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If you don't know your way around study Trailforks and make sure you know where everything is. Tracks are shorter than JH but no less fun.

As far as we are aware this was a once off that probably won't happen again.. The reality is that the land is part of a national park. In no park in SA do SANP cater for mountain biking other than providing access and some rudimentary trails. Think Harkerville and probably a few others where cycling is permitted. The kind of "proper" MTB trails with exclusive bike use ( no hikers) at Tokai, exist only because of TokaiMTB which not only repairs the trails there are but also helps fend off environmental lobby group agitation against "downhill trails" and liaises with SANP management. The trail maintenance is key - if the trails were left to waste away and erode, SANP would simply close them and the enviro lobby groups would have a field day. Tokai is in most respects better as a trail riding destination than it used to be. Its gnarlier and more fun than it ever was when it had so-called crown jewel status. I think people just have fond memories of the trees which fogs the memory. That was also before Tygerberm and JH became so well developed. That said, Tokai is the second most ridden destination in the country, running a close second to Tygerberg on ridelog stats.

Some guys have broken down rocks and tried to put some illegal woodwork in the Cecilia area. So things are improving for gravel bikers. Ya know if your bike isn't up to it you can always bash the trail smooth...

Actually I think its you, Nino.

The UCI/ESO really are mad. I spent almost the whole weekend on the couch watchin DH and XCO racing and now the same the next weekend with an enduro thrown in for good measure. Luckily the weather in CT is making actually riding your bike near impossible but still, I think its an excess of TV on one weekend. According to some commentators, Austria is a really bad place to ride MTB's because most land and tracks are off limits, unlike France and other Euro countries. So the enduro is going to be on a lot of boring bike park tracks. The DH is always good though. Did anyone notice what a cry baby Fluckiger was after the race on Sunday. What a sad little man.

Weird. I love the Prism Trailtorch lenses. when i get to borrow my wife;s Oakleys, that is. what do you Oakleyists think of the big lense Sutro goggle style glasses?

If you want to catch Warner doing his thing watch the Erzbergrodeo 2023 on RBTV. Apparently he even entered the event once...

MMM I agree with most of what you've said but not Cedric. I think he's terrible. Babbles on indistinctly over Ric's commentary. There was no proper build up of excitement or rather it was just poor compared to the Warner /Claudio / Jackson effort. Finish line was sterile - riders moved up and away from the action if on the hotseat. No invasions and wild celebration with the winner. Production was sub par at times - quali's showed very little for each run and too many runs didn't show the most tech section up top. Positives were seeing the Jr's live - something which RBTV should have started years ago. That said, it was an overall good experience with some room for improvement. If you want some good behind the scenes commentary check out Cathro on PB and Wyn TV without Wyn. Cathro's insta has his crash on it, Quite brutal and a fractured vertebrae to show for it.

Why come here and sprout k@k?

Its about R80 pm. Bargain, but for those that identify as motorcyclists/hate paying for services rendered, there are a few live on Youtube options, like the Juniors coming up this afternoon and the elite semi finals also free. Finals and the XCO are all paywalled, Sorry. 🙂

Some of us are able to fine motor on the left hand too, leaving the stronger hand for skids and giggles.

Well no, because they avoid or complain about the tuff events. I think now its how fancy your bike is and how many gravel road miles you have ridden that determines your status. 🙂

From the OP's post it sounds like MTB racers have become a bit soft and have started avoiding the event because it is just too hard and technical. I guess a balance has to be struck but it sounds like a cool event in a great part of the world.

Yeah, should be Roval carbon wheels and XTR or XX1 to be an S WRX level build. Stans alloy rims on that bike is almost a travesty 🙂 I would argue the ad is misleading - that is not an S Works bike because it has some writing on the frame. Should be marketed as S Works frame plus non S Works build kit.

I hope you have the matching sokkies, shoes, top and helmet or its a fail 🙂

Some unrelated information - I bought some Goodyear SUV tyres a few months ago. In the first month both rear tyres had punctures, the first within 10 days. Hows that for bad luck? Does anyone here ride on the MTF/MTR? I'd give them a try but they need to be suitably well priced before I'd deviate from the Assegai/DHR/Aggressor I know well. I recall initial reviews of their MTB offerings were underwhelming but that was a few years back.

My DR Big project is ongoing. I'm reassembling and coming to grips with the wiring harness and connectors. At least one of the multiplugs (?) has become brittle from heat ( its above the engine). I suspect that some mods have been done to remove the clutch switch and decompression lever switch both of which prevent the engine starting unless they are activated. In fact I hope they have been removed because that would explain why I have a lead from the decomp lever that has nowhere to plug into 🙂 ... I had to repair the airbox where the filter fasteners were mounted in the plastic. Someone decided it was a good idea to simply screw self tappers into the plastic to hold the filter in. I glued captive nuts into the housing, where they were supposed to be and blocked the screw holes with epoxy and now have a more or less 100% airbox. I replaced the oil and filter some time back and also wanted to check the valve clearance but found the circular screw cover on the engine that accesses the crank to enable it to be turned was going nowhere. I even removed the entire side cover to see if it could be turned from the inside, to no avail. Irritatingly, the access port cover has what can only be described as a "coin slot" to turn it, so I had to fashion a tool to fit it but still without success. Maybe Suzuki used to have a special tool?

I wisely stayed at home to let my cold get better but was sorely tempted and had started getting my kit in order the day before....It was such a lovely day for a race and a ride but did neither.

They have done some work on Monkey but that extra dirt between the rocks will go all over them when its ridden and they are quite tricky then, as you say. I'm probably out with a nasty cold at the moment, but we shall see...

I do when its working but I'm a manual lover at heart. Ordinarily I'd agree with you but the ergonomics on the GX 11 shifter are so shite that its a pain to do quick clicks. Also, when you have something as silky smooth and hand friendly as a Saint 10 speed shifter on your other bike, the GX is just horrid. Would I miss it it it hadn't been invented? That's like asking would you miss disk brakes or one x 10/11/12 if we were still all on cable V Brakes and triple rings, isn't it?

GX 11 is quite good a durable but it suffers from the same malady all cable operated SRAM shifters do - horrible ergonomics on the release button and the lack of double shifts to higher gears. Maybe that's why they felt compelled to go AXS - couldn't build a decent cable shifter?

The stuff I have isn't quite as sticky as new chain grease I don't think. My concern is that it attracts more dirt and will wear the chain prematurely so time will tell.

https://www.silkolene.com/motorcycle/chain-lubes/titanium-dry-lube/ I bought some of this for my motorbike restoration project and gave it a go on my mtb. Initially I applied it with the chain clean and in a plastic container which led to an over application and a very greasy chain which picked up dirt. I cleaned most of the lube off and have not had to reapply it in several rides and a wash. Although quite greasy, the lube doesn't cake up with dirt like wax lubes and the derailleur pulleys and chainring have remained surprisingly clean. The biggest advantage I have found is the shifting and quietness of my drivetrain which is much better than with Smoove or other wax lubes. So far it seems to be the best of both worlds. The cost of a 500ml can is R195 which makes bicycle wax lubes look rather pricey. Anyone else tried moto products on their bicycles?

There is no doubt that KK is rather amazing in terms of volume - 500km of trails - and the way they've been built. Videos look awesome. https://www.trailforks.com/region/karkloof-country-club/?activitytype=1&z=10.3&lat=-29.40746&lon=30.28375 Every riding area has to be seen in terms of its geography and status ( nature reserve or commercial) and there is no doubt that the lower reaches of the Berg are not as rocky and sandy as the Cape Mountains, in general. The clay soil makes trail building much easier and you're basically riding degraded plantation land, not nature reserve or national park, making it much easier to build wherever you want as long as the plantation buys into it. That's why the plantation area of JH has way more trails than Tokai, which is all national park. The Sappi plantation at KK is also massive, far bigger then MTO Jonkers I just wish KK was easier to get to...I will have to plan a monster road trip holiday to get up there some time. * It would help if KK got on board with Trailforks and got some proper trail descriptions written. (to see what they should look like see TokaiMTB's trail descriptions. * Interesting fact - Tygerberg trails have the highest usage in the country at over 40000 check ins p/a with Tokai a close second also in the 40k check ins per year.

If you want to see what the real top trails are, go to trailforks and check the South Africa page. Based on rider numbers and trail ratings I believe. https://www.trailforks.com/region/south-africa/?activitytype=1&z=4.0&lat=-31.00468&lon=32.38236