boiltheocean
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The biking thread
- Thread starter Bram Turismo
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- San Francisco,
- machate-man
- dowby
This is me riding around in an 8-mile stretch of land completely owned by Genentech
Very slowly, of course.
In 720p for those who care...
*Sorry if it's a bit shakey. This is my first attempt at making a video with my own footage.
I'm Planning on doing This road next. It's a tiny 10 hairpin path that is plenty fun to go down
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- 5,494
- Melbourne, Living the dream
- Aldo_GTP
Just back from a day out at Glentress - absolutely knackered!
Got up to 28.2 MPH on The Motorway on the Blue route. Absolutely quality bit of trail.
Not my video might I add.
The new bit of the Blue is really good too - Berm Baby Berm. Some reeeeaaaaallly nice berms in quick succession at the start with a couple of decent jumps.
First bit of:
I'm afraid this guy appears to be using crotch-cam...
Hit up the freeride park as well and just went for it. Managed to clear a few of the bigger jumps which was sensational. Got so much air!
Although the highlight has got to be Spooky Woods as always! Did it twice even though the climb up is a total 🤬!
I appeared to not be able to put a foot wrong today as well! Was absolutely pinning it 100% everywhere and didn't fall off once.
Great success!
Got up to 28.2 MPH on The Motorway on the Blue route. Absolutely quality bit of trail.
Not my video might I add.
The new bit of the Blue is really good too - Berm Baby Berm. Some reeeeaaaaallly nice berms in quick succession at the start with a couple of decent jumps.
First bit of:
I'm afraid this guy appears to be using crotch-cam...
Hit up the freeride park as well and just went for it. Managed to clear a few of the bigger jumps which was sensational. Got so much air!
Although the highlight has got to be Spooky Woods as always! Did it twice even though the climb up is a total 🤬!
I appeared to not be able to put a foot wrong today as well! Was absolutely pinning it 100% everywhere and didn't fall off once.
Great success!
Sounds like you had fun Allyn 👍 I'm not jealous at all 
I'm hoping to get out to Lee Quarry next weekend for the first time, looks like a pretty cool place. I may even try boosting some of the jumps instead of sucking them up, the last time I jumped I got thrown over the bars so expect my highly exaggerated version of events to be from a hospital bed.
Advice time...
Do I get these brand new Rockshox Recon Silver TK forks for £112.50 which may need a new spring fitting to sort the sag out or do I brave ebay to try and get something better like Rockshox Recon Gold RL Solo Air that are a year or two old?
I'm hoping to get out to Lee Quarry next weekend for the first time, looks like a pretty cool place. I may even try boosting some of the jumps instead of sucking them up, the last time I jumped I got thrown over the bars so expect my highly exaggerated version of events to be from a hospital bed.
Advice time...
Do I get these brand new Rockshox Recon Silver TK forks for £112.50 which may need a new spring fitting to sort the sag out or do I brave ebay to try and get something better like Rockshox Recon Gold RL Solo Air that are a year or two old?
boiltheocean
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Solo Air! It's so much easier to get the ride you want from an air fork.
Nice ride Allyn, your so lucky you live near glentress.
Nice ride Allyn, your so lucky you live near glentress.
- 5,494
- Melbourne, Living the dream
- Aldo_GTP
Sounds like you had fun Allyn 👍 I'm not jealous at all
I'm hoping to get out to Lee Quarry next weekend for the first time, looks like a pretty cool place. I may even try boosting some of the jumps instead of sucking them up, the last time I jumped I got thrown over the bars so expect my highly exaggerated version of events to be from a hospital bed.
Advice time...
Do I get these brand new Rockshox Recon Silver TK forks for £112.50 which may need a new spring fitting to sort the sag out or do I brave ebay to try and get something better like Rockshox Recon Gold RL Solo Air that are a year or two old?
Hell yeah I did!
Hahaha! I was very close to being chucked over the bars on one fairly decent sized jump coming down Spooky Woods right before a berm too. Needless to say it wasn't mud on my Top Gear boxers....
Not sure about the forks mate. Obviously air would be better for setup and stuff, but I don't know what condition used ones would be like.
Yeah, just realized that 1 hour away is nothing in the scale of things. Need to make an effort to get down there more often. Currently looking at small vans as a first car...
Gonna join the cycling club at uni though cause they apparently go down to GT fairly often so that should be decent.
Hell yeah I did!
Hahaha! I was very close to being chucked over the bars on one fairly decent sized jump coming down Spooky Woods right before a berm too. Needless to say it wasn't mud on my Top Gear boxers....
Not sure about the forks mate. Obviously air would be better for setup and stuff, but I don't know what condition used ones would be like.
That would have been painful if it went wrong
I'm ignoring any forks that are older than 2 years, look a bit battered or are listed by a moron but the ones that are left are getting mucho attention and seem to be going for more than I want to pay
I know some people like ebay but I just find it frustrating.One of the guys I lived with in first year Uni was massively into mountain biking (he'd been to Whistler & Mammoth racing!) and was in the biking club. I made the mistake of going riding with them once which is when I discovered that old skool cantilever brakes and badly worn tyres were no match for V brakes and new rubber (discs didn't exist back then), you can image how popular I was after ploughing into the back of everyone unable to stop on a load of wet roots! Plus my stereotypical student lifestyle meant I was coughing up blood before we even started any proper riding so I had a thoroughly terrible time
- 5,494
- Melbourne, Living the dream
- Aldo_GTP
That would have been painful if it went wrong
I'm ignoring any forks that are older than 2 years, look a bit battered or are listed by a moron but the ones that are left are getting mucho attention and seem to be going for more than I want to pay
One of the guys I lived with in first year Uni was massively into mountain biking (he'd been to Whistler & Mammoth racing!) and was in the biking club. I made the mistake of going riding with them once which is when I discovered that old skool cantilever brakes and badly worn tyres were no match for V brakes and new rubber (discs didn't exist back then), you can image how popular I was after ploughing into the back of everyone unable to stop on a load of wet roots! Plus my stereotypical student lifestyle meant I was coughing up blood before we even started any proper riding so I had a thoroughly terrible time
I know! Didn't really think about it at the time and just went "Oh cock" (language may have differed and it might have started with a 'C' too...) and kept my foot in. It was only when I got to the bottom I realised how nasty it could've been!
You could try the Bikeradar Classifieds as well. Might be able to grab yourself a bargain. 👍
Haha! No doubt there'll be some massive bell-ends with full sussers and all the kit that think they're amazing. I'm no mug on my bike though. I let 2 lads with full sussers go down one of the bits of the Blue route return before me and yeah they were good, but I was keeping up (until my chain fell off...) with them.
boiltheocean
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Just make sure the steerer tube is long enough when buying a used fork, the Recon Solo Air hasn't got any really expensive parts in like U-Turn so even if it looks a little beat up it wouldn't be expensive to re-build. It's pretty hard to break fork internals though unless you constantly hammer them on something they aren't designed for. My Fox's were third hand when I bought them off a friend with broken seals, £30 spent and they are good as new.
Also because I get bored I threw together a little dream build I'd make if I won the lottery:
If someone eventually gives me a job I think a frame upgrade is in order after I sort out some new camera gear, I love the Pace to bits but it's a little short now I've had it 3 years(doesn't seem that long) and new technology means 6" full-sus bikes weigh so little and pedal so well.
Also because I get bored I threw together a little dream build I'd make if I won the lottery:
If someone eventually gives me a job I think a frame upgrade is in order after I sort out some new camera gear, I love the Pace to bits but it's a little short now I've had it 3 years(doesn't seem that long) and new technology means 6" full-sus bikes weigh so little and pedal so well.
Thanks Aldo, I hadn't considered classifieds 👍
Surprisingly I already thought ahead and measured my steerer so know which forks to avoid although if it's a 120mm travel fork I can afford a slightly shorter steerer and use less spacers to keep the bars the same height. Good point about the rebuild, I know it would be in the region of £100 to send them off to be done but looking at guides in mags it doesn't look to tricky to do yourself. TBH as long as the stanchions aren't marked I'd consider most forks if they weren't too old.
Nice kit, I didn't know Chris King did hubs
You're missing the XTR clutch thing rear derailleur though.
My next bike will very likely be a Canyon Nerve AM 7.0, the level of kit on them is bonkers and they may not currently have the most fashionable geometry but they still sound fun to ride. I saw one at Coed Llandegla a of couple of weeks ago and they do look the part.
Surprisingly I already thought ahead and measured my steerer so know which forks to avoid although if it's a 120mm travel fork I can afford a slightly shorter steerer and use less spacers to keep the bars the same height. Good point about the rebuild, I know it would be in the region of £100 to send them off to be done but looking at guides in mags it doesn't look to tricky to do yourself. TBH as long as the stanchions aren't marked I'd consider most forks if they weren't too old.
Nice kit, I didn't know Chris King did hubs
You're missing the XTR clutch thing rear derailleur though.My next bike will very likely be a Canyon Nerve AM 7.0, the level of kit on them is bonkers and they may not currently have the most fashionable geometry but they still sound fun to ride. I saw one at Coed Llandegla a of couple of weeks ago and they do look the part.
boiltheocean
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Nice kit, I didn't know Chris King did hubs
Chris King make excellent hubs, shame they are rather pricey in the UK. Also SRAM XX rear derailleur, they have made a huge leap forward this year.
Looks good, I've not seen many around but they did look good. Just make sure you buy it before they hike up their prices, so many companies do that so it pays to have a hipster attitude towards buying bikes. Please tell me your getting the black frame!
As it's XX I'll let you off with the derailleur 
Unfortunately my wife thinks moving house ranks higher in our priorities than me getting a new bike so it will probably be 2012 before I splash out and it had crossed my mind I might miss the boat on the bargain. I was tempted by the hideous green of the Nerve AM 6.0 so to save me any embarrassment I decided on the 7.0 in black, the brown option in the 7.0 really is dire.
Unfortunately my wife thinks moving house ranks higher in our priorities than me getting a new bike so it will probably be 2012 before I splash out and it had crossed my mind I might miss the boat on the bargain. I was tempted by the hideous green of the Nerve AM 6.0 so to save me any embarrassment I decided on the 7.0 in black, the brown option in the 7.0 really is dire.
boiltheocean
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I road cycle as I prefer that sport of just going for a distance and speed. It comes from my other sport, swimming, all about setting fast times and busting your lungs for the enjoyment of it!
Starting to get 17 mph/27kph averages, no matter what the distance is.
Also, I have noticed that with road cycling, it is quite highly technical in terms of the gearing, revolutions on the pedals and what you actually do when you go uphill. I now just take it easy on the flat bit, making sure I am pedalling fairly quickly but at a pace that is comfortable as that makes the legs recover relatively quick before hitting the hill and trying to maintain that speed with a bit of effort to put in it before needing to change gears.... Changing gears are a arse to do in the middle of the hill!
When you say you cannot change the gears, do you mean the big gear, or the deraillers (little gears)? for example, if you have the big gear on the highest and the deraillers on the lowest, its not really recommended to do that as it wears out the cogs a bit faster and the chain as well.... I used to do that loads, till the chain snapped as I was powering away off from a standing start... hello concrete!
Alternatively, cos its so hot in Chongqing, just relax and pedal like you haven't a care in the world...?
Oh, last night I was out riding in a big (for me) group of cyclists, doing 25 miles. Everything was generally going well, apart from my magnet for the speedo deciding to part company with the spoke and go flying off at what seems to be 100mph! Well, considering I was going at 25mph+ downhill and it was in the countryside and I only realised it half a mile down the road.... Time to buy another magnet for the speedo... Are they relatively cheap?
- 3,460
- Hollywood
- 30,033
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Errrr......how do I explain?
Basically the set of gears I use for steaming along on flat road are not low enough to satisfy the speed I require. I'm spinning out in the gear with the most pull. I could probably do with a whole new gear cassette on the rear as the frame is a mounting bike frame and the gears are too. I might look for some proper racing gears and bolt them on.
You're right about the chain wearing out, all the rivets have be filed smooth!
Depends on how I feel. If I want a quick hour cycle, I go for 15 miles and just do it in under an hour. My area has some medium hills in it but its not numerous. Its relatively flat so steady high speeds are possible. Other weekdays that I feel better for longer distances, I get around 20 to 25 miles. But then, I am quite a lazy person sometimes...
On weekends, I am trying to make a regular cycle with a group of friends who got these all-carbon fibre bikes.... and they're relatively serious. They aim for around 30 to 40+ miles and its normally just over two hours to three hours, depending on the weather and how fit everyone is feeling.
I used to swim countless hours and at a high intensity, so this isn't much trouble for me, cardio-wise and mentality wise as well. So long I am going in a direction at a relatively quick pace, I'm happy and I can ignore most of the lactic acid that comes with it.
Ah, I understand what you mean Shem. I do know what you mean about needing a gearing for steady pace and its not quite having it. My current road bike has three gears, so that's a total of 21 (7 sprockets) available for me. But I only use number 2 gears and sprockets 4 onwards unless I'm getting some serious speeds, in which is the 3rd gear and the last sprocket.... Or when the all-carbon fibre group yell: "SPRINT TIME!"... that just hurts.
I think you mean the gears are not high enough on the flat part of the roads.
You can replace the gear set and get more "teeths" ones, to make it require more torque to turn. But its a balancing act for your area with the hilly parts of the city, whether you'll be able to cope with that at first. Alternatively, go proper road bike style and have 14-15 gears instead? (2 gears, however many sprockets).
It sounds like the bike shop fitted all the gears with granny gears... from what you're saying. Ah... interval training time for you, I guess?
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I've just started interval training on some of the larger hills that are around half a k and about as step as the cliffs at Dover. The first few runs aren't so bad but once the acid kicks in it does become painful. The last run I did on Tuesday has left me sore up to today. I'm walking like a penguin!
- 30,033
- Thailand
Well, I imagine it'll be expensive because of the tech used to build it but at the moment it's just a a prototype waiting to go into production.
I'm looking for a new bike because a friend wants to get a bike and I said I'll sell him mine. I'm leaning towards a Giant triathlon bike because they seem to be really cheap here, just a few thousand yuan.
I'm looking for a new bike because a friend wants to get a bike and I said I'll sell him mine. I'm leaning towards a Giant triathlon bike because they seem to be really cheap here, just a few thousand yuan.
ExigeEvan
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- 17,192
Just got my bike back from the shop, had it about a month, done about 300 km on it and the front derailer cable was on it's last strand at the mech!
But they took it in, changed the cable, serviced it and pumped up the tyres (my 'rents went away for 10 days and took the only pump I had that'd exceed 6PSi Bar 
) for free. Happy days.
But they took it in, changed the cable, serviced it and pumped up the tyres (my 'rents went away for 10 days and took the only pump I had that'd exceed 6
) for free. Happy days.
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- 30,033
- Thailand
I just got back this minute from a 30k. It took me a while as I'm sore from other activities and I wasn't counting it as a time trial. Chain came off twice, it's completely f'd after about 5000k on it and I haven't had a chance to put on a new one.
Actually I have a similar problem to you, Evan, my pump is a really good quality on but how I'm supposed to get 100psi in the tyres using my own arms is beyond me.
Got to give it a clean now as the roads were dirty today and there's crap all over the gears.
Actually I have a similar problem to you, Evan, my pump is a really good quality on but how I'm supposed to get 100psi in the tyres using my own arms is beyond me.
Got to give it a clean now as the roads were dirty today and there's crap all over the gears.
I got a track pump a while ago after my cheap foot pump disintegrated which is great for bikes but rubbish for a car tyre that's as flat as a pancake from a slow puncture!
Evan, are you taking your bike with you for your tour or sorting one out there?
Also the new issue of imbikemag seems pretty good especially as it's free.
Highlights include, George Woodward popping his Megavalanche cherry, a tribute to the final TransWales endurance race, an inside look behind the scenes at Bluegrass and Richard Kelly is looking at trailside fixes to ensure your bike keeps rolling.
Evan, are you taking your bike with you for your tour or sorting one out there?
Also the new issue of imbikemag seems pretty good especially as it's free.
Highlights include, George Woodward popping his Megavalanche cherry, a tribute to the final TransWales endurance race, an inside look behind the scenes at Bluegrass and Richard Kelly is looking at trailside fixes to ensure your bike keeps rolling.
