jayz

THe SCOTT SPARK 40 for sure. Although a bit over your budget,you will learn in this game especialy Xc that weight is almost everything. Granted there are other factors to but the Spark 40 is tops with the Xt. PLUS unlike other XC (not trail bikes) it has 3 modes of suspension with a full 110mm rear travel for rougher downhill tracks then 80mm for xc racing then full lockout for tar roads and less technical climbing. The others only have open and lock out. Also I (THINK) the spark 40 has the new TWIN loc system which is patented wherby with the one lever you can open and lock out both your front and rear shock simultaneously which makes it so much easier. Check it out.

No definately no smoking. Stopped 1st Jan 2009 and never looked back. Was roff at first as I also went on diet at the same time so had no escape eating clause. I can remember vividly trying to ride my bike just after I stopped. I did about 2kms only and felt as if my lungs would explode. To this day I think I am still getting rid of the crap that is sitting in my lungs. I am sure I have prolonged my life by at least 20 years barring accident. My next goal is really to see how good I can get. A very lofty goal but I want to break into the top 500 seaded mtbikers in our province this year. Being a sub vet makes it even harder but you must set goals to get better. CHEERS

Yep 1 year ago now. WEIGHED in a A whopping 119.6 kg. Smoked 60 a day and about 3 chocolates and 2L coke a day. Came in at 98kg this week and steadily losing. Gym also for 8 months now to. Heart rate was down to 55 to 57 about a month ago. First 45km ride at KARKLOOF festival last year was 4H10. Did the MR PRICE TRAILblazer 45km in Karkloof 4 weeks ago in 2h50. I can honestly say MTbiking has changed my life. Cycling honestly is the best sport ever to have been invented!

J.B. Your equations are a bit higher grade for me but I get exactly what you are saying. It boils down to like for like, the same make rotors with the same brakes and pads you will always get better performance out the larger rotar. Just look at Ferraris etc. The faster the car the larger the discs.Also of course if you have ceramic pads you will even get better performance as they build up much less heat. The XX is 160 front and 140 rear as it is geared towards the race snakes where any amount of weight saved is better plus these riders are almost always better technical riders and thus use far less of their brakes when negotiating downhills.Lastly from the write ups I've read about the Xx it seems the new taper bore technology and pistons etc makes these brakes far superior to the Juicy ultimates of the past and yet they are much lighter.

A good few going round my head recently. 1. BEYONCE and LADY GAGA and VIDEO PHONE (check out the video wicked) 2. JAYZ and ALECIA KEYS WITH NEW YORK. 3.CHRIS BROWN with LITTLE WAYNE and TRANSFORMERS 4. LADY GAGA and BAD ROMANCE.

Bummer! Thats almost as bad as walking 20kms in the mud and rocks at the ILLOVO last year.(and there was no puncture)My SIDI Carbons were nicely taken care of and two moerse blisters on the inside of both heels.Plus bruised ribs and torn R1700 SPEZ bibshorts from a wipeout in the mud. All in all took 5hours20 to do 45km. Now that was the kakest race I ever had but I got the noddy badge at the end.

I have seen a special kit at the LBS that will patch slices but as you know these types of punctures are extremely rare as you can see by the posts. 2 bliss will work 95% of the time and the other 5% welll you will either carry a spare tube or walk. I have yet to walk or think of a tube. SO for me it has a 100% success rate so far.

There are so many decent tyres out there. Maxis are a favourite with a lot of guys. I have Specialized fast track 2 bliss front And THE CAPTAIN 2 BLISS back for extra grip and they are fast but tend to slide alot in wet conditions and clog up. Probably the best at present are SCHWALBE rocket rons as they grip and are super lite but come at a premium. CHECK out CRC they have some great tyres at good prices too.

I would say once every six months check and top up because you might get a few punctures in that time and the sealent will eventualy run out or dry up. I have seen guys at the LBS come in cursing because the 2 bliss did not work only to take the tyre off and it was drier than the KALAHARI in there.

YOU get a kit fot 2 bliss at your LBS and you can plug it like they do at the garage with your car tyre.Maybe let them do it once and show you and from then on you can do it yourself. Always carry the kit in your bag just in case as glass does slash and the sealent sometimes wont work with out putting in a rubber plug.

My xc gel flow has the cut out and makes a big differnce. FIzick is great but I personally feel the cut out makes sense. As one can see on the spez saddles(which I also rode with and were great) BEST advice is sell the one you have on the hub and get the cut out one from CRC.THEY are about R950 now. MY SSfinkta also seems to take a beating on a full saddle. GOOD luck

2 BLISS for shaw, DID the Weenen game reserve event and came home with 5 huge boys in the tyre.Took them out and was good to go. Only once i think I rode over a peace of glass and lost a fair bit of pressure. Still gave it a bomb and was fine. ONLY had to put a plug in about a week later as the slash was to big and kept on releasing. Honestly I see so many guys at races changing or fixing tubes and I have never to date had to waste any time at an event sorting my tyres out.

I ride a SELLE ITALIA SLR gel flow and its great, BUT they are a bit pricy. Check out the SELLE ROYAL range at your LBS. They have decent padding but dont look like a GOMMA GOMMA on your bike. They also are reasonably priced so you can still afford the two ply and look after the but better.

Had a good giggle at the LBS the other day. MET clinton RHODES jontys brother. YOU know he is doing mountain bikng now.(met him later at shop)Clint showed us pics of jontys wipe out at GIBA GORGE. HE also thought he broke his back. YOU saw him kama kazi hitting the wickets. HE is like that on a mtb bike and really good already for a newby.(not JEREMY THOMPSON)but good. THEY have a thing going on facebook so maybe you can see the pics there. ITS classic as jonty is a small guy and his boet clint is about 130kg and trying to loose weight. check it out.

Saw some MOREWOODS today one with xx,the hard tail,just so the guys know now the full sussers are made local and the hardtails in TAIWAN. SO if you want to be proudly South AFRICAN go full suspension. MADE in the most beautiful province in the land.KZN TJOPS or not.

NOW what back to 26 I guess, JOKE.

Thank goodness,I got involved with the other side(29ers) and I thought the whole hub had changed over, Ya its cool being thirteen again SUMMIT,YOU dont want to take on my bud VERNON KOEKEMOER. He will KOEK your moer up and down those hills Seriously each to his own,you have joined the 29 brigade now and it will be like farting into thunder to have you believe in the 26 again and vise versa. Pro or just your average rider, each must try both and make their mind up. My only reservation for now is LBstores dont stock a large enough range of 29er products but hopefully in a year or two the shelves will have an equal amount and range of products etc. CHEERS

I am 1.81 exactly also, but I prefer a large. As the other guys said each design is different. On average a lot of manufacturers go on 1.80 up equals large but not many adhere to this principal. thats why you see some guys with their seatposts as long as their arm to fit a smaller bike. Let us know what size you get and what bike,cheers

Done that got the Tshirt. Just because you like IT! big does not mean all like IT! big. Does the saying go those who like big things have..........

Tell you what. You would probably give me a big carrot not because of the bike but because you are a good rider.(type of bike will have nothing to do with it) Unfortunately I am not the race snake you are but I will challenge you to beat my freind (G) who raced in the uk and Europe and trained with BARLOWworld. Lucky for you he only rides a Merida 96 5000d so you should wipe the floor with him on your single speed 29er.

Well done your 29 inch noddy badge is in the post.(i threw in post and packaging)with a smiley

DUUUDE WHERE WERE you not one race last year on the world Xc circuit was won on a 29niner of any kind,nor the world marathon champs.I can see you did some low flying in your day. We are all not FIGHTER PILOTS so some do like the comfort. If you spend some time in a bike shop you will hear stories everyday from customers who are converting to full suss just because it is that much easier on their body and enjoyable. As stated in my opinion 26 carbon hardtail for the race snakes who can take the punishment like yourself.Your hub name should have been granite.

Ha Ha good one, I guess we all wish we had 26 or 29 INCH.The way I handle my problem is I undo some Knots when I need to Anyway this debate will do its rounds every now and then. 29 no 26,sram no shimano,fox no sram,mtb no road. At least we all have a forum to try and convince one another we are all knowing and rite. CHEERS

Blah Blah Blah! really if the 29er was so great, all the top riders would have been on it years ago. (no story about parts availibility please.) Now even another size in between the two is coming out. If you a race snake for weight go hardtail 26. The top full sussers now all are 10 and below in weight so they are great for not taking as much punishment,be it a 45km race or stage event. Dont let the SALESMAN get you. You have both Hard and soft tail 26 stick with it. As the saying will always go " your bike is only as good as you are" 29 or 26.

BUMP = Broken Underware Means Problems.