Pick it up and run

Camaraderie

2012-02-12T07:25:00.000-08:00

And cycling just go hand in glove, especially when the snows on the ground and the barometer is still in the negative. And today the camaraderie was there in bucketfuls for the Edgware RC's turn at hosting the Chiltern Classics.
The turnout was very low and you had to feel for them, but the small group made it feel special.
Without my team mates for support choosing the fast group was bit optimistic, but I went for it anyway. And at 9am sharp we were shoved out into the cold. And without a word, a look, a move of the hand a small group of six formed and hunkered up into two up for the whole 100kms.
The route or what I know about it was a tour of the villages with the hills of the Brickhills and Ivinghoe thrown in. Normally I'd go into detail about the route, but today was more about making sure you rode between the white stuff lining the roads and followed the Orange markers.
Banter was also a bit limited, but riding with experienced guys is always a pleasure. And when the riders know the unwritten rules of the group it's a double pleasure.
That said the highlight of the riding was going over the Beacon, with it's snow piled high each side and the mist getting thicker as you neared the top, that was truly stunning.
Once over the top the route back to the events HQ is a fast affair. And as the finish drew nearer we did start to talk to each other, mainly about the tea and cake that awaited us. My cake fantasy was like something from the Beano, thinking they must have made enough for a hundred riders and there were only forty of us tops....that's two each.
Back at event HQ it was handshakes all round, a good sit down and a cup of tea.
I do want to thank the guys I rode with. Two Henley riders, a Verulam rider, an ex Anglia Sport Hurret rider and an unattached rider.
Cheers

SNOW! For one day only folks.

2012-02-05T08:05:00.000-08:00

With the country coated in the white stuff there was never going to be much chance of riding either of the two local reliability trials. I know the Beds Road Club event was cancelled, but I'm not sure about the Hemels one.

Anyway, by 9pm Saturday I'd decided that the best option was to take my recently built mountainbike out and over to Woburn.

With no firm offers of riding partners I set off from my door at 8.20am. My route gets off road pretty darn quick, after only 200 metres I'm on the BW running up through Southcott Stud. Another short road section then I'm in Bluebell Woods. This was a great section with a descent through virgin snow. Onto the road again for a bit before turning off road proper.

Up through Rushmere with it's new cycle trails (see photo) Whilst riding here I can see three tyre tracks and I know who they belong to! Marcus, Julian and Jack. I follow the trios tracks through Rushmere and up an arduous climb to Stockgrove Country Park. Still following their tracks I hit a massive drift and I'm forced to dismount for a few feet, God knows how they rode it?

Through Stockgrove I approach the A5 to jump on the cycle path. The trios tracks have now gone so they've obviously taken to the road. The next section is along the old disused section of the A5 and then I see three tracks rejoin the path....no fun on the road huh?

Next is Woburn. The trails look stunning. I'm forced to think of the Biathlon circuits I like to watch on Eurosport. The snow is briliant white, the pines are draped in snow and there's a mist hanging low, it's like a mini British Columbia or Scandinavian forest.

For some time I've been sweating like mad, I thought I was working well within my limits, but the sweat pouring down my face says otherwise. And I can feel a hole forming in my stomach from the calories I've burnt.

In Woburn I bump into riders from Corleys Cycles and Twenty3C, but I don't tag along. Instead I make full use of the tracks they're leaving and the going becomes a lot faster.

After a full loop of Woburn I turn and trace my path back home after letting my tyres down to 30psi.

Now fully dialed in to the conditions I push it, and find the snow is dealt with far easier at speed, which I knew already!

Woburn, Stockgrove and Rushmere done I just have the long climb up to Bluebell Woods to complete. And complete I must as I have an audience of sledging families. At the top I meet Barney from the club and find out I've been out for over four hours

The final hill done and it's road - off road -road and home.

I'm feeling very pleased with myself. Today it was good to ride there, but I know if it freezes it's another story, and one I don't want to Blog about.

Wind, rain, sleet and mud makes a good week.

2012-01-29T10:43:00.000-08:00

Yep that was a good weeks cycling.

The Harp Hilly kicked it off by dishing out a tough windy episode in it's long history. Later that week I was out using up my last two remaining days off. My first day off was a very wet and windy solo affair, well solo until I caught up with Team Corley out on a steady endurance ride. I rode steady with them for a good while, then set off on my own route. I had been cursing the waterproof I'd been forced to don earlier in the ride, but over the Beacon I could see very dark clouds looming and I was heading right for them. And right on cue as I topped the Beacon for the decent and dash home the heavens opened, only it poured sleet not rain. Gingerly descending into Ivinghoe on settling sleet and wet chalk I came across the local hunt. Regardless of your views on hunting, the sight was spectacular and the weather just had me thinking 'what more could you want from a British winter ride'. So with sleet piling up on my jacket and soaked to the skin I took a shortcut through a green lane to get home.....all very 'Paris - Roubaix'

My second day off was a mountainbike epic taking in Epping forest. It had been fourteen months since I'd ridden an mtb, and this one had been cobbled together the night before. My riding partners for the day were my old long time traing partner Nick and ex pro Alan Perkins. To be frank the ride was great, but I didn't know where I was any of the time! We rode a great mixture of parkland, forest, riverside path and Boris Johnsons special edition Olympic year grit which gave me three punctures......I paid my tax for that as well! The turning point for the day was a riverside café and sausage/French bread with daddies all round. For a steady ride it still made me sleep sat up when I got home.

And today? A club run gone pear shaped, but rescued with some fine new roads.

Although a good turn out rolled out of Energie in town, some called it in on top of Ivinghoe Beacon due to very bad visability. I did say the weather would be okay over the Downs, and I was right by the way. After riding it for nearly forty years you get to know these things. Over the Beacon we opened some new lanes, but a combination of stopping and starting and the odd puncture meant we had to cut it short. I told Craig to press on as he needed to get home. That left me and Vince to play the route by ear. We decided to climb to Ashridge the long way and grab a coffee at the top. Coffee done and now freezing cold we set off only for me to puncture. I sent Vince off as we were on the home stretch and I leisurely sorted the puncture. The ride after was bizarre, beautifully calm no wind at all making the last ten miles a treat.

At home I took a look at the two bikes I'd ridden all week covered in filth, grinned and closed the garage door.

Object of desire

2012-01-28T12:14:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just need that little extra incentive to work just that bit harder. And fingers crossed the bonus will be worth it. Well this is what I want, but can't justify. If I could sell my soul to the devil for this beauty I would.

The Harp Hilly Hundred, a quarter pounder with cheese and a vanilla shake.

2012-01-22T09:54:00.000-08:00

Stuart, the other Stuart, Tom and myself rode the Harp Hilly Hundred today. The first reliability trial of the 2012 'Chiltern Classics' series.

Harp RC from North London have run this event since year dot when the event was a more manly 100 miles, not the sneaky foreign kilometre.

We left Nash Mills together promptly at 9.0am, but mere minutes later Stuart..the first Stuart had a puncture. We didn't say anything to Tom and the other Stuart, so they could just get on with the ride. Twelve minutes later we were on our way again.

I should say at this point that the wind was bloody dreadful, so banter was at a minimum. I could just say we rode the 64 miles without saying much and end this here, but I'll pad it out a tad.

We rode along for a bit, nowt special. Then we hit the first hill of the day, an easy accent of Ivinghoe Beacon. Chatting set to 1 on the dial we rode past everyone we could see on this first hill....yay!

Hill number two was Bison Hill, again this was done with ease. We chose not to stop here like many others and kept the legs turning.

Bison Hill lead us onto the Dunstable Downs. It was a different story up here, very very windy, too windy to take a hand off the bars to grab a bidon. Unfortunately the very strong winds stayed with us in the form of a headwind all the way from Dunstable to Aston Clinton. And the reward waiting for us at Aston Clinton was a windy accent of Aston Hill! Still job done and we were rolling through the lanes on the way home. Time to grab a gel, my only gel. On the first safe straight I came to I bit into the gels packet and the bloody thing exploded all over me and the bike, so no food for me then. I just hoped the two slices of toast I had that morning would see me through.

The next hill was a different accent of the Beacon. By this point I was a little empty and slowing Stuart, so I urged him to go on...which he did, the git.

I actually felt better after the Beacon and started to take other riders, including a very irate bloke on a De Rosa King.

The final hill was one I didn't know and it felt the steepest, but I knew it was the last one of the day so I just got to work. Over the top it was a dash for home.

Feeling a little hungry I started to plan my post race meal, and about two miles from the finish I decided on a McDonalds quarter pounder with cheese and a vanilla shake...no chips, don't want to get fat/ter.

So a final roll in, park up the bike, say hello to Stuart, clock in and grab a cuppa.

I did it in about 4 hours 6 minutes with puncture time taken out, which is 5 minutes faster than last years ride in more favourable conditions. I think Stuart got home in about 3 hours 50 minutes, which is pretty darn good. And I think both our times are a tribute to the club.

I didn't have the McDonalds BTW

Shit the bed

2012-01-21T06:46:00.000-08:00

Tims wheels! this is as big for the club as Craigs point last year.

Okay I promise to keep this up to date?

2012-01-21T06:18:00.000-08:00

So lets have a looky, last post September...oh dear.

What's happened since?

First off the cross season got underway. Nine rounds in the Central CX League. Round 1 had been cancelled due to the loss of venue. So racing started on our home patch in Milton Keynes, rather typically for a 'winter' sport we were racing in temperatures of 30 degrees! I even came home with tan lines....which I still have.

Fraser joined me at Hitchin and for the rest of the season, so we were a team. Then for the penultimate round Rob joined us, giving us a three man squad in the flo green. And so the basis of 2012s cross team had been formed.

November was the month we held our first club reliability trial. The turnout was nearly 100 riders, who rolled out of Liscombe Park for either the 100 or 55km options. The route that took in some of our best and toughest lanes proved very popular, and for 2012 will remain unchanged.

It wasn't all racing and jolly's. Membership grew and the Sunday runs divided up into two. Jason started to take out the more social ride, or the 'cake run'. Which is really the one even the hardest of winter hardmen really want to do. And the brothers Nelson took care of the ever enthusiastic 'training' rides.

December. Was the month to kick back and chill. It was also when we held our first 'club dinner' with obligatory awards ceremony. For the records the awards went to, Adam (Clubman) Vince (most improved fast group) Iain (most improved sports group) Craig (Club Roadman) Rob (club tester) and myself carl (club cyclocross)

After the puddings had settled it was time to get a wiggle on. Saturday became training day and Sunday club day.

January has seen the club focus on preparation for the coming 2012 season. With plans to race 'the Green' in virtually every discipline in cycling, from Audax to road to mountainbike.

Next on the horizon is the Chiltern Classics which start the day after writing this!

Keep posted.

Denmark 25th September 2011

2011-09-28T08:42:00.000-07:00

Mark Cavendish becomes only the second British rider to wear the road race World champions rainbow jersey since Tom Simpson in 1965.
The race was text book. And if the the phrase 'Plan A' had a dictionary definition, then Team GBs race would be it.
Well done to the whole squad.
Mark Cavendish
Gerraint Thomas
Ian Stannard
Bradley Wiggins
David Millar (road captain)
Jeremy Hunt
Steve Cummings
Chris Froome

LBCC Ride 22nd May

2011-05-22T11:08:00.000-07:00

Sadly todays ride didn't quite go as smoothly, even with a larger turnout of eight riders.
The big problem is the ability, and boy does it vary.
However that said, we did get our newest rider both in terms of mere months on a bike and time with the group up and over Ivinghoe Beacon. If the Beacon was good enough for the Milk Race back in the day, then it's good enough for me.

After that point the group split, and the tempo went out the window. The other problem with riding with guys you've not known that long is that unless you keep looking over your shoulder you can't tell if everyone is keeping together.
I'm still convinced however that if we ride tight at tempo we'll ride longer and faster and most importantly all together.

To that end another 'long' ride is planned for next weekend. Hopefully the miles will keep us together.

Well done Ian BTW.

Inaugural LB Cycle Club ride

2011-05-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

Well inaugural 100km 'proper' group ride, rather than the usual 'let off the leash' and 'spread over three counties' rides that have been the norm since they started.

At the end of last weeks yo-yo'ing ride we agreed that we needed to organise ourselves into an efficient and coherrent group. And to that end we decided that Luton CCs 100km reliability trial route would be an ideal route to achieve such a goal.
However the Sunday allocated for that ride was a full on windy day, and last weeks eight man turn out had dwindled down to just four diehards....true 'Flahutes'.
We pressed on hard into the headwind hoping that it would return the favour at the next turn, no chance. It was a choice of nose to the grindstone and press on hard, or sit up and spend all day getting round. Nose to the grindstone it was. The effort wasn't too telling as we were passing every other cyclist in sight and the banter was still flowing. All was well until we hit what I call 'chapter 2' of the ride or in other words the hills. Hill one, Toms Hill was over with swiftly, hill two in Studham stretched the elastic and hill three that marks the start of the return near Redbourn nearly broke it.
By the start of chapter 3, the final chapter things were looking grim and banter was minimal.
The dash for home was a silent affair and spent huddled in the drops trying to cheat the wind, even the last mile decided to take the mickey.
Once near the finish we checked I-Phones against bike computers and came up with a ride that was just sub 3 hours 25 minutes. Which I can tell you for the conditions was pretty respectable.
Now I've ridden that route many many times before, but that day was a real killer. Partly the conditions and more than partly my own fault for not eating and drinking properly the whole ride.
All in all though a good ride for such a newly formed group of riders.
Well done guys.

Wouter Weylandt

2011-05-09T11:26:00.000-07:00

RIP big man

Opps time for an update

2011-05-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

Left that a bit long!
Erm no racing yet this year, just lots of heavy miles and not a mountainbike in site.
I left off with the Chilterns 100. We finished that series with the Lutton CC 100Km reliability trial.
Next was the Rapha Hell Of The North, another 100km ride up from that London and a circuit of Herts and Essex. This ones a bit different as it includes twenty of road sections that became known as gravé. All in homage to the queen of the classics the Paris Roubaix. We had great weather for it again and we were some of the first riders to finish.
After that just miles miles miles.
Still no firm plans to race this year until the cross season kicks in, however by pure virtue of being able to cram the miles in I actually feel okay about a few road races. Though as I'm not in a league or chasing points I shall pick and choose i.e only race in good conditions.
Next up if I don't post again is a training day in France.

Harp Hilly Hundred

2011-01-24T22:35:00.000-08:00

We rode the 2011 HHH this Sunday, we being Julian and myself.
The HHH is the first of the reliability trials in the Chiltern Classics series, and one that 'has to be done'. As usual the weather was grim with the dark skies always threatening a downpour, luckilly that didn't happen.
We set off in the 15.5MPH group thinking the 18MPH would be to big a shout for this ride and being so early in the year.
Strangely for such a well attended event we were on our own pretty soon after starting, though we could see a group in the distance and we used them as a route guide in the early miles. However it soon became clear that the route was well marked and that encouraged us to up the pace.
Julian was riding strong, a result of commuting fixed. I however was holding back ever cautious of knowing what was to come. Though I was finding it easier than previous years and we were passing riders in large numbers. So I followed Julians pace and went for it.
With all the big hills done we hunkered down for the return home, then we hunkered down some more, and some more, but the last twenty miles went on forever. Riding side by side we assured ourselves that we had done okay, we had certainly passed plenty of riders on our way round, but it felt like it was taking too long to get home, but then we were on the final section and a downhill one at that. Had we gone under the fours hours? the club hut was just yards away, but we were stuck on a red light across the road....green and off again, park bikes and run upstairs to get the card stamped. Did we get in under four hours? did we ****. Four hours eleven minutes.
Oh well.
Very roughly we covered 66 miles with just over 4,300' of climbing, so not too shabby.

Early setback for 2011

2011-01-03T11:18:00.000-08:00

Just managed three good rides between Christmas and falling ill with man-flu on New years day.
I had hoped to get a steady 500km in the period after Christmas and starting work again on 4th January, but illness arrived suddenly after getting home from my New Years Day ride, so the clock stopped at a little over 300Km
So right now I can't even hold the handlebars, lets hope all is well by the weekend.

LVRC National Cyclocross Championships

2010-12-24T03:37:00.000-08:00

Ashorne in Warwickshire hosted the 2010 Championships, and greeted the forty plus souls that made it there with a temperature of -12 and deep laying snow. The original line up had seventy two riders on the start sheet, but the weather put paid to many a riders plans .

The course was 'old skool' and designed by Mick Ives. The usual hurdles were replaced with old fashioned fences and the course ran through fields, woodland and a working farm. A few practice laps were priceless, for under the picture postcard snowy landscape lay a myriad of frozen solid tractor ruts, that would later send many riders airborne. I let as much air out of my tyres as possible and lined up with the forty plus assembled riders. I looked side to side and wondered how many of these guys held the one hundred and seven international and national titles that had been listed in the race info.

I got my answer pretty quickly, all of them I reckon as I hung on third from last breathing like a rusty train! I kept a few in sight and made ground through the woodland singletrack, but swiftly lost it in the open fast ground. This sadly was the pattern for my whole race until for a bit of variety I took a big off leaving a streak of the red stuff in the snow and my bars and levers having an argument with each other. I was forced to walk back to the marshals intending to quit. However they encouraged me to go on for what was probably my last lap. It turned out I had two left, the first one was dreadful as my mojo had totally gone and I was all over the place. I calmed down for the final one, got around cleanly and gained a place in the final metres.

I came 19th, or so the results say, but they only list twenty two finishers. Was/could the attrition rate be that high.

The race was a nice end to a dreadful year, marred by the accident that cost me a lot of racing. 2011 has to be accident free...touches wood,fingers crossed etc and hopefully I'll be lining up for the Belgians for the first road race of the year.

Merry Christmas.

Central CXL Round 9

2010-12-15T08:21:00.001-08:00

Hillingdon Cycle Circuit paid host to the final round of the league last weekend. The course was a new layout and was drying by the minute and the event was a cat B so good racing was ensured

I was racing under my new team HCT Belgians thoughnot in the new kit as it had not arrived. Excited by this and the fact it was the last league race of the year I got off to a good start and passed riders on the second lap, whilst making sure I kept in contact with the riders ahead of me. However on the half hour my backache returned and my times slowed. Racing became just riding as all those I had passed got their revenge. I know my problems stem from the accident that cost me my 3 Peaks and first five rounds of the league earlier this year, and I've vowed to rectify the problem for next season. The result wasn't good, though my last lap was a little quicker.

Next is the LVRC National Championships where I'll be racing Cat C 50-55 age group. Not sure what to expect there?

Central CXL Round 7

2010-11-26T13:45:00.000-08:00

Better 38th, the pain from the accident is still there and hampering things, but hey ho.

VC10's event was at Green Park, Aston Clinton and was an excellent venue. Another circuit of two halves. Windswept flat fields of plasticine and technical sections taking you off in the direction of Aston Hill.

Anyway it's still progress, and I was finding a minute a lap on a fortnight ago. So this weekends event will be interesting, and made even more so by a dose of the deadly man-flu.

Raleigh Lenton Marque 111

2010-11-12T16:40:00.001-08:00

One of my recent finds. It's a 1958 Raleigh Lenton Marque 111. Aimed at the clubman, it's built with early 531 tubes. The chainset is an old Stronglight 49D cotterless. The bars and stem are later GB offerings. The headset, bottom bracket and seat bolt are all Raleigh originals. I'm hoping to have this built by Spring 2011. I don't plan to have it repainted, as the old paint has a wonderful patina and the transfers are irreplaceable.

Round 6 Central CX

2010-11-12T16:28:00.000-08:00

Managed to get my first cross race of the year under my belt, when I entered the Team MK Cyclo cross at the National Bowl.

The Saturday kick-off meant that the usually small Central CX field swelled to over eighty riders at least, with seventy six finishers. It was odd to be lined up with Notts & Derby league riders. I came in a lowly 59th place. Even though I did go off piste and had to retrace my route, it only cost me five places tops.

No racing this weekend, but next week it's Green Park in Aston Clinton. The venue is below Aston Hill which is a popular mountainbike circuit and was a top flight XC course many years ago. If the weather holds I'll ride to the race. Looking forward.

November 5th but no fireworks!

2010-11-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

Not been the best of times since last posting. I left off during preparation for the 2010 3 Peaks Cyclo Cross. However an industrial accident mid September put paid to any ideas of competing this year, in fact I've also missed the first five rounds of my local cyclo cross league because of that accident.
I have done plenty of riding, but all pretty tame stuff whilst trying to avoid doing anymore harm.
That said I'm sat here on the eve of the Milton Keynes round with a cough, but in determined mood to race.
Still no point brooding about it!

On a slightly nerd'ier note, I've managed to get hold of an old road bike to restore. It's a 1958 Raleigh Lenton Marque 111. Tis a nice old thing, made from early Reynolds 531. That's going to hang from the garage wall, and hopefully over time I'll accumulate all the right period parts to get it up and running once again.

On the subject of bikes. The Planet X is in regular use as I don't have to save it for race days anymore. The Pearson crosser is in full action over winter. The Giant XTC has been dismantled for winter and ready for a few upgrades hopefully to be ready by Spring. The Claud Butler singlespeed road bike is still mid build. The Raleigh is hanging from the wall. And finally the old Trek 8000SL is ready to use as my winter off roader.
Should be able to have a good winters riding with that lot.
XXX

Hilly 100

2010-08-15T05:58:00.000-07:00

We rode the best part of the 'old' Harp Hilly 100 today, with a few extra nasty climbs chucked in for good measure.
The idea was to help my mate back to fitness, and help me towards my 3 Peaks training. Though at some point in the ride just after climbing over the Crong* I sat up and said - "what's the ****ing point of this, I'm not worried about the riding it's the walking I'm terrified of". He just looked at me and we rode on in silence, like you do when one of you has the hump.
We clocked up 93 miles of the best hilly stuff around in a very good time even though we weren't pushing it. Actually I've recently discovered that if I ease off a tad I get around my known routes in the same time as I do when I go for it. I can only assume that the steadier pace means less recovery sections. I know I feel much better at the end of the rides now, and as I'm not racing road anymore I don't need to push it any further.

* The Crong, a section of tight country lane near Dancers End that crosses the Ridgeway just off the old A41. It used to be a well known club hill climb in the seventies.

The Grand Union

2010-08-14T13:08:00.000-07:00

This little gem is proving a great alternative to roads as a route to my cyclo cross riding areas. The Grand Union is less than 1/4 mile from my front door. If I turn right I can cycle it to the start of my Woburn ride. If I go left it'll take me to the Beacon and Ashridge or a little further on and it'll land me near Wendover and the home of Aston Hill.
Tempted to get the Kayak out on it.

3Peaks Training goes with a bang!

2010-08-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

Not only is my cross bike looking damn ugly in it's 3 Peaks guise, the thing decided to blow up today - or blow a rim off anyway.
Prior to that I had cycled the Grand Union canal before hitting the road and climbing up the rufty tufty side of Ivinghoe Beacon. I was hoping the Beacon would provide a good training spot for hike a bike work and fast descents, but the area is still a bit too lame to really test yourself.
I have now come to the conclusion that I'll never be prepared for the terrain based on what I have locally. And that my only chance of doing remotely well lays with the racing fitness I gained earlier this year?
I also had my first practice of running with a shouldered bike. Earlier attempts had proven painful, but a survival bag taped into the corner of the diamond helped a great deal - though it didn't help with the looks. If my bike could talk it would be saying 'What have you done to me'
Anyway after four hours of riding and fettling my rear rim blew, and as I was returning along the Grand Union I didn't know which way to go to find the nearest bridge and road. So I turned my mishap into another hike a bike running session. I got to a bridge and called the missus.
Just as I was thinking the day wasn't that bad a bastard Wasp stung me on the leg.

3 Peaks is on.

2010-08-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

I'm in. At this stage I don't know how to approach my training, so thus far I'm just riding as much as I can, and on the crosser if possible. I've mucked about with set up, but in reality the cross bike really isn't cut out for an event such as the 3 Peaks. I've tried several brake and pad combinations, but the best I can get is a gentle slowing down! I'm happy with Landcruisers as my rubber, they're very meaty-beaty-big n bouncy, plus I've added Cinelli gel pads to my bars......what more can I do?
I still need new shoes, gloves and a race Camelbak, ££££££'s.
Although I probably shouldn't have, I've quit the road season. The racing is simply boring now we can't get on the open road. I am still giving it the berries when I can on the road bike though.
So with speed work on the road covered, 'skilz' on the MTB and base work on the crosser I should be okay.
Still it's not going to be easy hauling my heavy old frame up the Fells.

June . A good month for the miles.

2010-06-24T05:39:00.000-07:00

Racing has been non-existent this month for one reason or another, but training on the other hand has been great.
The weather has been very kind, with the exception of the day of the XC race!
I've managed to get quality time on all three bikes so far this month. The roadie and crosser are soooo fast in these conditions, the MTB feels like a slug in comparison.
Had an important tinker with the cyclocross set up after agreeing to enter the 3 Peaks cyclocross race in September. Sadly I'll have to overcome my hatred of Camelbaks for this one, as a short test shouldering the bike soon had me whincing from the bottle cage prodding my ribs and the weight digging into my shoulder. I also found out that canti brakes though fine for race days aren't good enough to stop you on a fast rocky descents. A play with set-up, pads and position as well as some good new tape and gloves should sort it out. Other than that it's good to go, assuming I get in.
There is still one road race left in June, but my willpower is already flagging, the thought of circling the Bowl again is not a pleasant one.
Hope July is as good.

Summit MTB XC race June

2010-06-11T13:49:00.000-07:00

A wet slippery course and my first DNF of the year due to a puncture. Not the only one though, I joined a little group of flat tyred racers back at the start/finish tent.
Sadly three weeks of poor races and missed events has taken away my edge. Next weeks Criterium is going to be a killer.

2010-05-27T00:22:00.000-07:00

Classic Herts lanes part 1 'Bread an Cheese Lane' recently revisited during the Rapha HOTN.

And six months later..........

2010-05-26T06:21:00.000-07:00

Been uber busy at work with one thing and another the last six months, but thought I'd better lay down some words just so in a few years time I could tell what I was up to.
I left off back in November 2009 with two cross races to go. The Milton Keynes round went very well with racing right up to the flag. The Hillingdon round didn't go so well as I found myself ill at the start and retired after one lap. That was my last race of 2009 sadly.
2010 kicked off really well, I seemed to find plenty of time to ride and suffered no injuries unlike the year before. Feeling pretty good I entered some early season road races under the LVRC banner. However prior to that I had an unusuall sportive type event to do the Rapha Hell of the North, a 100K on off road event that was to pay homage to the Paris-Roubaix. What a fine event that was, great company and good weather with free Belgian beer and frites at the end.
My first two road races were in March, and guess what that's when I decided to get ill. So they went on ahead without me in attendance. The problem was that April had no local races to offer until the last weekend of the month. That meant sticking to some very keen training.
Late April and I was on the start line of my first 2010 road race. Not much I can say other than I held on! Two weeks later my I was racing in my second road race at Cranfield. Again not that eventful, but I did get dropped by the lead group and spent the rest of the race inbetween the lead group and the broom wagon group, still another finish.
The following week I was XC racing at Lotts Wood in Amersham and picked up 11th place.
The week after that! I was road racing again, this time finishing in the bunch after a tough race.
That's where it stands right now, with a season of road and MTB ahead. All hopefully working to elevate me a few places come the CX season.

Bike update

2009-11-20T06:28:00.000-08:00

Sadly the Nicolai went onto pastures new, I believe to be converted to Rolhoff. The Specialized Alez Elite also went to another owner.
New in and obvious from the previous posting is the Pearson Double Cross. That's already seen some racing and some hard winter training sessions. Also new, well sort of is a Graham Weigh cross bike. This is a new budget frame on which I'm fitting a mix of old early ninties Campagnolo I had kicking about and ebay and STW sourced secondhand parts.
Also lurking in the background is an old Gios frame. It's a lovely thing, but not up to todays standards. However I do intend to have it resprayed and fitted with modern Campagnolo and carbon forks. To turn it into what I'd call a gentlemans bike.

Cyclo cross.

2009-11-01T11:45:00.000-08:00

After a pretty dreadful year riding wise, what with all the injuries sustained, I have come to find myself in and nearing the end of racing in my local cyclo cross league. After having plenty of time to consider where I wanted to go with my riding, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to return to racing. So with a few miles of running xc under my belt and the desire to race, I promptly entered the local Central CX league. As of now I've completed four of the six events, leaving my local race at the Milton Keynes Bowl and final race at the Hillingdon cycle circuit still to go.
My performances in the races have been pretty much as expected, not stunning but not 'Lantern Rouge' either. However I'm hoping the cross racing will act as a springboard into road racing in 2010.
The road racing being my main target for 2010.

Just prior to my first race I entered a Sportive with fellow BuzzardsMTB riders. It didn't take long for me to realise that they weren't my 'cup of tea', much prefering a session with my buddies or the local reliability trials.

Anyway winter is almost here and I've just had my first wet and muddy ride in months. Whilst most riders chose to stay tucked up in bed, I took the oppertunity to test my cross bikes wet weather capabilities which just so happened to be excelent. So that's my worries taken care of for next weeks almost 'certain to be wet' cross race.

Stay posted!

New Hardware

2009-08-08T10:29:00.000-07:00

Planet X Carbon Pro SL
Nicolai Argon custom singlespeed
Giant XTC
Winter hack (project)

Run Bike Run Bike Blah blah blah

2009-08-05T12:06:00.000-07:00

This is going very well now, though I don't know how I'm ever going to manage night runs in the winter? The running shows some real signs of improving and though I don't feel it I must be getting tired. Last night it took an hour of chasing the Buzzards before my biking legs kicked in, and then as Lance would say it was 'no chain'.
Running also gives me more time to ponder about where I want to go with my riding in the future. The thing I think about a lot is the 3 Peaks and it does seem the next obvious choice. Also I'm thinking about next years FNSS XC races when I will be a grand vet.
The other thing I'm thinking about a lot right now is my singlespeed and if there is a place for it within my current and probabal futue riding plans, I can't help think a cyclo cross bike might be a better winter option?
Anyway this is a full on week, no let ups, run then ride and no rest days. Next week I'll up the mileage but I'll get rests in to compensate.
Chillin in a darkened room right now making plans most cunning.

Mental Hillness

2009-08-02T11:53:00.000-07:00

Before I go any further I should say I've just Hoovered up my glasses, so I'm having a bit of bother seeing close up so please forgive any spolling mistakes.

Mental Hillness! 12 hours!! bike or run!!! Hayfield September 2009. Really fancy this one. I asked about trying to get a four man run team together but that hasn't happened. So again it looks like I'll be having another attempt at a 12 hour solo. Though the good thing is that this one is run during daylight hours, never seen the point of specifically running them in darkness? Not booked in yet but hopefully myself and a small Buzzards contingent might make it.

Went out withthe Buzzards today and I'm feeling pretty good, any extra fitness gained between now and the event would be a real bonus though very unlikely.

Anyway onwards and upwards, just wish my calf muscles would ease up a bit after my runs......................nurse.

It's been a while!

2009-08-01T12:45:00.000-07:00

Over a year in fact.

So what's new? Well the Inbred and Carver have gone to new homes, and the old crosser bit the dust. In their place there now sits a racey Giant XTR self build, a Nicolai singlespeed (poss the only one in the UK) a Planet X road bike and a Spesh Allez Elite hack bike.

As for my riding,well I half did a SITS 24 hour solo but bust my finger. Got up and riding again a month or so later only to seriously bust up my back in a stupid fall. Took to the road bike to build up fitness only to crash on my first MTB ride and tear my Intercostal thingy wotsit, that was Good! Friday.

Joined the League of Veteran Racing Cyclists and got mullered several times. Started using the road bike quite a lot, even had a quick session in France. Started my XC runs again and err that's about that so far this year.

Getting myself properly sorted for the big 50 at the end of the year. Planning another 24 hour solo,some road racing and a trip to bag some Alps.

More later...................

5-4-3-2-1 Go....splutter and stop!

2008-05-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

Just about sums up my Set2rise 12 hour solo effort.
Spam biking had laid on a great course that deserved a good effort by all. However all I could manage was a measley seven hours of straight riding to tot up seven laps.
Seven hours seemed to have played havoc with my knee, the reason I stopped. Though like your driving test you need a few more reasons to fail, so I'll count too much darkness and a sore butt in as well.
Seven in seven was pretty good going at the time, but the wise ones that rested between laps soon overtook me. A shame really as I was feeling 'good to go' apart from terminal knee ache.
So the rest of the event was spent watching riders go by from the cold comfort of the camper van, getting more colder and bitter as the hours went by.
Something that came to light the following morning was that my EBB had slid out a good ten millimetres towards the drive side, the same side as my knee pain, a coincidence? It was the first time I'd ever experienced such a pain.
One final thing. The Army carried out a nightime excersise mid race. Rockets, flares, Infantrymen GPMG's going off all around us........Bizarre.

It's been a while!

2008-05-13T05:32:00.000-07:00

Not posted on here since August, that's not to say I have'nt been up to anything, oh no.
After my last event of 2007 and the failure to even get to the 3 Peaks start line I just settled myself into a routine of what I call 'just riding'. Most of that time from early autumn to now had been spent riding alone, not that there had been any issues with my mates more a case of life getting in the way riding, we've all been there.
The thing with just getting out for a ride with no agendas attached is that you often end up riding more and if you're lucky you get fitter to boot. I'm also lucky that I have Woburn to ride on right on my doorstep, and if you don't now it, Woburn is the 'all weather pitch' of mountainbiking.
Anyway come Christmas the lack of the usuall weekend meets for a ride was getting silly so after a flurry of calls we all decided to meet for a road ride, a meet for a road ride that turned out to be on the coldest day of the year! Within a mile of starting we were all frozen, any more clothing would have seriously hampered your ability to ride, and none of us need our ability hampered! All of us had become unacustomed to riding with each other, though we managed fifty odd very wintery miles together. The high point came just after Nick-No-Balance told me to calm down and ride steadilly before I have a fall, when he had a tarmac/ice/carbon fibre interface.
After that most of us went our own ways again. Though I trained steadilly with Nick all the Spring, only seeing the others on occasions.
Not far into 2008 I felt I might be alright for some events so I booked some early season races hoping to capitalize of the reasonably ok fitness I had, and secretly hoped that most the other UK bikers had stayed in bed all winter.
The first event of 2008 was the G2 Revolver 12 hour that I was to solo. Everything looked somehow quite rosy when I thought all the other soloist around me were going too slow so I thought I'd put in a fast lap and earn some valuable minutes. It was'nt long before my rosy outlook turned black then blue (verbally anyway)On my first lap I punctured and spent nearly forty minutes struggling to sort out my tubeless tyre, then once on my way again I ripped off the valve. A long hobble on a flat tyre saw me second last on lap one. Setting off on lap two I had another puncture and another almighty battle with an ever shrinking UST tyre, so another poor lap. Lap three, and hang on I've cleaned a lap. Then somehow I went into brainless mode, five hours have past and I've not eaten or taken a sip. Getting slightly dizzy and struggling with double track I finally stop to re fuel, but a combination of wanting to give up, punctures and plain bad planning see's me stop at just over six hours.
My next event is somewhat different, I've decided that I'm good enough to resume road racing and promptly enter a local criterium. Finishing at the back of the bunch on this occasion I feel elated only to hear it was the slowest race there all year. Not phased by this I apply for a racing licence through the LVRC and race again the following week. Race two was'nt so easy, the vets know their stuff and take it very seriously, so on that one I'm well and truely lapped.
And here it kind of ends for now. Tonight I'm road racing again and hoping to last a little longer. Then on the weekend I'm doing another 12 hour solo, this time the Set2rise on Salisbury Plain. Pics and reports to follow.

D2D, the 3 Peaks & a cracked frame.....

2007-08-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

Summer never really arrived, and it's already time to think about the last events of the year.
First up should have been the 3 Peaks cyclo cross race. I did start training for this at the start of 2007, with plenty of miles on the crosser and a few xc runs each week. However, I was spared a very long walk in the Yorkshire hills when my old cross bike suddenly snapped in two places. Although that meant a long walk home in the wet, it would have been nothing compared to what might have happened if it had broke during the race itself.
I decided that buying another cross frame was'nt worth it for just one race. So instead went and bought myself a nice shiney road bike.
Crossers are fast and great for old field edge stuff, but you can't beat a 'proper' mountainbike for the real rough stuff.
So the 3 Peaks is'nt happening, it's a shame because I would loved to have done it, even if it was just to say I had!

What is happening is the Dusk 2 Dawn, a 12 hour race held in Thetford Forest between the hours of 8pm and 8am.
Again I'm going into the solo classification, and again my old friend Aaron will be there as will Marcus, all of us battling it out for local 12 hour solo honours.
I've ridden the D2D course before, and it has to be the easiest of all 12 and 24 courses, so I hope to do at least as well as I did in the Twentyfour12. The biggest issue for D2D riders is having enough light for the 12 hours, though hopefully Nick-No-Balance has sorted that for me.
All that remains to do is to stay well and fit for the next few months, and perhaps lose my summer holiday belly!

Kona Sleepless in the saddle

2007-08-26T07:59:00.000-07:00

Catton Park August 14/15th, not actually racing this one, but there as my mates helper on his attempt to turn in a top ten position.
Helpers, or 'Pit Bitches' as they're known in the trade are there to provide help with food and water, minor mechanics and race times and positions.
Unusually in this game we call 24 hour solo's, the weekend weather looked spot on for chalking up a good placing. Dry, hardpacked, sunny and warm, perhaps a little too warm though. However, Nick-No-Balance's ethnic origins, and the fact he has very little surface area would all go towards helping him.
The race started at 2pm with the mandatory run to spread the field. For the next six hours all I really had to do was keep my rider watered and fed.
Straight away my experience in this sport told me that there would be many riders that would 'crash and burn'. Riders were going hell for leather, taking advantage of the dry fast conditions. I told Nick not to worry about his position until about a good seven or eight hours in, and to keep it steady and concentrate on the long term. Of course I did'nt need to tell him any of this, he knew what to do. Sure enough right on schedule riders started pulling out, tired and dehydrated. Now we could look at the standings, they were'nt bad.
The next casualties would come in after midnight. Riding tired in the dark can really make you think twice about what you are doing. And seeing youre tent and sleeping bag each lap can weaken many a mans resolve.
The dark and rain took more riders out. Nick was now within reach of his target. Even the previous years winner was no longer in the running. Nick had also by now ditched the full suspension Trance for the Kona Unit singlespeed, and soon realized why it was the weapon of choice for so many soloists.
During a short'ish break from helping, Nick had gone into 11th overnight with Rod Mason in 10th. Nick had been shaddowing Rod all the race, though it was very unlikely he could pass him. During the final hours some confusion set in, the bike Nick was running had no computer and the pit timing computers were running a few laps behind. We knew Rod had ridden to 9th, so was Nick 10th?
On the final lap I went on course to shout some last words of encouragement, it was then that I heard over the race PA that Nick was 10th. As soon as he passed me I ran to the finishing straight. He seemed to be taking for ever, then he appeared. As he wheeled down the course to give big Pat Adams the obligitory high five, the PA again annouced Nick in 10th. He had done it.
We were both very happy, but at a loss as what to do next after 24 hours of racing and mooching about. Nick after some time decided to wait until we had the official results before announcing it to the world. Unfortuneately this proved to be a wise move. What had happened overnight we don't know, but Nick was still 11th.
That is still an outstanding result, though he found it hard to swallow. We both came away from the Sits with many lessons learnt, Nick knew what he could do, and I had seen what not to do.
Needless to say we will both be back next year, though I might have a pop myself if my riding and 12 hour races go well.

Bontrager twentyfour/12

2007-07-17T05:45:00.000-07:00

Woo-hoo done it.......finished the 24/12 I'd been so looking forward to.

The venue was the Cotswolds Farm Park, and I arrived there Friday the 13th. Any idea that this was going to be a stroll in the park soon went the minute I turned my Landrover into the race arena. Within yards I was struggling to keep the motorized 4X4 in a straight line, Jesus I had to race on this.

At the arena I met Aaron my co soloist and the rest of the Buzzards MTB club, the Buzzards were feilding a soloist, male duo, female duo and team. Though far more important than that, they had a massive dry tent and biggerer BBQ.

On Friday afternoon we all went out on a course recce. This was the chance to see if the 96'er rigid singlespeed would be ok. Well it was'nt. Geared it was, and the singlespeed badboy went back in the car.

One thing I'd say about the course, it had something to throw you off every few yards, mainly bombholes, roots, fallen trees, northshore and the slippiest off camber singletrack I've ever seen. One to take it steady on then.

At the start of the race I was feeling at ease, and seeing the guy on the start line next to me with his forks on back to front made me start giggling.

12 O'clock and we're off, downhill through Sallys Secret and STOP. Lap one was bottleneck city. Though great for checking the course out.

Lap 2 was different, nice and flowing, all the bits that scared me on lap 1 I just did without a thought. This is good I thought.

Laps 3, 4 and 5 go by without incident. And I start to think I'm going to do this. This is the point to feed up sort lights and lube the bike.

After a well timed ten minute food stop I complete lap 6, albeit slowly with a full belly. I arrive back at the pits to a briliant sunset. I have probably only got the chance of doing two more laps now as darkness has set in and I would have to pull something out of the hat to be in before 12 midnight, to give me the chance of getting in 9 laps.

Lap 7 in the dark goes without a hitch.

Lap 8 is started in the knowledge it would be my last, and that fact is hammered home when I start to get stomach acid. I decide to knock myself out on this lap knowing a beer, BBQ and soft chair await me at the end. Sometime after 12 I roll in. Just a downhill cruise to the camp is all that's required of me. In the camp Aaron is laying on the floor, welcome to solo world a say. Aaron and myself both knocked out 8 laps. The team managed 10, the male pair packed and the ladies pair got a podium place in third.

After 12 hours and a bit I was sat drinking San Miguels and downing burgers whilst watching the 24 hour riders slog it out until midday Sunday.

It was'nt long before the talk turned to future events, better lights and tyre combo's. And already D2D later this year was more than an idea.

12 or 24 soloing....................never say never again.

The preparation months

2007-06-20T05:10:00.000-07:00

Ooooh my first 'Big' event of the year is almost upon me. I signed myself up for the Bontrager Twentyfour12. I plumped for the 12 hour solo catagory, and the singlespeed sub-catagory. So in three weeks time I'll be on the start line of another 12 hour event.
I decided against the 24 hour race, as my previous efforts have gone to pot for one reason or another.
Though strangely I feel more nervous about this shorter race than I ever did about the full on 24's. I think in the past I either fooled myself that I could pull one off, or went out there knowing I could'nt do it. 12 hours however is do'able. And I think I might even find room to be a bit competative!
All that remains is one huge nagging doubt, based on the fact that I've felt good for some time now? Odd I know, but I worry that I feel good because I'm not trying hard enough, I only have the encouraging words of my peers who think I'm riding strong to ease my worries.
A little side dish to this event is a 'rivalry' between myself and another local rider whom I know very well. Both of us stomp the same grounds, but our individual approach to the event could'nt be more different, think the Tortoise and the Hare.
As the date for the race draws closer, I think all I can do is stay on top of my fitness as it's far too late for any leaps and bounds in that department. So now all my attention is fixed on the logistics of the event, or in other words what I'm going to scoff.
Anyway it's not far off and I think I'm almost there, well at least as there as I'll ever be. Only the day will tell.
www.twentyfour12.com

A hard nights racing.

2007-05-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

I decided to enter myself in the FNSS round at the Milton Keynes Bowl, one of those good ideas at the time sort of things. Though as Friday evening drew closer I started to get nervous and wondered if I was doing the right thing. I was worried that I was about to be totally humiliated by a bunch of skinny race whippets.
A few hours later it was too late to turn back, I was in the race car park heading off to register. Minutes later with the bike all numbered up I went out for a practice lap.......Oh my God, that really is off camber, wet off camber. It was hard to beleive I was in Milton Keynes.
7.00pm and counting down to the start, the seniors have set off before us vets, thank God. A few minutes later and we're off, Jesus it's hard already!
I don't want to be at the back. At the top of the first climb I take a peek over my shoulder and I'm delighted the field is split in two big time, and I'm in the first group. The lap goes on and I'm already feeling it, however I manage to pass some other riders and I've stayed on the bike.
The second lap is caning me. So I settle in behind some riders just happy not to loose places, a technical or puncture would be very welcome right now! By now the short hills and off camber singletrack is unrideable. So taking a leaf from my old cross days, I jump off and start running. I mentally pat myself on the back for all the cross country running I've been doing lately. It's that, that keeps me in contention with the faster on the flat riders.
Lap three and I'm feeling good, so I tell myself to work harder. Burying myself and running the climbs and off camber sections see's me past the few riders I was keeping an eye on. Then another falls in front of me on the last lap, so another place gained. Now it's just head down and over the line. It's a good feeling, just dampened by the first seniors lapping me as well as the rain.
The finish. I'm absolutely buzzing as well as cold wet and coughing up mud and grass. When's the next one? Looking back, the bad weather was a disadvantage to the fast race guys otherwise I'm sure we would have been lapped far sooner. Mud and rain the great leveler.
From now on I'll be keeping an eye out for anymore xc races. I think I may have the bug.

From Trail God to A&E in one day!

2007-04-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

Can a new bike be possesed?

My new Inbred is chucking me off on most rides, though I must admit the new bike tempts me to do things on the trail that I would'nt normally attempt.

However, I think I know what it is. My previous bikes were 80mm travel...arse high....nose low jobs, and just to hop a fallen twig took a Herculean effort to lift the front wheel. The Inbred however responds all to easilly to any rider input, it's just one step away from voice command!

Anyroadup, I cleared a couple of fallen trees that I had been gagging to nail for ages. Then the other evening I decided to clear the said trees whilst maintaining my normal riding speed.

I hit the second tree, gave it a pull on the bars and a quick stomp on the peadal and................................

I ended up flipping the bike and lading on my back across the tree trunk, legs one side, head and shoulders the other. My first thought was 'wheelchair'. Then I realised I could'nt feel any pain, that bloody worried me, then the pain came thank God!. but I could'nt move. Luckilly the mobile was in the side pocket of my pack, and with it I called my missus to collect me, and some mates to collect my car.

A&E was quiet on Wednesday evening.

After some x-rays it was concluded that nothing was actually wrong with me, technically I was just hurt.

So now I'm sitting here pee'd off because I was about to get some running in and do some more treking with my daughter as well as soak up the dry dusty trails.

The shoes will just have to wait.

Oh err new bike btw.

2007-04-22T11:02:00.000-07:00

Here it is, one of your actuall limited edition of a 100, 853 On One Inbreds in Pompino Blue.

All glued together with full XT, 819 tubeless, Mono Minis, RF bars, Hope stem, Thomson post, Candy's, SRAM block & chain, Schwalbe tyres, and Bomber SL forks.

It's not 'just' about the bike.

2007-04-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a while since I last posted, but then again that's probably due to my search for the more rounded lifestyle. That's not to say I've not ridden, oh no. I've had some quality rides in the last few months.
All three bikes are working perfectly now, infact I'm having 'Fettle Withdrawl' symptoms. Just nothing seems to be letting me down right now. Which has meant some fast route times and a hankering for just 'pushing it' a bit. Though just pushing it a bit recently had me flat on my back, winded, bleeding and bruised. So I've kind of reined that one in a bit.
Getting back to the title, I'm making the most of the summer to do other things. Like today, I decided not to ride but to head out for a long walk on the Ridgeway with my daughter and Toby the dog. You know it was great to amble along trails that I'd normally fly down. And without trying to sound all 'arty farty' I actually noticed the shapes of the leaves on the trees and the delicate grass on the chalky downs and err stuff. Hiking and camping is definately going on the 'should do more often list'.
I've also done a good deal of that other manly past time........DIY. Proper big jobs like roofing the garage, bunging up facias and gutters, and putting in new lights for my garage workshop.

However, riding the bike is the thing I still like to do when I've got some spare time and the family are happy to live without me, but more often now I prefer to do it alone. That way I can tailor every ride to suit myself. It also means that when I do meet my mates I enjoy it more.
I do have to keep an eye on my fitness a bit though as I've entered the Twentyfour12, just the 12 hour bit and I'll be soloing that on my singlespeed. With that in mind I try to have one half decent ride a month. It's only a bike ride after all, I don't have any goals, aims or targets to meet and I certainly can't be arsed with pulse rates (as long as I've got one I'm happy) or pedal revolutions and all that faff. To me these things are just like festivals, but instead of bands and mud they're bikes and mud. Happy times.
If you're interested the next 'goodun' I'm doing is the Bucks Off Road Classic 100k. I've decided I'm to ride that singlespeed as well. Partly to tick the 100k singlespeed box and partly because I'm a twat.
There is also a rumor going around that I might do the Three Peaks, we'll see.
Right now though riding wise I'm totally happy just to ride my local trails, the sun, the Pines, the sand and the lovely smells are all I need to make me one happy biker.

I'll pop back if anything special happens. Right now I'm working out how to get the contents of my Camelbak into a saddle bag, I hate Camelbaks and their kind. Freedom is what I want.

TTFN.

Too ill to ride or illin & chillin

2007-03-04T09:04:00.000-08:00

Made that old mistake of going out too early after a bought of illness today. I had been ill for about two weeks and was gagging to get out again. So I took the oppertunity to hook up with some guys heading out to Ashridge, I knew damn well it would be a hard days mudfest, and I was'nt wrong

Heading out of town with Ivinghoe Beacon in the distance covered in mist, I told my buddies that I would do the sensible thing and cut off well within the ride.

With the Beacon out of the way I'd planned to do a 'bit' and head off.

However, that 'bit' got longer and longer. Each extra muddy mile I did was telling on me. Every root was banging through the rigid forks, up the narrow drops and into my cheast and arms. Each push on the pedals sent the road tyres spinning, then the mantra started Ineedknoblies....Ineedknoblies........Ineedknoblies.

Now realising we were out at our furthest point, pure bloody mindness set in, and I became determined to see this through, nothing was going to stop me not even losing a crank, nor the blocked up wheels not even the final ice like chalk climb.

Then we reached a familiar point on the route, one were I knew I'd just have to keep pedling to make it home.

That's when the sun came out, well no it did'nt we stopped at a cafe for coffee, but it was a welcome little break. Though we could'nt stop for long as we were freezing, so we gulped it down and set off.

The cross bike was in it's element for a short while as we rode on hardpack out to the Beacon. Then I had to make a decision, either decend by road or drop down off road knowing I'd have to walk the wet chalk climb that shoulders the beacon. In fact I was walking well before that, even standing out of the saddle on the flat would have the wheels spinning for grip.

A short walk soon led to a just manageable chalky decent which I just made, though one leg was flapping about waiting for the expected off!. However, I was soon on the type of Terra Nova that does'nt give way under you, some people call it Tarmac.

Here is were tradition states that we have a freewheel race follwed by a chaingang home. I think it's about seven miles in all, today we kept it a constant 22/25MPH. Though I always have to remember to save a little energy to get off the lights in town.

4 hours and 15 minutes later I'm peeling off wet muddy kit.

Then it's panic time. I'm showered and rested but my pulse is about 140bpm.....sheeeet. So what do you do when you have a problem? contact STW of course. I spell out my diagnosis via the internet, but my pulse finally starts to drop, 120...100....90.........80. It stops there, but then I realise I'm running a temperature and I've hardly drunk a sip. So I conclude that my late illness, minor dehydration and temperature are to blame. So that's OK then!

So it was a tough day, on the wrong bike. On top of that I was still unwell. With hindsight I think I was stupid to ride so hard. I must remember this day for when I'm ill again.

Carver 96'er & trail clearing

2007-02-18T05:20:00.000-08:00

Well today the Carver 96'er got it's first full test. The designated area today was Woburn Sands, and the ride was to coincide with some time trail clearing.

So with the Camelbak loaded and secateurs to hand off we set.

ASBO! my BMX freewheeel went straight away. It is commonly known that BMX freewheels are the Chav's of bike componenets. Not to be put off I gingerly continued with the ride, waiting for a gonad/top tube interface at moment, as long as I kept spinning and the pawls remained in place I would be alright.

Anyroadup, that aside the Carver turned out to be a top piece of kit. The first thing I noticed was it's cornering I was cutting off bits of trail with each turn and pedaling fast into the singletrack, so ok it can handle.

can it climb? yes it bloomin can, though I was afraid of the freewheel going so did hang back a bit, most of the climbs I did sat in the saddle (not ideal on a singlespeed)

Obstacles? again no problemo though again the freewheel thing! Though I did find out that suddenly I'd become a wheely expert on this thing....a quick tug and woohoo.

Basically I'm well chuffed this bike the two short tests I've given it show that it does'nt lack in any department. To improve things for the future my mate Nick-No-Balance is building a new Hope rear wheel, thus doing away with BMX style freewheels forever. In the meantime I'm bunging an old XT/Mavic 819 with Gusset converter on it just to keep riding. can't wait to really put it through it's paces.

We also found time to do a bit of trail clearing. The area is covered in thorny gorse that goes straight through cycling gloves and this is what we spent time clearing. Oh and swilling coffee dutyfully carried around by N-N-B.

So overall one of the most chilled days of the year so far.

Finally sorry to all the other trail users today for my verbal outbursts (it's not torrettes spell check) just due to that flipping BMX freewheel jobbie.

New bike

2007-02-17T11:04:00.000-08:00

Just a quickie!!!!

The new frame arrived, the first test had me grinning and laughing out loud. Well before the EBB pooped it's pants that is.

Full test and report later.

Mud.

2007-02-11T05:17:00.000-08:00

Sums up Sundays ride!
Shame really because I missed the midweek downfall of snow. The warmer weather, the melting snow and the recent downpour led to some of the worst conditions of the year so far.
Luckily I met up with an ex Buzzards riding mate, we confessed that if we had'nt met up, we probably would have cut the day short.
The conditions meant that nothing exciting was ever going to happen, and it did'nt.
The only subject of discussion on the ride was our choice of bikes. Out of no choice I was on my crosser, Marcus however was on a 5" travel Spesh Enduro.............singlespeeds would have been a better option.
Erm. That's it really.
My new bike did'nt turn up.
Ooh hang on I went for a run, well more of a Nordic skiing session without the skis or the snow. I'm sure there must be a market for mud skis? Even with my trail shoes on I went over twice and was in severe danger of splitting my difference! If I do that run again and tell myself 'I really must get spikes at somepoint' again, I'm gonna punch myself in the face.

Winter is wearing thin, is all I can say.

Alone again...naturally.

2007-02-04T04:49:00.000-08:00

Who sung that?
Nevermind, there seems to be a pattern developing here. First it was the comfort of Singletrack World, then into the big brave world of our own site, Woburncrankers. Now I'm here all alone, just me and this blogspot.
A bit like my riding. Where once there were many of us, it now seems I have to ride all alone. Perhaps they just hate me! I don't think I smell.
So I've just done my first ride since starting this, and a run as well.
The run was meant to be a group night thing, but it turned out to be just me. Me alone again, and the full moon, and the warewolves, and the trees that come to life and twist your ankles with their feely roots.
Well at least it was a fast run!
Then on Saturday I took the cross bike out again, yep you got it, me the cross bike and no one else. In fact does anyone ride on Saturdays?
The good thing is, I'm getting some good rides in. All non stop, all fairly longish and the cross bike gives you a darn good workout, in fact that's all I've ridden since Christmas. I'm hoping that when I do get round to riding a mountainbike again it'll seem like a peice of cake in comparison.
Apart from the night run and my cross ride the only other bikey things I've done are to watch Gunne-Rita Dahle on telly. And prepare all the parts for my soon to arrive new singlespeed. The long awaited replacement for my old and busted Inbred. Oh it's a Carver 96er since you ask. So hopefully this time next week I'll giving you the low down on it's first ride, and some piccys of course.

Smiler Biker; The wonder years

2007-01-31T03:35:00.000-08:00

Forget all that childhood stuff. Things got serious in good old 1975 when I pulled on my first racing jersey, the gold white & green of Kenton RC. The next decade saw me through Time Trials, road races, track and hill climbs wearing that jersey, not to mention too many expensive racing bikes.
With the eighties came the first signs of boredom so changes needed to be made. I can't remember where I saw the article, but I remember reading about the Haiwai Ironman triathlon and became facinated. So much so that that mag sat beside the pan for a year. After a flurry of spending on goggles, rubber hats and various running shoes I found myself on the start line of the first ever British Ironman triathlon. I found myself in that position, though only for half Ironmans for the next five years. Occassionaly I would make returns to road racing or make forays into marathon running, but the triathlon bug stayed with me until the Olympic distance killed it off as far as I was concerned.
Kids! That was next, and though I tried to keep on racing, one day it all got too much and I collapsed with exhaustion.
For a few years after that my gut grew in sequence with my hair, and my rubbish bin had more empty beer cans and fag packets in it than potato peelings and Evian bottles.
Then one bight and sunny day in the Yorkshire Dales whilst staying with some mates, I was introduced to moutainbiking, did'nt ride one, just introduced. This was for me I thought.
So off to the shops, and straight away I see a bike I like, a Mongoose Zero-G for a tad under nine hundred quid, mmm a bit too much I thought, I'll think about it. A week later it's six hundred, right I'm having it. However, when I return it's three hundred....great.
So that's kinda how I arrived here. Too many 24 hour races and enduros later, I'm starting to have fun, I always loved riding in the past, but now it's fun and sort of nice to stop and look at the trees every so often.