Big Bike Thread

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Nowhere near that amount. Had the bike for 3 months now and only racked up:

108 miles
2000 meters climbing
6000 calories

I expect it to right up this year with the better weather coming in :)
 
I've had my bike 5 weeks - Yes, I'm a complete noob to all of this! :P

But in that 5 week's I've done 145 miles, don't know how much calories or distance climbed though.
 
[Cas];18603530 said:
I'm looking at buying http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=40238

It's overkill for what I want to do, but I don't currently have a helmet, and I seem to have got into the bad habit of flying into trees, but I was just wondering if it would be worth me buying that until I can afford the XC helmet that I want to get. (The MET Parachute). Or would I be better off waiting? I would also like to get into "more hardcore" stuff than XC, which is what made me have a quick look at Full Face helmets in the first place.

Anyway - Would you say I'd be stupid to buy it, or go for it at the price it's at?
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In my opinion the MET Parachute is really not worth buying - It looks silly and the front guard is not going to protect you if you face plant into a tree or the ground.
People do wear full face helmets at trail centres but again I think it's overkill. You'll be very hot and probably be regretting it after a few miles.

Check out the Giro Hex; it looks great, is fairly cheap and works.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=30316
 
Glyndwr said:
Mudflap is a Specialized Mudflap Shock Protector. Doesn't keep the shock completely mud free because I think its designed for earlier model bikes with the shock in a different position. It does do an ok job of stopping a lot of muc though. Think I got it from Evans online, but have seen them in Specialized concept stores.

How are you finding the flows? I changed the Fox F120 forks to 140mm Revelations with 20mm maxle at the same time I changed to the flows and the bike feels much more planted and easier to manage through roots and rocks. Hope pro2's much better than the stock specialized/shimano hubs too.

Going to have to replace the linkage bearings after this winter too. Have had to change the headset bearings twice in 2010. Think I need a better headset!

Have you got the Triad shock on your stumpy? I find most of the time it is ok, but on big drops it lets me down now and again.
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Ahh I see those were for the old stumpy xc. Ill probs give them a go then! The flows are fantastic, still as straight as when I got them. Im running them on pro 3s and kept the 9mm dt swiss rws.

I had problems with both headset and bb bearings not long after getting bike so swapped them for hope ceramics. They are much better haven't had to replace them in 2 years.

I've been finding the triad ok its not often out of pro pedal to be honest. I'm not that aggressive a ride though and if I have issues its usually down to my clumsy riding.

How have the revs affected the handling? Do you have to dial them down for climbs?
 
SDK^ said:
In my opinion the MET Parachute is really not worth buying - It looks silly and the front guard is not going to protect you if you face plant into a tree or the ground.
People do wear full face helmets at trail centres but again I think it's overkill. You'll be very hot and probably be regretting it after a few miles.

Check out the Giro Hex; it looks great, is fairly cheap and works.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=30316
Click to expand...

I guessed this was going to be the answer :( I just hate the look of ordinary helmets! Ah well, I'll take a look at that Giro Hex. Thanks
 
Well that was an interesting day.

After my long stint over the hills last week/10 days ago I planned to go back to the parkland area which has many wooded areas and the like with tracks and paths littered through them (see photos HERE but I haven't found the time yet (its about a 8-10 mile cycle away).

So I decided to have a look at a large-ish wooded area about 1.5-2 miles from my front door. I had looked at old OS maps and noticed there was a track/right of way heading up to the wood. When I got there, the track was there right enough so I cycled in. The track was very rough and muddy so the going was tough (damn tyres are crap for this TBH) and I thought it would turn out to be a nice jaunt through the woods with nothing exciting.

I didnt expect to stumble across this buried deep in the woods:

IMAG0045%20%28Large%29.jpg


I put the bike up there to give an idea of size.

I went to the top of this hill and managed to notice a track that was only just noticeable through the trees so I followed it back and got to, what seemed to me, to be the start point and I then rode back along the track which disappeared in here -

IMAG0023%20%28Large%29.jpg



The track wound through the trees for a short time:

IMAG0024%20%28Large%29.jpg



before coming to this drop off:

IMAG0025%20%28Large%29.jpg


IMAG0040%20%28Large%29.jpg



Then, about 20 meters on, it got to the juicy bit:

IMAG0041%20%28Large%29.jpg


IMAG0042%20%28Large%29.jpg



The other side of that drop-off/jump looks like this:

IMAG0043%20%28Large%29.jpg



With the run off here:

IMAG0045%20%28Large%29.jpg



I tried to do a quick video of it as well to try and show just how steep the run off is but not sure if it does it that well: VIDEO HERE

And small jump had been built up further down the run off to allow you to jump the bike with the speed you had built up.

As you can see by the tyre mark on the huge jump, someone has actually tried it and you can see where the person that did it landed after jumping off the ramp they made :D:eek:


I thought that was just it but as I went further I noticed another couple of tracks that had been "made" through the trees which branched off this first one:

IMAG0046%20%28Large%29.jpg


IMAG0044%20%28Large%29.jpg


...including another couple of jumps that had been properly made (trunks pinned together and backfilled with earth as a run up) - See HERE



To say I am chuffed to have stumbled across these is an understatement because I can cycle there in 10-15 mins from my front door along a back-road (so pretty much zero traffic) and just batter up and down these bits.

Needless to say I didnt try the 2 big jumps as I would have most likely died :o. I have neither the bike or the skills.... or the balls TBQFH to do those things yet. Which I guess is good as it means the trails I found are challenging enough to help gain technique for a while :)

No idea who made the tracks as they are not advertised anywhere that I know of so hats off to the person and thanks for providing some fun right outside my front door :D
 
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blik said:
Ahh I see those were for the old stumpy xc. Ill probs give them a go then! The flows are fantastic, still as straight as when I got them. Im running them on pro 3s and kept the 9mm dt swiss rws.

I had problems with both headset and bb bearings not long after getting bike so swapped them for hope ceramics. They are much better haven't had to replace them in 2 years.

I've been finding the triad ok its not often out of pro pedal to be honest. I'm not that aggressive a ride though and if I have issues its usually down to my clumsy riding.

How have the revs affected the handling? Do you have to dial them down for climbs?
Click to expand...

I thought I would have to decrease the travel for climbs but haven't really used the uturn much yet. Only used it on a few large fire road climbs in the Clocaenog forest. I have used full travel on my local tracks (Clwydian Hills), Llandegla, Penmachno and Coed y Brenin and have found it better than Fox F120 forks.

Slightly stepper head angle suits my riding style a bit better I think. Even noticed the speed increase I can get on local downhill tracks
 
[Cas];18603530 said:
I'm looking at buying http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=40238

It's overkill for what I want to do, but I don't currently have a helmet, and I seem to have got into the bad habit of flying into trees, but I was just wondering if it would be worth me buying that until I can afford the XC helmet that I want to get. (The MET Parachute). Or would I be better off waiting? I would also like to get into "more hardcore" stuff than XC, which is what made me have a quick look at Full Face helmets in the first place.

Anyway - Would you say I'd be stupid to buy it, or go for it at the price it's at?
Click to expand...

I own a MeT Parachute and was using it as my main helmet until last month when I bought one of these:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=58780

I just stopped using the chin guard on the parachute after a while, it makes the helmet seem much more clostrophobic than a regular lid, even though the chin guard isn't very substantial. It's also made out of plastic, so im not sure how much protection it would actually offer, there was a couple of times when it protected me from the odd branch smack, but that's about it.

I too hate the regular bike helmet look, I have a pretty big head (large/xl) and normal helmets make me look like I have a big mushroom on my head, like a Mario character. The Urge helmet above is a very nice shape, it's like a molded skate lid with a really flexible but stiff (in the right direction) visor. I can take a pic of it next to my large/xl parachute if you like, the difference in profile and size (front to back, width) is quite alarming.

Don't be worried about the lack of vents, although I haven't used mine in warm conditions yet, I normally sweat a lot, and the helmet's 'venturi-effect' (created by the vents) and thick 'ghetto pad' (extends down your forehead a bit) makes me feel like I sweat less - in normal helmets (the met parachute and another met I had before that I've forgotten name of) I used to drip with sweat, I don't in the Urge.
 
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Second second drop (last link) in your post looks alright for practising, get the landing cleared up and practise going off it at different speeds, have a read up on how to do drop offs, you don't have to hit it with a lot of speed if you keep your front end up as you go off the end.

Also if you see anyone else riding there; ask them who's built the features, it's good to know who builds/rides there so if you want to lend a hand/change things you can get involved with their permission.

Check out this drop at the DH near my house :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/Andelusion/Bike Stuff/IMAG0114.jpg

And a gap jump http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/Andelusion/Bike Stuff/IMAG0110.jpg
 
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That drop in the last video may not look much but its actually a ramp with about 6 feet of drop by the time the bike lands....

You honestly think my bike would be ok with it? Never thought it could handle a jump of sorts bearing in mind I come in at 92KG :o

I may just give it a try then :D



Edit: in comparison to the 1st pic that Andelusion put up, I guess its not bad. Just concerned that I would properly screw the bike up... Visions of the frame giving way at the stem and the bike folding up with me in the middle :o LOL

Had a look and the "structural integrity" limit of my bike is 136KG (300lbs) of which I am 92KG (200-ish lbs) so I guess I am well within limits after all, by half my bodyweight again :)
 
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