London Calling

Anonymous

Naveed wrote:

Yeah being in MBR was a right hoot! Ended up meeting the editor Matt Hampton on a day out and we got chatting about the good old days of John Tomac and early racing coverage of X country races on Eurosport.

Cool. Which issue?

P.S. Anyone up for exploring Caesars Camp (Aldershot-ish) on Sunday 19th? Got a possible guide to show us around.

Anonymous

Nice write up of Megavalanche in issue 7 of IMB: http://www.imbikemag.com/issue7/

Naveed

popstar wrote:

Actually, it didn't rain at all. Singletrack around Pitch and Holmbury was as moist as christmas pudding so it was a perfect -carvery day. Was very impressed with Naveed fitness on climbs, really need to get back into my old mentality of climbing. Fitness did hold me down on climbs.
Naveed was a proper Sunday warrior stylee, shame didn't take any camera so didn't film his epics. Not sure if he is fit to type anything after our ride, but surely the warrior needs some rest, Celabrity style.

Popstar are you ok after that massive stack

just thought I'd check.

Naveed

deadkenny wrote:

Naveed wrote:

Yeah being in MBR was a right hoot! Ended up meeting the editor Matt Hampton on a day out and we got chatting about the good old days of John Tomac and early racing coverage of X country races on Eurosport.

Cool. Which issue?

P.S. Anyone up for exploring Caesars Camp (Aldershot-ish) on Sunday 19th? Got a possible guide to show us around.

Hi Kenny,

I'm in the current issue. Went riding with popstar yesterday and all was going well until I had the stack of all stacks on the yoghurt pots/parklife? trail where a tiny drop resulted in me doing a 360 degree somersault.

supra-man

deadkenny wrote:

Nice write up of Megavalanche in issue 7 of IMB: http://www.imbikemag.com/issue7/

Thanks for the link.

I couldn't give a much better description.
Makes me dream again.
And the crashes are about right last ride of the day always = crash up there :roll:
I messed up hand and shoulder evening before qualifier.

and yeah the simple blue run has loads of claims at begining of the week.

Can't wait to do it again.

now just another 300 or so days to wait.....
Whos coming?

Jedi

popstar crashed???

Naveed

Jedi wrote:

popstar crashed???

nah, it's just a joke between me and popstar. I sadly was the one who stacked :oops: (again)

thel33ter

Naveed wrote:

Jedi wrote:

popstar crashed???

nah, it's just a joke between me and popstar. I sadly was the one who stacked :oops: (again)

Then get your saddle down! Or go faster, it seems to work for me most of the time

Atz

Sure. Your endo to face plough was VERY stylish

thel33ter

Didn't have my seat down for my attempt at the fabled endo to faceslide style crash, thereby proving my point 8)

Naveed

Atz wrote:

Sure. Your endo to face plough was VERY stylish

In terms of style think Torvill and Dean, definitely a 9/10 for the 360 degree somersault, 8/10 for the bit where my bike landed on me, and 10/10 for my rather primal cries of agony.

It was really frustrating 'cos I did steeper drops with popstar earlier and didn't have any issues. We did the easy route of yoghurt pots and it went fine (plenty of steep stuff there) I was fine to do the gnarlier route and all was going well until a tiny drop maybe 1ft scared me half to death. I pulled the bike back into position and got my saddle down (honestly it was not much bigger than a curb) but it was a drop to flat with no real transition for smoothness. I think my rebound settings didn't help because as soon as my front wheel went down I could feel the bike springing me up in the air. Guess I need to work harder on getting back but all in all it was a cool day out with some great riding.

thel33ter

Definatley sounds like you need to slow down the rebound a bit, and drops to flat never feel nice anyway, just sounds like you need to find a couple and just do them over and over till you are really confident... and get the bike set up :roll:

Naveed

thel33ter wrote:

Definatley sounds like you need to slow down the rebound a bit, and drops to flat never feel nice anyway, just sounds like you need to find a couple and just do them over and over till you are really confident... and get the bike set up :roll:

you're spot on, first task is to readjust my front fork so they have a steady compression instead of bouncing back up, second task is to heal up as I've got muscle damage in both my arms (should clear up in 2 days) 3rd task is to practice and practice and get my butt back and lower my seat and maybe do a skills course.

cooldad

Excuses excuses - go rigid.

Richard2118

Naveed wrote:

Jedi wrote:

popstar crashed???

nah, it's just a joke between me and popstar. I sadly was the one who stacked :oops: (again)

Nav
at least you Did n't clothes line yourself again on China pig

popstar

Skills course is a -Must. I can't and don't have any possibility to access different stages of mind how to unlock confidence really. But panic attack at the moment when your front wheel landed made that crash impressive. It's a very bad idea to turn front wheel while landing on it.
It was the same section where me and DKenny practised on our last ride (aka Parklife version style), that first little step landing into the roots, glad we didn't do the other drop into steep descent. But after Naveed's crash had to walk back to the car and abandon the sweetest singletrack awaiting. There is always next time.

Seeing the slow motion 7foot rider crash, spin 360 degrees flicking the 29er into the air with looong legs and a big pile of the bike land on that statue ... those memories I may not forget for a while. It was like Eiffel Tower going over the bars Could never think that a 1 foot step into flat trail could ever catch the rider out. Well, celebrity status commands the price. Glad this time Naveed didn't make it 2nd time into MBR, albeit at -These old men should have known better- section.

Naveed, get well soon, I suppose your twisted wrists at least allow you to type something on forums, even if it may take you to type short replies for couple of hours robot rigid arms style.

Shame it was another soldier down. IF I only knew, wouldn't even suggest to ride trails like that.

Just to ease the pain here is a little movie

Richard2118

Where were you when Nav crashed ? On Parklife ? If so where?

popstar

Well, YogPots is tourist version but Parklife which is Rich style are those a bit more techy sections. Brave soldier crashed on first section when you have to climb a bit then little step over the roots throws you back on trail. We didn't manage even to attempt that sweet little drop into steep stuff.

Anonymous

That Parklife drop was no problem with Richard first time, but then I followed him down that big steep roll-in and probably wouldn't otherwise .

Following Popstar I hesitated on that tiny drop for some reason. Though think that was shortly after my painful tumbles at Aston. But after some tips from the tutor I re-did it and no problem. Need to learn from the master though.

popstar

Surprisingly Helter did have some problems with it as well, must be that dumb fear of landing into roots. As Richard says - Sunny, the speed is your friend !
That section can be ridden at 2mph though.

Richard2118

popstar wrote:

Well, YogPots is tourist version but Parklife which is Rich style are those a bit more techy sections. Brave soldier crashed on first section when you have to climb a bit then little step over the roots throws you back on trail. We didn't manage even to attempt that sweet little drop into steep stuff.

Ok , yes thats parklife and is actually the original line, the lower one being added about 2 years ago. You really only have to pull the front up slightly to get off it unscathed. you can also hit it fairly hard as nice landing.

is anyone other than Nav coming Sunday afternoon. Going to do pitch and winterfold.plus will probably end up on holmbury.

I am also riding tuesday afternoon if anyone about

Richard2118

deadkenny wrote:

That Parklife drop was no problem with Richard first time, but then I followed him down that big steep roll-in and probably wouldn't otherwise .

Following Popstar I hesitated on that tiny drop for some reason. Though think that was shortly after my painful tumbles at Aston. But after some tips from the tutor I re-did it and no problem. Need to learn from the master though.

Thats true! but also could be because I did not tell you it was coming, the reality is with drop ins and drops you just have to get the right technique.

Drops ins/ roll ins - weight back( but not as far as you think), sadle fairly low, get ready to suck up the transition.

Drops - flatish drops fairly neutral position, slight pull up of the bars, and can be done fairly quickly, on landing bend the knees to suck it up.

Drops - to steep slope, same position but speed more important , you need to pull up on the bars a bit to stop the front wheel dropping too much, spot the landing, then allow gravity to take over, same landing as above ideally both wheels at once, but i prefer to land a little more back wheel than front if dont get both.

Simples !!!!!!!!! Of course you then have to get over the fact that your brain is trying to tell you that you are going to hurt yourself. .

Richard2118

popstar wrote:

Surprisingly Helter did have some problems with it as well, must be that dumb fear of landing into roots. As Richard says - Sunny, the speed is your friend !
That section can be ridden at 2mph though.

Your right" speed is your friend" with virtually everything( although prbably not if your riding at a brick wall or on coming cars )

Roots are one of those things that allot of riders get a bit funny about, reality is that your bike and tyres can handle most of them most of the time. The slower you go the more time you are in contact with them, therefore more chance of coming a cropper.With roots on the trail try to square edge them ie move you front wheel so it hits them square on , this is especially useful in the wet or on off cambered root sectiions.

with drops and driop ins you are going to be going at a fair pace so look at where your going not what might happen. Generally if you worry to much about an obstacle you will probably either go to slow of aim at it ( at least i do )

Richard2118

Can anyone tell that i was bored on nights at work !!!!!!

Anonymous

Will try and put your advice into practice. Fear of killing myself is as you say the key stumbling block. Beer would normally solve that problem in many situations, but not the best solution on a bike!

Can't get out this weekend, and I've got a headset to replace anyway. Shouldn't be too difficult (he says, not having done one before and already wrecked the old one trying to tighten it ).

P.S. If you're getting the tube up to Wembley this weekend, watch out for engineering works on the tube as there are a few of them.

popstar

I could only make it to Sunday ride if it was after 15.00.

Hate climbs at Richards pace, but need to build fitness back for my next epic trip.

Will77

I'd be up for coming out again on Sunday Richard, really enjoyed the last ride. What time were you thinking of?

Atz

I might make it. Depends on the plans Mrs Atlaz has for me

Helter

I know I said no excuses but I just got some really good news so I'm celebrating tonight and tomorrow night. If it's not too heavy I should be good for Sunday afternoon but I don't want to hold you all up so assume I'm not coming and I'll get there early if I am.

Where you thinking of meeting and what time?

thel33ter

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