First thoughts...

[Monsieur Remings]

Well, I opted for Ashton Court, due the raised, purpose built trails being less waterlogged than the Mendips. I'm really very glad to get out at last and I promise that my language won't change that much now I ride an MTB dudes.

The Cube felt cramped on the road, beckoning forth ideas of new, setback seat-posts, flipped and longer stems? But, as I approached AC from the Beggars Bush Lane end, all that was forgotten. Being close in and over the bike made a lot of sense and I found some of the sections a little more technical than I expected. I didn't regret the clipless pedals - they made sense - mostly, and I went for it and managed not to fall off though I nearly had an argument with a tree.

It felt like a struggle getting to AC - only about 9 miles on the road but did I notice the extra weight. I'm pretty sure there's some off-road sections on the way too but local knowledge is something I'll have to gain over time. All in all it was worth it.

Cleaning was much easier than expected and this beer tastes great. Thanks for all the tips and hints people, well appreciated, I've had an awfully splendid afternoon.

 

[lulubel]

If you're used to a road bike, a MTB will feel cramped at first, and very, very slow on the road. I try to get off the road as quickly as possible, unless I'm going somewhere that's further away, and I just haven't got time to take the scenic route.

Glad you enjoyed it. MTBing is fantastic fun, isn't it?

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Great fun, Lulubel. Glad I took the step.

I always had MTBs in the early nineties just for getting in and around Bristol as a student and did go off road a few times. Likewise, when I first moved here to Clevedon about 8 years ago, I bought a clapped out job too and did the coastal path a few times, but it was a very heavy, cheap machine and wasn't enough to inspire me further at the time.

It felt quite natural in the end yesterday which is a good start and taking tight corners on the berms was especially where I noticed the need for agility and a 'closer' geometry. Can't imagine those angles on a road bike. I got caught out a few times in the wrong gear, gritted my teeth and dug a bit deeper than I should have done, as the momentum that you'd expect up small little slopes, here and there, is absorbed more thoroughly by the heavier bike, the terrain and yesterday, the wet.

I guess Malaga must be a pretty good place for off-roading?

 

[02GF74]

The Cube felt cramped on the road, beckoning forth ideas of new, setback seat-posts, flipped and longer stems?

is the bike correct size for you - how tall are you and what size is your frame? also is seat height set correctly?

the modern mtbs tend to have longer top tube so they should not feel as cramped as bikes from the later 80s or early 90s.

 

[lulubel]

is the bike correct size for you - how tall are you and what size is your frame? also is seat height set correctly?

the modern mtbs tend to have longer top tube so they should not feel as cramped as bikes from the later 80s or early 90s.

Cubes don't tend to have long top tubes. That was one of the reasons why I bought one - I don't like to feel stretched out on the bike.