Well here is the follow up movie to the I am a BAT man video from BATSEAL Tubeless Tyre Sealant. Its got a different ending and a few different shots.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Tubeless sealant goes skinny
Tubeless tyre sealant is not just for MTB tyres and tubes you know. It also works very well in those skinny 700C road tubes. We have used it very successfully in our road wheels.
So if you have a road bike that you use for secret training then squeeze some sealant in through the valve using a syringe and plastic pipe.
You will be able to stop those pesky little wimp thorns that normally flatten your skinny wheel faster than you can say eish! www.batseal.co.za
So if you have a road bike that you use for secret training then squeeze some sealant in through the valve using a syringe and plastic pipe.
You will be able to stop those pesky little wimp thorns that normally flatten your skinny wheel faster than you can say eish! www.batseal.co.za
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Puncture protection - get it right
Punctures and flats have been a part of mountain biking and cycling from the very beginning. Fixing flat tyres and punctures is not difficult but can be an irritation and a waste of valuable riding time and worst case can end your ride in a long walk home.
So prevention is generally better than cure, all you need to do is avoid sticks, stones thorns and sharp rocks. Thats ok if you are on the road, but what about a mountain bike?
You can choose from many options including tubeless tyre sealant, tubes with sealant, tyre liners and thorn resistant tubes. Its a balance between cost, weight and puncture resistance, you need to make a choice and choose the best puncture prevention option for your area, riding style and conditions.
Make sure you are prepared because last thing you need is to be caught out like the poor dude in the BATSEAL - I am A BAT man video
Sunday, October 10, 2010
I am a BAT man campaign launches
BATSEAL tubeless tyre sealant released their new movie to promote the launch of the new BATSEAL 500ml bottle. Its a fun movie showing how BATSEAL is developed in South Africa to cope with our tough conditions out on the trail.
Join the movement at Facebook
Join the movement at Facebook
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
New is not always better
The mountain bike innovation curve can't be far off the digital innovation curve. Mountain bikers are the gadget junkies of the fitness world. Every year radical new bike stuff hits the market forcing us to upgrade to get the better, lighter, faster, stronger component.
But beware the bike hype, sift out the "new is just new" from the "new is actually better". If you can't understand or workout the benefit, then is it really a benefit for you? Also a benefit for one is not always a benefit for all, especially when it comes to pro riders.
If in doubt wait, if it is still there tomorrow then think about it. In the meantime take pride in riding your clunker and beating guys with lighter better bikes.
But beware the bike hype, sift out the "new is just new" from the "new is actually better". If you can't understand or workout the benefit, then is it really a benefit for you? Also a benefit for one is not always a benefit for all, especially when it comes to pro riders.
If in doubt wait, if it is still there tomorrow then think about it. In the meantime take pride in riding your clunker and beating guys with lighter better bikes.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
To club or not to club
MTB Clubs are popular but not for everyone. Ask a couple of mountain bikers and you will find very divergent views on MTB clubs.
All MTB clubs are not made equal, you need to check them out to be sure that they will offer you what you want. Some riders are looking for ride buddies, others are looking for any old club where they can get their racing licenses and there are those looking for a club that is actually doing something useful with all the subs. Bigger is not always better so be sure to join on some of the club rides first to see if you fit in with the crowd.
If you are a trail riding MTB type then we can definitely recommend AMARIDER. This is not a formal club as such but rather a mountain bike advocacy group (African Mountain Bike Association) who offer some club benefits like license registration, rides and trail building days. There are various levels of membership and you can be guaranteed that your cash will be contributing to building and maintaining more mountain bike trails.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
You ride MTB because ....
We all got into this MTB thing somehow, and I'm sure there are some really interesting stories to tell. The legend goes that some guys in California literally started bombing down hill sides on modified bomber bikes in the late '70s. But that's up for debate as the Europeans will tell you.
Here in SA you will find some of the first guys who took up the challenge in the late ,80s and '90s, with some war stories of their own. They will tell about how they rode rigid bikes and debated the pros and cons of front suspension. Those were the days before tubeless, disc brakes and lockout.
What we ride continues to change, but why we ride? Well that hasn't changed much, its just a bunch of friends out having fun isn't it?
So what was it that got you to ride? Tell us and your friends at our Facebook poll and leave a comment if you want to explain.
Share your views by commenting at out blog or leaving a comment on MTBOnline Facebook.
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
World MTB Champs - Burry and Greg Bronze it!
South African mountain bikers were flying the flag high at Mont-Sainte-Anne in Canada this weekend. There was a pretty solid group of contenders with juniors, women and the elite men. The two biggest names Burry and Greg did themselves proud with both of them getting onto the podium.
Burry Stander showed again that he has what it takes to beat the best in the world. This year he set himself two ambitious goals. On his blog he writes "i wanted to win a medal at both the marathon world championships and the xco world champs a month later." Thats exactly what he did when he took third place on Sunday after getting a bronze medal a month earlier at the marathon world champs.
Riding his Specialized 29er Burry blogged "for bike setup this week i went for a single ring in the front.a 34tooth rotor ring mounted to a specialized carbon road spider did the job perfectly.i was again aboard my 2010 stumpjumper 29er.i ran a new prototype mud tire on the front dubbed "winston" by the team.on the rear i ha my fast rolling renegade setup.sram hooked us up with some new xx world cup edition black box brake last week which rounds of the package superbly.the bike weighed in at 8.2kg and handled the rough and technical track like a dream."
Greg Minnaar summed up his 3rd place performance on Sunday with this tweet "Podium champagne smells good on ur cloths when you win. But when the winner's champagne gets on ur cloths, it really doesn't smell that good".
Follow these guys at www.burrystander.co.za and www.gmfanclub.com. Also go and support them at the World Cup in Pietermaritzburg next year April.
Burry Stander showed again that he has what it takes to beat the best in the world. This year he set himself two ambitious goals. On his blog he writes "i wanted to win a medal at both the marathon world championships and the xco world champs a month later." Thats exactly what he did when he took third place on Sunday after getting a bronze medal a month earlier at the marathon world champs.
Riding his Specialized 29er Burry blogged "for bike setup this week i went for a single ring in the front.a 34tooth rotor ring mounted to a specialized carbon road spider did the job perfectly.i was again aboard my 2010 stumpjumper 29er.i ran a new prototype mud tire on the front dubbed "winston" by the team.on the rear i ha my fast rolling renegade setup.sram hooked us up with some new xx world cup edition black box brake last week which rounds of the package superbly.the bike weighed in at 8.2kg and handled the rough and technical track like a dream."
Greg Minnaar summed up his 3rd place performance on Sunday with this tweet "Podium champagne smells good on ur cloths when you win. But when the winner's champagne gets on ur cloths, it really doesn't smell that good".
Follow these guys at www.burrystander.co.za and www.gmfanclub.com. Also go and support them at the World Cup in Pietermaritzburg next year April.
Share your views by commenting at out blog or leaving a comment on MTBOnline Facebook.
Friday, September 03, 2010
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Ride before you buy
Mountain bikes can offer a confusing selection and combination of options, so how do you know what to buy? Well that's why Bicycling Magazine introduced ride before you buy events where you can test ride bikes before you lay down your hard earned cash.
There are so many options of bikes with different geometries and fitted with all sorts of combinations of equipment. The only way to really know if this bike is for you, is to take it on a decent test ride, more than just a cruise around the parking lot. The good bike shops should also be able to offer you a test bike to try out for a day or two, ask them about this.
Bike demo days may be new to South Africa but have always been a big favorite at Eurobike and Interbike shows. Average guy was at Eurobike demo day and rode the new Giant Anthem, Lapiere Spicy and carbon Specialized Epic, check out his views on these bikes and SRAM XX.
Share your views by commenting at out blog or leaving a comment on MTBOnline Facebook.
There are so many options of bikes with different geometries and fitted with all sorts of combinations of equipment. The only way to really know if this bike is for you, is to take it on a decent test ride, more than just a cruise around the parking lot. The good bike shops should also be able to offer you a test bike to try out for a day or two, ask them about this.
Bike demo days may be new to South Africa but have always been a big favorite at Eurobike and Interbike shows. Average guy was at Eurobike demo day and rode the new Giant Anthem, Lapiere Spicy and carbon Specialized Epic, check out his views on these bikes and SRAM XX.
Share your views by commenting at out blog or leaving a comment on MTBOnline Facebook.
Eurobike Demo Day
The show starts tomorrow and I was at the Eurobike demo day today. The weather ruined it a bit so I only got to ride 3 bikes. Unfortunately no 29ers. Ques were too long and 29ers were by far the most popular choice.
I rode a Giant Anthem. I have to admit that I was very impressed by the bike. It feels fast!! It was very solid. It has a tapered head tube and a thru axle. Felt light. Also was running XT dyna-sys 10 speed. Now worries there. Worked very well.
I hate to admit it, but I liked the bike!!
I then rode the Lapierre Spicy 160mm travel that rides like a 5 inch bike. The course was quite technical and very muddy but the bike cruised. Not my choice of every day bike but definitely one for Christie to consider at Megavelanche. It clmbed surprisingly well. I rode it with a standard triple and not the double and bash.
Then for the dud of the day. The top of the line new carbon Specialized epic. Brain front and back. SRAM XX double 10 speed. My first shift on the double front got the chain jammed. I had to stop to fix it and adjust the shifter. Then it was ok, but not great. The course had a serious climb and once again I was left questioning whether I can ride a double. I made it to the top but it worked my legs.
The brain is bad again. Very notchy front and back. And the tyres on the spaz nearly killed me!!!
All in all a good day. Pity about the weather. And just by the way. When it rains here it is worse than any wet course I have ridden in sa. In places the mud on the single track was axle deep!!
Did I mention how bad XX brakes are?....
I rode a Giant Anthem. I have to admit that I was very impressed by the bike. It feels fast!! It was very solid. It has a tapered head tube and a thru axle. Felt light. Also was running XT dyna-sys 10 speed. Now worries there. Worked very well.
I hate to admit it, but I liked the bike!!
I then rode the Lapierre Spicy 160mm travel that rides like a 5 inch bike. The course was quite technical and very muddy but the bike cruised. Not my choice of every day bike but definitely one for Christie to consider at Megavelanche. It clmbed surprisingly well. I rode it with a standard triple and not the double and bash.
Then for the dud of the day. The top of the line new carbon Specialized epic. Brain front and back. SRAM XX double 10 speed. My first shift on the double front got the chain jammed. I had to stop to fix it and adjust the shifter. Then it was ok, but not great. The course had a serious climb and once again I was left questioning whether I can ride a double. I made it to the top but it worked my legs.
The brain is bad again. Very notchy front and back. And the tyres on the spaz nearly killed me!!!
All in all a good day. Pity about the weather. And just by the way. When it rains here it is worse than any wet course I have ridden in sa. In places the mud on the single track was axle deep!!
Did I mention how bad XX brakes are?....
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Tyre rolling resistance - fat beats skinny
Rolling resistance is the force that you have to overcome to get your tyres to roll fast. Ideally you want as little resistance as possible, so you want tyres with very low rolling resistance.
But how do you know what affects rolling resistance and ultimately gives you the lowest rolling resistance possible? Well you need to consider the tyre compound used, spacing of the tread pattern, width of the tyre and the tyre pressure that you run. Tyre pressures are a closely guarded secret by pro MTB and downhill riders, they will hardly ever tell you what pressures they use. Team specialized makes an annual trip to South Africa every year and spends several weeks doing tyre testing with their pro riders on the trails in Stellenbosch.
Most of the views out there are just theories with little published information. However there is one very useful test on tyre rolling resistance published in a German MTB magazine and kindly translated by www.bicicletta.co.za. This useful test looks at wide vs narrow tyres, low vs high pressure and how tread patterns and surface conditions affect rolling resistance. Skinny and hard is for the roadies, if you are ride MTB off-road then you need fat and soft to go fast - don't believe me? - check out the full test
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Online bike shopping
Online bike shopping is a controversial topic in SA, its loved by the customer and feared by the retailer. The internet has changed the world forever and local bike industry could only hide away for so long until they had to sit up and take notice.
First it was Chain Reaction Cycles CRC who have become a major supplier of bike parts to SA despite being located in Ireland. Their keen pricing and large range of stock make them a viable alternative to the LBS (local bike shop).
Then came the local equivalent Chris Willemse Cycles CWC cycles in Tygerberg who challenged the traditional supply chain and continue to source and supply popular brands and low cost. So now local bike shops and distributors have been forced to get online. Some will make it and some won't, it all depends on you the customer.
The online bike shop can't replace the LBS simply becuase they don't serve coffee. But you should be able to save some time and money if that is what you need from your bike shop.
Previous tips
First it was Chain Reaction Cycles CRC who have become a major supplier of bike parts to SA despite being located in Ireland. Their keen pricing and large range of stock make them a viable alternative to the LBS (local bike shop).
Then came the local equivalent Chris Willemse Cycles CWC cycles in Tygerberg who challenged the traditional supply chain and continue to source and supply popular brands and low cost. So now local bike shops and distributors have been forced to get online. Some will make it and some won't, it all depends on you the customer.
The online bike shop can't replace the LBS simply becuase they don't serve coffee. But you should be able to save some time and money if that is what you need from your bike shop.
Previous tips
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Out with the old models and in with the new
Out with the old and in with the new, the annual cycle of new bike stuff that comes around at about this time of the year is getting underway. If you try to buy a new bike at about this time of the year you may be met with some blank stares and low stock levels.
What is left in the shops now is the left over 2010 stock before the arrival of the 2011 stock.
This is not necessarily a bad thing as long as you know what to expect.
If you are looking for a good deal on a bike and you are not fussy or brand conscious then now is a good time to buy. You may not find the colour you are looking for and will need to rely on some luck to get the right size but you should be able to get a good deal on clear out stock. Stores would like to get rid of old stock to make place for new ranges, so pounce now.
If you are looking for the latest and greatest then now is the time to be patient and do your research. Most manufacturers are launching the new 2011 ranges, and you can get your early order in to avoid disappointment. Also with the rand looking strong we should be in for some decent bike prices if it remains at these favourable exchange rate levels.
If you need help deciding what to buy then get some help.
What is left in the shops now is the left over 2010 stock before the arrival of the 2011 stock.
This is not necessarily a bad thing as long as you know what to expect.
If you are looking for a good deal on a bike and you are not fussy or brand conscious then now is a good time to buy. You may not find the colour you are looking for and will need to rely on some luck to get the right size but you should be able to get a good deal on clear out stock. Stores would like to get rid of old stock to make place for new ranges, so pounce now.
If you are looking for the latest and greatest then now is the time to be patient and do your research. Most manufacturers are launching the new 2011 ranges, and you can get your early order in to avoid disappointment. Also with the rand looking strong we should be in for some decent bike prices if it remains at these favourable exchange rate levels.
If you need help deciding what to buy then get some help.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
How big is your saddle bag?
How much should you carry with you when you ride?
If you are like me you will err on the side of minimalism, if you listened to the "experts" you may end up looking like a pack mule crossing the desert for 3 months with a complete tool box.
I guess the answer really lies somewhere in between, but where? Well ask yourself 2 simple questions.
1. What is the likely hood that I will require this item
2. What is the worst that would happen if I did not have it.
That brings me to the pump and the chain breaker. Without these two items you are definitely in for a long walk because a flat wheel or a broken chain are your most likely mechanicals and definite show stoppers. Not to mention that you feel like a real idiot knowing that they are sitting on the shelf at home as you hobble home.
If you are like me you will err on the side of minimalism, if you listened to the "experts" you may end up looking like a pack mule crossing the desert for 3 months with a complete tool box.
I guess the answer really lies somewhere in between, but where? Well ask yourself 2 simple questions.
1. What is the likely hood that I will require this item
2. What is the worst that would happen if I did not have it.
That brings me to the pump and the chain breaker. Without these two items you are definitely in for a long walk because a flat wheel or a broken chain are your most likely mechanicals and definite show stoppers. Not to mention that you feel like a real idiot knowing that they are sitting on the shelf at home as you hobble home.
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