Sussex-MTB

It’s come round again, this Saturday (March 13th) is the next Quest ride, all are welcome and don’t forget your cake money for Parklife afterwards

Last month's ride

February rabble

So get yourselves down to Quest Adventure in Broadwater on saturday at around 09:45 to roll out at 10:00 (or when my capuccino cup is empty, whichever happens first!). Thread here.

As ever all are welcome and helmets must be worn.

Cheers,

Hummerlicious

I’d been looking forward to riding the 2010 Genesis Alpitude, I rode last year’s and loved it so I was keen to see if this year’s model was as fun to ride.

The Alpitude differentiates itself from the Altitude by it’s slacker angles, beefier tubing and longer travel fork. When you first lay eyes on this bike the low slung frame and long fork make it look mean as hell and you know it means business.

The top tube is dropped with a neat gusset linking it to the seat tube, not unlike the Pace hardtail frames. The main triangle tubes are made from Reynolds excellent 853 steel and are oversized (although still skinny when compared to an aluminium frame), the compact rear triangle is made from much more slender tubing and the overall result is a very pleasing looking frame. It also has the nice (almost essential) UK friendly addition of crud catcher bosses on the underside of the downtube, which proved very handy on my two test rides! It also has chain guide mounts should you want to fit a chain retention device or perhaps a Hammerschmidt crank.

Genesis Alpitude

It’s kitted out with pretty much an entire SLX groupset, the only differences being the rear mech (upgraded to XT) and the shifters (downgraded to Deore). As is usual with a full Shimano build it all works together faultlessley, with the light action of the shifting a real pleasure to use. The highlight though is the buttery smooth Rock Shox Revelation fork, but more on that later.

After a bit of fiddling with the set up I finally arrived at what seemed to be a good compromise on the tyre pressure, it was very muddy and 25psi seemed to stike a good comfort / grip balance.

One of the unique features of this bike is despite the slack head angle the seat angle is quite steep, this makes it an exceptionally well mannered climber, there’s little in the way of front wheel wander when climbing, except on all but hte steepest climbs, and even this can be dialled out by dropping the fork down to a shorter travel temporarily.

Genesis Alpitude

So how does it ride? Well in a word fun. It wants you to ride quick, it needs you to ride quick. When you really start to push it the bike comes to life, the ‘twang’ of the steel frame is really enjoyable as you speed your way through the singletrack. The compact back end makes manualling over roots and obstacles a piece of cake.

Turn the terrain steep and gnarly and it excells. It’s easy to get your weight off the back and the fork does a great job of keeping everything tracking smoothly in the direction you want to go. Popping of jumps and drops with ease is the name of the game, again the fork saves you if you get it a bit wrong.

You can push it as hard as you like on the downhills and it just laughs back at you, it’s a bike for scaring your mates who have paid significantly more on a full suspention bike as you buzz their rear tyres and then overtake with a grin on your face!

Genesis Alpitude

The only real downside would say is maybe it would climb a bit better if it was a bit lighter. But that said it would probably be at the expense of it’s bombproof descending ability, so perhaps it’s just that I need to get a bit fitter.

For the price this is an amzing bike for riding round these parts, South or North downs singletrack will be hammered with ease and in all likelyhood the only limitation will be your ability to hang on when it encourages you to really go for it.

Hummerlicious

I’m a bit late with this one so I’ll just say that it was an amazing turnout, 31 people! Probably rather too many for one ride, but we managed to keep it all together, although the puncture fairy was out in force

As per usual there was a nice wee climb in the route as well as some sweet singletrack

Big group

A nice route profile!

Climbalicious - few made it, but everyone gave it a good go

A few more pictures here…..

It’s come round again, this Saturday is the next Quest ride, all are welcome and don’t forget your cake money for Parklife afterwards

Last month's shortened ride

Pete relaxing

Phil

After last month’s snow related hysteria and general chillines I think this month will be muddy and normal service resumed, well unless we get more snow that is!

So get yourselves down to Quest Adventure in Broadwater on saturday at around 09:45 to roll out at 10:00 (or when my capuccino cup is empty, whichever happens first!). Thread here. Facebook page here.

As ever all are welcome and helmets must be worn.

Cheers,

Hummerlicious

Excuse my fence!

This weekend I’ve had the new Marin Attack Trail 6.8 for company. I’ve been looking forward to riding this bike since I saw the new catalogue. I was a big fan of last year’s Attack Trail and I wondered how the new one would compare. There have been a few changes and some weight shed too, so it all looked promising. The travel has been pushed up to 150mm and last year’s Pikes have been replaced with Revelations, the rear shock is a Monarch. Gone is the large plate gusset on the front end, replaced by a much more pleasing looking tube.  The headtube is tapered and the downtube has been beefed up a bit too. The shock links have also been machined out and lightened up too.

New links

Tapered headtube

It would also seem that finally Truvativ have managed to make an attractive set of cranks with the Stylos, very nice. Not bad in the weight stakes either, hopefully the black will stay on the sides and wear well. Amazingly I am well known for my rather cack footed pedalling style but despite all the mud I never scratched it up with my heels.

Stylo cranks

Speaking of which on last years bike I caught my heels once or twice on the swing arm and on the links too, but it didn’t happen at all on this bike, maybe it has been slimmed down a bit?

So how does it ride?

Well I think my companions on the Swinley ride will tell you I was loving this bike from the off. I’m not quite sure how my ’style’ of riding is best described, but this bike fits me like a glove. I never once even thought about how it was preforming, I just rode it with a grin on my face.

Tweakage

The Attack Trail is well at home on the singletrack, but you do have to keep an eye on your pedals as sometimes you can clout them on trail obstacles. But it’s the downhill sections where it really announces it’s intentions, somewhere along the lines of “Is that the best you can do?”. It’s really stable, flickable, and unusually it manuals at the drop of a hat. Those last minute hucks off trail obstacles are easily accomplished and the 150mm of travel are a real get out of jail free during those awkward moments!

Berm fun

The downside? Well I guess if there is one it would be this bike is never going to win any uphill races. However that said it does seem to be lighter than the previous model and you don’t really notice the weight that much. Coming from a bike that is a few pounds lighter than this I can’t say I really felt handicapped. There is an unexpected bonus though, on a steep climb when the bike is in the granny ring the quad link system seems to seek out every last bit of grip there is, providing you can get forward on the saddle and get low you’ll still be riding when your fellow riders are off and walking. It shouldn’t be possible on a bike like this, but it is

Verdict:

So what do I think? I love it. Is this much travel really necessary on a bike round here? Well I ride a hardtail, so clearly no! But if you want a really comfy bike that climbs well, descends like a mini downhill bike, is quick and nimble through the singletrack this is the daddy. You can ride the Attack Trail all day and not feel beaten up. It really is a hoot to ride. It encourages you to ride like a loony and rewards you by getting you to the end in one piece with a big grin on your face, you can’t ask for more than that!

Hummerlicious

During the start of this batch of snowy weather I was ill and missed out on getting some snowy rides in, so I was really looking forward to the Quest ride and getting myself bogged down in some of the stuff!

Although it was cold there was a good turn out down at Quest and the women’s ride was on the same day. As there was only the two of them this time they decided they’d tag along with us too.

Keen group

After a bit of indecision I decided to take the route up past Hill Barn golf course and the long bridleway up to Cissbury ring. Conditions were pretty good, the path had obviously been used a bit and there was a nice crusty line down the middle which allowed us to make good progress…..

Chilly!

….Until we got to the big climb in the middle! Amazingly the grip was actually pretty good up here. But about a third of the way up there had been an obvious thaw then a refreeze and there were a couple of tyre tracks that were un avoidable. These had pretty much everyone off and walking. A little further though and we were able to remount for the slog to the top.

Push time

A little bit of playing around occured further up. There were a couple of good drifts and a bundle developed! Then I stopped to take some pictures, only to have my bike buried when my back was turned! We continued through the top gate with the intention of doing the diagonal downhill to the right, but the snow was more than hub deep and it proved impossible to get any momentum at all so we gave up on that idea.

More pushing!

I decided that the lower singletracks were probably the best bet and we crossed Cissbury and dropped down the side into Findon valley. Once out the wind we realised that we were actually having a lot of fun and decided to continue for a bit longer. We crossed the A24 and climbed up Church Lane, which proved to be grippier than when there is no snow! We had to push through a couple of deep drifts at the top and then we headed back towards Salvington eager for cake!

Someone mentions cake to Uncle Phil

A quick cheeky descent and we were back into the valley and riding along the gallops trying to dodge the sledgers. It was great to get into Parklife and have a hot Mars Bar milkshake and a toasted cheese sarnie to warm up!

The rest of the photos are here.

Some pics on Martin’s photostream here.

Hummerlicious

It’s come round again, this Saturday is the next Quest ride, all are welcome and don’t forget your cake money for Parklife afterwards

Snow is forecast so put on your thermal undies!

Last month's route

Hopefully it'll be snowy not muddy this time!

After last month’s slog through the mud we’ll be hoping for snow and frosty singletrack…

So get yourselves down to Quest Adventure in Broadwater on saturday at around 09:45 to roll out at 10:00 (or when my capuccino cup is empty, whichever happens first!). Thread here.

As ever all are welcome and helmets must be worn.

Cheers,

Hummerlicious

Click here to find out about this new offer for regular Sussex-MTB riders.

Saturday morning and we were promised no rain till later in the day. I was pretty annoyed to open the front door and find it spitting all the way up to Quest then! As per usual a throng developed and by the time I stuck my head out the door just after 10:00 there was a healthy (in size anyway) group ready to get muddy. White is definitely the new black and a couple of fresh looking white bikes were rolled out. Secretly we all knew that after last week’s rain they’d all be a uniform shade of brown before too long.

Ride route

Winding our way up by the golf course we all chatted whilst getting warmed up, the chalk at the top proving very green and slippery required a steady cadence to avoid any sideways slips. Up the top Charlie decided to test the depth of the largest puddle with his arm before we took off up the permissive route across Cissbury ring and then re-grouped for the first descent.

Gaggle of riders

Turning right through the gate we headed down the first singletrack descent of the day, very slippy, the usual flat out approach had to be tempered slightly to avoid sliding into the bushes at the bends in the middle. All got down safely though and we headed along the bridleway and back up in the direction of the Nepcote Lane car park.

Steyning singletrack

Just how much water had fallen out the sky recently became apparent as we made our way north towards the South Downs Way as we part rode, part snorkelled through the first section of submerged bridleway. Onto the SDW and we turned right and made our way into the Steyning singletrack. This proved very slippery and there were a few offs and one example of ‘extreme jeyness’ from BigSi.

It was so slippy I decided the best option was to go back up the bridleway and rejoin the singletrack at the top. Back onto the SDW and we did something we haven’t done for ages, actually rode some of it! We stayed on the national trail all the way down to the river and crossed onto the far bank. From here we took the downs link down to Shoreham. I mistakenly thought it would be well drained but in fact it was mostly underwater all the way to Shoreham.

Over the old toll bridge and we headed up past Lancing College and up the bridleway to go over Lancing ring, the first part of the climb being yet another slippery chalk section where a smooth cadence was the only way of avoiding a lie down. Bikes and bodies were beginning to feel the strain by now from the bad conditions and we were glad it would be the “one last climb” – not that it was of course, but I like to keep people happy

Cake time

Down to the Sompting road and over the other side we took the bridleway back to Lyon’s Farm, one last sting in the tail. By now most were looking considerably browner than when they left and after a quick pit stop at Quest we headed down to Parklife. It must have been a good workout as I had a cheese toastie, raspberry cheesecake chocoate brownie and a hot mars bar milk shake and they didn’t really touch the sides. Lush!!

Hummerlicious

It’s come round again, this Saturday is the next Quest ride, all are welcome and don’t forget your cake money for Parklife afterwards

Last Month's Route

Big views

After last month’s big views and open downland climbs we’ll be back on the search for some lush singletrack…..

So get yourselves down to Quest Adventure in Broadwater on saturday at around 09:45 to roll out at 10:00 (or when my capuccino cup is empty, whichever happens first!). Thread here.

As ever all are welcome and helmets must be worn.

Cheers,

Hummerlicious