Weeksy08 the ongoing racing trials and tribulations of a crazy teen

Genuine question, why start a new thread for each bike? Why not have a thread for your bike ideas, and a thread for your lads? This one could be for whatever your lad is riding, surely the mods could change the title?

This is a decent point and would give continuity so I’ll ask them for a title change yeah.

Ok, so here’s where we are.

After race run 1 the boy came in and said
“I actually prefer DH racing to Enduro” and over the course of the day the seed was shown and grew roots.
I pinged Scott Fitzz a message via email and we ended up cancelling the Southern Enduro series completely. We could then concentrate on DH

With the changes of plans for the series, come the changes of events.

So instead of being at Twisted Oaks on the 13th March, it seems we’re at DH racing on the 13th instead in Forest of Dean. Hopefully on a new DH bike. Well i say hopefully, but i’m 100% sure that within 2 weeks we’ll have found, sorted and bought one.

It’s a race series called MIJ which we’ve not raced with before, but my local mate and his 2 lads have done.

We’re then straight off on the 20th up to Berwyn/Llangollen in Wales for another DH race.

So with the Enduro entries cancelled and refunded, that freed up some cash for DH entries. There will be more getting booked, but that’s certainly enough for one day.

entries by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

So as you’d expect, within 24 hours i’ve got his bike listed for sale, along with buying the new bike.

We discussed the 27.5 and 29er debate of course and threw ideas on whether we go newer or cheaper and the difference isn’t THAT much in price, well, unless you go completely bonkers that is.

So we settled on this.
Product 2018 GT Fury Pro Bike

Model Year 2018

Riding Type Downhill

Rider Unisex

Sizes and Geometry XS, S, M, L View Geometry

Wheel Size 27.5″ (650b)

Frame Material Aluminum

Frame Material Details COR downhill design, 6069-T6 alloy, forged linkage

Rear Travel 210mm

Rear Shock RockShox Vivid Coil R2C with adjustable rebound and compression

Fork RockShox Boxxer Team with adjustable rebound, 20mm thru axle

Fork Travel 200mm

Head Tube Diameter 1.5″

Headset FSA Orbit Z, 1.5″ to 1.25″ reducer

Handlebar Race Face Respond, 785mm width

Stem Direct mount, 35mm length

Grips GT Statement Double, lock-on

Brakes SRAM Guide R with 203mm rotors front and rear

Brake Levers SRAM Guide R

Drivetrain 1x

Shifters SRAM GX DH

Front Derailleur N/A

Rear Derailleur SRAM GX DH, mid cage

ISCG Tabs ISCG 05

Chainguide e*thirteen LG1

Cranks Race Face Chester, 165mm

Chainrings 36 tooth

Bottom Bracket Race Face X-Type, 83mm

s-l1600 by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

s-l1600 (8) by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

s-l1600 (7) by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

s-l1600 (6) by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

s-l1600 (5) by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

s-l1600 (4) by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

s-l1600 (3) by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

s-l1600 (2) by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

s-l1600 (1) by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

It is being delivered to a mates house right about now actually, I’ve bought a new spring for the shock and on the 13th March it will make it’s race debut.

It’s a big step and slightly bonkers, but hey, if you’re going all in, then go all in.

Please tell me that’s NOT your garage @weeksy or I’m seriously going to have to sell the wife and kids and buy a bigger house!!! 😂
BTW, that pic above of your boy airborne is the point where if it was ever me, I’d be the one going “SHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII**”

With that brought the question of.
“What about non DH days”

In a slightly quirky twist of fate, this arrived today too in part ex for my G170.
2022-03-02_05-28-54 by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

That’s how it now looks. Put a shorter stem on it, sorted a few bolts that needed tidying up and a new thread sorting on it. Done the shock and fork pressures and rebound…. The boy approves, he likes it at this stage.

With it comes the option for a more trailsy bike for the lad to use in summer and on bigger days out than the DH bike is likely to ride.

Mind you’ll need a spring for the fork too unless it’s being sold with the right one.

Nice bike though, nothing bonkers about it

Edit: on the Whyte, I’m sure we all spoke about using a Trail Boss on the front….

Are the forks not air then? Lol shows how much I know about them.

The White was collected an hour and half ago, we’re far from doing tyres yet.

Typical teenager – picks the sport with less pedalling (a kid after my own heart). Lol

2018 Team is a coil fork – which is great news for performance and servicing really

It’s a 2018 pro. If that changes anything.

Now in my mates garage and ready for collection.

@fazzini not my garage, the sellers.
If that pic scared you,

How’s that lol.

2 bikes for the boy, what do you ride?

Lol theres a question matey. That one really was waiting for its own thread.

But hey, I’m not sure I can take the debate on that

This just arrived on Monday

Trek Fuel ex9.8.
Full carbon frame, bars, wheels.

It’s absolutely astounding to look at.

If the sodding rain ever stops I’ll find out how it rides too.

@weeksy I think I just let out a smidgen of poo 😱 brave lad…good on him and good luck in the DH races.

Fuel EX. Didn’t see that coming TBH

Fuel EX. Didn’t see that coming TBH

It’s been an interesting week.

Sworks sold
G170 sold

Ex9.8 in
T130 in
GT Fury in.

Lol bonkers week.

Ah, I thought it was a Remedy from a quick sneaky at the pics. My son has a Remedy, its superb. Fuel is 29er yeah? Looks tasty that.

Yes 29er. Tyres swapped for DHRs and ready to go for a season of Enduro. Oh.

We’ve cancelled that lol.

Ready for, well, everything else. Ha ha.

140 front, 130 rear travel, 13.4kg of lightness.

But anyway, this is the lads thread not mine. So I digress

That Fuel looks lovely Weeksy, especially after the aesthetic abomination of the Whyte. Interested in how the Treks ride.

Don’t worry. He’ll decide he doesn’t like riding at all next week…

interesting update!

will be interested to see how the lad gets on with the DH bike.

Trek is tidy too!

It’s been a properly interesting few days mate yes. We’re still doing the Haibike Enduro at BPW on the 23rd as it’s too late to cancel it and both of us love a bit of BPW.
As to whether we’re walking up and pushing the DH bike for it, or we’re pedalling some of it/all of it on the T-130, remains to be seen. It’s all kinda waiting on seeing just how the GT pedals when it arrives with us. It’s got a 7 speed setup on it, 11-25 cogs on the rear, so is going to be pretty awful for pedalling. So not really sure how we’re going to play things just yet.

Is it crazy to buy a medium cage 10sp for one of these and go 1×10 ? I know a fair few DH bikes run a decent range 1×10 setup like say the Santa Cruz and the Saracen, but i’m wondering if it’s completely daft or completely sane to do it… I assume there’s no logical reason why i can’t ? Possibly the rear wheel hub may only take a certain cassette size, possibly 7/8/9 rather than 10 speed ?

I know it’s supposed to be a DH only bike, but the reality is, he’ll want to test it, try it, practice on it more and a better range would be good.

Just keep it as a DH bike, setup as is. Even with revised gearing and a seat that can go full height it’ll still be terrible to pedal. It’s also going to be significantly heavier than the Enduro

They are designed in an uncompromising way, use the Whyte for anything that’s not full DH

Do not underestimate how badly DH bikes are at pedaling and climbing. They’re just not made for it and are the reason why 180mm Enduro bikes have a place in the market when you want lots of suspension but still be able to pedal.

Obviously the flip side is that when things get really gnarly downhill then it’ll be great. Most of BPW isn’t very DH bike friendly as the top section is really quite flat.

Happily this is his decision so it’s on him…. Although i will be the one he moans at 🙂

We both accept it’ll be a compromise in many ways, but that’s OK, it’s what we’ve signed up for.

So we’ve got a new rear coil spring arriving in the next day or so, 300lb which should give him perfect travel and sag.

I’ve also ordered a new front spring for the Boxxer in extra soft which is good for 60kg, he’s about that when kitted up so perfect for him.

Will deffo have to get a Rogate session in the diary soon!
But bring the whyte…dh bike is too much there 😃😃

DrP

But bring the whyte…dh bike is too much there

Depends how fast you’re going 😉

We’ll be at Rogate in the not too distant future, but most weekends at the moment are racing.

We both accept it’ll be a compromise in many ways

That’s the thing, it’s not a compromise at all. It’s totally uncompromising. DH bikes are utter shit anywhere other than DH tracks, where they are fantastic. Don’t be surprised if he is completely underwhelmed by it at the likes of FoD. You can try keeping a lighter set of wheels and tyres in reserve for certain occasions, it’s a losing battle though . . . until it gets back to the correct habitat

Collection day!

2022-03-05_02-28-34 by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

Weird observations in the last 24 hour, I went to remove the shock, well that was hard! It’s mounted on the linkage with bearings at each end of the inner spacer/sleeve. However they were exceptionally hard to get off and when trying to get back on after changing the spring when trying to get it through, you ended up knocking out the bearing.

In the end I put 2 new bearings in and a bit of light lubricant and it was a bit easier. I guess it’s supposed to be tight though as you want the bearing inner to rotate.

I then noticed when putting the rear wheel back in that the mech hanger isn’t fixed like I’d normally expect. All other bikes it fits into a recess and is then held with a small bolt.
This one has a locator in the form of a recess, a small bolt locates it there, but doesn’t actually hold it as such. I find that very strange.

With the new shock spring it’s now a question of getting it dialled in for the weekend as he’s racing it at FoD on Sunday.
Sadly, he’s spannered his foot in school on Friday and is struggling to even walk, let alone test the bike fully. So we’ll see if we can manage to do testing at FoD on Saturday and race Sunday.

https://www.tritoncycles.co.uk//components-c9/derailleurs-c71/derailleur-hangers-c604/gt-fury-sanction-2015-18-standard-mech-hanger-p12742/s35703

2022-03-06_08-49-34 by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
So I guess the hanger slots into frame and can only go in one way

Well that’s scuppered any plans.

Broken metatarsal on left foot.

Bit of time off the bike then. Have they given any time spans yet.

Bit of time off the bike then. Have they given any time spans yet.

We have ‘virtual fracture clinic’ in a couple of days time. But they’re resilient little buggers and he wants to race this weekend and next weekend up in Llangollen/Berwyn too.

I think we may skip this weekend, but weekend after we’ll likely make it to.

The bike is away today getting new fork internals fitted to his weight.
2022-03-04_01-44-48 by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

I guess we’ll see on Friday how he’s doing, i can tow him up the uplift using the Ebike, so all he’ll have to do is get back down.

i can tow him up the uplift using the Ebike

Wait…you have an e-bike too???? I really need to have a word with Mrs Fazzini about my garage lacking another bicycle. maybe I should sell the kids 🤔 😂

Hope he heals quickly

I guess we’ll see on Friday how he’s doing, i can tow him up the uplift using the Ebike, so all he’ll have to do is get back down.

Let it heal. All it takes is one awkward dab/rock/stump/whatever and he’ll be in a worse state

Wait…you have an e-bike too????

Sorta…. i bought it 50-50 with Mrs Weeksy. It’s a Liv Embolden E+ with a Yamaha motor and i dunno what battery, 130mm both ends…. it’s OK… I’ve only ridden it 3-4 times when we’ve gone to Peak district with the Ebike guys, my lad rode it at Cannock. Mrs Weeksy has ridden it twice in 2 years, if i guess it’s got 100 miles on it i’d be fairly close.

2021-05-16_06-56-29 by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

2021-05-11_04-01-11 by Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

If it was me I would be discussing it with the fracture clinic doctor as to what they recommend he can and cant do. Especially if he is racing. You may well need to let the race organisers know if he is intending to race.
We found with Abigale that the Consultants have worked with her and her race agenda to try and accommodate a realistic recovery with out compounding the injuries.
She is back at the hospital today to determine the next steps in her recovery so we all have our fingers crossed. Hopefully she will get the right outcome