The gold cranks had their first outing and ooh was it fun.
Cwmcarn was the destination and the climbs were crucifying, I don't think my Malt Wheaties kicked in early enough. The descents were perfect .. although with a mere 125mm of travel front & rear [;-)] I found it hard to keep up with my buddies on their 170mm plus jobbies.
The freeride play area was fun . promised I'd do the 2nd ladder drop (I didn't, but did the small one fast enough to get enough air and length ... so it felt like the middle one) .. next time I shall have more bottle!!
Could have stayed for much longer but normality was calling................

The gold chainring is still very gold too!!

The new cranks are on and the big ring is very GOLD. Didn't realise it would be that gold but it's growing on me.

The hallway gear test worked fine and they should get a proper test on Sunday morn (suppose that'll dull the gold a bit too)

Tried to explain to people that commuting to work isn't all that bad in British weather. It may seem to rain constantly but if you counted all the wet commuting days in the year, it wouldn't amount to that many.

Monday ... rode to work ... it rained on the way in & on the way home.

Tuesday ... drove to work ... lovely sunny day.

Wednesday ... rode to work in torrential rain. At the end of the day put soaking wet riding gear back on and rode home in a monsoon.

Thursday ... drove to work ... sun was lovely, should have remembered my shades!

Friday ... rode to work in nice crisp sunshine ;-) at lunchtime decided to go and buy some new tubes as I've run out. Just as I was leaving the heavens released their wares.

Never mind eh

Sunday mornings weather was supposed to be a bit nasty ...... and it was! but that wasn't going to spoil 2-1/2 hours on the trails.
The hardtail was the order of the day with its new Timberwolf Race 2.3 on the front. I would have taken the full suss but time management was a little poor and the new cranks were still on the dining room table (plus I quite like the on-one ..... which is a good enough excuse).
Autumn has dropped a forest load of leaves on the trails which make them look nice but hide a load of problems (or wet roots as they're known locally)
A good time was had, the uphills were a bit slippy and needed more oomph than in the summer but the descents, especially the quarry, had that special "shall I touch the front brake just to see what'll happen" moments. The grip was negligible but the fun factor was huge ...........

Monday ..... drove to work .....
Tuesday ..... rode to work ;-) ..... but had to ride straight home after work instead of my usual longer slightly urban assault type ride .....
Wednesday ..... drove to work .....
Thursday ..... drove to work .....

Missing riding a little and there are tyres and cranks/bottom brackets to be fitted to the bikes just sitting in the front room looking at me anxiously (the bikes aren't looking at me though as they're in the hall and under the stairs!) . maybe tonight then .... we'll see

What a ride!! punishing technical climbs but all worth while for the down bits. Sometimes things flow like a flowy thing and sometimes they don't. Today they did (most of the time)

The weather and trails were perfect and the freeride section was ace.

Air time isn't my speciality but I did the drops a few times ..................... the small one anyway............. promised I'd do the middle one next time :-0

Straight home on the commute from work ...... nah .................. I'll just have a loop of the lake and a couple of runs on the special single track in the woods ;-)

Puncture 1 ..... the tube seems to have collected a number of thorns so I'll just pop the spare tube in and carry on

Puncture 2 ..... never mind I'll just fix it ............ oh ......... the valve seems to have ripped off .......

I'll walk home then ;-(

It's Friday the what?????????????

The isis cranks are going, I love the cranks ----- hate the isis bottom bracket. I was going to get a skf isis bb which I've heard a few good reports on, but even then when the middle ring goes I have to buy an expensive raceface 5 bolt (tried cheaper ones but they dont fit)..... I can get a 4 bolt middle for a 3rd of the price. Some LX 4 bolt octalink ones will be put on in their place. I'd have liked to keep the cranks but i've had enough of changing BB's after only a few hours of mtbing in Welsh weather! even if the octalink bb's wear at the same rate, they're much cheaper anyway!!
Hopefully the octalink will be better (I'd have liked to get more up to date with some of the outboard bearings but I'm on a budget so octalink it is).
If they arrive tomorrow (Sat) they'll be fitted ready for Sunday mornings blast, if not, the isis will just have to last another couple of hours spinning with their nice side to side wobbly action
;-)
coming.......

going.......

After the joys of a 2-1/2 hour blast on some local singletrack yesterday, which included a fun quarry descent and finishing with a bike that didn't really need cleaning, I am sitting in work with soaking wet socks and shoes after a rather wet commute ........

British mud can do nasty things to expensive forx.

Decided on a home service instrad of spending HUGE amounts on a service centre jobby (even though they do a good job ............ It's just the forx are now over 3 years old and don't warrant loads of dosh being spent on them)

A nice set of new seals and some oil and they're goodish as new.

The stanchions are worn but don't really affect the action so I can live with that

bigger bars so I'm a little higher at the front ... much nicer for descents.
Needs a new BB now though thanks to the chappie who invented isis.

Rained again on the commute into work, lots of road spray/muck in my face on arrival. Still more fun than driving. Must remember not to sit on my chair before changing out of my shorts! Going to see how far into winter I can get without mudguards.
2 of my riding buddies have got new bikes! I can't get a new one but I'm happy with wot i got ;-)
The days of short sleeve jerseys have gone for another year but shorts are still the order of the day.
Looking forward to getting proper off road on Sunday woteva the weva

Went away for the weekend and had a blast around some woods. Not very hilly but loads of singletrack and whoops and fun drops ........ and a few trees. 2 hours of mtb fun.

Ride into work was a little wet but at least I didn't have to sit in a car stuck in traffic.
Put on the waterproof but got the zip stuck on the storm flap and pulled it with a little more strength than was needed!
Put my other jacket on instead and all was fine (I prefer the red fleecy one anyway .. especially after I gave it the NIKWAX waterproofing treatment)
Rains not that bad anyway

The TV's been set up ;0)

It's digital so should get freeview as we put a new aerial up last year when the old one succumbed to rust & gravity.

No digi picture as the aerial is pointing in the wrong direction ;0(

Ride to work required a fleece as the weathers changed. It's nice & red though. Clashes a bit with the baby blue bike frame!

top of the climb ready to descend

;-)

May 06 Afan

1st post but a little busy in work so no time to dwell.
Central heating fixed ish
Puncture is fixed so the ride home can be less worrying (apart from the big metal boxes obviously)
all 4 now