Showing posts with label Ibis Mojo SL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ibis Mojo SL. Show all posts

Sunday 16 August 2020

A blast from the past

I bought my Ibis Mojo SL on the 26/01/2008 from Stif Mountain Bikes, well that is the actual date that is on my receipt, however as I recall I had started speccing up my potential ride the previous year, before even having my leg off.

Ibis Mojo SL
Ibis Mojo SL
 

Going back a bit in time to 2006 and a bit of a backstory to me getting my Ibis.

I recall having what was supposed to be a fairly routine surgical procedure. This was to remove my right knee cap, as the internal metal prosthesis I had had put in my leg in an attempt to salvage my leg was catching on my knee cap and preventing my leg from bending. It was also very painful. That year leading up to 2007 I was to discover what pain was really all about.

I can recall the morning after my surgery, waking up with a banging bad head, and I mean pounding, that said I was ravenous and tucking into my breakfast as I was sat up in bed, with a huge bandage around my poorly leg.

There was a knock on my cubicle door and my consultant came in. His first words were "I can't believe you are sitting up in bed". "Huh" I thought. It was then he informed me he had thought he had "lost me". I didn't quite twig, thinking maybe after the anaesthetic I had been placed in some corridor or another and been momentarily lost.

My consultant then went on to inform me that surgery had not gone exactly according to plan. Apparently the old knee cap had come out as expected rather easily, however when the team had gone to bend my leg, some blood vessels or another had got trapped behind the metal joint and I began bleeding out. From the sounds of it this wasn't just a case of putting a sticky plaster over the wound and this would explain the reason for my banging headache. I was now quite anaemic due to loosing so much blood.

I remained in hospital for a little while, being monitored and my dressing changed, then I was allowed home with some pain killers and a course of iron tablets.

Community nurses began coming that very week to check on my wound and within days of getting home I just knew something was not right, my leg was killing me. After a few days of getting dressings changed one of the community nurses came and on this particular day my staples had all burst open and I had this huge, angry hole in my leg that was exuding this horrible fluid.

The community nurses began to come more frequently as my leg got worse and worse, eventually coming 7 days per week and about 3 times per day. Every day was agony and I began to feel my already poor quality of life due to my limitations of my Kotz prosthesis spiral out of control.

I wasn't sleeping, or eating and I had basically kind of shut down with no interest in anything at all I just felt I was in limbo. When I did manage to fall asleep, my underlying wish was that I wouldn't wake up to face the next day.

Things got so bad nurses were coming out to administer midazolam, also known as "twilight sleep" just to give me some rest.

I went about a year in this horrible limbo, being informed by my consultant that he was not prepared to carry out any other surgery other than amputation. I was devastated. I had fought since 1995 to save my leg and now I felt I was all out of options.

It was then a wonderful community nurse came out to see me on one of her regular visits. I have always remembered what she said, maybe not the exact words, however more or less. She started by asking me "do you know why most people get down or depressed?" and  she went on to explain, "It is either because they live in the past, or look too far off into the future, you have to learn to live for today". She then said "your leg is always going to be your enemy and prevent you from living". She went on saying "look you are in so much pain and your leg doesn't work anyway, so why not think of amputation and imagine all the things you could do". I don't know exactly what happened in my mind but I can only describe it as a sort of cartoon "Light Bulb" moment.

That week I  rang my consultants secretary and asked to arrange an appointment. From that moment I never looked back and after waiting for a few weeks was given a date for my amputation, which as I can remember was something like 3 months away. Now this may sound strange, but I was so excited at the prospect of having my leg off and being able to get on with life. And this is where my bike comes in.

I knew I would have to get rid of my beloved Mini Cooper S. So I put her up for sale and sold her practically immediately. I then began checking out YouTube video's, knowing that I wanted to ride a bike again. At that point I didn't even know if it was possible. Once I figured out it was I started looking for the best bike on the market at the time and came across the Ibis.

I contacted Stif Mountain Bikes and began the process of speccing up my ride with the best component's money could buy.

Like  I say I was checking out YouTube and this is also when another part of my journey began, as I discovered Brian Bartlett and his unique Bartlett Tendon knee. Man I fired off loads of emails trying to get in touch with Brian not realising he was in hospital having his own problems.

I had my amputation on the 11th September 2007 and about 8 weeks later I was out learning to ride on my NHS provided Total Knee. I loved being out after all those years, however man did I hate that knee. Never mind I kept at it, becoming fitter and fitter. I used to challenge myself and ride every big bank in the locality. I wouldn't give in and can honestly say on each and every bank I never got off and pushed. So we are talking banks like Lanchester and the old bank near Lanchester vets,The Peth. I rode Edmondsley, Iveston and Wolsingham, but to name a few.

I had a whole new lease of life. I rode almost all of 2008, until sometime in October I started feeling unwell when out on a few rides. One of which I remember quite vividly when being out with my mate Carl. We were coming up through Beamish Hills and man I just felt ill. I had stomach cramps and just really felt out of sorts.

It wasn't until a few months later when coming back from Leeds with my dad I again felt really poorly, and he immediately took me to A&E at the Queen Elizabeth where I had had my leg amputated. I was there hours and a doctor did all sorts of tests. Eventually he came into the consulting room and informed me he had found an enlarged node in my neck. Well this was the start of a whole new journey, not one I would have chosen for myself, however I am a huge believer in out of every negative there is a positive if you look hard enough.

I was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Apparently as it is low grade it's considered "the best cancer you can get", wow I feel real special LoL

And so jumping back to present day and my trusty Ibis Mojo SL. The old girl has been in semi-retirement. My dad and I were on tidying up our shed just the other day sorting Bug bits and pieces and I uncovered both my Sandman Fat Bike and my Ibis. The Sandman didn't need much to put her right, a good clean and polish and her tyres blowing up. My Ibis on the other hand just looked old and tired.

Going to change 3x9 Drivetrain







A few scuffs n scrapes

Chris Kind Hubs and currently 9 speed cassette

Original gear was top spec in the day

I fitted some Sram Guide RSC's and  dropper post sometime ago

Pace RC 41 Fighter forks, amazing forlks in there day

Hoping I can sell on some of the old kit as it's still useable

Changing the cockpit, hope the stuff I have ordered feels good on just guesstimated

She is an old bike now, very dated, running 26-inch rims and not your more modern 27.5's or 29's. She has an old 3x9 drive train and her frame is a bit battered and bruised. Well I have decided to revamp her, yeah she will still be an old school bike, but with a little bit of modern bling, a bit like a resto-mod.

Here is a parts list so far: 

1x10 Setup

Sram GX Rear Derailleur/ Medium 

  


 Sram GX trigger shifter 

 Sunrace CSM3S 10 Speed Expander Cassette Black

 

Race Face Turbine 35 Stem 70 mm 

 


Race Face Next Carbon Rise bars

 

Race Face Grippler grips

 

Race Face narrow wide crank set 34T

 

KMC X10 Black Edition 10 speed chain

SDG Bel Air Lux- Alloy Saddle - when they come back in stock.

Oh! And I may get a new Bottom Bracket as I don't like the colour of the one installed on her at present, doesn't exactly go with my black theme LoL

I suppose a lot of people wouldn't be investing money in such and old bike, but for me this bike holds particularly fond memories, it has been part of my journey to recovery, and I am soooo looking forward to taking her for a spin.

I will post some pictures when she is fitted with new gear

Sunday 12 October 2014

Kielder with friends old and new...

What a cracking Crew
 Right to Left -Steven Hackworth ,John Chambers,Al Roberts,Luke Troy,Mark Boon Purvis, Steve (Scotty) Scott,Kevin Turner, Carl,Mark Eagan, Glenn Johnstone,Lee Sheridan,Ian Carr, Davey (twice around) Purvis.

Wednesday 30 April 2014

Rain,Fun and a complete Cock!

  Once upon at time there was this geet old miserable twat...But hey we will get to that bit later on...

Just lately I never seem to have a minute to myself, don't get me wrong I'm not complaining, it just takes a lot of getting used to. Going from being ill for all those years and basically doing nothing everyday then getting up and knowing I had the same to look forward to the next day, then the next and so on. I suppose in a way it's the same for the majority of people who are unemployed, no money to do anything,depressed and frustrated. My friend John is out of work and I sometimes see his frustrations and how he doesn't like taking anything from me, for instance if I treat him to a McDonald's or buy a gear cable for his bike. I tell John "that's what friends are for" to help you out when your struggling, give you a bit of morale support and tell you everything will work itself out. You can't buy proper friendship and hey money is made to go around.


My m8 John