xak1

Maxxis Monorails - I think this one will replace Crossmark and Larsen TT as the "standard". It really is an excellent tyre.

KMC Chain and Superlight SL Titanium cassette. Save about 100g over XTR.

Chain is KMC. Cassette is new Superlight SL Titanium - 50g lighter than XTR at 290 USD. Brakes are Magura Mart SL Magnesium - also 2009 - will be less than 600g for pair including rotor, bolts and levers. Some more nice photos: xak12008-06-24 02:10:59

https://www.bikehub.co.za/forum_posts.asp?TID=28195&PN=1

Two in the top 4 - not bad. What happened to Absolom?

Looks like Titus Racer-X. Titus is, however, paying Specialized for using the Horst link patent. I think most light full suspension design is moving this way, e.g. Scott, Cannondale, etc. It is the lightest design. What is impressive, is the weight they claim, as Scott and Cannondale are not 4-bar linkage designs, therefore a benefit on weight. To get a 4-bar linkage frame for under 2kg is quite good. Although, the way they did it is with all the proprietary stuff, e.g. oversized BB with Specialized crank, stepped down headtube with Specialized fork, etc. I am not always sure I like this proprietary stuff, as it makes your repair and maintenance quite expensive and lengthy. I think top-of-the-range model will be around R80000.

Sausers bike photographed at Worlds - 8.6kg. http://www.mtbs.cz/obrazek/Specializedepic09_3_cl.jpg http://www.mtbs.cz/obrazek/Specializedepic09_4_cl.jpg http://www.mtbs.cz/obrazek/Specializedepic09_1_cl.jpg http://www.mtbs.cz/obrazek/Specializedepic09_2_cl.jpg

Merida owns 40% of Specialized. They do manufacture Specialized aluminium frames. I am not so sure about carbon frames, but the carbon frames by Specialized is of high standard, backed up by lifetime warranty. Most companies outsource their manufacturing, so it is no problem. Merida traditionally was a frame manufacturer. Believe me there are only 2 companies that I think are good with their warranties, ie. Specialized and Giant. I had a very small issue on a 2006 S-Works Epic frame - send it in for assessment and received a brand new 2008 Epic S-Works frame within 1 day.

Stock production top-of-the-range model will probably be around 9.2kg. Fork and shock are both Specialized. Specialized owns the Terralogic patent, which they licensed to Fox in the past. That is why Fox do not have this anymore. Specialized also employed Fox's top design guy two years ago and pulled the patent from Fox. I think the designs are probably good, but manufacturing quality is probably bad compared to Fox - there are many problems on these products. It is rumored that they contract Suntour to manufacture forks and shocks - as you know they are not really high-end manufacturers. So the technology is probably very much based on that. They save weight in various small ways - new Specialized crank with oversize BB (same as Cannondale's BB30); check the oversize headtube at the bottom, and narrower at the top, rumored that production model will have an integrated FD, etc. If I look at what they think it will price in the US, the top model will probably in excess of R80000 in SA.

Updated it with link to other pic. Looks similar to Cannondale Scalpel, but has Horst link. Sauser's bike rumored to be 8.3kg - not bad for a Horst link bike.

Magura Marta SL Magnesium - new for 2009. Weighs in at less than 600g for pair, inlcuding rotors and hoses.

Here is Sauser's bike for the weekend, plus another photo of the new Epic 2009. http://www.dirty-pages.net/images/nieuws/14_1213803492.jpg Link to other pic: http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/download.php?id=26079xak12008-06-19 03:53:12

Majority of Trans Baviaans is hardpack. If it rains, the last 20-30km can be very muddy. So need a fast roller that has decent mud-clearance. No real technical stuff, except loose rocks. Crossmarks work well in this race if it is dry. But have a look at new Maxxis Monorails - I have had them on for 2 weeks and they are great from a rolling resistance point of view, and they will clear mud better than Crossmarks. Otherwise, Schwalbe Nobby Nic's are the best all-round tyre (but expensive). If it is dry in Trans Baviaans, you can actually look at Racing Ralphs. I will go for either Racing Ralphs or Monorails.

I do not think it adds any performance, as there are just too many inefficiencies in the human-bike-bearing interface. It will probably last longer from a rust and dust perspective, but ceramic is more brittle than steel, so a hard impact can damage the bearing - this is, however, highly unlikely in a sealed bearing.

Home service! Not because of cost, but reliability. I have had plenty bikes serviced at some very fancy places, where small things were not done right, e.g. forgetting to put back the washer in a Mavic hub (a regular mistake by bike shops), bolts not torqued right, etc. To do it well, tools will be more expensive than R500, as you will need some special tools, definitely at least one, but probably two decent torque wrenches, workshop stand, bench vice, etc. Some stuff I have built myself, e.g. wheel truing stand. I do everything myself - hubs, wheels, changing bearings on the BB (with the right tool you can extract bearings from bearing cups) and servicing my fork. Forks are quite easy to service, and very good instructions are avaliable at www.enduroforkseals.com for Fox, Rockshox and Manitou. These seals are superior. The only thing I do not do myself is the dampening on the rear shock, as there you have to be able to inject nitrogen. Air chamber on rear shock is, however, very easy to service. Since I have learnt to do things myself, my bike is in a much better condition, but you do make mistakes while learning, and that costs you. In general, I think it is worth it, as it is of benefit in long stage races, and you understand your bike better.

Newest news letter confirms major changes in the pipeline - looks like they are already making excuses for what they will come up with.

Sounds like Table Mountain could be used for the TT.

Heard some rumors that Epic 2009 route could be dramatically different, with a start and finish in Cape Town, and using overnight stops on more than one night. In essence it will become a out-and-back from Cape Town. In my view this will not be the same, as this will mean that the long dry Karoo climbs will not be in. I think a point-to-point does bring something more to a race, so I hope they realise that changing the label, could mean the ultimate demise of such a race - remember when SAB changed the lable on Castle about 15 years ago - the brand went from 70% market share to 15% virtually overnight, and it has never regained its dominance. Maybe we should run a poll on this and hope Grandstand Management reads the hub, as I personally think a change from existing format will make it a lesser race than it currently is.

I think we will see a totally new Epic in 2009. Any idea on what it will be? I think we will see the shock being moved to under the top-tube, which will allow shorter chainstay. Bottom-bracket probably BB30 with Specialized carbon crank. Specialized Brain inertia valve type fork, with large steerer tube, stepping down. They will probably get top-of-the range full bike in at around 10kg. Will be nice to do the Epic on.

If you do not see any oil leaking, just a drop of oil on dust wipers, wipe the stanchions (you can even put a drop or 2 of oil onstanchions and then wipe) and ride it.

Any experience with this frame? Will it last the Epic?

I am in the exports industry and have travelled to 64 countries in the past 5 years. I think most of us loose sight of that people are different. Talking to young Swedes (which according to surveys is the best country from a living standard point of view), they all want to leave Sweden - the reason is that things are so organised and controlled, that there are no real opportunities - you study, get a job and work there for the rest of your life, and everybody has a similar standard of living, nobody poor and nobody too rich. Some people thrive in an environment like that. Others need more excitement and danger - look at where all the "new" big money is made - India, China, Brazil, and yes South Africa (guys get rich overnight). Its like in any business, the more the risk, the more the opportunity to win big, and loose big. If you look at SA from this perspective, the uncertainty, Eskom, etc. creates a chaotic enviornment - this is where some people see opportunity, rather than sit back and moan. Where else in the world would you get overnight millionaires from the setting up and selling of alternative energy sources. I also believe that because of the relatively more complex environment in SA (higher uncertainty, added burden of BEE, etc.), it creates some of the best managers in the world. An international recruitment agency tried to recruit me to Australia earlier in the year. He indicated to me that SA is their first choice for recruiting executives from, as they are still some of the best in the world. Last year they recruited 37 executives from SA. Interesting is that they also placed 8 executives from the USA, UK and Australia in SA - he said these guys see the opportunity to rapidly advance their careers by spending a few years in SA, picking up skills, which will take years for them to pick up in their own countries, as there jobs are well defined in a fairly stable environment, resulting in stagnation. In the end, there is no right or wrong. Some people thrive in a stable environment, some thrive in chaos - some thrive playing golf, some thrive in riding a bicycle - some thrive riding a road bike and some thrive riding a MTB - they are all ok!

Trend in USA is towards wider tyres, i.e. 2.3 and 2.5. In SA, I think 2.1 is probably most favoured. Negatives of going wider is weight (as there is more rubber) and rolling resistance (although I think the effect of this is over-estimated). Positives are definetly more grip. In mud, you, however, want narrower tyres, as you want the tyre to cut through the mud to the hard stuff underneath. In sand, the wider the better. So between all of this you need to find what will suit you. For SA conditions, which is not as wet and muddy as Europe, a 2.1 is probably the best all-rounder. If you go for multi-compound tyres such as Schwalbe EVO, Kenda SWS, etc. these may provide slightly better grip, although it is narrower.

Gore Ride-On is making cables and outers again. They also have a sealed system (quite expensive), but in my opinion better than Nokon.

Thanks for some of the suggestions. Unfortunately the rivnut is aluminum, therefore not able to use a magnet. Otherwise, the hole is very small, so you will not get it out by shaking. Will have to design some sort of thing to loop it around rivnut when you get it close to the hole. The frame is carbon, therefore the BB is closed - my LBS say that loose rivnuts on carbon frames happen fairly frequently, so one will have to look out for them.