TYGA

Thanks CR, appreciate the reply.

Thanks for that Chickenrun, your approach to the ride ("disciplined touring") is pretty much the way I would like to do this around 3 years from now. Getting a month's work of leave from home and work may be a hard one to arrange but it needs to be done. Other than the unpaid leave, what do you reckon you need to budget for the month of the FC and what sortof training did you put in during the 6 months or so leading up to FC? Apologies for all the questions...we all follow the heroes but it's nice to hear from a "normal" okes point of view. Given a carte blanche what bike would you use?

These okes are absolute machines, what a pity Hillbilly is out the mix, I was looking forward to seeing how he measured up on a geared bike this year. Chickenrun what's the criteria (short version...no need for too much detail...) to be a able to enter? Qualifiers and conditionals as you mentioned above.

Lovely. Have any of you been using Stans hubs for a SS conversion? I was looking at the state of my Stans freebody when I changed cassettes on my geared bike recently and the cassette has chowed that soft alloy PROPERLY....I wanted to use the wheels on my SS but I'm not sure the freebody will be up to the job.

I had some issues with play on my Stans 3 30 hubs...are you on the same? If so and rebuilding the wheel and replacing the bearing doesn't sort out the play, there's a bushing between the bearing and the hub body that may be worn...have had the same issue on mine, the LBS did not pick it up but consulted the reps who supplied a replacement part mahala and it sorted out my issues.

I'm sure there'll be some news on his blog shortly. http://glennharrisonsa.blogspot.com/2012

If this is the one you are looking at I've seen it....it's in brilliant nic and the guy who owns it rides like a granny, that is if you can actually get him onto the bike at all. I know this because every time he brings his two year old to come and play with my two year old we bitch and moan about how little we get to ride compared to how much we used to, mostly because of aforementioned two year olds. https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/29980-specialized-stumpjumper-26er-fsr-comp-2011-dual/ Great bike for playing, singletrack etc and if you're not going for a win more than light enough for K2C and a few other races.

Sounds eina. Keep cushioning on a rigid bike in mind. I've been running a 2.3 WTB Exiwolf at a very low pressure on the front of my rigid SS and wouldn't go for much less than that where we live....the extra volume helps a lot on rocky and rooty descents.

After detecting some side to side play on my rear wheel stemming from the hub I assumed the bearings were toast. LBS just called me now to say that the sealed bearings are loose within their cavities in the hub, as if the cavities have been worn out over time to be bigger than the should be. Has anyone come across this and can anyone suggest a remedy for this issue ... Would loctite be strong enough to set the bearing into it's correct position?

Only ever had good service, call them.

You can't stand up on the pedals with the seat in place. You have to pedal with your knees slightly further apart but on my medium frame bike the iBert is not too invasive.

Hey Wayne, from what age can your little guy ride on that top tube seat? Mine is currently in an iBert but given how wild he is on his scoot bike this looks like a good next step. I took him out in the trailer yesterday but it doesn't take him long to get bored in there.

How's the build coming along? Curious...

If you book Mango, pay Mango and fly Mango it's one thing. When you want to avoid all that and book SAA, pay SAA rates and get to the Airport only to realise your are on an SAA flight which is operated by MANGO it's even worse.

Nuts and top tubes were not designed to be that close to each other.

Thanks Crow...love the look of Hope products though I don't find the sound of the rear hubs particularly appealing...Makes the dogs in my 'hood even barkier than normal.

While we're on that topic...what is the difference or "improvement" of the EVO's over the normal Pro 2's?

Good work Hairy. Ya I've been back on the bike, against Doc's orders and much to the wifes disgust as I was only really meant to be riding the spinner...have only been riding the geared dually the last month or so...too sore to absorb hits on the hardtail on a trashed ankle and have to wait for it to get stronger before I can stand and crank out proper hills. Saw the doc for a last set of Xrays last week and he's happy...will be getting back on the single soon...can't wait!

Looking better than when I saw you after the OV 24! Wat ratio were you running?

I'm sure you'll be able to add to the order if you only placed it this morning, those Pommies don't wake up till MUCH later in the day.

Nice work! May i suggest that you look at the el Guapo handlebars on their site? 810mm of awesomeness. At the price I reckon it's worth getting a set and if you don't like them I'll take them off your hands. Oh ja and Oury grips at 5 quid a pair...simply the best grips you'll ever use...well worth chucking a few into your shopping basket.

Maybe take a look at what these okes have to say re sizing; www.thehubsa.co.za/forum/topic/115833-frame-size-for-a-29er/page__pid__1646825#entry1646825

I have the "original'" version of that exact frame .... BULLETPROOF. https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/113494-in-celebration-of-29er-day/page__st__48

If you look at the sizing chart on the On One website you'll see that there is only an 8mm difference in effective top tube length between the L and XL, however the seat tube is 38mm longer on the XL....biggest difference is thus standover height rather than reach. If you have a longer torso in relation to leg length I'd go for the Large...but that's just me! Remember to order a frame with horizontal or sliding vertical rather than normal vertical dropouts so you can get your chain tension sorted without worrying about a tensioner.