PhilipV

A quick Google shows me that camelbak bladders are 900zars. Hoes hoes. In contrast my secretary bought a bladder for R129 at MRP Sport this week. That being said, in my 22years of hydration pack use, I've only had to replace two bladders due to leaks, neither of them were camelbak (the Camelbak one I'm using in my running pack is now 7 years old.)

That's a rather expensive 2nd bladder. But take your tools, snack pack and layer you would typically ride with to a store, stuff it in and see if it will suit your needs. You might be surprised.

The Hanger also has a special on schwalbe

When last did shimano make 10spd drivetrains? About that old.

Damn this sucks. What a way to spoil what was potentially a lekker trip. I'm curious, did you have the bikes washed at the end of day1 at the race village, and did they use pressure washers? Was there possible water incursion?

Have you tried to warranty anything shimano recently? It was a pain when they had stock. Now I'd replace it with whatever I can find. And in his case there is no warranty anymore, hence me saying it's about worth its paper weight as loo roll Sidenote: Shimano warranty is 2 years, 3 years for top end parts.

I rest my case. Let's be honest, you are an outlier in terms of use, and in your case the shimano warranty isn't worth the paper it's written on. So this is just another one of the challenges you've became so adept at overcoming.

Sjoe, it seems the loud hubbers are the new ones. A lot of you obviously came on the scene after he ducked under the radar to hide in the Karoo. For the record, Frail would ride from Cape to Jozi, ride the 947, and then ride home the next day. He counts that as three rides, and is more than what some people ride in a year. He has also done a lot for the betterment of society, at no gain to himself with his monster rides. Frail got hurt badly and his roller coaster recovery ride was long and arduous. And iirc this bike was built up shortly before that accident out of what he could find. Frail is one of those wholesome members of society that deserves to be protected solely for what he does, even before you meet him. The old hub would have rallied around and sorted him out with a crank, but alas, thehub has become like the comment section on news24.

good point, the running tumbles don't compare to the mtb slide, roll, stop and groan. First Ascent Stealth pack looks like a good mix of the straps to make it sit and stay, with harder materials. Also the Camelbak Chase. And USWE as well. Maybe one day when I grow up we'll see the ideal hybrid packs....

How many layers do you really expect to pack? If it is just one layer, you might be able to stuff it in the bladder compartment? The Camelbak bags are nice minimalist bags, but I won't buy a Rogue or a classic. If it has to be Camelbak, and you can get stock, get the Chase or the Mule. Especially for you, who carries for two. I'll be honest though, after going riding with my running (running pack/waistcoat/whateveritscalled) pack, I've retired my riding backpack. The riding packs are years behind the trail running packs ITO comfort and not moving. My 12L Salomon is versatile enough for the days where I grab 1 soft flask bottle and a rain jacket, but on Saturday it packed 3L of water, 300ml milk, gas stove, matches, breakfast, warm jacket, rain jacket, a lot of snacks and a first aid kit for a 5hr mountain mission.

Dammit, I'm on a river trip that weekend. Verkeerde keuses! I was looking forward to an enduro where I wasn't marshaling. Good luck for the event!

I remember his rant at Epic a few years ago. At least he has a lot of personality and adds flavor to the racing.

It would have helped if they went to the team briefing where it was discussed that the wooden ramp will be removed for the men. But they didn't, so he was the only one who didn't know, and tried to roll what wasn't there.

If it's like the older EL I've got, insulation tape rolled two or three times around the handlebar will keep it steady.

Personally, I would look for a second hand Oscar or something like that. Mine (2nd hand Oscar) is 15 years old now, a bit worse for wear, but still bangs out shots like the day I got it 10 years ago. The little consumer level machines like the Smegs and delonghis don't last that long, and their parts are an issue. Whereas the Oscar shares parts with its bigger siblings, so it is fixable when things break. And it is Italian, so it will break. That being said, a mate of mine makes amazing coffees out of his Breville Barista Express.

Wait, we can do that?

I'm guessing this is a "buy a Toyota (or BMW, VW etc,) they are better" type of statement. And about as useful.

Be warned, trail running sucks funds as well. I've spent more on shoes in the last 18 months than I would have on a shimano drivetrain replacement for my bike.

No sarcasm. But Thanks, I just realised that I'm injecting my own bias here. To me a bakkie is useless without a canopy, but that's because I need to put half a bar worth of stock in the back in the week, followed by my bicycle after work. So I need a lot of space, and enough security to prevent a skollie from grabbing things off the back. For a farmer, a canopy is what he put's on his wife's bakkie, if she isn't driving a Fortuner.

With modern housings that is farting against thunder. And the xfusion manic has one of the best lever feels, so if it doesn't feel lekker anymore, it is time to replace the cable and the housing.

Has anyone seen a price on these yet? If the price per ml is in line with the 150ml bottles, then this is actually better for the guy who doesn't buy in bulk. 120ml is about right for a mtb wheel.

I do the same with mine in the bakkie, it's really convenient. But on my wife's bike I have a thule swing type rack. That is not convenient, fortunately the bike mostly goes on top of a trailer when we go with her car to a cycling destination. But that is a whole different kettle of fish. @OP,in your situation a roof rack really is the best option. Hopefully you doesn't have to sell a lens to finance it. Maybe take a couple of stunning photos of Wifey and family to remind her how much of a waste of talent it would be for you to stop taking photos. The long game usually reaps the most rewards.

Just the licensing and insurance on that over the next three years will be more than the Thule roofrack setup. But the fuel, tyres and wear and tear will probably less than his ST. Oh and don't forget that a bakkie is pretty useless without a canopy.

Is it THAT Wimpie?

I think the real villain here is whoever buys sealant in small quantities and small packaging. Buy a proper bottle, break the bead and decant as needed. Sealant doesn't go off in storage, your paying less per ml, and you have stock when you need it on an awkward Friday night before a race. And these bottles are also recyclable if you believe that the people at recycling sorting tables will actually touch something that is obviously full of latex and gross. That reminds me, my 2.5L bottle is almost empty, I need to buy another one.