RoboLuke

Hi like my Racing Ralphs but I am getting woried than when the rain comes I am gonna see my arse. Anyone have experience with these for wet/muddy conditions?

Each one for him/herself. Personally Im too scared to ride a bike on tar with cars. I feel much safer going 40 kmh on a dirt downhill.

Groenkloof is awesome but is a bit short. Teak is tought but at least there are some good sections where you can work on stamina. My current dril : Saterdays - whole of Fountains + GK. Sunday - do a 36 km speedrun at NF

Apart from Cajees sells Scott?

Jirre dis cool. Dan ry jy alliepad aftraande!!! Ek dink ek gaan my voorwiel met 'n 26er vervang!

Ag on second thoughts no - Im already a bit too slow and cant afford to go down to 'wooosshhh' speeds

Get a 29er! Oh....thats covered already

I see these type of comments a lot....a do_s wearing some corporate kit and then people just have to go mention who the corporate was....like some association or something. So it seems that most people think that the wearer of the clothes means association with that corporate. I don't quite get it but if that is really the case can someone from Cell C please send me some kit...

...not quite my point. My point is that your avverage 26er is heavy. As heavy as a 29er or heavier. Dont believe it? Next time you stand next to an oak with a 29er pick it up and see. I also see in the mags that any bike over 11 kg is rated as porky. So only the most expensive and exotic bikes get good review on weight?

I have a d suspension 29er. One of the biggest criticism is weight. The interesting part is that I like to pick up other 26er bikes (non carbon) and try to feel the difference. I cant. Its the same. The conclusion I came to is that your 26er is probably heavier than what you think. And what does this have to do with the 26 vs 29 er debate? Nothing - but its a nice place to hang my topic.

'Then again - met geweld kan jy jou finger in jou gat ook afbreek!' Ek weet nie...kan jy dit bewys?

'The G2 geometry is what puts me off Trek/Fisher bikes. You can not just change the fork, you will need a G2 fork. ' I know – tough choice – proprietary technology and dialled...or standard technology and not quite the level of handling you want. I went with proprietary – with time this is going to become a mute point and all manufacturers eventually gets it right My technical skills still lack so I went for all the help I can get out of the box.

Yes I have a Trek HiFi Plus pimped (its not standard anymore, new seatpost, saddle, tyres, wheels, handle bar, seatposts, rear shock, stem) and I have no experience with other 29er DS...So I am really not in a position to offer comparative views. what I can say is this - it ways 12.2 kg which is not bad for an all aluminium 29er DS. Plus - and this was the sale for me - go look at the geometry of the front shock - its not straight!...the G2 geometry means that the front wheel is closer to the frame....so the handling is apparently very close to a 26er. This is what the other HiFi cyclist say. http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/mountain/cross_country/hifi The scott traction concept looks very attractive but Im unsure about the handling - it looks like a straight 26 to 29 upscale which is a bad idea. Only hear good things about the Giant...

OK Im biased - why not throw in Trek HiFi ?

I had a set - very good until you fall - easily damaged. Ill get another set again.

Im running Racing Ralphs snakeskin in front and AKAs on the back. Seriously nice fast running combo and Im really happy with traction. Will have to see how this is going to operate in mud....and also how long Racing Ralphs is going to last With 29er the choices are really more limited than what I would haveliked

Wow - the GEAX tires are really tough....

Interesting...now this should probably be a topic all on its own...if you are on a dual sus - and the setting is for 'firm'...how much eneregy is lost as opposed to HT?

Focus damnit people focus!! Im trying to concentrate here on ST vs HT vs DS Where were we? Someone implied that a soft tail is not a duel suspension...letting it dangle in the air.... OK - Ill bite....whats the diff?

No actually I really wonder. Im not a roadie so Im not familial with riding positions but it looks rather tight space wise and the handlebars are really low. I guess the back guy really must just look down and crank cause there is probably no space to see.

'If you'd actually read the comments and clicked my link you would've seen it has an internal shaft drive which connects the two bottom brackets, i also jumped to that assumption but it was there for you to see. All you had to do was look' Cool - did you cover my second question as well?

'that does look quick! ' Actually it looks slow...or how does the front guy power the wheel? No chain? And where exactly does the back guy puts his nose?

So you are rushing down a bump and need to slow down quickly to make a corner- Do you hit the back brake and skid down, or hit both brakes? If I hit the back brake then the back feel skids not exactly fully in control but at least the front wont lock out ?!

My bike weights 12.2 kg. From this point an wards to get it lighter it means a lot more expensive and a lot more flimsy.