Captain Fastbastard Mayhem

the stem! it's missing the stem!

there was a reason that they were called "Bull Bars" lol... those were the shizz. Got a pair of 680s on my ride. Will NOT go less than that.

Well said, Omega Man...

True, but then OTM is up norff.

OTM, you are missing the point. DH 1, DH 2, DH 3, DH 4 & the top of Vasbyt are DOWNHILL TRACKS. As such, they are considered DOWNHILL ONLY. At no point in time should someone be riding UP these tracks. If they do, and get clouted whilst riding up these DESIGNATED DH tracks, they would be at fault. Whilst I agree that there should be more signage, Ignorance is not an adequate excuse. Nor will it ever be.

Yeah, Leet - that's cool. As long as ppl realise that if they don't get out the way, chances are we're NOT going to be able to stop in time, and therefore pain will ensue. I've also, however, seen peeps ride the WHOLE of vasbyt in the up direction (circumventing the steps via the chicken run) including the first berm and the region below! NOT COOL! If a guy comes barrelling out of the end of the DH section up above Vasbyt, and drops straight in (not unlikely, if he's stringing together a full run) and then there's a tjop in the middle of the berm? One might, at that point, scream "catastrophe!"

CWC are really good with this. I've had a cracked lens replaced there. Cracked right in the middle of my Genetyks, just under the nose bridge screws. Didn't ask for proof of payment or anything. Mind you, he did remember that I had bought them from him. just gave me a new set...

Still 99. Damnit!

Sorry mate, I don't agree. There are ST sections that are bidirectional (faerie, Your Rocks, Mamba, Boomslang, Lizard, Boulders) but the rest are DH only, and should be treated as such. Therefore, if I come barrelling down the top of Vasbyt, and you're going up it, I'm just going to carry on. You'd better get outta my way, otherwise 120kg of bike and beast are gonna break you in two at the collission. And I'll get up, dust myself off and carry on riding.

Another option (if you can find it!) is a Weirwolf for the front. I've got that paired with a Wolverine at the back, and it's a fantastic pairing! Ordered mine from CRC though, so good luck finding the Weirwolf locally! Otherwise, I'd go with the Nevegal. it was my 2nd choice tire if the Weirwolf wasn't available, and it's a helluva good tire.

hey dude, that map there is just the one that has been published by one of the MTB groups. The one at Tokai itself details direction of travel, if any... But I do agree that there needs to be FAR more signage, so that the tjops are stopped from going the wrong way on a uni-directional route!

Absolutely! I WANT ME ONE!!! Can't wait till I can trump the cash for a rig... Same - stop for no one, except on Saturday when I was showing my mate around. His first time on a bike in 10 years. He was a bit slower, but carried on getting better & better. We were gunning around on XC bikes with their saddles down low like a DJ bike... Was fantastic. I always drop my seat when I hit the top, ready fo rhte rush back down.

Lol @ that... I've also noticed it on occasion. I view myself as an all rounder. I love going downhill, but I've got an XC bike. Until I have the cash to trump up for a DH rig, I shall remain so. BUT - I respect the guys coming down, do not go up the DH sections (it's part of the reason for trail degradation anyway) and move out the way on the bi-directional routes when someone comes barrelling down them. After all, I can clip in within half a revolution, and being unclipped does not mean I cannot pedal. I find it easier to get going again on the ups, as long as they aren't too technical - in which case I would go back a few metres and reattempt it. DH okes are hectically chilled. XC okes (the majority, at least) are not. mUni's are just on another level of coolness. I witnessed that this weekend, when some "race snakes" insisted on coming up the top of Vasbyt whilst repeatedly insisting that the DHers restart their runs. I, in the meantime, was acting like a DHer and constantly going down Vasbyt, and then pushing back up (off the trail) and then reassessing the line and bombing it again...

Weighing tonight... 10 hours on the bike last week, and a bit less this week thanks to me and my wife sharing 1 car whilst mine is in for a service. This weekend is another time to gain miles...

So THAT'S why there was an amblybince on the trails. Wondered what the poor soul was doing to have been carted off int he back of the van. He might not have realised that there are a few more bumps in the fire road since it's been graded. I know that there's a "speed bump" like thing about halfway up the fire road that has only been there for a week, so it could have been that. Wouldn't have liked to hit that thing at speed. It was far too steep and sandy to be hit at 60 plus on an XC machine. Especially when the majority of ppl riding down the fire road can't bunnyhop to save their mother's brother's sister in law.

Exactly right, Noli. It's the different soil texture down here that makes it all the more important to be proper in your treatment of the trail, and makes maintenance all the more important. I wish we had the same soil structure as you guys do, but the majority of it is just so damn sandy that it makes it next to impossible for the clay to form a nice, hard, tight berm. The only place I see that is on a few of the berms (top of vasbyt and some of the berms in My Roots to name a few) and the jumps in the middle section of Vasbyt. The rest are all just so sandy and break apart at the merest noise of a tire coming at them.

I have the Auriga Comps... standard metal sintered pads, seeing as my aftermarkets have now been consigned to the bin (worn down) Discs are the standard Tektro Wavy at the back, and Alligator Wave at the front.

It's not the activity on the brakes that matters - it's the way that the activity is carried out. If you brake linearly throughout any descent, corner or technical section, and keep control whilst not locking up, you won't damage the trails. However, if you grab a fistful of brake just before you enter the corner, you'll wreck the trails for all of us, rutting and digging out the trails...

Yeah. Maybe it was the trolls under the various bridges that did him in for us. Yay for trolls!

maybe the sickness finally bust him up?

Use your fronts most of the time... the back brake rips trails to shreds, and has a lot less efficiency! Only time you mustn't use the front is when you're tackling a dropoff of any size. Weight will shift too far forward and then you're over the bars. Anything else, you should be braking before you think it's necessary in order to come into the tech section / corner with the desired level of speed, and you don't have to brake in the corner or on the rock - you've done all your braking beforehand. As for the noise - you'll also find that they scream like a banshee when they're cold. Just feather them a bit to warm them up, and it might pass. Sintered pads are notorious for squealing when cold. Could also be that the pads themselves have become very "glossy" and have built up a residue that makes them smooth, rather than the normal sandpapery style texture. This is normally from long periods of use, or the pads overheating and thus glazing over. Try to rub a bit of 120 grit sandpaper between the pads (with the wheel OFF the bike) the re-rough them...

agreed,GRB... The downhill sections are marked clearly at the entrance. And an easy way to guarantee compliance is the introduction of signs at both trail head and tail...

Yeah, quite a feeling it is... Cannot get enough. But seriously, these guys grate my nerves.

Ditto to King_Crispy... Although I'd only fly up if someone's willing to pay my airfare. Not flying up from CT just to dig a new drop into existence... Suggestion though - Logs / Loffels? If possible, that is? They could be moved easily when you've redirected the flow and no longer need them.

Yeah, me too... For the moment. Yesterday I cleared that 1st little gap jump for the first time, and just dropped into that right hand berm so sweetly. But that track has already been mutilated at the bottom half by ppl dragging their back brakes. Hectically rutted and donga-ed. Need to try the left hand fork next though. Fun fun fun, till Chucky broke the scaphoid in twooooo.... Fun fun fun... (to Beach Boys backing tune) And yes, Chucky is my nickname. So named by my ex-colleagues.