Pea Gravel – Hell’s Tarmac

My final preparatory ride for the Karri Cup saw me take on the Munda Biddi track from Mundaring out to Carinyah, a distance (on map) of 80km return. Left from the trail head at 6.30am.

Decided to bypass a pinch-climb along the “Pipeline track” in favour of some very nice single-track around Mt Gungin. Re-established contact with the Munda Biddi at the Perth Observatory, then managed to take a wrong turn onto some very sweet flowing single track, which suddenly turned into some very steep and rocky trail. I passed some guys coming up this section, and I was glad I was not turning their pedals. Me thinks I might have stumbled onto the very secretive track called the WHORE (I now know why it is called that).

After getting back onto the Munda Biddi again, I arrived at the Carinyah campsite after about 2.5 hours riding. I was still feeling good, but I was a bit concerned by the amount of fluid I had left in my pack. In total I took about 5 litres (3 litres water, 2 litres Gatorade), and I was already half way through the water and about 1/3 through the Gatorade, and it was getting hotter (the prediction was for 37 degrees). Also from past experience I know the profile is more uphill on the way back, which means more fluid is needed.

I started heading back about 9.30am, and immediately found SHIT LOADS of pea gravel. This stuff is horrendous to ride through, especially if riding uphill (downhill you can’t steer, uphill you can’t pedal). I then decided to take a few shortcuts on the way back, and bypassed some really sweet single track in favour of getting back to the car before my water ran out.

As it was, I ran out of fluid about 5 km’s from the car, and limped into base with my tongue feeling like the bottom of a budgie cage. I was also so hungry I could have eaten my front tyre. All up about 6 hours in the saddle, and about 72km's on the speedo, which I think just about readies me for the Karri Cup in 2 weeks time – can’t wait. I’ve never been this cycle-fit before, and I’m really looking forward to putting it to good use in a 100km race.

Forken problems

The saga continues with my suspension fork …..

Got a call from the boys at Malaga Cycles Saturday morning. They received and fitted the compression damper Friday arvo, then pumped up the fork. Got in Saturday morning, and no air left in fork. Re-stripped it down and found that the press-fit fitting at the bottom of the air cylinder is leaking air - fu@#^**^%%$$!!!

And, it turns out the original compression damper fitted to my fork was the WRONG ONE - me thinks my fork was built on a Friday arvo before a long weekend!!

That is 3 separate and individual catastrophic failures on a single fork at the same time. Never before seen by Malaga Cycles, who are a Rockshox dealer. The nice boys at MC lent me a fork so I can at least ride (Tora 318 solo air - heavy but working, at least).

The boys will get onto the Rockshox rep this morning and see what they can do. According to them there are 3 possibilities.

1. Brand new fork sent my way, for the pain and angst cause by what looks like a factory f*ck up.
2. Brand new replacement bits sent my way, at no cost.
3. Two fingers raised in my general direction, because I bought the bike 2 years ago.

Will keep you posted ...

Rigid SS with flat bars and V-brakes - hell on earth

Remember the problem I had with the fork (blew a seal), well it turns out it is more tragic that this. The compression damper is also buggerred, so needs replacing. Of course this means the Trance is spending a week in the bike shop getting fixed.

So, out comes the mighty Apollo (LSX 1.2 to be precise). Purchased back in the late 90's, when rear suspension was for motor bikes, and front suspension was only for high end bikes. Yes, this was a higher end bike back in the day (it came complete with VERY ordinary - by todays standards - Mojo forks).

Recently I removed the old suspension fork and replaced it with a CroMo rigid fork purchased from a flea market. I also decided to make it into a cool single speeder, complete with flat bars and V-brakes, just perfect as a "house bike".

Well, now it is a rigid single speeder, with flat bars and V-brakes, AND with some chunky knobbies, all ready to shred some trails. It actually looks pretty good; almost "retro". Kind of reminds me of my very first mountain bike.

I had an itch to ride some single track over the weekend (sick of bitumen and 4wd tracks) and decided on a Sunday blast around Mt Gungin.

My wrists are still sore from the pounding (and having to pull so hard on the damn brakes), and my ass feels like I've been sharing a prison cell with Bubba. But .... there was a certain amount of accomplishment knowing I rode ~30k's of pretty rough single track on a rigid SS with flat bars and V-brakes.

Holy hell, what a difference front and rear suspension makes (maybe I'm just spoilt). I'll never bemoan the 4.2 inches of travel on the MIGHTY Trance again ...... EVER.