New ebike, cheater :) heeeere's greeny

[crust]

So after months of deliberating, a few test rides, a couple of attempts at try-outs in the Peaks - the last one successful - yay and some converdsations with couchie and many with weeksy I bit the bullet, pressed check out and bought one.

I hired a Trek Rail 5 and did a ride with Couchie, Mille Mille and Weeksy in the Peaks, it convinced me a lightweight ebike wasn't for me and that I liked the Trek Rail 5 but not its suspension. However there was a limit to the budget, luckily Trek have a few of last years Rail 9s left, good spec and decent suspension - job done.
A bit of a wait and on friday off to Kingston to pick it up.

IMG-20230526-WA0003 by crust, on Flickr

[crust]

Got it home, set suspension sag, tyre pressures, take off reflectors, sort a few bits.

Then next day, off to FOD with Weeksy. The man set a few more bits for me and off to the trails. A bit of the verderers climb then he got bored of Josh (James' team mates dad) and I chatting while he went red and dripped and he led us to on a technical Red which started with a drop off a rock ledge - still learning the bike meant too slow on launch so SCUFF! nice scratch on my shiny new engine cover.

:- engine bash guard added to shopping list

Did the next drop ok, as well as some small jumps (tiny but definitely whells off the ground). Then onto some familiar trails and a bit of suspension fiddling. A good day in the forest.

20230527_132515 by crust, on Flickr

Topped off with some cold refreshment

20230527_133843 by crust, on Flickr

[weeksy]

Top riding matey. You were way better than last time for sure.

I think it's the perfect plan and time

[crust]

Had a bit of time this afternoon, oh, only got 45% battery. Meh, go for a quick one.

Stormed up a local hill that normally has me blowing and forcing myself to get up in second on the manual, steamed around the local loop - 13.94 miles in an hour and eight mins.

Confirmed that the saddle is like stiing on a fence post - charge spoon ordered
Cant fit a normal bottle cage - side loader ordered

Next is an invisiframe kit to go with the bash guard

[matt]

Very nice

[Couchy]

They’re ace they do all the work for you

[weeksy]

They’re ace they do all the work for you

If you'd seen him on the up bits, you'd know it's true...

On the down bits.... maybe a bit less

[Couchy]

They’re ace they do all the work for you

If you'd seen him on the up bits, you'd know it's true...

On the down bits.... maybe a bit less

I agree if you ride with poor people at their speed on their analogue bikes

[millemille]

Skilllzzz! @crust

We going to see more of you in the Peaks now?

[weeksy]

Skilllzzz! @crust

We going to see more of you in the Peaks now?

Not at 8am

[millemille]

Skilllzzz! @crust

We going to see more of you in the Peaks now?

Not at 8am

Too late for you?

I can do half six, no bother...

[crust]

Sure, am looking forward to more Peak District explorations, though as Mr Weeks knows I'm not an early bird, last time was early enough.

[Mr Moofo]

Same colour that mine should be ...
Waiting to see when it arrives

[crust]

Didn't like the Bontrager saddle and couldn't fit a normal bottle cage so onto the net.

Friday postie delivered a Charge spoon saddle and a side loading bottle cage, duly fitted them. The rear shock was making a squelching noise on hard hits, so let the air out and refilled it, stopping every 30/40 psi to bounce up and down on the shock to equalise the chambers - it's worked, bounced over some big roots today, silence

Was going over to a mates today, ooh, its only 11 miles, I'll take the ebike , coming back - if I go over the river

[Mr Moofo]

The saddle is as close to torture as you get! I am fussy about saddles but that is the pits!
The grips are rubbish as well!
The colour is great!

[crust]

152 miles later.

Loving this bike, it's a whole different vibe to manual biking. Climbs are pretty much irrelevant, so don't figure in the slightest in route choice, in fact yesterday I chose to ride up stuff I'd normally route around or only ride down. Doing longer rides at a higher speed, though only in the Z2 range, will be interested to see if its making me fitter.

Still playing with suspension settings, slowly dialling it in. It's very plush front and rear, just a bit tweaking.

Mods so far:
Swap saddle for a charge spoon, Invisiframe kit - fitted by LBS as I couldn't be arsed with the faff, Weeksy shortened the front brake line for me as it stuck out begging to get hooked on something.

Whats next: Motor protector - carbon or ally? Hmm

Still struggling to find a bottle cage and bottle that fit, bought a Leyzne one thats cut open two bottles

20230617_172331 by crust, on Flickr

[Noggin]

Still struggling to find a bottle cage and bottle that fit, bought a Leyzne one thats cut open two bottles

Would a CamelBak type rucksack solve the water bottle thing? I'm guessing there's a practical reason that you guys prefer bottles to the rucksack water thingy, but, just wondered

[Couchy]

I’ve got a specialized side loading bottle cage on mine, has the little tool kit on the bottom of it. Used with loads of different bottles no problem.

[Mr Moofo]

The deffo need stronger motor protector - as I bashed mine first ride out but world go alloy - carbon is going to last about 30 metres
People as seem to fit rear linkage protectors but I am not sure how well they would work.

Bontrager saddle is gone!

[crust]

I bashed my motor guard first time out as well, so I've been looking at these two, the carbon one offers better protection, however the ally one looks more robust, hmmm

https://rockguardz.com/product/rockguardz/trek-rail/

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225403298407 ... nsEALw_wcB

I've got some 1.5 mm rubber sheet so I'm going to cut one of these out.

https://www.hktproducts.co.uk/collectio ... ucnbgZarJ4