Ride report: Sunday 28 June – Sticky backed plastic and a pair of Val’s old knickers
The Sunday ride wasn’t what it had been. With newborns, concerts and probably a fair degree of divorce threats after last weeks “f*cking epic” we were down to three men.
AndyC, Keith and I assembled in the usual place and waited as we were expecting a new rider that Matt had been emailing during the week. After the usual 10 minutes we rode down to check he wasn’t in the Bockett’s Farm car park before heading back up to Polesden Lacey.
Not far from our original start location Andy had a puncture on the old Univega which he was forced to ride as although the replacement Whyte frames are now with ATB it appears they are 1mm too short and require custom shocks? Sounds a bit fishy to me.
The puncture turned out to be a flint cut in a very thin side wall and hence the title of this post. With Matt away we had no toothpaste tube tyre boot and it was time for some quick thinking or a two man ride.
I decided the some card from a brake pad package would help stop the tube bulging through… if only we had some gaffer tape. “Oh, I’ve got some of that in my pack” said Andy. So with some card and some gaffer tape in place off we went again. Deciding to give even the chicken run round Abba Zabba a miss to save Andy’s tyre we opted for White Down instead.
We pushed on at a fair rate, apparently aided by some shapely and well defined female legs that went past us at a steady pace and before long we found ourselves on the common behind Albury. Puncture no.2.
The puncture was the last of Andy’s worries after I removed the flint shard from his tyre as I noticed that the wheel rim had a crack about 6cm long where a ding must have deformed the rim and over time the brake pads had done the rest. Nothing too lumpy for Andy then, and no more rear brake. So a final climb up to Newlands Corner and then Andy could nurse it back on the road.
After squeezing past the assorted cars and bikes we grabbed a drink and snack and then Keith and I said our goodbyes to Andy and headed back along the ridge. Trails were in great condition and didn’t seem as dusty as Wednesday night so we made good time heading back.
Another good ride and a “short” 22 miles under our belts (did I just type “short” after 22 miles?… I blame Matt’s “short” night rides)
About the author
Dave's been riding seriously since about 1997 and is one of the founding Molefathers — along with Matt and Mark — that came up with the idea of a MTB website for Mole Valley riders.
He's had several different bikes but it's now mainly 29ers in Dave's stable, apart from an Orange 5.
Current Bikes: Orange 5, Salsa Spearfish and Kona Big Unit
There are 4 comments on ‘Ride report: Sunday 28 June – Sticky backed plastic and a pair of Val’s old knickers’
We love to get comments from our readers - if you've spent a few moments to comment, thank-you.
If you haven't had a chance yet, jump to our comments form if you have something to say.
Leave a comment…
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
KC says:
Great ride being a bit more relaxed as we nursed the Univega along. I presume Andy made it back!
Of course the opportunity to discuss the potential purchase of an Orange 5 with Dave on the way back, may cost me a packet next year.
Add a new comment, or
Posted on June 29, 2009 at 11:07 am
Andy C says:
Apologies once again for the poor old Univega contributing towards a somewhat leisurely ride.
When I replaced the rear mech the other week I was warned the rims were “really worn”, but I was hoping they’d last a few more rides yet. If only the rims had been in better nick as I fancied seeing how it could handle Abba Zabba and Numbskull.
I was v glad I took up Keith’s offer of a spare tube when I left you guys, as for some reason the valve on the second rear tube of the ride almost sheared off as I was heading back to Bookham on the A246. It really wasn’t my day.
On the Whyte front, according to Cyclopedia they are going to take the shocks off the frame and take some metal off the bump stop to get everything to fit.
Sounds a bit dubious to me, but they think it should only be a few more days. I feel the last comment may just have been to shut me up, as nothing so far has indicated that it will “only be a few more days”.
Anyone got any spare v-brake ready rear wheels in the back of their garage they want to sell, or prepared to let me have a go on their spare bike so I can enjoy the decent weather?
I can’t help feeling that I’ve waited so bloody long for this new E5 it’s just going to be a disappointment and I will be looking elsewhere in a few months time.
Yours despondently 🙁
Add a new comment, or
Posted on June 29, 2009 at 11:24 am
Easynow Nick says:
!!!
What? With no other information to go on other than whats been posted here and in the ride report, Id be tempted to say the wrong shock is fitted, or there is something wrong with the frame.
What bump stop are they talking about? On the frame or in the shock? Either way bump stops are there for a reason, and if the local bike shop files them off Id suggest it would put a serious doubt on the validity of any warranty claim you may have (but hopefully wont) in the future.
Is it possible that the frame DOES require a custom shock and the shop hasnt ordered it?
Consider that if the bump stop is removed to make things fit together, i.e with a smaller or larger shock, then it is possibly altering the entire frame geometry which will make it ride differently, and place undue stress on other parts of the frame such as the head tube.
A perfect example is the Lapierre Zesty. It has a custom rear shock made specificly for it by Fox that is 200mm eye to eye, as opposed to standard fox shock length of 180 and 190mm. Putting a normal shock in a Lapeirre frame will drop the ride height by about an inch, make the head tube angle considerably slacker and invalidate any warranty you may have if the head tube cracks as a result.
If it were me Andy, Id find out just exactly wtf they are doing and why before they actually do it.
When you are paying out that much for a frame, accepting a bodge job simply isnt acceptable in my book.
Add a new comment, or
Posted on June 29, 2009 at 11:51 am
AndyC says:
Sorry Nick, wasn’t intending to set major alarms bells ringing here.
The frame is a free replacement under warranty, but as my old PRST-4 frame is unavailable, I’m getting a newer E5 frame. The “mods” are being carried out by Whyte themselves (not the LBS) as their supplier apparently made the frames up incorrectly. They are also throwing in new forks, shocks etc., so I can’t complain too much.
I only have half the story as the LBS is passing on what Whyte tells them, and I only pass on half the story because I’ve not really listened correctly to what they’ve told me. I would expect that the usual Whyte warranty will apply to any frame they supply me with.
I will try and find out exactly what’s happening, but it’s all a little garbled at present.
Add a new comment, or
Posted on June 29, 2009 at 3:57 pm