Nukeproof Mega 2012

It's ordered!! Delivery estimate 26th January 2012!

Klunkerz

Ok, I dont want to show off but I've been restoring this little gem and I might be prepared to take it down deliverance!

Tom

Klunkerz

In case you haven't heard we're starting a Klunker movement - not good news for the local bike shops or Chain Reaction. Here's Mark2 and my offerings. I took my '94 Marin up and down the road having replaced the rear brake pads - I'm sure you'd like me to wax lyrical about old skool values and how 6 inches of travel in the Surrey Hills is ridiculous - but frankly it was terrifying!

Let's see yours!

Catch of the Day

Here are some screen captures of today's riding... some cool.... and some not so cool =)

Just the two of us...

Date : 12th November 2011
Location : Leith Hill
Riders : Dunnie, Grievous Andy

So winter has really arrived!! :( The trails are wet and muddy. The two of us met at Coldharbour and took in the top section of Summer Lightning, and the downhill section of Summer Lightning, before heading up to the tower. Trip down Donny Darco and then the long push back up followed by Windy Willows. All trails are now wet, slippy, muddy and holding us back - not the lovely flowing summer trails we have been used to.

Back to the tower and a quick tea stop - then down Personal Hygiene up to No Cycles - to find it blocked at the end - ruined the flow really!! Bomb holes and then Deliverance. We had to do Deliverance.... there were about 10 bikers waiting at the top, looking, deciding, thinking that they wouldn't do it on a hard tail... so Dunnie and I arrived.... and bombed straight down it - without looking back! Sorted!!

Regurgitator.... and back to Coldharbour! A nice jaunt, if filthy!!

Dubstep Mountain Biking

I was getting a bit low on enthusiasm with all the rain we've been having in the last two weeks.

So here's a drummed up video of our last ride, enjoy!

Mmmm Zesty.....

I recently sold my Transition frame and forks, having decided that at 43 and a half I probably wasn't ever going to do the kind of dirt jump and slopestyle riding the bike was built for. Obviously this created a problem as I was down to 2 Nicolais, a part built hardtail and lots of nice components. Resourceful as ever I hit upon a fiendish plan - I'd buy another frame and build up a winter XCish bike. My choice would depend on being able to get hold of a used frame which would match my 150mm Revelation forks. I considered the Trek EX8 (couldn't find one), The Orange 5 (a touch too industrial for my liking - sorry Tom), The Santa Cruz Blur or Butcher (too expensive) or a Lapierre Zesty. Luckily for me a warranty replacement unused Zesty 514 frame (the one with the carbon rear end) came up on Singletrackworld. A weak negotiation from me followed and a few days later here she is!
Obviously my build is geared towards some "wheels off the ground" riding - 710mm bars, a 50mm stem, 1x9 gearing with a chain device and heavy Mavic downhill rims.
First impressions are great, the geometry is nice and slack, the bike is light and snappy and easy to pop - everything they say in those silly magazines in fact.

Aptos, CA

Sounds like I missed the Indian Summer but I'm not too bummed as I've just had an amazing fortnight in California..
I checked out the Post Office jumps at Aptos, Santa Cruz but unfortunately it was a friday lunchtime and no one was riding, check out the new Anthill Films Strength in Numbers trailer to see them being filmed Matrix style....

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/news/article/video-anthill-films-strength-in-numbers-trailer-31302/

R.I.P GA and Cwncarn Hightlights

Ok, loads a happenin' but not much postin'....

First off, during a quick ride up to session GA the other day, Rich and I found it had been partially dismantled by landowners or wardens. Not irreparable but I don't think it would be worth making an attempt to fix for at least a few months, let the dust settle a bit and all.

Secondly I've punched out a very short video of our trip to Cwncarn, the length mainly driven by the short audio sequence I used, but also I'm starting to find long sequences of GoPro footage a chore for me to watch... god only knows what others must think.

It feels like an age since we've all been out for a proper ride, I've stuck some knarly winter tyres on my bike and looking forward to a good muddy hack... enjoy the video and see you out on the trails soon.

Mark2

The Nukeproof Mega

Date : 3rd September 2011
Riders : Grievous Andy, Bish
Location : Leith Hill


So.... after a few weeks of humming and harring over whether or not I really should get another bike and go All Mountain, I eventually tracked down a Nukeproof Mega Demo from our very own local bike store Nirvana Cycles in Westcott!!

Having emailed them on Thursday, got a response Friday, I phoned them up Friday morning to see if it was available Saturday. Thursday they'd just finished building it, Friday it was being taken out for it's first ride, but Saturday was free.... Wow... fantastic - I get to be the second rider on the Nukeproof, even before the shop owner got his hands on it!!

So Saturday morning I arrive at Nirvana ready and willing. Met Bish, and off we went..... WOW!!! To say I liked it would be an understatement... I want one! So much so, I've decided to sell the Stumpy to put funds toward it. Probably only cover the cost of the frame, but hey.... this is love!!

We had a good 4 hours of riding, taking in Leith Hill - wolverns lane, summer lightning, the bomb holes, donny darco, windy willlows, the quarry, personal hygiene, no cycles, regurgitator.... phew - longest piece of riding we'd done in a long time.

We shot some pics and some video - not as polished as Mark Gs produced masterpieces, but they do show me catching some phat air!!!

Only thing to decide now is the colour scheme. Black and yellow? or Black and red? Maybe I could put it to the vote?

Enjoy...... although probably not as much as I did on Saturday!!! :)