the new beast

On Wednesday evening, Rob and I headed over to Massey towers to try to build me a temporary full suspension mountain bike, with my Bianchi frame on its way to Italy, and Paul having an old Stumpjumer FSR XC lying about in his garage we decided to try and put my components onto the old 2001 (a guess it may be older or one year newer) frame. Our initial problem came before the build when it took us a while to decide how to set up the rear suspension was set up, eventually deciding that we would have to put it on upside down to enable me to get access to the switch to adjust the fox float rp23. After that decision it was time to try to remove the bottom bracket to try and get my FSA crank and BB onto the bike. this was not easy especially as Massey’s book as well as common sense meant we thought the BB would have to be turned one way, when after much brute strength (including Massey standing on Justin’s BB tool, with a monkey wrench attached and rob walloping it with a lump mallet) Massey thought we could try hitting it the other way to loosen it, this in fact proved to be the way it needed to be turned to be removed. so with the main bit removed we thought the bit it screwed into would just pop out, oh no that would be too easy. So we tried knocking it out but this didn’t work so Rob had to hacksaw and then chisel the rest away.
After this everything went pretty much as planned, apart from having to steal a seat post from Jo’s giant, and the rear part of the suspension having a bit of a strange set up when it came to doing the cables, but it was nothing that a bit of masking tape couldn’t bodge.
Well the bike went for its maiden voyage last night, just me and Paul out doing the normal short route, with me not setting the seat height correctly and neither Paul or myself having any tool, due to the stupid backpacks we both have, I could not adjust it. Combining the seat height with the fact that the bike weighs close to that of a small tank the ride was a slow one, well it wasn’t that slow as we did do the ride in 1hr 20 but it nearly killed me. The major plus point of the bike though is it is a mental downhill machine, it was firmly planted with the combined weight of me and the bike plus the suspension being excellent, so with the seat height adjusted for the next ride, I am looking forward to Tuesday’s outing.

Hope to see you there
Dave

thursday 07 Jan 2010

Well last's nights ride was without shadow of doubt the toughest completed loop we have done around our usual circuit.
Only Carbon Paul and myself managed to make it out in the snow, both of our women folk called us mental for even considering it, as soon as we set off we knew it was going to be a special one as the paths were just covered in ice and snow. After getting into the woods the going got really tough as the snow was still deep and frozen underneath so we we trying to get some sort of traction but as soon as you got the wheels spinning they hit the ice and just kept spinning on the spot. After managing to get through the woods and onto the roads, i think we prefered it in the woods, none of the roads have had any grit put on them so they are just solid ice sheets which made riding on them extremely slippy and potentially dangerous as cars that came down also had no grip so were sliding as much as we were. The bog was mental as you could not tell where anything started so the only indication you were in it was the horrible sound ogf you cracking through the ice when you were on it. Going up the farmers field was the hardest it has ever been so by the time we got back to the engine both me and paul had said that it was the most tired we had ever felt after doing that ride. It was a good job Rob and Michelle were there with 75 pieces of indian bits and bobs, bajis, samosas etc and dips washed down with a few pints of speckled hen before a trundle home a warm bath and then i was straight to bed as i was shattered.
It was still a real good laugh, mind you i do wish the snow would sod off as i am quite bored of it now!!!!
see you tuesday
Dave

first 'Tuesday' ride of 2010

The first tuesday ride of 2010 was a quiet one with just Paul, Rob and myself out for a ride. The ride was a belter, apart from the cold the ground was superb reminding us all of summer riding as the ground was so hard and frozen it was almost the same as riding in the finer months of the year. The ride was set at a fast pace considering that none of us have done a thing (apart from eat and drink far too much), which is a good thing as i know i have put on about a stone over the festive season and now i am in a desperate bid to get rid of it. Towards the end of the ride it did start to snow and now sitting at work i know on thursday we will need chains on our tyres!!!!!!
The weight shedding was kicked off with a good start with the ride being set at a good pace, what probably didnt help was the 5 pints in the e and t after as well as the 5-6 slices of a couple of very tasty pizzas (cheers Paul).
We will have to see about the ride on Thursday, no doubt there will be a few of us in the e and t anyway in the bike gear even if we end up just biking to the pub!!!!
see you Thursday
dave

change of night

Happy new year to everyone,
if like me you have put on about a stone over the festive period, i am looking forward to getting back out on the bikes and having a laugh in the cold mud!!!!!
anyway in a bid to try and shed the excess weight i am continuing my kickboxing, unfortunately due to the class being so small the chap that runs it is moving the lesson from a tuesday to a monday evening. I think i have mentioned this to most of you but for those that dont know, I am now going to start going out on a tueday instead of the monday at the same time and meeting at the same place.
so hopefully i will see most of you tomorrow night
cheers
dave

First ride of 2010

Blox and I have decided to venture forth on Sunday morning to shake the last of 2009 from our systems and welcome in 2010.

Meet outside Albion at 9:00am anyone that is interested is welcome to join us.