I have an Australian Shepherd/Husky/German Shepherd cross. She is now 14 years old and can still do a 2-3k run with the bikes. when she was 2 years old, she would do 30 mile runs when we were motorcycling in the mountains. Be careful as these are working dogs, have extremely high energy, and are high strung. They get bored very easily and develop behaviour problems easily. If you can't exercise them at least 2h per day, don't get one. Having owned a few working dogs, and now Great Danes (the perfect pet dog in my opinion), do not rely on traditional obedience training. they need firm leadership as described by Cesar Millan, the dog whisperer. I have tried both methods and for working dogs and large breeds, the pack leader model is vastly superior.

It is easier to do it with the tire and tube off, and in a truing stand. If you look straight down the rim to the marker, the sliver of light you see is more accurate than this method. This method works if you notice the problem away from the garage, or if you don't have a stand.

I have built and trued many wheels in the past four years. A couple little pointers that help me: 1. when using aluminum nipples, a little drop of light oil prior to turning will save many nipples. 2. 1/4 turn backwards before tightening will save many aluminum nipples. 3. On stubborn wheels, a slight overtension, then releasing tension for final truing sometimes works. It helps prevent spoke windup. 4. Use the right spoke nipple wrench!!!! There is no such thing as "close enough" unless you want to have to buy all new nipples and start over. 5. On really stubborn wheels with seized spokes, use oil on both ends of the spoke nipple and the nipple rim interface, pluck the spokes like instrument strings, let it sit for 1/2 hour, then try to loosen then adjust the spokes. DO NOT USE WD-40 or other penetrating sprays. They will remove the little bit of lubrication held in the nipple interface. 6. For wheel assembly, I have used light weight fork oil wherever the spoke, hub, nipple, and rim touch. 7. The last step is to put the wheel on the floor and pressure/release the wheel from all different angles around the rim to release any residual spoke windup. Recheck trueness and adjust again if necessary.

This is a small market product. The numbers of units produced don't justify overseas production. Remember we have multi thousand dollar bikes, but balk at the price of racks, helmets, neck braces etc.

Here's another side to the story. I live on an acreage in rural Alberta. I had to work 20 years as a professional as did my wife to finally afford to purchase this property and build a house on it. I have an investment of $800,000.00 in this 2.47 acres of land. This land is connected to my parents homestead which has a 20 acre wooded ravine at the back end of it. This piece of land is valued at $600,000.00. It is being willed to me. As a kid I built a motocross track in the ravine. I have started building some ladder bridges and drops this year. This area is used by other residents in this county and has been since the late 1970's. I have worried that some stoned kid will come rocketing through the area on his skidoo and run through one of the many overgrown barbwire fences that long ago rotted but are tangled in the grasses. We have not ever restricted use to anyone, but in the last few years, there have been bush parties with huge amounts of garbage and broken glass, a rash of stolen golf carts dumped there (no joke), and trail features taken down by other users. I experience the previous respect for use being eroded. Listening to the kids whine here makes me sick. we used to get pople coming to the house asking permission to ride or hunt in the area, and none were turned away. Now people assume they have a right to use whatever they want. Your investment: a few hours with a shovel= several hundred bucks. My investment: 4 years of college, 20 years full time in the workplace as a professional. Used cars, used bikes up until a few years ago. No fancy vacations. Thousands of hours of manual labour=approx 2 million. It is not your right to use my property, but I have allowed it. Now you demand it!!!?????

An MX bike decked out to compete at the top level similar to a $8000.00 bike would be $50000.00. The $8000.00 moto is more like a $2500.00 bike.

I have the Race Face sixc carbons on my DH bike, and they have lasted 2 seasons. They are not even a true DH bar. I haven't had a bar last a full season prior to them. $160.00 for the carbons, or 2-3 sets of aluminum at $80-120 each. To each their own. I have Carbon bars on all my family bikes now except the BMX bikes, and I haven't replaced a bar yet. I got a nick in one of tha bars 2 years ago, filled the nick with 2 part epoxy and have watched it closely since. No problems whatsoever. The whole "carbon will snap" wivestale needs to die.

I have a KTM 525 sx. It is a 2003, and the only work the engine has needed is a set of rings. KTM had a reputation for the worst suspension a few years back in MX, but they were top rated for off road. Currently they are top of the line in both arenas. For anything short of SX at the pro level, any one of the bikes produced in the past five years is more bike than most riders will ever need. People read magazine reviews and think there is a huge difference between the bikes. It is really more like 5% from first to last. I have ridden the first place bike from one year back to back with the last place bike and the difference isn't that great. It is easily eclipsed by the differences you will feel from the proper springs and bars for your height and weight on any given bike.

I have jagwire cable on almost all of my bikes. The only time it doesn't work well is around a tight bend such as the chain stay to top tube on a suspension bike. The length has to be spot on to work well. Goodridge cables are better in this regard. They require their own branded stops because the diameter is larger than regular cable. I have used Clarke's cables from CRC and so far so good. Similar to the jagwire, but cheaper ends. Only a few months use so far though.

sorry- mistaken post.

simple math- 100g adfditional rim weight. Subtract 100g going to a 2.25 tire from a 2.4 and keep the same air volume. Now add the 50g sealant. You need rim tape either way, so +5g for sealing tape. Finally subtract the tube weight 200g+. You lose approx 1/3 pound doing this, and have better rolling performance, traction, and flat resistance. I have used these conversions on my bikes from DH to cross county for the past three years and have had one flat, and it was traced to a faulty rim strip which was replaced free of charge. I would use tubeless for my BMX, but the pressures are too high. If you take your time and learn to do the conversion correctly, these systems work awesome. If you slap it together, you will have nothing but trouble.