I need to start with some sort of plan but unfortunately it might be that some parts may be difficult to find. There is a problem with the tyres so I will remove the sealant and attempt to reseal with old sealant, it should last ten years right?

Following that I will look at the transmission which does not seem worn but something is not right. Brakes seem to work but maybe a re-bleed would be a good idea so I don’t discover hygroscopic problems on the first downhill section as there will obviously be a gate lying in wait. I am unsure if the fork will work but if the seals have not dried out I could drain and refill as a trial. If necessary I could replace with an upgraded model if the sizes are still available for steering and wheels but I will wait and see if this fork still works.

Wheel bearings will need checked after sitting so long and the bottom bracket might need more than a look and a bit of hope.

So that sounds like a start for now but I am sure I will find a few things along the way.

I am intending to resurrect this site if I can return to the saddle but first I need to carry out some bike maintenance which I may share here if I can remember how to fix things.

This was the unexpected answer to the question from the recently returned in-house physiologist. Last Thursday was the driest ride for some time but we only mustered a semi dirty half dozen which was the lowest turnout in several years. Continue reading →

Last week’s ride was not typical. Carl and I were early and headed out to check the trails before the ride at 7pm. This bit was typical. I had set up ready for a cold, frosty ride with lots of layers and a fat tyre on the front but it seemed slightly mild.

Continue reading →

I had missed loads of Tuesday rides due to broken wheels, broken frames and getting stuck working on something on a Tuesday afternoon. Continue reading →

Lots of newer rides this year are encountering the delights of Stanmer in winter and asking about the right kit and maintenance. Continue reading →

On Sunday Aron and myself headed to Kent to compete in the first round of the PORC DH race series. Neither of us has much experience racing and we’re certainly not downhillers. We don’t even own DH bikes, never mind race them. So turning up on our trail bikes we did feel a bit out of our depths. It turned out we weren’t the only ones on little bikes. Whilst the majority of the field was a sea of Santa Cruz V10s, Giant Glory’s, and Nukeproof Pulse’s all armed with +200mm of travel and built for the sole purpose of getting down a hill as quickly as possible. A few had arrived on short travel bikes and even a couple of hard-tails were present.
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As there have been a couple of training days this SATURDAY’S ride will be a play day. This will mean stopping and practising technical obstacles and not covering lots of miles. So if you wish to improve your singletrack speed or improve your jumps come along and play.

For those of you who wish a bit of a blast then tonight’s ride should be nice and dry.