What can my bike do?

Excarn

Hello there,

I've been riding for awhile now but nothing very taxing or extreme. Basically my bike comes out each summer and I ride some of my local routes, in and around Peterborough, and occasionally I go to Rutland or Grafham water and Thetford forest.

This year I have decided to take my riding to the next level and plan to do more trail riding and hopefully go to the Peak district and tryout some of the routes up there. I like the idea of getting into singletrack riding in the peaks, both uphill and down, and maybe a few jumps and simple tricks (primarily as part of riding a route rather than specific).

Last weekend, feeling sorry for me and that state of my 10year old, poorly maintained, Saracen mountain bike my wife brought me a Specialized FSR XC Comp. A lovely bike, both aesthetically pleasing and great to ride. Now, I know this is classified as a cross country bike, and that seems to fit with the type of riding I plan on doing. What I was wondering though is what are the limits of this bike? What kind of trails and things should I avoid doing, and how will I know if I'm pushing it too hard (before it breaks)?

Thanks for any help and advice.

lastwords

You will be able to do all the trails in the peaks district no worrys, i have only ever had XC bikes and dont exactly go slow down hills and have never broken one yet.

My last one before some thieving git nicked it was a giant NRS.

I just wouldnt jump or drop off stuff thats too high.

PS. and dont crash

Anonymous

as above, it will ride most of the stuff that most people in the uk ride. it is a trail full sus bike and you should have a blast.

its probably more of a wheels on the ground kind of bike not really suite to dropping 4 feet off of something but there is no reason you couldnt tackle roks and steep ups and downs, evn small drops wont be too much.

ps, kudos to the wife, its regarded as a nice bike and sounds like quite a leap from your old machine.

Excarn

Thanks for the replys, that's all good to hear. Last thing I wanted to do was wreck my lovely new bike by doing something stupid.

It is a vast improvement on my previous bike. The ride alone just feels a lot smoother, let alone the handling.

Now just to get me to some trails

CycloRos

you'll probably find the limit of your own nerve/ability before you find the limitations of the bike like the others have said it sounds more than capable for what you'll be riding, enjoy and get out there!

Daz555

Excarn wrote:

What I was wondering though is what are the limits of this bike? What kind of trails and things should I avoid doing, and how will I know if I'm pushing it too hard (before it breaks)?.

Your own limitations will e greater than the bikes at this time. Bike won't hold up to loads of 5ft drops onto flat but remember it does have 120mm of travel and that this travel is meant to be used.

FSRxc is a bit more beefy than a typical XC whippet (more of a 'Trail' bike perhaps). It will will happily smash around any trail in the UK.

You'll probably find that if you starting hitting it too hard, the wheels will go first anyway.

REMF

I have the same bike, it will do anything in Wales if Coed-yBrenin, Nant-y-Arian or the Marin Trail are anything to go by.

FSR_XC

Ask not what the bike can do, but what you can do . . . . .

unless you are a full on downhiller or into doing 4ft+ drops, the bike will cope with most things, without an issue.

I have the 2007 model & the only thing I can fault about it, is that the better I get, the lighter I want the bike.

skullthaw

lucky devil :shock:
that was the wrong way round your supposed to have to beg for weeks or acidently kill the old one until she relents :twisted: