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My spin today...

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    #62
    Big Nasty
    Registered Users Posts: 22,080 ✭✭✭✭Big Nasty


    Was up in The GAP today. Had a demo weekend running. Took a Lapierre E-bike for an hour. Savage for the climbs, bit cumbersome on the descents but 2.8 wide wheels made up for a lot.


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    #63
    iwillhtfu
    Registered Users Posts: 6,367 ✭✭✭iwillhtfu


    Big Nasty wrote: »
    Was up in The GAP today. Had a demo weekend running. Took a Lapierre E-bike for an hour. Savage for the climbs, bit cumbersome on the descents but 2.8 wide wheels made up for a lot.

    I was up there myself today took out several bikes. A cracking day for it


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    #64
    Gerry
    Registered Users Posts: 4,424 ✭✭✭Gerry


    I was out there also at the demo day. Was well worth it. Cannondale Jekyll was decent, santa Cruz hightower my friend raved about but it was set up too stiff for me. The Santa Cruz Bronson was amazing though, and now I want to buy one.


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    #65
    iwillhtfu
    Registered Users Posts: 6,367 ✭✭✭iwillhtfu


    Had one lad out with us thought the crack n fail was terrible. Mondraker dune r stood out for me alongside the transition patrol which was odd considering they're aluminium in a sea of carbon. The Bronson was sweet although the bars were swept back to far but very nimble and easy to throw around. I'm not sure if they were running the carbon rims or not. The Hightower LT was the nicest 29r I didn't think much of the foxy even though it had fox factory set up front and rear but it's very hard to judge when you only have them for 30-40mins.

    A great day out though and hopefully they run some more it's a good way to see what would make good upgrades and possibly trade up.


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    #66
    Big Nasty
    Registered Users Posts: 22,080 ✭✭✭✭Big Nasty


    Speaking of The GAP they've started doing night spins on Thursdays.

    Uplift only (No pedal ups) 6pm to 8.30pm - €20


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    #67
    Peter T
    Registered Users Posts: 569 ✭✭✭Peter T


    Went to Ballyhoura again today. Trails were greasy, they have patched up some of the rougher bits of the trails so much more enjoyable. I did the brown again but kept climbing straight up to the mast and cut down onto the last bit of the blue trail. Nice little section so looking forward to when my distances go up and doing the whole blue. All in all a successful day out.


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    #68
    Top Dog
    Registered Users Posts: 4,160 ✭✭✭Top Dog


    Went for a spin around Portumna today. Very slippy with loads of leaves. If you didn't have an idea where the trail went you'd be hard pushed to follow it.

    Sadly took a spill on one of the soggy boardwalks which brought a premature end to my day. Bruised hip, knee & elbow - but I'm most annoyed by the scratch I put on my front shock! Shame, as the weather today was perfect.


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    #69
    xxyyzz
    Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭xxyyzz


    Top Dog wrote: »
    Went for a spin around Portumna today. Very slippy with loads of leaves. If you didn't have an idea where the trail went you'd be hard pushed to follow it.

    Sadly took a spill on one of the soggy boardwalks which brought a premature end to my day. Bruised hip, knee & elbow - but I'm most annoyed by the scratch I put on my front shock! Shame, as the weather today was perfect.

    Sorry to hear that. The boardwalks there are unridable in the wet. I nearly broke my elbow on one of them. I'd always walk them now.


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    #70
    iwillhtfu
    Registered Users Posts: 6,367 ✭✭✭iwillhtfu


    Top Dog wrote: »
    Went for a spin around Portumna today. Very slippy with loads of leaves. If you didn't have an idea where the trail went you'd be hard pushed to follow it.

    Sadly took a spill on one of the soggy boardwalks which brought a premature end to my day. Bruised hip, knee & elbow - but I'm most annoyed by the scratch I put on my front shock! Shame, as the weather today was perfect.

    Boardwalks are a disaster this time of year, I took a spectacular highside on the ones in Derroura last winter right in front of a bunch of tourists. :D


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    #71
    Top Dog
    Registered Users Posts: 4,160 ✭✭✭Top Dog


    xxyyzz wrote: »
    Sorry to hear that. The boardwalks there are unridable in the wet. I nearly broke my elbow on one of them. I'd always walk them now.
    Only being new to this, I had no idea until it was too late. Boardwalks in Ballyhoura have more like a sandpaper finish so grip even when wet. Portumna with its bare wood - completely different story. Will see how I am tomorrow - may give it another shot but side-step the boardwalks ;)


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    #72
    Lemming
    Registered Users Posts: 14,148 ✭✭✭✭Lemming


    Went back to Leeds urban bike park yesterday for round 2 to explore the bits of the park I missed last time. I found the 'jump line' part of the red 'XC' loop. What I thought was the jump line part wasn't - that was just fast single track with rollers, table tops and hip jumps a-plenty - , and what was the actual jump line was a wee bit brown-trail-inducing and - to quote the missus - "had a whole load of 'nope' in it". So many line choices .....

    The three black lines at the back of the park are fun. Two of them are just really steep but otherwise you can just roll them - unless you want to get fancy - with the third being a proper rock drop (about 6ft+) going into a double jump & berm.

    Just to be clear; there is an actual dedicated jump line separate to the above (which is all technically part of the red loop) if one looks at the trails map. When you come into the park you cannot miss it; it's like a smaller version of Crabapple hits at Whistler; just a line of table top jumps.


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    #73
    bogmanfan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,700 ✭✭✭bogmanfan


    Was in the GAP yesterday for a few hours. Those trails have held up really well to the rain. Everything was very rideable and in great condition. Fantastic winter option compared to the sloppy trails in Ticknock.


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    #74
    Hurrache
    Registered Users Posts: 10,148 ✭✭✭✭Hurrache


    Is Ticknock pretty bad at the moment? Planning a spin before the weekend and was wondering which of the 3 locations are in best shape.


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    #75
    bogmanfan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,700 ✭✭✭bogmanfan


    Coillte trails are fine...
    Hurrache wrote: »
    Is Ticknock pretty bad at the moment? Planning a spin before the weekend and was wondering which of the 3 locations are in best shape.


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    #76
    rizzodun
    Registered Users Posts: 2,598 ✭✭✭rizzodun


    Spent the day in Bikepark Ireland yesterday, trails were really grippy but had a thin layer of mud on them, ended up covered! Serious craic though.


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    #77
    cjt156
    Registered Users Posts: 2,062 ✭✭✭cjt156


    Spent Friday afternoon hardtailing in The Gap being outclassed by people 1/4 my age! Mucked up to me eyeballs; great fun.
    Busiest I've seen it all winter. Great resource so close to the city.


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    #78
    iwillhtfu
    Registered Users Posts: 6,367 ✭✭✭iwillhtfu


    rizzodun wrote: »
    Spent the day in Bikepark Ireland yesterday, trails were really grippy but had a thin layer of mud on them, ended up covered! Serious craic though.

    I saw one of the group out with Emerald MTB had an exeprience with his bars. I didn't hear if it happened because of a crash or was the cause but I assume the former as he walked away unhurt.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Br_AcOsFiYr/


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    #79
    rizzodun
    Registered Users Posts: 2,598 ✭✭✭rizzodun


    iwillhtfu wrote: »
    I saw one of the group out with Emerald MTB had an exeprience with his bars. I didn't hear if it happened because of a crash or was the cause but I assume the former as he walked away unhurt.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Br_AcOsFiYr/

    Actually, one of my club mates were chatting to them, as far as I know it happened on a jump and the lad managed to stay upright!! He crashed earlier in the day which probably weakened the bars. Some tekkers though!


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    #80
    Big Nasty
    Registered Users Posts: 22,080 ✭✭✭✭Big Nasty


    cjt156 wrote: »
    Spent Friday afternoon hardtailing in The Gap being outclassed by people 1/4 my age! Mucked up to me eyeballs; great fun.
    Busiest I've seen it all winter. Great resource so close to the city.

    The GAP was running great this morning. Plenty of grip seeing as it has been so dry all week. Mild too - there was midges out! :eek:


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    #81
    Gerry
    Registered Users Posts: 4,424 ✭✭✭Gerry


    Trooperstown and Moneystown today. We hit the best of the trails there - wow.. bone dry and really well thought out, rooty, swoopy, plenty of jumps, some of which I tried and.. overall still buzzing from it.


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    #82
    Hurrache
    Registered Users Posts: 10,148 ✭✭✭✭Hurrache


    Stuck to Ticknock over the Christmas due to time constraints. First couple of days it was quiet enough but after Christmas day it was really busy, large range of age groups, I was happy to be catching the kids on the climbs. It came crashing down later in the day when a lad powered up beside me on a climb and eased up for a chat. Turns out he was on an electrically assisted MTB, I was envious. It was the first of 2 or 3 I saw that day.

    When the time comes I don't use the climbs as a workout I'd be tempted to go down that road.


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    #83
    Big Nasty
    Registered Users Posts: 22,080 ✭✭✭✭Big Nasty


    Tried one out in The GAP the last demo day. A bit more heavy and cumbersome but with 2.8 tyres you could roll over anything. You'ld be inclined to tackle anything and stay out all day I reckon. Love it!


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    #84
    Hurrache
    Registered Users Posts: 10,148 ✭✭✭✭Hurrache


    Exactly what the guy said, he stays out for hours, sometimes covering both GAP and Ticknock.


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    #85
    Tenzor07
    Registered Users Posts: 8,435 ✭✭✭Tenzor07


    Hurrache wrote: »
    Exactly what the guy said, he stays out for hours, sometimes covering both GAP and Ticknock.

    I do that also, on a human powered bike :pac:


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    #86
    Lemming
    Registered Users Posts: 14,148 ✭✭✭✭Lemming


    Big Nasty wrote: »
    Tried one out in The GAP the last demo day. A bit more heavy and cumbersome but with 2.8 tyres you could roll over anything. You'ld be inclined to tackle anything and stay out all day I reckon. Love it!

    I've tried a few over the last two years visiting the UK cycle show. From an MTB perspective (and from memory), I gave some Cube offerings a run on a purpose built indoor MTB track and they are fun to ride. It does have to be said however that after 15 mins of throwing them about on a track packed with features, they're not the lightest and even though I was riding high-end offerings which would have an eye towards being lighter & more responsive rides, you'll find yourself getting sapped of energy faster as a result. Then again, a 15 min manic test track is also not indicative of most trails one might be likely to ride so perhaps the weight comment is a bit heavily skewed. "Your mileage may vary" as the expression goes.


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    #87
    rizzodun
    Registered Users Posts: 2,598 ✭✭✭rizzodun


    They really are aimed at the all day cross country sort of rider. Smashing enduro trails on one would get tiresome pretty quickly I'd assume.


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    #88
    Tenzor07
    Registered Users Posts: 8,435 ✭✭✭Tenzor07


    rizzodun wrote: »
    They really are aimed at the all day cross country sort of rider. Smashing enduro trails on one would get tiresome pretty quickly I'd assume.

    Wot, ebikes are? I'd be too concerned with Range-Anxiety...!

    I'd say the main reason for having one and where the sales will be biggest, would be in the highlands of Europe, where there's no uplifts, and the main segment of rider would be the Enduro rider, who's not interested in pedaling up and just wants to get the most numbers of DH runs in...


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    #89
    prunudo
    Registered Users Posts: 7,027 ✭✭✭prunudo


    Tenzor07 wrote: »
    I do that also, on a human powered bike :pac:

    One of the reasons I enjoy the mountain biking is the mix of exercise on the climbs vs the thrill of the single track section. If I can't get Ticknock and The Gap together then I need to practice more and improve my fitness. Thats my goal.
    I understand using an e bike if you're injured but i don't really see the appeal of using them every weekend if not.


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    #90
    Big Nasty
    Registered Users Posts: 22,080 ✭✭✭✭Big Nasty


    jvan wrote: »
    One of the reasons I enjoy the mountain biking is the mix of exercise on the climbs vs the thrill of the single track section. If I can't get Ticknock and The Gap together then I need to practice more and improve my fitness. Thats my goal.
    I understand using an e bike if you're injured but i don't really see the appeal of using them every weekend if not.

    I'd like to be still riding well in to my fifties and more.....with the help of an e-bike ;)


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    #91
    prunudo
    Registered Users Posts: 7,027 ✭✭✭prunudo


    Big Nasty wrote: »
    I'd like to be still riding well in to my fifties and more.....with the help of an e-bike ;)

    The fitness won't bother me in my fifties, it would be my agility and not bouncing so well that I'd be worried about :pac:


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