All I can say is that I took CFH’s advice (almost entirely and completely) for a surprise trip to NYC 2 years ago for my girlfriend’s 40th and he knows his onions!!

We had a great time and I can’t wait until next year as it’s my 50th and she’d better come up with somewhere cracking :-)

43rd out of 66 in Vets, quite happy with that except the individual stage results showed that my fitness doesn’t match my awesome skillzz:

Stage 1 = 52nd
Stage 2 = 40th
Stage 3 = 31st
Stage 4 = 38th

So where the stage was mostly downhill (3 and 4) I did best.

Stage 3 was my favourite.

Stage 1 was my least favourite – sorry to whinge, but IMO just reversing a climb doesn’t often result in a good descent (flat corners that are too tight for speed) and after that it seemed that the word gravity from the title Gravity Enduro was going the other way…

Probably just whinging to cover up my own deficiencies :oops:

Really enjoyed it overall though, except for the simultaneous quad and hamstring cramp at the bottom of the climb up to The Hope Line…

Moar fitness needed!!

fr0sty125 – what category?

I’ll talk to you if you’re in any other class than Vets, otherwise you’ll get the game-face as you’re the opposition :wink:

Doh! Did a search and this didn’t come up at all – soz!

Here’s a sub-30lb er that didn’t break in the alps:

Actual weight as it is on that chairlift (Alpine Sports Feedback Scales) = 29.01lbs/13.16Kgs.

Alp-ified along the same lines as Northwind, with Alex FR30 rims and Superstar hubs plus Specialized Butcher SX (f) and Specialized Purgatory Grid (r). Plus I put a Zee front brake on it from my DH bike.

In UK spec, with Light Bicycle 33mm rims and Hope Pro IIs plus Butcher and Purgatory Controls it is 27.36lbs/12.41Kgs.

Oh, it’s a Giant Reign 2 with 160mm dual-position Pikes, Reverb, 203/180mm discs, running 1 x 10 with One-Up 42t rear and 34t Works Components N/W, Superstar Mag Alloy flats with Ti axles, Renthal Carbon Fatbar lites, TiFly saddle etc.

Rick Draper
So are these Cotic Rockets still been made in the UK by bike manufacturing?

Please tell me you’re not thinking of another new bike?????

Sat in Cheadle Hulme and it looked (and sounded) like a Eurofighter that went over our house.

Shock and Awe!!!

The devil eye means that it can’t be trusted, it’ll always be scheming to try to usurp you as pack leader.

Then you’ll wake up to to find that your identity has been stolen, your bank account hacked and your wife/girlfriend has turned to the dark side.

This will lead to a downward spiral into debauchery, drugs and the rent-boy life.

All because you chose a dog with a dodgy eye

I paid £37.26 duty and charges on my complete wheels.

I use these valves, 52mm long and perfect!!

Effetto Caffe

Need to clear up the rubbish from your back garden and kick the banana habit :wink:

Me!
Plus a mate, both on Giant Reigns, he’s the really quick one on the descents on a silver one and I’m the totally Enduro one (lime green lid, red top and blue shorts) lingering around at the back on the yellow/green one.
Great day wasn’t it? My first trip up (and back) Cut Gate – we came from Derwent Reservoir – and it definitely won’t be the last!

STW regulars in “chance to show how right-on they are” shocker…

<in the style of a Ferrero Rocher advert>
with your testride Mr Northwind you are spoiling them
<end>

Not wanting to p!ss on your chips, but here’s the last 2 lines from a review of the Geax Aka:

“The same hard rubber that creates so much grip on hard and loose-over-hard surfaces does terrible things for traction on slippery roots and wet rocks. The Aka is a tire for the Rocky Mountains and Southwest U.S., or anywhere wet conditions are extremely rare.”

clicky

How dry is it in Thetford?

Kimbers – quite liking it so far, as above not too heavy but definitely faster rolling than the Spesh Purgatory I had on there until a week or so ago.

Not so sure how well it’ll do if you need to brake when it’s muddy, I think the tread will fill up quite quickly but then it looks like might shed quickly with a bit of speed. Haven’t had a chance to test this aspect through the forest yet, have stuck to rocks etc.

I imagine that it’ll be good on roots because it’s quite a rounded profile, so there’ll be a lot of contact area.

Wouldn’t a full DH tyre be better suited to the Mega? Isn’t it (virtually all) downhill? I think the Rock Razor is better suited to ease the uphill transitions etc.

I think you’re going to have to compromise – which is more important to you? Light, fast-rolling or flint resistant?

If you compromise on the weight then, as somebody else mentioned above, how about a Schwalbe Rock Razor in EVO, TrailStar compound and Super Gravity casing.

Certainly not light but is fast-rolling with good edge grip and, so far, seems tough. Some would say pricey, but I got mine from bike-discount for €43 including postage – so that’s £34 at today’s exchange rate.

From what I read about it’s design brief for Enduro races, it might fit your bill.

Until 3 months ago I’d used Superstars sintered pads for 3 years with no problems and had been entirely happy with them.

I wonder if something’s changed though, because after fitting new formula 1-piece discs I was plagued by horrible noise and weak power from both an existing set and a newly fitted set of S/S sintered pads.

I’ve now swapped to the Uberbike Race Matrix pads and all is good again.

If you do a quick search on the internet you’ll find many examples of just what you describe (especially Pinkbike IIRC), I use a Zee clutch mech with a SRAM X7 9-speed mech + a 6mm alu spacer. Works perfectly.

Well who enjoyed that then?

I thought it was absolutely superb, a great blend of 4 natural stages and 2 trail centre ones.

We started with 4, 5 and 6 (second group down it after some of the Cyclewise lot) – all of our group fell off on stage 4 at least once each but absolutely loved it!

By the time we got to stage 1 it was a bog-fest of sticky mud – I certainly regretted the Rockguardz front mudguard down that because my front wheel wouldn’t go around half-way down, until I cleared off some of the clag…. Saw a few people carrying their bikes across the line for that very reason.

But I guess that Stage 4 was like that for the guys that started off on 1, 2 and 3?

My favourite was stage 2 – steep, fast, then techy.

Quite pleased with my result as well, 159th out of 232 overall and 36th in Vets. Better result than at Hamsterley, so can’t grumble.

I now want more, PMBA at Gisburn in Sept looks favourite 8)

Ha Smogmonster, I’m in (almost) the same situation in Vets – I’m 49 later this year and up against 40 yr olds…. Bring on Grand Vets 8)

I see on the entry sheet that there’s 241 people entered, wonder if it’ll be the same amount of DNS/DNFs as at the ND(H)uro at Hamsterley – 250 people entered and there were only 170odd results shown on roots ‘n’ rain.

If so (and I finish) then I’ll be counting those people as being defeated by my majesty (or is that my mincing)…..

Hmmm, I’ll see your “Wooden Spoon” and raise it with a “slowest time of the day” :wink:

What category smogmonster?

The fresh cut sections look superb 8)

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10152422843540664&id=70941835663

Sounds great – a winter of off-piste in the forest has made me love the loam, mud and roots.

I guessed there’d be a mix of trail centre and fresh-cut but thought that the fresh-cut might be muddy because of the rain – you must’ve had it dryer than us here in Manchester!

But at least it won’t have been churned up by practise (except by locals in the know :wink: )

Existing tyre set-up it is then 8)

I’ll be carrying my Camelbak Mule NV – with spares, tools, mini-pump, food, 2-3 litres of drink etc.

In my mind it’s just like a big ride in The Peak with my mates, in that I ride slowly uphill then try to beat those mates downhill – so I’ll be carrying just the same :D

Never trust a Springer Jack

I have a suspicion (as yet unproven) that someone in a position of authority is doing this on some off-piste stuff in Macc Forest…..

OK, we shouldn’t be there but, as above, what’s worse legally? Trespass or placing an obstruction that could do harm?

Was asked this the other day and the deaf old lady behind the counter thought I said “body parts” when (in my best Dorset yokel accent) I quite clearly said “bike parts”.

What would she have done/said if I’d said “Yes, body parts”?

Another vote here for Butcher front and Purgatory rear, both in Control casings, lots of riders using this combo here in the Peak – for a good reason IMO.

Northwind
I REGRET NOTHING!!1!

:lol:

Apart from having an unreliable car? You missed out on a cracking trip up Snowdon and then at Antur Stiniog!!

Might have to organise a trip up to Scotland later in the year to visit Fort William, Glentress and Innerleithen – you up for guiding duties?

By the way, just changed to summer tyres on my LB rims and the combination of the deep rims and wider profile on the tyres means that the ratchet straps on the wheel trays of my bike-rack won’t now lock in place.

Bungee straps have now been bought, small price to pay for the extra volume / lightness / stiffness.

2.3″ Butcher Control on the front and 2.3″ Purgatory Control on the rear btw.

Northwind – enjoy the wait, that’ll teach you to gloat at my waiting :wink:

bikebouy
You are my Mother and you owe me £5

:lol:

Always wondered why there was no pictogram on f5 to help (the luddite that is) me – what does f1 do?

Hooray!! I’ve just learnt that “f5” refreshes the page – everyday’s a school day around here :-)

I thought I could fit them to my Dual Position Airs but the only place I could find them was from http://www.Gabelprofil.de – they cost a total of €23.15 (€10.25 plus €12.90 shipping) for the pack of 3.

But they can only be used in the Solo Airs, so they’re useless to me – if anybody wants them they’re theirs for £15 posted.

Plus 1 for the Stables Inn although it does get busy.

12 of us went in there at about 7:30 on Saturday and there were no tables, but a bit of smooth-talking (not by me) got us a table next door in a separate dining room in the Royal Oak (owned by the same people).

We looked a little out-of-place amongst their normal clientele and the menu was a bit more restauranty rather than pub-foody but the food was good and the staff looked after us really well.

Me mincing down the World Cup DH track at Fort William:

Rob Hilton – Member
The best chainring bolts

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Truvativ-11-6915-015-000-Steel-Spacer-Single/dp/B001GSQO3W

You heard it here first.

Agreed, there’s none of those silly nuts, that need the special tool, that is a sod to use – just 2 Allen keys.

I used these Effetto Caffe ones from XC Racer.

They’re 52mm long and work/fit perfectly etc.

trickydisco
I’m so close to buying a pair of rims. How are you guys finding them ?

proutster.. Does it feel like they give you more traction being wider?

Yes, the footprint is definitely bigger – I’m now running a 2.0″ Specialized Storm Control on the back and it seems almost as wide as the 2.35″ Kenda was on my old wheels. The Baron on the front is definitely wider than when it was on the old wheel. I’m sure there is more grip.

The complete wheel/tyre combo is so much lighter (or is it because it’s stiffer?) that I’ve had to change my fork settings (soften them) to get the same feel – and I’m pretty sure that’s helping with grip too.

Do it, IME you won’t regret it!!

SDG Ti-Fly with Titanium rails, mine’s 185g. Firm but a great shape.