This old Codger is back ! Options

[springwell]

Well,

Its been over two years since I posted last.

Not the best of two years , I had a nasty health scare which meant 8 weeks hospital treatment which leaves me weak for a year !! ( Good excuse for pushing up the hills). Had recent good results, so fingers crossed.

On top of that my much better half had a grim accident which left her with two plates in her leg. So the past couple of years have been eventful.

Anyway enough winging and sob stories, I've not been idle, recently turned my Kona Hoss into a fully rigid trail/ touring machine with skinny tyres. What a difference, twitchy and a bit scary.

I'm currently building up on my trainer before I venture out, first onto the Sustran trails, then back to Brechfa before Christmas, well that's the plan.

And I've a stone to loose too!!!

So if anyone sees an oldie pushing up Brechfa just before Christmas on a Hoss, its me!!

Bill

[Gareth]

Welcome back, pushing up is fine with me but then I'm no spring chicken either. Mountain Biking is like alcoholism, you are never truly 'cured' and are only one ride away from full blown re-addiction.

[springwell]

Too true Gareth,

I just needed a little shove to get back into it and regain some fitness.

[Suggsey]

Glad your naff couple of years have turned the corner and look forward to a fellow hill pusher regaining his climbing prowess
Bizzare thing for me is I find it easier to ride ridiculously slowly blowing like a steam train than walking just as slowand blowing just as hard.
By the way what length rigid forks have you used on the Hoss? It may be that they are shorter than the specced Marazochis that were on it hence that nervous handling feeling.
On-One's rigid forks are a decent length and work a treat (with confidence inspiring strength) if you do need to wsap to some longer suspension corrected rigid forks.

[springwell]

Hi Suggsey,

I put on black One and Ones, corrected for 100mm travel. Nice solid understated fork and looks good,I wanted Surly's but couldn't get them anywhere. I also lowered the stem by taking a couple of spacers out.

Bike certainly feels lighter, the twitchiness is down to me not riding for a while, combined with skinny tyres. Changed the Spd's for flats and put on some cheap ergo grips and whisper, bar ends!

Next modification in the future maybe shorter cranks, say 150mm, we'll see.

Bill

[Suggsey]

Oh yes I know those twitchy front wheel feelings after the number of times this year that I seem to have ended up being off the bike four four week at a time spells-makes me ride like a two year old for the first hour
150mm cranks you will be riding fixie next!!!

[Gareth]

and whisper, bar ends!

No need to whisper, if your bars are too short you will certainly appreciate them...

[Suggsey]

No need to whisper, if your bars are too short you will certainly appreciate them...

Or shoulders too narrow

We all secretly have at least one bike with bar ends, mine are fitted to the 680mm riser bars on my commuter MTB

[springwell]

I went for proper bar ends about 150mm overall.

Didn't see the point of the little stumpy ones and I've big hands, combined with the ergo grips they certainly make a difference.

Bill

[jes]

We all secretly have at least one bike with bar ends,

I most certainly do not! pfft call yourselves proper hill pushers

[Suggsey]

I most certainly do not! pfft call yourselves proper hill pushers

Note I mention on my commuting MTB and thats only cause its set up with a 42 front ring 1x9 and I do have a few short steep inclines to ride up