Nukeproof Scalp

rockmonkeysc

Thanks
I went for a session on it today. Crashed off the road gap in the video above, I guess the cross wind was more of a problem than I thought. After that I tried keeping up with one of the Rose Bikes team riders, that hurt as well :?
Managed to give it a bit more style on the hip jumps though so it wasn't all bad.
Wheels should be re-built with some Mavic EX721 rims by next weekend then it's back to training for the next race at Taff Buggy. Must get top 10

Ben_morris

Sounds like a good day racing.

How much does it cost per season to run a race bike? With upgrades, spares and repairs? PM if you prefer.

ben

rockmonkeysc

I went to a local club timed practice session yesterday. Managed some pretty good times and had a lot of fun.
http://www.pinkbike.com/video/323360/
The bike was sounding like an old Orange by the end of yesterday so I have just fitted a set of new Koyo bearings. We have been using Koyo at work on quarry machines (wet, muddy & gritty) and found they are lasting a lot longer than NSK, RHP or SKF bearings. They are a little more expensive but I think they should be worth it.

Kowalski675

I've used (and still am using) Koyo bearings in numerous motorcycle wheels, swingarms and headstocks over the years - cheap as chips from my local bearing factors and quality, durable kit.

DanDax1990

Great videos mate!

rockmonkeysc

A bit of suspension tweaking and a good service & it feels better than new.

A good session at Triscombe.
http://www.pinkbike.com/video/331216/

And my last race at FoD, my first top ten as well.

Kowalski675

RockmonkeySC wrote:

and a good service

For the bike or yourself?

rockmonkeysc

Kowalski675 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

and a good service

For the bike or yourself?

Bit of both. Nothing like a good service before a race.

felix.london

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Shimano Zee brakes fitted

Gotta do this next year ^^ The Elixir R's on the Session just get progressively worse and worse. Literally rode the whole season this year not being able to stop properly and what a business it is to bleed them! They are just crap brakes...that's all. Next year, Shimano Zee stoppers, Renthal Fatbar and go tubeless (my puncture in the Mega Quali's still gives me nightmares)

Some nice race shots btw.

rockmonkeysc

Just had the rear wheel rebuilt again with another EX721 rim. Hopefully I don't kill this one as quickly.
It needs a good service tonight ready for the Welsh DH Champs this weekend.

rockmonkeysc

I like this pic from the Welsh DH champs. This step down jump was just fun to hit!


Great article about the race on Dirt's website and a nice pic of me in the race gallery 8) Not sure how I ended up in there.
http://dirt.mpora.com/news/2013-welsh-c ... wales.html

The Northern Monkey

Great pic that!

rockmonkeysc

Thanks, I quite that one.
Good fun jump as well, right at the end of the track. A nice, flat out step down leading straight in to a hip then a massive berm. There was a good number of spectators there so not a good place to crash!

rockmonkeysc

It's been a while since this bike had the abuse it deserves.
It's just had a very thorough service by a very good local bike mechanic. Just one set of hub bearings and its as good as new again. Not bad after a year's abuse. The rear rim has a couple dents but still has a little life left.
Tomorrow it's in for a proper battering. Big jumps, big rocks and big grins!
Somehow I got talked in to entering the final round of the British Downhill Series so this bike is going to get some abuse through the summer while I try to find some speed.

rockmonkeysc

A pic from sunny Bike Park Wales yesterday. I finally managed to clear all the Enter The Dragon jumps! It all flows so well when you clear them properly. Getting it wrong is going to hurt at that speed though.

pesky_jones

Landing out of shot or is that to flat

rockmonkeysc

The landing is out of shot! It's about a 35 foot gap. You need a LOT of speed in to this one.

pesky_jones

Thought so. Props

rockmonkeysc

To be fair I did have Chris Smith there as a coach. He helped really improve my jumping a lot. Two hours before I hit this I wouldn't have even considered a gap jump this big.
Watching Chris slightly overshoot a 50 foot gap jump on the pro line made me feel like an old woman.

ej2320

Jumps are the hardest thing about DH IMO
Even more so than drop offs mainly because you have to fully commit and you'll probably crash if you don't

Kowalski675

RockmonkeySC wrote:

The landing is out of shot! It's about a 35 foot gap.

I'd love to do that, but haven't the skill or the nerve

rockmonkeysc

Kowalski675 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

The landing is out of shot! It's about a 35 foot gap.

I'd love to do that, but haven't the skill or the nerve

There's not a huge amount of skill involved and you only have to block out that voice telling you not to do it for half a second. Going in to it without 100% commitment will hurt a lot.

Thewaylander

Half biking is have the balls... i dont these days lol go back a few years and i was far braver(stupid)

rockmonkeysc

After killing four rear rims in a year, all badly dented so they wouldn't hold a tyre something had to change with my set up and riding style.
The biggest change was to bin the narrow 2.5" minions and replace them with some bigger 2.5" dual carcass trail star Muddy Mary's. The extra volume should help protect the rim.
I have also backed off a bit of high and low speed compression damping.
To fix my riding im looking in to DH coaching, maybe someone like Ben Deakin or Jay Williamson. Both are local, elite level racers and good instructors.
I did look in to stronger rims but unless I want a mega heavy Sun Double Track there isn't anything which will resist denting better than EX721's, even the EX729 isnt as strong in that area.

rockmonkeysc

After deciding that I was giving up racing earlier this year, I did another one yesterday at Tidworth Freeride Park in Wiltshire. Probably would have done better on my xc bike because of the flat top and bottom sections and the really draggy mud.
It was still fun, wasn't up where I want to be in results but beat a couple quick lads who were struggling with the horrible conditions.

BananaHammock

Last in Masters, stormer of a result

rockmonkeysc

Yeah, not sure what's going on with the results. The time they listed for my first run is what I got in my second run with two crashes. My first run was 1:34, second was 1:49 third was 1:36. They haven't even put up my third run time. I certainly didn't get down to 1.55.
I checked my times on the screen at the end of each run so a bit confused when I saw them today.

chrissymk7

Awesome bike and some great photos mate!

rockmonkeysc

Thanks. I havent ridden it since a racing crash in January resulted in a badly mangled shoulder.
Must get it out at the weekend and enjoy abusing it :-)

rockmonkeysc

Jumping and crashing the Scalp
https://youtu.be/EN44KsgBC0o