Australia FNQ - Virgin

[Jakobi]

Cut in some new singles with a couple of blokes who are competing in Romaniacs 2014. One in the silver class, the other in bronze.

Was a great day but really highlighted some areas that need some improving - especially on the return trip with some fatigue in the mix. Look forward to getting out and smashing out a few more loops. Its a good 20-30kms of single track that runs through virgin bush, up and down valleys, with ridgelines linking it all up. A few nice creeks to cross too.

I think I'd like to try a 52 tooth rear on the 2010 model. Next time out I'll take the 2013 and see how it performs in comparison.

Heres the monster hill on the return through Spear Creek. Pictures taken from half way up. The second pic shows the angle.

[Vindicator]

Looks yummy . Where's the video ?

[Jakobi]

On a mates facebook. Was going to link it but I think its private. She's still haunting me in my sleep! Need to get back and keep workin at it!

[liv2day]

Looks like fun Jakobi, so cool you're our riding with folks that will throw their skills at Romaniacs.

+1 on the video - always fun to see that if it's available.

Any chance you're running GPS and know the elevation gain of that climb? I did a crazy trail in the Gifford Pinchot area last summer that started off at like 1600ft and went to 5200ft in ~8 miles - one of the hardest things I've attempted...lol. The profile is below - it's the huge spike in the middle...lol.

[Jakobi]

I don't run a gps so can't help you there. It would have been no more than a couple hundred meters elevation, at around a 45degree climb. It was straight up though, with rocks and a few tight trees on the climb. The sort of hill that wouldn't really be an issue if you could crank into it in 3rd and keep it on the boil, but had enough challenges that you really had to work at keeping 2nd gear singing, and with the 250 as it dropped off the pipe it just didn't have enough unf to get back going.

Your contours look crazy! One can only assume it was a nasty switch back goat trail.

[liv2day]

Originally Posted by Jakobi

Your contours look crazy! One can only assume it was a nasty switch back goat trail.

Hit the nail on the head Jakobi; not only was it a nasty switch-back, but it was filled with frickin' boulders...lol.

Not trying to hijack your thread, but if you to see a pathetic attempt to ride it when I was still on my KTM 300, here's the 1st section of video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWOBQ8K1xac

There are two other sections as well - took a long time to get to the top

[bowhunter007]

Originally Posted by liv2day

Hit the nail on the head Jakobi; not only was it a nasty switch-back, but it was filled with frickin' boulders...lol.

Not trying to hijack your thread, but if you to see a pathetic attempt to ride it when I was still on my KTM 300, here's the 1st section of video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWOBQ8K1xac

There are two other sections as well - took a long time to get to the top

That's my fav, to ride at Gifford(only 2 hrs from home). Up or down...physically demanding. We've ridden Bishop Ridge many times. Try it at night. I near pulled the cover off the seat pan at the top, riding along the cliff, getting hammered by the overhanging brush.

[Jakobi]

I had a quick play with the gps data..

Looks like it goes up and down. The hill in the pics is the downhill at 12.78kms. Only drops around 150-200M at most, but over no ground at all, from a valley, and is crazy steep at the top.

[liv2day]

Originally Posted by Jakobi

I had a quick play with the gps data..

Looks like it goes up and down. The hill in the pics is the downhill at 12.78kms. Only drops around 150-200M at most, but over no ground at all, from a valley, and is crazy steep at the top.

Yeah, that first climb appears to cover ~600ft of elevation gain in a very short stretch...have to be hauling balls to get up...lol.

I've read through your '13 review - can you tell me how the seat height compares to your '10? Is it a longer reach to the ground?

[Jakobi]

It definitely sits up higher, and definitely feels heavier to move the back end around too. The seat height worried me the first time I threw a leg over, but once geared up the extra weight and extra height gained by the boots means I have zero issues touching the ground. I'm 175cm. The chasis feel quite a bit different back to back and I think I prefer the newer. Just feels easier to go faster on.