Da Vinci

Thanx guys! Some food for thought - need to find a Trance to test ride now - no one can fault that bike it seems! Having said that I have done another reassessment of my riding and chatting to a few ppl this weekend, 140mm of travel is nice to have but in all honesty it is wasted on me... I also rode a Spez Camber and I loved it - it was the Pro so full carbon - ridiculously light and Really out of my budget but for the first time I didn't feel like a 29er was too big... I test rode the Stumpjumper 29 ,also full Carbon and it felt too big. And the Rumour was awkward but maybe that had to do with the Test the Best guys not being able to measure the set up properly.... The reason I'm leaning to Spez is the service I have always gotten from my LBS and I know they will work on sourcing me a test bike. So if anyone knows of any test days coming up please shout! I'm going to investigate Scott bikes too - they seem to be popular. The real hang ups seem to be finding a shop who will allow you to test bikes on trails you know.

It's complicated - the bike is heavy but I don't know if it makes sense to to spend money upgrading a 26er - in all fairness. Also a moot point as I am replacing my drivetrain next week. I also ride with 29er riders and in my circle there is a definite advantage over me ( with out a long sob story just trust me on that one) yes and mayb it's not "the bike" but I have no more lungs to bust trying to work out what it is. I'm not going out tomorrow ( well not quite) to buy a bike but I want to start looking at options and options means trying to arrange where I can test ride a bike. Look at budget and just get my ducks in a row. I seem to know what I like wrt feel and handling and I guess if I can't find that in the 650b range then I will start looking at upgrading the 26er.

I currently ride a 26" Stumpjumper and I like the bike but I need to upgrade in the near(ish) future... I've all but ruled out 29ers so looking at the 650b range. I ride trails and the occasional stage race ( and train on long dirt stretches ) I like the feel and the handling of the Stumpy so I guess I am looking at something similar set up wise. So what are similar styles of bike? Spez seems very slow on the roll out of 650b - only one model announced I think in RM it's the Thunderbolt, Giant the Trance? 120mm travel min in front. Please help me with some other names of models that may fit the bill. Thanx

Screenshot it - I'm a lady - some ladies specific bikes are just downgrades of the men's.... Heavier and not as nice components and nice components make for a better ride.... One thing the do have is a women's specific saddle but u can add that after market - cos some of the "standard" ones are dodge anyway - specialized do a comprehensive range and often have test saddles available - but check with your local shop what they have in term of try before you buy?

This may already have been posted somewhere but just incase..... http://totalwomenscycling.com/lifestyle/men-how-to-take-your-girlfriend-mountain-biking-and-still-have-a-love-life-afterwards-20179/?utm_campaign=newsletter_20140207&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_twc

Chris ladies specific is not the be all and end all - most important is the size of the bike, the maneuverability and it will help if it's not too heavy, Clearance over the TT is important but if the size is right then it shouldnt actually be an issue. I ride a small (men's) Stumpjumper in a 26" as I haven't found a 29er I am happy on - will be investigating the 650b range tho. And yes the colour did help my choice at the end of the day

Me and Hubby on the trail (2nd Sani)

So does Cyclefunatic

When you look at the number of ppl starting out mtbing - it's huge - some one said its like the new golf. There will always be accidents - my very experienced (ex downhiller XC u name it ) neighbor fell going over a plank on Meerendal the other day as the new wood was slippery and he was being complacent - that is not the fault of the club. Accidents happen - As it happens the gentleman in question died due to a post operative complication in the form of a blood clot. It takes nothing away from the loss and trauma the family is going through and I wish them strength for this awful time. I just also feel the article is a bit overtly sensational- having said that clubs must also be careful to ensure there is enough of all trail grades to cater to the majority of the rider skill that is out there - sorry but one has to be realistic when looking at your target market. PS I've ridden Hoogekraal a number of times and the bridge lends itself to be approached at a speed that can cause complications BUT it does not need speed - riders need to be honest with themselves about their skill levels and alway ride with in their limits especially on trails new to them. And even on trails they have ridden a 100 times - conditions constantly change!

Not on a Small Stumpy u can't :'(

I get that but I'm not sure there is a sign to dictate... One has to deal with cars on that route as well as families on a quiet ride and runners - I've had plenty of near misses on the ST but I always look ahead and dismount for ascending riders. Would be keen to know if there is a clearly posted sign tho.

The route around the dam is a jeep track is it not so what diffs does it make. As far as I am aware for the most part Jonkershoek , incl the single track ,has been dual direction - only recently have I seen signs demarcating direction on specific trails ( a good thing in my opinion) .

Please please please please!

As the title states. Looking for an opportunity to test a 650b properly on trails I know.... Can anyone point me in the right direction please?

I think Specialized has gone the right way about it - it's the Brand doing the offering not the LBS self. Having said that my Neighbour has being a Giant fan for years and had a very good relationship with the suppliers and even they couldn't get him a test bike. So the owner of our LBS ( A Spez dealer) gave him a bike off the floor to put thru its paces - At full risk to himself and the neighbor bought the bike because he had a bike he could try, on trails he knew and got a full feel for the product. If I listen to the blurb around the wheel sizes it could be that upgrading to 650b is where to go for me BUT as I don't know of anywhere that will allow me to try a small 650b on trails I know I stick with my 26er or hope the Rumour will work for me!

So Spez is doing a Test the best but they only have 29ers. Going to test the Rumor. Who has test bikes for 650b?

Whoop - week 1 of 12 weeks training program survived Yip Sani is barely 12 weeks away! Only sad thing is not much single track until I have established a reasonable base and dropped a few Kgs

The Spez brand is also nice with what seems a nice chamois but it didn't sit right for me. I intend to try the Anatomic one but having looked at the zip it can't see how it can be comfy - I will try tho and see. Pearl Izumi also does - but didn't like the construction of the bib - made like shorts with the bib straps added as an afterthought - sort of defeated the object of the bib keeping it all in place.

Anatomic does women's bibs - still have to try them. The first Ascent ones are comfy. Have a stunning one called Exteondo but you don't get it in this country. My least comfy one chamois wise is my Assos. Craft only does a top end in bibs sadly - nice chamois I find men's Chamois too big for me tho a friend of mine doesn't mind them - she is tall so the men's stuff seems to fit her better all round. Full zip shirts seem to help the call of nature stuff but I'm not beyond whipping off shirts these days - my sports bra covers enough for decency. I heard good things about the Chris Willemse ladies kit bib. I prefer bibs over shorts for riding most days.

I rode the Koeberg, Philadelphia, Wellington loop on Friday morning ( just before peak) the Philadephia section had a few trucks but the gravel shoulder was very rideable - loose and rocky in places but good training for riding those sections. At 6:30ish am going towards Wellington the sun is coming up in your eyes so can't begin to imagine how scary it would be on a road bike sharing the tarmac. The rollers are not as bad doing it that way so my sufferscore wasn't too bad - considering I was supposed to be complete LSD. The flattish section back to D'ville had a fair amount of traffic but the shoulder is wide and as a girl (we were 2) I feel a bit happier riding with cars coming past just from a personal safety point of view. Almost 40kms exactly from D'urbanvale and back.

I actually sent PPA a list (as per their request after a previous thread I posted) of the big Tour coach companies in Cape Town with numbers and contact ppl where I knew - suggesting to them that driver awareness may be key. Most companies do a form of inhouse training ( those that toot their horns behind you do not appreciate the finger as they are merely doing what has been dictated by international standards) I don't see why PPA couldn't approach them with a plan formulated to educated and enlighten the drivers as to what it is like as large bus comes past you and after he is past. I would be interested to know what response PPA has had from these companies to date. Also to note it is very easy to report an errant driver - bus has large company name and number emblazoned on the side and back - not so easy to report errant cyclists. Yes I know that an altercation with a bus will always be way worse for a cyclist but maybe if cyclists kept their end of the road rules bargain there would be less animosity towards the cycling population as a whole.

Give them right of first reply and then go social media , newspapers , police kamikaze on their heads - too often we get all indignant when it happens but we soon lose interest ( or get frustrated with the system) and let it go.

Boy racer I think u will have them lining up

Or Koeberg to the Philadelphia Turnoff. Turn right to Wellington. turn right in to Wellington and back to D'ville. Or Vice versa - That's 40kms. A bit more dirt but 4 kms shorter (and flatter) is take the Occultdale road from (or to) Koeberg rd. Philadelphia and back (tar with dirt shoulders) is between 40 and 50kms. We will be doing one of those loops at a LSD pace on Friday morning if you want to join.

And here begs the question.... Where do all these high end bikes go??!!