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With so many people having a bit of a "should I try/buy an xyz" maybe in various parts of the country we should do a few group rides, Surrey hills, Swinley, FoD, peaks, Cannock, etc.
Anyone fancy some of that? We had some fun at Swinley a couple of times with an stw get together etc.
I've got a few different bikes I'd like to try and it's easier meeting a bunch of virtual mates for a ride, coffee and cake than booking hire bikes.
So, who's in?
It’s a good idea in theory, but I think the practicalities might rule it out.
I’ll let pretty well anyone I know ride any of my bikes, but the idea of letting a group of people I half know clamber all over and fiddle with them? Not so much. That’s before we get to the slightly awkward matter of if anything breaks, who pays?
Breaks? It's a MTB, the odds of that is very small IMO. I hear what you're saying but can't say it's a concern to me if I'm honest.
On most of the demo days I’ve been on, there’s normally a few bikes that don’t make it to the end of the day.
Punctures are the only thing gone wrong on the demos I’ve been on.
I’ve only got bikes you can’t buy anymore, so not sure anyone would be interested in trying them out! 😁
Sounds good then you have size problems and different pedals etc someone decks your nice shiny carbon frame not sure I would be to keen some people crash 4 or 5 times a ride then tyre choice bike setup may work for some I have been riding MTB since 1990 only ever demo one so just get the bike I fancy and make it work for me owned a few in my time.
Full stops! 😳
Lol why are people crashing 4-5 times at Swinley? I'm making an assumption here that if someone turns up on a bike they have a vague idea what they're doing with it.
I’m making an assumption here that if someone turns up on a bike they have a vague idea what they’re doing with it.
They do, but accidents happen. Especially on unfamiliar bikes, that aren’t perfectly set up for the rider.
What bike are you wanting to try out? Might be easier to just ask if anyone is willing to lend you one.
Also, as we come out of lockdown, there will be more demo events at events. There’s loads to have a go at at ardrock this weekend, I imagine there will be a few at the Malverns. I guess steelisreal will start doing them again?
I’ve only got bikes you can’t buy anymore
How is the Transition Throttle doing? I was so close to buying it but can’t quit my steel addiction
I wouldn't be up for it, for the reasons offered above.
There may well be demand for trying new-ish/nice bikes, but what's in it for the people bringing the supply of those bikes? Maybe it's there in a crew of bike swappers with recent-ish bikes of similar standard, but I'm not interested in riding someone's five year old budget hardtail for an hour while they ride my new Stumpjumper Evo.
Demo day I was on some time ago one of the "ride guides" borrowed and crashed the most expensive bike there that was only there for display, putting a scratch in the top tube and snapping a shifter. I had to guide the group for the rest of the session and get them back. That was not the only damage from the day!
Bike setup is also a huge factor, the amount I will change a bike when I'm trying it is an absolute nightmare to get back to how the original set up was for someone else, there are far too many variables if you want to actually get to know a bike rather than just say you have ridden X.
LOL you're a weird bunch, or maybe it's me who's the weird one.
In 2 weeks time at Pembrey i'll be riding 5 different motorbikes as well as my own, i was out on a mates KTM 890R this week that has less than 200 miles on the clocks, just for fun, playing on the back lanes and giving it a good thrapping round. I'll be riding bikes worth 3x mine next week. That's what we do and how we enjoy ourselves.
With regards to "i don't want to ride an XYZ" no-one is asking you to buy it, it's a bit of fun, you may even enjoy riding something completely different you never thought you'd enjoy...
However, i get it, it doesn't pass the test of STWs good ideas.. hey ho... was a fun idea.
What bike are you wanting to try out?
Dunno really mate, something shorter and more old school geometry than my Aether7 would be nice to test, but none of my mates really have anything appropriate. But it's not really about wanting to try anything in particular, was more just about having fun and doing some swappsies.
If you haven't noticed stock motorbikes don't really get much in the way of set up change between riders other than lever reach. A lot of levers are pinned to the bars so you can't even change the lever angles... the proportion of rider weight change on a motorbike is so much smaller relative to whole system weight. So yes you can just swap motorbikes easy with out much faffing and get to know the feel of a bike in a short time because unless it's had a lot done to it from standard it's going to be exactly the same as the other thousands of the same model.
If I know people enough to know they aren't going to nick my bike then anyone is welcome to ride it. If you'll get on with the set up, that is something different. I've literally ridden friends bike 4 pedal strokes before starting a trail and said sorry I can't ride it because it's so far off what is comfortable for me. (for technical trails not just a smooth trail centre)
MTB Every component is adjustable and often in multiple ways.
E.g. 10kg rider weight and riding style make a pretty big difference on an MTB; tyre pressure, spring weight, spring ramp, compression and rebound damping.
Then there is cockpit setup...
Nice idea, but I agree with the above posters to be honest.
I'd be quite happy letting someone I know take my (just replaced) old bike for a thrash. If they crash it then I'm not going to be upset about another scratch or chip and if something breaks then I'm not left without a working bike.
Would I let anyone take my new bike for a thrash - absolutely not. Gentle trail ride to see if it fits them, yeah probably. If they were a mate. Stranger off here can ride it round a carpark.
But I'm not replacing / getting new bikes regularly or in fact often, if I did then I would probably be a bit more relaxed about it.
I still think it is all about the off-road part I have lent out road and gravel bikes before.
Same goes for off-road motorcycles you will not find many people will lend there Enduro bike to someone they do not know as they do not know how good they are off-road may end up hurting there self and the motorcycle.