Griffin

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

Both... Karkloof Classic is a UCI Marathon World Champs Qualifier Enduro is a separate event over the same weekend

PYGA zero650c

Event Name: Ride4Burry When: 4 January 2014 Where: Karkloof MTB Club, Kwazulu-Natal Category: MTB For those who cant make it to the ride at Bali Hai on the South Coast, come and join us for a Memorial ride in honour of Burry Stander on 4 Jan 2014 at Karkloof Mountain Bike Club. 08h30 start. R30 trail fee, regardless of if you are a Club Member or not as all proceeds go to the Burry Stander Foundation. Everyone welcome...3 routes to suite beginners through to advanced. Coffee shop will be open. Go to Event Page

Just a reminder Additional details on https://www.facebook.com/events/1406658096245684/

left fork leg...wont the rotor be in the way ? If you mount above the rotor you might find the the sensor/magnet are to far apart. Otherwise, I dont see why it would make a difference if the sensor is upside down or not

HI Guys...hope that you all had a good time at Karkloof. I was out there yesterday and the trails are great..a little slippery here and there from the rain but majority easily ridable. Just a word of advise. The official trail head is Karkloof Club. Please do not go out and start riding from other areas without reporting at Karkloof Club first and paying the trail fee/completing the Sappi Indemnity. We also discourage riders shuttling out on the routes because we have strict rules about transporting people/bikes on the back of vehicles and people parking in restricted areas (e.g. the airfield/timber loading zones etc). Riders are running the risk of getting us banned from the Sappi forests due to irresponsible behaviour. We can really understand the lure of riding the Karkloof Trails as Enduro routes, but Rene's Rumble (and other sections) are actually part of the marked routes and there will be other riders out on them. Please be aware of this. There are no dedicated Enduro Trails at the moment, but we are working on this and will hopefully have something sorted soon. You are more than welcome to ride out from the trail head (the club) and use sections of the routes for Enduro riding, but please do not shuttle up and down, unless is part of a official and recognised event.

Burrys Bike Park is at Bali Hai, Umtentweni, KZN Sth Coast. "On Friday 3rd of January 2014, there will be a memorial service at 17.00pm. All welcome, please bring a candle. Coffee and tea will be served. On Saturday they will officially open the “ Burry Stander Bike Park” at 9.00am and have a 30km memorial ride. No pre-entries, just come on the day. Registration will start at 6.30am. Entry fee will be R75-00 per person." More info and directions available at www.kznmtb.co.za (see Latest News) For those who cant make it to Bali Hai, there will be another ride at Karkloof MTB Club, organised by local MTBikers and supported/endorsed by the Stander family. All proceeds from this ride will be donated to the Burry Stander Foundation

For those who cant make it to the ride at Bali Hai on the South Coast, come and join us for a Memorial ride in honour of Burry Stander on 4 Jan 2014 at Karkloof Mountain Bike Club. 08h30 start. R30 trail fee, regardless of if you are a Club Member or not as all proceeds go to the Burry Stander Foundation. Everyone welcome...2 routes to suite beginners through to advanced. Coffee shop will be open.

Again slightly off topic...but watching this (and knowing Bonzan and his work ethic/commitment) made me think... Because sometimes we forget how much happens behind the scenes, how much Mountain Biking means to others and how something we do for fun can carve out a future for someone like Jay http://vimeo.com/74365178

@ Super_mil...thanks for sharing. The more that see it (and adhere to it) the better. Slightly off topic but for those who think a little bit of smoke is nothing to worry about...read http://www.thehubsa....re-fires-fires/ The closure of trails is not to spite the riders or anything like that. If there is a fire the riders have to be evacuated from the area and you can imagine how hard it is to track them down when they out on a ride..they could be anywhere! If you think you can outride a fire..think again..you will end up well done one one side and crispy on the other.