DemitriN

It's been suggested I name my head condition "Leattitus Turbinitus"! 🤕

I'm posting this to help any biker suffering from an itchy scalp and unexplainable head bumps! A year ago I started getting large red bumps on my head which started to itch and trouble me. I first thought they were sunspots. Nope. Then I thought perhaps it was a reaction to my shampoo. Nope. They were about 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter and quite sensitive. My barber asked me about them and I was on the verge of getting a dermatologist to look at them and possibly remove them. Then mysteriously the bumps all disappeared! About that time - a couple of weeks - I hadn't been biking. No coincidence. I resumed biking, and you can guess... the bumps returned to haunt me a few weeks later. And the itches! 🐀 Sniffing the rat in the kitchen I took a suspicious look at my head gear, a Leatt Enduro helmet. Whala! There they were, a bunch of big-eyed culprits staring up at me and looking guilty as sin. These round blue rubbery inserts. Leatt calls them "360° Turbine Technology" on their website. Looking at the location of each one inside my helmet it was a perfect match with every single bump on my head!!!! One by one I removed the blue rubbers (they pull out easily) and resumed my normal mtb rides. Magically the bumps disappeared after a week. And thank the Lord no more itching scalp! Mystery solved. No more 360° Turbine Technology and my scalp is happy as can be! Hopefully this can help another biker with head bumps scratching his/her head wondering why... Happy biking!

Found on a single track near Table Mt road. Contact me if its yours to arrange collection.

So is goedkoop really duurkoop? Let’s find out! I recently picked out some cheapo Chinese Chaoyang Tyres from a bike shop to try out on my Giant Reign. My local trails are all around Table Mountain so lots of super steep gradients with a good mix of loose gravel, powdery sand, granite & sharp rocks - an unforgiving torture tunnel for MTB tyres if ever there was one! Price wise the Chaoyangs were substantially cheaper than anything else on offer. The tag on the 26 x 2.25 double hammer model was R399 - tubeless with shark skin side walls, dual compound & 60 tpi. I’ve never tried this Chinese brand before btw and can honestly say my expectations were low! My go-to tyres are Vittoria, but I’ve previously used Maxxis, Schwalbe, Michelin, Continental, etc. So in this durability & performance test I’ll try to compare with those brands esp as to whats most cost effective. Fitting the tubeless tyres was not too challenging at all. Rubber felt good and weight was decent at 660g. Inflated to 20 psi. First two rides I aimed at every rock on the trail, leaned into turns excessively to test holding & did a few jumps. So far so good! I’m stoked with performance & really like the tread pattern (perfect for rear wheel) - good holding & lowish rolling resistance. Will periodically update this post to share how the tyres hold out after a few hundred k’s around the mountain. Also would like to hear from anyone currently using Chaoyangs what your experiences have been. Is goedkoop duurkoop or not? :-)

No it doesn’t need to be certified

Update- Between Chris and I we have 6 guys now so we looking for 2 more riders for a 2nd group of 4. Anyone keen let me know asap:-)

Will do, thanks!

Anyone else keen to get the group rate for MyActivity Table Mountain card this month? My friend & I are about to renew our permits. So we can have 2 others join and save $. Let me know in next couple of days if possible.

Just been looking at this... For R341.99!!!! http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/za/en/michelin-wild-race-r2-ts-reinforced-mtb-tyre/rp-prod104539

Rock Razor super gravity is super nice tyre but super over my price range!

Hey, what would you guys advise me on a rear tyre for my dual sus trail bike? (I have a Hans Dampf up front). I live near Table Mt, so always have to deal with steep, steep uphills & long sections of gravelly uneven ground. But I also love the out of town trails, getting low carving the berms & some jumping etc, so I guess I'm looking for a fair good all rounder with lowish rolling resistance, puncture resistance, good sidewalls, decent grip, but MOST IMPORTANTLY OF ALL..... Decent life & value for money!!!! Some of my thoughts so far... - Maxxis Ardent (Price bit high tho) - Onza Canis - WTB Trail Boss - Saguaro - Hutchinson & Michelin (can't remember exact models) My desired width is 2.25 - 2.35. Not really concerned about weight. Presently trying out a new Racing Ralph, 2.25. Pretty stoked with it!

I'd like to ask you guys opinion re. a rear tyre option. I ride a 26" Trance, trail & enduro, mainly Tygerberg & Table Mt Trails. Currently I have a 2.35 Hans Dampf up front and a Maxxis Minion DHR 2.4 at the rear. The HD is great all round and I love the Minion to bits on the DOWNHILLS. Grip in turns, rock gardens & roots is phenomenal. BUT the minions biggest let down IMO is the UPHILLS... Riding anything steep and I feel like I'm towing a jurgens caravan up the Sani Pass! Eish! It breaks my heart to have to part ways with such a sweet downhill tyre, but I need something at the back with a lower rolling resistance. Would like it to be wide if possible 2.3-2.4, grippy, with good side wall protection, and foldable or wire bead is not a problem since I use tubes. Any suggestions? Some I've been considering: Nobby Nic, HD, Ardent, Ibex, WTB Vigilante, Trail King, etc.

So stoked I came across this thread! I'm changing over from clipless to flats on my Trance. Not doing hectic downhill, it's more for AM, trail riding, Conties, Hoogkraal, etc. Looking at the Saints. Any suggestions? What 5.10 shoe model do you guys suggest I get?

Looking at flat pedal shoes, consensus says that 5.10s are the best. So I'm wondering... What's 2nd best? :-)

I'm currently eyeing a Hans Dampf tyre for my front wheel (trail bike). Seems like a great one for grip and durability! Does anyone know if this would fit well on a Mavic 317 disc wheel?

Is Tokai considered a safe trail option for weekday mornings or afternoons? I would be riding with one other biker.

Hey Duncan, what size is it?

Hey Guys, I've got a question re. a Giant Athem X 4. A LBS is selling a new 2012 model for R10K. The specs are here... http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-in/bikes/model/anthem.x.4/10842/53030/#specifications I've checked on Bike Radar and a few other review sites, but I can't find any user reviews on it. I'd really appreciate any advice from experienced riders if this is a good bike for me with decent components for the price. I'm in the mountains about 3-4 times/week and enjoy trails like Tokai, Deer Park, Magic Forest, etc. Thanks!

Thanks for the advice. What DS are you presently riding?

I'm 5'9 and 68kg. Med. frame

I am currently riding a 26" hardtail and its time for an upgrade. Any advice from experienced riders would be appreciated, mainly - should I get another hardtail or should I be considering a full suspension? I bike 3-4x/week mainly Table Mt, Magic Forest, Tokai, etc, and enjoy single tracks most of all. I recently test rode a 29er but its not my thing... so I'm looking at another 26" or 650B. My budget is R5,000 to R10,000 - so I'm considering a good 2nd hand bike, from 2009 up I guess. Some FS bikes that have caught my eye so far... Trek Fuel EX, Giant Anthem, and Merida One Twenty 1500D. I've also seen some good looking hardtails. One thing that does concern me with going FS is additional maintenance costs and riding uphills. Is this a valid concern? What would you suggest?