Viewing 40 posts - 121 through 160 (of 344 total)
  • New Bike weekend, the time to Slay the trails.
  • weeksy
    Full Member

    weeksy
    Full Member

    bollox and nightmare.. the Slayer let me down today… Was all going swimmingly at first… but then it seems i lost a bolt !!!

    [url=https://flic.kr/p/2o53zxk]bolt[/url] by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

    Funny shaped things so bike specific… game over… 🙁

    weeksy
    Full Member

    Back on the Slayer today and trying to dial both it and me in a bit. I set myself a few tasks in bed last night for today’s ride and went out to do them.

    First was repetition on a log jump, carry a bit more speed, then more, then a bit of pop, then speed etc until I was getting it half respectable.
    Then onto the Enduro trail which has 3 loams into a dad-gap. It’s called that because to kids it’s just a feature, but to dad’s it’s actually something that plays on the mind, I’ve not hit it for months, mostly blaming the weather, conditions etc.
    Today I did 2 runs and chickened out on both. But run 3 I hit it, then 4&5 too. So felt I’d put that to bed, but despite that, I still do t go into it with a lot of confidence, so that’s something to work on next
    My lad followed me into the Log “you pre jump, you need to do your jump later” which is an interesting observation.
    So again, something to work on. Getting that better and more confident.

    I’m also debating swapping the brakes over and putting the SRAM Code Rs on instead of the SLX
    I’ll likely just do the front one today as a test and then the rear as that needs to go through the frame as internally routed.

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

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    joebristol
    Full Member

    I’ve got a trail with a couple of steep bomb holes in it that plays on my mind every time I ride it whether dry or wet. Ridden it loads of times – maybe 50 or so and yet it always needs my full focus. Same woods has a step down that I’ve done 3 or 4 times and yet it freaks me out still too. Just need some more confidence / bottle!

    weeksy
    Full Member

    Messing around today with the kids

    IMGP8639

    IMGP8606

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    weeksy
    Full Member

    Had the Slayer out at the weekend at Bringewood DH track… It’s not a friendly place lol. Tricky, rooty, steep in places, techie… I’m not sure what was worse, the ride down or the ride back up. I wasn’t booked on the uplift as i was supposed to be at BPW the next day, so even though i could probably have snuck on the uplift van, i thought i’d pedal it instead… but it wasn’t nice lol. It still shows that despite my progress as a rider, i’m so so far away from being anything like decent. 🙁

    singlespeedstu
    Full Member

    I’d not say Bringewood was either steep or techie myself.
    What I would say though is that it can be slippy as **** this time of year so don’t beat yourself up about it.
    Did you ride any of the enduro trails?
    Some brilliant riding over there and also on the hill the other side of the woods.

    weeksy
    Full Member

    I’d not say Bringewood was either steep or techie myself.
    What I would say though is that it can be slippy as **** this time of year so don’t beat yourself up about it.
    Did you ride any of the enduro trails?
    Some brilliant riding over there and also on the hill the other side of the woods.

    I would.

    No only the DH race track, i was on spanner duty as one of the kids broke a freehub so i repaired that which took up a chunk of time, then i was on pot-noodle duty lol. By then, it was afternoon and the trails had turned to slop so i didn’t bother going back out. I also didn’t know there were any other trails, but i did see a few when i was riding back up to uplift start/car-park.

    singlespeedstu
    Full Member

    You should go back and ride some of the other trails there.
    Much better than the DH trail.
    Was a regular for us when we lived down that way.

    Park here and you have access to both riding areas.

    https://www.google.com/maps/place/Vinnalls+Car+Park/@52.3502658,-2.8129842,13z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xeed16b74cd0828ad!8m2!3d52.3535687!4d-2.7725579

    weeksy
    Full Member

    You should go back and ride some of the other trails there.
    Much better than the DH trail.

    TBH that’s rarely possible, i’m not sure when we next have a free weekend. The lad is racing several different DH series along with multiple Enduro series this season.

    SirHC
    Full Member

    There has been a fair bit of felling on the enduro trails at Bringe DH side, there is a lot more over the road in the other forest. Shout if you want showing round, need to get over there and do a bit of maintenance when it dries out a bit.

    weeksy
    Full Member

    Thanks lots mate, but it’s a 2.5 hour drive for us, the only reason we were there as it was pre-race-uplift day with Pearce Cycles.. we’ll be there again for the race, but in truth, i’m not sure we’ll get up there again outside of race weekend. Not because i think it was bad in any way.. but just a fair old drive and lots of other places we ride.

    weeksy
    Full Member

    Tracing a creak, that’s a heck of a job at times

    Fitted new pedals, checked shock hardware, checked all pivot bolts, bearings, etc, then dropper post, saddle mounts, saddle, then headset (which is knackered it seems), then onto a spare wheel. It was then I thought “oooh that’s the noise there” so maybe it’s the wheel. Re-fit axle without wheel, there it is again. You can feel it’s over on mech side. Loosen off the 19mm nut that the axle screws into (and secures hanger), yup that sorts it. Weird one that.

    Been bugging me for the last few rides with creaking. Good as gold now

    weeksy
    Full Member

    Trying to get a little better…  Spent time working on a table and then moved onto the gap…. It looks rubbish in the video, but i found it hard to build up to it.

    Luckily i had a small child teaching/telling me stuff.

    Best part was that i hit it another 4 times afterwards, which is one of my biggest issues. Gap is 8′ edge to edge… which i’m really pleased with.

    weeksy
    Full Member

    I did the dad-gap-jump which Couchy did yesterday, I never thought I’d do, but managed it. Heart in mouth and pounding! Did about 5 goes on it trying to improve, but need to up my technique to get it nicer. It’s not massive in terms of length, i’ve jumped further, but it’s a steep entry in and just scared me… If it wasn’t for him doing it yesterday, i wouldn’t have tried it today. The thing is, when you do it, it’s actually not too bad. The tough part though is going back next time and doing it again.
    But that can wait as it’s FoD on Thurs and then BPW on Sat. I’ve just fitted some wider bars for the weekend. After riding the lads bike yesterday i think i’ve maybe cut mine slightly too narrow… I’ve got a set that came with the Slayer that are about 20mm wider, so going to try them on Thurs.

    Also very much debating a set of SRAM Code Rs to go on there. I’d like Hopes… but there’s just not budget.

    [url=https://flic.kr/p/2ogLrit]2023-02-13_06-10-07[/url] by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

    razorrazoo
    Full Member

    I’ve just ordered a set of Tech4s so will have some Tech3 E4s up for sale in the next couple of weeks (not sure I’ll get round to fitting them before this weekend), if you do find some pennies down the back of the sofa you’re welcome to first refusal.

    weeksy
    Full Member

    Well funnily i’ve just spent a while attempting to take the Slayer apart to get the brakes off it… My word what a faff !!!

    I’ve got a little ‘door/port’ which has 2 tiny 2.5mm head bolts in… sadly you need to remove the shock and pivot bolt to get to them, 1 you can’t get to without removing the shock, the other you need the pivot bolt out of the way lol.

    Then once you get that i noticed the brake line routes through the chainstay in what is a semi-impossible routing.

    The top end near the headstock isn’t much better with again, really tight and fiddly routing… I’m not sure i’d get the bugger back together with a brake 😀 😀

    joebristol
    Full Member

    Sounds like an excellent piece of design from RM! I’d swear they do these things so people don’t bother working on bikes themselves and just go to a bike shop.

    I’m not a Shimano brake fan, but what would either a Code R or Tech3 E4 give you over an SLX 4 pot (other than seals that will hold your fluid in / an easier bleed without a wandering bite point)?

    Would think if you’re going to upgrade id hold on and save some money up and go Code RSC or Tech4 V4….

    weeksy
    Full Member

    I’m not a Shimano brake fan, but what would either a Code R or Tech3 E4 give you over an SLX 4 pot (other than seals that will hold your fluid in / an easier bleed without a wandering bite point)?

    It’s more in terms of ‘trailing’ the brakes which Shimano isn’t brilliant, it’s a bit “where’s the brake, where’s the brake, ,.. WHAM” whether or not i could actually take advantage of that in any way is open to debate of course 🙂

    joebristol
    Full Member

    Haha – I thought the 4 pot Shimano a were meant to be more subtle / have more modulation than the 2 pot ones which were renowned to be on/off. I put slx 4 pots on a mates SC 5010 which I’ve had a few quick goes on and haven’t really noticed the brakes – more just how much bumpier it is than my bike.

    Code R aren’t bad brakes as you know – got them on both bike – but itching to try some RSC and / or Tech 4 V4’s to see how they compare. Not that I want to buy new brakes at the moment.

    weeksy
    Full Member

    My thinking was more because i could flog the SLXs for about the same… So it’s a no lose idea. But the routing.. well.. it could be interesting and i’d end up screaming 😀

    THinking about it though, if i trim the line and don’t have an olive/barb on it… maybe i could just remove the line and route the new one.. Sounds like a great theory right up until it’s not 🙂

    joebristol
    Full Member

    Sram make a double ended barb thing to help with internal routing. Connect the old hose to the new one and pull it through. That’s the theory anyway

    mashr
    Full Member

    joebristol
    Full Member
    Haha – I thought the 4 pot Shimano a were meant to be more subtle / have more modulation than the 2 pot ones which were renowned to be on/off

    They are, but still a long way from the squishiness of other brands. I really like them (if you ignore the leaking master cylinder on one) as I feel like I’m adjusting the power via pressure rather than movement, it’s just different strokes for different folks

    weeksy
    Full Member

    It’s not that i don’t like them or they don’t work… Was just interested in trying different things.

    weeksy
    Full Member

    Was having a play last night and removed the SLX from the rear and loosly fitted a SRAM GuideR to the bike, when i say loosely, i mean with cable ties onto the bottle cage 😀
    However i deffo do prefer the feel of something more GuideR like than SLX like.

    But with FoD tomorrow and BPW on Sat, i won’t change anything just yet in case the internal routing goes wrong and i end up on a bike i don’t want to ride for the weekend.

    I have an option on the Tech3E4s from razorazoo above which is a good and nicely priced option into the Hope world. But then part of me feels if i’m buying Hopes, i should really fit them to the boys bike not mine as he’ll do them more justice, however he doesn’t really need them on the spare DH bike and he seems to like the Codes on the 141… so bit daft.

    Some thinking needed here.

    anthonyweighell
    Full Member

    🙂

    weeksy
    Full Member

    Epic day out yesterday on the Slayer. Starting at Dowies with a small teeny, managed to hang on his wheel on 4/5 trails, losing about 30m on the 5th… But i’d take that… What i do find slightly weird is that somewhere like Dowies i can hang with him, but then at other places he just destroys me, like by miles and miles on a trail.
    Me and the Slayer decided again it was man-up time and hit a couple of dad-gaps at FoD in the afternoon, along with a steep and gnarly trail that was pretty eye opening !
    But all in all… it was a fab ride.
    Only downside, the headset that was a bit dead, is proper dead. So as i was packing up the bike last night, i chucked a new upper bearing in it… only took a couple of mins and should be golden for BPW tomorrow.
    The SRAM Codes haven’t arrived yet, but i don’t think i’ll be risking throwing them on the bike today, just in case.. So they can wait till Sunday.

    weeksy
    Full Member

    Codes have arrived and it’s SOOOO tempting to sort fitting this afternoon. If the routing was either external or even a bike i’d routed before, i’d have jumped on it by now. But that’s sadly not the case and i don’t know if i can route it easily, or nightmareishly on this bike.. So makes sense to leave until Sunday i guess. Look good though and ready to roll (stop rolling)

    weeksy
    Full Member

    This may come as a shock to some… but i doubt it 😀

    I was having lunch and thought “i’ll fit the front as it doesn’t need routing”

    So that was done and i gave it an outside in the close type test…. “wow, awesome” so i whipped out the rear as well… and proceeded to route it… fiddly sod of a job actually but more than happy after 5 mins, once you get it through the hole in the bottom of the frame it’s sleeved internally so works straight through to the top.

    [url=https://flic.kr/p/2ohrmwp]2023-02-17_02-24-12[/url] by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

    [url=https://flic.kr/p/2ohq15g]2023-02-17_02-24-17[/url] by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

    razorrazoo
    Full Member

    Looks like you need some matchmakers, that’s a lot of messy clamps.

    bikerevivesheffield
    Full Member

    Lots? 2! 1 more than a match maker

    razorrazoo
    Full Member

    Double the number required, 😀

    Definitely needs a matchmaker 😉

    weeksy
    Full Member

    Well despite the weather that was somewhat of an epic epic riding day for me at BPW. There was a light misting of rain for most of the day but the trails were soggy and as you can see, not very clean.
    [url=https://flic.kr/p/2ohGepk]2023-02-19_07-13-18[/url] by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

    But grip levels were good and we had an absolute blast. The Slayer was epic and has moved to the top of my ‘best bike ever ridden’ in terms of places like BPW. It just eats up absolutely everything. In previous visits i’d not always ‘clean’ every part of a trail or two, Surfing Bird being one trail, i always ended with a foot down somewhere, but yesterday i aced it more than once. We also did a couple of tight tech blacks, including Deep Navigation, which is just so so rocky it’s actually ridiculous 😀 but cleaned that too. Bonneville i always find hard as it’s tight, nadgery, slippy and steep, but again it went down well.
    The real thing that completed my day though was setting off down Sixtapod and having my lads mate behind me, he’s not as fast as mine, but he can fly along.. When we got to the bottom he says “you were rapid, i couldn’t catch up with you at all”… Blush and sigh, that made me feel good. Later in the day on Vicious Valley my lad was following me and afterwards says “you were proper quick through that section”… Again… i felt massively happy. Hopefully it shows that some of the hard work, effort and pushing is avtually paying off.
    The CODERs were awesome, love them way way more than my SLXs, so really happy to have swapped them.

    Can’t wait for the next ride… Although i’ve got a day of cleaning/sorting first today and need a few days off, i’m proper achey at the moment.

    weeksy
    Full Member

    In a moment of madness as a space has come up for this weekends race… I’ve entered myself and the Slayer for it.

    I’ll be nervous as a kitten now for the next 4 days !!!! But hey, that’s why we do these things 🙂

    See if we can get 2nd last… Mmmmmm

    weeksy
    Full Member

    2023-03-02_05-50-56

    Last jaunt out before race weekend

    weeksy
    Full Member

    For me, after the fail on drop of despair was a little down on myself and almost didn’t race. Especially as practice is more serious and I didn’t want to hold people up. But I went out and stuck the number on and raced it. It was hard for me in tech context and a year ago I’d not have ridden it. Whilst I wasn’t fast or graceful, I finished. I didn’t exactly cover myself in glory, but it was a box ticked again of ‘racing’ a DH race and a bit of preparation for the upcoming Enduro races at BPW and Southern Enduro. So i’m half happy but as always, slightly disappointed in the overall performance

    [url=https://flic.kr/p/2okoXMy]2023-03-05_04-54-13[/url] by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

    Experimenting with bars today.. Looking at the other pics it could be argued they’re a smidgen too close. So i’ve moved the flip-chip from 1 to 3, which makes it less slack from 63.8 to 64.5deg on the head angle but also adds 10mm to the reach.
    Along with that, i’ve thrown on a 60mm stem. Which is slightly complex as it needs new bars, but we have them in spares box anyway. Right width but slightly higher ride than i usually run. The stem and bar combo are 31.8s, the Slayer usually comes with 35s… but i don’t have any longer 35 stems in spares, only 40mm. (same as standard).
    The plan all along was to run a 50mm stem, i just never got round to it. But i don’t wanna waste £30 on a stem so borrowed this from a mate to test.

    As always there is a random ‘plan’ as well….
    https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/3539888/

    Which also ticks the box of being a race spare… The only downside with it is the spec is really not my preference with Shimano brakes (I have spare Codes) and RS35s forks which i’m not massively keen on either… The rest is nice though.

    razorrazoo
    Full Member

    Hold on, are you considering getting rid of the Slayer to buy a basic spec 141 with rubbish forks and/or converting to old school stem lengths for the sake of £30?!!  Madness.

    Yak
    Full Member

    Looks great, but you are not allowed a spare bike for most enduro races.
    I would go for the 50mm stem and keep the same bars so you are only changing one thing at a time. Also much cheaper than the ‘random plan’.

    weeksy
    Full Member

    Hold on, are you considering getting rid of the Slayer to buy a basic spec 141 with rubbish forks and/or converting to old school stem lengths for the sake of £30?!! Madness.

    Nope, i’m thinking of both bikes 🙂 with the predominant reason being to have a spare 141… but also it’d be cool for both me and the lad to race on the same bike. The Slayer isn’t leaving either way. In reality, i doubt i’ll pick-up the 141, was just running it through my head as a potential idea.

    I’ll happily buy a £30 stem in the 50mm and 35dia, but wanted to test first to see if a little more length is better. Slightly tricky to tell though as the bar-rise on the spare DMRs is totally different though. But i may run it in the morning at BPW with the 60mm stem fitted just to see, then swap to the stock 40mm/35dia at lunch. Although that also depends how many runs we do in the mud/monsoon lol.

    edit.
    https://www.merlincycles.com/race-face-aeffect-35-mtb-stem-99333.html

    Bought a stem so i can test properly 😀

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