What did you do TO / WITH / FOR your bike today!

[bear the bear]

What can’t ride in this?

That’s about half an hour ago 600m from my place, the wasteland is more wasteland than usual.

Nup, even riding in the garage the HR was 15-20bpm above normal and I don't think it was the heat or lack of riding over the last two days

 

[nzhumpy]

your

#f*ckntradies

 

[nzhumpy]

The smoke from the east coast has started to show up on the north island. It’s at least keeping the UV down.
View attachment 358545

Well at least you're doing your bit to get closer to the source of said UV.

And who is going to run up those jumps?

 

[AaronM]

Cmon, there is a very nice Comms hut off in the distance!

“Monash Air Pollution Monitor” - it measured the most polluted air in the ACT in the past few days. 400m from my place as the smoke drifts.

 

[Cardy George]

There's smoke haze all the way from Adelaide to here. Combined with the dust, it's making it real hard for Mrs George to breathe

 

[mtb1611]

I was just riding along...

View attachment 358530

I'd been having a blast out at Forrest. Belted down Foxtail for my second lap, and was on my way back to the car park when I started hearing this godawful creaking. My first thought was, "I hope the dropper doesn't need servicing already, it's not that old." Looked down, and...

What sort of bike and how old?

 

[Spike-X]

What sort of bike and how old?

Norco Sight, just shy of three years old.

I took it straight to the shop I bought it from. They said warranty shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Daniel Hale]

really surprised myself this morning -went for a long-ish hard fire road ride on flats, on the SS ht.

i took 30sec off my PB, on a 14km segment, overall elevation % is 0, but for the 14+km i gain just under 350vert.

if clipless is so efficient, how on earth have i taken 30sec off, my previous Pb was on a Ti hardtail, pretty sure when i had gears attached, today was SS. my time on the bikeovernthat timeis fairly constant at 5hrs p/week

i dare say i am slightly quicker on the downs at present, but maybe only 5sec or so on each sector, i can’t be losing very much at al climbing on the flats?? does this marry with other experiences..i read that foot position on flats makes very little diff to power output, is clipless also similar??

have attached a elevation profile of the segment, the bottom of each up.down is usually a switchback style cnr

 

[Isaakk]

Not today but yesterday - rode Maydena for the first time. Rough, steep, unrelenting.. hands were already toast by the end of the first run. So damned fun though, first time on a (hired) dually in a while, forgot how much more confidence inspiring they are than even a "aggressive" hardtail.

 

[kbekus]

Not today but yesterday - rode Maydena for the first time. Rough, steep, unrelenting.. hands were already toast by the end of the first run. So damned fun though, first time on a (hired) dually in a while, forgot how much more confidence inspiring they are than even a "aggressive" hardtail.

What tracks did you ride? Trying to decide if I give it a try with my boys when I'm there in 2 weeks.

 

[DMan]

really surprised myself this morning -went for a long-ish hard fire road ride on flats, on the SS ht.

i took 30sec off my PB, on a 14km segment, overall elevation % is 0, but for the 14+km i gain just under 350vert.

if clipless is so efficient, how on earth have i taken 30sec off, my previous Pb was on a Ti hardtail, pretty sure when i had gears attached, today was SS. my time on the bikeovernthat timeis fairly constant at 5hrs p/week

i dare say i am slightly quicker on the downs at present, but maybe only 5sec or so on each sector, i can’t be losing very much at al climbing on the flats?? does this marry with other experiences..i read that foot position on flats makes very little diff to power output, is clipless also similar??

have attached a elevation profile of the segment, the bottom of each up.down is usually a switchback style cnr

Strava is lying to you?

 

[moorey]

What tracks did you ride? Trying to decide if I give it a try with my boys when I'm there in 2 weeks.

The answer is ‘yes’

 

[kbekus]

The answer is ‘yes’

Yeah, I'm pretty keen to go but my young bloke is a bit green and I don't want to smash him on steep downhills. We'll start off with a few days in Derby and see how we fare. We'd probably start with getting dropped off at the half way point and riding the greens down anyway.

 

[moorey]

Tk

Yeah, I'm pretty keen to go but my young bloke is a bit green and I don't want to smash him on steep downhills. We'll start off with a few days in Derby and see how we fare. We'd probably start with getting dropped off at the half way point and riding the greens down anyway.

There are green trails...but yeah, still tougher than the beginner Derby trails.
Tell him that owning a Nicolai comes with some responsibility to shred.

 

[Boom King]

Sweated my ass off in the garage doing 20-minute intervals cause the air quality still means no outdoor riding.
View attachment 358532

Where does the air in your garage come from?

 

[nathanm]

Yeah, I'm pretty keen to go but my young bloke is a bit green and I don't want to smash him on steep downhills. We'll start off with a few days in Derby and see how we fare. We'd probably start with getting dropped off at the half way point and riding the greens down anyway.

Plenty of young pinners on the trail last week hitting the blues and greens, but they appeared to have good skills and some expensive bikes. Also came across a family on cheap bikes hitting the lower greens going ok.

All my runs were straight down the middle (skyline, beach babe, beef cheek, MIA, Funky Cold Maydena, Moss Boss etc) so can't comment on the trails down from Midline.

IMO the trail ratings are not IMBA but more park oriented. The green trails are the "easiest", blue's harder etc. On green room as an example a lot of the corners are steep off camber berms that tighten on exits with drops on the outside so if you get it wrong, it's a decent fall down into the bush. The lower greens, Scandanavia (and somewhat handi scandi) and Tyenna were the easiest but again I'd rate them easy blue and there's some big corners and table tops at the end, which are sick fun to send (and miss all but one in my case)

My take on it is if you've raced and have a Downhill/Enduro bike then you're going to froff it hard. If you're fat on a trail bike you'll froff it and you're bike will not have a good time. If you ride Green/Blue on a trail/XC bike it's going to be a very tough day and you are unlikely to enjoy it.

You will cook your brakes and bike damage can be expected just from riding after repeat runs of the harder tracks.

 

[The Reverend]

Started building a paradox this afternoon. Stole the front end off another bike to try it with a 150mm fork. Think I'll go a fox 34 140 but will see how it rides. Forgot a brake adaptor for the rear so will have to do a lbs run tomorrow and hope they have one. If anyone in Hobart or surrounds has a IS 160-180 rear I'll buy/borrow and replace.
View attachment 358531

They're so sweet. It took me a ride or two to get it dialled.

I'm running mine with 160mm front and wouldn't want to go shorter as the STA is very steep.

Keen to hear your thoughts on it.

 

[bear the bear]

Where does the air in your garage come from?

Official Monash air quality station is 1500m down the road

 

[kbekus]

Tk

There are green trails...but yeah, still tougher than the beginner Derby trails.
Tell him that owning a Nicolai comes with some responsibility to shred.

The Nicolai owner is my 15yo and I think he'll be OK (I'm conveniently ignoring how he broke his elbow at Yack a few months back on an XC trail), I'm more worried about my cautious 12yo.. he just got a Norco FS24 for Festivus though so we'll see how it goes. I'll get them some reasonable knee and elbow protection and send them off from the top

 

[Boom King]

The Nicolai owner is my 15yo and I think he'll be OK (I'm conveniently ignoring how he broke his elbow at Yack a few months back on an XC trail), I'm more worried about my cautious 12yo.. he just got a Norco FS24 for Festivus though so we'll see how it goes. I'll get them some reasonable knee and elbow protection and send them off from the top

First run should be Skyline, into Pandani, into Waratah, into Supercross, into Super Funk, into The Local, into Sandinavia, into South Crescent, into Homeward.

Anyone who knows which end of a bike to hold onto should be able to get down without issue. Most of that is machine made park style stuff, all rideable at whatever pace you are comfortable with. Supercross to Homeward are all jump trails but everything is rollable. You could substitute Supercross with Flight School for the first run, maybe better for the 12yo.

My take is that Maydena trail ratings are probably spot on. Most other trails, particularly the ones I'm familiar with here in Vic, are rated higher than they should be, creating a false sense of ability for some. The place is a challenge to ride but it is an amazing hill to progress your riding. I'm jealous of you and your kids, enjoy.