Wow! I came here to laugh at you weenies who are too wimpy to ride uphill, but that was an awesome video. THAT guy is nuts. 
[quote=“RoelC”]
But anyway, think I’m gonna head over there and join the race together with Georg and some of the local Speedtrap riders.[/quote]
I might see you guys there, highest priority is the moto-ride tomorrow tho. So not sure if I wanna go all that way for a soso Track. Anyone going on saterday able to tell us if it’s worth coming? 
I collected my new frame from Ant last night. It’s looking pretty rude. I took some pictures of it but they all came out badly because the fluoro paintwork is ruining the exposure! Installed headset and BB cups this morning, I’ll think about getting the stickers made up this week… exciting times. I was in the shop for about an hour because I’ve got the angle cups and they kept turning a little bit so I had to do it three times. That workshop time would have cost me 40 quid in 1996 in the UK, today I paid a mere $100!
Roel, how did the Taichung race go over?
There where about 100+ riders which were divided up in FR (2 chainrings) and DH (1 chainring), which actually didn’t make sense at all. They all used the same track though, which wasn’t really a DH track. Long pedalling sections, even some slightly uphill and a big part was singletrack zig-zagging between trees. Only 2 parts were DH worthy, some steep part in the middle and the finish section that you could see on video. It was pretty loose sand and pebbles/rocks all the way. Anyway, even though the track was not that great, I still had a great time. It was my first race and I gave almost everything I got, I was pretty breathless at the finish line. Don’t know the ranking, they only announced the first 6 in each category, which I didn’t make. I did it in 3.09, while I think the best riders where probrably somewhere around 2.20. Perhaps they will put some results online later.
The brothers from Taoyuan both got 1st place in their age categories.
There are quite a few vidoes on youtube of “x ride IV”. At the end of this one, a certain Roel can be seen chillaxing after his run!
youtube.com/watch?v=uBVU3kmxk6I
It looks like it was a pretty good track actually, not steep but a lot longer than the race at Jung Fu Gong in January. I was in a world of shit today. It was my first time on the bike for about a month and I’ve had the shits for two weeks. My head just wasn’t in the game and I crashed twice. At one point I actually pulled my front brake on and locked the front wheel in mid air, fuck knows why, I was a right mess.
The young lad was there with his new Demo built up, the one he won as the prize for the urban downhill. I had a bash on it and it was nice. The top tube is only about 20 inches long though, very short size S ans softly sprung.
My Corsair is going together, slowly but surely. I’ve got my vertical dropouts now, cranks and chain guide are on, the forks and seatpost are in and the bar and stem are winging their way to me as we speak. As soon as the bars are on I can get the new hoses and brakes bled and we’ll be almost ready to rock.
My Minion tyres were shit today though, I think it’s too hard for them now and they offered very little grip in turns. I’m thinking of swapping back to the holy roller skatepark tyres, they were actually pretty good on the hard packed dirt last summer I remember.
How did you get on a speedtrap today?
Not steep? More like flat or uphill for most parts, at least untill you come out in the open and the first descend starts. But still good fun. Looking forward to the next race / event.
Speedtrap is always fun. Unfortunately I only had time for one run once again. It’s about time you finish your bike and come check out some of Taipei’s finest trails.
All good things come to those who wait. I’ll be there for sure when I have it rocking. I am growing somewhat tired of the same 50mx80m riding area at JFG. I wish there were more races though, something to work for rather than just riding for fun every time. There’s nothing like competition to focus the mind.
G’day guys. I had a rare day to myself today which sadly was agreed upon last night a bit too late for any hook ups to be arranged in time. I wanted to head out into the mountains on my CPI but instead scooted down to Jung Fu Gong at about ten. Johnny and his brother were there with their dad’s blue van, and I did four runs of the DH course and drove twice. It was fun driving a manual car again, although I felt like it was going to tip over round some tight corners! Anyway it was a great day, I did two runs on Johnny’s Konig which I have to say was a really fun experience, and I’m really happy I have the same bike. You can see where my bike is now by checking out this link to Pinkbike:
http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/6488658/
I’m waiting on my shock, rear mech, cassette and saddle then it will be ready to go. I’m very excited. I feel like it’s a piece of me because I put it together with a lot of care and attention.
Anwyay my wife got a Taiwanese cycling mag for me, and in the back it has a review of X ride 3 in Taichung, which leads me to believe those X ride races must be semi regular because it’s the current magazine and you did X ride 4 this month. I’m mad keen on competing in the next one if my bike is together by then! Keep your ears peeled…
That’s some fine looking Konig dude, love the paintjob!
I put the wheels in for the first time today, it looks like sex. I’ve put a brown leather saddle on it. I can’t wait to get a leg over it.
How did your shuttling go the other day Roel? When I get mine rolling I’ll be over like a shot to put it through its paces. I think with me on board it’s going to be going… quite fast.
Shuttle was good fun. Also some guys from TC were there. 11 bikes in the back of the blue pickup. First went up real high into Yangminshan and started from there over Graveyard and Battleship Rock. Since this already took all morning I didn’t join the afternoon session. They were planning to do a few runs on Speedtrap in afternoon.
An all day session would be like a dream for me, especially since I’ve been on this diet trying to get rid of my internal fat which is making my belly decidedly barrel shaped from the inside… not a good look with skinny arms and legs!
Just waiting on the shock and other bits but no answer on the phone today. I put the wheels in though just to get the brakes set up so it’s ready to roll when I have the other stuff.
I’m even considering getting some clipless padals again just to really hammer the rocky bits on the gas!
I had the stickers designed today and I’m picking them up tomorrow. I chased up the other bits on Sunday, still no word on when they are likely to land. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow so I can get them on Sunday, build it up and take some photos of the finished article. I’m also researching shortening Totem forks to 160mm, if I can locate a suitable spring then I’m keen to take the plunge on a set of those in the not too distant future.
Hey Roel, have you (or anyone else) any experience of BOS forks? I’ve been reading a lot of favourable reviews of their Deville air fork, 160mm travel, 34mm legs, 900 Euro. Supposedly as sensitive as a coil fork, pissing on all other air forks for small bump sensitivity. At under 2kg with design input from Nico, aimed at enduro style downhills. That’s a tempting option for sure. What do you know?
Don’t know too much about Bos, to me it always appeared as a “boutique” brand (expensive, but good quality, perfectly tunable forks/shocks), although I have no real experience with it. I didn’t hear about the Deville before, so all I know is the same you probably know from reading some reviews. Even though it’s their first airfork it looks like a very good option.
Actually scratch that, the price looks to have gone up to about a thousand Euro for the basic one, and I think they’re made in France so it looks to be out of the question. My wife told me to just go and buy a Totem so I stop harping on about what to get but they’re so heavy and I want to wait and see what RS come out with later in the year. I’ve seen a few spy shots of Totems with external air reservoirs to tune the spring rate, and the black stanctions on their pros’ bikes have to hit the shops some time…
This wait is killing me… my bike is all stickered up and ready to rip but I can’t even sit on my plush leather seat with no rear shock. Oh the pain! Hopefully I’ll have some good news this week and we can rip on Sunday…
do stickers help?
[quote=“jaame”]I think they’re made in France so it looks to be out of the question.[/quote]Patriotism? 
J,
again, you will not WANT to hear this - still; the difference between an kind of recent “okay” fork and the best fork in the world might be 5 seconds on the roughest DH trail you can find. For Taiwan basicly anything recent will do more then fine. I think Totem’s are too heavy, but they’ll work. But actually buying a BOS… :loco:
PS;
Considering going half a day to Dadu near TC - your little STP would be great there…
flickr.com/photos/pommesking/5706832669/
Re: the French. Absolutely not patriotism, I don’t believe in it, I love Frenchies! I mean just because Taiwanese made bike parts are usually cheaper here than in Europe, but imports are more expensive. Made in France is desirable but expensive!
Thanks for the advice Pommes. I keep dilly dallying between getting a Totem, a Lyrik and soemthing else. I love the look of the Totem, I think they’re hands down the best looking forks available, DC or SC. I’d run them on a full DH bike over a DC fork just on looks to be honest. They’re just fo f***ing heavy (albeit lighter than the Domain U-Turn I have plugged in at the moment) and I don’t want a 180mm travel fork on my 130mm frame. I know you can easily change travel on a Solo Air but everyone says they are wooden feeling and unreliable, that Spank guy Mike from TC told me his have been rebuilt twice because they exploded. It would have to be a coil but I’d like to reduce them to 150 or 160mm travel. The problem is, no one here can understand English and both fork tuning houses in the UK I contacted wanted to sell me a service. I just want to know what spring I can get that approximates the diameter of a Totem spring but is 20-30mm shorter (preferably a titanium one from a Marz 66 or suchlike).
Are you in Taiwan at the moment Pommes? My STP is in bits, the wheels are in my Corsair and I washed and polished them ready for the inaugural camera shots so I won’t be riding in TC this week. The good news is my wife has booked leave for the entire months of July and August so when that time rolls round, I’ll have the free use of the car and a free whole day every weekend. I’m fucking mad keen on hitting up all those places I’ve never been - Speed Trap, Wu Zhu Shan, Dadu Shan, even the Asian Cup course in Changhua if it’s stilll rideable!
Urodacus. Being stickered up absolutely makes me want to ride! It’s fully ready to go minus my missing parts! Nice tits by the way!