XC in Cornwall - any willing volunteers ?

Surf-Matt

I moved from Surrey when I was 14. I am an imposter....

Wife isn't though - maybe she could go black and gold?!

allthegearnoidea

any excuse for some blatant bike tarting is good enough haahha!

as your an imposter, you could have Black and yellow hahah! Nearly there but not quite!

Surf-Matt

I have yellow dust caps (because I use Conti inner tubes)...

FSR_XC

There is such a thing as too much, ya know.

Yer both a bunch o' bike tarts!

allthegearnoidea

haha! you now it Mark!

BIke Tart and proud! haha!

Surf-Matt

FSR_XC wrote:

There is such a thing as too much, ya know.

Yer both a bunch o' bike tarts!

Ahh yes but you have TWO bikes and different gear to match each one - now that's tarting!

KernowCB

Cheers for the welcome guys.

Matt - I didn't go to Wadebridge school mate but i do know a few people from around the wadebridge area through work and gf's friends etc.

I will get out with you guys from the club when i can for sure, although, i am worried you're all too fit for me! (Matt@triathlon). I was out last night for a quick blast and it seems that my bike has decided to stop working. I've been told it could be a free hub problem....sounds expensive.

Where do you guys for repairs? I tend to go down to Clive Mitchell's in Truro.

Surf-Matt

Kernow - I use Clive Mitchell too - apart from one slip up, they've been pretty good.

allthegearnoidea

kernow, i tend to do most of my own if i can (was tempted to service myt own forks but darryl at the BB is goign to show me whats involved in the summer when i get them done!) but if i need anything then i use the BIKE BARN, ( http://www.cornwallcycletrails.com/ )
free hub problems dont need to be expensive, if yo uknow what wheels you have and what hubs you can get the free hub body from places like Chainreaction for anything upwards of a tenner,
not that difficult a job really, prolly wont cost you all that much through the bike shop! muchly depends if its cup and cone bearings or sealed cartridge bearings? infacto! just having a nose through the BB website and freehub changing - down as freewheel - comes in at £8 + parts!

i love the air of satisfaction from fixing the bike myself, kinda makes it feel better when out knowing how everything works! (much the same witht he car!)

FSR_XC

KernowCB remind me what bike you have.

How do you know what's wrong?

If it is Shimano hubs, I think a freewheel body will cost around £20-£25.

It isn't too difficult to do yourself. Cassette off & a 10mm allen key (iirc) to get the freehub off.

I don't tend to use Clive Mitchell. I do most stuff myself. As for shops, I use Certini or Bike Chain Ricci. I would certainly consider using Bike Barn if they were closer.

BTW, I am happy to help you if you choose todo the work yourself.

Re: riding with us. Itdon'tmatter if your a superstar or super slow, we ride together. If you are quicker, you just wait at the end of a trail.

Matt, just think of the speed - you know you want a road bike - ya tart!

Surf-Matt

Mark - actually probably going to get a Tricross very soon... :oops:

allthegearnoidea

Mark, if you use Ricci then the Barn wold only take you a couple extra m,inutes to get to! (unless you are using the cafe base rather than the shop?) oh, and Matt's just putting it off as he might like all that tight fitting lycra!

Matt, Roj at the barn has a rather nice Cycle-cross bike! and they have some very nice road bikes in, especially a carbon lapierre i htink it was!

FSR_XC

Timmo, it does feel nice :oops:

Matt's just worried that he'll get too much in to it all and start shaving his legs
A Cyclo-x is just a road bike that you don't mind getting dirty after all.

Only reason I use Ricci is because I know him & I am down the shop / cafe a fair bit due to One & All cycling club. He's been very good with me, setting my riding position correctly and offering me some decent discounts etc.

allthegearnoidea

thats the ricci i used to know! or the shop! hwole place used to be like that!
still see him and he does stop and talk which is nice, i just find that half the time some of the guys cant be bothered in there!
when i bought the wife's bike i got about £70 of free kit thrown in on a £300 bike! never used to pay anything like what the price tag depicted etc!
but seemed to go down hill a smidge after Mrs Ricci started to take over a bit!

i use the bike barn guys as they are basically what ricci used ot be for me! how a bike shop should feel as you walk in - welcoming rather than intimidating! pretty much nothing is too much trouble!

Surf-Matt

Had two bad experiences at Ricci as did Shane - not using them again!

Keen to try Bike Barn but it is a bit far. Recommended a friend (just moved from Bristol to Redruth) use them and she was well impressed - think they bought two bikes from them.

Must try Certini one day - but again a bit far!

CycleLogic in Helston impressed me - but I was just passing.

allthegearnoidea

yeah the cycle place in helstone have been happy to help over the phone before! not used them in person but they appear on the surface of it to be good!

Surf-Matt

Timmo - I needed a new headset but they were very busy. Unfortunately I was only passing - persuaded them to fit it there and then and they did it in 10 minutes!
Meanwhile I checked out their Specialized 2D helmets...

And had to have to have one...

FSR_XC

I was told there is a place in Hayle that is very good for servicing etc.

Matt - Certini is just a Specialized toy shop!
Their test fleet includes stuff like Epic and Stumpy . . . or for roadies: Tarmac and Robaix . . . . and I bet they've got a Tricross. The whole fleet are probably all midrange and above models too.

I am waiting for their Cannondale Rush test bike.

Surf-Matt

The Rush looks very nice, as does the Scalpel!

Dazzza

Fsr - Ricci has a carbon rush on display, i had a play on it and to me it felt like an xc bike trying to ride like a dh rig, whether it's just me not used to multi linked suspension im not sure.

It felt like you were sitting inside the bike rather than perched on it like a typical xc bike would,try having a look at trek bikes, i had a nose at a carbon trek fuel 9.0, it's one hell of a frame.

FSR_XC

Dazza I know, Ricci has already offered me a nice deal on it.

btw the suspension is singlepivot.

Haven't ridden one yet (probably because I can't afford to buy one), but have ridden a Prophet & loved it. Also every mag test has rated it very highly.

Matt I can't ride on Tuesday - got to work now.

Dazzza

Oh right, i didn't get as much of a look as i was pushed for time, if you loved a prophet then you will love the rush as they both give a similar ride, and it is very light.

Not for me though, shame as the price makes it a bargain.

They do a nice toolkit that fits inside the steerer tube, not sure if it's for left forks only though.

Surf-Matt

Mark - no worries. Looking like I'll be pretty busy too.

Good surf on the way this weekend

allthegearnoidea

nice weather too matt!
looks like a good day for Poldice/bissoe on sunday!

Surf-Matt

In case any of you fancy doing this next year (or the Sussex/Dorset one this year) a few pics of the South Devon off road tri - lots of the MTB course!

There are two of me in there but I'm not going to point them out... :oops:

http://endurancelife.co.uk/gallery-view.asp?event=39

allthegearnoidea

Why's that Matt, Have you done a Tri recently?????

Surf-Matt

Might have done...

allthegearnoidea

Really! would never have known had you not just mentioned it! :P

Dazzza

God you're like a pair of women.

allthegearnoidea

Having spent the morning with a room full of them at the toddler group i can catagorically say that were not that bad yet hahahah! close But No cigar! haha!