Tieffels

If you ride a 29er then obviously you don't care that people think you're a mindless trend follower, so just go with what everybody else is doing...

Ja, it is skrikwekkend to say the least.. It was more than R10k less when I did it. However all in all I dont think the Epic cost me more than R16k. That included petrol there and back and the GU I used on day 4..

Dick pretty much summed it up. If you're not going for top 50 it matters precious little about the bike. In 2010 we ended just outside the top 100, (would have made it easily further up the field but my partner got a stomach bug during the last 2 days, but everybody has a story like that right..) and in that part of the field we had plenty of lightweight strong foreign riders with very very fancy lightweight bikes.. My DS 26 Spech Epic weighs in well over 12kgs and I passed many of these okes on the climbs. And I weigh +90kgs. Why? Because I trained my ass of, and I did so on the right type of terrain. To try and illustrate my vague point: About a month before the Epic I wanted to go to new tubeless tyres as I'd been running std Maxxis tubelessly on std rims and was all worried about sidewall cuts and the rest. My training partners pointed out that I'd been riding the crap out of my current set in the WC for months with no hassles, so why worry now.. I rode the entire epic with the very same very well used tyres.. There is no substitute for hard work. Just ride what you have. Guys really like to "ruk die dam onder die eend uit" when it comes to the Epic.. New bikes, new wheelsets, that package, this service.. We just rocked up and rode our hearts out and loved every painful minute..

You say you want to race it. What position are you aiming for?

Initially I ran just Maxxis standard tires tubeless on standard rims. Did the Epic like that, no problems, just keep the sealant topped up. Since then I've tried some other tyres too, Conti's and some or other kenda. Found both to be too porous, leaked air from everywhere in the tyre. Maybe more/better sealant would have helped, but I eventually gave up. I know other people have had the opposite experience. My personal opinion: Ride whatever std tyre you can get that holds air properly (found maxxis to work well, specialized too). Std tyres mounted tubelessly wont just jump of the rim at some random time, it happens if you lose pressure without knowing it. A tubed tyre will do the same in the same scenario. Just make sure you have enough air in.

If 32Gi works for you in a race, you're going to slow. End of story.

I've done the box route numerous times. Lots and lots of PT, esp getting the bike in a box to and from the airport. A bakkie is a must. Then I got a bag as a gift and still plenty PT, esp since MTB don’t seem to fit into road bags. Skeptical about the protection of a bag vs a box. The last 3 odd times that I've flown I've simply wheeled the bike onto the plane. Simply as is. Benefits incl: 1. From what I've seen the guys then treat the bike like a bike (and not the chew toy aforementioned), and the worse that can happen will be damage from dropping the bike over. On a MTB I worry little about damaged pedals/bar ends. 2. Makes transport to/from airport much simpler. 3. They cannot weigh the full bike. My bike normally weighs in between 4-6kgs, when in fact it is 12kg+. This to me makes the biggest difference, they don't nail you for extra baggage as I'm always borderline overweight. Having said that I always fly Lanseria and I think they handle the baggage a tad bit better there than OR Thambo, and I suspect they’ll give you grief at OR if your bike is not bagged/boxed.

29er?

Someone must please explain this to me, how does it work? How is power transfer a function of cleat size? I cannot figure it out and yet you always hear people going in about it.

When you don't do it justice, be it ability or appreciation. Re appreciation: Some guys have Dogmas because they have a strong emotional connection with the bike, that I respect. Others have Dogmas because they know other people know it's a k@k expensive bike..

I'll concede the point that rotor size will increase the pulling force out of the fork, but as Cptmayham said, it is a liability thing. Normal QR will be fine if used correctly. 32mm stanchions makes no difference...

At sufficient speed the wheel should come out. Your point being?

Even the problem of the front wheel coming off is again not a function of rotor size. Even the forces seen by the hub is not rotor size related.. Basically what I'm trying to get at is that rotor size affect very little apart from the rotor itself..

I refuse to have to provide "maths" for something that is so glaringly obvious. It is common sense. I'm right. But let me spoon-feed BigH: Braking is braking, the max braking force you can generate is a function of the tyre traction on the ground. How you get there i.e. rotor size is irrelevant. If you skid your front or rear tyre with a 140mm or 203mm imparts the same force in the axle. I suspect Forks are limited in disk diameter as the location of the brake caliper moves significantly with bigger disks causing much higher forces on the mounting points on the fork.

I call complete BS. There is no way that the forces seen by the axle is a function of the rotor size. So much for BA Brugbou aka Civil engineering

And that is the absolutely most bestest thing ever about 29ers. Some old roadie toppie recently asked me what MTB to get, obviously by MTB be meant a 29er, and since he was riding in Cyclelab kit it came as little surprise that he mentioned he was looking only at GF Trek or Niner. So this is the easy bit, I could just tell him they are ALL so orgasm inducingly awesome it does not even matter what you get, as long as it is a 29er! Woop Woop

I ride in the mornings with whom I imagine to be the harde baard bigger boys on the block, at least in my frame of reference. And by ride I mean hang on with everything I've got. These guys are way stronger than me so its a balls to the wall effort for me for about 1h15 over the 42km's, 450m climbing. I ride on just a cup of coffee, which is a habit from the winter moths to help with the cold. There is hardly time on the ride to drink, which is just water in my case. Never bonked or even felt close to it. So my advise is just to ride and take it from there. Your body will let you know if you need something more.

The best tyres are the cheapest foldable (i.e. non tubeless) ones that I can find on either CWC, CRC or Buycycle.. And that I can mount tubeless.

Thanks for the post to the route!! I'm suddenly super jealous that I did not do it. IMHO the normal TB is too easy, esp. the climbs, and dare I say it, boring at times. Not taking anything away from it, it is an amazing first experience that I loved and would recommend it to anybody. But not such that I see myself going back every year. But this years it appears to have been a proper MTB race judging by the profile. That section through Groot Tivier is amazing, did it during the Freedom Challenge and I can remember wondering why they did not use it for the TB. It is absolutely stunning! I cannot vouch for the stretch before there from Willowmore (could be quite karoo-ish I imagine?) as we dropped into the TB route about 15km before Groot Rivier.. and then the fun starts. If the route stays this way I'd be there next year! About the support 4x4's. We had it the year we did it, and as we were complete novices we over catered completely. In retrospect it can be more of a hassle than anything else. But as with previous posts, they did collect a couple of peeps who'd have been stranded otherwise. I had some loved ones experience something they'd never have done otherwise for which I'm very grateful, but I also cannot justify it against the general cons..

Can someone please please post the GPS file of the new route?

Just about the only people more irritating than a 29er owner telling me unconvincingly how well it rolls over whatever, are Sani2C riders having a awesomeness orgasm whenever the topic comes up... But to stick to the topic, yes it is worth it, even if it is just to cut off in mid sentence the above mentioned people by saying you've been there too.

Also had a niggling Achilles tendon that I think I strained while going on an impulsive balls to the wall run. Was about 2/3 months of nursing before it went away. Still felt it now and again on hard rides, eventually dropped my seatpost a bit that made a big difference. No problems since..

AAGGHH don't have a credit card to make a donation, could one of you guys please PM me the banking details if possible. If possible could my donations be used for the torture-the-bastards or shoot-to-kill bit of the budget? Thanks

Jip, the only proper MTBing in JHB in my book. I spend about half the time in granny blade.. Would love to know what the poefter 2x10 29er JHB crowd makes of the place... In fact, let this be a warning: I've you suffer from 29er marketing delusion and went as far as parting with tons of buck as to not be left behind, AVOID Kings Kloof at all cost!!! It will be a rude awakening. You've been warned. Stick to the dead boring magalies district roads..

Alex Harris shattered the Freedom Challenge record on one of these if that is anything to go by. That said I doubt I'll ever buy a 29er. I also doubt I'll ever buy a Giant or a white Toyota Corolla for that matter. The beauty of personal choice.