Cranky

Blur an awesome bike but best for all mountain riding. Giant will be better up hills but you'll feel a lot more on rocky downhills. So it depends on your planned riding too.

From the reports I've seen of the bike park victims, just to wash my bloody wounds clean!

Hi MadMan. There are lots of posts on this topic. Good well-priced entry level bikes include Silverback, Giant, GT, Commencal, Merida and others. You should look for the best shock and brakes for your money. They might be a bit too pricy, but try get a bike with a RockShox fork and Avid or Shimano disc brakes if possible. You can get a much better deal second-hand. I sold my Giant XTC2 worth R12000 for R6000 when it was 8 months old. There are lots of bargains in Classifieds here. There is also a topic on discounted new Rocky Mountain bikes at very good prices under Classifieds. Visit a few bike shops and get familar with components on the bikes, and try out different sizes and frames for comfort. Cranky2008-12-04 00:21:13

Thanks Sean. Was hoping for a ride after work then dinner out. Will have to ask a friend who lives nearby if two sweaty cyclists can pop by!

Are there shower facilities at Fourways Bike Park?

The Silverback Dakota is a much better buy. At the moment Silverback seems to give best value in this price range. GT Avalanche is also a better buy. I'd go for one of those. Look for the bike with the best shock (RockShox better than Suntour) and best brakes (try get Avid 3 or similar).

Sorry OPC race - same thoughts at the same time.

Mountain Sanctuary in the Magaliesburg has log cabins and cottages and some rocky MTB trails, with Breedtsnek Pass nearby too for extra distance. Lakenvlei on the way to Dullstroom looks good with many trails to choose from.

If I bought new, I'd probably also go for Giant Anthem 2. Great light frame and excellent suspension design.

Depends on what riding you want to do. Are you wanting an all mountain or XC bike? The Scott Aspect is all mountain and quite heavy at just under 14kg. If I were you I'd go for a second hand bike. You can get much more for your money. But go to Northern Farm this weekend and try out Commencal, Mongoose, Specialized, Merida and others. Then compare prices and specs of bikes at Westdene Cycles - they have the biggest bike range in Gauteng.

Our friends used the service. No problems.

Also consider attending the MTB testing day at Northern Farm at the end of this month - Ride Before You Buy: "New in South Africa! You can test the latest range of mountain bikes from Ibis, Intense, Jamis, Merida, Pivot, Raleigh, Scott. Specialized, GT, Mongoose, Schwinn and more on Bicycling?s test track." N Farm - 29 and 30 Nov, 9am to 4pmCranky2008-11-06 00:21:19

Most hardtail frames are very similar, although Scott and Merida usually are highly rated (e.g. both on What Mountain Bikes list of top hardtails in lower price ranges). But you should be looking at overall package on components. Giant, Specialized and GT offer great bikes too. Go to Westdene Cycles first. They have the biggest range of bikes so you'll be able to compare prices and specs of several makes, and see how you feel with the geometry of each bike. Then you can shop further if you wish. Choose the bike that's most comfortable and has the best suspension fork and brakes.

Category 1 XCM You can see the fill list on the international 2009 calendar at: http://www.cyclingnews.com/mtb/?id=mtb09

Ok, I heard more on SuperCycling tonight. But still no mention of distance. Anyone at the Cape Epic launch who knows?

Go to Northern Farm last weekend of this month for the test bike ride. See Bicycling website or mag for details. There will be lots of manufacturers there and lots of bikes to test. Groenkloof hires out basic Giant bikes. They are not great for the terrain there, which is rocky, and a bit daunting for a beginner.

Go for the Mountain Kings 2.2 UST. Great all rounder and tough. Likely to be more rocks this year. Not too bad if it does rain and get muddy.

Saw this in the Cape Epic newsletter. Does anyone know any more - distances, cost? Looks good. Absa Mountain Cup in Magaliesburg Absa?s contract extension also co-incides with the announcement of the first Absa Mountain Cup, which takes place from 30 and 31 May next year (2009). The Absa Mountain Cup is a 2-day mountain bike marathon race that will debut as a category 1 UCI event on the UCI calendar for 2009. Both days of racing will start and finish at Pecanwood Estate in the beautiful Magaliesburg, a 45 minutes drive from Sandton. It will also carry the second richest prize purse in SA mountain biking after the Absa Cape Epic. Since the 2006 Absa Cape Epic, aspirant participants have entered the race via a lottery system in order to gain access to the entries which are in such high demand. Next year, 50 reserved slots will be allocated to participants in the Absa Mountain Cup, securing their entries into the 2010 Absa Cape Epic.

The shirt is awesome. I'd take up the 94.7 offer too.

Hi Pornstar What's the rationale for protein in a gel? Won't the protein lower the glycemic index? Any of the research on these products published? Thanks

I think the Whasp website, which I found easily, was great. I see that most sponsored athletes are triathletes and agree that it would help to get a big name road and MTB cyclist on board. As an MTBer, I have never seen Whasp on a cycling shirt or event t-shirt, or received one in a goodie bag, or got one free during a race. I first tried them because of the good price relative to competitors. I have received lots of USN and Fast Fuel products, in comparison, and have noticed their sponsorship.

I thought Whasp worked very well and had no problems (it shouldn't be too different to any other gel). My friend (a novice cyclist) tried it and had GIT upset and blamed the honey! I think the list of ingredients scares people off. If you look at Crazy Kiwi (on your Wikipedia entry!) you see terms like Ciwujia, GABA, propolis. I think the average person just wants to see fructose, maltodextrin and caffeine. Oh, and a friend says Whasp is too sloppy. Make a mistake while mountain biking and it spills. He prefers the thicker GU.

I used Whasp for a while but only liked the Crazy Berry (with caffeine) flavour. Changed to GU because I like the plain flavour, although I use their berry too. I like the small pack size and stiffness of the GU sachet - can open it easily while riding, while Whasp is a bit more tricky. I usually buy at Dischem and tried to buy a whole box of Whasp about a year ago, but they said I must buy single sachets. I'd be very keen to buy bulk over the internet, or in shops, with a discount as suggested above. In terms of marketing, inserts into goodie bags would help - if not an actual gel, how about a voucher allowing discounted purchase. Most new riders are not familiar with the brand, so 94.7, Argus, Fourways Bike Park, Gibe Gorge, etc., are the places to be visible. Cranky2008-10-29 12:14:59

We've had this price debate already. Giba Gorge which is on a bigger piece of land and much more scenic (waterfall included) with all the same facilities (Cycle Lab too, and awesome non-branded coffee shop) is half the entry fee of Fourways. But that's because Gautengers are willing to pay ridiculous prices!

I have two friends with Subaru Foresters. They have had unbelievably good service. I think its great that Subaru (and Barloworld) are putting so much into cycling and I'll certainly buy their cars.