Yo-Yo

Saw that on PB. Looks very nice indeed. Didn’t see the price but i’m guessing it’s a fair few Rands.

It is. They do and pretty much guaranteed none of them quit if they have an option. Check Cav’ in last years tour. Also it’s early season in preparation races for leaders with goals and training g programs aimed at events (like the tour) that will define their year and the success of the team to sponsors, public and beyond. Most are building and not expecting any performance at this stage.

Nice ride. Is that a slaughter on the front as well as back?

#bikepacking

It's a balls out enduro EWS racer. Not saying you weren't riding hard but it need gnar, speed and steepness to make that thing come alive else it's going to feel more than a bit bloated on most trails here.

That bike is making your garage door look shabby! Congrats on a stunning ride.

I was about to post that. I've been keeping an eye on GG for a while and really wanted a Smash. For such a small company they are really thinking differently on a lot of levels. I'll admit I'm sad they are ditching all Alu' frames as I still really like the feel of a metal bike alot, especially when I crash hard! I'm wondering if they are trying to pack a bit too much adjustable rear between 120 and 165 is alot and I wonder how that effect geo and ride. The storage and the cable routing is nice and such a simple win. Maybe they will have a fire sale of the old frames.

Fastest wheels I've had and the toughest were Spanks and they were 650b 23mm ID with a 2.4 Wolverine - Bronson combo. I did tell the 30+ ID people they were 28 ID just to seem cool.

Such a good podcast. Really interesting to hear his views on things like tyres and how good would it be to be able to tune them as you have these expensive forks all tuned up and then an inch of suspension in the tyre that is pretty out of control. Cool guy.

This ^. I've sold stuff under prices and given stuff to people because I know it's be a good thing and it covers what I need. If you're scally about it then I'm sure that will come back and get you. I've had such good interactions with almost everyone on here and I've been looked after and helped when needed and that is the way I'll carry on.

A very interesting view point from the guy who runs Starling cycles on the weight increase in the industry. From 28m in he chats why manufactures are bulking bikes a bit, the Ebike effect, rollover differences on 29rs etc. http://www.downtimepodcast.com/starling-cycles/

I'm not sure if it's a damning indictment of my recent riding total but I've had my Slaughter on for about 20 months and I've only just started noticing it get a bit loose. Lean it over and it still hooks up great but on flatter corners in looser stuff / dust it starts to drift. I found an Ardent Race to be a good dry summer tyre out black with something big up front.

Slaughter grid or DH. or the new E13?

What’s going on the back?

Like the Propain Hugene set up.

A couple of takes from some reviews online. "The Germans have also spent a lot of time refining the bike’s steering geometry: they’ve given it a head angle of “only” 66 ° or 65.5 ° on the team model, and they’ve specced forks with a short 44mm offset to increase the trail. A slacker head angle would have moved the front wheel further away from the handlebars, which would have made it harder to keep weighted when going through corners." "In contrast, much of the geometry trends toward stability. The 435-millimeter chainstay and 336-millimeter bottom bracket let you stay planted when you want to stay planted. Aside from its relatively conservative head angle, the chassis is poised to plow. It pulled me back from my assumption that a bike with rear travel below 160 millimeters, a head angle above 65 degrees and the suspension feel of a mischievous thrasher bike could not compete as an enduro race bike. But I have no question that this bike can." ​I wish now I had gone to the test day last Wednesday up in Stellenbosch to see what they said and have a look at the new models.

Yeah, but i’d view this as a longer legged trail bike rather than an out and out race bike. Pretty sure that market segment is quite small and they are more likely to sell more on these ‘conservative’ numbers to regular joes on regular trails. I know everyone believes that they need a massive reach, 78 seat tube and 64 head angle but it’s not always a good combo and dependent on the bike as a whole and most people don’t ride shuttled enduro tracks all day every day.

New Strive. Looks good.

My recent thinking is that tyres are as personal as the bike they are on and the rider who is on top of that bike. I've had bikes that are 5* in reviews and not got on with them but then the guys I've sold them to love them. It's all about how you ride, what you ride and one tyre you love may not suit your friends and visa versa. I'm starting to look around at different makes like the new Michelin range, Good Year and Panaracer offerings. Might be shite but might be great.

I’ve had a few ibex 2.4s and never had an issue. I found them pretty fast and stuck to most things, no squirming, never punctured. There seems to be a lot of hate about them and they are pressure sensitive. I just pump mine to 20psi and ride them all over ct and surrounds. The whole ‘only good on dry rocky or lose over hard pack’ doesn’t really matter here because that is almost every trail around here. The one thing I’ve noticed is that when they are wearing out they look 100% fine but will look to put you on your butt. I thought it was my skills abandoning me but a few people have said this and seems to be a trait. At R590 a go I just replace them before that happens. Personally I find the DHF and DHR to drag a bit.

Thankfully I'm secure in my masculinity that I'm not going to freak about a pink board and I have too many other worries in my life to actually give it a second thought. One thing I do know is that I like my steak properly pink and pink was originally the colour for males as it was stronger colour than the dainty blue (associated with the clothes of the Virgin Mary) that was use for girls colours well into the 20th century. Go figure.

What rims are you running? I was looking at that offer and forgot to order. A bit glad I didn't now.

you'd need a canoe first...

I wonder who is going to post the first Offering?

Guy Kes' seems pretty impressed.