Then it had one more ride before Alex (our summer intern from FOX) went home in May.
Then it got stripped back to a skeleton and had the suspension bearings replaced.
9 months later I had finished and came upon the next hurdle of which bike to raid back for parts....
Carbon hardtail or Bike Packing bike ?
- Might still fit in one more camping adventure if the weather plays nicely.
- Carbon hardtail has an internal brake hose - be good to leave it in place.
Pondering that issue I then got a call from a friend who was stuck for time to have his shock serviced before taking off on the Godzone adventure race.
So I did the good thing and lent him my shock.
Which prompted Marty to clean his frame properly and found it had cracks.
Which cracked him.
Then his replacement frame arrived and it was too small, which cracked him further.
- I hope it works out for him.
Maybe my frame will be reunited with it's shock by end of the week and I can find another Juicy 3/5 rear brake ??
I'm planning on riding around Lake Hawea again, so best I get it rolling shortly.
www.rabbitridge.co.nz has been running a 5 race XC series this summer - so far I've number 2 & 4
The clusterfuck I mentioned in my previous post joined me for both.
A loose bottom bracket prior to the start had me using a cone spanner to tighten the end cap on the cranks.
The course was 4 laps, about 30 mins each.
When Jim Hawkridge says he might need another couple of gels on the start line you know it's going to be a toughie.
And it didn't disappoint - sweet place to race.
In between races I stripped down the bottom bracket but didn't test ride it.
Muppet.
So I had to use the cone spanner again, seating the seals properly this time.
Sign on guy: Steve, said put your number on the front of your riding top - I might have said I wasn't running a marathon and would put it on my handlebars: thanks.
Funny thing, got a flat tire on the start line and was then lent a bike.
Lost a few minutes swapping that pesky number over.
Ha ha.
A different course this time - fireroad climb, sweet single track with swoopy downhill berms for the first part.
Got passed by a girl on a 26"dualie on the uphills then realised I was kinda thirsty - my drink bottle back at the start on my bike.
Bugger, better peg it back a notch lest I expire.
A bottle of bright blue Powerade materialised track side.
I grabbed the front brake so hard I nearly flew over the bars !
Now back on track and sucking someone else's bottle of blue germs, but really did I care ?
Fiona was back in front and the course was getting shorter.
Smoked her by the bottom of the dual slalom and then past dayglo shoes guy in the last corner.
A hollow victory if ever there was one, but I now lead the points table for Vet Mens Long Course.
One race left and I could win a drink bottle or a tube.
Here's hoping.
1 comment:
That was a lovely read for 6:40am. Keep up the good work Richard. I shall find you more juicy brakes.
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