The P7 Progress....

So, time for an update!

The P7 build is going well... and it looks like its going to be a cracking little trail bike!

Not going silly on the spec, keeping it reasonable and suitable for the frame.....
Rev forks are a perfect match in colour so I'm really please about that! The XT crankset looks top notch too!
Wheels are XT hubs with DTSwiss DB spokes build onto Mavic xm719... nice and light but nice and strong!

Gisburn take 2!!

I woke up this morning to a street full of snow and I was utterly utterly pissed off!
I'd originally planned to ride Llandegla in North Wales, but the sudden snowfall rendered the trails there unrideable :(

So after a lot of umming and aaarrring I phoned my brother in law to check the conditions around longridge/clithero..... NO SNOW!!!

It took me around 30 mins to find the start of the trails. I'd totally forgotten where to go and I was riding blind until I noticed the signs! Doh!

Anyways, the trail conditions were great considering the time of year and the snowfall we've had. All of the volounteer sections were immaculate, great to ride on!
The highest point was rather muddy and claggy so I ended up walking the last part of the climb :(

From then on it was plain sailing.. some great trails and some great views :)

I've uploaded 6 vids to youtube too!

Gisburn Forest...

A week ago I was treated to a guided tour of Gisburn Forest by one of the trail builders (StumpyJon from Bikeradar).

It was bloody brilliant!

The trails were a mix of everything - technical climbing, technical decent, swoopy bits, rocky bits, muddy bits... I don't think it was lacking at all! I was left with a huge grin!

Met a load of friendly people on the trails, everyone on a different type of bike just enjoying the mud and wet weather.

So this weekend, i' back up there on Sunday to lend a hand with the trail building and am hoping to get there on Saturday for another ride!

If you haven't been, GO!

The P7 is on its way!!

So i've started a new build (again!).

I went up Gisburn and found that I needed a lighter trail friendly bike to attack more xc style routes, so the P7 should be a nice balance of lightweight whippet and strength, especially considering the NS weighs around 35lb!

 This time round, i'm trying to use different online shops and spending a whole load of time shopping around and finding the deals!

I've got the frame on order from SunsetMTB in Cardiff (who are excellent btw) and I should hopefully have it early next year when Orange release the new batch. Also got a free hope headset in red too!

I've also bought a set of 2010 Rockshox Revelation Race in white which are brilliant for the price (£350 from Rutland Cycling) and have just ordered a Shimano XT triple crankset + BB (from NoahsArkMTB).
I'm planning on matching the XT cranks with XT groupset (from Merlin Cycles).

I'll be getting my wheels from Chain Reaction Cycles again, and am going to stick with what I know and get some more Spank rims. This time i'm going for Spank Oozy rims built onto Hope Pro2 hubs with DT double butted spokes. Brakes are going to be Hope M4 with anodised red finishing and floating rotors.
Finishing kit is hopefully going to be from Easton in a red and black guise, so should match the scheme well!

Can't wait :D

Depressing, but balanced out with a yay!

Everything seems to be breaking on me :(

My car's been in the garage for the past 6 week because it blew up in cardiff... costing me a fortune so all my idea of bike builds and new bikes has gone out the window.

I got news that It'd be ready on friday, so have been out servicing the bike, only to find that my forks are nakkered.... hopefully covered under warranty, but still thats gonna be a while before they get sorted.

On a lighter note, I was in MBUK!!