Further to my previous post here, and after a lot of discussion on facebook, the first of the Mountainboard Derby Monday Night Sessions took place!
Kicking off early in Darley Park, I got to the party late with Karl and Kirsty, Matt and family having been down since the afternoon. Phill got there approximately 10 minutes before I did but with the benefit of British Summer Time, I was able to get in a decent couple of hours boarding before it got really, really dark.
The mini ramp as supplied by Jay Langdell mixed things up a bit and as the sun set, relaxed riding interspersed with much chat meant that the evening flew by. For future use, Mat's supplying some football markers so that we have something to aim for rather than just the usual trees etc.
In the scheme of things, Darley Park seems like a good starting point and so far, people seem keen to do something on a regular basis. Maybe it wont always be Darley, and maybe people will prefer another night, but let's see how things go. All in all, it's shaping up to be a great summer!
PS, I've set-up a quick and dirty blog page so that people can see the general plan of action. Read all about it here: http://mountainboard-derby.blogspot.co.uk/
PPS, it was only when it got dark that I thought about taking some photos. Oh well, next time Gadget!
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
Monday, 12 March 2012
Spring Time Tinkering
Christmas break was a great time to make a few changes and tinker a bit with stuff. Unfortunately, work load in the new year then went mental so whilst stuff has been taking place, having the time to document has been low. Anyhow, a summary of what I've been up to is below.
T3 Tyres
On recommendation from Mark S, these bad boys from ATBShop (with 10% off with ATBA membership) provide a flatter contact area with the ground with additional noggins round the edges. Upshot of this is supposedly better lateral grip with slightly slower acceleration. Having ridden in them most of this year, I can confirm that although they will still slide out when it's really, really muddy, they still provide control in poor conditions. I've been told that they lose their effectiveness if over inflated - this makes sense in that the more you pump, the less square edged they become as they try to match the doughnut shaped inner tube. How much to pump then I suppose depends on how many pies you've had recently. So, in summary, less fun on the golf course, but great fun kicking up leaves in the woods.
Burton Ratchets
..both look the business and (so far) work great! The big problem that I've had in the past with MBS, Trampa and the ones on noSno is either the ratchets failing to hold position, either though broken teeth, or worn ladder straps, or ratchets failing to disengage at the end of a run. So far, I'm very happy with these, with only slight bodging necessary to fit into place. All that was required was a new hole in the plastic binding for the notch on the ratchet to fit into. Added bonus that these seem very easy to remove, even with big gloves on.
Head Torch
Night riding has gone down very well this winter with riding once or twice a week most weeks with both Phill and brother Rob coming along for the ride. LED torches seem to be cheaper than ever and I picked up three '9-LED' torches for a fiver with batteries included. At this sort of price, they are almost disposable. Industrial strength Velcro from Homebase was relatively expensive at around a tenner for half a metres worth, but then you only need a little bit at a time. Bonus of doing this is the ability to replace one torch with another, should one fail, and the ability to change position slightly. This comes into effect quite regularly as a torch in the wrong position only manages to illuminate the inside of my helmet, leaving me blind to the outside world. As mentioned quite regularly on here, it's worth giving night riding a go if only because it means you can ride more. Don't worry if not though - British Summer Time is almost amongst us!
Bindings
My Rage noSno bindings are in reasonable condition, but the padding on the underside of the bindings were in a reasonably poor state. My biggest concern then was the metal parts of the underside catching on my snowboard boots and ripping them up a little. Maybe unfounded, but I do like my boots and would prefer not to have to replace them for a while, particularly as my feet should have stopped growing! Solution this time was to remove all traces of the foam underside and replace with a leather section of similar shape; glue into place (one with Evostick Impact, one with Araldite, see which works best long term), and leave to dry. In the morning, chop off the excess leather and away we go. So far, both seem to be doing reasonably well so my additional step of restitching round the edge I haven't bothered with, but we'll see on this - could be more effort than it's worth. No definitive difference so far between the glues.
So, where is this all leading? There are a whole load of ATBA events happing over the summer including Boarder X, Freestyle and Downhill. Added to this, hopefully the Mountainboard Derby Summertime sessions will become a reality, or at least an opportunity to ride on a regular basis in a more relaxed way. Add to this all the usual events and stuff that happens around the country that hopefully we'll be finding out a bit more about soon.
T3 Tyres
On recommendation from Mark S, these bad boys from ATBShop (with 10% off with ATBA membership) provide a flatter contact area with the ground with additional noggins round the edges. Upshot of this is supposedly better lateral grip with slightly slower acceleration. Having ridden in them most of this year, I can confirm that although they will still slide out when it's really, really muddy, they still provide control in poor conditions. I've been told that they lose their effectiveness if over inflated - this makes sense in that the more you pump, the less square edged they become as they try to match the doughnut shaped inner tube. How much to pump then I suppose depends on how many pies you've had recently. So, in summary, less fun on the golf course, but great fun kicking up leaves in the woods.
Burton Ratchets
..both look the business and (so far) work great! The big problem that I've had in the past with MBS, Trampa and the ones on noSno is either the ratchets failing to hold position, either though broken teeth, or worn ladder straps, or ratchets failing to disengage at the end of a run. So far, I'm very happy with these, with only slight bodging necessary to fit into place. All that was required was a new hole in the plastic binding for the notch on the ratchet to fit into. Added bonus that these seem very easy to remove, even with big gloves on.
Head Torch
My Rage noSno bindings are in reasonable condition, but the padding on the underside of the bindings were in a reasonably poor state. My biggest concern then was the metal parts of the underside catching on my snowboard boots and ripping them up a little. Maybe unfounded, but I do like my boots and would prefer not to have to replace them for a while, particularly as my feet should have stopped growing! Solution this time was to remove all traces of the foam underside and replace with a leather section of similar shape; glue into place (one with Evostick Impact, one with Araldite, see which works best long term), and leave to dry. In the morning, chop off the excess leather and away we go. So far, both seem to be doing reasonably well so my additional step of restitching round the edge I haven't bothered with, but we'll see on this - could be more effort than it's worth. No definitive difference so far between the glues.
So, where is this all leading? There are a whole load of ATBA events happing over the summer including Boarder X, Freestyle and Downhill. Added to this, hopefully the Mountainboard Derby Summertime sessions will become a reality, or at least an opportunity to ride on a regular basis in a more relaxed way. Add to this all the usual events and stuff that happens around the country that hopefully we'll be finding out a bit more about soon.
Monday, 20 February 2012
The Ultimate MBS Comp 16 Modification and Upgrade Guide
Welcome to the ultimate guide to modifying and upgrading your MBS Comp 16 board. Why choose the Comp 16 for this project? This modern day classic is relatively easy to get hold second hand for reasonably cheap costs (under £140 without too much difficulty), plus it uses parts fully compatible with both modern MBS parts and other major board manufacturers so is easy to update.
So whether you want to update your old deck, or want to customise something a little more individual, lets pick up that ebay bargain, or dust off that old board from the shed and lets get modding!
Deck
Like the replacement of an old bike frame, replacing an old deck may feel like you are effectively changing boards completely, but it is very possible that even a well used or poorly stored board will have a saggy deck but otherwise be in great condition. Since a new deck will provide either stiffness or added 'pop' as desired, you should see instant improvement if this major component is replaced. Since the holes for the bindings and trucks are the same for either MBS or Trampa components, then replacing the deck is as simple as removing the trucks and bindings and screwing on the replacement.
Dirt Box Deck suggestion: The 'Leon Robbins' MBS Pro 100.....
...Slightly longer, stiffer and lighter than the Comp 16. Reverse Composite Construction (RCC) with nice smooth underside with warped sides for smoother slides. Bonus feature of added standard 4-holes snowboard binding holes for added versatility as will be discussed later in this article. Becoming ever rarer, if you can obtain a 'Leon', chances are it should be cheaper than a 'Kirkman' but will you notice the ride difference?
Tyres
The grip on the MBS T1 tyres may be worn down low especially if the previous owner was a master scrubber or liked ride hard surfaces such as the road or skatepark. These days, there are plenty of alternatives depending on your riding style and most come in a range of colours to suite your colour scheme! T1's are still available though so for renewed grip, buy new for the added tread.
[Not to scale....]
Popular alternatives include:
- MBS T1: The original 8" tyre, but now available in Grey, Black, Blue or Red
- MBS T2: 9" Version of the T1, suitable for freeride by providing additional ground clearance
- MBS T3: 8" tyre provides more lateral side grip than the T1 for a slight trade off in acceleration. Available in Black, Red, Green or Yellow.
- Other manufacturers make mountainboard tyres including Primo, Scrub and Trampa. Check details for compatibility.
Hubs
If you're into your high pressure tyres as you're a speed demon or skatepark rider, then you may have found already that your Rockstar hubs have warped into 50-pence shapes rather than their original circles. If this is the case then a stronger hub may be appropriate such as the MBS Rockstar Pros - a metal equivalent. Relatively prices, these hubs also look the business coming in Black, Chrome and Gold variants.
[Rockstar baby!]
Alternatively, you may wish to change hubs quickly and without fuss, in which case the MBS Twistars may be of use? Completely plastic, these hubs are held together by the pressure of the tyres. Removing them is as simple as letting down the tyres and twisting the two sides to the hub - no tools required. Coming in Black, Yellow, Green and White and at relatively low cost, these hubs may break more frequently, but it wont cost you a huge amount to replace. Note though that these hubs are rated at a highest pressure of 50psi but they are very lightweight.
[Twistar baby!]
Ground Industries: Terraintula or Crossair....are another alternative. Don't know much about these but they certainly look the business.
Trucks
With Trampa using MBS compatible hole patterns, you've again the option of staying local or going native. MBS Matrix trucks too heavy? Then try the Matrix Lites. Or too plastic-y? Try the gorgeous but pricey Matrix Pros coming in Black, Silver and Gold.
[MBS Matrix Pro]
Trampa have their equivalent of course such as the Infinity or Vertigo set at a similar price to the MBS. Plenty of fine differences between the two makes, so if in doubt, hit the forums.
[Trampa Vertigo]
Bindings
[Sexy Trampa Ratchets!]
If the ratchets are a little worn, or the ladder straps in not great condition then your bindings may slip occasionally (not good whilst riding), or fail to disengage at the bottom of the hill leaving you with a board stuck to your feet. Perhaps the return spring has broken so that the ratchet hangs loose. Either way, replacing the ratchets is a simple job of removing one screw and replacing the unit, either a new one from MBS, a spangley one from Trampa, or perhaps go for snowboard tech with new ratchets from Burton. Whatever route you take, you may have to drill a new hole if the ratchet tab is in a new location, or if you feel safe to be held on by the screw, fold down the tab so that it lies flat with the binding.
If it is the binding themselves that are wearing through, then replacing the F3 bindings for the newer F4 equivalent may be an option, or Ground Industry Talons are available - known for their level of comfort affording by the high amount of padding. Like everything else, Trampa have their equivalent with options for various colour L-brackets. Alternatively again, if snowboard technology is your thing, then if you upgraded your deck in the earlier section to something like a Leon Robbins Pro 100 then the 4-holes are available to screw whole snowboard bindings to the deck, as long as you have the correct disks.
No cash right now? Solve that floppy deck by flipping those trucks! Want newish stuff? Keep an eye on ebay for either individual parts or whole cheap boards to salvage the good bits off. Want to get creative? Then get that spray can and paints and go wild. At least if your board does get stolen it'll be well easy to describe the distinguishing features to the police!
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Macc Forest Headcam Footage
Reasons why I shouldn't be allowed to edit. 1) Its taken far too long. 2) Its rubbish. But I've got this far so there's no reason not to share. Big up the Busted!
Oohh, "Your video, Macclesfield Forest January 2012 Freeride , may include content that is owned or administered by this entity: Entity: UMG Content Type: Sound Recording". If the ace soundtrack disappears, this is why.
Oohh, "Your video, Macclesfield Forest January 2012 Freeride , may include content that is owned or administered by this entity: Entity: UMG Content Type: Sound Recording". If the ace soundtrack disappears, this is why.
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
The 'Summertime Sessions'
So, this is a plan. Not 'the' plan as it's still got to be sorted out in my head, so more of a concept. I thought if I put it out there then people can comment.
My plan is to ride Darley Park every Monday evening from March 26th till October 28th. I'll have with me at least one spare board with a complete set of pads so that anyone who fancies joining me for a ride will know that I'll be there, and anyone who fancies a go, can do so.
Why Mondays? Mondays are usually good to be out because there's not much on TV, and the dates are set for British Summer Time i.e. longer daylight.
Why Darley? Why not Allestree? Darley Park is a nice slope with a few trees that can be mixed up in various ways. It has a carpark very close to the top and is close to the city centre. Far more people use Darley for recreational use and we should be seen by lots of people. Darley can accommodate ramps well, or be set up with slalom cones, or just dodge the trees and in summer time when the ground is hard - Darley flies.
But I really want to ride Allestree! Allestree is a 5-minute drive away. It could be we do 7pm beginner/freestyle stuff at Darley, 8.30pm onwards for freeride at Allestree.
But you can't do freestyle.... No, I though I'd leave that to someone else.....
Are you insured? *cough* no.
It may be that this gets condensed down to just the summer holidays, or that it only happens when there is interest through Mountainboard Derby, or that it fizzles out due to lack of interest, but it could be worth doing, even if it gets me out the house on a more regular basis.
So, lets see what happens with this and please let me know your thoughts, especially any that can turn this into a better plan of action. Cheers!
Update: There's a pretty good discussion going on here if you want to add anything.
Expand on the above, please. In my mind, it's sort of a 'mid-week training' before the 'weekend big match', so not exactly a replacement for semi-regular meets, but a platform to introduce locals to the whole thing and pointing them in the right direction if they want a bit more. Darley I've suggested for being relatively undaunting for the first time rider. It'd be cool even if the same fella turned up to borrow the board each week as we'd have another local rider on the scene, or even if no-one else turned up as I'd use the time to practice riding switch etc etc
Why again? One aspect I failed to mention is that we get a small but steady stream of people contacting the ATBA wanting to try mountainboarding in the East-Midlands area. At the moment we point them in the direction of the nearest centres which is usually Hales (hour+half drive). It will make life simpler if we can let them know that something will be happening every Monday somewhere significantly closer.
Darley??? It's here: Parking off Darley Park Road, nice slope to the East.
View Larger Map
My plan is to ride Darley Park every Monday evening from March 26th till October 28th. I'll have with me at least one spare board with a complete set of pads so that anyone who fancies joining me for a ride will know that I'll be there, and anyone who fancies a go, can do so.
Why Mondays? Mondays are usually good to be out because there's not much on TV, and the dates are set for British Summer Time i.e. longer daylight.
Why Darley? Why not Allestree? Darley Park is a nice slope with a few trees that can be mixed up in various ways. It has a carpark very close to the top and is close to the city centre. Far more people use Darley for recreational use and we should be seen by lots of people. Darley can accommodate ramps well, or be set up with slalom cones, or just dodge the trees and in summer time when the ground is hard - Darley flies.
But I really want to ride Allestree! Allestree is a 5-minute drive away. It could be we do 7pm beginner/freestyle stuff at Darley, 8.30pm onwards for freeride at Allestree.
But you can't do freestyle.... No, I though I'd leave that to someone else.....
Are you insured? *cough* no.
It may be that this gets condensed down to just the summer holidays, or that it only happens when there is interest through Mountainboard Derby, or that it fizzles out due to lack of interest, but it could be worth doing, even if it gets me out the house on a more regular basis.
So, lets see what happens with this and please let me know your thoughts, especially any that can turn this into a better plan of action. Cheers!
Update: There's a pretty good discussion going on here if you want to add anything.
Expand on the above, please. In my mind, it's sort of a 'mid-week training' before the 'weekend big match', so not exactly a replacement for semi-regular meets, but a platform to introduce locals to the whole thing and pointing them in the right direction if they want a bit more. Darley I've suggested for being relatively undaunting for the first time rider. It'd be cool even if the same fella turned up to borrow the board each week as we'd have another local rider on the scene, or even if no-one else turned up as I'd use the time to practice riding switch etc etc
Why again? One aspect I failed to mention is that we get a small but steady stream of people contacting the ATBA wanting to try mountainboarding in the East-Midlands area. At the moment we point them in the direction of the nearest centres which is usually Hales (hour+half drive). It will make life simpler if we can let them know that something will be happening every Monday somewhere significantly closer.
Darley??? It's here: Parking off Darley Park Road, nice slope to the East.
View Larger Map
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Bosch IXO Electric Screwdriver
In the first of my 'useful things that are handy for mountainboarding, but aren't absolutely essential' series of articles, is this short one detailing the merits of the....
Small and handy, this tool is perfect for tinkering with the angle of snowboard bindings as it comes direct with the 4mm attachment required. Featuring ergonomic grip, charging cradle and easy switched forward/reverse operation, this screw driver can reduce a noSno down to the size of a small suitcase in a matter of seconds! This attachment will also fit MBS Matrix adjustment screws, shaving vital seconds off your changing egg shocks speed record (for the 'Dirt-Box Egg-Shock Speed Change Challenge!'). I paid approximately £35 around 4 years ago from a DIY store and it's still going strong as ever but getting one a bit cheaper on-line should be easy enough.
Small enough to pack in a backpack, but also powerful for many jobs around the house too, the Bosch IXO Electric Screwdriver isn't essential, but it is certainly very, very useful.
Bosch IXO Electric Screwdriver!
Monday, 16 January 2012
Return of the Macc - It's officially Annual!
So, just to start with a little bit of history. Way back in late 2008, Roger (LB4UL), JC and Joe Gatley hatched an idea to encourage more people to come out freeriding: the plan - meet up in the middle of an isolated forest at the coldest time of the year. From the subsequent photos and the writeup, it appeared to be a success and the following year, with yet again frost all around, more riders turned up to do it all again. I wrote about it here, it was a good'un.
Same thing happened again last December. Not so many riders this time, but still plenty of action taking place and enough of a buzz to keep the spirit alive. Fast forward to late November 2011 and murmurings were taking place here and there, especially over twitter, suddenly the cool place to hang out. 'Surely there's going to be another Macc event?', these 140 character limited messages requested. But bar a few reassuring responses, not much was happening - the lead up to Christmas suddenly becoming very busy busy for everyone. And that might have been the end of the story.....
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