First day back on the bike yesterday and wow my legs are burning today lol. I’m on beta blockers for my anxiety so I don’t normally ride far 8-10miles normally. Yesterday I decided to ride to my local spot with a mate instead of going in the car. We ended up doing 25 miles and having loads of fun.
Mountain Biking
- Thread starter Zefan
- Start date
Man of Honour
Ride and keep clean 
That location above is actually near my home, so hadn't actually gone onto a trail or anything yet. It's just nice to cruise around this area during those hours.
That location above is actually near my home, so hadn't actually gone onto a trail or anything yet. It's just nice to cruise around this area during those hours.
Soldato
Same here, ride it and then give it a quick wipe down.
Have ridden the canal towpaths for miles, have gone out into the countryside and have ridden some routes I like to do but haven't been on the trails yet. Waiting for the weather to get a bit better for that.
Have ridden the canal towpaths for miles, have gone out into the countryside and have ridden some routes I like to do but haven't been on the trails yet. Waiting for the weather to get a bit better for that.
Man of Honour
I even faceplanted on a narrow trail a while back muddying everything and damaging my new grips which needed to be replaced 
Soldato
Haha I was wondering that also, this is how mine normally looks during/after a ride.
Associate
blimey did you ride through a swamp? ha ha
no mud guard either so you must look like the tire !
no mud guard either so you must look like the tire !
Soldato
Yeah did get a bit up my back, all good fun though
Associate
Im sure it was
been a long time since ive done any proper mountain biking
i havent used my hybrid bike for a few weeks now because of lockdown and working from home and such like so i was looking at getting some off road wheels and tyres for it
then i can go on an adventure !
been a long time since ive done any proper mountain biking
i havent used my hybrid bike for a few weeks now because of lockdown and working from home and such like so i was looking at getting some off road wheels and tyres for it
then i can go on an adventure !
First ride out, and first time I've been on a proper bike in about 3 years. Stuck to blue routes at a local trail and enjoyed it, certainly want to improve! Fitness levels are bloody awful though, so that's one area that needs to be sorted first. Absolutely gassed after every climb, and there was a lot of up and down!
Associate
- Joined
- 23 Oct 2013
- Posts
- 1,207
looks nice m8 and good one for getting out. fallen tree across a track and your location says manchester - was that above Dovestones? There's a couple annoying trees across the track for the last, erm, ~18 months...
First ride out, and first time I've been on a proper bike in about 3 years. Stuck to blue routes at a local trail and enjoyed it, certainly want to improve! Fitness levels are bloody awful though, so that's one area that needs to be sorted first. Absolutely gassed after every climb, and there was a lot of up and down!
Clayton Vale, closest trails to me so made sense for the first run. Dove straight onto the Sidewinder trail, cracking fun when I wasn't gasping for air
Associate
- Joined
- 23 Oct 2013
- Posts
- 1,207
ah, I used to work in Droylsden so used to go to Clayton Vale regularly when it first opened. It's ok, for a city centre-ish trail centre, but when it first opened there was broken glass all over the place and dog walkers swearing at you for being on the marked mtb route, etc. so I hope it's now better... (or is that like trying to take the Manc out of the place?!?) It's good for a 30min blast, as it's better than nothing, but it feels like they tried to cram in as much as possible (to advertise the 11miles of tracks, or whatever it is), so there's little long downhill/flowing sections. In some respects, I think a little less would have been more, if you get me.
1st time you goto a "proper" trail centre like Llandegla or even Leeds bike park, it will be a revelation. After a change of job and moving to the edge of the Peak District I seem to have plenty of my doorstep here. If you're east Manchester, then it's well worth a drive outside the m60 to the hills...
1st time you goto a "proper" trail centre like Llandegla or even Leeds bike park, it will be a revelation. After a change of job and moving to the edge of the Peak District I seem to have plenty of my doorstep here. If you're east Manchester, then it's well worth a drive outside the m60 to the hills...
So I've just been cleaning the bike today as I had some free time and gave it a good look over, 2 issues really struck me.
1. The top tube bearing sounds like its grinding if you turn the bars with the wheel elevated, almost like it's full of grit or it's not been greased properly when assembled
2. The largest cog on the rear mech is bent inwards at one point, to the extent where it constantly catches the chain if its on the second cog
It's a brand new bike that supposedly had a workshop inspection by a trained tech before being sent out, I'm not sure how these issues are missed? Then again, the stem also wasn't attached to the fork in any meaningful way, all the bolts were loose...
1. The top tube bearing sounds like its grinding if you turn the bars with the wheel elevated, almost like it's full of grit or it's not been greased properly when assembled
2. The largest cog on the rear mech is bent inwards at one point, to the extent where it constantly catches the chain if its on the second cog
It's a brand new bike that supposedly had a workshop inspection by a trained tech before being sent out, I'm not sure how these issues are missed? Then again, the stem also wasn't attached to the fork in any meaningful way, all the bolts were loose...
Soldato
Take it straight back. How much use has it had since you got it?
One short run, maybe 10km tops? Just a pain as it was ordered online!
Edit: So doing a bit of reading online, seems the headset bearings are open bearings rather than sealed, so it seems possible that some dirt etc could have gotten in already? I've done plenty of bigger jobs on cars so I have no issues with dropping the forks and regreasing the bearings if that's likely to be the problem.
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I don't know much about head set bearings, but I'm guessing they are not tensioned/screwed down properly, or they don't have enough grease in them.
2. The largest cog on the rear mech is bent inwards at one point, to the extent where it constantly catches the chain if its on the second cog
could you post a picture?
Well, I figure if it has open bearings they're going to need regreasing every few months anyway so might as well learn now before I go changing the headset to a sealed bearing alternative. The rear cassette, I reckon it could just be a case of bending it back with a couple of pliers. Looks like it's pulled inwards in one spot.
Possibly a bit hard to see on a photo, but the chain just catches it if its on the second gear at both the top, where it's leaving towards the chainring, and also as it comes off the rear mech onto the cassette, but only very lightly.
Possibly a bit hard to see on a photo, but the chain just catches it if its on the second gear at both the top, where it's leaving towards the chainring, and also as it comes off the rear mech onto the cassette, but only very lightly.