Let's offroad / mountain bike / mtb / ride dirt

It’s steel so I guess it must be real.

Brilliant.. Annoyed I missed Brazin last weekend.

What grouper for the new bike?

Having thought about it I should probably stick with Magura for the brakes in order to minimise spares and servicing kit, which means (probably) no to TRP, unless there’s a matchmaker type thing for their shifter.

Saint seems very old now, albeit that it’s still being raced at the top level so clearly works.

I know bugger all about SRAMs DH groups- any good?

Did you check if there are any tokens in the air side?

3 tokens in it, checked yesterday.

I've kept it the same, quite like the softness at the start of the travel. Think I'll get some of the Fox equivalent to put in that fork too.

X0 DH if you only crash a bit, or GX DH if you think you might crash a lot.

If you’re not racing why not go single speed?

What grouper for the new bike?

I like the look of this red and spotty one:

That is a nice fish.

Anyone know what model/age Intense this is? Can't find anything online. Got Halo SAS wheels and 'evo' on the rear triangle but that's all I can sleuth.

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Looks like a 2008 Socom

EDIT: - https://www.sicklines.com/tech/intense_socom_fro/

Possibly an Uzzi, from 2006 ish.

It probably has a steeper head angle than most modern road bikes

Amazing, thank you! Head angle is mad to think about, especially when the forks start to compress.

Any time I've tried suspension in the last...couple decades probably (ooh that makes me feel old) I've hated it because I always felt like I was getting pitched over the bars when the forks started to compress but modern slack geometry is definitely helping me get over that.

Makes a different having the front wheel out in front of you rather than under you.

This week we rode 2 welsh trail centres that were close to holiday house and on way home

Coed Y Brenin- average cafe but everything else top drawer. Clear signage, stuff to look at, brilliant trail design for even the blue- lots of features, changes in gradient constantly, most climbs were bermed, had features to keep interest etc. lots of flow, very few slow rocky drags up logging roads- mainly just to link 2 fun bits. Skills area for kids and adults, ideal to gauge your level. Well marked and explained. Would 100% recommend for xc/ trail riding up to the black. Free bike wash, toilets great, free EV charge, parking from £2. Cafe quite cheap but average stuff, but lovely views from balcony
Also lots of running trails, walking, nature hunts, play area etc.

Llandegla.
Worst trail I ever rode on the blue with my lad. Boring, almost logging road most of the way round blue which also made up a lot of the red. Poor drainage, forest has been smashed to bits for logging and left a right mess.
Signage for bikes and walks looks the same, wife went on the wrong walk route as their map doesn’t match the colours on the ground, we lost the blue briefly and rode red (the only interesting bit!). Skills area is a bit mushy as it’s all loamy forest stuff- like what we make in our local woods but not very professional. Pump track is signed at the start, not on the map and it isn’t clear that it’s really at the end of the trail. Parking was £5 per car plus £2 per passenger for any amount of time. If you were going for the more enduro type stuff it might be ok, but for trail and family stuff it’s not worth a trip.

Where can you find reviews of trail centres? I’d like to plan our next trip!

Come out to Forest of Dean. One of the most popular blue trails in the country, plus you can do the blue loop and instead of finishing on the blue trail final descent (which is pretty fantastic) you can alternate and try the blue downhill descents of countdown and launchpad.

Pm me if you plan on going.

Great thanks. Quite a way from us but will bear that in mind. I want to do Dalby next with the boy, and revisit Gisburn as they’re both fairly close.

Red/black at llandegla is a lot of fun, with most of the climbing out the way at the beginning, which is a bit of a slog but quickly forgotten.

Selling a carbon mullet wheelset if anyone is looking for such silliness.

Tickets purchased, I’m going to Cairns.

Singapore airlines were the only direct flight so I went with them, 30kg luggage limit and I’m at 27.1 with the bike in it’s bag- enough for some tools and my helmet to go in, everything else is going to have to fit in hand luggage. Tight!

Awesome. Enjoy!

Pretty warm there right now. My mates did the reef to reef xc stage rage over the last 4 days and said they were parched.

The first stage was at the bike park and they said for XV it was pretty hectic. So I hope you're gonna get the proper DH experience.

Oh yeh I agree, though I’d be ok with them building a better, more interesting trail to the top. My point was more, if your green and blue suck you don’t get new people who can then ride your red. The blue nearly put my lad off!

True enough, I don't think I've ever even looked at the blues/greens but they shouldn't be neglected.

Thanks! I hope it will be good.

I’ll probably look like a total chopper for most of the time as I want to do the DH tracks so I’m going to take my full face, then be somewhat over protected on the blues.