Got my (old 26″) Rocket built up last week after a couple of years slumming it on a 456, and took it up to Grenoside to do some setup laps. Remarkably almost everything worked (apart from a loose pivot bolt) but the bike itself was a revelation, even though it’s only a year and a half since I last rode it.

I fully expected to be taking it steady and getting used to the bike. Nah, none of that. Turns out trying to keep up with full sus mates on a hardtail has worked wonders for my riding and I was absolutely flying, clearing all the jumps (including the gap which I’ve NEVER done before) and marvelling at the grip through the turns.

Unfortunately this surge of confidence let to an ill advised launch into the bombhole, resulting in a very dramatic but surprisingly injury free over the bars tumble. Bike is fine, I have only minor cuts and bruises (and probably mild concussion) but my helmet didn’t come out of it so well… Reckon it’s time for a new one?

Lucky escape that! Sounds like a bit of a hooligan that bike though 🙂

It certainly encourages one to ‘push on’ somewhat. Or maybe that’s just me.

I’m not a fan of helmets but I wouldn’t want to absorb the damage yours did with my skull that’s for sure!

trying to keep up with full sus mates on a hardtail

That’s where I’m at. I was on my little SS hardtail chasing my brother on his Scout yesterday and managed to catch my toe on something that then pulled my foot in between the pedal and the ground. Cue a girlish scream, a very sore and swollen ankle and a day off work..

I’m pretty sure I would have come off worse in this specific incident (my face dragged on the floor a bit too) without a helmet, a FF would have been better.

I’m amazed how much faster I went after the hardtail time. I was keeping up with the fastest in our group (even going faster in bits) and I’m pretty sure I was slower before. No Strava to prove it though.

Lots of that going on yesterday chasing the demo e-bikes around Cannock. They’re really fast you know

I reckon you just need to put a couple of stickers on that helmet and it’ll be grand

<div class=”bbp-reply-author”>funkmasterp
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I reckon you just need to put a couple of stickers on that helmet and it’ll be grand

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You can have it for a tenner if you like. Cheap at half the price!

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Possibly my favourite quote ever by Casey Stoner after Valentino Rossi took them both out with an enthusiastic pass from a long way bay back.

“Your ambition outweighed your talent”

I’m another one who’s pretty decent at helmet testing, amusingly this was done when undergoing smbla accreditation up at glentress 10 odd years ago