I seem to be one of the very small minority of riders using a hardtail on the DH tracks at the Forest of Dean. Whilst i’ve alway like to push my bike, it really is starting to feel like it’s on the edge of what it can do. I’m also getting leg cramps pretty badly, not to mention pinch flats.

Anyone know of a way to beat the leg cramps? Is it just something to get used to. I’m too broke to buy a new full susser, but would appreciate any advice on a good full suss available s/h to replace the Blue Pig.

I’m sure someone who knows more than me will be along shortly, but you could try some stretches and make sure your properly warmed-up before you ride!

I’ve got a lovely devinci Wilson for sale… 1200 for the full bike… bargain! 🙂

Thanks but I think i only want to replace the frame if at all.

Had a Glory sold it for my DH HT Its more fun in the south. Is your DH sli? If it is try steel 😀

IMAG0531 by scottgolfgti, on Flickr

p4pb8675844 by scottgolfgti, on Flickr

483001_10151255586946908_1735329305_n by scottgolfgti, on Flickr

nice 2nd photo bud…props as that isnt a small gap…

Forest of dean is perfect for dh on a HT really, primarily because of the fact the tracks are only short. Sounds like you just need to beat your legs into submission. Get some dual plys on there too…

Bit more info would be handy, what you running frame/wheels/tyres.

Already been pointed out that DH spec tyres will help with pinch flats, also if your running skinny rims that could be factor, add some more PSI to the tyres for a cheap quick fix.

+1 on steel frames, although some are as direct feeling as coke can ones.
The leg cramp could be down to fitness and muscles getting an unusual workout to normal, it may pass as you get fitter or just beat the muscles into submission and no longer feel the burn.

Small group do Gawton and smaller group do Fort Williams world cup track and the old Dragon Downhill races used to fun on HT 🙂 few of us out there. Ride more and being fitter seems to run in hand with less calf/thigh burn for me.

P.S.
ace photo up there scottfitz 🙂 sure i have seen a photo of Ben Deakin jumping a car there.

The frame is a Ragley Blue Pig (mk 1). 150 ti Revelations. Tyres are Conti Baron 2.5s. The rims are skinny. Never thought that would cause pinch flats. Running higher PSI will inclease the leg cramps and slow the bike down over rocky stuff. Could go tubeless I guess…

Glad to know I’m not the only one out there riding HTDH.

Yep it is a big gap acehtn but its a really easy jump to do. Great take off, long straight run in and big landing. 🙂

I’d definitely begin with getting some Flow EX’s on there and set them up tubeless.

For leg cramp, keep warm, hydrate before and after cycling, stretch.
For pinch flat, inflate tyres a little more, new tyres and tubes, go on a diet.
Sorry, don’t mean to be condescending but I suffered from both too.

Stay on the hard tail.

How you position yourself on the bike will have a big impact on whether you get cramp or not. Too low a position (with very bent knees) will put a lot of strain on your quads … is the cramp happening in the front of your legs (quads) or calfs?

You can get a reasonable DH frame for not much cash . I only paid £350 for my Keewee cromo 8 and luckily most of the parts just transferred straight over. Keep an eye out on pinkbike or ride io forums just ask plenty of questions of the seller to try minimizing the risk of buying a lemon.

I would say fitness could be key to both. Remember our legs are doing all the work of the rear sus. If your legs are going into spasm and not allowing you to float over the lumps/reduce the impact then punctures are more likely.
As said above body position could also be an issue and wider rims will also help.

DH rims, Proper Heavy duty dh tubes, maxxis etc, Proper dh dual ply tyres. Should be able to run lowish pressures ( 15 – 20 psi) without pinch flats. You don’t need to get expensive bling rims or hubs. Just some dh or fr basic mavics with deore hubs, if moneys tight. You could try foam roller excercises maybe after at a day of uplifts, when you get home.

try looking for a second hand pair of OEM dh rims on oem deore hubs if your on a tight budget. People often upgrade their OEM dh rims for something better and lighter and sell the originals. Also if this is the case they are likely to come with cheap Shimano hubs. The beauty of this is you can buy a complete new hub M475, strip it down etc and do a full rebuilt if required using the new parts.Only issue i’ve had with cheap hubs like this was after 2 weeks of dh trail riding on a ht the cone bearings worked they’re way loose a bit ( didn’t affect performance ) but if you bear in mind that I also bent a DMR v8 axle then this doesn’t seem so bad. They got a hammering!!!

I used to ride FOD on my trailstar but its definitely more fun on a fs imo, quite rooty so you’re constantly trying to keep your feet on! As for the cramp, improved fitness seems to help so I guess my only advice is keep at it haha

Just some wheel/tyre info.

Been using DMR Revolver Hubs on DMR Backline 35mm wide rims, hand built with triple butted spokes, bit hefty but have survived since 2008. Done 4 DH enduros at Fort William with them, no problems, bearings need doing. Got some 40mm Spank rims but never got round to building them up, possibly overkill or when i want to go semi fat on 26″ I prefer heavy wheels, maybe harder work but i like them.
Most run 25-30mm rims, got a halo freedom rear thats been good.
A skinny rim is lighter, but running fat single ply 2.5 tyres on skinny rims at low PSI can result in tyre roll in corners or pulling the tyre off the rim.
Used 2.35 Hans Dampfs single ply on 18mm rims the other weekend for a race, bit of rolling as the tyre wall can’t support the tyre, let air out until i started rimming, then added some back to stop pinch flatting in race runs, a balance between grip and stablity and not pinch flatting.

Tyres, i mostly run 20psi front and 25psi rear as a guide/starting point.
Slower more techy tracks may run 20/20 or a touch lower.
Faster rocky tracks 25/30psi. Have run higher, around 40psi but found the ride harsh for me and the bike was a bit skippy/nervous/scaryfast.
Some run 50/50 not for me, real fast but harsh ride, some skills needed there at that PSI 🙂
Only run normal inner tubes, heavyweight DH tubes are there but never had the problem of pinchflatting that much to need them, could be the wrong tyre/rim choice for where your riding or lack of skills if lots of pinch flatting going on.

I used to run a single ply up front, save some weight doing that, had a few pinch flats doing that on Fort William.
Very rough guide to tyre weights.
Single ply freeride rated tyres, say 800-950grams
Dual ply DH tyres, light ones might be around 1000g, but expect 1100-1400grams, around 12-1300grams for an average 2.5 DH rated tyre.

Superduty DH tyres….. few out there, Intense do or did 4ply tyres think they were around 1800-2000grams, i ran a WTB super duty casing MX Prowler for several races, that was a claimed 1200g was 1600g, bombproof though and fast rolling despite it’s weight(had the freeride 960g light one up front but it didn’t like smashing into rocks in Scotland 🙂 )

Without looking it up, your Conti Barons are the light versions, are they the standard rubber or the Black Chilli compound you have ?

As others have pointed out, if you have lightweight tyres on then swapping to a set of DH spec tyres will help if your more into hitting up DH runs, then swap out tyres for XC trail days.

Maxxis 2.5 are a good starting point, not as cheap as they used to be, and the 2.5 Maxxis size is closer to everyone elses 2.35, handy budget hint for racing, get the super tacky 42a soft compound for the front, good grip, fronts last a while, for the rear try a 60a or 70a compound, less grip but much better wear life, and should be a bit cheaper. You might get lucky ask around, someone local might lend you some tyres to try out, quite often part worns for sale at races by other riders, so a just another set of tyres could work for you and be cheap.

I use the revolver wheelset and DH tyes for racing and the rear Halo and a hope hoop front for general riding with lighter tyres on.

I guess by your user name your in Bristol :)if you get the urge to try a race loads of choice, the Woodlandriders/Gawton support a HT class as does the UKbike park, the Welsh series MJ at Taff Buggys and WDMBA cater for HT too as well as the mini DH FOD series.

Your not alone, DH HT is not quite mainstream, but we are out there 🙂

Glad im not the only one on a Blue Pig doing some DH!

Scott – where is that second pic gap? Looks fun 😀

Bull track, east Sussex. Raced in the gravity project DH race today. Second in hardtails, 34th out of 80 overall, top day fun track. Looking forward to racing at PORC next weekend 😉

Xiphon there are photos of a convertable car being jumped over, might even of had some females on the back seat…..can’t remember where i saw it though…. 😀

Bit far for me to travel, but thanks anyway