To do or not to do???

[Konaman]

 

You are on your way to a MTB race. Its overcasted and its drizzling. Your car wipers are switched on at medium speed. Your mind is playing games - will my plastic top keep me dry, should i ride?

 You arrive at the race, the rain is still coming down, but not to hard. The race starts. Within kilometers its mud mud mud; Your disc brakes are squeeling; the rear derailleur does not change gears that smooth anymore. Should I turn around and save my drivechain and brakepads, or do i bite the bullet and risk damaging my beloved bike.

I had a race like this in  East Londen this weekend, at the Jikeleza mtb race - chickened out after 15km. Damage to my bike/pocket - 2 sets of new brake pads and a complete service - strip and gear cables

My son also had a similar experience at the Kabouga race near Addo on this past Sunday  - he turned back after 11km while lying 2nd in the race. The winner apparently had over R2000 mud damage.

 

Is it worth it? I dont think so.

What do you think should one do? Take  risk and let the bikeshops make some money out of us in these hard times? Or give it a miss?

 

Konaman2009-07-02 13:56:00

[AndreZA]

Yes it is worth it. I love riding my bike and get dirty. Next time buy a Shimano equipped bike and the parts will last longer.

[Tumbleweed]

that which does not kill you?

[inbred]

I did Barberton a couple of years ago in the rain and tashed my drive train. Did Sani2c in the mud and trashed my eyes and had to have an eye op. My motto is nowdays, one day races, I don't do in the rain but multi day races it's not going to rain all the time.

 

If its raiing more than a drizzle the race will be there next year.

[Captain Slow]

 

that which does not kill you?

 

.....makes you poorer!!

 

[intern]

Hook it. As someone else has on their sig, MTB is not for sissies. If you start, you finish! Unless you crash and break something (bike or bones).

[jagwil]

Hook it. As someone else has on their sig' date=' MTB is not for sissies. If you start, you finish! Unless you crash and break something (bike or bones). [/quote']

 

Correct. Just get out there and do it. 

[HappyMartin]

 

 

Hook it. As someone else has on their sig' date=' MTB is not for sissies. If you start, you finish! Unless you crash and break something (bike or bones).

[/quote']

 

Agree with if you start you finish. If it is raining I generally wont start, road or MTB. I can do cold, I can do wind, I can do hills but rain is best avoided. commuted to work for 3 years and there were times that my bike and gear was wet for weeks on end. Hated it. Fixing a puncture in the rain is awful.

HappyMartin2009-07-03 00:23:20

[scotty]

Tough one, but in the end i cant see myself damaging and then spending a fortune to fix just for a MTB race.

[gremlin]

Just do it. As long as it is not like the mud at Emperors.

[gremlin]

Did the 50 Miler last year, was drizzling and it was muddy, but brilliant race.

[Tumbleweed]

on of the best experiences i had ever had was finishing the first stage of the cradle quest in second-last place on the first stage. the last 15 kays: punctures, hail, rain, lightning (nancy thought i'd been struck), "upstream" singletrack and gnarly, slippery rocks?would i do it again??yup! the thought of beer made it worth it.  

[BrendonMyb]

i think im just a numb nuts, i generally tell myself while im riding that im ruining my perfectly set up bike that i worked so hard at dialling in. but you guessed it. I get too carried away & carry on. My poor derailer pulley wheels definately need a change soon from all the past summer mud i rode through

[thehermanator]

Maybe I am missing something here ? are modern mountain bikes these days like a F1 racing car? The slightest bump in the road and its tuned out? The slightest bit of mud and you screw up your entire bike and it cost R2000 to fix??

<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

I have been a mountain biker for the past 15 years and rode with only 3 bikes the entire time ? I?ve been trough mud, hail, storms, rivers, rocks, sand and all manner of natural disasters that can be thrown my way, and NEVER have I ever had to worry about my bicycles breaking or obtaining any major damage ? my philosophy has always been ?it?s a mountain bike ? a though piece of machinery that?s build for these sort of things?

 

Reading your comments; it worries me that I might just wreck my brand new 30K bike! I still go out there with the same philosophy ? I cycle as hard and as fast as I can, I still go trough water, sand, mud, rain, hail etc?.. Does it mean that I have to ride more carefully not to damage my MTB?

[Cassie]

Hook it. As someone else has on their sig' date=' MTB is not for sissies. If you start, you finish! Unless you crash and break something (bike or bones). [/quote']

 

Correct. Just get out there and do it. 

 

Quite correct....why are you on a MTB in the first place?

If you cannot handle the heat - then stay out of the kitchen!!

 

Or move to the western cape and you'll soon get used to muddy conditions....

 

sounds like a bunch of roadies....

 

[Bike Mob]

Ride it like you stole it, the harder you ride the warmer you are and the sooner you get to chow that hot dog!!!

 

I thought my bike would be wrecked after 60km of muddy chainsuck hell on Saturday...but a 2 hour greasing session sorted it out... plus gave me the best result ever! Even if I had to replace the drivetrain I would be stoked.

 

Sure MTB's are designed to cope, but the secret is in the preparation. Lube and care will allow you to trash it on raceday without too much worry.