I've done it. The Mantra is road..make that trail worthy. Tired fo waiting of the right ebay auction for Hayes hydro's, I nabbed some v-brakes off an older bike I have in the herd. Actually it was my wife's old bike, that she sometimes lends out to friends when she rides wit them. So I guess I'll have to replace them sooner or later.

Let me tell you, there is a lot to be said for the world of full suspension riding. It opens a whole new performance envelope up to an XC rider. I can already tell that not having to worry about every rock and root is helping me. The Mantra just soaks 'em up. It climbs nice too. I had so much confidence last week while riding around Fanshawe Lake, that I mistakenly ran over a stump on a climb, and actually though I might make it. Alas, however, I was vanquished by the 4" foe, and clipped out in a panic as the bike came to an abrupt stop.  I have to say, i am quite amazed at how easy it is to clip yourself out of the egg beaters. Fanshawe was the first long trail that I had the pleasure of riding while clipped in. It was really great, save the first fall I had, which had me on my side before I could think to clip out. a little roadrash: just a flesh wound :)

One thing I did notice about the bike was that It wasn't quite the downhilling frame I was expecting. I was a little spooked by theaction of the suspension when you apply the brakes during a descent. Because the  bike is pivoted at the top, when you go to use the front brake especially, the wheelbase hortens, and the center of the bike rotates up and forward, it creates a bit of an ejection seat effect. If you ride a Mantra, plesase ensure you have good braking prior to any  dowhilling, and stay waay back behind your seat on the descent. Of course, if you know you're going to be downhiling exclusively, you could always drop the seat down a few inches, and keep your CG further back and lower.

I have also been dragging  a hydration pack around the trails with me (It's damn hot here in the Summer, despite being in Canada) I ave discovered, though, that despite the plusses of water availability while riding, I think that it kills cornering performance , slowing me down through the oh-so-important turns.  NO doubt this results form the CG being higher if you have a couple litres of water on your back, that's a lot of inertia  to overcome when leaning the bike into a corner. Sometimes you just can't lean at all, due to trail constraints.

Sadly, I have no pictures to cheer up this newsletter I'll think of something later.