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You already know my thoughts on the bikes Weeksy because I’m an ex DHer but:
1. Imagine suggesting your son would be better off on an enduro bike because an adult professional can ride Fort Bill on an Enduro bike!
2. I think it’s superb you’ve got the spec matching on the dh bikes, nice to have same setups for the spare bike.
3. DH bikes are always more fun when they pint downhill, so if you’ve got one, and your track is going downhill you should be riding it because dual crown forks are better than single crown forks. Always. Even when they aren’t, they are.
I look forward to seeing him riding his enduro bike but I won’t care as much as when he rides the big bike 🙂
Thanks Gimp.
He'll ride the heck out of it and have fun. But I'll be astounded if it replaces the DH..
Report here on PB articles, gives an idea of the bikes and indeed the roots/crashes
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/race-report-100-mini-downhill-round-1-forest-of-dean.html
Report here on PB articles, gives an idea of the bikes and indeed the roots/crashes
It looks quite tough in spots and makes me wince in others haha looks like it was a good day regardless.
"...foot dabbed his way along to the next section of the trail, with increasingly louder swear words the further he went..."
Now that was hardly surprising given the image clearly shows a clem to TT interface 😱
The majority of the faster riders were on DH bikes, but again i think a lot of that is because that’s their preferred bike.
Were they? It looks like most of the fastest riders were on trail & enduro bikes?
1. Imagine suggesting your son would be better off on an enduro bike because an adult professional can ride Fort Bill on an Enduro bike!
Is it not about picking the right tool for the job? As above, there were faster riders who chose to ride their trail bikes over their DH bikes because they are faster. Yes, places like Fort William, which is just like hanging on to a jack hammer for 5 minutes, I would agree a DH bike will definitely make life easier, but on tamer venues, you pick the fastest option, surely? If you are not going to a race to go as fast as you possibly can, what is the point in going? 🤷♂️
As above, there were faster riders who chose to ride their trail bikes over their DH bikes because they are faster.
Were there ? Or were they on Enduro bikes because they don't have/like another choice ? Unless we ask, we don't know. The only one i 100% know was on his trail bike and owns a DH bike was his team-mate. He rode that because that's what he's riding at the moment due to confidence issues with the DH bike... So yes it was faster for him, but not necessarily because it's faster
but on tamer venues, you pick the fastest option, surely? If you are not going to a race to go as fast as you possibly can, what is the point in going?
You're not seeing the world from a kids perspective... 🙂
Beside that, we don't currently have a 'faster' option 🙂 He's only got the DH bike.. So whether an Enduro could or would be faster doesn't even come into it.
Persuading him to test/time it even when it does arrive is another story. His feeling is, he can brake later, corner harder, go better on his DH bikes... Until he actually risks it (when it's here) we won't even know. He is 100% convinced the DH bike is the fastest choice for him, irrespective of terrain/course. Even his local XC/normal rides, are done on the DH bike. It's like these fellas you see driving their Caterham to Tescos... It's not the best for the job, but it's what they want to do.
FWIW, i agree with you, many times i've tried to persuade him at 417 to race the Trek i had, with 29er wheels and faster geometry... but he doesn't agree with me. I can bitch, whine and moan all day that he's wrong... but that's not what the day/riding is about. It's about enjoying it, riding well, having fun, being with mates. Irrespective of the fact we both want to finish high up, killing the enjoyment wouldn't help with that.
I noticed in the piece of bits the previous owner gave me it had a various number of sprocket choices, but i do wonder what bigger or smaller would actually bring to the party… Why would i fit and run a bigger/smaller idler gear ?
Well normally an idler wheel is used to keep the chain in line with the pivot point, swapping to a larger or smaller idler cog will move the chain higher or lower affecting anti-squat and pedal kickback - it's a trade-off between the two depending on what you want out of the bike.
From the parent of an aspiring Olympic athlete who competes on world level the best thing i ever did was take a step back and hand my kid over to people who live, breathe and understand what it takes to be better at the chosen sport. Your kid has a lot of opportunities with sponsors etc which will bring new pressures and tbh he is going to need other riders, coaches, friends to help him cope with disappointment’s. Trust me, i have made some huge mistakes from similar perspectives and trying to be too involved is the biggest.
This is very very good advice. Having done sport to a very high level myself, and now a son who is excelling in sport, I so want to be with him on every step of the journey, but I know its not good for him or myself so I have let go to an extent.
The best thing I can be for him is a Dad and not too deeply involved.
Now might not be the right time, and indeed in the MTB world there doesnt appear to be the same support structures as in other sports unfortunately so there may be no option, but at least have this in the back of your mind.
Doesn't that depend on teh sport though ? I can't just say "ok, see you" and expect him to get to Wales, ride the bike and come home.... I know that's a slightly flippant answer, but there has to be a certain level of involvement ?
I sat down with him last night and discussed all aspects of the above earlier posts, either he's great at lying, or he's happy.
but I know its not good for him or myself
Why ?
but I know its not good for him or myself
From my perspective its the better they get the more responsibility they have. The stakes are higher and for all involved it becomes a professional relationship. Most of the time its fine but there are times where it will be a difficult working relationship.
You need to be able to maintain that Dad-Son relationship and that can be hard if you are too involved.
I ferry my son all over the country. I have now learnt my role is to be there as a Dad support him when its going well, console him when its going bad, just give him a hug etc. A pastoral kind of role. If you are too involved it blurs those lines for him.
I agree completely with what you say about mtb, there isnt the same support structure, but if he continues to get better I am just pointing out where I have learned from my own past experiences, and it was very interesting to see some one else with the same perspective too.
I love this thread, I love to see the bond you have with your son, and how together you are both progressing through his journey, its just a heads up for potential things to come.
I'm listening mate... honestly... I love getting persepctives and thoughts, whether i'm 100% onboard with them or not isn't the point, you fellas have done this stuff before, both in terms of MTBing and in terms of children, so it's always great to hear thoughts.
I'll admit, sometimes i think "Nah, that's not...." but then sometimes i come back to certain aspects and think "well, hmmm, maybe...." so it's all cracking insight.
Some of the lines are blurred at times, like the "ride the trail bike", because of the kid factor... it's like telling them to eat sprouts, they're good.... but the kids just want cake.... Sure we don't always give them cake... 🙂
I will be pushing the lad to ride the Privateer 141 when it's here and we'll also be testing it for speed/trails to see how it's times compare, i'm not even slightly against him riding it... In the same way, part of me would prefer he races Enduro rather than DH, partly because that means i can ride/race too. (But then that goes against the 'getting involved' thing) but it's also fabulous bonding time together.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51324793122_f03e29e4d1_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51324793122_f03e29e4d1_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2mcoYSf ]2021-07-21_09-47-35[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
The above pic shows one of my/our best days. Dangerbrain was there too from this here place. But it was just a fantastic weekend of beer, ice-cream, food, riding, trails, danger and laughs... I'll admit, he doesn't see it quite as fondly as i do 🙂 but he wasn't a pedal monster and it was a fair bit of climbing 🙂 But i'm pretty sure the whole weekend was right up there for him.
Were there ? Or were they on Enduro bikes because they don’t have/like another choice
The two fastest times of the day were DH riders on their trail bikes...
I have previously stated that I think you should have gone down the route of buying a good enduro bike rather than the lower end DH and trail that you previously were. You say he loves the DH bike over your trail bike, but is that because it's a better and 'cooler' bike?
Now you've got the good DH bike then it makes sense to run with it, especially knowing there's a new trail bike incoming.
The two fastest times of the day were DH riders on their trail bikes…
LEts be fair here, they're not exactly slow on anything 🙂
In the 15-16, 11 out of the first 13 were on DH bikes (from browsing the pics) 9th was his team-mate.
Maybe that says a lot about the mindset of the age-group, maybe it says something about their abilities... I don't know. But it's not quite cut and dried that Trail bikes are/were faster... Sometimes the rider makes all the difference... as is the case with the WC racer who won the fastest time of the day lol
Hey weeksy. You had a chat with your lad. At the very least he knows that you are conscious of it and the door is open if he did get any of those feelings in the future. That for me is healthy.
Life isnt alsways black and white and the lessons we have learnt may never effect you and your lad. As i mentioned yesterday in our messages, there are things that crop up in whatever particular sport that we, as mere mortals, cant really get our heads around and its healthy for them to have people other than their dad who can guide them.
Sorry if i came across negative, it wasnt meant that way and i apologise if i was a little blunt. I am on team weeksy.
No need for apologies at all fella... it's all good debate about MTB/people/riding/racing...
We as a forum don't always have to agree on the in-out of a particular subject, as long as we can disagree in the right way, there's no downside
Thought I'd mention this course to you as you mentioned your son might want a career in mountain biking even if it's outside racing. There's a course run in the Scottish borders called base.
https://www.borderscollege.ac.uk/base
https://www.dirtschool.co.uk/base/
The youngsters on that course are rapid. I see them out training and being coached round here in Innerleithen. It seems to prepare them for life outside of racing if they don't quite make it.
It's still early for you but maybe something for 2-3 years from now.
Oh we've had that chat more than once.
2 of his race mates are at interviews there in march so we'll get lots of info.
But yes, great tip, thanks
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/race-report-100-mini-downhill-round-1-forest-of-dean.html/blockquote >See a few familiar names from the BMX world in there - were the U13s running the same course as the older riders? If so Coby Wrayford (who is 11 I think, maybe 12?) is as much of a talent on the mtb as he is on a bmx. Two runs of 1.23 would put him top 15 in the 17-18s. On a little trail bike 😉
Yeah all the same course... that's the brilliant things about these events and things like MIJ, they're the same for everyone. Even when semi-pros turn up, they're all on the same course.
There's a lot of fast youngsters for sure... you often see BMX world champs, national champs etc... they all usually do really well.
@Hobnob - they were probably on Enduro bikes because that’s what most people own now rather than because they chose it over their DH bikes, although quite a few of the trails at FOD suit that kind of bike.
Should be on an enduro bike and stop pushing him, let him enjoy it and play 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Should be on an enduro bike and stop pushing him, let him enjoy it and play 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Nah. He needs an XC speed machine to get the strava KOMs innit 🤷🏼♂️
That lad has more skill in his left foot on a bike than I've had my entire life on one 🤣
He was looking at something today and we noticed that when we did the FoD race and he decided he wanted to race DH was not quite a year ago, it was the 26th Feb lol.
Wow, what a year.
Today was at Hopton with Scarlett his team mate. We're concentrating on fun on days like this and today was no exception. He was stupid fast, flying down and just laughing like a loon at the bottom. Was exceptional to see. Scarlett helps with this as she's a little Bundle of crazy frogs and makes him laugh lots.
They did about 15 runs and loved every minute
Today seeing the Hopton tracks showed me why I don't race DH and when I do any racing I come last, they're all just exceptional riders, really really impressed by so many of them.
We had a bit of a damp squib yesterday as we went to Swinley but the main trails he wanted to ride were closed.
So to see him all excited today on way home was great.
Bike was superb apparently.
So to see him all excited today on way home was great.
That's what it is all about 😁 what more could you possibly ask for as a parent 👍🏻
Bike was superb apparently.
It's still the wrong bike though 😉 (allegedly 🤷🏼♂️😂)
I can’t believe you didn’t make him ride the enduro bike he hasn’t got yet! If he’d raced on that he might have come higher (although he’d have looked very silly running down the course holding only a pair of DMR bars with no bike).
although he’d have looked very silly running down the course holding only a pair of DMR bars with no bike
Sillier still with pedals stuck to his running feet 😂
It’s still the wrong bike though 😉 (allegedly 🤷🏼♂️😂)
Heaven forbid there might be some people who have been there & done it already, offering some advice. I must have missed all those instabangers of the DH WC boys riding round the Surrey Hills on their DH bikes.
Lets move on hey... There's no right or wrong, me and the lad make our decisions, we currently have 2 bikes, both the same... so it's not a choice/decision anyway.
Even when the PRivateer arrives, it won't get used in DH races... whether people agree or not doesn't matter, it's not happening.
I appreciate all advice... but at times i'll choose to ignore it. Sorry, but that's the reality of life... i will never please everyone and i don't intend to try.. As long as i pleased the small one i created, then i'm happy.
Kind of related (but I dont have an opinion on which bike he should ride) - how does the sponsorship thing of the Privateer work? I assume they have provided the bike so there will be a minimum commitment of X amount of Enduro races using the bike?
how does the sponsorship thing of the Privateer work? I assume they have provided the bike so there will be a minimum commitment of X amount of Enduro races using the bike?
Well not exactly... Privateer are in with the team and they'd like us to ride it in Enduro, but as far as i know it's not a full on pre-requisite, however you'd have to ask Katy the details. We've gone a little further than some people and we're entering more Enduros than i believe are expected of us. We'll wait and see how it all pans out but Katy is very much about not pressuring the kids/team, but supporting them rather than pushing them.
They completely understand that currently the racers are DH racers who are going to race Enduro... rather than Enduro racers who may or may not race DH.
We're currently entered in 3 Enduros, but we'll likely do more when funds allow us to book, along with them being open for entry. There's also a few events that are sadly unable to allow him to enter due to his age, so we're slightly restricted on what we can do sometimes.
But we'll be pretty hot on riding, jumping and racing the Privateer and in the coming months i'll likely be geting banned for telling you lot all to buy one and how amazing they are LOL.
Well i won't, but i will be doing my best to post plenty of Privateer content as will the boy of course.
It's a tricky situation all-round though as we're completely new to this and it's obviously KAtys first year as a team head, so we're all learning different things about different aspects. I've made more than 1 mistake with the sponsorship aspect and i've also made 1 or 2 very good helpful aspects to the team/sponsorship too. But it's all a bit complex, complicated, crazy at times..
http://minienduro.tv/2023/01/2023-race-info/
These are more we're likely to enter.. but i can't put into words how crammed the calendar and the bank account are at the moment.
I'm not sure if that answers your question or indeed answers the right question.. but if not, throw in some more and i'll do my best to answer.
"can we take the 6 year olds bike to the woods please?"
New bike day for the boys. Proper excited lads and first ride report is that bike is brilliant and loving it, well apart from the Codes which don't stop him lol, but we'll soon sort that.
A load of DMR parts fitted and he spent the afternoon thrashing it down trails with Katy and Drew.
Awesome!! 👍🏻
Well deserved 👍
Having a bit of a spanner twiddle this morning to fit the cable tidy/routing bits, along with a bottle cage relocator and his Mallet DH pedals (the older ones are very very tired)... Really liking the bike in terms of quality and finish and without too much in the way of sponsor plugging, the DMR Camo stuff looks superb 😀
The Codes have a lot of lever throw before the bite, so i'm debating whether i try and dial that out with a bit of over-bleeding to stiffen the lever and then move it in a bit, or whether i just fit the Guides that we already have here and he likes and has fitted to the purple GT Fury.
He'll be out playing on the 141 today though all day i think as he'll need to get used to it, but as i implied last night, first impressions are excellent and he was straight up to speed and surprised how many of his race lines he could hit on it. I think he was expecting it to be a bit less capable than it seems to be.
Next up is a day with Katy later in the week (on the 141) and then a trip to BPW next weekend, where he'll be riding both the GT and the 141, partly for video/pics, but also just to get more bike time in and getting used to it.
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I'd try advancing the pistons on the Codes first then try adding more fluid if that doesn't work.
Again, at the risk of repeating myself, awesome 👍🏻👍🏻
Having seen it in the flesh- it and the lad are indeed awesome 😎
Just on the Code thing - they have a chunk more bite than guides so I can‘t believe they won’t stop him. Chances are they haven’t been broken in enough - innit ally don5 it 5 hard stops from about 20mm on tarmac - normally 3 or 4 in you suddenly get a lot more bite. They nornally come with sintered pads which are very decent.
You don’t need to overfill them to get a quicker bite - just pop the wheel out and pull the lever to advance the pads (don’t overdo it) and put the wheel back in.
Ace bikes though - sounds like the lads are going to love them 👌
Pads were advanced and feel nicer, he's telling me they're decent, but I still don't think they're setting the world on fire compared to the Hopes and they're close to the Guides. They're deffo broken in now that's for sure, but at the moment there's many things to play with and setup, so it's just baby steps.
He's actually coming home way happier than I thought or hoped and absolutely loves it. Today he was out for 5 hours, so can't say he's not putting in the time.
I was out for 3 hours yesterday and the same today, my hands are tired.