love2fly

You can start at Bidon, Ground, Rhino and Lion Park but my preferred start/finish is Valverde - that way you don't finish on the toughest climb. R20 parking but you get a R20 discount on a coffee etc afterwards. Safe parking and mostly shaded tables

If you're not too far the Cradle is good. Where it's too challenging you can take to the road. It's a circular route of 29km and around 430m of total ascent. Starting points comprise a few restaurants or coffee outlets. Alternately Northern Farms which has a variety of trails to suite the novice and the expert but they're only open on weekends. We've been riding the Cradle on weekends and weekdays for >10 years and no crime.

Not what I said ...

A masking agent isn't doping? Kind of like fraudster deleting a file.

Looking forward but can't take seriously the much touted (women's) rider previously busted for doping....I see her too often sitting on a male rear wheel so I'm rooting for Sam!

Not yet AFAIK but it's only a matter of time.

I reckon manufacturers Mark frames up huge. Plus there's often a middleman between manufacturer and importer, leaving importer and LBS with the scraps. It costs around the same to produce a Giant or decent Chinese frame etc as a Spez or a Scott, Pinarello and so on so why the big premium?

When a set of OEM brake pads for my SRAM Levels cost the same as for my VW Golf, and the same goes for tyres yet the material weight of the bike part is 1/20 of the car part and probably only lasts 1/20 of the distance I have a problem. Some sort of correction in the market can't come soon enough IMHO. I also like to see the new (Chinese) brands starting to challenge Shimano & SRAM iron groupsets...

Custom carbon?

I recently read his book about his kinda-comeback. I think even he was worried that he'd never win again. He's something special.

Here's a maybe alternative: If you're in CTN get in touch with Willie Engelbrecht at Adrenalin bikes or in JHB contact Nico at Vincent Bikes. They bring in a well priced and decent tech eeb. I think they import the frames and install the tech locally.

I've had an Ardent wobble after I battled with sealant "velcroing" the sidewalls together after replacing sealant so I guess my manhandling must have stretched it as I really battled with it. Having said that, I used to run my Ardent Race front tyre, 2.35 on 25mm rims as low as 1.1 Bar over lots of gnarly stuff and I've never had any issues. I now run a Minion DH up front which likes about 1.5 Bar.

Both my floor pumps over read massively at low pressures (1.8 for my MTB) I only use the Guage for road to the point that if my Guage fails I'll still keep popping but refer to my Topeak Guage

I'm with you on that. I prefer same size tyres front & rear. I dont buy the narrower rear idea - if you look at the science the rear will always try get to the inside whereas cars with 4 wheel steering the rears turn opposite to the front. I've got an Ardent Race on the rear - not great grip and it's like a slick in any sort of mud even light mud.

Aren't the bearing cups made of aluminium? Mine certainly are in all the pivot areas... I ride my 2015 Adrenalin carbon dual suss hard and have zero bearing issues.

I got almost 3000km on a GX chain on my Sram GX setup and am now at 12000km on an XX1 so I wouldn't hesitate to buy another XX!1 chain. Ive put a replacement KMC onto my road 10 Sp Ultegra and find it noisier than a Shimano OEM chain.

I've worn through 3 ovals on my Mtb alone and used to chew through one a year despite not clocking major mileage- and I keep my XX1 chain clean. I have gone back to round. I DID feel like there was some benefit when I fitted the ovals (AB and CSIXX) on my Mtb and Rotor on my roadbike but I feel I got shitty life out of all of them and it felt better when I went back to round on both my bikes. I don't think their teeth are as hard as OEM round rings.

Not if you do it regularly. A stitch in time saves 9 or more....ball bearings

Might even be a creaky fork tube. If you're in Joburg Jako at Shockingly Good Service (specialist suspension guy) can help. 0714398832

Have you checked the top bearing ie correct bearing & still ok? Theres a small chance it WAS the correct bearing and its now incorrect?When you reassemble the steerer are you first tightening the centre cap bolt and THEN the 2 pinch bolts on the stem? Do you have the right amount of spacers on the steerer?

I battled like mad to find for my 6750. If I recall I came right here. Shimano/Cool heat are useless. Still available overseas.

AFAIK it's 80kmhr for that section.

Just an update to this thread. So far I've restored/repaired a 10+ year old damaged pair of Spez shoes and a Hubbers shoes damaged in a fall. I'm happy to extend this service to anyone who needs their shoes sorted. I might look at customisation and art later on... Work involves a clean, stripping the top coat, sanding, repairs, around 5 coats of colour and 2 to 3 clear "top" coats. VID-20221107-WA0013.mp4

I know of a Top Fuel that went to BSC to have a larger chainring and new chain fitted. Chain was probably just cut to same no. of links as the end result was 1 or 2 links too short. It's things like this that made me learn to work on my own bike. I only entrust a LBS with wheel truing and take my suspension to a specialist that I know really well. Plus I get the enjoyment of doing the work (right) and saving a fee Escudos.

Spend some time on your bike and I think you'll be faster (and wealthier) for not changing ratios.