Oli G

get a fizik

Tallboy, as 29rs go is pretty useless. really flexi and the suspension isnt great for 29ers. Cruz should stick to 26. for 29 only go with Niner or maybe Bulls at that price...

Niner

Lance at the Epic bike shop is brilliant. Omnico does tend to give a couple of problems here and there...

Yes. I rode one for two weeks, there is nothing like it. it goes up singletrack better than my xc race and comes down absolutely brilliantly. Downhillingking tried it as well and loved it and said it was blerry quick... if there was one bike on the planet that i would have to ride for the rest of my life it would undoubtedly be this. the head angle should maybe be 66 instead of 68 and the front deraileur (shimano XT version) cage touches on the frame when shifting to big ring which tends to throw out your gears a bit (its just the nut that the cable is held on with (nothing a dremel cant fix)) i shouldnt actually be saying too much yet but Bicycling will have an article on it soon.(i think)

just make sure the nuts are tight enough so that the axle doesnt move but if its too tight the hub will feel gritty. quite a mission to get right and takes a bit of time but i keep mine nice and service my classics every month(like youre supposed to) and mine has never not engaged. i have noticed that my spring is worn as well but it hasnt affected my hub.

Your FD could be catching on the chainring teeth. maybe try raising the FD a tiny bit. otherwise check the limit screws. all that i can think of from my understanding of your post...

Theres a guy named alex that does custom paint in cape town. Ive seen him in the Epic bike shop so you can probably get hold of him through there. He is brilliant.

First make sure that the wheel is in straight before tightening the quick release. Make sure the bike is perfectly vertical when u tighten it, and gravity will do its job. then you can use Veloce's method and if its still rubbing just make minor adjustments by undoing one of the allen bolts and pushing the caliper so that u can see a gap between the pad and rotor. One of the pistons could be overactive. If the pads(or pistons) aren't equal distances from the caliper then one piston will be overactive. to correct this, if the piston is clearly very overactive, take out the wheel and hold back the overactive pad with a (clean) screwdriver and pump the brake lever softly. you will see the pad that you aren't holding back come out and the over active piston stay in the same spot. this will equalize the amount of hydraulic fluid in each piston.

Blackburn

rock has the right idea... get an EMD rather. only reason i like the bulls alu frame is that the welds have been filed so it looks a carbon...

29" is virtually better in every single way other than weight and length. The weight difference is so unbelievably overrated in fact you can get 29" wheelsets that weigh less than 26" American Classics....

Just what i heard. haven't built them myself but 29" ENVE rims with DT190's come in at 1137g You can also get Stan's Crests to around 1220g

The weight difference is overrated in fact you can custom build 29" rims that weigh 200g less than American Classic 26".

Manitou minute. cheaper than the fox, beautifully stiff and buttery smooth.

Get a Niner

The Park tool is excellent. pedals have a thread so that if the bearings arent great, they actually tighten by pedalling forward... to loosen unscrew it in the opposite direction as the pedals move when peddaling.

Go 29. The anthem is a Giant money making scheme and its rear shock lasts ten minutes due to them using the shock itself as the bearing....

I'm having the same problem and I know it is due to my cables being very dirty and worn. I just haven't had time to change them. My derailer also overshifts into the spokes and I think that it is actually also due to bad cables as it didn't do it before the cables wore out.

NINER!!

Epic Bike shop does Niner, Morewood, Merida and Whyte. Brilliant service as well.

My songs of the week are: Chris Cornell - You Know my Name. (From Casino Royale) Listening to it now and loving it. Otherwise The Kinks - All Day and All of the Night (Opening song to The Boat that Rocked).

The ZTR's are brilliant but my personal favourite is definately my American Classic hubs.

No but ive built two niners and tested a Giant XTC 29. Anyway thats just what it says on the niner website.

If you have carbon fibre bar ends you have to have carbon fibre socks.