Tieffels

My input, albeit non expert advise, would be to ask the same question on a motorcycling forum. Everybody on here rides the 2-stroke vleis-piston type of bikes. Good luck.

Take it everybody is out dusting off their chainsaws?

After about 80% of Jonkershoek got destroyed in a fire, only Eden was left with plenty single track. Then the wind picked up tad bit over the weekend.. (not best quality pics, sorry) At least I got my 1h/week hike-a-bike Epic training done.. Normally you are completely surrounded by trees here up to the treeline on the horizon. I'm guessing at least 100 trees got destroyed just in this area: All the brown spots are exposed roots The white bit in the background is a tree trunk split down the middle: These pics only cover the first 100m or so into Eden from the top contour road coming from STB but speaking to other MTBrs coming from the front the rest of Eden is also severely affected. Hopefully towards the old shooting range things are not as bad, will check it out later the week.

Hi Hubbers, <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> I need a Polar HRM that can download time spent in each heart rate zone. Is this only possible with monitors compatible with Polar Pro Trainer 5? What HR data can you download to the polar training website with the more entry level units like the cs200/300? Only max and average? Plenty thanks

So after a good run the only grey 2005 Stumpjumper in the Republic of SA (purchased in the States) finally gave up the ghost and Specialized SA, thanks guys, replaced her with the following: I'm really not one for bike bling and mere cosmetics. Must be an engineering thing so I was super stoked with the toned down look of the frame. She goes by the name: The business end of the frame: There is even this carbon bit that I hope is only a paint finish on some good old fashioned forged steel since I cracked this "cross link" twice before on the stumpjumer, albeit it is a considerably different design. Moral of the story, keep your proof of purchace.. edit: spellingchickenrun4me2009-10-23 02:25:00

Just use the search feature in the Tech Q&A. There are very specific wear limits on chains, measure across 12 links and for new chain it will be 12". Replace only chain if worn to 12 1/16", replace chain and casette if worn to 12 1/8" as explained below: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html#wear http://pardo.net/bike/pic/fail-004/000.html You only need to replace the rings when the chain starts slipping at the front, which should not be the case if you still have all your teeth, so they are tuning you grief about that. Also do not trust the measuring tool jobby that they will use you to show you wear. It must be the pin to pin distance that determines wear.

I always thought it was encouraged to be a bit goofed when doing DHing, clearly not..

I randomly stumbled on the blog of a pro-rider training for the Epic. He was using a power tap to train and he described what he called lactic acid dumping training: He would do a couple of minutes balls to the wall to generate lots of lactic acid, and then sit at an semi-intensive pace for a while and repeat. Basically interval training to simulate attacks in the lead bunch. So in short, to add to what has been said before, an aspect of training is to simulate racing conditions. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Also spoke to a doctor at the DIY maintenance course that confirmed what has been hinted at already: You brain is the ultimate controller of your "perceived" fatigue.

I learnt that if you have a wobble in your rim you only ever need to tighten the right (as in correct, not left) spoke(s). <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> I also learnt that you basically never have to bleed disk brakes. And I finally accepted the fact that you have to measure your chain after every 3 wash, the proper way. And I learnt that all chains, regardless of price, give the same performance. This and numerous other things all thanks to the DIY bike maintenance course. Mr Bornman, I thank you!

Some recent pics I took while doing a 45km ride in the Richtersveld from Sendelingsdrift to De Hoop campsite. So now I know about cycling through sand. For kilometers on end. Stunning riding can be done more to the south of the park, want to go back and do Hellskloof. The hand of God in the Richtersveld: Akkadis pass: This is big sky country...

I'll throw in a 6.95kg, because I know bolt heads will be filed down to get it below 7kg..

Interesting how little science filters onto these type of discussions and how little motivation stands behind various claims. But the last thing I want to do is step on anybodies toes or get flamed. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> This is my understanding of things from doing light research on the topic of nutrition in prep for the Epic: Muscles burns carbs as fuel, so to keep going you need cards. The electrolyte balance is also important as it regulates muscle and other functions. Hydration is another biggie. Thus to keep going you need to meet these simple requirements. If your glycogen stores are topped up you'll be OK to train hard for about 1h to 1.5h. On 2 hour training rides water is ok for me but I follow a high carb diet. On the second to third consecutive ride I start hitting the wall hammering back from Jonkershoek to Stellenbosch. For longer rides the ball park figure is 60-90g carbs per hour. Add some salt for electrolytes and you're a for away. So to me it is simply a matter of getting the most carbs for your buck. There is very little accepted science about the other magic ingredients that enjoy most of the advertising space on the "high tech" products. So as with the Transbaviaans, the Epic will be fueled by AJ muti MIX from Knersis. My 5c's

I wish it was that easy... Thinks it's more a case of having crappy scewers/buggered interfaces that dont seat in the same position every time.

<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Just to echo the previous advice, use a screwdriver to separate the pads. Since my bike has to travel by car boot, it seems every time I refit the wheels the alignment is out, so I've done the screw driver operation 20+ times with no ill effect. My improvement on the standard screwdriver method: Use 2 flat head screwdrivers that you insert from opposite ends of the caliper, thereby creating a wedge effect with flat surfaces against the pads. Then you just push in one of the screwdrivers to open the gap.

LBS will not be able to re-thread it, but you can insert a helicoil thingymajig by drilling new hole and treading it.. Should not be the worlds biggest mission. Contact Johan Bornman, master of the de-botch..

Looking on the bright side of things if you end up getting there you'll be close to said hippies.

If this ends up being the case I suggest the following: 1. Send it down to the garden route, Knysna area. 2. Get it to a hippy commune. 3. Get them to make a nice 26" dream catcher out of it. That's the closest you'll get to riding it again, in your dreams.

I wonder if even JB is up for this one. Recently I had an 819 develop fatigue cracks all along the inside of the rim. Not the best rims, but one of the few tubeless rims out there. Mental note: Avoid rock on landings with my brand new x819.

You'll have to be more precise: There is a nipple and a nipple holder screw insert thingy involved here. The rims are drilled and treaded form one side only, so when the wheel is being built you place the nipple in the screw insert jobby and screw the insert into the rim. So what ripped out, the nipple from the insert jobby or the whole assembly from the rim? Either way it sounds just about FUBR.

When I got my first MTB setup I looked for the cheapest shoes just to get started and ended up with stock standard Olympics. These shoes DOMINATE the market, at some races it seems that half of the people wear them, undoubtedly because of the cheap price tag. Yet after years of constant abuse and neglect they are still going strong. They are ugly, as common as a danville cortina, but man they never say die.. So if you want to get shoes, wear them out in 1.5 years and get newer blinger ones, do not get these..

I'm also going the vernier route, at the department's workshop they've got verniers that can measure up to 1m i think, and micrometers that can handle about the same. Amazing pieces of equipment, art almost of an era gone by..

As soon as all the JHB poppies head back down to Stellenbosch at the end of the Sept holidays I'll organise for a bottle or two to come down. Will get in touch then.

Why dont you do a hub promo ala whasp style?