The journey from small guy to teenager...

[weeksy]

You'd assume it's pretty good glue lol. I dunno mate, i've only ever seen 1 bike have a failure in any way, considering how hard the bikes are ridden and who's riding them, they seem a lot better in terms of failure rate compared to most. You hear about lots of failures at World Cups etc. But these, you don't seem to see much

[weeksy]

So we're moving onto 2026 race dates as both the IXS series and the UK Nationals have come out today.
April 10-12 Santiago de Besteiros IXS
April 18-19 Rhyd-Y-Felin
May 9-10 Antur Stiniog
May 15-17 Fort William IXS
June 27-28 Glencoe
July 10-12 Les Orres IXS
Aug 8-9 Llangollen
Sept 12-13 Fort William

July 18-19 Revs National Champs.

Some of these make things really complicated as it's A-level exam time for him around April/May of 2026. But as long as we can make it work, this is the start of our list. Not to forget, somehow i have to pay for all this LOL.. and get the time off work.

[weeksy]

Right, that should be the final job on this.

New gear outer and inner fitted, gear changes were a bit horrible. Nice and smooth now.

Although now I’ve thought about it, it may never get ridden again. But if it does, it’s ready for it

Untitled by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[weeksy]

Time for building, sorting and getting stuff ready for 2026. We've had a few interesting discussions and offers for 2026, but they didn't quite fit with our plans in some ways, so once again we're flying solo. Just us and Katy along with a pile of awesome sponsors.

Speaking of which, TFTuned have once again come up trumps. His Vivid on the Session was brilliant and he loves it, so we've ordered the Atherton A200 with a Vivid but his Session shock was bushing mount both ends, the Atherton takes a trunnion shock, which is 2 bolts at the end instead of a bushing, the bolts go into the shock through a bearing rocker linkage.
Anyway, i spoke to TFTuned to see what plan we could come up with for selling his bushing mount shock as we want a spare shock for racing.
"oh we can convert the shock to trunnion"... So it went off and is serviced and converted now, awesome.
Untitled by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Next up is wheels, we're running STANS rims in 26 as part of the package from them and Upgrade Bikes, so we've got a pile of rims arriving. First plan was to get them built onto our hubs, which we have various configurations of. But after chatting with Rotec.bike who also sponsor the lad we've decided to convert all hubs front and rear to Hope Pro5s. This will mean when we swap wheels we don't need to mess about realigning gears, sorting brake rotors etc, it's just simple straight forward swapping. It also means we need just 2 sets of spokes, a set of 27.5 for the back and a set of 29 for the front, so if we smash a rim and a spoke/spokes then we can swap without issue to another STANS Flow Mk4.
Just waiting for delivery of everything.

We've ordered up a set of SRAM GX7 sp stuff for the new build, so it'll be getting fresh new bits on there.

Need to think about the stem, we're currently running the DMR Defy 45mm length stem, but wouldn't mind testing a 50mm (we have a Burgtec in spares for testing) when the frame gets built.
We've got our tech mate doing some CAD stuff to check on bar position etc between the Atherton and the Session as we'd like to start with quite a few things pretty close to the Session settings to start off.

[weeksy]

Been selling some of the wheels this weekend. Did pretty decent money for one of the rears, not too bad on the 2nd rear.

I've still got 2 29er wheels at the moment here one of which will likely go, along with a Santa Cruz Reserve rim which will also be sold... but we're getting there and now waiting for 3 brand new Hope Pro5 hubs which will all be built onto STANS rims in the coming weeks for the Atherton.

[Nordboy]

Been selling some of the wheels this weekend. Did pretty decent money for one of the rears, not too bad on the 2nd rear.

I've still got 2 29er wheels at the moment here one of which will likely go, along with a Santa Cruz Reserve rim which will also be sold... but we're getting there and now waiting for 3 brand new Hope Pro5 hubs which will all be built onto STANS rims in the coming weeks for the Atherton.

How long is this Atherton taking to build? Is it because they're so busy or because of the quality/ individualism of the parts etc, or a combination of both? Just seems a long time to me? But then I guess many of us can be impatient for buying stuff these days?

[weeksy]

In simple terms there’s a lot of processes. They make other bikes which can be picked up a lot lot quicker but the A200 is hand built, hand painted, hand finished etc etc.

The Titanium printing machine is the best part of a million quid, so they only have 1 of those to print each set of lugs.

After that each set of lugs goes for heat treating.

Then polishing

The finishing bearing seats etc

Then the tubes are bonded in

Then it all goes to be painted

Then invisiframe protection

It’s just a slow long set of processes, but that’s part of the appeal. I could have bought a mass produced frame like a Santa Cruz and it would turn up 2 days later, but that’s just like walking into a Ford dealer and picking something out of stock. This just feels a bit different, more special.
When we ordered it, they said 16 weeks to build.
It’ll come in at about 9-10 I think

[Skub]

All that artistry and attention to detail,then the poor thing gets rattled headlong down a bumpy slope narrowly missing (hopefully) solid verical objects.

[weeksy]

All that artistry and attention to detail,then the poor thing gets rattled headlong down a bumpy slope narrowly missing (hopefully) solid verical objects.

lol I’ve no doubt it’ll be catapulted into the air more than a few times too

[weeksy]

Today it seems to be big box day.
I'm hoping that's a large pile of STANS stuff to be ready for next year


Untitled by steveweeks59, on Flickr

[weeksy]

Untitled by steveweeks59, on Flickr

Untitled by steveweeks59, on Flickr

[Numnut]

You’ll be needing another box if you’re off to fort William next year!

[weeksy]

Ha ha. We are, twice.

I did warn them this wouldn’t be the only box

But if things play out as I hope for 26, it’s the least of our worries

[weeksy]

Untitled by steveweeks59, on Flickr

Let the building commence.

[Numnut]

But if things play out as I hope for 26, it’s the least of our worries

Sounds exciting...can you talk about it or are you sworn to silence for now?

[weeksy]

But if things play out as I hope for 26, it’s the least of our worries

Sounds exciting...can you talk about it or are you sworn to silence for now?

It's more about tempting fate really. I'm not sure i believe in tempting fate as such. But sometimes, kinda lol.

2025 we were on the reserve squad for world cups, in my (and his) ideal world, 2026 we get into the actual squad or at the very least we get the reserve spot but this time get sent to a World Cup. He's pushing hard for it as a rider/training, i'm doing my part in terms of bike/kit/stuff, so it's all hopefully going to fall into place and everything else pales into insignificance compared to hitting WCs.

But that is all very much in someone elses hands rather than in ours, we're doing everything we can on our side

[Numnut]

Ah right - yeah that would be absolutely awesome. I'm sure it's coming - when you guys make it there, I'll actually subscribe to watch the whole event and not just the highlights!

[weeksy]

Ah right - yeah that would be absolutely awesome. I'm sure it's coming - when you guys make it there, I'll actually subscribe to watch the whole event and not just the highlights!

That would actually require us to make it to Finals day.....which in truth, is a stretch

[weeksy]

image001 (1) by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

The frame is starting to take shape. Really looking like a bit of a bike now actually. Got to wait 24 hours for the glue to set and then it's off to paint which is about 30 mins away from where it's getting built. I think it's about a week from that to it coming back and being finished off with bearings etc.

[weeksy]

Next years headwear looking giving a very 'clean' look to me.
Untitled by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Will also make him easier to spot.