Ride Like a Wombat

I thought I'd move my half arsed MTB blog here instead of fkdbook.

This is relevant to my Mountain Bike which is a 2005 (I think) Avanti Agressor.

I might start another one for my commuter bike which I also do a lot of K's on.

 

Any constructive comments welcome.

Otherswise, try this site:  http://bullshit.com/

 

11/9/2011 - ??? km, I went for a few rides at Lysterfield and a few local rides. The button on my speedo stopped working so I pulled it apart and cleaned it. Of course it reset the thing so now I have to set up the circumference again and the ODO will be back to zero. My front forks have had their day I think. I can't get any dampening to work; they like a pogo stick. The rear wheel bearings are still wobbly. I must drop the wheel into Marcus oneday so he can sort it out. Still undecided whether to buy a new bike or get some new forks. I'm tending towards the new forks. Might get a new bike if I get fit enought to deserve one.

 

19/6/2011 - 5721km 27km trip around the place incuding the pink ribbon trail. It was very muddy; which is to be expected.. rear wheel bearings have a bit of movement and I'm stuff if I know how to replace / adjust them...

 

22/5/2011 - 5683km quick hilly 16km. Wet diagonal log in grass got me off. Survived though. Tried to fix my 'cones' before I went because the rear wheel is a bit sloppy. They're sealed bearings with no adjustment. And I can't see how to get the bearings out. Took some pics and put it back together for a bit of googling later on. Rear brakes have gone very lame too. Might try bleeding then abd checking the pads. I have never had this before...

 

12/3/2011 - 5598km. I left my speedo at home when I left for the Otway Odessy. The race was slow for me. I was very flat on the first hill which was not a good sign but thought I'd pick up. Never really did pick up. The whole race was a struggle for me and the mud made it worse. It was still a good hard ride and I'll do it again next year. My bike still has a knock in the bottom bracket from the mud and the rear gear cable needs replacing, or cleaning.

I did 33km yesterday and felt like crap. Probably from having an extra crappy week with no riding..

 

20/2/2011 - 5636km. 38km around the place after cleaning the grass seeds out of my rear gear cable.

Almost got cleaned up by a car turning right through a gap in the traffic - good reminder of why I take it easy passing stopped cars in traffic.

 

15/2/2011 - 5547km. A couple of easy maiden trips to check for bugs. Bike is generally nice and smooth but I need to adjust the outer limit on the front derailer in a bit becasue the chain threw over once.

 

12/2/2011 - 5502km. Removed chain, sprockets, cluster, and pedals and gave it a bit of a clean. My old right side pedal had about 1/4" of slop in it. Ready for the XT XPD's, Shram red cluster, Shram hollow pin 991 chain and new front sprockets. Forgot to get new gear cables but will pick some up and do these too.

 

25/1/2011 - 5359km. Better order my new cluster, chain, and centre chainring. It slipped on the big back sprocket a few times yesterday on the pink ribbon trail.

 

8/1/2011 - 5300km 34 degrees. Quick leg stratching ride around some local hills.

I replaced the chain and sprocket set a while ago but can't remember when.

I also put a new rear derailer on.

About the same time my bottom bracket (octalink) wobble got worse so I replaced it with a 5mm longer axle.

The revalation of a lifetime that from day 1 all my front shifting issues were because the bike was built with a too short bottom bracket axle. Front shifts fine now.

All working OK at the moment - bike needs a clean; badly.

 

24/1/2010 - 3747km. Rode 40km around the place including from the Nth side of the swimming spot to the Sth. Plenty of hills and felt pretty good. Chain needs lube !

 

23/1/2010 - 3682km. Went for a quick 20km ride around some local hills. Had a quick dip in the river. Bike runs well. Had 1 phantom shift... grrrr !

 

19/1/2010 - 3647km. Put my new jockey wheels on and re-aligned the derailier hanger using a bolt from an old derailer. It was about 5mm out at the rim. Seems to shift better.

 

7/1/2010 - 3627km. Rode to the Yarra, had a swim, then to Sweenys Lane, Griffith Park, up THAT hill, along the Diamond Creek trail but home via Nth Eltham hills. Back down Wattletree Rd. 26.8km. Bike went OK but still shifting a bit crappy. I have ordered some new jockey wheels to see what they do. There is a bit of sideways play in the guide wheel; maybe it's too much. And they are both very worn.

 

26/16/2009 - 3462km. Rode to Westerfolds park and back via the swimming spot. The gears are impossible to adjust and have a different resting spot depending on whether they have just come up or down. It must either be the derailier or shifter but I think more likely the shifter because it's what 'holds' the cable in a certain position. The derailer just does what it's told.. unless it's full of crap which it shouldn't be because I cleaned it.

 

25/12/2009 - 3435km. Finished putting my Sram 991 chain and cluster on. Also put a new Shimano steel centre chainring on. The BBB alloy one was very badly worn which I think was the cause of the slipping. The chain wasn't so bad and nor was the cluster. I replaced the rear shifter cable as well.

 

13/12/2009 - 3435km. Went to the dance studio along the Yarra trail and back. Gears are starting to slip under power so it won't be long until they've had the dick. So only 1430km from new to jumping !

59km 2:55 Avg 20.0km/h

 

25/11/2009 - 3260km. Rode home from work the long way. 41.65km. 1hr 52m. Av 22.1. Used the replenish for the first time - seemed to have more energy... Will see how I go tomorrow on the way in with my muffins.

 

22/11/2009 - 3209km. Lazy 16km ride to stop my legs from cramping up tomorrow. Gears need new cables and a good clean. Chain and sprockets are showing signs of wear but still work OK.

 

3/11/2009 - 3101km. Took the red one out for a few local rides over the cup day weekend. Also rode it to work from Ringwood once last week. Done nothing to the bike apart from treating the seat and fixing the odd puncture.

 

3/10/2009 - 2889km. I've been a bit slack lately only doing a few rides. I rode my single speed MTB to work and back once. Now that the weather is improving and we have daylight savings time I must start doing it a bit more often. I replaced both pairs of brake pads the weekend after the last race.

 

16/8/2009 - 2758km. Did round 4 of the Chase The Sun series at Lysterfield. Start was delayed by an hour while they cleared the track because of the winds. I did 6 laps which was 95km and came 10th out of 21 in my class. Both front and rear brake pads wore out about half way which made it hard to stop. It rained very heavily from the end of lap 2 to lap 5 which made a lot of mud. The grit in the mud was what wore out my brake pads so quickly.

riding time was 6:21 but race time was 7:07

 

9/8/2009 - 2634km. Rode into the city and back 66km. Bike needs a clean. 7 Hour race at Lysterfield next Sunday.

 

23/7/2009 - 2395km. Did the 6 hour event at Lysterfield and completed 6 laps for a total of 82.2km. Average speed 14.9, max 48.1, riding time 5:29:10. I came 16th - some in my class did 9 laps !

 

15/7/2009 - 2226km rode home from work the bike track way. 42.31km, 2:03:55, Av 20.4, Max 54.3

 

12/7/2009 - 2183km rode 35km around the place. Bike needs a good clean.

 

23/6/2009 - 1984km rode home from work along the Eastlink track. It was nice listening to the frogs croaking on dusk when i was riding along the board walk at Burwood Highway. It started raising just past Reynolds Rd so I stopped at the shelter at Warrandyte Rd and it started raining quite heavily. I put my jacket on, ate two banannas, and called Toni. By then the rain had eased off again so I headed off. Bike went fairly well aside from the front derailer issue - bloody thing !

42.3km, 2hrs 12 minutes, 19.1 average speed,

 

21/6/2009 - 1941km rode to Finns reserve to meet the kids at the park and then to Wantirna via Mullum Mullum trail and Eastlink but got lost. Came back the right way though. 89km avg 18.6 and wobbly legs.

 

8/6/2009 - 1835km rode around the place a bit - did 47km, got rained on, ate 7 red skins !

 

31/5/2009 - 1775km Lysterfield 5 hour race. 5 laps 75km 5hr9min 15.6km/h average position 16 out of 28 in the over 40 solo male section.

 

12/5/2009 - 1608km Rode into work the bike trail way. 38.25km, 1:40:06, 22.9km/h average, 56.4 max. Bike went well.

 

11/5/2009 - Rode home from work the bike trail way. 38.29km, 1:36:41, 23.7km/h average, 58.3 max. I think there was a slight tail wind.

 

10/5/2009 1531km - Rode to Diamond Creek and back via the gold mine with Caito. Very enjoyable ride.

 

8/5/2009 1518km - Rode into work the bike trail way. 38.23km, 1:46:24, 21.5km/h average, 56 max. There was a light rain for some of the way so I stopped just before Springvale Road and put my spray jacket on. Bike is still running well but the front derailier still needs a tweak. I set it up by eye and it works well on the centre ring and up to the large one and back OK. But it doesn't push it onto the little one. I need to adjust the limit screw in a bit and rotate the derailier CW a touch.

 

7/5/2009 1480km - Rode home from work the bike trail way. 38.25km, 1:40:16, 22.8km/h average, 57 max. I think this is probably the quickest time for the trip home. I think I have done the trip in in about the same time. It was just over 2 hours the first few times I rode so maybe the 1:30 that I dreamed of back then is possible after all...

 

6/5/2009 1442km (still) - put the new head stem and derailer on. The derailer mounts higher so I had to take the drink bottle cage off. And I took a spacer off the forks because the top of the headstem would not have been clamping on the forks. So the new one is about 8mm lower.

 

4/5/2009 1442km (still) - My Vanderorder arrived. Element 90mm 8degree 1 1/8" steerer and 1" bar head stem, Diorre XT front derailer, sprocket spanner, and 2 kenda blue groove tyres.

 

2/5/2009 1442km - rode to Kew and back. The ride back was in the dark along the Yarra trail and my crappy little LED light made some sections very challenging. Rear derailer is still shitting me but a lot better than it has been.

 

10/4/2009 1292km - rode to Kinglake but got a lift back. It rained heavily from Kangaroo Ground to St Andrews. My speedo is flashing at me so looks like a new battery or speedo will be needed soon.

 

3/4/2009 1218km - put my original rear derailer hanger on which I had aligned before. The new one seemed to put the rerailier too close to the spokes in the lower gears. Old one is better - new one is now my spare.

Lowered my front derailier by 5mm - Not sure why I had it so high but the thing has never shifted well from new. I think I need a new front derailier with a larger "throw". Or reduce the space between chainrings which is pretty much fixed by the crank spider. I don't really feel like getting the file onto it just yet.

 

28/3/2009 1195km - still. Put the new BBB centre chainring, XT cluster, and SHRAM chain on but won't get to check it out until tomorrow.

 

23/3/2009 1195km Rode 36km and the chain was slipping with a moderate effort on the centre chain ring. I was hoping I'd get another 500km out of it but looks like it's not going to happen.

Must put the new one on with the cluster and chain that I bought on the weekend.

 

14/3/2009 1052km replaced rear gear shift cable. Made the gears change better but the chain still jumps around a bit from one gear to another. I think this is because the chain is so stuffed.

 

7/3/2009 973km replaced the rear wheel after the original one seized up again and cracked the cup. The new one is a Velocity sealed bearing. Also cleaned the chain and measured the "stretch" at 3/16" over 12". More than 1/8" (2/16") means that it's stuffed.