greg_sa

Rode the 22km Red Pinotage trail on Friday. Had a great time. First time on the trials... The surface of the trails was a bit soft due to the wet recent weather, so rolling was a bit slow. They will be great in summer. We took all the black options along the route, which adds the technical bits - definitely include them, to keep things interesting. There is loads of signage... almost every 50m And also big warning signs for anything that could catch a beginner off guard. We wanted to do the 32km Black Shiraz route, but somewhere we missed the turn. It was a bit confusing, since the black route shares all the red route segments, so most signs show red and black arrows. The split on the top of the hill (where the black route splits off) wasn't obvious, or I somehow missed it. So keep your eyes peeled. So in the end, we only figured this out much later (too late). The downhill switchback run was good, and will be even better when dry. A few drop offs and jumps would be welcome though.

I'd also look for a year old Scott Spark. There are often a few for sale in your price range.

How about this... Negotiate down a bit? https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/373101-gaint-anthem-29er-1/

Awesome, thanks for the feedback. Sounds like a great place.

Awesome, thanks for the feedback. I love the Wild Boar Trails from VDC, but they can get quite muddy after rain - although it is still great fun, I wouldn't want to damage the trails. Is the Scout Trail a better option in the wet? I'm happy to support them with the trail fee.

Nice, might give it a try this weekend. I have just confirmed that this specific trail (Hawekwas Scout Adventure Centre Loop) is not free for Tygerberg members. Anyone know if the Hawekwas Scout trail drains well, or if it will be super muddy after recent rains?

Does anyone have feedback on the Rhebokskloof trails - Pinotage (22km) or Shiraz (32km)? Seems like they have lots of single track. Are there any interesting technical bits to get the heart pumping? Dose the trail drain well, or will it be a muddy mess after the recent rains?

Yep, those are fun!

You mean on the southern side of the dam loop?

Apparently the route is tough. Several climbs are technical and tiring. A friend was joking that the 700m of climbing felt like 1700m! He signed up for the 63km but ended doing the 37km. Edit: Sorry I see you've done it before...

Sorry, a bit late. We were riding Porcupine slowly (with friends of various fitness levels). Our moving time was 2h30. Porcupine is just an extension of Hedgehog. So you can turn off at the end of the Hedgehog (after a leisurely 1h30), or continue for the reset of Porcupine.

Yep, it is still beautiful, but the ST isn't nearly as good as it was. The nice flowy ST wasn't maintained, and most of the trees are gone. Don't get me wrong, it is still worth riding, but could really do with some maintenance, and re-open the parts of the trail that are no longer accessible.

I think you may have been unlucky? I've had my 2FO 2.0 shoes for about a year, and they are still perfect.

Ah Lebanon... I have mixed feelings about it. I used to ride there twice a week... now only once a month. The trails have always been quite raw, and signage wasn't great, but I got to know the trails very well. I rode mostly on the eastern side. Unfortunately, it seems like there has only been minimal maintenance over the last 2 years. As far as I know, the land belongs to Forestry, and they chop down all the pine trees every few years. That was done about a year ago, and in the process parts of the trails were destroyed (Ode to Molini, Zambuc and Owls Roost), and the best single track parts near Houwteq (Watch Your Back), etc. Some sections of the trail are also very eroded and the gulleys are too deep to ride. It is still a beautiful place to ride, but just be prepared for a rough, raw environment, without manicured berms, and wooden ramps/drop-offs, etc.

Definitely replace... it's not worth the frustration.

Cool, intetesting observations, but I didn't notice any understeer running mixed sizes. But there are just so many variables in the mix...

Crossmarks aren't known for good grip. I'd change to something like Ardent, in a 2.25 for a normal narrowish rim. Maybe wait till the current tyres are worn out?

Hmmm... So when you changed the tyre size, did you change the model too? So the downhill guys running 29" front and 27.5" rear must be understeering terribly?

Yep, I agree - bike looks too small. I'm 1.80m, and when I was looking for my 1st bike (new to the sport) I was told by a few bike shops that I could go medium or large (was looking at Giant Anthems). I am very glad I went for a large! I think if in doubt (on the boundary), always choose the larger frame.

Yep, it's open.

I love the fox ranger cargo (12"). They are an older model, so I searched online to find the exact same recently to replace.

Awesome! Gonna do my best to join!

Strange, when I recently bought my 6 year old son a new bike with grip shift, I was expecting to need to swop it out immediately for a trigger shifter... But my son has no issues at all with the grip shift.

I run M785 XT brakes as follows, and they aren't noisy at all: - Discs are the SLX RT-66 model - Pads are XTR J04C model (metal) That's how I bought the bike, so I've just kept it the same when replacing, and I'm very happy.

Rode the Porcupine route last Saturday ~27km and 900m of climbing. Really enjoyed it! Will definitely be back - such a bonus that it is open to Tygerberg MTB club members Stunning scenery and the pizzas and beers were great! We rode at 10 am - the trail centre was closed. Tried to sign in, but the book was too wet (due to rain).