The MTB thread

[maviczap]

Better to be a racer for a moment in time, than a spectator all of your life.

Its not what you brung, its wat you've dun

Its all about having fun Northy, looks like you had a blast

[northwind]

Aye, it was good fun. Though I got beat by my mate TBH I think I just didn't have the balls to go fast in the slop, I could've been on a big bike and still wouldn't have made me fast but it still makes me smile. And being a race made me ride stuff I probably wouldn't have normally so that's cool.

Not going to say everyone on here should go and enter a DH race but the atmosphere was great, the other riders and organisers were really encouraging... And it's hard but you don't have to be awesome, obviously, joe average rider can give it a pop and make their big trail bike work for its living for once I've been dicking around on DH trails for a while and it really is worth having a look, for any decent trails rider with a fairly suitable bike. Plus razzing down a race line on a hardtail gets you some funny looks from the DH boys

Originally Posted by barwel1992

my 48 spoked halo's cost £120 for the rear and £90 for the front so around that price

What I was thinking is getting some of those for the Scott and putting the ones off of the scott onto the Kona. Only issue is that the Kona need QR front and the Scott has 20mm Maxel.

Anyone know if its possible to convert 20mm to QR without a new hub. (Note dont confuse that the halo's will be on the Scott so the 20mm cups will be on those.)

Originally Posted by northwind

Meanwhile in Northwindland, I did my first downhill race on sunday at innerleithen, entered at the last minute. I was absolutely rubbish but what a great laugh... tbh I think just getting down the hill in one piece was a result, the conditions were blimmin' awful, it ****ed down all night and half the morning and some parts of the course just melted. The local shops all sold out of mud tyres

So I did some carpark comparing and found that only one person in the race had less suspension travel than me and about 65 of the 70-odd entrants were on proper DH bikes... so it was a bit like bringing a knife to a gunfight and the result was much the same Second last in class and I think 6th last overall. I RULES!

Sounds like a good crack man!!! Fair play to just getting stuck in... I have to gear but not sure if I have an idea. heh

Suppose that means I need to get my act together and enter one! Need to get to my local trails and go for it, though there are no official race courses too close I dont think. Have to look. Wickliffe craggs is the only one I know of propper. I mostly abuse mine in the peaks goin fast down those hills, similar just more natural.

E.G.

Gets goin about 2:50...
:5

I dunno how the hell to make it play in forum any more, always fails

EDIT Fixed that for you

[northwind]

The 48s are a bit mad, they're for constant heaviest abuse- big crashes, enormous drops, basically for freeriders or clumsy dh'ers who don't want to have to buy new wheels after they come out of intensive care. Bad choice for anyone else though.

Some wheels can be converted but I don't know about the ones in your Scott, got pics of the hub?

I guess if you're not far from Cut Gate then you're not far from Wharncliffe? If it's good enough for peaty...

Originally Posted by northwind

The 48s are a bit mad, they're for constant heaviest abuse- big crashes, enormous drops, basically for freeriders or clumsy dh'ers who don't want to have to buy new wheels after they come out of intensive care. Bad choice for anyone else though.

Some wheels can be converted but I don't know about the ones in your Scott, got pics of the hub?

I guess if you're not far from Cut Gate then you're not far from Wharncliffe? If it's good enough for peaty...

Yea, thats true Peaty does play there, Wharncliffe is close (about 5 miles ha ha), Im planning on getting out there a lot more over this summer. As it stands ill bet its almost unridable... this is my local woods;




Thats not the worst part, it was a part where standing up without slipping enough to risk getting the phone out was. Oh and slippery roots are not so good, yes I crashed on some over a drop as the front wheel washed out... Should have hopped over it but hay ho.

I can get a pic of the hub, will try and get one sorted in the next few days.

My bro has some 24" Halo SAS on his bike, and they seem pretty good! I figured they would be ok for the Scott since they will take as much hammer as I can throw at them and should last a good few years. I dont much care about weight... the bike is about 16-17kg anyway so im not really interested in a few grams.

Oh dunno if I mentioned this, ordered the shock mounts for the frame I need for the 9.5" shock I bought, bloody 6 week wait and £80 cost! Sigh.

[northwind]

Oh yeah, I mean, they're some of the toughest wheels out there but hardly anyone actually needs that and for everyone else they're just making the bike more ponderous. Not so much total weight, as rolling and steering weight, when I stick my Mavic 729s on the big bike the difference is pretty orrible, it's much harder to put where I want it or do manuals and hops etc.

If I was you I reckon I'd sell the Stinky, keep the Scott as it is, if you were to fit those 48h SASs they'll be stronger than the rest of the bike so not really all that useful, you'll break the Boxxers before the wheels.

Originally Posted by northwind

Oh yeah, I mean, they're some of the toughest wheels out there but hardly anyone actually needs that and for everyone else they're just making the bike more ponderous. Not so much total weight, as rolling and steering weight, when I stick my Mavic 729s on the big bike the difference is pretty orrible, it's much harder to put where I want it or do manuals and hops etc.

If I was you I reckon I'd sell the Stinky, keep the Scott as it is, if you were to fit those 48h SASs they'll be stronger than the rest of the bike so not really all that useful, you'll break the Boxxers before the wheels.

Sounds fair advice.

I been thinking if I actually need another XC style bike, as at a push the Scott can (suprisingly) do most of the XC stuff at not a bad push, even with 8 gears and over 7" of travel

But I noticed the Boardman FS Team, £800 down from a grand, the spec on it is MAD for the price! There are bikes at over double the price with lower spec!

Bike

Review

Very well rated, what you think? Or am I just trying to blow my money?

Other thing, small (aka 16" frame) right for me? Im 5' 6" with 29" inside leg...

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by ThEGr33k

But I noticed the Boardman FS Team, £800 down from a grand, the spec on it is MAD for the price! There are bikes at over double the price with lower spec!

MattSV bought one back in September and is I think happy with it. I had a go on it at Penmachno and it was a pretty handy performer, but was the first ever FS bike I have ridden, so had nothing to compare with. (obviously I now think my Trek is far superior )

Drop Matt a PM and get him to post his thoughts in here?

Even though i know very little about MTB's, i got the boardman hard tail in Jan, i think its ace Far better than i will ever be i must add.

The reviews are brilliant, though it will only really get light weight long distance use as I have the FR/DH orientated Scott voltage for blasting down the really fun stuff

Thing is I cant go back to hardtail, I think it must be a case of once you gone soft tail there is no going back hard.

Last time I had a go on a hard tail I was on my mates bike with the 4 pot 200mm Hope M4, and to get a good comparison with my front brake I thought an endo was a good idea, but it wasnt, I was sat down. hmmm