Captain Fastbastard Mayhem

yeah, I know. It's scary expensive. Can't say that I could justify it over my Lyrik, which cost just R 5,500

Yeah, bro. It's a SOLID build. Only thing I'd change on there is put a dropper, and fit better tyres. EDIT: Oh - and get a Pike

Without a doubt, the Giant Trance 2 650b. 22k or thereabouts, and the most complete build you'll find for the best price.

Adding to that - unless your electronic wires are hidden, they often will look FAR messier than a hydraulic hose or normal cable sheath would when added to the bike. Think old style cycle computer, where you had to wrap the thing around your bars, brake hose, fork and everywhere else to get it the right size. And don't think for a second that there is a viable option of hiding the cabling inside the bars and stem area - drill a hole in my bars will you!?

Or, instead of going singlespeed, just set the gears in the correct config and DO NOT TOUCH. There. Instant SS, if you can handle the mental challenge of not shifting when the hurt begins.

Ss

EXACTLY! Pretty much exactly the reason I want to do teh inca trail in south america. It's as accessible as a convent girl in the middle of term, but it's a challenge of note to complete the thing, and just getting there...

Dude, way to focus on the climbing! What time did you get to Tokai? I was at the gate from 10h30 aaaaalll the way to 11h30 waiting for a riding buddy to get his wheel sorted.

Yeah. Agreed. 5 minute gaps may help - or, maybe, a live event but later a delayed, full broadcast with a larger focus on each rider's run, made up from Go Pro & normal TV coverage material?

Anyway dude. Ta for the derailment of an otherwise perfect thread. If you wanted to rant about shuttles on WC events, why not just start your own thread?

Not taking it personally at all... I just don't think that WC's should be confined to places that can afford to put gondolas and chair lifts in, at immense cost to the local community and governments, when shuttles do the job perfectly for a fraction of the cost. I'm sure Nigel and a whole bunch of others agree. And I'll defend that notion pretty voraciously.

Why? If there's a perfectly reasonable road up to the top, then that would be the most cost effective way - especially considering the costs of putting up a gondola / chair lift system. Yes, more trips would be better, and would go a long way to alleviate the problem that happened in Cairns and here (not enough practice runs) but to say that you can't have shuttles at WC events is just ridiculous.

That may or may not be what Jan wants - eventually...

aaaaaaanyway. That decision still suuuucks for Gregster. But at the end of the day he shoudl have been aware of the rule. If he wasn't, there's a problem somewhere. But the track itself - WILD! And even wilder that Gee, running flats for the first time since he crawled out the cretacious, won the thing! That track was mega sketch and full of proper danger. And, like, snakes n spiders and stuff....

Yeah dude. Don't be that guy. Not a proper DH track. Pfft. Try taking it at the same speed as some of the bottom rung guys. And no - you're wrong. Loads of people have come across to SA thanks to our hosing of the WC. Okes come out here days and weeks beforehand just to ride the other things we have to offer. So don't try and tell us that there's no "I want to ride there" feeling created just because YOU don't like the track.

Yeah, but by your own reasoning you're saying that it should only go to places with infrastructure that is ALREADY THERE. So that would have excluded all those places, if they hadn't had all the ski infrastructure there in the first place. This is starting to sound rather familiar. It's becoming clearer.... oh, yeah! Here it is!

Yeah for sure bro. Pull in!

Shot for the explanation, Nige!!!

EEEK!

Jan's helmet mounted light is just about to fall off his helmet.

I have it and haven't watched it yet. Methinks it will be watched this Sunday...

Pallet jump after teh road crossing is one for sure, though that's not a corner (ask Deon - we came across a group of youngsters as we were flying down there - had to do some mid air maneuvering as they had stopped in the middle of the trail - deer in the headllights stuff) - the corners in the lower Vasbyt area, also where the windy bit and the bridge section rejoin, lots of other places where the speed is quite high...

Change to XX1 / X01 and a lighter cockpit and wheels, and BAM you're sub 10. Maybe even sub 9.5

at 65k the vipa probably didn't have carbon wheels, so probably not.

XC? Trail? AM? Downhill? Freeride? Hardtail? Dual Suss? Context, man, Context!!!