Snowy Local Loops and ANTUR Field Notes

Finally had some snow in Cardiff

Having been teased with images on Instagram of amazing snowy scenes throughout the UK for long enough I was busting to get out in it. Obviously being in lockdown travel was not an option.

The snow made the local loop feel refreshingly new by changing the whole surroundings and the satisfying crunch below the tyres was a pleasant change to the usual squelch of the sloppy mud.

I’ve been testing the ANTUR out and putting it through its paces for quite a while now, and all I can say is that it rides amazingly.

The geometery tweeks to the ANTUR from my previous set up has made all the difference.

I’ve steepened up the head angle to bring the trail down from my previous build to make the bike more responsive as I felt the last frame was sluggish and pretty boring to ride.
Now the bike really feels alive and I feel connected to it.

Shortening the headtube to lower the stack height and increasing the reach ever so slightly to stretch me out a bit has given me a much more comfortable position and has improved my posture when riding.

The standover height has also been lowered as I found stepping through the frame a bit high.

These slight changes have given me much more confidence on the technical rocky descents, I feel connected to the bike and climbing out of the saddle is a dream.

Like most of you I’ve created a local loop that I can escape to which helps keep me sane in these fucked times.

It’s a fun route that tests myself and the bike out pretty well.
Cardiff to Machen. Pretty much all off road with only road sections linking to the forest tracks. It has plenty of gravel, mud, climbing, a massive steep climb that is a real endurance test and fast rocky descent that tests not only your nerv but also the welds on your frame .

Check it out below if you are looking for some new routes.

Chris