The MTB thread
 

All this recent talk about mountain bikes made me think: "How many of us orgs go mountain biking?"

So what bike do you have and where do you go? Any good trails to recommend? Tips?

I have a Specialized Hardrock Sport 2008 (That's not 29" wheels, just a very small frame!) called Colossus, from the X-Men.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m/Hardrock.jpg

I ride round Swinley Forest a bit, but am a tad unfit and probably need new MTB pals that I can keep up with.

Re: The MTB thread
 

Get some Disc brakes Gary, they are much better and reliable than pads, unless they are that good. I tend to find that pads for me just slip when wet. I have an old barracuda summit that is front suspension but hardtail with disc brakes all round. Does the job, gonna get into doing some trails now I have the car.

Re: The MTB thread
 

MY mate is always trying to get me to go out with him, but only since he got fit. As I am extremely unfit, I think I will not be doing this! I really should get out, I live in the middle of a forest and only 10 mins from a DH track and 20 mins from LLandegla MTB centre.

I have a 10 yo Marin Eldridge Grade that is way better than me.

Re: The MTB thread
 

i have a £1500 marin indian fire trail, i think it was top of the range back when i got it

it looks great hanging up in the garage covered in mold and dust

Re: The MTB thread
 

I went into a bike shop at the weekend and spotted one of these:
http://www.specialized.com/media/200...W_carb-1_d.jpg

I have no use for it, haven't ridden a mountain bike for ever, and I'm totally unfit....


but it's calling to me :p

Re: The MTB thread
 

That is fit.

Re: The MTB thread
 

Not going to upgrade my bike to discs as I need new disc ready hubs to go with the new brakes. It'll cost almost as much as I actually paid for the bike, not worth it for the Hardrock frame.

You tart, just cos it's carbon fibre!! Get one and go with me to Swinley. I need unfit people like me to keep me company.

Re: The MTB thread
 

I'd need you there at Swinley to resuscitate me! :D

Re: The MTB thread
 

Vosper Types 1 & 2
Between 1943 and 1945 two Vosper designs appeared, the "Vosper Type I 73ft", and then the Type II


Vosper Type I
Length: 73 ft (22 m)
Engine: 3 Packard 12M engines for a total of 4,200 hp
Speed: 40 knots (74 km/h)
Range: 470 nmi (870 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h)
Displacement: 47 t
Armament:
Four 18-inch (457 mm) Torpedo tubes
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
Two 0.303 in Vickers K machine guns (optionally two 0.5 Vickers MG)
Crew: 13

Vosper Type II
This design remained in use after the war.

Length 73 ft (22 m)
Engine 4,200 hp
Speed 40 knots (74 km/h)
Range 480 nmi (890 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h)
Displacement 49 t
Armament
Two 18-inch (457 mm) Torpedo
QF 6 pdr Mark IIA (57 mm)[1]
20mm Oerlikon
Two 0.303 Vickers MG
Crew 13

RCN MTB
These where used by the Royal Canadian Navy 29th MTB Flotilla. Originally designed as Motor Gun Boats (MGBs) carrying a 6-pounder {57 mm, 2.24 inch) to engage enemy small craft they were redesignated as Motor Torpedo Boats.

Scott-Paine Type G 70 foot boat.

Manufacturer: British Power Boats, Hythe
Displacement: 55 tons
Overall length: 72 ft 6 inches
Breadth: 20 ft 7 inches
Draught: 5 ft 8 inches
Maximum speed: 38 to 41 knots (new)
Armament:
auto-loading 6 pounder gun (57 mm, 2.24 inch)
Two 21-inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes
.303 or .50 Vickers machine guns
20 mm Oerlikon or 40 mm Bofors cannon
Powerplant - three Rolls-Royce or Packard 14M supercharged V-12 (three shafts)
Power - 3,750 hp total
Range - 140 miles (260 km) at 25 knots (46 km/h)

quite fancy a type II, but storage is always a problem...........:cool:

Re: The MTB thread
 

I got me a specialized fsr xc not too long ago. loving being back on the bike! been to glentress in the Borders a couple of times and then was up at laggan forest at the weekend just there. just so much fun being out splashing around in the mud on a wet day. the legs are slowly getting used the exercise again.

but laggan does have a fun north shore style board walk type bit. it's about 1m wide and doesn't even go high or have any drops, but I was poo'ing pants, also some good fast bits there.

anyone up for an off season day out to glentress? suppose it's the Borders so people can come up from the south or down from the north!

Re: The MTB thread
 

http://gallery.kitmaker.net/data/173...anguard001.jpg

http://www.silvabay.com/upload/websi...5336552094.jpg

Re: The MTB thread
 

I've work in a bike shop and have done since i was around 14, so i use the demo bikes we have, but that is when i do go out. Not as keen as i was around 18 months ago. I used to do around 160 miles a week.

My last bike was a Trek Fuel 100, full carbon, full bouncer, carbon everything, XT drivetrain with XTR wheelset. The whole bike weighed 24.9lbs!!!

But over the last 8 years or so i've had around 30-35 bikes and must of spent in excess of £40,000 on bikes and apparal. :smt101

Re: The MTB thread
 

I have a Dbr v6 import from US years ago, recently did a rebuild of a stumjumper m4 to replace one that was stolen when I was a youth. Didnt have it insured at the time ..only took 10years to get round to replacing it

Re: The MTB thread
 

I pilot an Orange Patriot LT (ex works/factory bike) , this weekend she is getting a Shimano Hone Crankset fitted and in the post today I got my Goldtec Bushes for the rear shocker . Should be good to go for a shakedown test and will then probably hit up Llandegla next weekend for a gentle pootle before getting back into it and ramping up the Cuuuurrrazyness :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...x/Image211.jpg

Re: The MTB thread
 

Cant go wrong with the Hone's, for the prices they go for its wrong not too and you get more life out of the rings compared to XT as they are steel not aluminium. :p

Re: The MTB thread
 

Girth , the Hone cost me £3 WITH a Hollowtec II bottom Bracket . I didn`t realise it but I`d referred a friend on my Wiggle account and they bought stuff . I was gonna pay £70 for the crankset , completed the order and it said "We are gonna take £3 off your Debit Card" .... I was like O_o huh ? . Hadn`t realised they had credited my account about 2 years ago and it`s been sat in there all this time . I killed the Truvativ Hussefelt crankset this year and got sick and tired of binning a bottom bracket every year as well . So the Patriot had the BB threads chased and faced this week and I`m gonna install the Hone set tomorrow (when I can find that damn Spanner for it) :D

Re: The MTB thread
 

Verna has the same bike gary. Her last one got stolen.

The brakes on hers are better than the discs on my Cannondale which was half as much in value again.

Re: The MTB thread
 

I bent some Hussefelts, yes, me, with my weight!


Can't go wrong for £3! :geek:

Re: The MTB thread
 

It had i think XT v-brakes it was a pure race bike



Currently using a Iron Horse Azure Comp

Re: The MTB thread
 

I'm riding one of these at the minute. Focus Black Raider.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/images/focus...aider%2007.jpg

Isn't particularly good at downhill sections, but I generally try to stick to cross country riding and this bike sort of excells in this area due to the low weight etc.

Re: The MTB thread
 

thinking of sticking some hydraulic disc brakes on my claud butler instead of the cable disc's then i'll do some proper riding hahahahaha.

Re: The MTB thread
 

Just getting back into riding myself, and decided my 16-year-old carrera rigid wasn't really up to it so got me a very lightly used Carrera Kraken...

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i2...r/IMG_0551.jpg

Not the most flattering photo :geek: And yes, I'm fully aware the seat's too low. It was mint and almost unridden, so naturally I immediately crashed it and covered it with scratches. Nice enough bike, wee bit heavy and the stock bars as seen in that pic were ridiculously high and forward, it preferred wheelies to climbing and descending was a bit hairy too... So I stuck a set of flat easton carbon monkeys on it. Oh, and a pair of V8 pedals, since the stockers had no grip at all. It's a nice enough bike, all fairly budget but none of it's rubbish, sort of like an SV. Heavy, though, and the tyres are horrible, nevegals in the post. Took it down to glentress a couple of weeks ago, too cowardly for red but it took all the blues in its stride.

But it has the Stigmata of Halfords on it :rolleyes:

Re: The MTB thread
 

ewwwww halfords bike:D only joking looks a good bit of kit they always take a bit of adjustment here and theyre to get em right still fiddling with my bike and i got it a coupla months ago:cool:

Re: The MTB thread
 

All I know is I spent all day at glentress chasing people whose forks cost more than my entire bike, and it did OK ;) Though very out of shape at times, the forks are a bit marginal. I figure if I keep it up through the winter I'll flog it next year and get something a bit nicer.

Re: The MTB thread
 

ha you think your forks are bad ive got cheapo sun something suspension on mine they let the bike down a little as the frame and everything else is excellent theyre really squashy and the adjustment doesnt do naff all may change them along with the brakes.

Re: The MTB thread
 

Some shots of my baby, a Giant XTC Composite (note frame material ;) ) :

http://inlinethumb13.webshots.com/43...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb45.webshots.com/27...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb38.webshots.com/19...600x600Q85.jpg

Pedals now have the external plastic cages removed and the bike has had a year of abuse, new pads, chain, rear cassette, front sprockets (?), 1 new front brake lever assembly, 1 wheel straightening, 3 brake lever mounting kits, 2 services, 1 adventure race, 2 winter lane quests, and plenty of action in the woods.

Holland is going to be dull, but it will be accompanying me on Nurburgring trips next year in case it rains.....

Re: The MTB thread
 

wow full carbon fibre frame thats well flashy:cool::D

Re: The MTB thread
 

And all pretty reasonably priced as well :)

Re: The MTB thread
 

I have naff Suntour forks, I seem to have the opposite problem, difficult to squash and nowhere near the full 100mm full travel but that may be due to my light weight. Adjustment does nothing as well.

Really? The carbon fibre ones I have seen are about £4k(give or take a grand) new which is ridiculous for a bike with no engine! Still, carbon fibre mmmm sweeeet..... oh wait I'm looking at carbon fibre fs bikes.. doh!

Re: The MTB thread
 

thats em suntour rubbish theyre actually leaking aswell.

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New carbon was only just over half a grand, although it was last years model at the time, not that I cared as I was a beginner, it's a hardtail though..

Re: The MTB thread
 

looks good too:cool:

Re: The MTB thread
 

Mine are Suntour too, but they're not too bad. They do allsorts from, well, complete rubbish to half decent. They make the cheap marzocchis too I think. Not much of a claim to fame that mind...

You can get a complete carbon framed bike for a grand, if you don't mind shopping at... Aargh, halfords again! Merida make the frame, mind, so it should be decent.

Re: The MTB thread
 

Black is the new black.

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may just have a bad set then last shocks i had were rst's they were alot better than these particular ones although no adjustment on them i hear good stuff about rockshox may invest in a set :)

Re: The MTB thread
 

That's a bargain. Just googled the XTC and looked at a few online shops and it's £1450 for the cheapest 08.

I can pick up a 06 for £600 :-k

Re: The MTB thread
 

i have an oldish Giant Box II, with set of fubarred marzhochi bomber forks (any suggestions on where to get em fixed appriciated (the seals are buggered and i'm sure something else is wrong too)), a bent back wheel, knackered brakes and gears. it's done a good job for me so far. use it do ride to work fairly regularly and take it to bracknell to the mountain biking place there (can't remember what it's called) when i can.

Re: The MTB thread
 

Swinley Forest? That's where I go. It's got the Lookout and Go Ape there and Coral Reef Waterworld opposite.

Re: The MTB thread
 

YEP, the lookout, that's the one!! great place, love it. haven't been for sooo long, really miss it.

Re: The MTB thread
 

Found this video of Swinley on the net, been on some of the trails shown but not as fast these guys cos I'm unfit.