London Calling

Anonymous

supra-man wrote:

and the climbs are easy now. 8)

Except when you're as unfit as I am

Thinking about it, I've not been on the bike for over a month, and the skiing just isn't any good for climbing stamina.

Hopefully it'll be a bit easier next week.

supra-man

Hows next weekend looking?? whos up for a ride?? saturday or sunday?
Last weeks route was fine, if I dont have a puncture lol :roll: we can actually make it a lot longer, as time wise was perfect.

popstar

Hope to do Surrey Hills on Saturday and perhaps a lighter ride in Swinley on Sunday. Hope weather will stay as it is now, love dusty singletrack.

thel33ter

I'll be up for a ride on Saturday probably, I haven't been to Surrey Hills much but always find really good riding when I'm there, I did Bedgebury twice yesterday and it was great.

Atz

Still not sure on the weekend. Walking okay again now, going to stick some more road miles in and see if I'm fixed.

Watch out on BKB. Some lovely people decided what it REALLY needed was a jump right after one of the bermed corners on the bottom section... twats. Hurtwood ranger is very unhappy about it, as are local residents. Might have been flattened by the weekend I guess but still...


(photo stolen from STW)

Anonymous

Some people really are inconsiderate. Might be fun for them, but that trail is use by a lot of less experienced riders as well as families with kids in nice weather!

As for the weekend, I need to get some bike maintenance done which hopefully I can do by then if I get the time and the equipment. At least for the chain & gears. The nasty creaking I think is the i-drive pivots. A well known issue on the GT and supposedly not a mechanical problem, just very annoying. Found a guide on how to sort it out, but need the kit, time and patience to do it. Or find an LBS to do it.

No pedals yet though. Still looking at the B54s, but still not in stock. CRC have bumped the expected date to the 21st though.

Get that lot sorted (and some shoes ), and I'm really ready to roll then

thel33ter

So, anything happening?

popstar

yep, Saturday epics !!! On page 15 I guess is the route plan*. Especially as the weather going to be ace ... can't wait to hit dusty singletrack.

Dkenny, plz give nice pics from previous ride !!! Surely you didn't drag your camera around for nothing.

thel33ter

Ah, missed that, how many people normally show up?

popstar

Well, regular riders Atz,me,Supraman,Dkenny for now. If people like philscott and Gregsd show up, definately there would be a little more challenge going on with speed on uphills. But if speed on uphills you are after there are certain routes awaiting. All in all group isn't big enough to create chaos, so uphills are nice and chatty between all. Riding trails on downhills envolves louzy cameraman chatting crazy ideas on filming, different shot etc ... you pretty get idea that you wouldn't find yourself stone faced during a ride.

Anonymous

Still haven't sorted the bike out. Just had no time and I've been trying to get tools and waiting for stuff to arrive (and looks like they're not going to turn up by the weekend ). Might end up going to a LBS to get it looked at.

As for the photos, I've yet to copy them off the camera. Will do them tonight hopefully. Always takes me ages to get round to processing photos, though I could just dump them as they are but I usually like to make a few tweaks to make them extra special .

Not sure about taking the slr that often though. Fits fine in the camelbak, but it did make it heavy. Was no problem when skiing but on a bike it's a heavy weight on the back, probably due to the angle of the body when riding.

popstar

Think Supra got the smallest/lightest camelback which makes him the mule for carrying extra heavy stuff this time! Yeaaa, ...

Supraman how are Stanes crew doing, are they up for Saturday ride? I still don't have any reply from them.

thel33ter

I don't particulary do fast uphills, the funs in going down Its gonna be me and my dad so the uphills won't be quick

ammike

Morning all, this is my first post here. Do you have room for one more tomorrow? I've been to Surrey Hills once or twice, would be good to get more familiar with the area. I'm no expert but I'm reasonably fit so should at least be able to keep up

Atz

Keeping up won't be a problem, being bored while you wait for me to drag my lazy backside up the climbs will

popstar

Surely there is more than enough of spaces to join our group. We don't ride really that fast uphill ... in fact as fast as the last rider in a group. But Saturday gonna be an epic ride ... accross Holmbury - Leith - back to Holmbury hills with the best trails we managed to discover around. Wouldn't even be much of fire-roads to ride on, apart from some certain bridleway** ... which requires some effort to climb and rewards with crazy speeds going down.

As posted on page15* the start is Saturday 10.00 at Holmbury St Mary (Youth Hostel carpark). All riders of any level are welcome.

Supra-Dkenny-Atz-Fatfreddycat ... you coming? Gregsd guess will ride his local loop on saturday, not sure about that but this ride, me with supra will attempt some lethal climb. Hope to join Traildogmtb in swinley on sunday ride too.

p.s. if you happen to like and check our riding ... check vidz in my signature.

Atz

I'll be along I think... back is still a bit of a mess but will see how it goes. Reminds me, need to get a new pass for Swinley.

supra-man

I should be able to make it tomorrow, I ve got a packed weekend though. Popstar is your friend coming?
just another week and i got my new car finally...

its ashame you couldnt even make a short clip of last times ride as the rythm is very very differnt when it is dry. 8)

popstar

This saturday I am sure we will recoup all lost footage! Specially for you I am gonna bring different camera mount. Hope Dkenny will get his SLR too. I may even bring laptop for that matter. Guess Dkenny SLR got SD card.

gregsd

No riding for me this weekend as we're off to visit my wife's sister/family .

Enjoy yourselves and make the most of the dam fine weather 8) . Looking at the calendar, I might not make it out for a weekend ride until May....

Atz

If I can find my bag and carabiners to clip it to the camelbak I might drag along a camera bag.

ammike

Good stuff, I'll see you all at 10am tomorrow! Can I get a mobile number from someone so I know who I'm looking for when I get there? Otherwise, keep an eye out for a lost looking guy with a Scott Aspect 45

Atz

There will be a bunch of us there, chances are you won't miss us, just be sure to approach random sets of men and ask if they're there for the meetup... what could go wrong

I'll PM you my mobile...

smallred

no sign of me this weekend - still banned by the physio hope to catch you the w/e after, or some time over the bank hol w/e!

Have fun out there! Mind the mini-tree stumps, they're b*stards to land on :x

popstar

Atz ... you sound like a molester* . Ammike once you see some louzy crowd with bikes, I think you will be approached with questions. Youth Hostel carpark is small 15+cars, don't think you will miss us. And I may volunteer to carry Dkenny's SLR in my mule.

Gregsd ... hope you sorted your car and it didn't cost so much. We will give some hard training to beat you next time on climbs, if not ... I think may need to shoot one of your legs! :shock:

Smallred, shame you gonna miss ace weather ... I might even breath the dust from Atz backwheel.

popstar

So, Thel33ster+cool father, Supra, me, Bungalistic, Atz, Dkenny,Ammike gonna hit some dusty singletrack. This time will make sure I bloody get the right angles to film, Dkenny plz give us pickxx!!!

Anonymous

popstar wrote:

This saturday I am sure we will recoup all lost footage! Specially for you I am gonna bring different camera mount. Hope Dkenny will get his SLR too. I may even bring laptop for that matter. Guess Dkenny SLR got SD card.

Compact Flash on my camera, though I've got a reader and/or USB cable. I tend to shoot raw format though which needs processing but could do jpeg. I find the shots come out a little flat out of the camera and need some tweaks.

P.S. Photos from last week up now. Only a few. http://www.flickr.com/photos/deadkenny/ ... 913617827/

Still not sure about tomorrow. Got tools and parts for the bike. The chain was well worn and cassette needs replacing too. Never done either, but been reading up on it all. Guide says it should take 15 minutes, so probably will take me 3 hours. Really want to do the service on the suspension pivots too as that I believe is what's causing all the noise. Got all the bits for that too, but a bit wary about doing it.

Still no new pedals though. Waiting for stock.

Anyway, if I get it all sorted in time I'll be there.

thel33ter

deadkenny wrote:

The chain was well worn and cassette needs replacing too. Never done either, but been reading up on it all. Guide says it should take 15 minutes

Doing a cassette and chain is easy ... Until you lose a sprocket or chain pin.

Anonymous

Ah well, it's no go I'm afraid. Just realised the muppets gave me the wrong cassette (asked for mtb and it's a road one), and they're closed now and not open until 10am.

Edit: damn it. Got my days mixed up. It was Friday, so they'd have still been open. Anyway, they're open at 9am, but it's still not enough time.

Could meet up later if I get it sorted, but really want to do a proper job on the bike and get the suspension serviced too (and realised I need some threadlock for reassemble and haven't got any, nor sure where to get some). All depends how long it takes me, and how many trips to the shops it involves. I don't know. It's always a performance :roll: .

I'm doing this stuff without a stand too as the damn thing never turned up either. Maybe I'll shop for some Five Tens. Evans had some in, though £75.

popstar

Nice pics, and good weather too.