Sorry if this has been asked, I can’t find a way of searching this forum; looking for advice. I love riding on the South Downs; I live pretty much in the middle, less than a 5 minute ride from the Way itself. I ride at the weekends, I ride to and from work, I ride throughout the year. I prefer -3 to +3!
I also ride the roads around here, and the way traffic and drivers behave I was starting to prefer being off road. I was going to say you don’t get the heart-stopping moments, but you do, it’s more a case of the heart stopping moments on the road are caused by other people…
I don’t do bike parks, I rarely have to put either bike in the car, I just ride from home. I don’t do jumps, or mad downhills, I just ride what’s there. I like the challenge of getting up a steep technical climb more than the thrill of crazy fast descending.
I crashed last week, the front wheel went from under me on green chalk in less time than you can blink. Badly cut up knees and elbows, possible ligament damage from over extending my wrist, but I should heal up soon enough, bike was ok to ride home on. Trouble is, this is less than 18 months after a similar crash on the Downs losing the front wheel (on grass this time) which cost me a broken scapula. There have been other similar crashes. It isn’t usually a steep gradient or high speed that causes this, it tends to be when you’re cruising on a slight slope, you decide it looks smoother a foot away so you try and get out of a rut or over a little shoulder and bang, before you can react you’re on the deck. The thought of riding along and losing the front wheel again is really making me question going back up on the Downs.
I’ve never had a new mountain bike, my current bike is a 26” Boardman Comp I bought secondhand about 13 years ago, and it was at least 3 years old then. So it’s got a triple chainset, inner tubes, pretty upright frame, about as old school MTB as you can get. But it doesn’t owe me anything, and parts are pretty cheap and readily available to replace as and when they wear out. I ride it year round so if often gets covered in shite and stays that way for weeks if not months.
I have been dreaming of a new MTB for a couple of years, and was thinking along the lines of something like a Mason Raw of Fairlight Holt as a treat to myself. Most people say a hard tail is all you need for the Downs, and my days of doing the whole SDW in a day are probably behind me. Mason are down the road from me, I could go and demo one on the trails I know so well, they test ride around here too. It seemed the obvious choice, but now I’m thinking one crash and I may stop altogether. That next crash could be the next time I go out, or a few years off (hopefully). Do I want to blow £.5k minimum on something that may not get used much?
All this is leading to the question - do modern bikes look after you more? Does the geometry/lower pressure tyres/some other bit of magic make the front wheel stay upright more often?
I rode a Trek full sus about a year ago, and it felt more like I was sat in it rather than perched on the top. I also felt the front wheel start to go a couple of times, but it came back under control as quick as I had realised.
This is adding to my confusion! Do I just buy a modern bike and try it? Maybe spend £1500 on a hardtail, or a secondhand full sus, and see if I can stay upright?
Firstly congrats on the best STW forum formatting screw up in history!
do modern bikes look after you more? Does the geometry/lower pressure tyres/some other bit of magic make the front wheel stay upright more often?
100% they do.
You dont need to spend 5 grand though, nothing like. Half that or less would get you a very nice, very modern bike with some significant differences to you current bike. Perhaps start with some Demos on a few bike types to find out what you like.
I found that my LLS hardtail somehow gave me more time to react (and hopefully correct) things when it starts to go sideways
The last off I had where I hurt myself was on a gravel bike, slow speed front wash out on Dorset chalk, happened so quickly and went down like a sack of shit, still holding onto the bars when I hit the deck, steeper angles like an older MTB. I'm not the same type of mountain biker as you, I prefer the downhill more than the up, a modern mountain bike is definitely more forgiving though. As above doesn't need to cost a lot, you'll pick up a quality new hard tail on a good deal at the moment. Is there anything to demo at your local bike shop or take a punt online
going down on your arse on the south downs chalk (I also live less than a mile from it) is in my opinion more about front tyre pressure than anything else. Lower pressure there (with a larger tyre likely) gives more grip and makes the breakaway more gradual, so you're more likely to recover it.
Whilst you can definitely get away with a hardtail on the downs, for me a short travel full sus just makes it a touch more comfortable and enjoyable. if your crashes are mostly at the end of rides it might be that fatigue is a thing you're suffering without really noticing.
I'd probably start off by buying a cheap, big tyre for the front of your bike (what are you on at the moment) and seeing how that goes, then basing your decision on that.
run at ~15 psi will give you tonnes of control
A modern bike will be nice in many ways but I think tyre choice will make the biggest difference to front grip.
A really aggressive front tyre will be like being on rails but the trade off will be drag when pedalling.
Might be worth it for the confidence though.
I've still got a Boardman of that vintage, always thought it was great and did miles of riding on the south downs on it. Thought I'd give it a test last year when training for doing the SDW in a day. Did 50 or 60 miles on it, felt fast but average speed was pretty much identical to my Ramin, rigid with 3"/2.8" tyres.
So just felt quick because it was so bloody twitchy. No chance I'd try and ride it up on the downs in these conditions!
I would say similar to above, it needn't be a super-expensive boutique build but a modern geometry hardtail (again not necessarily super-slack/hardcore) would be a big step up in my opinion, and a good part of that reason would be the switch to 29" wheels and high volume/low pressure tyres with modern tread patterns and compounds.
It will be more stable, more grippy and as a further positive you'll probably be more confident & relaxed on it which will mean you'll be less likely to crash from being a bit on-edge/reactive to losing traction.
Not that I'm one to discourage a fancy bike, so it's up to you if you want to spend £1-2k on a very capable hardtail or double that on something really top-notch/desirable. There's no right answer on that one, but good looking bikes do ride better (and make you want to ride more) in my opinion 😀
There are some real bargains around at the moment too...
One of the worst crashes of many had was the first time discovering the grip properties of that green chalk stuff. Its like hard ice, but worse as its three dimensional- when hit unknowingly the rider doesn't stand much of a chance. Got to the feet with blood starting to ooze and couldn't even walk on the stuff on a slope, still have the scar. Once bitten twice shy.
I'm not sure anything will save you from green death chalk.... but longer slacker bikes do seem to give you that little bit more time tail react! Whereabouts on the downs are you?
You need 29 not 26 inch wheels to change ruts, 26 slide along the edge, 29 will go up them. Size matters
Its always the slow stupid ones that hurt most. You splash rather than slide...
That said, 2 crashes in 18months really isn't bad going if you ride a lot. Sometimes **** does just happen
I did an apprenticeship on chalk too (cambridgeshire). Beautifully fast in summer; absolute rubbish in winter. Happy never to go near the stuff again (I can recommend gritstone for all year round grippiness). There was a good decade or so where all the nicely healed scars would randomly jettison a bit of long ingrained chalk.
Big spiky front tyre is good (although you have to keep moving fast enough to throw the clag off which can be an issue). Do you ride flats or clips? If clips, might be worth a try on flats to give you that extra little chance of coming off the bike running than doing a lawn dart impression.
LLS bikes are more forgiving, but the big thing is always confidence. If you're riding confidently, you'll be relaxed and stuff will just happen. If you're nervous and tense you're more likely to get bitten. Sometimes a new bike can give you that confidence; sometimes the old faithful that you know intimately is the better answer.
As someone else close to the downs, def what 5lab said, and also gingerone
Suspect the geo on your boardman is old school and twitchy AF. Going 29 and modern geo will feel so much more confidence inspiring.
And think about braking technique (front/back, where you brake - is there grass off to the side of the trail, brake earlier?) too so you're not hard on the front brake on the chalk
Tbh as many have said, nothing really works on green chalk. I have had some success on my fat bike with very low pressure but that’s probably more to do with slower acceleration and a generally more relaxed attitude when riding meaning I’ve got more time to recover.
As others have said I agree that a HT 29er with softer tubeless will deffo make a difference to your riding and goddamit man you deserve a new bike!
May I suggest knee and elbow pads? I never ride without them these days.
That wet clay/chalk feels similar to ice here on the Downs sometimes, I am in Findon. So much so that I have stopped riding in winter, too shitty for me but I admire the dedication of those who ride all year long. If I did, I would buy myself the best possible bike I can afford and probably have 2 sets of wheels with different tyres and as Kramer says, wear protection!
All this is leading to the question – do modern bikes look after you more?
Yes, definitely, but I do wonder if your bike has got decent fresh tyres on it that aren’t worn or expired.
Many thanks for all the replies so far, genuinely, I'm humbled! I've posted similar on other forums and barely got an answer.
A couple of folk used the abbreviation LLS - is that long, low, slack?
Not going to reply to each individual response above, but thanks. I've summarised what I have learned.
No guarantees with green chalk; glad it isn't just me! I knew it wasn't but all the same its reassuring.
Tyres seem to be the main area. I'm not running cheap brands, I think the front is a Maxxis High Roller, and I had Spesh Ground Control before that. I'm tight fisted but I don't scrimp on tyres, if nothing else they puncture more as they get older. There's definitely a clearance issue, at least at the back. I went from a 2.25 to a 2.3 and noticed the wheel would occasionally rub on the chain stay. Might be room for more at the front though, will have a good look at the tyres next time I go out. 5Lab linked to the Maxxis Ardent which could be a good shout.
I understand an aggressive tyre might be more draggy but I would put up with that for less crashing.
Pressure - I still have inner tubes so usually pump up to 40-45 psi (how accurate are the gauges on these pumps anyway). Might try 30 or 35 next time. Less than that will probably have to wait until the new machine and tubeless.
A mention for braking, but I don't think either recent crash I touched the brakes. I use clipless pedals but again both the recent crashes were so quick there was no chance of unclipping.
I checked my mileage, this year already done over 1500km on this bike. Was 1600 and 1800 the two previous years, and then 2800km in 2020. I was trying for 10k that year though...This makes me think I don't need to look at training or skills; I'm not a newbie and I know these trails like the back of my hand. Also, everyone agrees green chalk will get you in the end so perhaps I will get a session with someone that may be able to coach something into me.
Vision - I lost my left eye over 20 years ago, so I think I can rule that out. I look where I want to go and further ahead, I think I pick a good line normally.
Pads - never really thought about them, assumed they were for spotty youths who wanted to launch themselves off a rickety wooden ramp into the biggest bombhole they can find. But will look into these too. Any go-to brands? If we accept that some crashes are inevitable then I need to do something to protect my sticky out bits. Chunkier gloves too.
So, which bike is perfect for the South Downs? I think I am talking trail bike or maybe cross country?
I've never even had a dropper post, so I want that, tubeless tyres as wide as possible, designed for UK conditions.
Kinesis released an updated FF29 frame recently which might well fir the bill. Trouble is, I think it's frame only so no chance of a demo. Merida Big Trail 600 also reviewed well but the brakes are weak so would probably go for the 700. Whyte 629 V4? Hardtails seem to be a bit thin on the ground in the £1k to £2k region. If you go lower you don't get a dropper, if you go higher you're into full sus territory.
Full sus then - Boardman MTR 8.9 or 9? On the 8.9 the reviewer says the seat tube angle means it isn't so good on technical climbs. The 9.0 is meant to be the same frame, but this problem isn't mentioned.
Have you looked at Sonder Bikes (by Alpkit)? They're good value, modern bikes. Would be tricky to get a demo down south though I think...
This makes me think I don’t need to look at training or skills; I’m not a newbie and I know these trails like the back of my hand.
Skills and knowing the trails are a different thing. A few sessions on proper positioning and weight shifting on the bike, cornering technique etc. could make a world of difference. I know from personal experience that riding for yonks doesn't mean you've been doing it right. A few hours being taught some basic MTB skills could have a big impact on your riding.
Pads – never really thought about them, assumed they were for spotty youths who wanted to launch themselves off a rickety wooden ramp into the biggest bombhole they can find. But will look into these too. Any go-to brands? If we accept that some crashes are inevitable then I need to do something to protect my sticky out bits. Chunkier gloves too.
Pads have progressed over the years along side bikes, and with D3O and similar materials they’re easy to wear for all day riding. As bikes have become more stable, speeds have increased, and it’s become more important to wear some protection IMV.
I use Sweet Protection for knee pads. They’re wearing out, and I’ll be buying some more when they do. I’ve got Fox for elbow. They’re not wearing out. They’re ok, but if they do wear out I’ll probably replace with Sweet Protection as above.
Since falling off on an “easy bit” at Coed Y Brenin and having to cut my ride short and not ride for the rest of the week, I wear knee and elbow pads all the time these days.
Also agree about skills training above, it’s useful at all levels IMV.
Pressure – I still have inner tubes so usually pump up to 40-45 psi (how accurate are the gauges on these pumps anyway). Might try 30 or 35 next time. Less than that will probably have to wait until the new machine and tubeless.
your tyre pressure is a big part of the issue. You can buy a small digital tyre pressure meter for about a tenner, but I weigh 85kg, and run (just) below 20psi in the front of a 29x2.3" tyre, with tubes. If you can get to 2.4 or 2.5 on the front, you should be able to run similar pressures (assuming you don't weigh as much as me) without issue. if you start getting regular pinchflats, then you need to increase the pressure, but the south downs just doesn't have loads of hard edge hits that cause that kinda problem.
You probably want a little higher in the rear (especially of a hardtail) but I'd still expect you to be able to run less than 25psi
but the brakes are weak
any disc brakes in this kinda price range will be absolutely fine for getting down the south downs. The descents aren't particularly long or steep, and the air temperature isn't high. I wouldn't rule a bike out based on its reviewed brake - what might be an issue for coming down the alps simply isn't a concern here
Pipedream Sirius if you can get one would be perfect for what you want
https://singletrackmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/pipedream-sirius-s5-review/
Pressure – I still have inner tubes so usually pump up to 40-45 psi (how accurate are the gauges on these pumps anyway). Might try 30 or 35 next time. Less than that will probably have to wait until the new machine and tubeless.
no wonder you have no grip !
40-45 psi is bonkers, 30-35 is still too high, try 20-25 .
As above, I'd look at putting a grippy front tyre on first. Buy a decent tyre pressure gauge and experiment with tyre pressures. An old bike with good tyres at the right pressure will be better than a modern bike with shitty tyres at the wrong pressure.
Pressure – I still have inner tubes so usually pump up to 40-45 psi (how accurate are the gauges on these pumps anyway). Might try 30 or 35 next time. Less than that will probably have to wait until the new machine and tubeless.
we are nearly in spits tea across the room territory here
I’m not that aggressive (skilled) but I’m also 100kg. My mtb with 2.35 inch tyres just over 20 psi at the back and just under at the front. My gravel bike with 47mm tyres is 25 and 23 psi. So there is potential for a huge gain there
I’m now going to risk causing further offence and showing myself up as clueless. In my experience if your changing lines between say 2 shallow ruts is really worth giving the bike a good push into the ground so you grip on your existing line and then unweight over the bit between where you are and want to be. Or is that rubbish?
Lastly I’m not sure about modern geometry here. Not that my bike is very modern. The front wheel needs more work to make it grip. That might be a good thing as it can change the way you ride. But as of its self, particularly sat down your not guaranteed more grip?
RE Sonder/ Hoops post, I've read reviews and they seem more downhill focussed?
The Pipedream isn't available at the moment, and it looks like it would build up to around £3k. This is getting close to the Mason Raw I mentioned which I am sure I could get a demo on, on the trails I know. There's a Ti version of the Pipedream though!
Pads are more expensive than I thought but I guess you don't need to buy them every week.
Got a pressure gauge on order and will try with 25 psi. I'm 78-80 kgs depending on the beer consumption that week.
These crashes happen when I am in the saddle, often coasting I think. I guess the front end is relatively unweighted, so perhaps being aware of that and maybe leaning more on the front whenever I need a direction change will help.
And thanks again.
"Pressure – I still have inner tubes so usually pump up to 40-45 psi (how accurate are the gauges on these pumps anyway). Might try 30 or 35 next time. Less than that will probably have to wait until the new machine and tubeless."
You don't need a new bike, you need a pressure gauge and to let some air out!
I pump my tyres up to 30psi when I'm doing mixed road/off-road commuting. Otherwise I have them at about 20/21 in dry or 18/20 in the wet. There's a huge difference in the amount of grip between 30 and 20 psi. At 40-45 you have a tiny contact patch and much less compliance too - let some air out and you will be far less likely to crash. They'll feel a bit slower on tarmac (but won't actually roll that much slower). Off-road they'll probably roll faster even if they feel slower.
If you still want a new bike, a dropper post can help reduce crashing because you can move so much more. I hate riding downhill whilst on the saddle and hovering above a raised seat always feels too high!
These crashes happen when I am in the saddle, often coasting I think.
There’s your problem. You shouldn’t be sat in the saddle when coasting on a mountain bike.
The madness that is those tyre pressures has already been covered so I’ll go another way. Do you have a dropper post? Being able to get your weight low and central should make slippery stuff a lot more catchable. May not help with instant-kill green chalk while just riding along, but it’ll help out otherwise?
Definitely lower the pressure - 25psi is a good starting point.
Also, tyre compound is very important, especially in the wet. I would look for something with a soft compound like this:
Having that soft compound on the front will also make a big difference. You can keep the high roller on the back for a bit more speed. You will probably find that the tread pattern of the Magic Mary linked above is a bit easier to manage than the High Roller too.
As said a few times above, the tyre pressures you’re running are absolutely huge. I’m 110kg and with inner tubes in I’m running 28-30psi on the back and maybe 25 on the front.
And that’s with crashing haphazardly down rocky, rubble strewn descents in the Lakes and the Peaks. Your grip levels are probably not that much different to Bambi on ice skates.
So much, much less psi will make a huuuuuge difference.
Also a better from tyre, though I wouldn’t swap an HR2 for an Ardent. The latter are built more for speed than grip and are strictly for the rear wheel. Look at compound. Worth shelling out for a decent front tyre with a good, relatively soft compound.
Finally pads, pads, pads. After I near as dammit put a stone through my kneecap some years ago I invested in knee and elbow pads. Since then I’ve come down heavily on various bits of horrible terrain, but (touch wood) knees and elbows haven’t felt a thing. Fox Launch Pro are my pads of choice, surprisingly good as an all day pad despite their bulk.
Finally finally, modern geo bikes will make a difference. No need to go £5k for a hardtail though, some incredible bargains from the likes of Ragley at the moment. Though for one bike to do it all I’d also go short travel FS
The Dial or Frontier are XC Hardtail bikes:
https://alpkit.com/products/sonder-dial-sx-eagle?variant=39258669088873
https://alpkit.com/products/sonder-frontier-sx-eagle?variant=31684381278313
re the sonder chat, I've had 2 sonders.. great bikes.. the more aggressive models
Sounds like you want something XC focused for what you do, but perhaps not so focused as a an xc bike. Or perhaps a more forgiving gravel bike which might be more bike than your old boardman
Modern bikes are very different. Demo some... Swinley have a range of hardtails i think which you could consider as a sensible average trail bike along with a load of full sus bikes but they might be more bike than you want
CRC/Wiggle were also doing a try before you buy type thing on their Vitus bikes
I ride QECP, lots of chalk there at times, ice on chalk, water on chalk, all sorts... even secret chalk... definitely to be respected. but with suitable tyres and pressures its not been the biggest deal.. granted, not doing the sorts of speeds that you might be doing down the SDW in places...
Sonder do the Broken Road which is Titanium and would work for the sort of riding you describe. It costs less than a Mason RAW, A friend has one. They do demos, although not in the Downs
Oh and sympathies over the crashes. I’ve been off twice this year. The big one didn’t even leave a mark. You’ve been unlucky to have hurt yourself so badly, I’ve been lucky
Modern geometry, tyre choice and ridiculous pressures aside....
On the subject of skills, do you know how to ride light and loose?
I don't know green chalk and there may be absolutely nothing you can do to stop the slide, but...
... If you've got all your weight on the bars and arms locked out, you're going wherever that front wheel goes. Keep light and loose'ish and you have a chance to correct things
Might not work on chalk I don't know, but it's a thought
You seen the bargain hardtail in FGF OP?
https://singletrackmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/fresh-goods-friday-677-the-dead-moody-edition/
I dredged my old boardman 26 ht out of the shed a few years ago for a few XC races. It felt like it was trying to kill me. I replaced it with a cheapish modern 100mm full suspension xc bike that is hugely more stable. So I expect that you would see a substantial benefit. I would also say to consider short travel full suspension for your riding. Some people don’t get on with them, but if you do they beat you up less. They can also be great for technical climbs by giving a bit more traction over roots etc.
I’d also echo that it’s worth trying flat pedals; easier to get a foot down quickly when it starts going sideways!
+1 on rhe knee pads.
I took a chunk out of my knee on the most innocuous steady ride once without them (as it was steady and tame). I got a pair that are comfy for all day riding.
Green chalk victim here
No bike and tyre combination Will save you on a patch of green chalk.
It's basically ice , with no grip whatsoever. You can pedal and stay at a standstill, and you can pedal and somehow rotate on your own axis.all are possible on green chalk.
A new bike will help a tiny bit , you Will still crash just going in a bit faster.
The answer is to not ride on the south downs nov -april .
Green chalk is a unique experience, the friction levels are scarily close to melting ice (and often worse than properly frozen ice). I do think dropped saddles and flat pedals give you a chance of bailing in a less damaging manner. But looking well ahead and avoiding the green chalk is your best bet!
Update, first ride on lower pressures. Set both front and rear to 25 psi and headed out on the Downs yesterday. This is on my track pump, got an order in for a Wiggle tyre monitor, hopefully that comes through.
Straight away, it felt comfier (!)
The conditions were pretty bad, had to abandon the Downslink near the new bit as it was under water as far as I could see, the 180 cost me a dab into about 3 inches of puddle, so I had one wet cold foot all ride.
Climbed up through the pig farm, plenty of green chalk on the way up but climbing on it is rarely a problem. From the top I went south towards Steepdown which is on a narrow wet overgrown trail with a definite rut. Managed most of it but the tyres were clogged with mud so I had one off. Was going slowly, a combination of braking and managing to unclip meant I didn't hit the deck. Put some doubt in my mind but thinking the knobblie bits had been clogged I carried on.
The front tyre is a Maxxis High Roller 2.3, I think there is room for something as big as 2.5.
Definitely interested in the Sonders, will probably go with the ones around £1k. The titanium looks nice, but I want to restore my confidence before I go mad.
glad to hear the experiment is going well 🙂
a wider tyre is good, but effectively just allows you to run a lower tyre pressure without pinch flatting (as in, a 2.3" tyre at 20psi has the same amount touching the floor as a 2.5" tyre at 20psi, but you will pinchflat the thinner one more often). So you can run som random pressures and just accept you'll sacrifice a tube before deciding to go to a wider tyres.
The 2.3/2.5 maxxis tyres were their "old" measurements, the 2.4 is (afaik) approx the same width as the old 2.5 - so if you do want to go up, a 2.4 is just as good (and probably has more availability).
if clogging is a regular issue you might find a mud-specific tyre is a better shout in the winter. Maxxis wetscream (others are available) and shorty should both clear mud a little better than a high roller.
Reminds me of when I first started mountain biking. The tyre said 50psi on the sidewall so that’s what I put in. Took me ages to pump up to that with a hand pump, and by the time I’d finished it was bloody lethal! Fell off about 3 times on the ride before my riding partner pointed out the error of my ways…
You don’t need a new bike
Regardless of circumstance, this is never the right answer...
This thing about tyre pressures on the side of the tyre has been bugging me! Road tyres always say 100 psi, or thereabouts (with tubes anyway) so I that's why I had the MTB ones at 45.
The tyre pressure monitor is great fo 8 quid, I check them once a week now. You lose a few psi over a week or two anyway.
Keen on the Sonder bikes, can't work out if the Broken Road is more suitable for me than a Dial.
Southdownsbikes have a Whyte 140 RS with £1600 off, it's full sus and is very tempting, reviews seem quite good.
Not going to buy anything just yet, got to have shoulder replacement surgery which could mean 8 weeks or more off the bike altogether, so will have a lot of time to research and irritate shop people with my slightyl niche requirements.
oof...45psi
Well done on 25..now keep going down...!
DrP
Thread revival! Mainly because I finally got a Sonder Dial...I can't seem to attach a pic of it. It took longer to get to the stage where I thought I could justify the expense of a new mtb, but turning 60 was softened by finishing the mortgage and having a small pension 😯 In June 2024 I had a replacement shoulder (arthritis 🙄 ) so that gave me plenty of time to think.
I did loads more research, and tried a Cotic Solaris on a demo day up in the Surrey Hills. It was fantastic, but they had fully loaded the demo version with top spec everything, so it was just under £6k ! ! ! A steel hardtail for that much? There were other problems for me on the demo day, all the other guys were on full sus monster bikes, and they had some idea of the trails. I found myself trying to keep up as we swished left and right through the woods, often they would be only 10m ahead but I couldn't see them. The trails were sandy and roots and half metre drops, it was quite scary. On my own I'd have gone at my own pace and probably enjoyed it more, but trying to keep the others in sight and not wipe out on the crazy trails was ovreload.
I also went to Windover at Cuckmere Haven, they were lovely people. I was interested in the Beacon, which they market as a 90s mtb inspired adventure bike, so it's a steel frame with a rigid carbon fork. It was light, and it was a good ride, and I'm thinking if a full sus is overkill on the Downs, then maybe front suspension is also over the top? I spent the whole ride thinking "Oh, it dealt with that bit quite well...for a bike with no suspension" and then I tried a slightly different frame with high end front forks and it was so much better on the same trails, I decided a proper hardtail was the right choice. This again would have been the wrong side of £3k.
I then spoke to my local Alpkit, they were having one of their fairly frequent sales, and I was worried the price would go back up before I could get organised. They told me they were discontinuing the Dial, so the £500 off was staying until they were gone. They have released a new bike, the Falco, which is a little cheaper than the Dial but looks like its designed for similar style riding. My work said they would put the whole price on cycle to work, so with the £500 off and monthly payments...I went for the top Dial and upgraded the wheels/saddle/bars etc.
I've had it jusst over two weeks, just about got it set up how I want now. Pressures are still around 25, might lower them this weekend. It has a dropper post, but it seems sticky in its action. I can get it to go down most times, bouncing my fat old arse on it is usually enough, but getting it to come back up again is random.
I need to go back to wearing the pads again, I seem to have stashed them away with all my winter gear.
NBD is only complete with pics. #TheLaw
RE dropper - have you overtightend the seat clamp?
Also, with any new tyres I find it takes a few miles to get pressures right and 'clean up' the surface some so they really begin to grip, and also get a feel for them.
Dial is a good option, love a sonder, I had 2 hardtails, I built a cortex? short travel full sus for my gf and it's so nice, super light
the Dial will be rapid everywhere, must feel a world apart from the old boardman
re tyre pressures, if tubeless, even 25 might be higher than required, at 78kg i aim for 19-21 front and 23-25 rear (depending on the bike/tyre size)
re green chalk.. yup, commitment seems to be the best way across it, but pads are the best option just incase
Thanks for the update, @daveyraveygravey.
Sonder make good bikes. I have 2 - a Broken Road Ti and rigid Frontier - and love them both. The BR is my 'best' bike and the Frontier is my hacking about/commuting bike. Having ridden the SDW, I reckon the Dial is perfect for you.
As mentioned above, try loosening the seat clamp slightly and see if that helps the dropper problem. It should only be 5-6Nm.
Leave the rear tyre at 25psi for now but drop the front to about 22psi and see how that feels and handles (assuming you are now running tubeless).
Now, let's have a photo or two! 😀
Message just below here says"user group does not have permission to attach files in this forum"??
Thinking about the dropper, I was going to say I hadn't touched it, but I did move the height up about an inch. Wonder if I over-tightened it then?
As many have already said, the green death chalk gets that name for good reason. I’ve also been victim of the instant slam.
my first advice would be choose your route and when to ride as wisely as possible. For example riding the downs when it’s been sunny but then there’s been light rain or drizzle is a sure fire way to meet terra firma.
i know you ride from home however I’d be looking to ride a bit further up in the more sandy areas if there’s been some rain, for example above the a272 where there seems to be a more sandy soil.
Next I’d agree modern geometry will calm the front end a bit, as well as the improvements that have been made in suspension and have trickled down. I’d pick a reasonably aggressive front tyre as when the chalk/loam/ grass is a bit softer it does grip better.
Also, it sounds a bit like you’re at risk of losing your riding mojo, new bikes fix that 😉
I’ve also now seen that not only have you got a new bike but you’re already playing with the pressures etc. lol carry on.
happy trails
Got the allen keys out at the weekend and backed the saddle tightened bolt off about half a turn...dropper works beautifully now! (Can't have it in the low position long, plays havoc with my quads).
Did a loop to Amberley and back yesterday, loved it!
