NotSoBigBen

Even though I am a Specialized sort of guy out of those I would take the Bianchi (even if it was green!) - does that help? Probably not, at the end of the day get what 'looks' good to you!

Sure I will be shot for this (DR stay calm!) but my feeling is get the right tool for the job! Roadbike on the road, MTB for the dirt. As far as HT vs DS goes I am sure that as many people as you ask you will get that many different answers! I have a roadbike (Ok then 2, 1 for training and 1 for racing) and I also have a HT and DS. I haven't raced the HT so much since I have been trying to get it setup properly, that flippin @#$%$%% upside down back to front XTR rapid rise pi$$ed me off so much I have put my XT RD back this week and it's now sorted! Find the DS is better for technical and long events (ala Sabie Experience), find that I don't get so beat up! Having said that I have never ridden a long event with the HT, perhaps I will ride it at Crater this year and see how it goes. My suggestion keep the DS and get a roadbike

Hey Marius, which Serfas did you get for the MTB? I have a Serfas Stinger on my road bike and am very happy with it!

Yip DR have also taken to bleeding my Magura Julies myself. Downloaded the necessary instructions from the net, invested in the bleed kit and now do it at my leisure with no more aggro at how long it takes/costs etc. at the bikeshop. Once you have done it a few times it becomes fairly simple but I must admit it is best to take your time and do it right! Don't rush it!

Hey Mouse! I don't notice my back sweating since normally it's the sweat running off my face and arms all over in my eyes and on my bike that bothers me more! A mere 2Kg, small potatoes for a true MTB'r (that shaves a few grams off by putting on those latest XTR SPD unobtanuim pedals!)

Must agree with DR - Use one of those Dunlop ones from Game (R149 or 199 can't remember) for XC and works like a dream, also about 3 years old. I have replaced the bladder with a generic one from Sportsmans warehouse in the meantime (only becaus I once left it lying around for about 2 weeks with Energade in!). As for the battery, how big is this thing? Must admit that I do use a Camelbak Mule for longer MTB races, mostly because it holds more.

DR - luckily you won't see my immensely improved technical skills then! Oh no I rode a road bike race Sunday guess that won't help on the MTB.

MichelleH - I have seen him and know that he is a demon on the technical stuff! Here's my plan (hope he doesn't see this so don't tell him!), ride the 3 and 5k TT this Saturday at Logwood, road TT at the CG champs next Saturday and then the Sportsclass at the MTB XC national in Sabie on the 20th of May (my son is representing CG there), of course hopefully be some 5-6kilos lighter. Hopefully I will then be able to do that ass kicking I have promised him the Gunston plain sucker!

Thanks everyone! As always you can rely on some useful info from the 'hubbers'! Thanks for the tips Michelle. My problem is more to do with discipline/habit! I know what I should / shouldn't eat and when etc. but just slowly get into the bad habits again and struggle to get back to what I should be eating. Hoping to be at or close to my goal weight towards the end of May - gonna kick dirt-riders ass at the Fountains interclub on the 28th of May (in my dreams!)!

Remember that graph after Easter? Anyone else find it's tough to try to lose weight but still at the same time keep enough 'stored' to not 'bonk' on every training ride and even worse at races? Did find that I climbed somewhat better at Wilro than I have been lately!

Hey DR easy now on the SRAM! I'll have to whip your ass for that at the next opportunity! Interclub Fountains 28th May?

It has been published on www.flatdogs.co.za !

Sunday mornings comment as I got home after my 70k recovery ride:- "I'm sick of waking up and no one's here, you should have married your bike!" Luckily she got over it and we had a lekker day anyway!

5 technical k's in 15min's! Flip that is mmmmmm............. 20k average speed. OK so I won't be in 'contention' but hey I will do it just for the heck of it! C u there!

KC - I believe that TT is 'only' 8k's max? Unless you decide to do both the 5 and the 8 ('only' 13)! Should have enough left in the legs for that?

Thanks Hill Whacker! Pretty comprehensive that!

Bit wary of riding 'sight unseen' into areas I don't know! I think Logwood might be a nice alternative, done Northern Farm at 24 hour and 1 provincial last year. Any idea how far away Logwood is from Krugersdorp game reserve?

We will be spending the Easter weekend at the Krugersdorp nature reserve and wondered if anyone could suggest a nice off-road route that my son and I could ride. Looking for something around 45k's (3 hours or so?). Since we are not too knowledgeable of the area a good description of where to start, turn and look out for or even better a GPS track would be excellent. Please any information would be helpful, even if we need to drive a bit to get to a decent route!

Not too bad apparently? Rotor rings claim first road win The elliptical chainring renaissance continued in Portugal a couple of weeks ago when Sergio Ribero of Team Barbot-Halicon scored the first professional road race win by a rider using Rotor's elliptical Q-rings. Ribero took first place in stage 1's uphill sprint finish, and followed it up three days later with second in stage 4 to finish second overall in the four-day race. Developed as a lighter and less expensive alternative to Rotor's cam-action crank, Q-rings are claimed to help reduce the effects of the 'dead spot' in a rider's pedal stroke by effectively reducing the size of the chainring at that moment. This lowers the gear the rider is pushing and speeds the foot through the point at which little or no force can be applied to the pedal.

10 Fold? Will aply for a second bond immediatley!

Thanks guys! I will try SwissVans suggestion for the next week or 2 and report back! MichelleH - the only spinning available around our place is at the local gym, 2 problems - you pay full mebership just to use the spinning class and they have limited classes meaning if you aren't there way early no chance of getting a bike!

One of those resistance ones you clamp the back wheel into. MTB XC training at the moment! Thanks!

Anyone have an indoor trainer program for say aroound 1 hour that one doesn't get too bored with?

I have SRAM on my Specialized FSR (X9 shifters, X7 RD and LX FD), I am very very happy with this combination. Great shifting, very predictable and little maintenance! On my Fuji I am now running that 'upside down - back to front' XTR rapid rise RD and still make the wrong shift now and then but it's getting better. I have XT trigger shifters with an SRAM FD and the FD shifts very nicely, better than the LX I had on there! Some issues to think about. You can't use the SRAM FD on all bikes as it is top swing and so some FS frames cause problems with mounting (hence the LX on my Specialized FSR FS). If you want to use the XTR RD then you must use the SRAM 'Rocket' shifters and not X series. This is because the X series and it's accompanying RD's have a 1:1 shift actuating ratio whilst Shimano has a 2:1 ratio. Hope that helps a bit! My son's birthday is coming up and he is going to the MTB XC nationals in Pietermaritzburg next weekend so I will be getting him some upgrades for his bike (FOX Terralogic Fork and Avid Juicy 5 hydraulic discs, yes the ones with the 'wavy' rotor!) this in turn means upgrades for me as I will get his hand me downs i.e. Magura Julie hydraulic discs for the Specialized, the one with the 210mm front rotor and the Rock Shox Tora fork he is taking off will replace my old Manitou elite on the Fuji which will also now get the Avid BB5 mechanical discs from the Specialized! And just because I can I will replace the 'X-Fusion' coil over unadjustable shock on the Specialized with a FOX Float R with propedal ! Whooohoooo can't wait, should all take place by the weekend all things being equal!

ewep I'll post you a quick GPS map thingy tomorrow to show you where!