Borriz

I was in similar position when I bought my Anthem in 2006. Experienced exactly the same issues. What I've done since then is: Wash after every ride including cleaning chain Upgrade wheelset to XT,XTR and Hope Hubs with Mavice 819 rims - never looked back and hardly any servicing required on these 3 wheelsets. Service pivit bearing at least once a year - this will safe your rear shock services Lastly, ride higher cadence (90 upwards). This means less forced power on chain and therefore less friction and strain on drive train and cassette. Perhaps look at cleaner lines when you bomb down hills. The Anthem soaks up big hits but you won't believe what those small hits do to a bike. Previously I would replace a saddle after 2000km on my hardtail (broken rails). Replaced my saddle after 20,000km on my anthem (worn seams)

The funny thing is that the single cab and double cab's rollbars differ. There are holes punched into the metal of the single cab, but not the double cab. For the single cab I basically drilled holes through the square bar and filled the gaps with washers and then attached to the rollbar. Unfortunately I had to drill holes in the double cab's rollbar for this purpose. As for Dick's post. That will work. I just don't want to remove wheels - cause they end up being left behind plus with mountain bikes you stand the chanse of touching the break levers and hence break fluid leaking out. What is not shown in the pic are the little tie down and gap fillers. Just additional features to secure the bike and iliminating unneccsary damage.

Hey everyone. Sorry forgot about this thread. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Here goes. It cost me R150 buck but fortunately got the clamps for free from LBS. I basically made a DIY project from this and the most difficult aspect was the angle of the clamps and I wanted downward pressure applied on the tyre. For security I pull standard cable lock through rollbar, front wheel and frame. I have subsequently upgraded to double cab. The design and layout remains the same. You can either open the back flap or just place the back wheels on the flap rim.

you'll be surprised how little any green stuff appears in Lesotho. It is brown - as in rock brown in Lesotho. Its not called mountain country for nothing. :-) Oh - other word of warning. The locals ride horses and wear blankets. They virtually melt into the scenery. The next thing you'll see is someone next to you on horse back, appearing from absolutely nowhere. And they don't understand a word of english or afrikaans. Man! Whoever is doing this enjoy. It is an awesome magnificent brilliant experience!

Be warned! Once you've done this race you'll be tempted for more hardcore riding! We did this in 2005 and absolutely loved every second of it. did it on a Marin hardtail. My breaks overcooked on every straight. So had to cool them down and only use in hairpins. We did the full 72km. Blackmountain is the $h%@! You start getting head aches and sharp pain behind your eyes because of lack of air. Its only 4km but you climb 400m I think. You don't need passports as race organisers arrange with border post. Don't give your energy bars to locals - they're not accustomed to the high levels of sugar and other gunk we are. They end up being very sick

I would give family jewels to get the Zula in the untouched silver colour. Hope Patrick reads this! I'm so annoyed that I bought my new bike in May - now I need to find new justifications for a new frame! Back to the original thread on bling-essories. The white Troy Lee saddle will work nice on the white Zula. Get your hands on a white stem

Bliksem! 20kgs in 3 months!!!!!! Gastric bypass? Keep your diet a secret and sell it for millions

Been a while since I last so scientific formulas able to jot them down but the factors impacting speed (v-if I recall) is drag and resistance coefficiency. Drag comes from the airo-dynamics of rider and bike (spokes and frame) and resistance from hub and tyre surface. Momentum is a factor of rider weight and speed. So based on this weightweenies will benefit from airodynamics. Heavies from their weight, but the changable factor is hubs and tyres. If all is fair i.e. bike, outfit, tyres, etc etc. Then the heavier rider will still win.....downhill that is!

I think we should all stop complaining about the race. An awesome job was done to catter for us. Yes it is a pitty about the hold up at the road crossing and I'm sure it will be addressed next year. What needs to be complained about are the sucker who jump lines just to enter the path to walk up sections - disallowing capable riders to ride sections. Or the guys that walk up sections to mount their bike on the crest. An awesome ride and far more challenging than one would expect in Gauteng, especially in that area or the city. Anyone know when and where results will be posted?

Once again! I'll go back any day. I'll pay even R50 for that track. As I don't read any SA bicycling mags, other than Tread, we were not informed. This thread was to inform. Fluit fluit my storie is uit

SPTLSB1 - Before making cocky comments like that first get context to this situation. I'm not bragging about the hours I did. I've got more serious hours to brag about if I wanted to. Why I meant the hours was to state the fact that we were going to spend that money in any case at his establishment as we were hungry. I'm very happy to pay the money, I agree it is some of the best single track in Gauteng. I'll go back despite this. We were just unhappy about his approach towards us. The reason for the mail was to inform everyone that charging now applies and that it is a black and white rule. You ride you pay. Oh! And SPTLSB1! R85 takes you quite far if you stop twice. But it becomes significantly small when you need to pay a further R25.

Just a note. You now need to pay R25 to make use of the van Gaalens single track. The apparently extended the available routes to 60 or 70km. With some technical climbing and tons of new single track. Payment inside at the cheese shop. We were unaware of this fact till this past weekend. I'm happy to pay the price. They do a lot to cater for us and that single track is truely awesome. Can imagine what the other routes look like. Just think we could've have been told of this fact earlier (or been given a discount). Had just enough money to buy a sandwich after a 7hour ride there.

I bought Topeak rear guard about 3 years ago. Used it for exactly 3km and never used it again. Brand spanking new - you can actually have it I you can collect out in the Westrand. For front - the only one that works is the BBB one (I think they make it, will double check tonight). Its quite short, about 20cm. The fins are just the right width. PM me! I'll send you a picture. We first saw it in Knysna and about 6 months later found them at Cajees I think. Use to use a THE one that also works well but is relatively big.

I would be interested in the route via the veld upto Lesedi. We're doing a ride tomorrow leaving Ruimsig, meeting Fourways riders at Chicken Pie and then head off across the road into plots and a nature reserve. When we pop up next to antenna about 4km from Lesedi. Just pass Lesedi, apposite a little coffee shop complex one takes a left turn and that brings you to road just after the T-junction at the garage. ok ok long story short. We end up at Van Gaalens and its 100km from Ruimsig. Sweet ne!

Did you buy one of these? The pictures looks amazing and the price is awesome!

I've read all the posts on the light build, and despite being fond of DIY projects, the mere fact of soldering and working out the electronics freaks me out. Been a while since I last had my nose in a electronic engineering handbook. So I'm doing bit of investigation of my own to reinvent and existing light system by tweaking so variables and trying to keep as much as possible constant. What I gather from the posts to date, the variables are: Light (as normal, but I want to know if LEDs work the same as std light bulbs) "mother board" or control unit Battery / power I've got a Topeak WhiteLite DX unit. It has 3 super bright LEDs with intensity specs 4 (Lux/5M) and 1.8 (Lux/10M). My question is: Can one increase the intensity output if one increases the size of battery (input)? Or will the specs of the light provided act as resistance and still only be limited to its output? Thoughts?

Phone Eben at Westrand Cycles - he is the top Cannondale reseller in SA. 0119554342. He can hook you up with any model in their range and his advice is top notch

My one friend use them on his MTB. Works very well, especially with the smaller 600ml bottles. Eben at Westrand cycles showed me the latest incarnation which attaches to the rails of your saddle. Has a little tuby bag that can hold a tube and then 2 places to attach botlle cage plus I think I counted 5 spots for CO2 cannisters. The entire bracket can hold upto 2kg.

Agree with TZmtb You're young. Body is hard and cash is low = HT In 3 years time you'll be earning more and will enjoy the comfort even more. Technology will be even beter. Buy DS at this point. I'm yet to understand the issue about 29er. Whatever comfort you have going up you loose in momentum going down on the other side. You're all being caught out by the bike manufacturers! In 10 years we'll be riding Pennyfarthers again :-)

The only additional dimension to this discussion can be over training. I never experienced any cramps in the last 6 years and take magnesium pills everyday. But in May I cramped so bad that I had to get off the bike. Realised later I was suffering from over training and muscle fatigue. Maybe an additional evaluation criteria can be the amount that you sweat and racing conditions i.e. do you cramp during any ride or predominantly during races with high day time temperatures. Perhaps also how does the time periods (time of day) of your training differ from your race time? Our cricketers are best example of under conditioning.

Great topic. I've been trying this for 2 years and no luck. But what I do believe in is the correct bike. You can't teach yourself to manual with a XC bike for instance. It must be easier if the bike has higher of further reaching handlebars to allow a pivot point somewher behind the seat without to much front wheel lift.

a bike later is always great cause of new technolgies and improvements. The things you become use it are: gearing, shock and geometry. If you leave this for long you won't realise the difference between high and low end and so don't become accustomed to the quality....and price. But its when you do get use to it that you won't settle for anything else and the your bike shop start smiling.

So after all the dismantelling Friday my bike still creacked. Think my front bearing is worn. Has a ratchit feel to it. This therefore asks the question. Is this due to the new design of Giant or is it lower quality bearings?

now a different question. How much is a bearing press and is it worth getting one to do this job?

Bang for buck for non stage racing and half marathon rider = HT Marathon and stage racing = full susser Agree with GT Zaskar. Great bike and moer of a pedigree. Go from SLX to XT to XTR componentry to start cheap and progress up the food chain. Once you're done with components look at nice shock as this makes big difference and then lastly lekker wheelset.