I know I'm slow out the blocks but did Spesh lean on BH management to get it ripped?

My 2018 Spesh has internal routing and so far it hasn't been an enormous hassle. Ive done a brake hose and a rear derailleur housing - the latter did take dismantling the FSR pivot to get the cable through the chainstay but its still pretty easy. There are no internal tubes for the cables but its easy to feed them through the frame and access the ends at the down tube/head tube junction. Strangely, they also don't rattle.

You must ride it after hundreds of DH bikes have been practising for a day - surface turns to dust, big ruts, high speeds and tricky gaps you have to make low down or you have no chance of a decent time. That said its not as gnarly as upper Phoenix where you could launch off the mountain quite easily if you get it wrong...

I have entered but I am now feeling fearful - hopefully my 180 fork can handle all the rocks and what if it rains? So many enduro worries.

If they'd used Enjoy to supply the kit it would all be at least two sizes too small...

Not entirely sure - I am hoping for the end of the year at the latest, but a lot depends on finances and how long it actually takes to reassemble/get running. I need to get quotes for repainting side covers, front fender/nose and the enormous fuel tank(s). Hairy you referred me to someone a while back - can you recall who it was and their number?

My DR Big restoration has moved on a teeny bit with the servicing of the front caliper. I managed to get replacement seals from Suzuki South but ran into an issue with a very stuck piston. After much prizing out of old outer seal, spraying of a variety of toxic substances and the reconnection of the master cylinder and bleeding of the system, it came out quite easily. The caliper is now clean and has fresh pads and rubber. Its also been pained silver since the pic was taken. The air filter on the bike had been cobbled together out of new paper and the old top and bottom caps glued together with way too much epoxy - it didn't fit properly as you van imagine but luckily I was able to find an original Suzuki replacement. I also drained the oil and fitted a new filter and cleaned the gauze trap underneath. The oil filter housing had destroyed threads - hamfisted mechanics using big tools? It had also had gasket compound smeared all over the ancient looking O-ring, some of which had found its way into the filter... After a thorough clean and a new O-ring from Suzuki I refitted the cover using longer socket head bolts - an old trick I discovered with a mtb stem bolt that stripped - and it has worked perfectly - so far. The drained oil looked relatively good and I did not see any metal fragments in it...

Just say no to E.

They perceive cyclists as a gullible market, always ready to spend bug bucks on the next "big thing". I wonder where they got that idea from? SRAM perhaps? 🙂

Hambini has already done a hatchet job and panned the efficiency loss caused by the hub. That said I still don\'t understand what it is :-)

Very true - my 9 speed 105 groupie works perfectly and you can still get parts. In my case I think the antagonism towards stuff like this is more around the unattainability of it for most people and the way it is promoted to everybody as if it is, and that it renders a system that has served everybody well for decades obsolete, which it doesn't.

You probably ride way more than me but my GX 11 cassette has been going for over 5 years and a few chains and is still good...

They said they'd allow motorbikes next year so Hairy can join...

This was a fun event but rather poorly supported by the cycling community. My team consisted of some riders who have been doing the 24 since 2013 and they said it was far better attended in the past. That said, the small entry didn't spoil the fun and the organization and gees was excellent. I think they plan to have it again next year and grow the event. There was even a commentator on duty at 4 am! There is something rather special about riding two laps between 2 and 4 am on a night where the mist came down and created an eerie effect with your lighting at times. That and the baboon warning scream that got me pedaling a bit faster at one point. Was lucky enough to ride with some really decent bike lights - head and bars and it was almost as good as daylight. Great event and well done to the organizers!

I think the reviews tell you that Shimano perfected this under load shifting better than SRAM and as Phil says, you can get it with Deore but have to pay stupid money to get SRAM that also does it that well. SRAM don't want anyone to bother with less than 12 gears while Shimano offers lekker 10/11 speed kit at a decent price point.

Looks like a Trek and may have been inspired by Scott's Shy Shock technology

https://bikenetwork.co.za/leaked-cape-epic-switches-to-enduro-race-format-for-2024-and-beyond/ It had to happen! The Evo mode will become even more important going forward in the Epic, but I think Blevins will now opt for the missing dropper post to maximize DH speed for the new format. Super pumped to see the Epic racers shredding the gnar!

There is a press release doing the rounds - I saw it on Pink Bike. You will be able to watch U23 XCO live and free on Youtube as well as the Junior and Semi final Elite DH races but will have to go the GCN route for the Elite final DH and basically all the other XCO racing - elite men and women and XCC. Cedric Gracia is the new DH commentator and Bart is back on XCO. They have also brought in some commentators from other sports including Kate someone or other.

Agree on spokes and other expensive things these guys don't have to pay for when they fail. Brain has always been a silly idea to me but surely no brain is more comfy than a brain...even in its lowest setting it still restricts shock movement a bit or are we talking full lockout or nothing on this bike?

Let me guess - you choose not to run a dropper 🙂

Beers was running a dropper as was Nino and a host of other pros. I\'d say they should all have droppers.

I just bought some front brake pads for a moto - R340 - 20 times the material that's in a bike brake pad and will last waaay longer. Moto chain quick link - also way more metal, with o-rings and a pack of special grease - R70.

I did the retro fitting thing to my wife's Zula - drilled a hole near the bottom of the seat tube above the weld at the BB with the cable then routing up the underside of the downtube with the others. I also had to trim/shorten the seat tube at the top to allow appropriate insertion of the post. Several years later and all appears to be fine.

Just remove the front wheel when you rack it in future. Putting it out back is a good idea.

I must say I have had more Shimano derailleur issues eg klapping into spokes and such like than I have ever had with the only SRAM mech I've had a GX 11s. Its a tough cookie. The newer Shimano stuff looks beefier though.