Griffin

Event Name: Sappi Howick Classic When: 1 June 2014 Where: Howick, Kwazulu-Natal Category: MTB 28th Edition of the popular Sappi Howick Classic 40/20/10km options available 40km route 90% singletrack yup...Howick is singletrack mecca . Some technical spots and a decent amount of climbing...so that you can race back down and catch some flies on your teeth from smiling so much ! Go to Event Page

The Sappi Howick Classic takes place on 1 June 2014 in Howick, KZN. Its one of the longest running events in existence (28 years this year)! To give riders as much bang for their buck as possible and to bump up the fun factor we are considering holding an Enduro event on 31 May 2014, the day prior to the 40/20/10km cross country events. Would riders be interested in this ? Make a weekend of it...come to Howick on the Saturday, spend the afternoon riding Enduro (or go Midlands Meandering!), stay over and then ride the cross country event the next day

Hey Leaona. You welcome to stay with us...we live in Howick...stones throw (lol) from Pmb, and will be following the Marathon Champs as well as riding MTB Hilton. Plus you could ride Howick/Karkloof...thats enough to convince any MTBiker

Yup..thought of them too..but didnt want to sound like a complete fool when asking lol!

Anyone know what Derailiuer hanger a 2008 GT Zascar Pro takes and where I can source one?

Anyone know who the retailers/distributors are for X-Fusion forks? I am looking at building a 650b and would like to compare prices to RS/Fox

Hey Naas...thanks. Is it compatible with 2 x 10 setup (ie chain pickups?) And...if fitted...would it require a different FD?

Dustbag...whats the BCD on your spider? Posted a similar thread https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/137935-sram-xo-42t-120bcd-replacement/

Eish...sounding more and more like a 104BCD is the way to go Thanks for the comments

Hey Lapa and PeterF...thanks for the info/lead 39T is still a bit big. The bike is my daughters and she races XCO...using a big ring like a 39T at places like Cascades is just not working out well lol! Thats why I was hoping to source a 36T

Need to replace the 42T chain ring on a 2 x 10 SRAM XO setup but am battling to find a smaller chainring. Majority I can find are 104 BCD and obviously that wont work. I would have liked to put on a 36T or even a 38T but just cant seem to find anything in 120BCD. I did see that Wolf makes a 36T 120 BCD but not sure if this is compatible with 2 x 10? And...Evobikes is out of stock anyway The other (expensive!) option is to replace the whole setup and go with a new 104BCD spider/crank/chainrings...but this is a last resort and I would prefer not to do this. Any suggestions on an alternative?

I will be doing photo coverage at the Classic Enduro so feel free to ask for ad hoc photos

Was the alleged shortcut within the boundaries of the route ? I am assuming that the route isn't continuously taped ? Just trying to think to myself that if it was a 5m "shortcut" then its more cutting the corner than taking a shortcut. And if so, then isn't that line choice more than deliberate cheating? Havent seen the footage so working on a lot of assumptions

Nice to read those positive comments. The person you referring to would be Travis.

Even better bang for buck at Karkloof

Had a quick spin around some of the XCO course today and must say its actually drained/dried better than I expected. No need for mud tyres Trickiest parts were power climbing up steep sections that have exposed roots. Tyres had gathered some mud and weren't holding grip so I was slipping out or not managing to get the necessary momentum going to bounce over them (yes...I bounce !) but many of you have better skills than me and this may not affect you as it did me Note that the technical sections have been included...Rapid Rocks and Treehouse are both on the full distance route. There are B lines though...use them, dont use them. Its a tough course, no doubt about that, but its fun. Tomorrow predicted to be rain free so hope the singletrack dries out some more and grip improves.

Saturday is predicted to be clear ...with possible afternoon rain Have had quite a bit of rain here in the last few days but its started clearing from today. The open areas should drain/dry out pretty quick but its gonna take a while for the singletrack under the trees to dry. There is quite a bit of steep climbing along the full course and slippery spots are bound to be around. Am heading there later this afternoon to pre-ride the short course so will update on conditions this evening. Official practice is tomorrow and might find that riders either create a line that dries faster..or rip up the corners and make it even more slippery.

Event Name: SA Cup Series #1 When: 15 March 2014 - 16 March 2014 Where: Cascades MTB Park, Pietermaritzburg, Kwazulu-Natal Category: MTB SA Cup Series #1 : Cascades MTB Park, Pietermaritzburg XCO on Saturday , 15 March 2014 DHi on Sunday, 16 March 2014 Registration at Greg Minnaar Cycles on Friday 14 March 2014 Routes available on KZN MTB Facebook page Go to Event Page

XCO is the only Olympic MTB Discipline...at the moment. Sponsors and bike brands will continue to drive is cause here is no better platform to get exposure than at Olympics. Maybe this plays a role as to why it remains the discipline of choice for the Pro's. As to which discipline is better for spectators..hmm..thats debatable. I personally prefer XCO. Why? I get to see the riders more than once...on different sections of the the course....and all within the space of a morning (or afternoon). That doesn't mean I wouldn't watch Epic or something similar, but in all honesty , as much as I would like to , I cant afford the time to spend multiple days out on a route watching.

In official or correctly managed events the 80% rule is used. This means that if you are not within 80% of the leaders lap times then you are pulled from the course, regardless of the number of laps you have done (unless its the final lap...once the first 3 are in on the final lap, everyone gets pulled) Obviously 80% rule is not applicable on the 1st lap...I think its determined by officials during the event and depends in that particular events lap times etc

You an Enduro candidate

Maybe it comes down to education? XCO is not Marathon. Marathon is not XCO. Enduro is not DH...etc etc etc MTBiking has grown immensely and whilst that is really good or the sport as a whole it has also created some confusion. The disciples have become mixed and cross over is inevitable

I wouldn't say that the situation in SA is totally hopeless. In KZN there is a very well managed, attended and supported Provincial XCO Series and a Prov XCO Championship. Both are proper XCO lap race events with the technical standard applicable to age groups. Neither the Series nor the Champs have qualification requirements and are open to any rider who would like to give it a go.

Its great to hear that there is someone out there actively working on trying to improve the situation...but what is a XC Marathon with XCO elements? They 2 are very different disciplines. Thats like saying you have 100m sprints in a 42km marathon. XCO is not just about singletrack. Its a totally different type of fitness, skill set and race strategy. I am not trying to say you not doing good (hell...you doing more than others!) but am interested in the concept.

PM me for weather predictions/trail conditions a few days before the event...I am at Karkloof almost daily