MarkO

Glad you liked it.

Had the first crack at some helmet-cam video of night-riding on Monday, and the results are looking promising. I need to take a lot more footage, and edit it all up, but it should be pretty good. Oh, and I need to remember to wipe the camera - 3 out of 6 of the descents were spoilt by a big blob of mud right in the centre of the lens.

When I get something together I'll post it up, but it might be a few weeks (I've got to move house in that time too).

On the upside, I replaced my aging 1996 Judy XCs (which have finally started to run out of 'boing') with a pair of bright yellow 2002 Duke Race forks yesterday, so hopefully the video of the descents will be smoother and faster next time.

MarkO

Did the black run at Glentress today (and most of the red too). New forks worked an absolute treat. Loads faster on the descents.

Only fell off once.

289

Did you fall off on the black or the red? Not that it makes a blind bit of difference, but it sounds *much* more acceptable to fall off on the black. Technical/extreme/gnarly etc etc.

Mind you, doing the black AND the red in one day shows either (a) determination (b) stupidity. Reckon I know which one it was.

MarkO

Fell off in the worm hole which is technically part of the black, but we were actually doing during the 2nd half of the red. Basically, was whizzing through it and the front wheel just went wayward on a slippery root. Was pretty tired by that stage anyway, though.

It wasn't stupidity or determination, just enthusiasm. 'Cos I've been working at the Hub a lot since mid-August, I've not been out on the trails as much as I'd like. I've not done the black since July, and only done the red once in the light (most of the rides I've done in the last 3 months have been night-rides, after work).

So we did the black as far as the top of Deliverance, then followed the fire-road around and climbed up to the viewpoint at the top of the red and did the rest of the red from there. 3.5 hours of top grin-tastic riding.

Was supposed to be night-riding again tonight, but got a lot on what with moving house and so on....

I take it you've ridden at Glentress? Considering all those on SN who claim to be regulars, I've yet to have anyone say hello since I started working there!!!

JackClark

Speaking as a proper lazy b'stard, how much uphill can I expect to suffer when I visit Glentress I've heard tales of chairlifts up there somewhere. Oh and how late in the year or early next can I still have a chance of making it up and down on my old bike and legs.

MarkO

No chairlifts.

Check out the map at http://www.thehubintheforest.co.uk which shows the trails. You can drive up to the Buzzard's Nest car park, but there's still plenty of climbing to be had. Unfortunately that's the price you have to pay - you don't get descents without climbing first.

There's a total of around 800m of climbing in the black route, maybe 500-600 in the red route.

If you really don't like climbing, go to the downhill course at Innerleithen (5 miles down the road) where you can pay 20 quid for uplifts to the top of the Red Bull DH course all day.

As for when you can ride, well, the Hub's open all year round, as are the trails. My first ride at Glentress was in the snow, with the temperature at -7C, and with solid ice all the way up the fire-road (which was impossible to stand on, even in shoes with cleats). But it's still good fun.

If you ever fancy coming up, let me know and I'll try and get out with you...

imlach

I've said "hello" when you've been at Glentress :-)

Admittedly, I've been too lazy to take the bike down, but I did buy a nice set of Cateye 15W+10W headlamps the other day....work very well. Also bought one of the latest white LED cateye lamps - very impressive.....

So, all lit up for my daily commute.....also bought one of those wheel valve LEDs - not sure about it yet......

MarkO

I've got one of those CatEye LED lights myself, for riding to/from work. The lights we use at Glentress for the night-riding are Fireballs which are 15w+35w (or optionally can be up to 35w+35w , as long as you don't mind coming home after 35 minutes ).

JackClark

I see a job opportunity for a person with a quad and trailer

Free rear light on this months issue of MBUK, great excuse to buy the mag and it features my local 4X track. Front lights are next on my shopping list as long as I don't break anything in the mean time.

MarkO

The guys who work for the forestry have quad bikes, but they don't give tows.

Free light on the cover of MBUK? Hmm, bet that's quality. Mind you, still doesn't give me any reason to buy MBUK, which is a kids mag these days, filled with pics of people trying to out-jump each other on their big-hits.

Mind you, having said that I'll have a look at it this month, 'cos Emma Guy (who's a partner in the Hub @ Glentress) and Rob Warner were up at Glentress doing a photo-shoot for MBUK a couple of weekends ago, so it should be funny to see that and take the p1ss out of her.

289

MBUK is really cheesy these days, kind of Max Power for the DH/FRO brigade. And if you're not leaping from the tope of a telephone box doing crossups, you ain't ****. Apparently.

Then again, I saw a feature in a mag a few years back (and I think it probably was MBUK - the one with that godawful Mint Sauce character) which plumbed the depths. It went something along the lines of "if it's too cold and wet to go out on the bike, take it clubbing". The four or five page spread then showed an (embarrassed looking) eejit with flashing lights on his bike. Not bike lights either, I have to add.

I stopped buying mountain bike mags after that, though to give them their due MBR are pretty good these days.

flat4

my latest modification




i find What Mountain Bike to one of the best around, seems to have taken all the serious stuff/reviews from MBUK


kev

JackClark

Definately a comic, but was able to send a mate home on my Cruiser last night with a flashing LED on the back so something positive came out of the purchace. Didn't see Glentress mentioned.

That's a pretty serious mod Flat 4

289

I snapped a chain last weekend, and managed to modify my frame some time back with my head, but I've never snapped a crank.

Still, time for an upgrade. Ignore XT or XTR - silly money - Middleburn or Raceface are lovely bits of kit, and not madly expensive. When my Icon kit has had it that's where I'll be headed.

MarkO

RaceFace are cool, but don't buy their bottom brackets - we've had loads of problems with them on the Orange bikes. Middleburn seem to be going down a storm for freeride bikes, but when I knackered my chainset I plumped for LX. Light, strong, and basically the same as XTR 3 years ago - and a bargain at about 55 quid.

The only mag worth reading these days is Singletrack.

Luke

Marko

single track is fantastic. met them at the bike show a few weeks ago..good guys and dolls. the camera guy there was a real pro. LX is fantastic value for money. Its crazy some of the trick/expensive stuff. I had LX (New style) on a real expensive bike and they never let me down on a trip into the Sahara.Wouldnt want to do it with XTR!!

flat4

claimed on my warranty and got a brand new crankset today

MarkO

XTR is good stuff, depending on the component. I can't see the point in spending £230 on an XTR chainset when LX (or even XT) is only about 20g heavier, and pretty much as strong, for £55.

For shifters and the like, though, I'd recommend XTR every time. I've had '96 XTR shifters on my Kona for the last 7 years, and ridden on them for 5 of those years, and they still change as smoothly and crisply as ever. Can't fault 'em at all.

Luke

Wouldnt reccomend the later stuff.

289

Agree with Luke - later XTR is not necessarily the stuff to go for.

Tried out a Cannondale Jekyll with '03 XTR shifters the other day and hated them. I'm sure I'd get used to them over time, but it strikes me as a "so what" invention. Nothing wrong with current 03 XT, which is what I'd go for when I need to change.

The Stumpjumper Anniversary, for example, looks lovely, but £2k of the cost is the XTR element, and it knocks at most 2lb off the weight of an XT equivalent. That's not a lot for the £1k additional cost.

Agree that Singletrack is good, but not exactly easy to pick up, and I prefer to look through the mag rather than blinld buy every month. Hence MBR most months.

MooseRacer

Can't fault Middleburn Cranks, been using them for years with no probs at all

ChrisB

I did the red route at Glentress last Saturday. First real off-road riding I've down since a trip through Grizedale about 10 years ago.

Wow - what a buzz The worst climb IMO is a short, vicious section back up to the 'out' road before the last downhill section. That said I didn't need an oxygen tent when I'd finished, so all the time at the gym helped a bit physically but, as MarkO predicted to me, it's a world apart from spinning.

I was pretty slow on the downhill singletrack, although I found if looked down the trail instead of at the front wheel carrying speed through the corners becomes easier. I came off twice, both on the same bit of trail shared with the black run so I have a few war wounds on my shins

Three things for me to do now:

1) Get a shed
2) To keep a nice new bike in
3) Find out where's good to ride locally (although I can't wait to get back to Glentress)

Are bar ends less popular? I missed them on the bike I borrowed.

PS. Fantastic banana and fruit loaf at the cafe

blip

Have to agree with Marko - the RaceFace bottom bracket on my 2002 Orange Sub-5 snapped a few weeks ago at Afan Argoed. Nearly caused a huge stack! I don't do big jumps or abuse the bike. It actually broke as I was pedalling hard on the flat!!! Not nice.

Luke

Anyone interested in my bike ????


Go on you know you want it


Go look in the for sale forum...But not if your poor!!

Luke

*For Sale*

My wifes Treck alpha mountain bike. Suit a medium sized lady. very nice build. USE suspension seat post etc. Rockshock Indy forks. Avid leavers.Shimano gearing. Nice flat pedals.




Could someone post some pics for me??


A good quality bike that has been well looked after. Built well and kept well. £170.00 no offers.


Please note its a womens mountain bike.

Crapaud62

Good to see this thread still going strong.

Finally settled into my new place in Devon and started cutting paths through my woods for bike trails. Aiming to make a variety of different standards from simple to the suicidal.

Difficult section was made more interesting by the local farmer putting several big mean looking bulls in the field next door. Guess I'll stay off his land then.

My son went out into our fields last week and returned with a fractured thumb. Luckily no damage to the Cannondale and the thumb will heal.

Marin

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like a dream come true, building your own trails. What are you going for, XC with drop-offs etc or more freeride stylee? Could get the local MTB'ers to help with the grafting maybe?

MarkO

Sounds like hard work to me. I'd rather just ride the trails at Glentress which somebody builds for me.

ChrisB

And then feeds you Stovies or cake too hey?

MarkO

Yep, there's only one thing better than stovies and cake after a long ride, and that's free stovies & cake after a long ride.