13/06/06

Mud + Suspension links = Painful cleaning

The shop was closed yesterday, for the Queens Birthday holiday. So it was a perfect opportunity for a mountain bike ride.  I organised to meet up with Gills and Carli out at Lysterfield for a bit of a hammer round for a few hours. I left my place at 9:30am and headed out to Lysterfield. Halfway out there it began to rain. Now, it wasn't exactly rain, it was what i call 'Pizzle'. Pissy Drizzle. You know the type?? Like a very heavy mist, it's not fat rain, but fine crappy 'Pizzle'.  I got out to Lysterfield and it was cold..........cold (8degs), wet and a bit of a crappy breeze. We looked at each other for a bit, then we decided to go for it. There were people coming back from their rides, and they didn't look too muddy. So, i pulled up my knee high white 'sports socks' and we headed off into the grey, wet yonder.  It was bloody sweet. It was soo muddy and wet. There were 'mystery depth' After about 30mins, i'd given up trying to dodge the puddles. My new Maxxis High Roller tyres i'd put on worked a treat.  The 'pizzle' wasn't too bad, when we got into the gum trees. So we rode for about 2 hours.  Carli had a few spills while Gills was rippin it up big time.  We got back to the cars, totally covered in mud. Why were the people, we saw at the start of the ride, not as dirty as we were?? Well, because they were riding on the boring, non-stimulating and skilless Comm Games track. They weren't going to the 'real' trails. My knee high 'white' sports socks were a lovely shade of dark mud brown!!! Sweeet!!!  I called into the shop on the way home. The mud was in every nook and cranny on Elle. I spent from 12:30pm till 3:30pm working on her. She was a little worse for wear. I've decided to pull her apart and get her forks serviced. Also i pulled her bottom bracket out and i've got a new spiffy one on the way for her. Cleaning a full suspension bike, that's been ridden in mud, is not cool. Cleaning in all the tight links and bearings is a real bitch.

I've got some interesting jerseys coming into the shop in the next few days. Have a gander below.