You can also be assured that you won’t be in the saddle all the time. You will ride, push, pull and carry your bike to get you to the finish.

A shock to the system

A decade ago we debated shocks vs no shocks. Now the discussion revolves around hardtail vs dual suspension (shock absorption systems front and back). Team Cyanosis’ Nicholas Mulder says, “Full suspension is the way to go. With long distances and rough terrain, you definitely want to cushion your body as much as possible. Hardtails are meant for high speed cross-country racing, and that just isn’t AR.”

Clinton ‘Hardy’ Hardenberg, adventure racer and organiser of the weekly ‘Dark ‘n Dirty’ rides in Centurion, loves his hardtail because it is lighter than a similarly priced dual suspension and less complicated for servicing. “To help me decide which one to use for a race I ask, ‘How much time is expected to be spent on the bike?’” Hardenberg says. “Dual suspension is ‘softer’ on your body, which makes it suited to endurance racing.”

He ain’t heavy…

Hike-a-bike sections are frowned upon by teams when the race director forces them to carry their bikes, after all, mountain biking should be about riding your bike, not carrying it. But, hike-a-bike has its merits when it is navigational strategy. “It’s a necessary evil in some cases,” says Mulder. At one race Team Cyanosis carried their bikes up and over a mountain faster than it took other teams to cycle around it. Mulder’s teammate, Clinton Mackintosh agrees: “We are never afraid of carrying our bikes if it will save us time. But if there is a longer, but faster option, like riding on a good surface, then we’ll take it.”

Night blind. Not.

The principle of riding at night is simple: the better you can see, the faster you can go and the more alert you stay, especially during long nights. As a team can ride at up to 95% of their daylight speed with good lighting, the team with the best lighting system will have a substantial advantage, especially where the terrain is technically challenging. Team Dewpoint’s captain and navigator, Lauren Goulding, affirms that a bright light helps to keep her awake: “As soon as the beam dims I find my eyes getting heavy”. For Mulder, the hardest part of night riding is the ‘tunnel vision’ you get after looking for hours at the spot where your light shines on the ground ahead.

Tow ‘em

To assist a slower teammate, towing is usually easier and more convenient than one-handed pushing. Towing should be practised pre-race so that the tower and towee know how to communicate with each other, attach and detach the towing system and to ride with the tow rope between them. “If you are inexperienced you face two problems: crashing and burnout,” explains Hardenberg.

The towee should follow the line of the tower as closely as possible; riding to one side will pull the tower off balance. Crashes will certainly result when either of the riders makes a sudden change in speed or direction. The objective of towing is not to drag the towee through the race but to increase riding momentum. “It takes the edge off for the person being towed and allows them to keep up and recover,” says Mackintosh. As such, neither rider should be forced to increase their effort; towing averages their efforts. Hardenberg wisely warns, “Tow too hard and you will soon find yourself in need of some towing.”

The article, ‘Bike Tow Rope System’, on www.AR.co.za provides instructions for making your own tow rope system

The road is long

At a multiday event teams can expect to ride stages of 70 kilometres to 140 kilometres in distance. And that’s after spending 20 hours on foot, 10 hours in boats, six hours of kloofing… Just how do teams tackle these distances?

“Getting through the long stages, particularly at night comes down to good sleep management and long-distance preparation,” says Mulder. As teams slow and lose significant amounts of time as they tire (and make poor navigational decisions!), even a 45-minute nap will refresh them to such an extent that they easily make up the time ‘lost’ during sleep.

Hardenberg finds big distances on long gravel roads to be mind numbing. “We try various pace riding techniques, like changing the lead rider every two minutes, to keep everyone involved and awake,” he suggests.

How do you eat an elephant? Mouthful by mouthful. “Mountain bike legs, like all others, seem to progress quicker when broken down into little chunks of kilometres,” says Goulding.

Bush mechanics

“Start with your bike clean, lubed and in good working order. Sort out all niggles before you leave for the race,” advises Team Red Ants’ ‘Queen Ant’, Nicky Booyens.

Go tubeless with a good sealant or use tubes with sealant and tyre liners; and pack two pumps per team, spare tubes, an allen-key set, chain links and chain breaker. “Apart from the usual, insist that every team member has their own dropout replacement for their derailleur with them during the ride (it weighs nothing). If the area is wet or muddy, also insist that everyone has replacement brake pads with them too,” suggests Mulder.

Put the map on board

Navigation on cycle legs is usually easier than that on foot. But mistakes happen often because distances pass faster (overshooting is common, despite odometers) and navigators do not refer to their maps as often as on trekking legs, where maps are hand-held.

On bike, map reading, whilst riding, is a lot more challenging. Stopping frequently to read the map adds hours and slows the team’s pace and momentum.

A good map board – one that rotates – is key. Goulding agrees: “My map board is a non-negotiable piece of equipment. I can keep both hands on the handle bars and it reduces the number of times I need to stop to look at the map.”

Mountain biking nirvana is easy to achieve with a steed in good working order, sufficient spares, towing systems, superb lighting and good navigation. With these sorted distance becomes irrelevant.

Author: Lisa de Speville | Published in Go Multi magazine,  July/Aug 2010, Volume 14.3

The purpose of a bike tow system is to assist slower and fatigued teammates; faster riders slow down and slower riders speed up such that the team’s overall speed increases. Towing systems are usually anchored to the seat post of the stronger rider’s bike (tower) and attached to the front of the weaker rider’s bike (towee). An alternative system is a waist-belt pair joined by bungy cord.

• length of PVC pipe
• short length of thin accessory cord (for connecting pipe to seat post and elevating it above the wheel from the seat underside)
• length of bungee cord or surgical tubing (alternative: length of accessory cord with bungee cord tied on both ends)
• light wire gate carabiner (optional)

• make two holes near the end of the PVC pipe (this is to thread a short length of
• thread the bungee cord through the length of the PVC pipe; tie one end around the seat post and knot it
• tread a piece of thin accessory cord through the two holes, and tie around the seat post (this keeps the PVC pipe close to the seat post and prevents it from floating along the length of cord); remember that the PVC pipe is not load-bearing
• use another piece of the thin accessory cord to suspend the pole from the rail underneath the seat – so that it doesn’t droop on to the wheel

• Option A: Cable tie an open hook (an ‘S’ gate carabiner will work) to the towee’s handlebar stem. Make a loop in the end of the tow rope. Attach a light-weight wire-gate carabiner to the loop. The towee will be easily able to clip it in to the ring – it is slightly more difficult to remove, especially over bumpy ground. An open ‘S’ hook carabiner is another option. This can be similarly fastened on to the stem of the towee’s handlebars; the two rope will have a loop in the end.
• Option B: A loop in the end of a surgical tubing tow rope fits quickly over the headset; it is also fastest and easiest to release in a hurry
• Option C: Make a loop in the end of tow rope. The towee holds it in their hand (their hand will be on their handlebars)

The good news is it’s not the woman’s fault – she is riding a bike built for a man, unless lucky enough to use a rare (in South Africa), and expensive, woman’s geometry bike. After getting on my girlfriend’s now sex-changed bike for a spin around the garden I can vouch for the discomfort and difficulty of piloting a bicycle from the other side of the gender fence.

Sex education – Girls have longer legs and shorter torsos than guys do. They also have smaller hands and generally weigh 20-30kg’s less (that’s 1/3 of most guys’ body mass) – still don’t understand why the bike doesn’t behave like it should?

So here we go – 5 steps to transform a standard MTB to a she-bike:

1. Shorten the handlebar stem. (R300-R350). The biggest difference in shape (apart from the obvious) is the relative difference in torso length as alluded to above. Most shops will sell you a bike based on leg length, which makes the saddle-to-handlebar gap too big for most women. The only way to change this is to replace the handlebar stem (the piece between the fork stem and the handlebars) with a shorter one. This prevents you from overextending, and allows you to move your weight more towards the back of the bike – which helps on the downhills – as well as requiring less arm movement to steer, which is good if you don’t have knee-level arms. 
2. Adjust the brake levers to “take” later. Most bike mechanics will set up a your brakes to take the moment you touch the brake lever. This is not so great if your hand barely spans the gap between handlebar and brake lever and you have to use your fingernail-tips to brake. The brake lever should rather be adjusted so that it takes nearer to the handlebar where you can comfortably rest the palms of your hands on the padded bar. Some brake levers include an adjustment screw to make them sit closer to the handlebars as well. It may also help to position the brakes in a flatter position (parallel to the ground) so that you don’t have to curl your hands around the bar. 
3. Buy a ladies saddle (R350 – R700). A woman’s coccyx (tailbone) doesn’t go on a man’s saddle – long offroad rides can cause localised inflammation (a condition called coccydinea) that, reportedly, hurts a lot when you sit on it. Enough said. 
4. Buy thinner tyres and pump them less (2xR200, or find a guy friend who’ll swop for yours – his replacement fatty’s are probably twice as expensive). The frictional coefficient is a function of force and area – if I remember my high-school physics. A lighter person therefore needs a smaller area on which to exert her mass to get the same result – grip. Thinner tyres also help in sand or goo where they cut through the soft stuff to find the harder support beneath; no tyre will provide any traction floating on top of the goo if you’re not heavy enough to sink it through.
   Pumping your tyres less is probably obvious, but often not considered by a male riding partner or an eager second. A lesser weight on a rock-hard tyre bounces more. Rather soften the tyre a bit – put away that high-pressure pump for your road bike. 
5. Soften the shock. I used to ride with a guy who weighed 95kg and the standard non-adjustable shock on his bike worked just fine. If you weigh 50kg you need to adjust your shock to a soft setting if you can, or talk to a bike mechanic about tuning a non-adjustable shock to something more appropriate to your weight.

Happy riding!

Thanks to Fourie Kotze for his inspiring article, which he prepared earlier this year. His advice has helped me transform my girlfriend’s MTB’ing from something barely preferable to rugby-watching to a pastime she relishes and an asset to our team

he BIGGEST frustration in AR for the guys on the team is usually the inability of the girl in the team to manage a MTB performance that comes close to the rock-hopping feats or death defying descents that the boys manage – I can think of more than one team that falls short (temporarily) of the 50(0) m rule on a good downhill, or tests the limits of their mutual tolerance for each others riding styles through thick sand or over rocks.

The good news is it’s not the woman’s fault – she is riding a bike built for a man, unless lucky enough to use a rare (in South Africa), and expensive, woman’s geometry bike. After getting on my girlfriend’s now sex-changed bike for a spin around the garden I can vouch for the discomfort and difficulty of piloting a bicycle from the other side of the gender fence.

Sex education – Girls have longer legs and shorter torsos than guys do. They also have smaller hands and generally weigh 20-30kg’s less (that’s 1/3 of most guys’ body mass) – still don’t understand why the bike doesn’t behave like it should?

So here we go – 5 steps to transform a standard MTB to a she-bike:

1. Shorten the handlebar stem. (R300-R350). The biggest difference in shape (apart from the obvious) is the relative difference in torso length as alluded to above. Most shops will sell you a bike based on leg length, which makes the saddle-to-handlebar gap too big for most women. The only way to change this is to replace the handlebar stem (the piece between the fork stem and the handlebars) with a shorter one. This prevents you from overextending, and allows you to move your weight more towards the back of the bike – which helps on the downhills – as well as requiring less arm movement to steer, which is good if you don’t have knee-level arms. 
2. Adjust the brake levers to “take” later. Most bike mechanics will set up a your brakes to take the moment you touch the brake lever. This is not so great if your hand barely spans the gap between handlebar and brake lever and you have to use your fingernail-tips to brake. The brake lever should rather be adjusted so that it takes nearer to the handlebar where you can comfortably rest the palms of your hands on the padded bar. Some brake levers include an adjustment screw to make them sit closer to the handlebars as well. It may also help to position the brakes in a flatter position (parallel to the ground) so that you don’t have to curl your hands around the bar. 
3. Buy a ladies saddle (R350 – R700). A woman’s coccyx (tailbone) doesn’t go on a man’s saddle – long offroad rides can cause localised inflammation (a condition called coccydinea) that, reportedly, hurts a lot when you sit on it. Enough said. 
4. Buy thinner tyres and pump them less (2xR200, or find a guy friend who’ll swop for yours – his replacement fatty’s are probably twice as expensive). The frictional coefficient is a function of force and area – if I remember my high-school physics. A lighter person therefore needs a smaller area on which to exert her mass to get the same result – grip. Thinner tyres also help in sand or goo where they cut through the soft stuff to find the harder support beneath; no tyre will provide any traction floating on top of the goo if you’re not heavy enough to sink it through.
   Pumping your tyres less is probably obvious, but often not considered by a male riding partner or an eager second. A lesser weight on a rock-hard tyre bounces more. Rather soften the tyre a bit – put away that high-pressure pump for your road bike. 
5. Soften the shock. I used to ride with a guy who weighed 95kg and the standard non-adjustable shock on his bike worked just fine. If you weigh 50kg you need to adjust your shock to a soft setting if you can, or talk to a bike mechanic about tuning a non-adjustable shock to something more appropriate to your weight.

Happy riding!

Thanks to Fourie Kotze for his inspiring article, which he prepared earlier this year. His advice has helped me transform my girlfriend’s MTB’ing from something barely preferable to rugby-watching to a pastime she relishes and an asset to our team.

Author: Michael Dalby

Virtually all bikes perform these functions in essentially the same manner. Pedals, chains, and gears allow force to be applied to the rear wheel. The front wheel can be turned relative to the rear one to influence direction. And brakes use friction to convert the bike’s kinetic energy into heat, slowing the bike down (or, at least, making it go less rapidly than it would otherwise have gone!) It is useful to remember that, while stopping is the main function of brakes, they can be extremely useful in steering as well, from sliding your back wheel out, or dragging it back in line, to turning extremely tight corners on your front wheel!

Calliper Brakes
These are the conventional road-bike brakes, although some very low-end “mountain bikes” are still fitted with them. They consist of a scissors-like leverage system that forces rubber pads onto either side of the wheel’s rim. A cable from the brake lever draws the “handle” end of the “scissors” together, forcing the “blades” together, and hence the pads onto the rim.

These are generally the lightest brakes, but only provide enough braking power for road use, and even then I often wish for more!

Recommendation: If you have these, either sell your car to afford new brakes, or make sure your will is up to date.

Cantilever brakes
Here, a lever is attached to the frame on either side of the wheel. The top of the levers are joined by a piece of cable, and pads are attached part way down so that they align with the rim. The cable from the brake lever is attached to the mid-point of the cable joining the cantilevers. When the brake lever is pulled, this results in the cantilevers being drawn together, forcing the pads onto the rim.

Although this provides better mechanical advantage than calliper brakes, and you may even be able to lock-up your rear wheel, these are still generally considered inadequate for sport- or competition-level off-road cycling. A key short-coming is that the mechanical advantage decreases towards the end of the pull, meaning that you must apply more force with your hand. Further, they are difficult to adjust, and offer limited clearance over the tyre.

Recommendation: unless you are completely broke, or have a serious masochistic streak, upgrade!

V-brakes
These are the standard on low- to mid-range mountain bikes, and are even found on many upper-end models. Virtually all mountain bikes, except for a few very-top- and very-bottom-end models, can be fitted with these brakes, even if they don’t come standard.

These are similar to cantilever brakes, in that they have a lever attached to the frame on either side of the wheel, and pads part way up the levers. However, the cable from the brake lever runs between the tops of the levers. This produces a greater mechanical advantage, which actually increases slightly during the pull, and provides greater clearance over the tyres.

These are the simplest, lightest brakes that provide the stopping power required for XC mountain biking, or AR. It is perfectly possible to lock up the rear wheel on any surface, though it is almost impossible to lock the front wheel when traction is good. There are two main disadvantages to these brakes: their power drops off greatly in the wet, especially when mud is involved; and they do not function well on rims that are buckled to any significant degree. The significance of these issues depends on the nature of the course involved (muddy, rocky, etc) and the preferences of the rider involved.

If you find that your V-brakes are lacking power, check that the pads are reasonably new and clean, and that they are set up correctly. Worn pads, or those polluted with oil must be replaced – it is not possible to clean oil off, as it is absorbed deep into the pads. The correct set-up is described in a separate section at the end of this article.

There are two types of pad and rim: standard, and ceramic. Ceramic are very expensive, last longer, and offer greater stopping power. If they become oiled, both rim and pads must be replaced. This limits their use to sponsored pro-elite XC racing. Using ceramic rims and standard pads will give you good performance, for a very short time until the pads are worn down. Do NOT go for ceramic options!!

Recommendation: V-brakes are adequate, unless you are doing downhill or trials work as well. Heavier riders may appreciate greater stopping power, but will be able to make do.

Hydraulic rim brakes
These are something of a rarity. Hydraulic pistons attach to the frame on either side of the wheel, in the same place as the levers for V-brakes, and push pads straight onto the rims. The cable from the brake lever is replaced by an hydraulic tube.

The stopping power offered in the dry by these brakes is second to none, including disc brakes. Magura (www.magura.com) make the only examples I have seen, but they are impressive enough to have become essential equipment for trials-riders, as well as finding favour with some endurance riders. At a recent trials competition in the UK, I counted less than half the beginners without Maguras; all higher-classed riders used these impressive brakes.

I received a set of Magura rim-brakes from Team Lemming in the UK to try out, but found them too finicky to be useful for AR. No matter how I tightened the bolts, every time I removed my wheels, the pistons would be knocked out of alignment, and I would have to spend ten to twenty minutes realigning them before riding again. Other riders, on the other hand, assure me that they have had no such problems.

They have the same sensitivity to mud and wet that all other types of rim-brakes have, and are even less tolerant of buckled rims – you have at most 5-7mm of clearance on either side of the rim. If your wheel buckles, you will have to completely remove the brakes from the affected wheel, and tie them up somewhere.

Recommendation: If you have them, and they work for you, stay with them. If you want to get serious about trials, put them on your trials bike. However, if you are looking for new brakes for AR or XC, your money would be better spent on discs, or even V-brakes and a couple beers.

Disc brakes
Disc-brakes are the high-performance animals of the braking world. They have replaced all other types of brakes on both motor cars and motor bikes, with the exception of only a few bottom-end models. Looking at the offerings from the major mountain bike manufacturers over the past few years, it is likely that we will see disc brakes becoming standard on mid- to upper-end XC bikes, and maybe even lower-end bikes.

These brakes use a metal disc attached to a purpose-build hub, and pads press onto the disc. The frame and forks of the bike must be designed specially to accept disc brakes. Compatible bikes will have two holes near the bottom of the frame or forks on the left hand side, onto which the brake pad housing can be bolted. With the exception of some of the Manitou forks, these holes are horizontal and perpendicular to the plane of the bike.

The main advantages of disc brakes, from an AR perspective, are that they are generally clear of mud, are less sensitive to mud even when they do become spoiled, and are completely unaffected by rim buckling. The flip-side is that, should you buckle the disc, you must remove the pad housing completely. Other advantages include better heat dissipation, and extremely good stopping-power (I have frequently locked my front wheel), but these are of less importance in AR.

There are two types of disc brakes – mechanical (cable links the brake lever to the pads), and hydraulic (hydraulic tubing transfers the pressure.)

Mechanical systems are a bit lighter and cheaper than hydraulic systems; they can also be adjusted and serviced more easily. However, they have only recently been developed to the point where they deliver reasonable performance, and so still have a poor reputation, and many inferior systems can still be found. Further, cable-stretch and friction within the housing makes them less responsive and powerful than hydraulic systems.

Hydraulic discs are de rigueur on all downhill machines, and most top-end XC bikes. The weight penalties and rubbing associated with discs in years past have largely been over-come, and they are now well-suited to XC and AR. The best brakes are made by Hayes, Formula, and Magura, with Hayes and Formula concentrating on the downhill market (heavy brakes focused on heat dissipation rather than smooth running), while Magura has virtually cornered the XC market.

One extremely important difference between Maguras and other manufacturers is that Magura uses a mineral oil which does not absorb any air or water, rather than the DOT brake fluid used by the other manufacturers. While this does not affect performance, it means that Magura brakes do not need to be bled (have pollutants, such as air or water, removed) at all in the first five years of heavy use, unless the tube is punctured, while the other makes must be bled relatively often, at considerable effort. Indeed, the Magura warranty is void if the brakes have been bled by a non-authorised service centre.

Recommendation: While these are not the be-all and end-all of brakes, they are beautiful tools that will improve performance in high-pressure situations. They do, however, demand a bit more care than V-brakes.

Head-to-head comparison
This table compares the pros and cons of the various systems from the perspective of AR, which is largely the same as XC racing and endurance events. Retail prices supplied by Cycle Logic, Randburg. [Note this article was written in the early 2000's]

Correct setup for V-brakes
These steps will give you a good balance of stopping power, rim clearance, and robustness of set-up. Required tools: 5mm Allen key.

1. Ensure that your pads are reasonably new, have not been worn unevenly due to incorrect alignment, and are clean (oil-fouled pads must be replaced)
2. Ensure that your rim is true (not buckled). If it is, true it yourself, or take it to a bike shop
3. Ensure that the pads are on the correct way around (their curved side must curve in the same direction as the wheel – duh!)
4. Loosen the pads on both sides of the rim, and gently squeeze the levers together until the pads are touching the rim
   • Check that the pads are touching in the middle of the rim, rather than the inner or outer edge; too far in, and they may slip off the rim, too far out, and they will wear through the tyre
   • Ensure that the pads are lying flat against the rim; the old trick of putting the pads “toe-out” to ensure even contact pressure is no longer needed
   • Tighten the pads, being careful not to harm the alignment
5. The brake cable can be removed from the one lever of the brake by hand, allowing the levers to move apart for removal of the wheel. Set the cable “on-edge” here, so that the levers are a bit closer than they would usually be. Adjust the brake cable so that the pads are just touching the rims. When you position the cable correctly, you will have the correct clearance. Note that this only works if your rims are reasonably true!
6. Adjust the small screws on either lever to ensure the pads have equal clearance from the rim. Screwing one of them out reduces the clearance on that side, while screwing it in increases the clearance. If this does not provide sufficient adjustment, unhook the spring from behind the lever with inadequate clearance, and bend it outwards before replacing it (this also helps with levers that are reluctant to return to their position)
7. Check that the brakes are functioning properly, first by pulling the levers and observing how and where the pads seat on the rims, and what position they return to, and then by going out for a ride, and braking in a variety of situations. You may have to tweak the adjustments several times before you get the perfect setup

It is important to frequently clean and lubricate your cables. Do this by unhooking the cable-housings from their guides, and cleaning the cable, section by section, by drowning it in chain lubricant and rubbing vigorously with a cloth. When you return the housings to their positions, try to fill them as much as possible with lubricant. Replace them when they become damaged or worn.

Conclusions
There are several brake systems available that are more than adequate for the demands of AR, XC, and endurance racing. Look at what you want to do with your bike, look at your bank balance, and go forth!

While you’re at it, make sure you know how to maintain and tune your brakes, inspect them regularly, and learn how to use them. Brakes are an important safety issue, and should not be over-looked.

Author: Dylan Morgan

The first step to reducing the number of punctures you’re getting is to understand what type of punctures are hounding you. There are four typical mechanisms:

1. Piercing punctures involve something (thorns, branches, or glass, for example) penetrating your tyre either on the tread or through the side-wall, and then rupturing the tube. The wind you put into your tyre then becomes part of the sky, and you stop. There is typically a single hole on the outer circumference of the tube, usually small and round but sometimes large and irregular
2. Snake-bites occur when the tube is pinched between two objects, usually a rock on the one side and your rim on the other. Obviously your tyre is sandwiched in there somewhere, but it doesn’t play an active role. Snake-bites are typically two parallel slits along the length of your tube, between 3mm and 10mm apart, and up to 20mm in length
3. Spoke punctures are like piercing punctures, except the offending object is an over-stretched spoke that pokes through the rim tape. The hole is usually a little larger than a piercing puncture, and may be irregular; however, the give-away is that it is on the inner circumference
4. Blow-outs occur when the tyre jumps off the rim, and is no longer able to contain the tube. These are instantaneous (although a “bubble” may exist for some time before the tube ruptures) and are easy to identify – your tyre is partially or completely off the rim, and there are tatters of tube hanging out.

Now that you know what types of punctures you are getting, you can start solving the problem.

Spoke punctures are the most obvious – replace the offending spoke, or file down the end! With the double-butted rims and improved spoke alloys we use today, this is seldom a problem anymore. However, if you seriously buckle your wheels repeatedly, and have to re-true them, watch out. Running lower spoke tension will both reduce the stretching of the spokes, and may increase your wheel strength. The old attitude of the tighter the better in no longer widely supported. Remember to replace the rim tape whenever you replace a spoke nipple or otherwise move the tape; three or four turns of standard electrical insulation tape provides a cheap, effective alternative to commercial rim tape.

Blow-outs are usually the result of running your tyres outside recommended pressures (usually around 35-65psi), having badly worn beads (the bit of wire or Kevlar that holds your tyre onto your rim), major cuts or wear in the side-walls, hitting a stone too hard, or poor technique when replacing a tube. If you run your pressures way outside spec and use tyres in poor condition, you should probably sell your bicycle for your own safety. If you hit stones too hard on a regular basis, try running higher pressures and wider tyres (tyres up to 2.1” at least are usable for AR – strong riders should be able to use 2.3”, but that is beginning to get silly and some bikes won’t accept the tyres). If you generally blow out very soon after changing a tyre or tube, take more care to properly seat your tyre onto your rim, without the tube being trapped between the two at any point.

There are a common set of ways to reduce the chances of snake-bites and piercing punctures, or to cure the problem without stopping.

• This one is a serious no-brainer, but it caused me an extra puncture (last tube!) on a long ride in Wales one winter just as night was falling: when you get a puncture, FIND THE OFFENDING OBJECT!!! Run you fingers along the inside of the tyre and pull the tyre liner through your fingers a couple times until you find the thorn or piece of glass. You may need pliers or a knife to extract a large thorn. Also ensure that no grit is left in the tyre
• If you get a large cut in the side-wall, put a piece of plastic e.g. an off-cut of your tyre liners, the side of a plastic margarine tub or some heavy cardboard, inside the tyre to cover the cut – make sure it extends a long way and don’t take the rocks too fast
• Tyre liners are strips of plastic that you lay between your tube and tyre. They help deflect piercing objects (only coming through the tread – no help for side-punctures) and give a little bit of bulk to ward off snake-bites; the weight and cost penalties are minimal. Ask at your local mountain bike shop
• Lots of people use slime – a green gunk that forms a “scab” to seal a puncture, much like blood clotting. With car valves, remove the valve and squeeze in the slime. With road-type valves you’ll have to cut a small hole in your tube, pour the slime in, and repair the hole. Slime adds a little weight, which some people claim to notice when sprinting. However, a bigger problem comes when you try to change your tube, or reduce the pressure – unless you are careful, the slime seals your valve, forcing you into drastic action, like ripping your tyre apart, or riding on a semi-inflated tube. That said, I have seen slime perform impressively.
• Higher tyre pressures often help reduce the chances of either type of puncture, especially snake-bite. Slightly lower rolling resistance may off-set the slightly less comfortable ride and reduced traction – not a lot in it for AR. Tyre pressures and tubeless tyres are dealt with later.
• Harder, thicker tyres, particularly in the side-walls, are less prone to punctures, but obviously weigh more. A while back, I got some ultra-light Panaracers to try out – I was snake-biting like nobody’s business, no matter what pressure I used. I swapped back to my trusty Michelin Wildgripper 1.85” tyres and the problem went away. Maxxis tyres have proven to be nicely puncture-resistance, despite running them at 30-35psi
• A more conservative riding style, particularly for heavier riders, may also help – go around the sharp rocks and thorn trees, not over them!
• Valves should be kept clean, and tubes and tyres replaced when they show signs of wear. If you are riding with Presta (road-type) valves, remember to tighten the bead!
• For important events, consider new tubes, and, possibly, a pair of competition-only tyres. This is more important for road riding, where tyre pressures are much higher, speeds are greater and the consequence of a flat more severe – a few minutes can be devastating and a sudden flat at 80km/h isn’t fun.
• Patching should be done with great care, to ensure the perfect seal. Practice makes perfect. Park Instant Patches have had very good reviews, but all other instants are looked down on. Conventional patching requires up to an hour before the tube can be used (depending on the temperature). Carry spares and patch immediately so the tube is ready later – however, there is a technique that involves burning the cement on the tube; I haven’t tried it, but it is reputed to allow the tube to be used within a couple minutes.
• Talcum powder between the rim and the tube is supposed to reduce the wear on the tube, and the chances of snake-bite. I’ve never tried this
• There is only one fail-safe way to prevent punctures, though: perma-tubes. These are closed-cell foam rings that you fit instead of tubes. They offer the worst of all worlds – non-adjustable, heavy, uncomfortable, etc, but do ensure you never get a puncture. When cycling the Karakorom Highway, I seriously consider these.

There are several other considerations when talking about tyre pressures

• XCountry junkies and roadies often use “bombs” – small CO2 cylinders – to reinflate their tyres. While this may shave a minute off the process, they cost money, weigh a bit and can’t be reused during the race. Also, the CO2 molecule is smaller than nitrogen (the main component of air) and so leaks out of tubes faster. While this isn’t significant during a 3-hour road race, it could be in AR or endurance cycling.
• In the past, Schrader (car-type) valves lost pressure and tyres had to be refilled every few days. This is less of a concern today, but I still prefer Presta (road-type) valves – I find them easier to use. They fit all rims, while Schrader valves only fit Schrader-drilled rims
• Tubeless tyres, such as the UST system, do not snake-bite, as there is no tube to pinch. However, the softer compounds mean the (very expensive – R500+) tyres wear faster and lose pressure (up to 10psi/day starting at 60psi). They are also a mission to repair or fit a tube to when you do puncture and are expensive (in case I didn’t mention). They are also more prone to side-wall cuts because of the softer compound. The added traction and smoother ride are irrelevant to AR
• Recently, a product was launched in the UK to convert your standard non-UST rim and tyre combination into tubeless, at relatively low cost. This has had good reviews to date and offers to by-pass many of the problems associated with UST. It is still unclear, though, whether this system is useful in AR

OK – you’ve still punctured for the hundredth time on this leg, you’ve run out of tubes, and your patch kit is with your seconds. What now?

• Walking isn’t always an option, but think about it – it will help you to remember tyre liners and slime next time!
• Bum tubes off your rivals. This may involve hiding in bushes with heavy rocks to throw at them as they pass, or out in the middle of the track with your tastiest food laid out in front of you, while you genuflect before them.
• Stuff your tyre with grasses. This isn’t a joke – it gave me hope on the Logwood Classic last year! You will have the bumpiest ride of your life, with awful traction, so take it easy. Fill them as hard as you can and stop every few kilometres to refill your tyres as the grass gets milled to dust.
• Select the tube in the worst condition, but ensure it only has one hole. Cut it clean through at the hole, and knot both ends twice. Put this into your tyre, and pad the gap with as much NON-SPIKEY grass as possible. This gives a better ride, but is harder to get right, than the grass trick.
• Strap your bike to your back, and hop on the back of your buddy’s bike – make sure he’s the strongest rider and has an inferiority complex. Patronisingly suggest that you’re happy to take over “when he gets tired”

Tyre pressures are a constant source of debate in some circles. Lower pressure gives better traction (ask the downhill or trials riders – they run down to 12 or 13psi sometimes) and a smoother ride, but increase, particularly, the chances of snake-bites. Lighter riders, or those with fat tyres and dual suspension can get away with lower pressures. Weighing in at 90kg in my riding kit, I run 50psi on my hard-tail with 1.85” tyres, and 35psi on my dual-suspension endurance bike with 2.1” tyres. I run my road bike at 80psi with 23mm tyres. I used to run a lot harder, but the traction and comfort have won me over.

Track pumps are well worth the money – they last longer than mini-pumps, and allow you to deliver exact, and higher, pressures. Crank Bros, from the US, produce a smart mini-pump with a pressure gauge that can deliver up to 80psi without too much hassle; however, there are no importers to South Africa, and it would retail at over R300.

This article has sought to give a few ideas about what causes punctures, and how to reduce your chances of slowing your buddies down. Experiment – there are lots of other little tricks out there

the scene just too familiar? You’re out riding with your buddies, putting dirt under your tyres at a rate of knots; you’re fit, technically skilled and in your element – nothing can stop you… except for ANOTHER flat tyre! Your team is getting impatient, your rivals are waving cheerfully as they pass you.

The first step to reducing the number of punctures you’re getting is to understand what type of punctures are hounding you. There are four typical mechanisms:

1. Piercing punctures involve something (thorns, branches, or glass, for example) penetrating your tyre either on the tread or through the side-wall, and then rupturing the tube. The wind you put into your tyre then becomes part of the sky, and you stop. There is typically a single hole on the outer circumference of the tube, usually small and round but sometimes large and irregular
2. Snake-bites occur when the tube is pinched between two objects, usually a rock on the one side and your rim on the other. Obviously your tyre is sandwiched in there somewhere, but it doesn’t play an active role. Snake-bites are typically two parallel slits along the length of your tube, between 3mm and 10mm apart, and up to 20mm in length
3. Spoke punctures are like piercing punctures, except the offending object is an over-stretched spoke that pokes through the rim tape. The hole is usually a little larger than a piercing puncture, and may be irregular; however, the give-away is that it is on the inner circumference
4. Blow-outs occur when the tyre jumps off the rim, and is no longer able to contain the tube. These are instantaneous (although a “bubble” may exist for some time before the tube ruptures) and are easy to identify – your tyre is partially or completely off the rim, and there are tatters of tube hanging out.

Now that you know what types of punctures you are getting, you can start solving the problem.

Spoke punctures are the most obvious – replace the offending spoke, or file down the end! With the double-butted rims and improved spoke alloys we use today, this is seldom a problem anymore. However, if you seriously buckle your wheels repeatedly, and have to re-true them, watch out. Running lower spoke tension will both reduce the stretching of the spokes, and may increase your wheel strength. The old attitude of the tighter the better in no longer widely supported. Remember to replace the rim tape whenever you replace a spoke nipple or otherwise move the tape; three or four turns of standard electrical insulation tape provides a cheap, effective alternative to commercial rim tape.

Blow-outs are usually the result of running your tyres outside recommended pressures (usually around 35-65psi), having badly worn beads (the bit of wire or Kevlar that holds your tyre onto your rim), major cuts or wear in the side-walls, hitting a stone too hard, or poor technique when replacing a tube. If you run your pressures way outside spec and use tyres in poor condition, you should probably sell your bicycle for your own safety. If you hit stones too hard on a regular basis, try running higher pressures and wider tyres (tyres up to 2.1” at least are usable for AR – strong riders should be able to use 2.3”, but that is beginning to get silly and some bikes won’t accept the tyres). If you generally blow out very soon after changing a tyre or tube, take more care to properly seat your tyre onto your rim, without the tube being trapped between the two at any point.

There are a common set of ways to reduce the chances of snake-bites and piercing punctures, or to cure the problem without stopping.

• This one is a serious no-brainer, but it caused me an extra puncture (last tube!) on a long ride in Wales one winter just as night was falling: when you get a puncture, FIND THE OFFENDING OBJECT!!! Run you fingers along the inside of the tyre and pull the tyre liner through your fingers a couple times until you find the thorn or piece of glass. You may need pliers or a knife to extract a large thorn. Also ensure that no grit is left in the tyre
• If you get a large cut in the side-wall, put a piece of plastic e.g. an off-cut of your tyre liners, the side of a plastic margarine tub or some heavy cardboard, inside the tyre to cover the cut – make sure it extends a long way and don’t take the rocks too fast
• Tyre liners are strips of plastic that you lay between your tube and tyre. They help deflect piercing objects (only coming through the tread – no help for side-punctures) and give a little bit of bulk to ward off snake-bites; the weight and cost penalties are minimal. Ask at your local mountain bike shop
• Lots of people use slime – a green gunk that forms a “scab” to seal a puncture, much like blood clotting. With car valves, remove the valve and squeeze in the slime. With road-type valves you’ll have to cut a small hole in your tube, pour the slime in, and repair the hole. Slime adds a little weight, which some people claim to notice when sprinting. However, a bigger problem comes when you try to change your tube, or reduce the pressure – unless you are careful, the slime seals your valve, forcing you into drastic action, like ripping your tyre apart, or riding on a semi-inflated tube. That said, I have seen slime perform impressively.
• Higher tyre pressures often help reduce the chances of either type of puncture, especially snake-bite. Slightly lower rolling resistance may off-set the slightly less comfortable ride and reduced traction – not a lot in it for AR. Tyre pressures and tubeless tyres are dealt with later.
• Harder, thicker tyres, particularly in the side-walls, are less prone to punctures, but obviously weigh more. A while back, I got some ultra-light Panaracers to try out – I was snake-biting like nobody’s business, no matter what pressure I used. I swapped back to my trusty Michelin Wildgripper 1.85” tyres and the problem went away. Maxxis tyres have proven to be nicely puncture-resistance, despite running them at 30-35psi
• A more conservative riding style, particularly for heavier riders, may also help – go around the sharp rocks and thorn trees, not over them!
• Valves should be kept clean, and tubes and tyres replaced when they show signs of wear. If you are riding with Presta (road-type) valves, remember to tighten the bead!
• For important events, consider new tubes, and, possibly, a pair of competition-only tyres. This is more important for road riding, where tyre pressures are much higher, speeds are greater and the consequence of a flat more severe – a few minutes can be devastating and a sudden flat at 80km/h isn’t fun.
• Patching should be done with great care, to ensure the perfect seal. Practice makes perfect. Park Instant Patches have had very good reviews, but all other instants are looked down on. Conventional patching requires up to an hour before the tube can be used (depending on the temperature). Carry spares and patch immediately so the tube is ready later – however, there is a technique that involves burning the cement on the tube; I haven’t tried it, but it is reputed to allow the tube to be used within a couple minutes.
• Talcum powder between the rim and the tube is supposed to reduce the wear on the tube, and the chances of snake-bite. I’ve never tried this
• There is only one fail-safe way to prevent punctures, though: perma-tubes. These are closed-cell foam rings that you fit instead of tubes. They offer the worst of all worlds – non-adjustable, heavy, uncomfortable, etc, but do ensure you never get a puncture. When cycling the Karakorom Highway, I seriously consider these.

There are several other considerations when talking about tyre pressures

• XCountry junkies and roadies often use “bombs” – small CO2 cylinders – to reinflate their tyres. While this may shave a minute off the process, they cost money, weigh a bit and can’t be reused during the race. Also, the CO2 molecule is smaller than nitrogen (the main component of air) and so leaks out of tubes faster. While this isn’t significant during a 3-hour road race, it could be in AR or endurance cycling.
• In the past, Schrader (car-type) valves lost pressure and tyres had to be refilled every few days. This is less of a concern today, but I still prefer Presta (road-type) valves – I find them easier to use. They fit all rims, while Schrader valves only fit Schrader-drilled rims
• Tubeless tyres, such as the UST system, do not snake-bite, as there is no tube to pinch. However, the softer compounds mean the (very expensive – R500+) tyres wear faster and lose pressure (up to 10psi/day starting at 60psi). They are also a mission to repair or fit a tube to when you do puncture and are expensive (in case I didn’t mention). They are also more prone to side-wall cuts because of the softer compound. The added traction and smoother ride are irrelevant to AR
• Recently, a product was launched in the UK to convert your standard non-UST rim and tyre combination into tubeless, at relatively low cost. This has had good reviews to date and offers to by-pass many of the problems associated with UST. It is still unclear, though, whether this system is useful in AR

OK – you’ve still punctured for the hundredth time on this leg, you’ve run out of tubes, and your patch kit is with your seconds. What now?

• Walking isn’t always an option, but think about it – it will help you to remember tyre liners and slime next time!
• Bum tubes off your rivals. This may involve hiding in bushes with heavy rocks to throw at them as they pass, or out in the middle of the track with your tastiest food laid out in front of you, while you genuflect before them.
• Stuff your tyre with grasses. This isn’t a joke – it gave me hope on the Logwood Classic last year! You will have the bumpiest ride of your life, with awful traction, so take it easy. Fill them as hard as you can and stop every few kilometres to refill your tyres as the grass gets milled to dust.
• Select the tube in the worst condition, but ensure it only has one hole. Cut it clean through at the hole, and knot both ends twice. Put this into your tyre, and pad the gap with as much NON-SPIKEY grass as possible. This gives a better ride, but is harder to get right, than the grass trick.
• Strap your bike to your back, and hop on the back of your buddy’s bike – make sure he’s the strongest rider and has an inferiority complex. Patronisingly suggest that you’re happy to take over “when he gets tired”

Tyre pressures are a constant source of debate in some circles. Lower pressure gives better traction (ask the downhill or trials riders – they run down to 12 or 13psi sometimes) and a smoother ride, but increase, particularly, the chances of snake-bites. Lighter riders, or those with fat tyres and dual suspension can get away with lower pressures. Weighing in at 90kg in my riding kit, I run 50psi on my hard-tail with 1.85” tyres, and 35psi on my dual-suspension endurance bike with 2.1” tyres. I run my road bike at 80psi with 23mm tyres. I used to run a lot harder, but the traction and comfort have won me over.

Track pumps are well worth the money – they last longer than mini-pumps, and allow you to deliver exact, and higher, pressures. Crank Bros, from the US, produce a smart mini-pump with a pressure gauge that can deliver up to 80psi without too much hassle; however, there are no importers to South Africa, and it would retail at over R300.

This article has sought to give a few ideas about what causes punctures, and how to reduce your chances of slowing your buddies down. Experiment – there are lots of other little tricks out there.

Author: Dylan Morgan

Get Dylan going on one of his favourite topics, mountain bikes, and this is the result.

Thoughts on bikes

• It probably isn’t worth buying an R8000 bike as a first bike – you will probably wear the componentary rapidly, and wouldn’t make full use of swanky stuff. However, it is well worth getting a good frame and replace worn stuff with slightly up-market stuff as and when it wears out. R3000 to R5000 will get you a bike that will see you through for a couple years, where-after you’ll have a better idea of the perfect bike for you.
• Don’t waste money on a full-suspension bike – they cost a lot if you’re going to get a worthwhile one and the cheap ones are awful. Also, they require more maintenance and the exact choice depends more on your riding style than is the case for hard-tails
• The best bike is the one that fits you the best and feels the most comfortable.
• If you find you’re getting numb nether-regions, a very good investment is a better saddle. This is particularly important for guys: numb-nuts is unpleasant and can lead to long-term reproductive problems. The designs with a gap in the centre work well, but don’t bother with the gel versions – they cost a lot for what you get! A good saddle will cost you between R150 and R350, depending on the make and the shop. A broader one will make the ride more comfortable, particularly for women, who have more open pelvic girdles, while a narrower one may make technical riding easier. I ride with a R270 road saddle both on and off road, with very few problems. You just have to accept that a peeling butt after 600km over two days is a fact of life.
• A good helmet is well worth the money! Not only is there the safety aspect, but the comfort is pivotal on your enjoyment. The best helmet isn’t always the most expensive, though. I ride with aa helmet retailing around R700, while my dad rides with a R500 one. There is no need to spend the R1000+ price tags on some helmets, unless they feel really, really good and you’ve got the money. Try several different makes on and select the one that fits your head and your pocket.
• Fingerless gloves with proper leather palms will save you much pain, but there is no need to spend more than R200.
• Good sun-glasses will save your eyes in the years to come. It is worth spending R1000 or more for good lenses and good fit. And you can use them when hiking and paddling.
• Weight is an issue (more for hike-a-bike than for riding, though) but, when faced with a choice, ask yourself if the weight saving is worth the money – sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t. The biggest and cheapest weight saving is in the frame. An aluminium frame is the best compromise as it is lighter than steel, but much cheaper than carbon or titanium. I ride a steel road bike and an aluminium mtb. Is it really worth spending R3000 on XTR cranks to save a few grams?
• V-brakes are the way to go – discs either cost a lot, or suck. Cantilever brakes suck. Virtually all entry-level MTB come with V-brakes. Don’t stress about the frame having the option of fitting discs – you will buy a new bike in good time.
• Second hand bikes can offer good value, but make sure you know what you’re getting! Take an experienced and trusted friend along.

Thoughts on stuff to buy with your bike

• Helmet. R400 – R1000
• Double-action mini-pump. R100
• 2 spare tubes – I prefer the thin Presta valves to the car-type Schrader valves, but it’s your choice. Try to make certain that the whole team has the same valve type. R50 – R90
• Puncture repair kit – cheaper than getting tons of tubes. R10-R30
• Cycling shorts – they improve comfort especially when you’re in the saddle for many, many hours. Draw-strings are handy if you’ve got to swim in them. R200 – R400.
• Water bottle cages and bottles, unless you get an hydration system (this would be better, but would cost a bit more). Cages, R20. Bottles, R10-R30. Hydration systems, R300 – R1200
• Reflective vest – if you expect to be doing any night riding. R30-R150
• Tyre levers – plastic damages the rims less than teaspoons. R20
• Chain break – you won’t need one for a little while, but it saves a lot of hassles if a buddy’s chain breaks. R60 – R150.
• Drip-on lube – Finish Line red-cap is the best for SA conditions. R50
• Fingerless gloves – track mitts, Ryder do good value for money products. R120-R200
• Flashing rear light – if you expect to be doing any night riding: R50
• Multi-tool – if you’re willing to spend a fair bit more, you can get multi-tools with chain breaks incorporated. R40 for basic Ryder unit, to R410 for the very nice Topeak unit with chain-break.
• Track/floor pump – will last longer than a minipump and will allow you to produce exact pressures: R200

Stuff to consider buying soon after your bike (not essential)

• Good bike light if you plan to do a significant amount of riding in the dark. R300-R700 for a good DIY system; R500 for a basic commercial system; R2,000+ for the top-end commercial systems
• Bike computer – there should be at least one computer in each AR team. The Cat-Eye XC Tomo is about the best value for money at R240; the Topeak Panoram is an innovative system showing lots of data, for R410.
• Bar-ends offer more variety of hand-positions and greater comfort on long rides. I favour the shortest possible so that when I grasp the base in my little fingers, the end is in the middle of my index finger. R50-R100 for aluminium
• Tyre liners help reduce punctures significantly. Some people never get punctures without liners, other get lots even with them. Slime limits your ability to swap tyres, but is effective in plugging punctures. R50/pair
• Road tyres (slicks or semi-slicks) can be useful if you see yourself doing a lot of road-work. R60 each for basic slicks to R180 each for Specialised Fatboys (fast, limited to bad tar or the best dirt) or Continental Grand Prix 26″ * 1.0″ (very fast, pure tar tyres).
• Saddlebag to carry tubes, tools, etc – but not a detachable one (they loosen up too much off-road). I prefer not to use a saddle bag off-road, as they sometimes shake loose – I carry stuff in my hydration system. R80

Thoughts on stuff that isn’t essential – at least at first, so don’t let anyone tell you it is!

• Cycling-specific shoes and clipless pedals. Clipless pedals and cycling shoes are well worth the money (R1,000 – R3,000) but don’t worry about it until you’re sure you like cycling, and you’ve learned some skills.
• Fancy cycling jerseys – they are comfy and offer convenient storage pockets, but are pricey. R150-R350. Ditto arm-warmers (R110).
• Fancy tyres – anything up to R550 each. The ones on the bike are OK to learn on except (maybe!) for road-specific tyres.
• Upgrade anything – a new saddle could be well worth the money, but there isn’t any need until you start experiencing numb-nuts.
• Carbon dioxide tyre-inflators, or “bombs” – they work wonders for high-pressure racing under 3hours, but don’t waste your money for a long while yet!

Thoughts on future upgrades
Shimano offers a range of component ranges, based on quality. The lowest are Acera, Alivio, and 105. Deore and LX are aimed at the weekend warrior, while XT and XTR target the serious racers. Prices to match: an Acera crankset can be picked up for R175, while XT lightens you by R1,800, and XTR won’t give you much change from R3,500!

• Deore is good enough for your shifters and your brakes, although many people get away with Acera for years.
• LX offers the best value for money on your derailleurs and possibly brakes
• If you can get hold of them, SRAM chains and rear clusters are very good value for money, otherwise Deore or LX.
• Acera cranks offer great value if you are relatively light in terms of the wear you put on equipment. Otherwise, Deore is worthwhile, or even XT if you put down a lot of power.
• If you find you regularly bend your rims, don’t be afraid to buy down-hill specific rims. They weigh a bit more, but chances are you do, too! The Italian manufacturer STC produces a very nice rim at about R240 each, while Mavic is the brand name for strong off-road wheels – their D321 (disc version) and D521 (rim-brakes) retail for about R500 each and are almost the last word in strength.

Thoughts on bike shops

• Any bike shop will make mistakes – learn to do as much of your own maintenance as possible as soon as possible. Things like gears and brakes are the easiest, and will save you the most hassles.
• Always check the workmanship on the bike when you get it back – I have only ever had bikes come back twice without something seriously wrong.
• things to look for in a bike shop are: reasonable prices, reasonable service, friendly and knowledgeable staff.
• Some shops will give you better prices, but very poor service. Don’t get fleeced into replacing things on your bike when they don’t need replacing – especially if it is going to cost you a bundle. Get a second opinion.
• Sometimes it is worth shopping at one place, spending a bit more, but developing a better relationship and understanding – you get benefits like special or rush jobs done more easily and obscure orders followed up better. I was once allowed to take a suspension fork home on apro by one shop!

Take your time buying your bike. Shop around trying out all the different brands weighing up the pros and cons regarding price, weight and components. Always go for the bike that fits you best and feels the most comfortable.

Author: Dylan Morgan