ilovedirt - a bike history
ilovedirt
Posts: 5,798
I posted this in another forum, so I thought I might as well stick it here too, as it might make interesting reading for some people?
2007(?) Carrera Vulcan, my first 'proper' MTB, I bought it brand new for £200 from Halfords, though it had Suntour XCR forks and Tekro cable discs, you couldn't get a bike that good for that much any more! I must have been about 15 when I got it, I used it just for local XC riding (I didn't change the tyres even once!) and it served me well. I stopped riding for a good year or so, for some reason, then got back into it a couple of years ago, and have been hooked ever since!
2001 (i think) Orange Patriot, bought the full bike for £420 I think it was, with a spare rear shock. This was my first proper fully, which I used for some light downhill/freeride etc at the local tracks, but I never really got into it that much.
When I got it:
How it ended up looking:
2007 Mongoose Ritual. For a while, I was into street and park riding, as I had a couple of mates that were into it (I had this as well as the orange and the carrera), I was alright at it, but not great. I sold it last summer, as I needed the money for uni, and I wouldn't have the time or anywhere to ride it in Bangor.
2007 Scott Genius MC40. I sold the Carrera and traded the Orange frame for this one, as I didn't use it for particularly hardcore riding, and the scott was a nice compromise between the two. You'll notice, I decided to run a single front chainring, which I have done ever since, as i prefer the simplicity and reliability of it, particularly if I hit some slightly bumpier/hardcore trails, and I very rarely find myself having to get off and push (it's happened on probably two rides since i decided to do it). You'll notice the gratuitous amounts of seatpost, I thought I could get away with a slightly smaller frame, in the end, I decided I couldn't, and sold it last may.
2007 Commencal Meta 5.5 VIP. I bought this to replace the Scott, I had just gotten a summer job as well. I intended to just swap the parts over, but It ended up being an almost entirely new bike, and very expensive at that! I spent ages and lots of money stripping the paint (I got the frame cheap, as the paint was knackered) and replacing all the bearings etc, and about 8 or so rides in (early august), the driveside BB thread completely stripped itself while I was out riding one day. It's been sat in the attic ever since. I did intend to get it fixed, but I decided to sell it earlier this week, as I'm fed up of having second hand parts and them breaking/not being right etc, so it went yesterday, and I've ordered an On One 456 in poo brown to replace it. I'll probably just ride hardtail until I can afford to buy a new fully frame.
GT Aggressor Elite. I got this frame in the summer to build up as my bike for uni. I got the frame for £60 almost brand new, and had most of the parts for it knocking around from previous builds, I think all I bought was a headset, forks, seatpost and a front brake. I have to keep my bike at uni locked up outside, so this is what I ride while I'm there, and so far, it's performed admirably. I've hit some of the local downhill tracks on it, a couple of the trail centres and used it for general XC riding, and it's held up pretty well up to now. The 456 (when it's built) should be joining me up there when we have our own house next year.
That's all (for now). Hope you guys found it interesting and maybe got an insight into the type of riding I'm into. Anyone in the Bangor area, feel free to hit me up for a ride some time!
2007(?) Carrera Vulcan, my first 'proper' MTB, I bought it brand new for £200 from Halfords, though it had Suntour XCR forks and Tekro cable discs, you couldn't get a bike that good for that much any more! I must have been about 15 when I got it, I used it just for local XC riding (I didn't change the tyres even once!) and it served me well. I stopped riding for a good year or so, for some reason, then got back into it a couple of years ago, and have been hooked ever since!
2001 (i think) Orange Patriot, bought the full bike for £420 I think it was, with a spare rear shock. This was my first proper fully, which I used for some light downhill/freeride etc at the local tracks, but I never really got into it that much.
When I got it:
How it ended up looking:
2007 Mongoose Ritual. For a while, I was into street and park riding, as I had a couple of mates that were into it (I had this as well as the orange and the carrera), I was alright at it, but not great. I sold it last summer, as I needed the money for uni, and I wouldn't have the time or anywhere to ride it in Bangor.
2007 Scott Genius MC40. I sold the Carrera and traded the Orange frame for this one, as I didn't use it for particularly hardcore riding, and the scott was a nice compromise between the two. You'll notice, I decided to run a single front chainring, which I have done ever since, as i prefer the simplicity and reliability of it, particularly if I hit some slightly bumpier/hardcore trails, and I very rarely find myself having to get off and push (it's happened on probably two rides since i decided to do it). You'll notice the gratuitous amounts of seatpost, I thought I could get away with a slightly smaller frame, in the end, I decided I couldn't, and sold it last may.
2007 Commencal Meta 5.5 VIP. I bought this to replace the Scott, I had just gotten a summer job as well. I intended to just swap the parts over, but It ended up being an almost entirely new bike, and very expensive at that! I spent ages and lots of money stripping the paint (I got the frame cheap, as the paint was knackered) and replacing all the bearings etc, and about 8 or so rides in (early august), the driveside BB thread completely stripped itself while I was out riding one day. It's been sat in the attic ever since. I did intend to get it fixed, but I decided to sell it earlier this week, as I'm fed up of having second hand parts and them breaking/not being right etc, so it went yesterday, and I've ordered an On One 456 in poo brown to replace it. I'll probably just ride hardtail until I can afford to buy a new fully frame.
GT Aggressor Elite. I got this frame in the summer to build up as my bike for uni. I got the frame for £60 almost brand new, and had most of the parts for it knocking around from previous builds, I think all I bought was a headset, forks, seatpost and a front brake. I have to keep my bike at uni locked up outside, so this is what I ride while I'm there, and so far, it's performed admirably. I've hit some of the local downhill tracks on it, a couple of the trail centres and used it for general XC riding, and it's held up pretty well up to now. The 456 (when it's built) should be joining me up there when we have our own house next year.
That's all (for now). Hope you guys found it interesting and maybe got an insight into the type of riding I'm into. Anyone in the Bangor area, feel free to hit me up for a ride some time!
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Comments
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nice time line....
those pedals have served you well
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Haha yeah, you'll notice the same seat and rear mech on all of the bikes those V8's are on too
Unfortunately I had to replace the seat the other day though, as the rails bent. 0 -
top man - aint broke dont fix it! 0
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thanks, i mostly paid for them with money i had saved, and i earned a fair bit working last year before uni, which went towards them too. Of course now I actually have to pay my own way, I can't really afford to upgrade them at all now :P0
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ilovedirt wrote:thanks, i mostly paid for them with money i had saved, and i earned a fair bit working last year before uni, which went towards them too. Of course now I actually have to pay my own way, I can't really afford to upgrade them at all now :P
I know exactly how you feel, i'm married and a 2nd round uni student. A amazing upgrade for me right now is buying bar end protectors and a seatclamp haha.0 -
Haha yeah, since i've been at uni, i haven't made any upgrades until just recently when my seat broke, and the new parts for the 456 build are coming from me selling a few bits and pieces, and even then i may need to dig into my student loan a bit I think.. Oh well! Once it's done, it's done!0
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ilovedirt wrote:Haha yeah, since i've been at uni, i haven't made any upgrades until just recently when my seat broke, and the new parts for the 456 build are coming from me selling a few bits and pieces, and even then i may need to dig into my student loan a bit I think.. Oh well! Once it's done, it's done!
You may think it's done, but it's not really done. Will always be some other thing you want. That always happens with me as well haha.0 -
I saved up loads of money for the bike fund before I started uni too, figured drivetrain would wear at some point, broke the saddle so that needed replacing, tyres, tubes etc. it all adds up.0
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Since september, I've broken the saddle and burst one inner tube... that's not too bad for me, however in a fit of rage a couple of days ago, I did manage to bend the mech hanger and possibly the mech too... :roll:0
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ilovedirt wrote:Since september, I've broken the saddle and burst one inner tube... that's not too bad for me, however in a fit of rage a couple of days ago, I did manage to bend the mech hanger and possibly the mech too... :roll:
Lol I've managed to break a saddle back in september, then accidently got the replacement delivered to home and had to wait for it to be forwarded on to me in london. Also snapped the mech hanger the other week, bit too icey to ride up a hill and I wasn't going anywhere. Got off to push and my feet slipped straight from under me, I ended up flat on my front and my feet took the mech and half the hanger off in the process That was a long ride singlespeeding it up the hills after that :roll: 0 -
it certainly makes for an interesting read ! 0
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enjoyed the read!
the GT looks lovely with personal touches0 -
Cool thread buddy,
remember reading that post when you got the orange..
here is a couple of mine over the past 18 months not in order.
Dale f700
rocky mountain element 50 very nice ride
Gt Zaskar carbon should of kept that one
Gt zaskar forever ocd auto sol
Goose elite never liked
Giant xtc nice wern't to keen on color
and present Giant trance wip
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Sweet, you've had some nice rides there, I especially like the Zaskar carbon, very pretty!
Those sids have lasted a few builds eh? 0 -
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When you say Bangor do you mean the one in northern ireland?0
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I meant Bangor in North Wales, I should probably have been clearer about that! :P0
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Ohh 0
