Captain Fastbastard Mayhem

Yep, I agree with that! It was between them and the 2011 slx's. Avids won, and I haven't regretted the choice. And it's Alfa. Got ya!

JB, i get that you can pump the brake lever to get up to the same power level that a non-aerated system would have as a result of just a simgle pull of the lever. And that was the point I was putting across to counter your view on air in the system and the resultant power. Fact is, stroke for stroke a system with air pockets in it is going to have less power than a system without air pockets in it, when comparing a single stroke. You cannot say that a system that needs to be pumped 4 times before desired pressure / force is attained has the same "power" as a system that needs only one pull to get to the same pressure / force. The end result will be the same, but the actual work done in order to get to that force will differ greatly. Therefore, quite simply, a system with air in it will have less power than a system without air in it. much like a 6 cyl motor running on 4 cylinders, or a car with a blown gasket, power will be diminished.

ROFL! Nah, I have a set of Elixir 5's. Not bled once, not faded once, not failed once. I like the way the levers are set up, and i like their feel.

Can't say I don't love my Avids. A lot of the bad experienes with Avids could purely be as a reslt of not maintaining them correctly. Think of it like this: you buy a ducati, you expect the oil filler cap to inexplicably fall off one morning, and for it to become "de-tuned" if you don't caress it in the right way. They have a very specific set of requirements, and are sometimes a hassle to own. But do their owners hate them? No way. They love em to pieces. Because it is that love that makes them want to form a relationship with the bike, and learn how it works, and do it properly. Same with avids. They have a very specific set of requirements. If you don't adhere to them, they will be an absolute dog to ride with. But treat them properly, and bleed them, maintain them, and caress them properly, and you'll have trouble free service. Perhaps people just need to learn how to do things properly again... And JB - the air in the system wouod have a definite effect on power. The air can compress far more than the fluid itself, which lends it the squishy feeling. But - it also lends it the reduced power that one experiences with the limited travel that a brake lever has. If there were infinite travel in the lever, one could say that the power would remain the same, but in order for the same power to be transferred, the aerated system's lever would have to move far further through its range than the non aerated system. As there is not infinite travel on the brake lever, one can say that air in the system does lead to reduced power in the braking system as a whole Simple physics...

I pity da fool!

Dude, I tried all of that with my latest rim/tire combo, but unfortunstely the darn things were tighter than a nun's proverbial... Soap, dishwashing liquid, whatever whatever. Had to tske the tire off and remount about 3 times on just the one rim, 'cos both beads were always going to one side of the valvr and no amount of shimmying or shaking would get the tire to sit astride the valve. Having said that, it was just because of the rubber to rubber contact of the tire & rim strip that caused that, and it would not have happened had there been a simple electrical tape type of strip instead of a rim strip... I get what you're saying with the garage compressors though. Those things have some force behind them! I've used them before as an emergency measure...

26" Felt Q 620 with 120mm up front and some other (quite nice) upgrades 26" GT DHI Race 180mm/180mm wif a few upgrades... I like both equally, but the DHI is the favourite child...

I've just bought some 20 inch tube for a ghetto convrsion after a tubeless valve gave out. But I have to admit... The sika flex thing has me wondering... No more battling with rim strips and trying to get the tire seated. A blob of formula would fix it all... Will try it on my dh bike first.

F refers to "front", R refers to "rear".... In my case, it'll be DHF all the way. As far as I know, however, it is only the DHF that is in production at the moment...

Witkop, please tell me what "ext" stands for... Every time I read something of yours I carry on thinking of extensions to my house, extension cords, dodgy adverts regarding male genitalia, deadline extensions, exits, newspaper salesmen (extra extra! Read all about it!) and so on. Might it be a new way of abbreviating the word "Etcetera"? If so, I might point out that the correct abbreviation for "Etcetera" is in fact "etc.", and not "ect." or "ete." or "ext.". Please do not forget the full stop (period) after the abbreviation. And please, please, use the correct abbreviation... It's causing havoc with my pedanticism.

Maxxis Minion comes in a 29" tire now... If you want superb grip in all conditions, as well as a high volume tire, they are the bomb. Yes, they are a bit heavier, but they are awesome tires. Otherwise, maybe the Ignitor 29 / Ardent 29?Ignitor Ardent

Hey Crow, I saw that they stock Rocky Mountain mostly... So there is now an RM stockist in the S Subs! Awethum!

+10kg since March last year... All coming off again now. I need to drop 15kg to get to my goal of 90kg...

WOFL. The thing is, naaaainers are better in most sections, and that's a scientific fact. Bigger wheels equals lower rolling resistance and easier obstacle hopping. Yes, naainers of 5 years ago had dodgy geo, next to no travel and countless stories of how they made people better riders. All but the last of those have now been sorted. The thing that gets blown totally out if proportion is that the average naainer rider thinks that by riding a naainer he automatically becomes a better rider. Not true. The bike is making all the difference here. Pop the same guy who waxes lyrical about his "skills" on his naainer back on a sixet, and he'll very quickly realise that fact.

Even more shocking is the fact that he's just admitted to wearing lycra...

You're not the first...

Damn, that looks like a hard bail!

Or, to be used as a door stop. Because it needs to be removed before use...

I would imagine that its a branch clearer. Instead of fwapping you in da face, you get fwapped on the visor.

Well said, Drongo

Haha! The 18-300mm is being held firmly by my large, grubby paws! It's just the Minolta 18-55 that I would consider flogging...

in terms of camera brand, there is no "best" camera to have out of Canon / Nikon (I cringe whilst saying this, as I'm a die-hard Canon fan) Entry level Nikon = D 5000 Entry Level Canon = 500D / 600D One word of advice though - a good lens will impact the quality of your shots (clarity etc) hugely. In fact, the lens is much like the wheelset of the cycling world. The first upgrade you should make, and if you are considering migrating to a "better" camera, rather spend the money on a couple of new, good, lenses. The difference will be far more than taking your existing lenses across to a new body... ITO lenses. I never use the kit 18-55mm lens. I have an 18-200 and a 50mm. I've also just picked up an old Sigma 18-300mm (with 300mm MACRO) and a Minolta 18-55, which I will most likely sell on or donate to a needy person. The 18-200 is the one that's on the camera the most, but only for ease of use and variety of focal lengths. The 50mm lens, however, is a beaut, and is honestly the single lens I would choose if I could only choose one of my current lenses. Good luck!

ROFL! Damn, that wasn't even remotely technical. And yeah, sense of humour failure of note. Go for skills training before trying to buy a better bike in the hope that it will make you a better rider...

M9 FRO is R 29k IIRC... Hmm. R 58k and you have a SORTED quiver.

MUST>NOT>SPEND!!!! I shall now avert my eyes.