First Ride Review - Yeti ARC Carbon

 

As a first outing for my new race bike it would be hard to beat a high heartrate thrash around the flowing trails of Porridgepot Hill in the sunshine with my mates. We started by previewing the course for May's Southern XC Championships. The course had a couple of good steep hills to attack, the rest was a beautifull, rhythmic singletrack blast which just challenges you to ride as fast as you can! After a fortnight without rain the conditions couldn't have been more perfect for properly testing my new bike to the max!

I was up late burning the midnight oil in the shed the night before, building up my new Yeti ARC Carbon frameset. 9am the following morning we set off on a 3hr ride around some of the best trails I have ridden.

Immediately it was obvious that this bike begs to be ridden hard. The stiffness at the rear is electrifying, press on the pedals and the bike surges forward. In dusty bermed corners the back wheel tracks exactly where you want it, providing a very accurate, point and shoot style of ride.

In comparison my 2011 S-Works provides a very compliant ride but in corners it can feel a bit wooly. 

3 hours later and I was still enjoying throwing the bike into every flick, curve and technical decent. The directness hadn't become harsh or tiring, perhaps the Syntace HiFlex seatpost helped, but there were no comfort issues here. It is early days, but as we rolled back into the carpark I reflected on one of the most enjoyable days cycling, on the best bike I have had the pleasure to ride.

New Ride! - Yeti ARC Carbon

Several months later than intended here is my new race bike for 2014. The observant among you will notice that this definitely isn’t the bright yellow S-Works I posted on here a couple of months back. My love affair with that stunning machine lasted up to the point where I hefted her onto the scales. Don’t get me wrong, 1340g is not a heavy frame, but when you consider the equally weighty price tag, you expect a bike like that to be at the cutting edge. 

So it is time to welcome a second Yeti into my life.  So why the Yeti ARC?
Firstly, yes, she is a bit of a looker, in traditional turquoise Yeti war paint. Secondly, (and you might say I am getting old here) is reliability. Life with my previous S-Works seemed to be a constant cycle of bearing maintenance. Yes, press-fit bearings are lighter, but the longest service I got from any of my bottom bracket bearings was six months and it was frequently a lot less. Equally the headset was forever in need of TLC as the sealing was basically non-existent. Yeti have stuck with a traditional 72mm threaded bottom bracket and metal inserts for the headset. This enables me to fit proper sealed bearings which I hope might actually see me through to next year. 

Compared to my current S-Works the head angle is a little slacker and the top tube is longer, stretching the wheelbase. In theory this should produce more stable handling, especially at speed. The chainstays and bottom bracket height are all the same so it should feel quite familiar at the back. 

The majority of the components have been moved across from the old bike, but I have chosen some tasty new components to hang on this lovely frame. Gone are the S-Works cranks, which have caused me endless angst over the past three years. They are replaced by some Race Face Next SL cranks, which come in at around 500g including the bottom bracket! Wow! They have a stiff 30mm diameter axle which fits the Yeti’s threaded bottom bracket using Race Faces’s clever oversized BSA30 bearing cups.

Several of the reviews I have read on the Yeti mention it is a firm ride, so I have fitted a Syntace P6 HiFlex seatpost. This post is designed to flex, offering protection from lumps and bumps on the trail. The only other change is a shorter 80mm stem to balance the longer top tub.

The new Rock Shox SID Brain forks have been retained from the yellow S-Works. I’ll run them at the standard 90mm for a while and see how it feels before deciding if it is worth stepping up to the 100mm Yeti designed the frame around. 

First ride review to follow early next week.

Frame: Yeti ARC Carbon Medium
Fork: Rock Shox SID Brain 90mm
Crankset: Race Face Next SL - 32t
Drivechain: XTR
Wheelset: Light Bicycles Rims / Stans 3.30 hubs
Seatpost: Syntace P6 HiFlex
Stem: Ritchey WCS 80mm
Bars: S-Works 660mm
Brakes: Formula R1

Podium at Porridgepot

A blend of Goldfrapp and muffled commentary from the PA system drifted through the woods. I was nearing the end of my final lap, there was no more I could do to catch the rider ahead, all I had now was the occasional glimpse of him through the trees. I couldn’t hear a rider behind and I had seen nothing but an empty path when I had dared to glance over my shoulder a little earlier. I kept on pushing just in case, I was in third and would be standing on the podium for the first time this year, all I had to do now was bring it home. My attention moved to the bike and I started to worry, terrified every creak was the tell tale sign of an imminent component failure. I almost convinced myself that the rear tyre was going soft as I avoided stones and roots I had simply blasted straight across earlier in the race.

The final round of the Gorrick Spring Series had begun under clear blue skies. The course was dry and fast, with plenty of high speed singletrack to test the reflexes. I hadn’t entered the previous rounds so I was not gridded at the start, mingling instead with the massed ranks of riders lured out by the spring sunshine. As we dashed off down a steep, rooty decent I was repeatedly boxed in as we all jostled to get to the front. There wasn’t really any pressure on me for this event, it was a bit of a  bonus ride after a week away with the family in Devon scoffing chips and ice-cream. With nothing to lose I was probably slightly more assertive than normal and forced my way into 5^th as the path narrowed.

The leader quickly pulled away from the group of three ahead of me, as I fought to stay in contact. Gorrick have re-jigged their start times, but I cannot understand why they set the womens races off first. We were almost immediately catching the back markers and there is nothing more frustrating than watching your opponents pull away while you’re snarled up behind a slower rider. I was bulked a couple of times and had to push hard to get back on the wheels of those ahead. Having closed the gap I dipped inside one and then another at a couple of the slower corners, but we were all clogged up behind the rider in 2^nd . Finally the path opened onto a short section of tarmac and I accelerated past, towing those behind through with me. Having stolen a slipstream, they tried to sneak ahead at the next corner, but I closed the door and pushed hard up the next hill. Over the top of the climb the series leader came past and we slowly rode away from those following.

 
By the end of the first lap I had dropped 20 seconds behind 2^nd place and spent the next two laps repeatedly attempting to close the gap. Half way through the final lap I got within a couple of bike lengths, but I had burnt my bridges and when he pushed for home towards the end I couldn’t go with him. Despite my paranoia there was no puncture and the bike held together perfectly, on perhaps it’s final competitive outing. I passed under the finishing banner extremely pleased with 3^rd position.

South Downs Bikes CC

Unfortunately I was defeated by Man Flu on Sunday, so there is no race report from Hungry Hill this week. From my death bed I have been industriously working on a new kit design for the South Downs Bikes Cycle Club. Let me know what you think!

If you want to find out what the club members have been up to lately, or tag along on the next group ride then check out the brand new club website. www.sdbcc.co.uk

Traffic Report! Southern XC Round 1

Sunday was a stunning day and the first ride of 2014 in shorts! The skies were clear, the sun was warm on my back, it could have been August. The beautiful Spring weather drew a mammoth entry for the first round of the Southern XC Series, at Wasing near Reading.

The course was flat and fast, the trails criss-crossed by a tangled network of roots. Luckily it was dry and riders could just clatter over the woody speed bumps. The large entry meant lots of spectators too, families making a day of it, deck chairs and picnic rugs spread out in the sun. It really made for a great atmosphere.

Based on last years results I wasn't gridded, which was bad news given the huge field. I lined up on the 7th row with a sea of 50 riders stretching out ahead of me. I dodged past a few on the first fireroad climb, but repeatedly got boxed in, and then had to slow as the pack slipped, single file into the wood. Now bouncing around on the roots it was even harder to make headway, the serpentine trails never really opening up to offer an easy passing opportunity. I made what could best be described as steady progress into the top 40 by the end of the first lap.

There were three technical sections during the lap, but my courage had deserted me. (Too many wimpy miles training on the road this winter.) So in the end I was taking the B-line at all three! Each probably only lost me 5-10 seconds, but over five laps that adds up to several minutes!

It wasn't until the 5th and final lap that the trail ahead cleared, which unfortunately meant I wasn't catching and passing anybody. My lap times are relatively poor reading, but I finished stronger than those ahead, which is positive for the marathon/enduro races I have planned later in the year. Most importantly I had really enjoyed myself, blasting around the singletrack in the sunshine, which at the end of the day is what it is all about!

New Term Starts!

You will have noticed I have been quiet for a few weeks. Well I decided to take a month off, not totally away from the bike, but away from the stress and rigours of racing. As much as a rest for the brain as the body. For some time now I have promised myself a break as there doesn't seem to be an 'off season' anymore. The endless round of Spring Series, Southerns, Summer Nationals and before you know it Winter Enduros provide little break throughout the year.

So what have I been doing? Well I've still been out on the bike, trying to beat the weather and put in some extra miles. One of the problems with constantly racing is that it can be hard to put in a good training base with the aim of actually improving your fitness.

This year my focus will shift slightly, away from the Olympic short course XC races, to the Marathon endurance format of racing. Hence the need to put in some miles!

Having said that my first race of the new 2014 season is the first round of the Southern XC at Wasing near Reading. It'll be a training race, i.e. I haven't tapered, but it'll be a great chance to hone the technical skills after a winter of tempo training rides on the road. It always takes a few races to get back into the swing of things, so some of the other riders might have an edge but unusually for a Southern XC the weather looks positively spring like!

The new bike has had a few set backs so I am still on the same bike as last year. I have upgraded the fork to a Rock Shox SID Brain. Hopefully the 15mm bolt thru front axel will improve front end accuracy. Other than that the bike is as it was last year with just a fresh new Rotor bottom bracket. 

Good Old Fashioned Fun!

The bike industry is based on constantly evolving technology. Every 12 months the manufacturers release their latest wares; over night they would have you believe that your old kit has become so obsolete it is a miracle you can even ride down the high street to the shops on your old bike. Of course it isn't all marketing hype, bikes have progressed leaps and bounds since the early 90's. That constant development means we can now ride further and faster, over much more challenging terrain. I'm as much as a sucker as anyone for the latest shiny 11 speed widget or lightweight carbon thing-a-me! Perhaps we sometimes forget about the basic enjoyment in just riding a bike?

With my new mountain bike still work-in-progress and the road bike currently in desperate need of some TLC, my only choice was the frankenstein commuter/cross bike lurking in the dark at the back of the shed. Originally cobbled together from a mismatched assortment of parts raided from the spares box, it had only been intended for transporting my son around the local lanes. Dusted down and with a few tweaks it was once again pressed into active service for a 4 hour ride over a mixture of Sussex lanes and South Downs trails. Nothing new or innovative on this machine, but would this make the ride any less enjoyable?

 

At the heart of the bike is a 2001 Stumpjumper M4 fitted with a Salsa rigid fork. I have fitted some 29er Crest wheels, which with narrow 32mm Continental Touring tyres, doesn't throw the geometry out too much. The drivechain is an eclectic mix of 9 speed road casette and Ultegra rear mech, paired with an ancient XTR M960 crankset, modified to take a Blackspire 32t single chainring. All the other bits and pieces are old cast offs apart from the terrible Clarkes mechanical brakes which were a £10 internet purchase needed to get the beast rolling.

As soon as I left the luxury of tarmac and headed up Chalkpit Lane, I realised how spoilt we are now-a-days; modern suspension is like cheating! With narrow tyres and rigid forks I had to pick my line extremely carefully, even on the climbs. I had already chosen a route that stuck to the main bridleways and didn't take in any of the more technical trails we normally ride. It wasn't boring it was brilliant! I revisited paths I haven't ridden for years, and was able to take in the view instead of concentrating on dodging down the singletrack. Yes I was going slower (much slower) but actually it is just as challenging and rewarding. 

Mountain biking has moved on, and that is great, but getting on a bike like this reminded me of the 'good old days' when we still enjoyed every ride as much as we do now. No I'm not going to be riding this bike every weekend, for a start I'd need to convince all my friends to get retro bikes or I'd be left behind in an instant. However, it was a really enjoyable morning, a break from the norm and a chance to reminisce.