Daxiet

In the Telkom MTB race there weren't many sections that would have catered for effective slip streaming. Just a thought. Daxiet2009-10-25 11:22:04

Agteros - I think you're missing the point. Why offer a kiddies cold drink? If you want to cut costs then just slap water on the table, don't go offering cheap kiddies cold drink, it has no place in a race. My opinion. Yes I know well you can get carbs from many sources, that is why I carry gels and something to eat (slow release). I am not saying I died because of the kiddies cold drink - I finished fine. I am simply ticked off with the kiddies cold drink and I do expect more from a high profile race. I am not concerned about the snacks on offer at the water points, I am by no means at the buffet stage of my riding anymore. As for Sodium, Tim still says you need a certain amount. Great you did all this research on my behalf it still doesn't change why I am posting this. Research aside, theories constantly arise and what was fact a year ago may not be anymore. I go with what works for me and I prefer an energy drink to supplement my gels and snacks, yes I also take under advisement that which the likes of Tim have to say. BTW did I mention anything about cramping? I have yet to cramp in training or a race, just a thought, you're reading more into my post than there is... By the way UCI rules do allow for outside assistance at Seconding stations, which if you read on the Crater Cruise web site you will see each water point is. So again I ask where did I mention I want outside assistance? I just expect a certain level of quality at the water points.. Stop assuming what I am trying to say and you will see you have no reason to comment on my post. gtracing - haven't got time for people like you, if you can't handle someones opinion you have serious issues - deal with them, don't make them my problem. Furthermore go ride Hill 2 Hill if you want to see the best water points. The kiddies cold drink aside one thing I liked and I have not often seen is the boards at each water point stating distance to next water point and distance to finish. Daxiet2009-10-11 10:17:53

Camelback is if you planning to camp out there. Sorry all the decent races cater with some recognised energy drink (Scratch that, even many low end races have recognised energy drink). Had I known they were cost cutting I would have packed in some USN powder. Just never expected it from a "high end" race. As for carrying what I needed I did carry all one normally expects to carry (that included something to eat and gels. Just didn't expect to have to carry my picnic pack with me. (That said I own a camelback and only use it for training). So by no means a lack of planning, I am simply saying its not what I would expect from a decent endurance race. On the note of energy drink being over rated, I strongly think you do some research. They carry carbs and the sodium and potassium are very important minerals that are lost through sweat. Daxiet2009-10-11 08:29:46

I rode the 101 (103km) route with 2 water bottles I had to refill at the water points. Anyway by the time I got back to the finish I was stained red as though I was kid who had OD on squeezie juice. Anyway cleaning my bottles out a couple mins ago I gave the juice a good sniff test and it is definetly not any know Energy drink. I smells like cheap kiddies juice. In a race that is well sponsored and not cheap to enter, why can't they afford proper energy drink. Especially in extremely hot conditions where you need certain minerals replenished and obviously carb replacement. Juice won't cut it. Poor showing to say the least.

My thoughts exactly! When I first read GU sachets at Teak it was the first thought to cross my mind . I can understand testing a new GU before trying it in a race, but can't believe that there would be so many people testing at Teak...

On the subject of DS/HT search the T&A forum, all you need to know has been discussed on an almost weekly basis. Hopefully it won't start up again. As for carbon vs. aluminium I love carbon. But this has equally been discussed. Again all these discussions are based on each persons personal preference, wallet size, race desires... You are not going to get a quick and easy answer. Don't build a bike, buy it. Second hand parts off the hub will have wear on them and you will land up spending more in the long run. Buying new components works out more costly as well, maybe not if from CRC, but close call. Look for good specials on new bikes. With the 2010 ranges being released, there should be some good 2009 models at reduced pricing out there. Daxiet2009-10-04 22:59:39

Chicken run is longer but more user friendly. Last year the Bull Run was a cake walk, the Chicken Run seemed to continue on the same district road - very safe. That said if you are unable to do a little bit of technical riding, go for the chicken run, otherwise you will spoil the Bull run for the others wanting to ride it.

I used Q20 on my road bike, brilliant. On my MTB I have only used genuine chain lubes all pickup dirt and sand and form a nice grinding paste, Squirt just forms a harder wax paste. All in all I don't believe in any chain lube. Used White Lightning Epic and Squirt. I think I need to revisit Q20 on my MTB chain, see how it fairs.

I had Juicy 3.5's they were OK, but not great, constant issues with rubbing, I also have seen many owners go through the "calibration" steps often, losen the caliper bolts, clamp the brake and tighten, then do it again, and again and then finally settle on a bit of rub. My Shimano XT's however are brilliant, the calibration ritual is a distant memory. I can remove my wheels, put them back on and maybe once in a blue moon I may need to calibrate. With the Avid's it would always be a lengthy process re-calibrating if a wheel was removed. From my experience, I will not go back to Avid's.

I vote for bleeding as the only option, if you opened the caliper that little bubble of air is probably not little at all. Daxiet2009-09-22 03:46:06

Ok my bad, but I just phoned the LBS and they say it comes with the following: X9 Rear D X7 Front D Tuvativ Optolink BB system Poploc remote Juicy 5 hydrolic brakes SRAM X7 gear levers Ritchey stem, bars seat post, and pedals Granted at that price, a decent buy.

Most devices including Garmin Edge only make use of a barometric pressure sensor. Barometric pressure is affected by temp, weather conditions. So in your spinning class if it got warmer in the room, you would register some ascent on most devices. I have compared ascent with a friend who rode the exact same route as me with me, both Edge 705's and we had a descrepency of 60m (total climb ~500m). That is why pilots make contact with the tower to verify the current barometric pressure on the ground, then factor that into the altimeter, otherwise they would smack the ground a lot. There is a special aviation term for this, I just can't recall. For D2D my Edge read 1198m on Garmin Connect site and 1148m in Training Center - Go Garmin, just another bug they do nothing about. Keep in mind the early you started the more climbing you device would falsely read and the longer you stay out there the more climbing you would record - this is because the temp would keep rising and affecting barometric pressure. Daxiet2009-09-16 03:18:16

Also look at Merida's, very good value for money. Sorry, missed the last line about Merida's and Nokia's. Closing the door on some awesome bikes, backed by awesome support from the distributor. Daxiet2009-09-16 03:49:39

Can say on the more high end shocks there is a blow off of sorts that protects the shock in lockout. Not sure if the J2 has it.

One less blade different gear ratios. Don't see myself switching any time soon.

Awesome, the machine does it again!

Do you have another saddle to test with? In my case I think the saddle makes the noise, the seat post and bike frame amplifies it.

Glad to see I am not alone. I have picked up a creaking sound. Removed and cleaned the seat post and seat tube. Re-torqued the seat clamp to specification and my reward - the same creaking persisted. I am of the opinion my seat is the source of my discontent.

MC's are great bikes, you see them in every MTB race, yet you don't see many 2nd hand for sale. That would indicate those who own the love them. They are not designed to be XC racing machines. I owned one for just over a year and it was a pleasure to ride and it looked good compared to the common designs out there. As for the deraileur hanger, you'd have to really stuff up big to bend it. So I don't think it is a real concern. Rear shocks are serviced by Probike - the current agents, (Pieter du Plessis). Parts are very much available. Unfortunetly as with any DS, there are many pivot points which over the years would need attention as well as teflon washers. A bike 4 years old would need these checked. If the guy is willing to have you spend quality time stripping the pivots and checking them then you can pay a little more for the bike. If you have to buy it as is, I would say R7K for a 2005. I just doubt I would buy any DS that old. Don't consider an 05 MC40 to be the same as an 06, 07, 08 or 09. Each year these bikes changed. In 2008 the MC40 was the entry level MC, in 2007 the MC50 was entry level and I believe the MC50 is again the entry level bike in 09. That said, don't take the 09 MC40 price into account at all they are light years apart.

Sounds "cute", hopefully they release it after proper testing this time to avoid the bugs that plague my 705. Find it funny how they can't work on a better mount for the current 305 and 705's. But you can buy a new 500!!! Why don't they take the new features in the 500 and add them to a firmware update for the 305 and 705's?

I would go Fox, just consider Mazocchi a bugger to service from what I saw on the fork service workshop.

I rode a small DS Scott MC40 and I now ride a Medium Merida HT also have a Medium RC3000. 1.73m short and 79 inseam.