amasendeinja

As per Eldron, Cotic Solaris/Soul should definitely be on your list. www.cotic.co.za. You're assured of brilliant service too and they're up the road in Centurion, so you can actually go have a look and more than likely get a test ride in. Speak to Matt.

Found this on thisispeaty.com - Steve Peat following Greg Minnaar down the DH WC course at PMB. HD quality looks really cool. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui5_0IcSZA0

Agree with what dodger said! Just read that issue and it certainly seems like Mr. Morewood has not lost his touch. Very badly want one of these now!! PS. I was equally - if not even more - impressed that Bicycling actually applied a points scoring system to each bike - and had an actual winner! I have not bought an issue in years - not a fan of the "Men's Health but with bikes" look and feel - but was well impressed that have grown a pair. Have not seen that in other local publications - refreshing change. Tread do make a note please!

Snakeskin is only available on the Evo range of tyres from Schwalbe, i.e. only on their most expensive range. Snakeskin is (as Gambit said) a layer in the sidewall of the tyres for better sidewall protection, particularly from rock cuts which Racing Ralphs are particularly susceptible to. You also get Double Defense on some tyre models and sizes which is an additional layer under the rolling surface or tread for improved puncture protection. Both these options are only available on tubeless ready (TR) tyres. Tubeless or UST tyres have an airtight inner liner in the tyre and are designed to run without sealant. Seeing as in this country (well most places anyway) we have lots of rocks and/or thorns, anyone who runs tubeless tyres always puts sealant in anyway. The TR tyres should be run with sealant. So in the case with Schwalbe tyres I see no reason as all to use the UST versions when the TR version is quite bit lighter and offers at least the same - if not better - sidewall protection. In the case of the Snakeskin or DD versions that is. As preference I use the Ralph on the back with either Rocket Ron, or if you want something beefier and more "Mountain Kingy", a Nobby Nic on the front. I can't say the Ralph's have the greatest longevity as tyres go, and certainly nowhere near what the Monorails or other Maxxis tyres have, but they are quite a bit lighter and lighter where really it counts - on the outside of your wheels. With the Ron or the Nic on the front, I've had no issues - my last Ron I've had for 14 months and whilst looking a bit skanky is still more than capable. In the same time frame I went through 3 Ralphs. Well one had got a major sidewall cut when brand new, so pretty sure any other tyre would also have failed.

What the hairy scrot said about Calfee - you're not gonna break one of his bikes too easy. RE the hard, dead ride, very far from it actually - I initially thought the same - but rode a friend of mine's Calfee bamboo road bike a few years ago. I'm not a roadie, but that thing felt awesome with some pretty awesome damping of some fairly kuk road surfaces.

Reading all the interest on the Hub lately in the 27.5"/650B wheel size since Schurter's win makes me wonder how many people it's dawned on that he actually rode a bike designed for this wheel size? I.e. it wasn't a 26" frame with the bigger wheels shoehorned in there. So it baffles me a bit why anyone would want try fit a 27.5" wheel into a bike that has been designed around a 26" wheel. Surely the compromises you'll have to endure will go beyond tyre clearance!? If you have a well sorted and designed 26" bike and you love how it rides, why for FFS would you want to compromise that ride and feel by shoving in a wheel that it was not designed for and by definition messing with the geometry? Just because you can shoehorn your size 11 foot into your wife's size 6 heels does not mean you should do it. So surely if the 27.5" wheelsize appeals to you, then you should buy a frame/bike that is specific to that wheelsize?

Sies man! You do know what a "pearl necklace" is right!? Google it if not

Gummi WTF? Wrong thread maybe?

Mate with all the conflicting advice you're likely to get on this forum I'd strongly suggest you get yourself fitted at a LBS (ask around, or search other threads here for good options) or get one of those Body Geometry or similar fits done. Alternately go the cheap route and fit yourself using an online fitting tool (www.wrenchscience.com I found to be pretty good). The online ones at least give you a decent baseline. I'm 1.83 with an 89cm inseam so very close to you and I've always ridden a large, but we're often borderline M/L, so I've generally deliberated big time before taking the plunge, so it sure as hell is not cut & dried by your height and inseam, especially with all the funky designs mountain bikes come out with these days. For example my hardtail is 19" and my FS is 21.5" and they're both larges - go figure! Your problem may also be as simple as having your seat too high, so spend the money on the fit and save on the seatposts.

To quote from an excellent article called "war of the wheels" in the latest issue of Bike magazine: "The true mountain bikers will find the tools that work for them and get on the trail while the fanatics will still be arguing about wheel size at the coffee shop"... or whatever social media platform they can find, in this case that veritable fountain of "knowledge" - the Hub

Zappa, one more thing if you're going to do the bearing replacement yourself. If the main pivot design is the same as on the FTM then there is a "loose" aluminium sleeve inside the main pivot that has to be VERY lightly compressed between the 2 inner bearings. It's the same diameter as the inner race and needs to be lined up perfectly inside and only just compressed against the bearing inner races. Too much and you sideload the bearings. If you don't have the right kit then lining the damn thing up perfectly is a nightmare. So unless you have a proper bearing press kit (not the homemade threaded rod, washers and nuts setup) I'd suggest either getting your LBS to do it or buy an extra set of bearings for when you cock it up. I did and it took all of 3 rides to toast the bearings and I had to replace them. It's a pretty kuk design and Titus' bearing replacement procedure is silent on just what a ballache this is. Maybe the Rockstar is different, but I'd rather give you the heads-up just in case! The replacement of other bearings and bushes are a doddle.

I think you're unlikely to get the complete set locally. The bearing certainly - they always use Enduro bearings so Rushsports will have them. If Titus have stuck to the same bearing types across their range of frames the main pivot ones will be 6902 (likely 4 of these) and 698 for the rocker ones (also 4 required). In both cases I would order the MAX ones. The bushings you're unlikely to find locally. I would suggest you write to Titus, Michael the GM is a great guy and really friendly and always helpful. Confirm with him what the Rockstar's bearing numbers are and ask if the bushings are also Enduro and get their numbers too then order from Rushsports who are also very helpful always. I doubt very much that Michael's going to sweat about you not wanting to order a $60 bearing/bushing set from him, so be straight up with him as to why you want the info. Hope this helps.

Browsing porn again are we!?

Exacary!

Yeah where'd you get those? Using them for road or mtb? How long you had them? R500 sounds like the business for a pair of glasses for mtb. Long past the blingy Oakley, Rudy Project, etc. thing - one muddy ride/race and they poked anyway.

Definite candidate for Phuza Thursday's Drunk News

If that's a Zula as per your avatar then it has a 73mm bb shell so should not require any spacers installed on the bb cups. I would install a 2mm spacer on the drive side bb cup and see if that works. It may mess with your chainline, but you should notice this immediately. The above suggestion made on the premise that there is nothing blatantly obvious that is causing your chain to rub on you frame. A trip your you LBS (if they're switched on) may be your best bet.

Ben SabieX under new management/ownership for 2012, so you will either pay less (not likely) or get a damn side more for your money this year. That said 3 Towers is much nicer than SabieX (far less chance of monsoon conditions for one) and at R4800 (2012 price) for a 2 person team all included, field limited to 200 teams (for both long and short race combined), it's cheap as chips compared to some other options out there. Sani2c must still be doing something right though at R8k or so per team and 3 races full with waiting lists. All about perceived value, i.e. perception = reality.

fixed

What he said ...and your thread title - which makes no reference to tyres - is likely to cause much pain and unnecessary suffering for all...."the best 29er indeed"...brace yourself

There are very few brakes that require more maintenance, and infinite patience when bleeding, to keep them running sweet, than Elixir CRs. I heard good things about Formula brakes in general so doubt you could go wrong with the RX's - wouldn't hesitate if I were you.

You wouldn't know what to do with it, it's got gears...lots of them! slaps own wrist....sorry for your loss Steelman, hope it's found (in a condition that you'd actually want it back in)

You said it; "cheaper" sure, less expensive? Unlikely. Or at least not one I'd consider buying. Non-stainless steel, aluminium, carbon and most importantly those things Vin mentioned, are all cheaper, but that's not the point. The point is....oh sod it, not worth trying to explain.

...I just got half a lazy!!!! Details at http://cotic.co.uk/news/. Used Reynolds new 931 stainless which is very similar to 853, just stainless and way less dear than the uber-stainless 953, which aside from being so pricey is apparently a bitch to work with. Estimated retail would be 1200 Great British Pounds and Cy at Cotic reckons he may just do a run if he gets 30 deposits, so....anyone, anyone?

What a cool name - would make me buy their products just for that! They must make the ugliest-ass cogs I've ever laid eyes on though - look like they were hand-moulded out of play dough Thanks for the info...