I’ve been to the Alp’s a few times over the years, until this summer I’ve always taken my own bikes, but this summer I fancied something a little bigger than my typical 5” inch UK spec. trail bike.
We hired some tasty looking Mondraker Prayer’s for good money from a "well known shop" in Morzine, with another branch in Les Gets.
We had a great time, but the bikes = death trap.
Two of us hired, for three days - the list of problems:
1. The first bike I picked up had a duff freewheel which caused the chain to suck up into the drive chain. <bike swap 1>
2. Riding the rooty blue above Les Gets, tight and slow. Wheel drops out the frame at the back.
Off the bike, couple of scratch’s, but I’ve had worse.
I’d checked the QR’s, but what I hadn’t appreciated was that even when tight as at the cam, they are loose in the frame. Never seen oil and full of dust.
Quick clean, bit of oil = tight Q/R’s.
3. Rear mech hooks up into chain, tears itself to pieces. Take to shop in Les Gets. This one might be my fault, I’m sceptical, but don’t remember twatting anything. It’s getting towards the end of the day – so they give me another bike <bike swap 2>
4. Manage to get the third bike back to Morzine, rear brake pads are screwed and the Marzocchi on the front has less damping than a desert, and about 2” of travel. Back to shop <bike swap 3>. Noticed that the bike I'd been riding is back in the for hire rack the next day - still screwed.
5. Wheeey – I get two days of amazing riding. Heading back to shop on last day, my mate notices his otherwise reliable bike’s back wheel has moved in the drop out, despite our earlier re-tightening of the QR’s.
Anyone know of decent hire spots in Les Gets/Morzine, I’m going to take my own bike and stay out there for a week, but we’ve mates coming to stay for a weekend and they need bikes. I don't want to kill them :-). Heard good stuff about Endless Ride, but I believe you have to stay with them.
Neil
