Mountain Bikes, whos got what?

[tuono01]

Me and my mate went for a ride up at Cannock Chase last thursday, thought all the snow had gone!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58217021@N05/8598182093/

[m17rkj]

2012 Commencal V3DH with RS Boxxer rc and a 2009 Giant Reign X1 are my regular toys but I also have a '99 azonic ds1 frame with '96 Bomber Z1's as a playbike and a '96 GT LTS DH which is my retro resto project. never enough bikes!

[bigman1976]

My current ride is a 2012 Spesh Rockhopper with a set of Rock Shox Recons bolted onto the front. This replaced my much loved (and much missed) 1996 GT Pantera. The new bike is subjectively much better (better forks, disk brakes etc.) but to me, it doesn't have the character of the big beastie!

[octavia11o]

I've got a Decathalon Rockrider 8.1. Excellent value for money and a solid bike. I really should make more use of it but since the misses had our first kid, I don't seem to get the chance anymore!

[JohnMcL7]

I went on my first proper road bike run on Monday night (on a hybrid though, everyone else on road bikes) and decided it wasn't really my thing and I much preferred being out on the mountain bike group rides which is amusing U-turn as last year I was disappointed I'd had to take up mountain bike group riding as there were no suitable road group riding.

I do fancy the idea of putting my own bike together to get a proper feel for the parts but not sure if that's worthwhile as the current bike seems to have done surprisingly well given it's had a pretty tough time with me, it hasn't let me down at all. I'm also not sure what would be good to improve on as I initially liked the idea of a full suspension bike but I've noticed they appear harder going uphill and when the track isn't too rough plus they seem to bog down a bit more in the mud. My hard tail is a bit bumpy through the rough stuff but it seems generally fairly quick and easy to ride.

John

[tuono01]

Anybody do Cannock Chase or Sherwood pines regular that wouldn't mind someone latching on? I changed job and find that I'll have more free time but my riding mate changed job and now lives too far away. Depending on shift I can even do post work rides so long as the place isn't more than an hour from Nottingham.

Sad plea but new work colleagues aren't two wheel minded more two beers!

[kit]

I have a Rock Lobster team Tig SL....I really need to back out doing some biking what with the longest summer weve ever had in Ireland...well within the last 15 years ive been here that is!!!

k:)

[Ally_bassman]

Woah I'm happy I found this thread!!!

Glad to see some fellow mountain biking Skoda drivers! :-D

I've got my bouncy 2010 Norco DH with custom spec

And my less bouncy Rose Uncle Jimbo 8 - pretty rare to see in this country as they are not well known so it gets some attention out on the trails.

Anyone do the loops at Llandegla?

[tuono01]

Woah I'm happy I found this thread!!!

Glad to see some fellow mountain biking Skoda drivers! :-D

I've got my bouncy 2010 Norco DH with custom spec

And my less bouncy Rose Uncle Jimbo 8 - pretty rare to see in this country as they are not well known so it gets some attention out on the trails.

Anyone do the loops at Llandegla?

Nice bikes. I plan to be up at Llandegla in the next month or so. I think if we joined you, looking at the pics, we'd be somewhat behind you

[tuono01]

Since it's been quiet on this bit for a while thought I'd bring back as I've just got a new(to me) bike.

Managed to get a Norco Sight 2 2012 model for £700, full XT and all in good running order. Just need time out on it, thinking Cannock, Degla or Lee Quarry in the next week or two.

Biggest surprise compared to my old bike was how wide the handlebars are, like cow horn bars of the 80s. 

Can't wait

What's everyone else been upto?

[JohnMcL7]

That sounds a great deal, hope you get on well with it.

 

I managed to get on a great demo day at the Cairngorms where they had a good variety of bikes from various companies which you could take up to the top station and ride all the way down then take another bike and do the same.  Which was exactly what I was needing, I went from fancying a lightweight hardtail but ended up with a 120mm full suspension bike as I couldn't believe how much more enjoyable the full suspension bike was on the downhill and really inspired a lot of confidence.  The 120mm seemed a good balance so I bought a Trek Fuel Ex 8 29er which I've been absolutely delighted with, it's still a good climber and fast on the level but I'm finding downhill a lot more enjoyable and also cross country rough stuff where I'd need to coast on the hardtail I can just really get the power down as the big wheels and suspension just soak up everything.  I realise I'm using the full suspension and big wheels in place of skill but I'm not really bothered as it's a lot of fun to ride and seems great on a wide variety of tracks.  I thought some of the wide handlebars looked a bit ridiculous but having tried them out I really like them as they make the bike feel stable.

 

I took part in my first 24 hour endurance race as part of a quad in the Relentless 24 which was located at Nevis Range near Fort William, the track was a figure of eight with a big climb at the start, a downhill section, a cross country bit then another climb and finishing on the championship downhill track.  I was worried the track might be a bit too hard going on the downhill but it was actually quite an enjoyable track and could do all of it bar a couple of sections that go so super muddy it was easier to hop off as the bike was getting stuck.  My third lap in the middle of the night was a bit miserable as it just started really pouring (the track itself had been soaked from the start due to heavy rain before the start) which wasn't very pleasant on the faster bits and I got soaked right through  I had dry clothes but not spare knee pads so for the fourth lap put the soaking ones back on, that lap was the worst even though it was dry as I was feeling too tired for it, couldn't even enjoy the downhill sections were tough as I was having trouble holding my weight standing on the pedals. I was dreading the fifth lap as the amount of noise in the carpark from petrol generators some people were using meant no sleep but it went better than the previous one.  We were lucky in that none of the four bikes suffered punctures or needed new brake pads which was a big relief, I'd been to try one of the courses in preparation a couple of weeks before and got a puncture on the Octavia and two on the bike (argh!) so was expecting the worst on the race itself.

 

The quads weren't that competitive but we had a good race on as 19 hours we had an incredibly slim lead of just 15 seconds, two of our team were still going surprisingly fast and managed to get us second overall (first in our class) which was still very rewarding.  The soloists were incredible as the winner managed one more lap than we had as a quad, I just don't know how they could keep it up as the only thing that kept me going later on was the knowledge that I would have a three hour break at the end!  Then again I only started mountain biking last year and never thought I'd be taking part in an endurance event.

 

There's the first CX race up here next month which is five minutes from my house so I'm thinking I might as well give that a shot to see what it's like, the Strathpuffer is in January which is quite a bit 24 hour event which I'd like to try but then I forget how tough I was finding some of the parts of the Relentless plus the Strathpuffer is meant to be much tougher on the bikes and the winter conditions can be really nasty. 

 

Finally have a couple of pictures on the MTB:

 

[tuono01]

Good result and sounds like you had a lot of fun. 

I found a full sus more fun than a hardtail and looking forward to trying the new bike out. Hoping for a quick blast before work on sunday.

Might have to look into doing an endurance race next year with some friends.

[matt_theforce]

My Marin has had a few changes since page1, last seen running a pair of 120-135mm Revelations & Full XT

 

However, the Marin has now been stripped, ready to be rebuilt for my eldest son and I've now bought a 456 Carbon hardtail & 100mm Reba RL's

 

I've still to replace the saddle for a black/red one but other than that I'm happy with it.

[lukeanderson31]

If youve got a patriot currently, what sort of riding is it for?

Orange 5 was an epic trail centre bike. As was my Ghost amr+. Preferred this over my Scott Voltage FR aswell!

We're just starting lapierre at work so ill let you know how they go!

Sent using Tapatalk, like a bawsss!

[Mike Wrightson]

I got this a few months ago:

 

 

Which is fairly entry-level, but I'm having a blast on it and riding it more than I thought I would be.  Couple of road bikes in the cupboard too, which I love to bits, but with weather being so crappy lately I would get wet and muddy whatever I was riding, so I take the MTB out on the trails.

 

I have also taken to exploring the bridleways of the Lakes too:

 

[matt_theforce]

Whilst it's not a mountain bike I use this on all the same trails as my mountain bikes

 

 

Its almost as quick in Wharncliffe Woods as the MTB but much slower on the rocky trails in the Peaks but its just as much fun but in a different way

[Dan314]

I ride a Lapierre Zesty 314 

 

 

[kilted]

Rather aged Scott Yecora (not even sure how old) with Marazochi Bomber forks on the front (110mm travel). Unfortunately been consigned to the garage for the last few years due to various things.

 

Not been out on it in a heck of a long time but planning on getting it used to seeing daylight again this year!

[WeirdKerr]

 

My 2004 Marin Northside Trail (pic was taken when it was new)

[AGENT 47]

voodoo bizango 29er 

[lukeanderson31]

I run a cycle shop in Hull, East Yorkshire. I had thought about doing a discount for brisky members. Dont know how well it would do, but we can post parts, clothing and bikes out anywhere in the country.

We stock Ghost, Scott, Merida and Lapierre bikes. New website currently in development!

And as for my new ride? Ghost Cagua 6551e:i. Cant wait to get out on the trails!

Sent using Tapatalk, like a bawsss!

[Captain Scarlet]

Only really been back into cycling since our son learnt to ride without stablisers, so needed a bike to keep up as he flies around lol. He was 5 last November and loves going to all places. Even ridden a 7stanes green route. With the help of my brother and my Dad I bought him a specialized hot rock second hand and is all fixed up ready for him.

I've got a Carrera Centos 18 and it's doing everything I've asked of it and allows me to easily keep up lol. Even taken it quite fast around a red route on the 7stanes an had a go at the orange section to.

Always looking around the internet for possible future bikes for when I've destroyed this one lol.

[Guest Cossiecol]

My Specialized 2010 Big Hit II (Medium)

List of upgrades:

Opium wheels (with Iodine rear hub)
Shamino Saints M820 brakes
Boxxer 2010 shock
Sunline direct mount
Hope Headset
Raceface Atlas bars
Stealth lock-on grips
Raceface DH BB
Raceface Atlas FR crank
Raceface front ring
Sram power chain 971
Raceface Respond seat post
Hope QR seat post clamp
DMR Vault pedals
Titanium rear Spring
Sram PowerGlide DH cassette
Maxxis Highroller tyres
Bioflex titanium saddle

For sale if anyone's interested

 

[smithybud]

I have a 2014 ibis mojo hdr .... Can't rate it enough bud !!!!!