recently i have found myself riding less and less, partially due to my current bike evolving into a enduro/mini DH monster and the main factor......excuses, its too windy, too cold, i dont have the correct tires, you name it iv used it in the past.
The evolution of the bike ment i only ever wanted to go ride trail center and DH trails then came the light at the end of the tunnel. all the talk of the "season" got me thinking "can i find a way to ride to work off road" the answer is of course yes. with this in mind i set about hunting through the dirty realms of ebay and forum classifieds for a cross or steel XC HT. The light at the end of the tunnel eventual appeared in the form of a Genesis Alpitude, not exactly the correct bike but loved the frame and spec all the same and could be good for some of the easier trail centers.
Anyhow i digress, so over my few days off this week i eventually cleared the backlog of things to do, fit headsets for mates, wash the bed sheets, take the dog for a little wander thus i turned my attention to the genesis sitting in the spare room, the narrow bars would need changing but that would be all to make the perfect machine. A set of renthal 780mm bars and the job was done and i though to myself sitting looking at the bike that at one time in my life, about 10 years ago i would be out charging my HT at every oppotunity and at the prime age of 15 i would ride anything i could lay my hands on and suddenly a plan was hatched, 15min later im heading down the stairs bike in hand to recreate those early days of riding, the cheeky footpaths, sceatchy rutted trails that were dug by us years ago and in all honesty it was some of the most fun iv had on a bike in ages, feeling myself pushing the HT into turns, gaping roots and grabbing handfuls of brake as the bike and myself straggle to cope with what i would usual barge through on the full sus and the amazing feeling of pedaling, yes using the pedals to build more and more speed, sure i would have had more control on the bouncy beast but i didnt care, i was killing the trail and in my head im the fastest iv ever ridden down this section.
I suppose what im getting at here is that even at a young 25 years old we can still drift away from what is special about riding bikes, yes i love the alps, big Scottish epics and gunning DH trails but in essence so long as im on a bike be it a bouncer or HT i can still have a whale of a time and not even have to fire up the van, im sitting typing this with a huge grin and aching legs with my new best mate genesis sat beside the kitchen table,
so to sum up. Get on your bike, pedal, hit everything as fast as you can and go home smiling weather you be hitting big hills or riding from your front door to those cheeky trails you learned to ride on,
yes your now bored and your eyes hurt from reading this but i just though i would take 5 to explain my rekindled love for a riding type i thought i would never turn to again
rob
The bike that restarted it all
[IMG] 
[/IMG]