Super_mil

I am packing my spikes!

JCB - "In 1945, Joseph Cyril Bamford launched the construction and agricultural manufacturing company that bears his initials. Over the years, the company’s pioneering spirit and reputation for superb build quality has led to huge success: we now lead the world in backhoe loaders and telescopic handlers, we manufacture a range of over 300 machines and we boast some of the finest engineering facilities across the globe." Companies really like when there product name becomes the tag line for a piece of kit. Like Bobcat really like the fact that most skid steers are commonly called Bobcats. The Caterpillar guys don't relly like when you refer to there skid steer as a Bobcat. Same goes for neck braces. Leatt have tried to close the market down by getting neck braces (in general) referred to at Leatt Braces

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p4pb10247623/p4pb10247623.jpg

Well that is how Enduro has come about (I think) Edit to add: that riders have now become extremely skilled & suspension technology and the bikes have progressed such a long way that the lines between all the disciplines is becoming quite blurred. Look at what Graves achieved at World Champs.

To me, it's about being able to cover all terrain that is associated with MTB on a single bike.

100% agree with this.

That is pretty much spot on!

The official write up & entry details. The third annual Malelane TOYOTA DH Challenge takes place at Dirk Lourens’s track at the Malelane Stene brick yard right outside of the town of Malelane from 8 to 10 November 2013. Event description: Elite UCI points accredited race. Race categories: Elite, Junior, Sub Vets, Sports and open Women. Number collection and practice at the event finish point from Friday 8 November from midday. Saturday practice from 9am to 4pm including seeding run. Sunday practice from 8am to 11am, race runs from 12am. One race run format. Prizes: Elite 1st to 5th – R 10 000; R5000; R4000; R3000; R2000; Junior 1st to 3rd – R3000, R2000; R1000; Sub Vets 1st to 3rd – R3000; R2000; R1000; Product prizes for Sports and open Women Directions from Johannesburg: take the N12 east towards Emalahleni where it becomes the N4 east. Carry on past Nelspruit to Malelane. Directions from Pretoria: take the N4 east towards Emalahleni, carry on past Nelspruit towards Malelane. Directions to the track: When approaching Malelane, take the dirt road on your right before the very first traffic light in town. Carry on with the dirt road through the sugar cane fields to the Malelane Stene brick plant. Follow the event signage to the track and parking area. EVENT ENTRY FEE – R 500, please deposit or EFT your entry fee into the account below with online entry TICKET NUMBER as REFERENCE: Gravity Allstars Mountain Bike Club. FNB Menlyn Square Acc: 62431650739 Branch: 252445 Online entries are now open at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/event/8956453995 Accommodation: There is free accommodation in the Buffalo Hotel hall in Hectorspruit for those who want to bring a mattress or camping bed. Full ablutions for men and women are available. Free accommodation is offered in request of supporting the restaurant. Alternatively you can make reservations for rooms via the contact information in the link below: http://www.mpumalangahappenings.co.za/photos_buffalo_hotel.htm

The narrow-wide rings are only available in even number tooth options for obvious reasons

For the love of 2-stroke!

This looks like it was an awesome adventure!

One of these would be awesome... http://www.pinkbike.com/v/336750/ http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Timo-Pritzel-Adrien-Loron-and-Xavier-Pasamonte-inaugurate-the-Velosolutions-Pumptrack-in-Pontresina-2013.html Realistically I think we'd have to aim WAY lower just to get things started. Also the concrete ain't going to happen so some thought about drainage and erosion will have to go in prior to the actual build happening. Possible areas as mentioned above, definitely could find a spot around the Scout Hall section, otherwise somewhere near Fratellies on the lower section where the concrete jump is, but it could potentially be wash ed away if the area floods, possibly the top section of Delta (top of the enduro line), or by Tana road close to the cut log... Plenty options, just have to site it somewhere where it is going to get used and users will have to keep it maintained. The Mike's Bike PT used to be awesome, thats where I learnt to ride a PT and he did VERY well with the space he had available. I heard they used 80m3 of soil to build that PT, but it is pure fill. http://vimeo.com/6923416 They used to have a night series there sometime back, but it was before my time. Would be cool to get something informal happening there again... http://www.nsrmtb.co.za/mikes-bikes-pump-track-race-report/

Also make sure you have an even number of chain-links or your chain & chainring will go out of sync

That was the ultimate plan and it would have been AWESOME!!! Unfortunately I just don't have the time to give the bird enough attention and I don't think that caging it would be fair to the bird, plus it would be illegal. Also, it sh1ts a lot! When a murder of crows circles you and pecks out your eyeballs, think of me

My find on yesterdays rather damp Delta lunchtime outing. It's with FreeMe now, but the lady said once he's back up to full strength I can let him go again where I found him in Delta Ka-Kraaaaaa!

Dad Sends Kids Toys Into Outer Space, Films The Entire Trip If you were lucky enough to have a childhood which involved firing plastic bottles into the air and pretending they were rockets, then consider your parents awesome. Although to be honest, they might pale in comparison Nicholas L and the special effort he’s put in to enthrall his 3 children. Having casually agreed to their request that he send their favourite toys into space (Bad Piggy from Angry Birds and Hello Kitty), he spent weeks researching the various tools you’d need to achieve such a feat. In short, it was a massive challenge but driven by his desire to not break a promise to his kids, he set about fulfilling their extraordinary request. It required weather balloons from the US, an iPhone, a battery, a GPS tracker from Hong Kong and two GoPro cameras and even then Nicholas wasn’t sure it was going to work. But amazingly enough, thanks to his careful planning and attention to detail not only did Bad Piggy & Hello Kitty make it 20,000m above sea level they came back in one piece as well. Finding them on the way back down wasn’t so easy, the high altitude had frozen the GPS tracker so the family had to travel 300km before they were reunited with their extended toy family. You can see the entire journey of Bad Piggy & Hello Kitty below, a true Toy Story if ever we’ve seen one.

I was just going to suggest this spot. I've never ridden there, but all the stories I've heard have been about technical descents and challenging terrain...

But that is the idea of the format IFAIK. Riding on the way up and racing down. I don't think it would be worthwhile to build more trails yet... Not until it becomes a viable format. Yes there will be long'ish rides to the start of stages, but initially we should use the trails we have (I think) and sort out some other the other logistics (like timing) and also gauge interest. At least there is some traction on the concrete strips

You are VERY unlikely to average 40- 60km/h. Enduro is not pure downhill, so the average would most likely be in the 20-30km/h region. Personally, I think natural trails should take preference over man-made obstacles.

As rouxtjie has said, I think Van Gaalens would be the best bet. It already has a decent trail network and there are some decently long technical descents. The tough bit may well be setting up a suitable timing platform as the potential descents are quite spread out.

The Swiss machine Uli Steck climbs Annapurna I (8 091m) solo in 28 hour round trip. http://vimeo.com/76978752 "I think I finally found my high altitude limit, if I climb anything harder than that I think I will kill myself." - Steck on his Annapurna Solo http://www.ukclimbin...em.php?id=68412

Fail!

You'll only really want one when you fall. If full faces weren't so hot and cumbersome it would be my preference, but I think I'll go the normal open face route.

An individual has taken the initiative to get the Enduro scene happening in KZN, with his 1st event costing him a lot of cash. He's not formally involved in the MTB scene and has a day job like you or I but want to see this particular racing format grow in SA. The big idea is to have a national series, but you have to start somewhere and he happens to live in PMB... Yes the name may be over ambitious, but KZN MTB now recognizes enduro as a racing format and has added an Enduro category to the committee, due to the individual pushing the format. I don't see the harm in thinking big.

Yebo. Splits left off the main DH line just after Eye-Boggler. So the ride to the start is going to be tortuous, but at least we don't finish all the way down at the bottom, since I believe SP2 starts in the same or similar spot to SP1. I think having only a 36t chainring up front may hurt...