Snow Riding

[Drago]

I've set my alarm clock. First light ill be up the forest on my old Alpinestars rigid to attack the snow and enjoy myself. It's a transient playground for us MTBers to play in, brush p our riding and balance skills, and generally have an adventure.

Any other MTBers hitting the trails this weekend to take advantage of the conditions?

 

[HovR]

Trails in the FoD are reported to be unrideable at the moment due to the depths of snow. Might have a blast around some local bridleways but I think I'll leave the singletrack for another day!

 

[lukesdad]

yep did yesterday and will again today

 

[02GF74]

cycled home from work and fell over but only the once and the snow did act as a cushion, still pretty sore.

 

[Drago]

Been round Salcey Forest today, stopped near the end to treat myself to a coffee on he Cafe. 5 to 8" of snow, depending on tree cover at any particular point. Hard work but by no means impossible.

Had forgotten how useful spuds are in these conditions if you're skills are up to it. As the bike starts to low side under you ad the back end goes for a wander, pull hard on the upstroke of the inside leg and it levers the bike back under you. After a fewiles was deliberately letting the bike go so I could practice getting it back, but stopped before I inevitably got too cocky, wet too far and broke my neck.

Took the Alpinestars. Partly because I didn't want suspension robbing me of feel at each end, and partly because I've recently refurbed it with a full NOS gruppo (apart from the mech which I rebuilt with new jockey wheels) and wated to spend some time setting it up right. It coped admirably.

More snow on the way and I'm off work Monday so I may try again with the Trance X, see how that does, although the Nevegals will probably be hopeless.

 

[Kins]

Snows to deep. Not worth the cost of ice tyres just for a few rides.

 

[Drago]

Too deep? How much have you had down your way?

 

[oliver]

No need for ice tyres - a nice set of noblys does the trick!

 

[Kins]

We had some of the worst of the snow round here, especially on the mountains. Valleys have cleared somewhat through traffic but the trails are bad and -7 temperatures have turned much of it to ice. Been out for a few miles but the higher you go the worst it gets. Constant wheel spin or front wheel sliding away in places made me decide to go back down to a few tree covered trails where it wasn't to bad.

You can't see whats under the powder crust. I have a new set of knobblies to.

Nice pic and nice bike Oliver!

 

[oliver]

Nice pic and nice bike Oliver!

thanks - although it's soon going to be going back to flat bars - as to my expense I've found out the don't allow those bars in xc races

 

[craigwend]

thanks - although it's soon going to be going back to flat bars - as to my expense I've found out the don't allow those bars in xc races

Yes another great pic comment,

How much did the conversion cost?
always fancied it for my mtbt, but difficult to justify the cost I'd guess? (bars, shifters& cables etc, front mech, anything else?)

 

[Drago]

Looking forward to hitting the Forest again tomorrow. Will try a different route and maybe take the Trance. Not ridden it since I gave it a full fork and bearing strip service so it could do with a shakedown and final set up.

 

[oliver]

Yes another great pic comment,

How much did the conversion cost?
always fancied it for my mtbt, but difficult to justify the cost I'd guess? (bars, shifters& cables etc, front mech, anything else?)

bar (motoace woodchipper) = £30
stem (short riser - helps geometry) = £15
sora shifters second hand = £40
cables = £5 from lbs (nice guy + student discount)
front mech = run a double 22-36 ( 44 big ring is just being used as a guard ) so triple shifter works for double (really well as you can trim it) - you just need to shift twice (you get used to it)
bar tape = £5 (ebay)
top pull levers = £15 (not needed but nice to have)
bb5 road disc brake = £15 CRC amazing sale
cantilever brakes = £10 (as the rear has no disc mount - now changed to and XT parallel pull v brake one with a travel agent - about £20 for the new setup which is much better)
so about £135 - but the bike was frame, fork, wheels and cranks when I bought it so it wasn't to bad as I would have had to buy the bits anyway (the bike was £70 - with xc517 wheels -which at the time were £100+ for a set)
I think that's everything - one tip is to get a bike a little on the small side (not too much) so you can raise the saddle + bars and then top tube is not too long The bike is a dream to ride (on fire roads and fast single track - nightmare on really hard technical stuff), but it's not allowed to race in xc so I need to put a flat bar on it! - i will be keeping the drops though so I can swap them over when i feel like it!

I just now need to get the levers working with hydraulic disc brakes

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

I'm considering this, looks so much fun

http://site.alpineskibikes.com

 

[oliver]

seems a bit steep - epecialy as a with set of kid skis from ebay, a pair of old hubs and some wood you can do that for sub £100!