Blogs

Was really looking forward to the CORC 24 after having a personally quiet disappointing Mont race last year (due to couple of injuries). Gazza, Cupcake, Tien, Buck, Loz and Rob combined to become 'Dr Nobs Bocz of pins and screws'. As it turned out was quiet nicely matched but sadly again I could not perform as well as I'd like.

My race went a bit like this...

Bloody hell.... of all the evil things to happen while at an event. I had the extreme misfortune to have my bike and camelback stolen while on my way to the transition to begin my double night lap.
Stopped by the ammenities block for a nature break only to come out and find my bike and pack gone.

Well lit, and a fair amount of passing human traffic. Just so shocking that goons out there will do this kind of thing.
Do I take solace in that it was just completely random? 2900 competitors and bikes and it was me that was there just at that moment.... I dont know it still hurts.

With everyone off to the CORC24 this weekend I thought I would take myself on a solo explore around the area and check out some new (to me) tracks. This was the first proper ride I have done since I broke my ribs in the Angry Doctor so I was anxious to find out how I would go. The idea was to ride from my place to Heath Track, up Quary track, ridgetop track and over the Mona Vale road and around the back of the show ground onto the single track to the start of Wildflower garden and follow that (sort of) through Garden Gully to Ryland and then Sandy Trail.

Ok bit of building went on over the weekend here is a bit of DH, a bit of Fire trail and a bit of XC

http://youtu.be/-MRoUQ-eXMA

Tubeless long term report..

There was a thread recently about Stans tubeless, so I thought I'd do a report of my experience as a long term user and happy tubeless rider!

I started with Crossmax UST wheels and UST (Panaracer Fire-XC) tyres.
Worked OK, but heavy. Added Stans liquid and no punctures, just used to see where puncture would have been by pinhead wet spots now and again.

From here on, I have never used a tubeless tyres again, but careful not to use tyres on the 'not recommended list' on stans website. My main reason for going back to std tyres is weight.

At the risk of looking like a nerd...

I've made a sheet of three different drinks I have the tubs for at home, and shared it in a spreadsheet which you can view here:

Update: Have added Hammer Perpetuem and Gu2O to this.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pUcxuWiLA...

At the moment this compares Endura, Gatorade & Balance Endurance (Balance Endurance Elite Fuel Supply Restore Energy Supply if you want the full name!). Would like to add some Hammer products and anything else you can recommend to this to compare. Please PM or post the ingredients/nutrition from any pack you have as this is annoyingly missing from the Hammer site for example.

New to NobMob but not as new to MTB. Looking forward to joining you guys on a ride sometime
Cheers
Mike

Once again today, it reinforces the fact that everyone should carry a first aid kit in their backpack on rides.

Rob had a good stack going down Shephards Gully today and put a good 10cm long gash down his forearm. It was deep too....down to the muscle.

I did my best to patch him up and off to Hornsby Hospital we went. Well done to the staff. Got Rob looked at immediately and stitched up relatively quickly.

So don't forget to bring at least a basic first aid kit and perhaps do a St Johns course too. You never know when you may need to use the skills.

With all this talk of Single Speeding, I thought I'd share my experience as a 'recent' convert.
I built up a bitsa for commuting, based on an MTB hardtail frame, some tired Crossmax wheels, hayes disks and odd bits I had around the shed. I got a rigid zion fork, for about $70 and that does fine for the road. No need for a lockout!

Just thought I'd play around with camera angles and generally have a bit of fun

http://youtu.be/hWaznzx6jNk