First off i should be doing this over on www.hardtailnation.co.uk but this new server wont let me on the admin site, seems to work over here, the joy of a new PC (not mine) and a new server (again not mine) so learning how to work this as well. Anyway moved from the nice hilly edge of exmoor and 20mins drive from the Quantocks to Grimsby ! (against my will) it’s very very flat here, with hardly any trees and the only woodland i have found is all “private keep out” type of woods. The upside is we at HTN are getting a secret bunker to work in as lock ups are cheap round here, the whiffy end of the fish docks is really cheap, the plan is to push the Hardtail side of things over the winter and hopefully get some test bikes in. In between that i will be floating back down south for work, the odd race if cash permits it and tap water that i can drink, not nice up here the water, it leaves a horrible scum in your teacup, been forced to drink red wine until we got a water filter.
Nearly everything i own in the back of that truck, still got my little flat so i can go do the south west winter races and work part time, while i do up the flat and maybe try and rent it out. My wife has been stationed up here and they loan you a house, so if i work this right i could be a kept man ! (maybe someone will pay me for doing this one day?)
So we got online yesterday and today i bunked off the housework to drive 300miles for a little 2010 press/trade launch down at Madison Hq.
They remembered me from my last trip, and they locked the workshop doors this time, still got into trouble though ! you see Albert made me hold a prototype frame, then he had to catch someone else, i was left holding the Genesis baby, only one in the entire world, turned up yesterday, possible future project to be tested by one of there team riders. So while holding the new baby, some prototype carbon forks caught my eye and so did a set of digital scales, bit of quick juggling try not to drop the one-off frame and then i got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time with my camera. Nearly dropped the frame when i got caught ( would not have been good) the jist of it is this, one-off, may never see production, details a secret, dont ask for one because there is only one ! ok got that, so heres a snap of the one-off frame i cant talk about. It’s good to see that companies are out there making and trying new stuff (orange Strange is another) they might give me a minder next time i go there (if they let me in)
As you all know, billy is now the world cup reporter and has taken to riding a susser (hes older than me) and dirt dont really do hardtails, well it’s a DH bias mag and Peaty and Hill etc etc dont race DH on HT, so i get to focus on the HT’s and not worry to much about the lastest Commencal sussers (although that SX looks good in the flesh) so pretty much just HTs in this blog. So 2 more from Genesis.
That should be an Abyss rrp£1249.99 and pretty much a good all rounder, change the tyres for xc/trail centres, wind the fork up or down for 4x/xc/all mountain, i reckon raceable off the peg (sure they mentioned testers ?!) should be good for a go at everything, the other in purple is a core 50 rrp£1199.99 the Core ones start at £599.99, bit more xc/trail bike depends on what you want, but looks good as well.
New Bell colourways for the faction, tried to load the new drop full face but this new pc dont like the file and wont let it upload, so have some Giro Remedy’s instead.
Right back to bikes then and a super pimp limited edition Ti 4x frameset,now if i read the press pack right (i could be wrong) it’s Ti, it’s pricey i think it comes with a Thompson Elite seatpost / E13 LG1 / Tange intergrated 1 1/8 headset for (sit down) £1899.99 (no they wouldnt lend me one).
A Ramones 2 in blue for £949.99 the Commencal take on one bike to do it all on, again like the Genesis Abyss this looks raceable off the peg, the ramone 1 is £1249.99 with a better spec. And onto a right little cracker the Absolut 1 Al £999.99 aimed more at the DJ 4xcers and pretty much race ready for the average person.
To finish off Saracen ! yep the brand is back, been rejigged, the Zen is still there, more will follow at the iceshow next year, like the Myst range of freeride and downhill bikes, the press pack states “Our downhill/freeride range will be ready to race right out of the box, featuring a new frame design with adjustable travel, and sweet handling and a price tag that wont scare you into the next decade !! We want to make these bikes accessible to the future of the sport, but still an upgradeable platform to race on.” Now to me that sounds like fighting talk, i reckon ! just a wild guess because there are no details, but i reckon they are after the Spesh Big Hit / Norco Atomic bracket. Be very interesting to see what they come up with, at the end of the day getting more people into the sport is a good thing. For now check out these dirt jumpers, the white one is an Amplitude AL1 £799.99 DJ3 fork and Spank bars and stem, the black one is an Amplitude CR3 £649.99 also with DJ3 fork.
If the new dirt jumpers are anything to go buy, and they do look fab, i really cant wait to see what else (even sussers) is hiding under wraps, i think me and dave at HTN may have to try it on for a “tester” as that Amp AL1 could well be a bargin get going do it all dj 4x dh racer. Just have to wait for the big show now !
