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Hi peeps, not been on here or on the trails for a while so again. Some of you may remember me talking about going to La Palma in the Canaries with my bike, well I did, and I'm now back home nursing my wounds (busted elbow and a few stitches), and a pretty well written off bike (twisted rear triangle, bent rear hanger and a rear wheelshaped like a pringle!)
It might sound like I had a crappy time out there, but up to my major off I rode some fantastic (though really challenging) trails with an expert guide called sigi, who has a guesthouse/bike shop/ mtb tour guide business on the island. I'll tell more if anyones interested, but for now i've got the post holiday blues so I can't be arsed at the mo
In the mean time I'll be looking at getting my bike fixed (long shot) or trying to convince the oh that a new bike is the way to go.TTFN

Unlucky Al. what happened? Wheel and mech easily replaceable but how bads the rear triangle?
healing vibes to you.

Sorry to hear that Al....But the upside.... there are some good deals to had on bikes at moment Harry just got £700 off a brand new scot voltage FR20..........or .maybe as beardee said try to fix it.....get yourself fixed quick and catch ya later

Cheers beardee, it wasn't a major crash, I was just going a bit too fast for my limited skills across a lava field, and fell on very hard and very sharp volcanic rock. I had elbow and knee pads on, but when I picked myself up, my left elbow pad was around my armpit and blood was flowing freely from my elbow, my left forearm, my left calf, and somehow my right ankle. Proper knarly riding! The bike tumbled a further 40ft or so than me, so it came off a bit worse! We were at over 2000m elevation after a hard climb from our uplift, which dropped us off at about 1000m, and were just starting our decent along a volcanic ridge back to sea level. The guide and the other 3 riders helped patch me up and straighten the wheel and mech enough for me to ride out. It would have been a long and hard walk back otherwise in the plus30 heat! Loved it though, and would love to go back in the autumn or winter, which is high season out there for mountainbiking, summer is just too hot. La Palma has some great trails with some spectacular scenery, but it is really challenging. Being one of the steepest islands in the world, it's all either relentless uphill, or steep and really technical downhill, and as you may gather, rocky as hell. My bike was seriously outgunned by the terrain, with 147mm travel at the rear, and 120mm up front, the other guys where on proper A/M hire bikes with dropper posts that had at least 150mm at both ends, and I spent a lot of time polishing the top tube with my nuts after my feet had been bounced out of my pedals

The bike is still packed in its case! Can't face looking at it 'till i've got the cash to fix or replace it.

Was just talking about you the other day, wondering were you had been, last time we met you was about to go away, was weeks ago..

Hope your back riding soon mate..

Hi all, I'm back! Hopefully i'll be in the saddle again Sat or Sun, still on my old (rebuilt) Giant. Got knocked back for interest free credit on a new one, so ive got rebuilt forks, rear shock, hubs and rims, new mech hanger, headset and BB. I've ordered a wider pair of riser bars, but still negotiating with the oh about shelling out for a dropper post lol. See you out there this weekend.

That old steed will never die aye?

good news

The bionic bike is back.....

Just my tubeless tyres to get mounted and my pedals to put on (ditching the spuds, going to put on the v8's), and i'm good to go, what's happening this weekend? Suppose I aught to search the forum!