We are really pleased you have chosen to ride a Vertigo for the 2023 SSDT. To help you prepare your bike ready for this prestigious event we have put together the following guide. 

We will have factory support on hand, but we always advise you purchase consumable parts such as brake pads, tyres, chains in advance of the event. Please do not rely solely on the factory support to supply these Items.

Our mechanics will be on hand to help at the start and end of each day (Monday to Saturday) but please make sure your bike is fully prepared before the event as unfortunately we will not have sufficient time to carry out pre-event work.

If you have not done so already, please confirm your rider number and payment details by calling 01756 611995. Should any parts be used during the event they will be then allocated to your number and then charged to your card after the event.

SSDT Preparation Guidance

Gearbox Oil and Coolant – Change the gearbox oil with the recommended grade (Rock Oil Light Gear Pro 75W) 400ml. Make sure the coolant is topped up with the recommended coolant (Rock Oil KoolGuard Meg). Check the filler cap is tightened so it can be easily released.

Tensioner, Sprocket, Tyres, Brake Pads and Wheel bearings – We recommend that you replace the complete chain tensioner assembly with a new one, new chain and sprockets, tyres, brake pads and wheel bearings. Once all these parts have been fitted, we would recommend 30 minutes of riding with them to ensure everything is bedded in before arriving at the event.

Grips – Make sure your new grips are glued and lock wired in position making sure that no lock wire is left protruding that will dig into your hands.

Bolt Check and Grease – Carry out a full nut and bolt check throughout the bike and make sure the suspension linkage is clean and regreased for the week ahead.

Handlebar Clamps – The handlebar clamp bolts are located underneath the clamps themselves to the top fork yoke and use a 7mm allen key on some models. Please ensure you have cleaned and then reapply Loctite to the bolts and secure to the correct torque 25Nm prior to the event as a 7mm allen key may not be a common size in your toolbox.

Electrical Connections – Please ensure all electrical connectors are dry and free from contamination. Apply a small smear of electrical grease (Slippery White grease C1) around the joining parts of the connector making sure you don’t actually fill the connector full of grease. This is purely to help keep water out of the connector but allowing the metal parts of the connector to keep a good clean contact.

Radiator Flap – This can be bolted on the bottom of the radiator grill to help prevent dirt from the front wheel blocking the radiator. Simply cut the shape below from a Rock Oil container which will be perfect for the application. Periodically throughout each day make sure the radiator is clean and if you have support on hand simply drill a 5mm hole in a 2-litre bottle of water and squirt the radiator to clear any blockages. Unclipping the radiator guard and spinning it to the side is a simple task if it is heavily soiled to make sure there are no overheating issues especially on the long road sections.