mazambaan

nice work; recording my serial numbers etc now.

@V12man; if in Jhb could also try Hilton Hayward; suspension guru of note in SA. Nice guy too.

Money spent on Sports Awards & Mandela resies?

C'mon nerd, it'll buff out; hmmm well maybe not. Nice project though but serious work looks needed. Can you still get spares?

One thing you cannot accuse SA rugby players of (generally) is having intelligence, vision, discipline and skill at the highest level. Talent, courage, brute force, selfishness and red mist we have in over supply..

As a cyclist, I think some sympathy should be spared for this guy and his family: "In addition to the doping positives, the Astana Continental team was hit by the death of one of its riders in March. Yerlan Pernebekov was in Ecuador with the squad, taking part in a training camp. He complained of a severe headache and was taken to hospital, but later passed away. It was determined that he had suffered a burst blood vessel, with this leading to a stroke." could be the Australian cricket team; even to the doping although no one caught; recently.

Hmmm, I have a KTM 525 and had a 520 (bought secondhand from a previous Roof class winner and well used) that did a good few 300km odd days in Lesotho, E Cape and N Natal, mainly on gravel roads. Bearable provided you wear cycling shorts under offroad pants and stay off too much tar to avoid boredom. Neither bike had/has the engine touched or ever let me down. Lights were adequate for off road, that is all. Obviously very limited "luggage" capacity. I use Giant Loop type throw over bags and a backpack/fanny pack. Changed oil and cleaned air filter religiously. Lovely bikes. I wouldn't use it as an everyday bike - I'd get locked up.

V12man; you cynic you. Maybe Indurain had a Martian blood passport?

"Billionaires" seem quite stingy when it comes to actually putting up cash . The Alonso road cycling team comes to mind

Thanks guys; I think I see the problem - no snakeskin or pacestar. I also see the need to be specific as for sure I don't need a downhill type tyre and my previous 26" Maxxis Crossmarks lasted ok although none (well maybe one) made it to being worn out. One bubbled and two, maybe three suffered sidewall cuts or a big hole. I have a Giant Trance and a few grams here and there won't make any difference to my overall glacial performance. I should have swapped the tyres out to an upgrade when I got the bike, the bloody Trance is so stable it makes you go a bit fast for your own good every now and again.

Which is a tough MTB tyre in 27.5? My Trance came standard with Schwalbe Nobby Nic's which the LBS converted to tubeless but they never really sealed, particularly the front. It went flat on a rocky ride recently (admittedly after bombing down a really bony downhill). No visible puncture but would not hold air (or CO2) and eventually needed a tube. Took the tube out, washed the tyre - no visible hole. Reinstate the tubeless (what a mission - compressor, no valve core, soapy water and a tie strap needed). A visit to the bath showed a tiny hole about 3mm in from the bead. I suspect this was the problem all along; maybe a new tyre is needed. But maybe it's a snakebite although I had plenty pressure in the tyre. But I'm not so happy with the Nobby Nic's after about 1000 maybe 1300km including sani2c as I haven't felt such a floppy tyre with paper thin sidewalls. You could put it on with real butter fingers (I thought it may be a 29 it slipped on so easily). Question is? What is a tougher tyre that affords reasonable grip. What is the toughest MTB tyre?

DI not out the woods yet it seems and quite a few sceptics Down Under http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/08/uci-awaiting-impey-reasoned-decision-prior-to-deciding-if-appeal-with-cas-will-be-lodged/

Ededed, maybe a small Suzuki Vstrom also?

Very nice. Those 400 4's are like little jewels, almost too nicely designed and built to be ridden.

Hope they keep Charley Wegalius & Robbie Hunter on.

Good luck Blonde. I also suffered at the hands of builders (well painters) in a complex. Lie detector test showed two were guilty as hell but very little could be done.

There are some Opinels with SS blades Johan (not that I have one).

It's ironic to me how two wheelers, all under threat from four wheelers, can still bicker and insult. But if MTB and roadies can't get on its too much to expect Hog and bicycle pilots to find common ground (or road). Dual sport bikes and Hogs are like cat and dog in the internet bravery stakes. I guess it's the Tower of Babel and broedertwis playing out again and again.

Trying not to be picky about the HP 2 but its not really an enduro bike (except when mad Germans and Finns rode them at Erzberg I think!). It fits with the KTM 950SE maybe and that is not really anywhere. It's a wonderful gravel road flier but small tank and little luggage capacity as standard cuts it from a true dual sport. It's way too big and heavy to actually be a true enduro bike, maybe offroad as at least the KTM has finished a Baja 1000. The Husqvarna No. 62 in the previous pics is probably a real enduro bike. It's in its own niche and hence both bikes aren't made anymore. But beautiful and desirable for sure.

Man, this is not new. It was grazing in a field when the TdF went buy and Froooome, Vladverde, Nibbleali and a few others threw their bidons into said field. The horse drank from the leftovers in one of them. It's going to apply for a TUE I think.

Rouxtjie; I agree. A doping pro (if such a thing exists ) must be slightly pleased if he sees tests spread through the field as it reduces the probability that he will be caught. duh. I'm not even mid pack but "back pack" so don't really care who on what beats me as long as I have some company in the rear echelon and don't get time cut off because I'm averaging 16kph and everyone ahead of me, doped to the gills, is averaging 26kph.

I would have liked to see the barge surfboard that can keep John Smit afloat. Has he lost weight or should I say tonnage he he.

It's obviously disappointing but puzzling as well. If you've been doping with a cocktail that included a relatively easily detected "masking" substance, why have your B sample tested? Innocent or dof?

Thanks to Tubed and all who kept us informed and at our monitors. I battle to grasp the effort and courage required to start the Freedom Challenge, let alone complete it; even the R2R. I defer to you all. Big respect.

Very lekker Cube; makes me wish I had time, money, talent, skill um and, and, and................