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

Just back from popping my XC competition cherry. Head said long steady training ride, heart said Gorrick. Heart won, head went into full retreat with an entry for the 7lap (nuts)

There's nothing like first time nerves to make you feel alive! Round the first bit of the course - how nice there's lots of singletrack. End of first lap (10m later) fuck me what have I done this is not right. Total inability to not race, only have to hear a chain slap or see a rider ahead and the pain cave is accessed. Now I understand why my Flux handles like it does. On the second lap it all comes together but towards middle of 3rd I start to cramp, tiredness starts to affect line, trees get brushed and an injury is very likely so I bail at the end putting in 3 laps before being sensible/wimping out.

Where next!

A perfect sunny Bank Holiday at Chicksands for me and GF, here's me following her down a trail.

Chicksands New Trail May Bank Holiday on Vimeo

What shin pads are those? I think I need to buy some. Sizing is my main issue. I have XL thighs but M calf.

Just got back from Chicksands. It was nice and quiet this morning. It was just me, the squirrels and the trails. My front wheel slid out on the large berm before the step up on the 4X track, scared the shit out of me.

They are rockgardn pads, I think they're discontinued but they have loads of adjustment and I can even wear them on cooler xc rides, they're very comfy but I've had them a few years.

I too had a front end washout yesterday at chicks ands, final long corner of the dual and I felt it slip about 3 inches whilst at full tilt. I already had it cranked waaaay over, but apparently it could go further...Made me actual real Lol

^^^ Your head looks massive in that vid Alkali :-)

I have XL thighs.

Boast post!

I have an XL cock. That is a proper boast post.

Is that in Italian sizing?

;-)

*racist ( possibly )

^^^ Your head looks massive in that vid Alkali :-)

Nah, just got a tiny body

and a matching tiny cock.

Today I did 5 hours at Aston Hill. I'm aching like John McCarthy. There's a 15 minute push up for every 1.30 minute descent, it's steep as hell and a very good test of the mad skillz. I survived but bottled a couple of big drops. Here it is, it's about twice as steep as it looks in the vid.

http://www.pinkbike.com/video/284448/

Managed to ride it without breaking myself so that's nice

Not sure where's best for this, but here will do. Chris Akrigg once again proving that he's the best all round bike rider on the planet

http://vimeo.com/65855392

^ Great vid. I'm definitely hiring Chris as my stunt double.

Good vid and great riding :-)

Chris is the reason for me ability to still beat my brother up rocky climbs when he's on his geared, suspensioned bike.

Although what he was riding there was mental, I don't think I'd even bother walking up it.

Spam.

http://www.lfgss.com/thread99489-5.html

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Never-Ridden-1996-Gary-Fisher-Klunker-Mountain-Bicycle-Brooks-B72-Saddle-Bike-/350693718581?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51a6f97a35

^ Jebus!

went to swinley om friday afternoon, had fun went round the blue some of the red was knackered at the end. only came off once hit one tree.

So I put my feet down on some proper dirt for the first time in a long time, and by long time I mean years (I'm a city kid through and through) and boy oh boy did it feel good. All I could think about for the past 18hrs is "Wouldn't some form of dirt bike be good....."

got some onone smorgasboard tyres today, single compound as it sees a bit of road work to get anywhere dirty, not as heavy as expected, went on easy, seem to roll faster than the schwalbes the bike came with (rapid robs) though not seen anything like a proper test due to the wind around here at the minute.

anybody tried these ??

I haz smorgasbord rear and chunky monkey front. I think they are basically cheap, good maxxis tyres. Worked OK in Hebden.

I was going to go for that combo but didn't think id have enough space in the fork so smorgas front and rear.

Just put a deposit on one of these frames.

^ Does the suspension linkage work as some form of castration machine :-s

Looks nice btw :-)