Just read your intro, I used to work in Robin’s shop years ago (1981/1982!), not long after he started the Stockbridge one and Phil was still running the mornigside shop.
It’s a small world. Still miss Phil and think about him, a lot of good memories from those days.
Iain.

I had a problem where the quick release part was not ‘nipped up’ causing air to get in, check this is tight (not too tight!) with a 6mm and 9mm spanner – it’s the nearest two parts to that bit of hose that looks dodgy.
Iain.

I’ve got a friend selling a 17.5″ Remedy 9.8 29 if interested, one year old and hardly used.

ps The race face BB is utterly rubbish though….

Used them all year, no problems.
Iain.

Have you looked at the Trek Top Fuel range – I’ve raced one all year and found it brilliant. Mines up for sale but would be too big for you however there are a few others in the team for sale, definitely a 17.5 inch if you were interested – race winning pedigree with a Vets National Marathon Championship win in the last few weeks as well!

They retail at £6,800 but will be selling at a season old with full Trek warranty for much less.
If you are interested then email me and I can pass on details, iainwight@aol.com mine is here if you want to see what it looks like http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/trek-top-fuel-99sl-215-2016-for-sale

It’s still ‘improved’ unfortunately, so definitely not the technical ascent or descent it used to be. It’s a bit looser now than when they first resurfaced it but you’d have more fun coming down the ‘waterpump’ or into Stanton or Laverton.
Iain.

+1 for Whitemead, we did two weeks there last month and it has great facilities (pool, sauna, gym, bar, etc). Easy access to off-piste routes as well.

Trek Stache 5 – just over a grand but a great bike and good resale value.

Ah, must have got my weeks mixed up – thanks!

Hi RussyH, I’ve just dropped you an email, I’m down here for a few days so would love a GPX.

If anyone is organising a ride this week to show any of us non-locals some of the trails then I would definitely be keen.

WiFi where we are staying is very sketchy and no phone’s working – it’s like being cut off from the world!

cheers
Iain

Oh dear, I won’t come out of this well, changed/added 5 bikes last year for myself (Road-race bike, road winter bike, HT, short travel FS and long travel FS) plus changed two bikes for my wife (HT and FS) and my son outgrew his hardtail necessitating a change to a new FS.

That makes 8 in total, I think that makes me the loser or most in debt!

My wife’s got a 9.8 and loves it, I’ve got a project 1 SL and think it’s great, you won’t be disappointed if you get one. Wheels might need upgrading as they are a bit heavy if you want to go racing. The 9.8 is under 10kg which is pretty good I think for a not stupid-expensive bike.

I found the only way to get a decent kid’s bike (apart from a couple of Islabikes we had) was to build one myself around a small sized hardtail, the last one I did was based on a 26” wheeled Orange Crush frame sized small with a 150mm Secktor spacered down to 110mm at first and then going to the full 150mm a fews years later.
The frame cost £199 new from Bikescene and was very old skool geometry i.e. short on top. Couple this with a load of 2×10 XT parts, CRC discounted Sun Ringle wheels and some old carbon bars and post I had to make a 24lb bike costing about £900 all in. sold it recently for £600 so had three years use for £100/year – good value and a great bike.
Now the little bugger is growing like a weed so I suspect it’s not going to be so easy next time!

I used my Superfly HT with Mud x’s last weekend at Builth Wells rather than the FS Top Fuel with Ron’s on. Did the first lap on the Saturday on the HT and I just felt I had a bit more control (or less out of control!) in the slippy conditions.
Although nothing really worked last weekend I was pleased with my choice of HT over FS but don’t think I would have done the same if the HT was on 26” wheels. In my simple world I think 29” wheels are worth about a mile an hour over 26” wheels so that is a lot to recover.
If the course is smooth and not technical however you might have a slight advantage on the small size HT bike.
Not sure if that’s any help or not!

The other one to look at if its not too far is the FNSS MTB series on a Friday night, it’s short racing (less than an hour), pretty intensive but good fun and very relaxed, they are on most Friday nights but more East Midlands based. Iain.

Hi Ferrals, yeh, it was a great venue – just let down by the weather! I rode the B line on that first descent as it was jammed with bodies first time round but it was also unrideable – I thought it was just my poor skill level but everyone I spoke to at the finish said the same, it was just a longer walk!

I also rode on Saturday and while it was all okay to ride it was definitely not straight forward by any means. If you’ve got a gap in racing have a look at the next Midlands XC round as its close and a good venue.

Hi Padkinson, well done in managing to ride it – I had no chance! The first climb for us was okay from a grip perspective although the tackiness of the mud or Gravity was getting stronger as the race went on, not sure which!

I did the race this morning on the video, it was horrific – that was my team mate in the national champions jersey, if it can put him on his arse then something is not right!

The organisers did a good job on keeping it running but I do wonder if an alternative ‘poor weather’ course might be a good idea.

Out of the four of us riding I think we all crashed at least three times each, one dislocated a shoulder, I destroyed a front wheel when I put my foot through it as a guy rode into me, and another ripped his suspension lockout off.

I was really, really pleased to see the finish line!

Does anyone know if anyone got round without crashing?

This is worth a look: http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/mtb-reviews

Hate to come out and say this in public but we bought one a few months ago. Looked at lots and settled on a Swift Challenger 620, seemed well made and will hold some value (we bought second hand) when we sell again.
The fixed bed was a big thing for us as it saves a lot of phaff at night setting things up and the kids sleep on the front benches.
We also got an air-awning which is brill, takes about 15 mins to setup and the bikes are stored there.
Good luck,
Iain.

Colournoise, nice to meet you tonight and hope you got through the start okay, it was a bit hectic for a while! How did you get on in the race?

I’m up there tonight, racing in GV – I’ll be in bright orange ‘Cotswold Cycles’ kit and on a black Trek so please say hello.
The races are great fun and well run, with the emphasis on fun. My 14 year is also racing for the first time.
Good luck! Iain.

Raced in Grand Vet today – my first national event and came in 21st which I’m not unhappy about – was pleased to get round intact as more opportunities than I’m used to to hurt myself!

Carbon is soo much better, in fact I have a nice pair here 🙂

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/lots-of-bits-for-sale-easton-carbon-9-speed-gobi-saddles-am-classic-wheels

Did mine 4 weeks ago at the first Midlands XC race, managed back on the Wattbike a week later and on the bike after two, still very sore now but got round the 50k Honc with my wife today which was a struggle.

I think I have another 2 to 3 weeks to go before it’s better and maybe a bit longer before I can control a bike properly (or to the same poor standard I used to…).

Good luck, I found Codeine and whiskey seemed to work well 🙂

Did anyone actually manage to ride the hill out of Laverton?

My team mate mentioned he managed it without a foot down but reckoned it was close, he was first home in the 100k and I think his time was about 4 hrs 23 mins, about 2 mins clear of the next guy.

Really good fun today, I rode it with my wife and we did the 50k in 4hrs 15 mins which, funnily enough was one minute faster than I managed to scramble round the 100k last year, and easier and more social.

Great event as always, every year it seems to get better – thanks Winchcombe CC, please keep running it!

I remember Clag Fest 2013 – I had to walk my bike through it, I don’t think it will get that bad this year….I hope 🙂

The trails are definitely better than 2013, or so it seems from recent riding but I think it may still be tough, the climb out of Laverton will be hard as the track has nearly washed away.

Doing a family ride this year and aiming to take the same time to do 50k as I took to do 100k last year, should be a much more pleasant day out 🙂

Hoping the weather holds, most bits were quite dry when I rode around Winchcombe last weekend but a mate rode over Cleeve and some of that was a bit horrible.

Great event and hope all 1,200+ entrants manage to get there okay.

You’ll need a bit more local help for that then, enjoy the riding.

Hi, my in laws used live in Seathwaite so ridden a few times in the area, this route is pretty good fun https://www.strava.com/activities/70238292 if you need the GPX file then email me.
The best bits are the run down the side of Wallowbarrow Crag and the bridleway from the south into Seathwaite.
Walna Scar over to Coniston is also a blast,you can loop round through Torver and over in Stephenson ground where there is some nice singletrack.
Hope this helps, I’ve probably got a few more routes if you need.
Iain.

Was there two weeks ago and did Penhydd, Blade and Whites – it was incredibly quiet. Haven’t ridden there for a while and forgotten how good it was.

Stylish – great event today, well done.

Bit of a disaster for me though! Lack of race pace in the early stages did not put me in a great place, was running about 9th or 10th in GV with a guy just behind me. Went to overtake a back marker in the last half mile, moved off line and found a hidden rut which inelegantly tipped me off and left me as badly winded as I have ever been, enough of a ‘crack’ as I went down to make me think I’d done a rib but think it might be okay now.

Really enjoyed the course today, it had enough variety to get a good rhythm with the odd technical challenge thrown in.

How did everyone else get on?

cheesybeenz – I’d be very interested in that as I ride in FoD about once a month and have limited off piste knowledge, also we are having our family holiday there this year for two weeks 🙂
Cheers, iain.

I was on Ron’s today, my kids were on Ralph’s and all fine, will be on XR2’s tomorrow which are very similar to Ralph’s.

Just been round Sherwwod Pines this afternoon and apart from the great weather there are some really dry sections but also some massive puddles and muddy bits so who knows what tyres for tomorrow!

Thanks ferrals – that’s great, it’s my first national and no idea what to expect!

Not sure if it will help you but my race face next on a Trek Top Fuel is torqued to 50nm on the 8mm hex bolt – no wavy washers fitted, just the seals.

I thought the 6805 was a 25mm inside diameter, do you not need a 24mm ID for a Shimano axle?