Hearing a friend behind you let out a gutteral ‘HUURRRHGHH’ as they momentarily use more strength than normal to keep themselves from going over the bars.

me the morning of the Ft. Bill Enduro. Now has SLX cranks and Mono Mini Team brakes rather than FireX and Saints. I love it, been riding a rigid SS for 2 months at uni, can not wait to get 160mm and 9 gears back.

Wotan Forks
SLX cranks/BB
X9 mech/shifter
MX orbit HS
Nukeproof warhead stem
Nukeproof 760mm 38mm bars
Green Pro 2s on Halo Tornados
Team Mono Minis
Shimano DX pedals
Lizard Skin Shore grips
Easton Seatpost
Gusset tartan saddle
High Roller 2.35s

Carnegie in Leeds; great university for Spex…

Unfortunately the Leeds Met cycling team are less than useless.

University of Leeds however, have a fantastic cycling club, covering every aspect of the sport at the highest levels. Sports scholarships are also available for Cat1/2 road or elite XC riders (not strict but those are the levels previous scholars have been riding at)

Now in a SS rigid guise, still the same amount of post showing though.

I rode flats for mtb until last summer when I dragged out the old hardtail and started ragging it. After 2 years of full suss, my feet just wouldnt stay on the pedals without them. Dont think I would ever ride HT flats again. I even raced the Ft Bill enduro HT clipped in. This is obviously a whole world away from super slack, long DH bikes. On my DH bike which is now slightly dated, I wouldn’t dream of riding clipped in, not because of the increased crash risk, but because of the body position it puts you in, and the fact bikes of that era are not designed for that style of riding. If I ever get a new DH rig, with new geo, I would stick clips on from the first ride.

It’s started…
Did my first commute with Strava on (just bought my first smartphone)and I felt compelled to challenge the segment. Got my first KOM. And I’m not even a roadie. Oh dear.

Moelfre Hall, BUCS DH Champs 2011

Classic Weekender 2011

On my way to winning ‘Best Dressed’ at this years Weekender

Mincing my way through 6 hours of Fort Bill to grab 3rd Hardtail.

I had my first rigid SS ride yesterday. Started out with a 32-18, but the tensioner broke so I had to take out a link and ride 32-16. I was dreading it, but it was fine. I would definitely recommend riding clipless pedals if you don’t already.

I know my weaknesses more than I know my strengths. Very slow on wet roots. Can’t rail tight berms properly, and massively less fit than I think I am.
Did better than expected at the STWeekender, but worse than expected at the Ft Bill Enduro, so swings and roundabouts really.

Dual Control Shifter/Brakes

Cable Disc Brakes

Commencal QR Skewers

Ive got Magura Wotan 160mm on my BFe. Can’t fault them, super stiff, super plush. And I haven’t noticed any flop, or front end lightness when climbing. If you can find a pair in good condition, got for the Wotans.

They look very skinny IRL. I’m glad I didn’t buy them. I have some Pikes for sale. Here

I had this same problem, and found that the gap in the top cage section was too wide, therefore allowing the chain to drop off. So I cracked out the chisel and took some material off of the corner of the cage that fouled on the chain ring bolts when the I lowered the cage. I then filed the surfaces of the 2 parts of the cage that meet, to reduce the gap in the middle of the cage, to only just wider than the chain. Then to further reduce the size of the entrance to the cage, I wrapped a zip tie through the cage and positioned the head to block the entrance above the chain. Works perfectly now.

Flat bars keep the front end low on the wagon wheels.

They seem to be running wider bars than on most world cups? The women did at any rate.

Can I be the first to say:

FLATS!

You can not put that much power down at that cadence with flats.

Ive got a Gusset R series XC saddle. Rails have held up well so far, (I often go through saddle rails very fast) very comfy, despite the lack of padding. £20 and it comes in tartan 😀

I too had a Meta 5.5 and constantly felt under-biked. I now have a BFe and it is amazing. I have it built up with stupid wheels that would be more suited to freeride rig. But I find it still pops when I need it too and can be very lively even on level single track. Not done any massive rides on it but what I have it’s been fine. Point it downhill and it just comes to life. With the right build it could be even better.

Go for it.

I got into TT from an early age and just used my road bike with clip on bars. Once I out grew that bike for road riding, I used it for TT because it was much smaller that my road bike. After a 4 year break I’ve decided to get back into it and built up a frame I was given several years ago. The frame is a 55/55 and I’m 5’11. He had it built by Ribble in the mid ’90s to replicate Chris Boardmans record setting Cougar.

Just thinking about on big climbs, where some of the front-to-back loads are taken up by the suspension on a FS. I tend to climb sat down even on steep stuff.

Click the gears into the smallest sprocket and then click up one gear. If it doesn’t shift, wind the cable adjustment out until it clicks up. If it clicks up straight away, keep shifting up till it doesn’t, then wind the adjuster out till it does shift. That should work.

Had my BFe since Jan and this has not been a problem for me. Maybe invest in a shadow mech, if you don’t already have one.

Bit of a cheeky line choice there. Sating that, if I had have known about it, I would have taken it. I’ll have to make do with my 2.03 for a ‘proper’ time.