New Kit

Well they arrived and have gone down well. First race in the new kit was 10 Under The Ben. Here are a couple of pics from the event.

MTB Borders Jerseys

The New MTB Borders Jerseys are on their way !!!! Everyone will be ready for the new season of racing.

Full picture and details will be here very soon ;-)

http://www.mtb-borders.com

Christmas Ride

Saturday 15th saw the First annual MTB Borders Christmas Ride and night out.
It was a cold and frosty day but that didn't dampen the enthusiasm of our hardy riders lol Check the decorations and see just how hardy they are he he he
These were the only pics that can be published, as the ones from the evenings escapades are too risky !!!!!

MTB Borders Christmas Turkey Ride

Thursday 27th December 10am

Glentress Black/Red Route should be ideal ! especially in the snow As most people are off work between Christmas and New Year I think a ride is in order to burn off the excess Turkey It's either that or sit around the house watching the Wizard of Oz or making small talk with the In-laws LOLEveryone welcome, bring friends and don't forget the Turkey sandwiches !
Check the Forum for details

New Web Sites

Here are a couple of New Web Sites from some of our friends, check them out and be sure to spread the word !


http://www.trailshots.co.uk/

http://www.mountainadventure.biz/

New Tomac Bikes

Hello All,
Just a note to show you some of the coverage from the Sea Otter press launch of 2008 bicycles.

http://www.velonews.com/tech/report/articles/12051.0.html

http://www.singletrackworld.com/article.php?sid=2387&PHPSESSID=aaf69572933b20460131e32362886a43

Please note that the trail bike is called the Snyper, not the Spyder as shown in the stories. Also, there are a lot of inaccuracies in the story, so hopefully the pictures will at least be interesting to you. Most incorrect is the statement about the suspension being identical to the Santa Cruz Heckler. More to come on that later.

How to water-proof your Bike

Whether it’s melting snow, a blast across a cool stream, water is your bike’s worst enemy. The tasteless, clear liquid first performs as a carrier agent for dirt, creating a sandy paste that steals power from bearings, eats away at your brakes and grinds off years of life from your drivetrain. With repeated exposure, water will outsmart your O-rings and contact seals. Once it has broken down the last barriers, the water and sludge mixture pollutes any grease and oil it can find until it corrodes every moving part on your mountain bike.

Heavy stuff, eh? Well, don’t let a few combined hydrogen and oxygen atoms get in the way of your fun. MTB Borders has a few anti-moisture tricks and some good ol’ preventative maintenance tips that will keep your bike going until somebody figures out how to reverse global warming.

Catch 22: It takes water to keep water from ruining the bike. Immediately after mud rides, use a low-pressure garden hose and wash the grit away before it hardens like cement. Let the bike dry completely indoors overnight before relubricating your key parts. Protect the frame’s finish with bike polish or spray wax.

Lube aids: Load the pedal’s latching mechanism and springs with grease and they won’t pack with snow and mud easily. Spraying the underside of fenders and coating the pedals with a non-stick cooking spray like Pam helps shed the mud, too.

Double seal: Cut sections of rubber inner tubes to stretch over the headset cups, shock springs and the seatpost-to-seat tube junction. Lizard Skins makes stretchable covers that quickly install with hook and loop strips. If your fork came with fork boots, use ‘em.

Brakes that last: Standard brake pads wear quickly in inclement conditions. Ritchey, Kool-Stop and WTB sell special, hi-abrasive pads that are designed for longevity and superior winter stopping. Beware, wet-compound pads will not stop as well as harder dry-compound pads in warmer weather.

Cold weather ointment: Don’t even think of subjecting your ride to the elements without first giving it a fresh overhaul. All suspension pivots, headset, shock, fork and componentry should be relubricated with waterproof grease. Don’t forget to grease the seatpost where it inserts into the frame.

Positive communication: Moisture can work into the cable housings and freeze them solid. Occasionally unhook the housings from the frame guides and pull back the sealed housing caps. Blow them out with compressed air or use a clamp-on lubrication device to inject a “dry” lubricant into the housing until it flows out the opposite end. WD40 will work in a pinch.

Link lore: Use soapy water and a brush to wash sludge off the chain. The chain must dry overnight before you apply lube or the oil will hold moisture inside the pivots. Wet lube works best because it fills the rollers with a liquid barrier that repels water and keeps grit out.

Flat warning: Water can soften rim tape and the tube will push it deep into the nipple hole—deep enough to cut the tape and tube in the hole’s sharp edges. Heavy duty rim tape only weighs 8 grams more than wimpy rim-tape, but will last through the winter.

http://www.mtb-borders.com