Hardtailrider

Ummm - you do know that benzene is carcinogenic? It's banned in the EU...

Hmm, you wouldn't happen to be George would you?

Winter, what winter?

Wouldn't you save yourself much hassle, swearing etc. by selling your existing rack and and using the cash towards one you can mount on the trailer? Unless you're really attached to the rack you have of course...

I challenge anyone here to deny (honestly) that they have not, at one time or another, participated in silly commuting racing (SCR). There are some rules, which you're not allowed to admit knowing (oops!!!) http://www.itsnotarace.org/

Take a look at the thread in this forum that I started about Thudbusters. The seatpost can be adjusted for preload (sag)and it comes with different grade elastomers to suit your weight/preference. The way it moves means your hip to pedal distance remains constant, although your reach to the bars varies slightly instead. VERY robust - my long-travel (LT) version is absolutely fine after 2.5 years of hard use. The manufacturer also supplies bushing-replacement kits for when they (eventually) wear out and a neoprene gaiter can be fitted to prevent crud from getting into the pivots.

Been running Stan's sealant in a(non-UST)Kenda Nevegal DTC 2.35 tyre on the front for 6 months with no delamination or other problems whatsoever. Kenda do say that use of ANY sealant (not just Stan's) invalidates the warranty though. Consensus off The Hub is that, if you're a regular rider, the tyre's more likely to wear out before any possible delamination happens.

"Buy the Recon, and open the old shock for fun. It will give you confidence in opening up your next one" +1! Btw - wish me luck too Hubbers, I'm about to open up my Reba Race forks (not 29ers though, Dangle) for their first service...

Yup, it's not full suspension, but seriously takes the edge off on long rides and, best of all, you get to keep the power transfer on climbs that only a hardtail delivers. Pedal bob is not a problem at all in my experience. When bigger hits appear, you should be standing on the pedals anyway - even on a FS bike. I run a 2.25 tubeless rear tyre to help soak up chatter some more.

That's true about its movement but, and I quote the manufacturer here: "As the bump lifts the rear wheel, the rear wheel pushes the saddle up and forward into the rider. The Thudbuster compresses along the exact opposite path (down and rearward) to absorb the force. The Thudbuster moves down and rearward at the same rate as the bump moves the saddle up and forward, so the net movement means the rider is unaffected by the bump." Your pedal stroke distance actually remains virtually unchanged but your reach to the bars does change a bit. Slightly weird feeling at first, like having a tyre going flat, but quickly feels normal. My experience is that it really soaks up chatter but pogos a bit on bigger hits. You can remain seated a LOT more though. Pedal bob is absolutely minimal and, anyway, any losses that way are more than compensated by not having to "hover" as much as you do on a normal seatpost. Only real downside is the weight (about 500g with a 31.6 diameter post, excluding saddle)but, from a personal viewpoint, the benefits far outweigh that.

Umm, yes, bit unclear there - full susser would have been a more substantial upgrade than a suspension seatpost but I do actually ride a hardtail

I've been using a long-travel(LT)Thudbuster seatpost for over two years now and it's great! Reckon it's one of my best upgrades (apart from buying a full-susser, obviously) along with converting to tubeless. Anyone else had good/bad experiences?

This might amuse you: http://www.bikerumor.com/2011/03/15/hipster-traps-being-set-around-new-york-city/

Great! Welcome the club - you'll never leave

You can have a go at just adding more sealant but you'll have to take the wheels off - much harder to shake an entire bike...

Sorry to hear you're having grief Caerus. Seems like you need to do a careful check where leaks might have happened while you were away (look for signs of dried sealant ooze). From bitter experience, potential sites are: 1. Obviously the bead seal 2. Around spokes - leaks can sometimes get around the rim strip 3. Around the valve - leaks can get around the rim strip at this point or around the valve itself I'd recommend removing the rim strip and cleaning everything up thoroughly. Then make sure you use liberal amounts of soapy water when fitting the strip and give inflating the tyre a test drive just with soapy water around tyre/rim interface (don't put any sealant in at this stage) - go to your nearest garage and use compressed air; saves much trial and tribulation. The bubbling will now show you where the worst leaks are (assuming the tyre inflates of course - just persist if it doesn't on first go. Then deflate, pour in (or squirt via the valve with core removed) 60mL or so of sealant and re-inflate with compressed air (Stan's advises against using a CO2 bomb). Again, look for where foam is coming out, rotate the wheel so that sections at the bottom and shake that baby! Keep going until foaming stops or reduces considerably. Next step is drop tyre pressure to BELOW 40 psi - if the pressure's too high, the sealant doesn't have time to...er...seal. Shake that baby all the way around again, then leave the wheel horizontal for 15 min so; repeat, flip 180 degrees and leave horizontal again for 15 min, then inspect for leaks once more. If any are still visible, keep going with the shake & check process until they stop. Leave wheel for a few hours, check and shake again as needed. Repeat the check and shake the next day. THat should do it!!! If you're still finding leaks, especially around the bead,see whether there aren't any little rubber moulding blobs you can trim away carefully with a v sharp Exacto or Stanley knife and start all over again. Good luck!!!!!

How long is a piece of string

Another possibility is that your front derailleur has been bumped out of alignment. Check that it's running parallel with the chain front to rear; if it's skew, it'll scrape against the chain either in high or low, depending on which way it's gone

I may be wrong but I thought this method only applied to Avid disc brakes? Shimano brakes require shims?

+1 Clean those stanchions and apply dry teflon lube after every ride. My Reba's stanchions don't have as much as a scratch after more than a year of training/racing in the Klein Karoo. If you ride in wet conditions, regular cleaning/maintenance becomes even more essential

Two words: Hokey Spokes http://www.hokeyspokes.com/what.htm

Tons Sports in Oudtshoorn. Know what they're doing, willing to suggest cheaper (and no worse) alternatives, and well connected for getting hold of stuff. Don't forget they're involved in organising the Cape Pioneer Trek - say no more

+1 Works like a bomb. Have got non-UST, non-"tubeless" tyres and rims. Used Stan's conversion kit and I think it's one of the best "upgrades" I've ever done. Smile pityingly next time you ride past someone patching an inner tube next to the road/jeep-track/singletrack. Do offer your help though.

+1 Been using my Enduras for almost 3 years now and they're not showing any signs of damage. Some minor marks but that's it! Normally I wear padded lycra cycling shorts but put the Enduras on over the top if I'm riding in places I'm more likely to get snagged by branches or fall off due to ineptitude

Tx for the detailed response TD. As noted, it's a 2009 RS Reba Race dual air, with a QR axle and motion control damping. The consensus seems to be that I should be able to lengthen the stroke to 120mm. Back to the RS manuals for a more intelligent revisit I guess. The forks are due for a service, which is why I was considering increasing the stroke while I was at it