michaelbiker

Had a similar issue trying to get a SRAM eagle cassette off of a brand new wheelset. Ended up chipping a tooth - not mine but the cassette and a trip to the emergency bike shop. Mech had to build a long lever using a toe strap and a pipe to get it loose. Still riding the cassette (after filing down the tooth) and not had a single problem since. I now own three chain whips - best one is the industrial park tools jobbie with a long handle.

Have bought a lot of pairs of Leatts and have to say I am really disappointed in the quality recently. My oldest pair (2018) are still going strong (look a bit old but still trucking). My latest pair are falling apart (2022). Switched to Hirzl Grippp - got them on sale in Europe and they are so far really comfy but only had them a few months, so can't comment on longevity. I wash my gloves by hand in the shower post ride. I have found the washing machine eats them for breakfast.

Just outside Greyton

Greyton for the weekend

Yip. DStv is how much per month now? R800? My subscriptions: HBO Max, GCN+, Youtube Premium and ExpressVPN comes in under R500 per month. Also South African pricing is way, way lower than other territories. e.g. Youtube Premium is R80pm vs $16 for US subscribers. It's actually a bonus to be a South African for once!

You are gonna need to use a VPN with GCN.

+1 for Fabric Knurl from me too - if you can find it. Seems hard to get.

There is potential to build some trails inside the forest above Ruyteplaats. It's a tiny bit of forest but a good XC course could be a lot of fun. I used to ride there years ago. Not sure about the legality of it but its riddled with trails and a few old roads. Only issue is getting up to the trails from Suikerbossie but it's a short push of approx 50m if you aren't a trials rider.

We run through there. You can try take your bike through but if there is someone around they will stop you. Looks like they may be converting it into a luxury hotel, so we won’t be able to hike / run through there for much longer anyway. Sucks that Hout Bay trails are getting more and more closed off https://newmarkhotels.com/accommodation/apostle-battery

Have travelled more times than I care to count with two evoc bags. Never had a single issue. The weight is super important. My mtb (11kgs), shoes, helmet and a few tools are just under 23kgs (airline free baggage limit for Qatar, Emirates etc). They can also be rolled up into a slightly smaller size when not in use. Judging from their exterior’s the bags have taken some big hits but still work fine. I also lost two of the rods that are used to stiffen the frame and Evoc sent me replacements for free while I was in Germany.

I self wrapped my frame in RideWrap. Really happy with it 9 months on. Not a single scratch and none of it has peeled or yellowed so far. It was a bit of a faff to install it but once you've done a couple of pieces, you get used to it and the rest is just a matter of taking it slow.

How many watts does your smart trainer consume? Make sure the power from the unit multiplied by the amount of time you plan to ride (in hours) is less than the unit produces and you should be fine. e.g. Kickr is around 60W. If your rides are 2-3 hours it needs be minimum 180W capacity. You’ll also need to factor in fan power consumption and computer / tv power if you are using those too.

Brilliant! Have used the RSP lubes before. They are pretty good. Thanks.

I read this too. Been looking but can't find it online. Do you know who stocks it?

Fox Gold 20 is not available locally and been out of stock for months. I have checked a number of sites including Omnico. Does anyone know what else I can use instead for a lowers service. Been eyeing these options but any others that might work? https://www.bikekings.co.za/collections/fork-oil/products/silkolene-rsf-15wt-1-litre https://www.bikekings.co.za/collections/fork-oil/products/bel-ray-high-performance-fork-oil-15w Both seem to hit the right viscosity levels but not sure if I am making a mistake by using something other than Fox Gold. It's for lowers only on fit4 dampers. So no need for the 5w teflon stuff.

Thanks everyone who commented. Ended up pulling the trigger on an Uswe hydro pack which was on a 40% off sale. Will see how it goes. I had a look at frame bags but having something bouncing around in front of me on a rough singletrack wouldn’t work. Also taping something to the frame seemed a little too much of a bodge and might end up being a headache if it fails.

An old railway line, converted into a bike path

Problem here is that I have a dropper post. I really don’t think there is a way to attach more bottles to my bike. I think the pack/vest is the only approach just wondering if anyone has had experience with either of the two mentioned.

Biggest bottles I can get on the frame are a 800ml and a 650ml. No other mounts for more bottles unfortunately.

Heatwave in northern Portugal

I need advice. I am doing a 6-day mountain bike in northern Thailand in October. We need to carry our own water for each day as there are no refill points along the route. Each day is approximately 50km and 1000m of climbing and they estimate 2.5 litres per day. I normally ride with a small Bontrager hip pack and my bike can accommodate two bottles of water but I was wondering if it makes more sense to just go the vest route - something like a USWE or Camelbak vest? I used to ride with a pack but it's so much nicer not being encumbered by one. Does anyone have experience riding with a vest and can make any recommendations?

Amarante, Portugal

You can do it with ExpressVPN but it only works for US. It’s a bit tricky since you have to setup a dynadns account and you can’t switch to another location. I’d recommend using a laptop and just plugging the tv into it or airplay from an iPhone or iPad. I have zero issues with GCN on ExpressVPN on a 100mbps fibre line. NordVPN didn’t work for me at all so switched back to ExpressVPN even though it’s a lot pricier.

If you email evobikes they may be able to order it for you. They’ve helped me a number of times to get stuff not even listed on their site.