Post Your Ride

[trailgumby]

Yep, saw quite a few Anthem 29ers at the Mont this weekend.

I'm still coughing up trail dust and blowing dark brown snot. Great track, but got chopped out quick (not surprising with 500+ riders on it at any one point in time) . The thick talcum powder dust on the outside of the corners was a trap for young players, or not-so-young ones in my case. Got me twice with washouts on my night laps. And at times it was quite hard to see, with your lights bouncing back at you with the dust.

On the upside my lower back came good. It was looking like I might not be able to ride at all without risking doing some damage, but my marvellous physio's strapping device did it's magic work. Woke Saturday morning relatively pain free. Wore the device on the bike and I was able to ride with very little discomfort.

And my new Rize arrived on Friday evening. Photos to follow soon.

[Mugglechops]

Yep, saw quite a few Anthem 29ers at the Mont this weekend.

I'm still coughing up trail dust and blowing dark brown snot. Great track, but got chopped out quick (not surprising with 500+ riders on it at any one point in time) . The thick talcum powder dust on the outside of the corners was a trap for young players, or not-so-young ones in my case. Got me twice with washouts on my night laps. And at times it was quite hard to see, with your lights bouncing back at you with the dust.

On the upside my lower back came good. It was looking like I might not be able to ride at all without risking doing some damage, but my marvellous physio's strapping device did it's magic work. Woke Saturday morning relatively pain free. Wore the device on the bike and I was able to ride with very little discomfort.

And my new Rize arrived on Friday evening. Photos to follow soon.

It certainly did get cut up, I did a practice lap at 1.00pm Friday and it was worse on my first lap. It did seem to settle down after that. I was glad I did my last before the rain. I was also glad I now ride a 6inch travel dually on 2.5 tyres and not a rigid SS anymore

[trailgumby]

Here's the old bike:



And now the new:



New bike will get some parts upgrades over the next few weeks as the 2010 XT running gear comes across from the Jekyll, and some more substantial Mavic CrossLand tubeless wheels for recreational riding. The SLR's on the Jekyll will get put away until the next race. Jekyll frame and fork goes to the young bloke as he's gotten a bit big for his old bike.

First test ride of the Rize around Manly Dam yesterday was good. Not as plush as the old bike, but climbs a lot better and descending was more confident too. Got a pinch flat for the first time ever. Those tubes have gotta go!

[Jean]

Hasa redux after breaking the original frame (it was too small and I was stressing the top tube-seat tube junction) and getting a (larger) warranty replacement, and adding a new DIY wheelset last weekend. The only things left from the original purchase are the forks, headset, brakes, derailleurs and shifters . Oh well, had to find out what worked and fit me, and what didn't.

Cheers

[trailgumby]

Looks good, Jean.

[Jean]

Thanks. It's nothing grand, but it's what I got and after much tweaking, fiddling and upgraditis it's riding pretty much like I think it should. The new wheels seem to have given it some pep and my first ride on the Hutchinson Toros (admittedly on recently dampened tacky 'hero' trails) the other day was warm and fuzzy.

[drubie]

Jean, what's your overall impression of the quality of the frames (despite busting one) - they seem well priced and I'm sorta hankering to reclaim my Norco frame back into a CX bike and getting a different hardtail frame so I can mount a rear disk.

[Jean]

Jean, what's your overall impression of the quality of the frames (despite busting one) - they seem well priced and I'm sorta hankering to reclaim my Norco frame back into a CX bike and getting a different hardtail frame so I can mount a rear disk.

There's nothing special about the frame and in essence it's the sort of mass produced Taiwanese aluminium frame that can be found on a zillion MTBs. The welds are neat, the fittings are suitably aligned, the paint is neat and even, and everything is in the right places. It's not the lightest frame by any means, but it's solid and goes where you point it.

I broke my first one because it was too small and there was too much of my weight pushing down and back on the seat and top tube junction. As I rode on it, every now and then there would be an ominous creak/tick emanating from the joint. Something had to give and it finally gave out at the Scott 24 last year. So far on the bigger frame there's no ominous sounds.

So I'd rate the frame as good overall and as well put together as a welded Al frame from say Giant or Avanti or whatever.

[ozynigma]

Untitled by ozynigma, on Flickr

This is my new commuter, nearly finished except for the front brake/rear shifter (got sent the wrong part by c r c).

Frame is a Surly Troll, wheels are Shimano XT 29'ers, fork is a White Brothers Rock Solid carbon and groupset is XT dual control with an XTR front derailleur. The crankset is the M771 with 26/36/48 chainrings.

I was after a few key things with this build;

A steel frame for compliance and comfort
700c wheels with 35mm tyres
Disc brakes
Flat bars
Wide range of derailleur gears
Rack mounts

The Surly Troll ticked all the boxes. There were surprisingly few alternatives in steel frames with disc mounts and rack mounts. The Salsa Vaya was a close second but it is designed for drop bars not flat bars and the bright orange colour is not available in Australia yet. The other serious contender in orange was the Cotic Road Rat private import from the UK.

[WarrenH]

I thought nearly every Anthem sold in Australia was at the Mont24hr this weekend. They were everywhere.

They are everywhere; on quiet back country roads, up to their bar ends in Kangaroo Grass in the Alps, cargoed-upon the old National Horse Trail, propping up high country huts both inside and out, crossing farm lands, found at good fishing spots and at stunning places to camp on the Bicentennial National Trail.


























Found everywhere that I go.

Warren.

[trailgumby]

Dude, that is seriously not fair. Completely spoiled my weekend that has. How can tootling around some ratty Sydney singletracks, some of which are ... ahem ... "not approved" possibly compare with THAT!? Grumblerumblemumble



Great photography. You should be submitting most if not all of those to AMB mag for photo of the month.

[flashrider]

Wow, that one of the hut's incredible. Love to have that on my wall...

[Bogmonster]

Any chance of a closer look at the 'pack mule' setup you have? Very interesting.

[WarrenH]

Trailgumby, thank you for your most rewarding comment Mate. Sites like ACF are all I wish to show my images on but I do wish that I had photographed more of my rides.

It has only been since I joined sites like ACF and the US MTBR and Rotorburn that photographing the trails has become important. I've seen some great trails over the years. We do live in an extraordinary country. It might be time to take the Anthem X3 north to Killarney ... then slowly mosey back to Canberra along the Divide.

flashrider, send me an email and I'll send you a selection of huts. You are welcome to have a print/s made. ... hudson@grapevine.com.au

Bogmonster, definately. Give me a few days and I'll show you how it all clicks together. The setup I have is for up-to 8 weeks riding unsupported and without resupplying. I don't ride a bike hauling a trailer, I tour with an off-road system. Something like the water filter working well, is as equally important as the bike working well.

Warren.

[WarrenH]

Dupe post.

[Bentnose]

Heres my On One, still haven't been on a decent ride on it yet, new babies eat up a lot of time.

[Baldy]

Here is mine.

2008 Trek 6 Series, 6700.

[Chuck]

Great photography. You should be submitting most if not all of those to AMB mag for photo of the month.

+1 fantastic stuff Warren

[aeroslave]

Wow...I thought I opened a National Geographic Page or something I agree...Nice photographic talent there! Can I humbly ask what camera you are using? cheers!

[WarrenH]

Chuck and aeroslavebigbelly, thank you for your comments. They are most rewarding and flattering.

Aero, I have a Canon 40D its 12 megapixels. I have mostly el-cheapo kit lenses. I don't use pro-quality lenses. I use the kit lenses because I wont be too upset if they shake to bits out on some goat track. I use a tripod and cable release to make up for the lack of lens quality. The tripod only weighs a kilo from 'Silk'. The kit lenses, when used well give good results ... they do punch way above their weight and cost at times. In fact the Canon 50mm f1.8 at only $120, Canon acknowledge is it one of the best lenses that they make. The most useful lens that I take riding is the Canon 17-85mm that came with the camera. The Tamron 55-200mm at $170 is dodgey and difficult to use. It has no idea where to focus or how to hold focus ... I switch the auto focus off, and focus it like on an old school lens.

Thanks for the mail guys about the photography, it has been excellent. I still have two notes to answer.

Warren.

[trailgumby]

Great photography. You should be submitting most if not all of those to AMB mag for photo of the month.

Warren, I meant what I said. I'm not blowing smoke up your skirt. Shots one and two especially. Even better if you were to write a brief story to go with more shots. Alternatively, we could do something here on BNA as an article or two.

Don't say no - you know you'll be outvoted

[legsrburnin]

I'm new to this forum. Been racing MTB's for years.
Here's my trusty steed-
Frame- Cannondale Flash Carbon 29er 2010
Fork- Lefty SL Carbon OPI
Wheels- Stans Crest rims, DT Rev, Tune Kong hub (r), Tune Cannonball(f)
Tires- Schwalbe Racing Ralph EVO 2.25 (f), Schwalbe Racing Ralph EVO 2.25 (r) (run tubeless with Stans)
Crank- Cannondale SL (1 x 10) (spiderless set up)
Fron Chainring - Custom 32tooth spiderless from Hombrew Components
Pedals- Eggbeaters with custom Ti short spindles
Cassette- Sram XX 11-36 10sp
Shifter- Sram XX
Rear Derailleur- Sram XX
Front Derailleur- None. Custom chain carbon chain keeper made by Mattias Hellore (20 odd grams!)
Brakes- Formula R1
Rotors- Formula R1 160mm
Post- New Ultimate carbon
Saddle- Tune SpeedNeedle
Stem- 100mm Cannondale Si
Bar- Bontrager XXX Lite OCLV
Grips- ESI Racers Edge (Pink for my friend who survived cancer - was hoping for TV coverage at either US Nationals or New York XC MTB World Cup round
Bottle Cage- S-Works
Weight- Approx 17lb 12oz (now) (8.0kg)

That's US Pounds, not kg!!

[LoveB]

the new bike is here



Now I just need a better fork, a rear shock and a crankset and I'll be good to go. Gonna take better pics tomorrow

[ZepinAtor]

I

Weight- 8.0kg

ppfftt, I've seen lighter.........................



.............................................................in the road bike thread.

Amazing bikes the Cannondale Flash. I didn't believe the add the first time I saw it advertised 12 months ago at 7.5kg. Now here we are with an 8kg 29er, brilliant. My wife has an 8.2kg Niner, but it's SS with a carbon rigid fork.

Very Nice.

[ZepinAtor]

Speaking of the Wife, here's her Slingshot Farmboy 29er re-build. Was disassembled for a while, but there were just enough left over bits to make it a bike again.