Unwanted in that I'd high hopes for plenty of Scottish skiing again this year but the winter has been something of a disappointment, despite a promising start. That said it's just kicked off again and there is a faint chance I might be able to cash in on it...
Related or not, my knees have decided to give me some gyp and as with 2019, I've a feeling that too much bike riding early season and not enough walking / skiing are partly to blame. I'll work my way through various things to try to sort them, given I'm supposed to be turning up to the Highland Trail group start at the end of May. But in the meantime I'm after diversions.
And speaking of which, last year my mate (aged 63) proudly showed me his DMR dirt jumper for use with his Grandson at the local pump track. Despite my assertion that he would hospitalise himself in short order he has persevered. He also suggested I have a shot. This actually tied in with an idle thought I'd been having to throw together a small, short and nippy trail blaster for a bit of fun. The origin of this was the launch of Surlys' Lowside a few years ago which I fancied but as I couldn't really justify yet another bike, I'd demurred.
As an alternative I threw together my old on-one inbred that had been languishing in the loft for several years. I'd bought this frame (like everybody else) in the mid 2000's when you could get them new for £100 or so. It was an impulse buy, brought on by starting to become bored with full suspension. I used it quite a bit but still felt the '5 was a far better bet for anything drastic, trail-wise. So it got abandoned, next seeing service as a winter commuter with road tyres. Then when I returned to cycle touring in 2010 it was dragged out on the basis that my Surly cross check was a wreck and I needed something that would deal with a few tracks.
Time moved on, 29ers, fatbikes, Krampus, Jones, gravel bikes, blah blah. But it occurred to me that a wee 26er hardtail was just the thing for the local woods and a bit of pump track action. The inbred would be ideal so after a bit of faff and a few quid for a headset, chain and tensioner, it was ready. It was a laugh to be sure, but it reminded me why 26" wheels with 2" tyres were fine when there was nothing else but somewhat lacking compared to wide tyres and big wheels. The bombers (23 years old and still absolutely fine, despite one oil change only) were fine downhill but singlespeed type stood up climbing was like being on a pogo stick.
Hey ho, it cost me £25 to build so I wasn't complaining. I thought of selling it but in the end, back to the loft it went.
So now what. Surly's were scrutinised and a Karate monkey seemed a good option as Lowsides were all gone until February at least. I could squeeze onto a medium which would avoid too long a top tube and make it nice and nimble. But £1000 for frameset seemed a bit steep and if I was wanting front suspension that could be locked out I'd need another £400... Plus it wouldn't really be hugely different from my already nimble Krampus. An on one huntsman caught my attention as they were going cheap but I didn't really want a full bike as I had plenty of bits. Plus I'm totally not getting modern geometry with 65 degree (or less) head angles and top tubes a good inch longer than my already long Ice Cream Truck frame for my notional size. A mate with a Ragley confirmed my misgivings, stating it was great downhill with a bit of speed, but through low speed nadgery stuff was a bit unwieldy and not that comfortable, given the stretch to the bars. As I'm also going through a period of back pain this did not appeal.
No, I wanted something short, tight, and after looking into the current state of play with suspension forks, fully rigid. Coil and oil seems to be making a come back but only if you have a lot of money to spend. As per Steve Worland's comment many years ago when he tested an OG Kramp - no suspension is better than crap suspension. I'd actually thought of putting a bouncy fork on the Kramp but one look at it's svelte rigid lines knocked that idea firmly over the back fence.
Which left a choice of nothing, and I forgot the whole exercise. Except on the 10th of February (my birthday) after a couple of beers, I was scanning the web once more and my 'rigid single speed mountain bike frame' search turned up the Lowside (again.) Except they were now in stock! Better yet, Swinerton cycles were doing both the completes and the framesets with 15% off in a flash sale. Not wanting to rush anything I had another beer and ordered a frame, size medium, i.e. one size less than what I should really get. I nearly went with the full build but a quick calc indicated I could do my own for £400 less. An extra long dropper post would deal with the short seat tube, then I would only need wheels and a few sundry's to build it up as I could source everything from the shed.
My only aberration would be to nick the Surly sunrise bars off the Kramp, as these were what Surly spec on the LS and seemed fitting. The Kramp will get either the spare loops or another pair of high and wides at some point.
During the following week various bits turned up, then finally the frameset. It looked mint in its 'Dream Tangerine' paint job but also quite small....The first throw together (after the usual faff with anti rust stuff, sawing steerer tubes, pressing in headsets, fiddling with BB's cranks, brakes etc.) went OK, more or less but my wheels still hadn't turned up so I chucked on a pair of 29er wheels I'd acquired second hand when I was still thinking Karate monkey. This gave the bike a real cruiser BMX vibe (think SE ripper), with about a 30% increase all round. They were a bit tight against the fork crown and chainstay bridge (and not recommended by Surly) but I may return to these at some point.
One of the original Surly bikes, which predated the name 'Surly' even was the 'Rat Ride' - a fairly unique (for the time) SS only bike. This evolved into the Surly 1x1 which in turn evolved into this. So I though the sticker would be appropriate, plus I like rats!
The wheels turned up eventually - a bargain set of Bontragers with nice wide rims. I'd acquired a set of cheap tensioners but the thru axle was too short for both so after spending ages making one with a flat washer, which then slipped as I couldn't hammer up the axle bolt too tight for fear of stripping it, I just went with one. I might come back to this at some point as it is easier with a tensioner on each side, as per a motorbike. A garden test followed, then more fiddling, more riding, more fiddling and it's done.
Nice try, but ultimately duff
And looks very cool. The tyres were a bargain but rather heavy. That said, all in it's only a hair heavier than the Jones thanks to the wee frame. First ride was round an un-seasonably dry Blair Adam forest and its rooty, noodley trails. It was an absolute hoot. Being so short it was easy to pick the front up to clear any obstacle I felt was marginal on the (very small looking) 27.5 x 2.8 tyres. I get the feeling that the current vogue for easy rider head angles and forks with 6" of travel is for people who can't do this, as much as for real racers to go fast. A few days later I rode the trails in Devilla and there is plenty of logs, rocks, benches and other obstacles to try to ride up / onto / over so I'm onto a winner. Flat pedals mean stress free wheelie practice, so that's also on the cards, as my one wheel technique has waned in recent years.
All of which will distract me from not being able to do many miles until my knees settle, will re-build some of my technical riding skills, and be huge fun to boot. It actually feels pretty comfy on track sections, even with a long length of seat post sticking up. The top tube feels spot on length-wise (it's between the Jones and Krampus) dispelling any myths about long top tubes making a bike more comfortable. So maybe I will go bikepacking on it!
Not sure about hitting the pump tracks though....
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