The MTB thread

[northwind]

So, here's what I did at the weekend

http://singletrackworld.com/2014/05/...ne-race-video/

http://singletrackworld.com/2014/06/...wo-race-video/

Total madness tbh, they shouldn't let people like me into world class events 3 days of practice, 2 days of racing, world champions everywhere you look (I met Andrew Shandro! Dude! Rode up one of the climbs with Tracey Hannah and Anne-Caro Chausson, they seemed pretty overawed to meet the legendary Northwind).

Saturday's trails were just ridiculous, bodies lying everywhere, there was one bit where I knew I couldn't ride it so I just decided where to crash beforehand and got on with it. So hard... Getting over to innerleithen for the downhill stage was a relief (though they'd taped a track that was harder than a typical inners downhill race, coming down it with 150mm of travel and an open face helmet was a bit iffy)

Sunday was a bit less technical but that just meant higher speeds, used some of the glentress trails and a bunch of new and old offpiste including some stuff I helped build- was pretty cool to hear Steve Peat raving about how good our new trail was. Never really got my race head on though, rode OK but really pretty safe and a long way off my speed.

50 miles and 8500 feet of climb doesn't seem so much but there was (for me) a full hour of full on charging in the timed stages, 10 minutes a time just flat out. Finished 80th in the E2 (amateur) class out of 200 (though, lots of DNFs in that, I think 120 actually completed the race). Well chuffed with that! I should really have made up about 10 more places if I'd ridden my best on sunday, but then I had a great day on saturday so maybe it balances.

Finished totally rebuilding my bike just in time for practice, and got the new stickers on it the night before the race kicked off...

IMG_2742 by Northwindlowlander, on Flickr

IMG_2739 by Northwindlowlander, on Flickr

Like a new bike- total nut and bolt rebuild, refinish, new forks, new bars, new seatpost, new gears... Didn't quite get the wheels done in time, so that was a bit of a bummer but tbh with a dh mud on the front saving 300g in the wheels probably doesn't make much difference

Probably best bit was getting back to the race HQ- people everywhere, not just riders but random Peebles people just out to check out the event, kids everywhere, rode down the track highfiving people like Bono on a bike Even had kids ask me to sign their programmes! Here's Tracey Moseley taking the win in the women's class...



That's Tweedlove done for me, it's been amazing, back to normal now- I ache all over, bouncing from one race to the next with no real rest's broken me a bit. Wouldn't change a damn thing.

[garynortheast]

Great vids, looks like it was an exciting event.

[northwind]

It was awesome... TBH I really recommend these enduro things, no matter how big or small, I've hardly done any that weren't brilliant. I've always felt like XC and downhill racing are basically for the top 10%, everyone else is just making up the numbers and paying the bills. But enduro is much more like the sort of riding loads of us actually want to do- descending as hard as you can on difficult trails, then winching slowly back up. Being in a race just adds a bit of extra challenge and motivation and a sense of event, it's a bit like going for a ride with 300 mates. Actually really a lot like a big motorbike rideout, atmosphere wise, I never thought of that before.

So, that was actually one of my best placings ever, generally I'm at the top of the bottom third and you'd think that'd be frustrating but it's just as cool duking it out with your fellow knobbers. Love it. Next up is Laggan for the 3rd round of the Scottish Enduro Series, in which I expect to be top of the bottom third

[Kenzie]

Well since I posted the link from Halfords last week the Gryphon has dropped from £349.99 to £279.99 and also got an addtional £20. Pick it up tomorrow.

[chris8886]

26x2.00 & 26x2.10 my mountain bike needs at least one new tyre badly, if not both. could you guys please give me some suggestions as to what to get? I'm using them to go properly off road fairly often (as in to work, across very muddy tracks). I don't have a huge amount to spend and I have gone to a local shop and been told what I'm after will be about £40 per tyre! which I think is frankly crazy!

so can anyone give me a link and some recommendations or something as to somewhere that I can buy one if not two new tyres?

I need very good off road grip and am not fussy on brand, just want something of reasonable quality for a reasonable price.

OMO help me please!!

[phi-dan]

I quite like the Conti X-king, does the job for me on the tracks and trails round here, and holds up on the trail centres as well. I'm a cheapskate so run the wired option.

[chris8886]

and what are they like on the road? I forgot to add that my bicycle is now my only form of transport so they do need to at least be useable on the road too, but I just need them to be more off road orientated.

[phi-dan]

The centre block pattern creates a near constant strip (at least, when up right) so it rolls really well. Not as well as a slick obviously, but better than most knobbly patterns.
If you need something more biased to the road there's the Schwalbe SmartSam, rolls much better on the hard stuff but not as good in the wet.

[phi-dan]

More biased to the road than a full knobbly that is

[northwind]

You could do worse than a Specialized Captain. They're a pretty good allrounder- the central tread blocks are close together so fast rolling in a straight line, and the rest of the tread is more open so will shovel a bit of mud. I use the higher end Control version a lot as a fast rear tyre and sometimes as a summer front, it's been excellent- the Sport version is cheaper and should still offer reasonable grip and will last longer.