TopFuel

Its not exactly a trail per se, but I found the Ouberg Pass in the TransKaroo to be the hardest bit of riding I have ever done. Although, that may have something to do with the 190km already in the legs and doing it in the dark. 18.5km @ 11%, with kicks up to 20%. Nightmarish stuff

I agree with this to a point. I do believe that having a decent bike will make you faster, but this whole weight watcher biking phenomenon is crazy. A decent frame, and components that will let you put power down effectively will be cheaper, and in my opinion, nicer to ride than these weight weenies. And the guy in the video makes a valid point about crashes. This last suggestions has the guy suggesting spending R30-40k to save what? 800g? Hey, its your money, but damn that seems unreasonable. I'd rather just go to bathroom before I ride, but hey, that's probably because I don't have R40k to throw at a bike.

Thanks very much. Maybe the way to go, all opinions considered, is to get the whole wheel rebuilt. Bought the bike second hand last year, and it has given its fair share of maintenance problems. Thanks for all the suggestions though.

Cool. I certainly don't have much knowledge in the wheels department. I apologise for the previous outburst. Never cool to do something like that on the internet. Thanks for the suggestions and the information about brass vs. aluminium. I'll give the Prof a call and do some more research into the brass nipple thing. Thanks very much.

Okay, since when did this become a name and shame session? Whilst I appreciate your insight, there is simply no reason to be snarky and rude. You do not know the entire story and you can only speculate as to what happened. The guy I took it to to get fixed is in the Northern Suburbs, and when I received the wheel back from him, I was still doubtful as to whether it was properly fixed or not. I do believe it was the same two spokes, as they didn't feel correct to me when I felt them. Deciding to ride anyway, they then broke. Now, all I wanted out of this thread was some suggestions of a good bike shop/mechanic that is perhaps a bit closer to where I stay and (even better) specialises or has a keen interest in wheels. I just want to have it fixed so that I can ride again.

I'm in the Southern Suburbs. I don't want to take it back to the place that fixed them, they clearly don't do a very good job.

Hi hubbers. My Bontrager Race Disc Tubeless rear wheel has gone and broken two spokes. Any recommendations on places to take it to. The wheel is still true, all that needs to be done is replace the spokes (I think). The spokes themselves are not snapped, but rather the spoke head/nipple has popped out of the rim. Last place I took it to, they "fixed" it, went out for one ride and popped the same two spokes. Any suggestions welcomed.

This is my latest upgrade. Courtesy of TheV. Cant wait to try these bad boys out...

Thanks guys, decided to go with 2012 XT brakes. A Hubber (TheV) came through at a well decent price for them. Undercut CWC by a long shot.

I have seen that special, but it is the previous generation SLX brakes (M665). For that price it is still very tempting though.

Thanks very much guys. I appreciate the feedback. I'm leaning toward SLX and Ice Techs vs XT without (budget), but still haven't made a final decision.

Hi Hubbers. I'm needing to replace the brakes on my Trek Top Fuel 8. I'm currently tossing up between SLX or XT. I'm not sure if the XT brakes are worth the extra cash. Current riding is XC with a bit of Tokai trails. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the XT and SLX brakes are the same except for the bite-point adjustment on the XT (which reviews say is an entirely underwhelming feature) and the forged lever. Any advice, suggestions, comments? P.S The Spanish are a poor team and I hope Busquets and Iniesta breaks their legs in the Final.

+1 to all the above. I have been mountain biking regularly for a year now and I must say this is the best value for money stuff out there. My Bell Slant is comfortable, well ventilated and is easy to mount a headlamp to (if you're so inclined). I have a pair of Olympics which are super rugged and comfortable (got them from Sportsmans as a gift, so unsure of the price) and my Shimano pedals are ultra reliable as well (except the once they let my left foot slip out and connect my knee to the handlebar - not cool. Cant really go wrong with those items I don't think.

I must say, I bought my Trek Top Fuel 8 off the hub for R8000. FOX suspension front (32 RL 100) and back (RP2), and SLX with an XT derailleur. Much bontrager-ness abounds, but this bike has been the nicest setup for me. Sub 12kg duallie without breaking the bank? Sounded like a winner to me. I would highly recommend this bike to anyone who asked for a mid-range dual suspension bike.

Tokai Forest. Great trails, and single track if you're feeling up to it. https://maps.google.co.za/maps?q=tokai+forest&ie=UTF-8&hl=en

I was in Hekpoort, JHB over the December holidays, where my aunt introduced me to proper mountain biking at Breedt's Nek. Having ridden her (not so inexpensive) Trek 5300 over to the shebeen on the other side, it is amazing to see how many people are riding bikes (KTM's, Scott 29er Carbons etc...) that they could not possibly afford. Needless to say, I'm pretty sure not even lance could've beaten me back to top of the hill. Big ups to the OP, I had no idea what I should or could have done.

I must say, I got my Panaracers on the bike (bought 2nd hand) and I'm very pleased with them. Good grip, and not a single puncture yet.