Hello from Dorking, Surrey

[Moks]

Hi all...

Was a keen mountain biker back in the day, starting off as a teenager with a Muddy Fox back in 1986 - heavy, lousy geometry, 15 speed, suspension - never heard of it. It got me off road though, and I progressed though a series of bikes - Kona, Specialized, Cannondale. At one point I remember using a Pace RC35 carbon suspension fork - not air, not coil, but elastomer. Not a lot of travel, 35mm I guess.
Unfortunately Increasing lower back and hip-joint pains led me to quit.

Fast forward 25 years, with slowly but steadily decreasing spinal mobility, I have now been diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis (inflammatory arthritis of the spine). No way to regain lost mobility, but to keep what I have left I just have to keep moving that spine, and apparently cycling is one good way to do it. Riding a regular bike tends to aggravate joint pains, but I am hoping an emtb will help me regain my youth.

With that in mind I have just ordered a 2018 Scott e-spark 710 with a healthy discount..

I am not planning on knarly climbs, epic descents or mad jumps, so I reckon the 130/120mm travel will be enough to soak up the bumps as I cruise through the Surrey Hills.

Maybe will see some of you on the trails in the near future,

Happy emtb-ing

Mike

 

[StevoKickstart]

Hi all...

Was a keen mountain biker back in the day, starting off as a teenager with a Muddy Fox back in 1986 - heavy, lousy geometry, 15 speed, suspension - never heard of it. It got me off road though, and I progressed though a series of bikes - Kona, Specialized, Cannondale. At one point I remember using a Pace RC35 carbon suspension fork - not air, not coil, but elastomer. Not a lot of travel, 35mm I guess.
Unfortunately Increasing lower back and hip-joint pains led me to quit.

Fast forward 25 years, with slowly but steadily decreasing spinal mobility, I have now been diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis (inflammatory arthritis of the spine). No way to regain lost mobility, but to keep what I have left I just have to keep moving that spine, and apparently cycling is one good way to do it. Riding a regular bike tends to aggravate joint pains, but I am hoping an emtb will help me regain my youth.

With that in mind I have just ordered a 2018 Scott e-spark 710 with a healthy discount..

View attachment 13056

I am not planning on knarly climbs, epic descents or mad jumps, so I reckon the 130/120mm travel will be enough to soak up the bumps as I cruise through the Surrey Hills.

Maybe will see some of you on the trails in the near future,

Happy emtb-ing

Mike

Hi Mike,
I too have AS and I find MTBing fabulous to keep my spine flexing in a mostly forwards/ backwards movement (no sudden sideways jolts like e.g. rugby which would be a killer for my lower spine where my AS is)
Almost all of my riding is in the Surrey Hills week to week there is an ever increasing population of eBikes- welcome to the throng
Stevo