Specialized Carve Expert 29er

JayKay3000

Don't think I've posted this before. If I have then... :oops:

Specialized Carve Expert 29er in 23 inch (I'm 6ft 7)

I've tried it on most trail centres in Wales and have yet to break it. Only had it 4 months so far.

Thought I'd show it to keep the hardtail end up. Future challenges include snowdon, more black runs and more natural trails.

Hitting the trail for the first time. (I soon ditched the mud guard)


Getting ready to tackle Cadair Idris (a small hill in wales)


At the top of said small hill. (some you have to lift up)


Preparing for last weekends ride round some local natural trails.


My view (before I aligned the bars after a crash)


My plan is to ride this for a year or two to get my fundamentals up then progress to a full suss probably from the Specialized or Giant range.

Bluesun9

Very nice bike. Great pics too!

peter_booker2003

how did you find cadair idris? How much was ridable? Was the climb worth the descent?

JayKay3000

Hi, thanks for the comments. With all the full suss machines being posted I wanted to show that a low travel 29er hardtail is still a fairly competent machine.

Cadair Idris is fairly ridable. Did a quick search for the website, I used a guide I can't find anymore, but this http://www.mudandroutes.com/archives/ro ... -pony-path might point you in the right direction.

Basically follow the pony path route as it's fairly quiet and quite easy.

Initially it's simply natural style trails before heading onto some singletrack that is really fun back down. Past this it's a lot of steps followed by some really loose pea gravel, both of which are ridable down depending on your level of competence and bravery on loose terrain. Further up it gets rocky and although I've seen dan atherton ride the top section on youtube I had to lug the bike up and down this final bit as I was fairly green at the time. I suspect a decent full suss could tackle this top section or someone braver than I.

Overall I found it more walking going up, but I found the ride back down to be quite a rush as you bounce down the steps and pray your tires scrabble for non-existant grip on the moving pea gravel sections. Hang on and go style. Sharp rocks are around to catch out the un-wary and threaten to throw you over the handlebars if hit wrong. I got a lot of weird looks and questions when I did it and although I started in warm sunshine the top was really cold so pack a jacket and some food as it's a fairly long ride. Someone had fallen off and died a week before I rode it which gave me something to think about when pushing. It's a mountain after all.

In the end I met other people walking it who had ridden it and we all came out with the same response. It's hard, but it's AWESOME! Defiantly one to tick off the 'to do' list and to be honest I'm looking for a window to do it again, but there are so many trails and only so much time.

As far as I know there is no verbal ban any time of the year like there is with snowdon.

Past the farm and nr the start.


There is a bridge if you don't want to get wet.


This 'singletrack' is really fast on the downhill and easy to ride up


The steps are quite small, but will really work your legs and pump your arms on a hardtail.


Avoid the sharp rocks and U'll have a good time.


Competent riders will enjoy this rock garden nr the summit. Others may need to walk up and down it.


Sections like this really flow, but be warned that harder sections come up quickly. Use the upward journey to plan your lines back down.


Taking a breather to show more steps.


At the time the hardpack road was pretty roughed up from the torrential rain a few weeks before I rode. Bad for vehicles, fun for mtb riders.


Final image of the hardpack road that leads past a farm and onto a single ordinary road back to the car park. Some of those gulleys were pretty deep and dangerous.

Giraffoto

Looks like a lot of fun! I'm vaguely thinking about getting one of these, although it'll probably be the 2014 model by the time I've saved up for it . . . .

paul.skibum

Big frame with big wheels = normal size looking bike! You cant tell its a 29er at all.

Nice ride - meant to knock that mountain off but looks unlikely I will get there now.