The journey from small guy to teenager...

[weeksy]

^ remember, he is going to discover girls at some stage
Make sure you still have some hobbies

"don't really have time for a girlfriend even if i wanted one"... was his comment yesterday. Obviously it won't last forever... but it's not on his radar

[Mr Moofo]

^ remember, he is going to discover girls at some stage
Make sure you still have some hobbies

"don't really have time for a girlfriend even if i wanted one"...

We all said that once

[Crosshair]

You never know, it could be how he MEETS his girlfriend for a win win They could end up as a couple of sponsored van-life MTB vloggers

[weeksy]

So we're now straight in for Bala (Rhyd-y-Felin) and a Pearce race on the 20th/21st. Not long and a few jobs need sorting on the bike.

Due to timescales and things i'm going to outsource a few of the jobs to my local friendly LBS at Rotec

Jobs list.
1. New pads and a full caliper service/bleed on the Tech3/V4s (Rotec)
2. Sort dink in the rear rim on rear race wheel (Rotec)
3. Sort 2x dink in the front race wheel (Rotec)
4. Lowers service/oil/clean on the Boxxers (Rotec)
5. Bearing check and replacement on Blue race bike
6. New chain on the blue race bike
7. Reconfigure gearing on purple spare bike to 10sp setup
8. Reconfigure alignment of idler on purple spare bike
9. Tyre swap on spare wheel rear (torn sidewall)
10. Gear cable replacement on blue race bike.

As you can see that's just the race bikes. I've currently got the RM Slayer in pieces and needing a new rear mech fitted/installed due to it being very sticky. I took it apart to service it last week but screwed up the P-spring which i'm now waiting for, but i've got a new mech on it's way from Bird.
The Privateer 141 needs 'something' fixing/cleaning/sorting as it's got a bit of a creak on it, i checked all the pivot bearings the other day but haven't quite found it yet.

After the Pearce race the Fox X2 will head off to TFTuned for a service/refresh as it'll have been on the bike for about 50 hours by then.

Admittedly it's not like it's a full weeks work, but i can only do in the evenings/weekends so it does take a bit of time i must say.

2023-05-17_11-21-01 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

That's the oil after just 2 months.

Jobs list.
1. New pads and a full caliper service/bleed on the Tech3/V4s (Rotec) DONE
2. Sort dink in the rear rim on rear race wheel (Rotec) DONE
3. Sort 2x dink in the front race wheel (Rotec) DONE
4. Lowers service/oil/clean on the Boxxers (Rotec) DONE
5. Bearing check and replacement on Blue race bike DONE
6. New chain on the blue race bike DONE
7. Reconfigure gearing on purple spare bike to 10sp setup DONE
8. Reconfigure alignment of idler on purple spare bike DONE
9. Tyre swap on spare wheel rear (torn sidewall) DONE
10. Gear cable replacement on blue race bike. Not done.

Add to that, this week we've had 2 new pairs of DMR Deathgrips and a new pair of Crankbrothers shoes.

[Mr Moofo]

^ seals working well then!

[weeksy]

^ seals working well then!

It got new and uprated seals ... but i guess that's the nature of the terrain and mud we've been riding.

[weeksy]

I've been unhappy with the rear mech for a while on his race bike. The arm is VERY sticky... but as well as that, the pivot points are somewhat wobbly. The local friendly mechanic at Rotec noticed it the other day too.
Of course we have a spare,
2023-05-19_08-17-36 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

But that isn't exactly perfect either, i threw it on but it's slightly sticky compared to the spare bike...

So i jumped on CRC/Wiggle yesterday and they have a Saint in the right flavour for £95 so i've ordered that.... That makes it a pretty expensive week up to now after fork service, brake rebuild, 2 sets of Hope pads and a dead rear tyre.. LOL. Once you add in petrol to FoD this week and then all the weekends expense for getting up to Rhyd-y-Felin and staying for the weekend... it's not a cheap one.

The mech will go on once it arrives today, so we'll be golden for the weekend. I'm hoping that's all the bike needs for now.

[weeksy]

Well that went about as smoothly as it's possible to do so.

Ordered yesterday from CRC and paid for DPD delivery, which arrived nicely.... Went on easy, set and configured with no issues.

2023-05-19_02-28-21 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

2023-05-19_02-28-17 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

2023-05-19_02-28-11 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Of course, all of this means that on run1 of practice, he'll stick it in a tree and explode it into 1000 pieces

[weeksy]

Oh that was a weekend... once again fraught with entertainment.

Sat started well, with early bacon, coffee at Greggs, then up to the track... get set up handy and out for 6-7 practice runs, a few tyres swaps to test things for him and lots of chatting with the coach and teammates. He had a blast and loved the track.

I was a little busier in the pits as one of our riding/racing mates was having a few problems. He races in Juvenile class and had blown up his shock so was basically stuffed. Out came the purple Fury and he was sent out on it to ride for a test. After 1 run he declared his love for the GT and went out for the rest of the day/weekend on it, looking excellent and giving me a massive thumbs up every time he went past the gazebo.

Half way through the afternoon, a bloke comes over looking very sorry for himself, he's lost the pivot flip-chip and bolt for his shock... How surprised was he when i had one in spares. He was beside himself with pleasure, even more so when after noticing a few issues with his setup, i transformed his handling by changing his pivot from low to high which meant he was running a better head angle for the mullet. I then noticed his bearing on his idler was seized so set about changing that for him. He rocked up the next morning with beer and cider as a thank you.

Morning practice was sunny and hot... the boys were going well, including the lad on purple Fury who was out on it again.

Race time soon came upon us and purple boy stuck the spare bike in 12th place on run 1.

My boy went out, came down, according to the commentator was 2s off at the split. As he came into the arena, he stacked it MASSIVELY !!! Within about 10m of where he stacked it this time last year in the same event !!! He cartwheeled off the track and Mrs Weeksy went rushing to help him. A minute or so later he was back on his feet, gave me a look and i moved the tape and he went and finished the run to a round of applause from the crown... and much "WTF" from Mrs Weeksy.

The discussions started. He'd lost his footing/pedal on the way into the drop and couldn't get it back... Which is where it went wrong. But as well as that he once again complained of lever problems with his front brake. Every now and again it comes back to the bar, but then re-finds itself after a few pulls. We'd had this at both Rheola and Fort William, hence why this Tues i gave the brakes to the LBS who stripped pistons from calipers, overhaled them with new seals, fluid and a service kit all round... I was hoping that would be the end of it, but once again, no. They Hope Tech3 V4s, some say they're prone to the issue.

While he was in med-center and getting pain killers i set about stripping the brakes off and fitting a set of SRAM CodeR. They're very much a known quantity to me and whilst they may not have the outright performance of the Hopes, IMO they work well, work simply. A quick bleed and we were away. Gave them a few runs on the grass to bed them in a bit.

He then mentioned the headset lol, so that was stripped out and top bearing replaced as well.

I sent him back out... much to the despair of Mrs Weeksy who was "we're not going home?".... Errrrm no, says the boy, i'm going out for run2. lol.

As he was struggling to move, stand and get on the bike, she wasn't happy... but the adrenaline kicked in as did the pain killer and out he went for it.

As we walked up, purple guy came down for run 2 and stuck the spare bike into 9th, his best finish at a Pearce race !!!! Awesome... He was pretty chuffed i can tell you.

15 mins later the boy came down and stuck it in for a final result of 24/45. But that only tells half the story... His teammate Drew is often quicker than him, but Drew ended up 25th. Not only that, but the gaps to the top 10 racers is again a lot closer for the lad, he doesn't need to pick up MASSES of seconds...


We were looking at his time today, 3min 32s. Last year he did a 4min 26 for 19/25. So nearly a minute quicker.. there's a couple of minor differences in the layout, but very much the same track.

We're back home now and i'll be on Pinkbike/Ebay/somewhere tomorrow working out what brakes he'll be running from now on. I can tell you this, it won't be the Hopes, he's lost confidence in them and in truth, so have I. Whilst they may be up to Trail/Enduro... For DH something seems off with them.

Beer o'clock and feet up

2023-05-21_08-29-55 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[weeksy]

Video thanks to funky dunk.



Tell you what, he wasn't that quick on run 2. Damn.

He now looks like he has a tattoo of a back protector with the wavey ridges on his back.

[millemille]

For the Hopes to be doing what you've described there's only one reason why, they're not fully bled.

I had exactly the same symptoms you describe with my V4's, lever going back to the bar with no warning and then going back to normal, on the first few rides after i got them.

I sorted it by running a ridiculous amount of fluid through them, using the proper Hope fluid reservoir cup and bleeder.

[MingtheMerciless]

Just burn the things and fit Saints/Codes etc.

[weeksy]

For the Hopes to be doing what you've described there's only one reason why, they're not fully bled.

I had exactly the same symptoms you describe with my V4's, lever going back to the bar with no warning and then going back to normal, on the first few rides after i got them.

I sorted it by running a ridiculous amount of fluid through them, using the proper Hope fluid reservoir cup and bleeder.

WEll they came working and they've been fully rebuilt by the LBS who's worked on tonnes of Hopes.. I'm not disagreeing with you as such... But i do trust him implicitly. However, the simple fact is, they're not going back on.

Currently the Codes will be staying.. until i/we come up with a better plan. My preference is to stick to Code or maybe Code RSC.

[weeksy]

Looking at the results that are now out, he was 19th on the first half of run 1.... 3s quicker than his 2nd run. Which i expect will both please and slightly disappoint him in equal amounts. But it does hopefully show him that he's got top 20 pace if he's on it.
But also he was only 17.8% from the Youth winner, which is his closest finish... Once you accept that even more than that, MAdley who rides for Madison Saracen was 9s quicker than 2nd place, well, it shows that the lads are both right in the melting pot.

The team out in practice together
randr-photo-10401227-2000px-by-c-jarman by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[Mr Moofo]

Just burn the things and fit Saints/Codes etc.

TBH , I have just sent my back to Hope to be serviced as they keep on binding to the disc ( the rear one)

[weeksy]

Race run 2.... the boy still trying despite the pain !

[millemille]

For the Hopes to be doing what you've described there's only one reason why, they're not fully bled.

I had exactly the same symptoms you describe with my V4's, lever going back to the bar with no warning and then going back to normal, on the first few rides after i got them.

I sorted it by running a ridiculous amount of fluid through them, using the proper Hope fluid reservoir cup and bleeder.

WEll they came working and they've been fully rebuilt by the LBS who's worked on tonnes of Hopes.. I'm not disagreeing with you as such... But i do trust him implicitly. However, the simple fact is, they're not going back on.

Currently the Codes will be staying.. until i/we come up with a better plan. My preference is to stick to Code or maybe Code RSC.

The other thing I've found with my Hopes is they are very sensitive to the level of fluid in the master cylinder reservoir and what happens if the bike goes on an uplift or similar where the bike hangs vertically, with the same consequences of the lever going back to the bar with no warning as air gets into and then leaves the system.

[weeksy]

For the Hopes to be doing what you've described there's only one reason why, they're not fully bled.

I had exactly the same symptoms you describe with my V4's, lever going back to the bar with no warning and then going back to normal, on the first few rides after i got them.

I sorted it by running a ridiculous amount of fluid through them, using the proper Hope fluid reservoir cup and bleeder.

WEll they came working and they've been fully rebuilt by the LBS who's worked on tonnes of Hopes.. I'm not disagreeing with you as such... But i do trust him implicitly. However, the simple fact is, they're not going back on.

Currently the Codes will be staying.. until i/we come up with a better plan. My preference is to stick to Code or maybe Code RSC.

The other thing I've found with my Hopes is they are very sensitive to the level of fluid in the master cylinder reservoir and what happens if the bike goes on an uplift or similar where the bike hangs vertically, with the same consequences of the lever going back to the bar with no warning as air gets into and then leaves the system.

That is of course VERY possible yes as the bike is obviously uplifted multiple times per day... They're listed on Ebay/Pinkbike now and looking at Code RSCs.

[weeksy]

[Beancounter]

The word catapulted springs to mind.