New tee designs...

As you've read we'll be at the Fat Face Nationals later in July (details here) supporting the Team riders (confirmed Steve and Tom riding, Dave spectating and not sure about Ben and Matt) with a pit area and bbq as well as a stand selling Tees.

To celebrate this we've got some more designs ready (other colourways ready as well).

NEW COLOURWAY IN THE TEAM DESIGN:

(also a Navy tee with Yellow print is available for a limited time).

NEW TEE DESIGN - VOWEL. 3 COLOUR WAYS - MORE INFO SOON:


Prices for FO members have been sent out via email.

For others all new tees are priced as existing at £15 each including P+P and free stickers.
The offer to buy two for £25 still applies.

Thursday night ride

Myself, James and Leo headed out last night for a forest chortle. After 2 nights in a row of running (yes, me, running, with my own feet!) my legs felt strong on the initial climb. The bike still took over and denied me at the road section. Still, she's not designed for climbing! She is sounding in need of some TLC though, the headset is creaking like a pirate ship and the bushes may need a bit of tightening (honest guv, I know what I'm doing!).

Still, come the top of Charity Lane, we raced off, James keen to stick to my wheel. I was a little surprised how soon after me he arrived at the bottom. Next week I'll really push and then we'll see! CL felt ace though, and if it wasn't for chain off and the bike feeling a bit loose below my feet (nice link between symptom and cause!) I would've hammered the bottom section more.

Onto the bombhole as we call it (dunno why!) and I flew into it, followed by some adrenalin flow with the loose trail moving below front and rear wheels. Leo did himself proud with a 100% puncture rate of late. Get a new bike mate, so many reasons to do so! Off we headed to a nice little section of FR/DH and as ever it got faster, bumpier in the dry and I still overshoot the same section every time!

Good ride and top weather. Jog on.

I love my bike

Macclesfield last night - and meeting at the Leather Smithy by the Trentabank reservoir in the early evening sunshine on a long summers day felt fantastic.

After a leisurely start setting up bikes and chatting away (I've been messing with the damping on my fork and shock recently) we made our way slowly upto Charity Lane as per usual. Again I got to the top without stopping to push - but knackered! After another breather and trying to persuade the man Pickford to purchase a full-susser NOW rather than a 'hi-spec hardtail' in the new year we got to the summit so to speak - dropped saddle and donned arm pads.

The recent dry weather in Macclesfield has made Charity Lane the fastest I've ever seen it. The great thing about it is how it evolves on a weekly basis and although this week Scott claimed to be taking it easy I was CHUFFED to stay in touch with him most of the way down - WHAT A BUZZ. Taking big lines, dusting the brakes rather than hauling anchors, using the knowledge gained from recent rides on the hardtail plus my new tuned suspension to ride it faster then I ever have done and getting to the bottom I was grinning like a Cheshire Cat!

Down to Bottom of the Oven and a sketchy moment or too set the heart rate racing, so so loose down there now but it won't take long for a 'racing line' to emerge and make it even faster. Then up to the Standing Stone and down some secret singletrack before back to the car.

I think its quite fair to say that the buzz I had last night recaptured a lot of the fun and magic from the past. This summer is going to be amazing with Mumford back next week (and buying a new bike), Ben back end of July, Phil back from holiday mid July (and we'll persuade to buy a new bike), Chris back with us next week (and I'm trying to persuade to buy a new bike) and the regulars - Scott (who's alright for bikes at the moment) and Leo (who we've been persuading to buy a new bike!).

WEEKLY XC/FR RIDES WILL BE THURSDAY FROM NOW ON
Another night will be arranged for street/park/4X.

Scotland rocks!

As if I need more reasons to move home (pic shows end of funpark, 4 doubles if the image wasn't from my phone!).....

Went to Carron Valley on Sunday morning, an early start after a few beers, but hey, it was worth it. As I got to the gates (which were still locked!), I met a fellow freerider, Marcus, so big shout out to him for showing me the trails! As we were both on our lonesomes, we rode up the hill and chatted about all things bikes, good chat. Then hitting the 1st sigletrack section, it was a bit tame, but I'd been warned, so wasn't disappointed! The 2nd section was more flowing and a surprise drop from nowhere nearly had me off! In the end it was all about the "Funpark". Absolutely fucking awesome. Built to make you smile. Doubles and tabletops gallore, and clearing them was easy, well at my speed and skills of curse! It is a good training track and you can clear them too far (I did easily), which teaches you the need for control of speed, but you can whip, style and no hand it if you like.

Thoroughly worth a trip, and you can do a full loop in under 4o minutes. Then do the funpark, over and over and over again!

Cheers to Marcus, he's suggested a few local Shore style rides, plus Ae is a definite ride on the next Scotland tour. As he pointed out "if you're really fit, you can ride them all in a day" (i.e. Ae, Mabie and Glentress). But like me, he likes a push up, so maybe getting a few days worth of riding in is what I'm planning!

So living in central Scotland, you are 2 hours from Fort Bill, all 7 stanes, plus there are loads of local set ups with great riding. Hmmm, add that to the list of "to-do's"!

beering out?

Pub talk hey...

After a solid performance from Leo, Scott and myself last night up in the forest (more of that later) we headed to the Flowerpot to meet Chris for some catch up and chat about trips further afield.

And yes - conversation swayed and ended up coming up with bolt-on sites for Fearingout.
My personal favourites were Mereing out (Mere-cat lovers website), Beeringout (guide to local hostelleries) and Leo's quite pair of bizarre ones Leeringout for the straight, and Rearingout for the homosexual, ahem.

The ride was the usual start with a bitch of a climb of ye olde Charity Lane and although it had been wet it wasn't too slippy on the down - in fact it felt to quote Mr Warnock 'fuckin ace'!
Then down Bottom of the Oven which is all loose and sketchy... then re-trying a trail we found the other week - this time much dryer and faster. Good stuff.

In other news, we're expecting a bigger turnout over the next few weeks...
Mr Mumford back a week on Sunday, Ben Staley back end of next month, Phil (back from back injury) back end of July and Chris promises to re-instate about then too (knee operation all being well).
Then we've got a few trips to Wales planned, with talk of another trip to Scotland (visiting Mabe, Ae and Newcastleton), Chamonix and the NPS at Fort Bill in September. Awesome!

Off home...

I'm off home this weekend, but to break up the fun of 5th Birthday Parties and catching up on all things family, i'm heading to Carron Valley, a 8th Stane in the making, based in the "Central Belt" of Scotland, and as advertised on http://www.carronvalley.org.uk I should be able to make it there in under an hour easy. Looks like a short loop, but worth exploring all the same.

A full report to follow, but the "Funpark" sounds like a good chortle!

Midland super results...

Bala at the weekend for team riders Tom and Ben - for round 3 of the Midland superseries. I hope to have a full report soon but results are here.

Marc Beaumant took the win in Elite with a time of 2:40, with Tom taking 7th (3:03).
Ben racing in Seniors came home 59th with 3:33.

Trust you all had fun - see you at the National Champs at Moelfre.

Street style

After a heavy afternoon/night on the beer/cider/wine (not a good combo btw), we headed into Macc for some street/random action. A real good afternoon, and from the off I decided balls out was the key to a good afternoon. Skills will come, but I need time for that! Straight off, reinstatement number 1 I nailed the steps as a jump at the tennis courts. The forks nearly disintegrated! Reinstatement number 2 I went for the jumps at the BMX track 1st time, good fun down there. After a juice stop, reinstatement number 3 was clearing a path with a nice and fast bunny jump. Reinstatement number 4 was going for a wall mount and "ding-ing" my chain ring. Decided I dont need that top ring anyway, so its a bashguard in the making! Reinstatement number 5 was at the underpass, avoiding the glass and just going for it.

Great afternoon, and very chilled out, but it cleared my aching head, and was good craic. The bikes also performed well, I'm loving the short geometry! As for the forks....oh dear!

Next...

Having made myself scarce for the previous few weeks I decided that I was going to make the ride this Wednesday whatever the weather. James and Scott were planning to head over to Delamere, so I gladly packed the bike in the car and drove on over to this under explored (on my part) corner of Cheshire. The 4X track looked great from the outset and had plenty of variety of jumps and turns. Getting the pads on straight away I tried a couple of runs, taking various lines down the track and then pushing up again for more. On only about the third run though I had a dodgy landing from a jump, the bike buckarood and dumped me firmly on the ground... ouch! After that it was a case of building the confidence back up, each run slightly faster and slightly more committed. By the end of the 'session' Scott and James were getting some good air off the jumps and we took a few stills on the digital Ixus. I had a few decent jumps too and felt pretty good by the end. A different sort of riding to what I'm used to, but good fun all the same.

Training? Are you serious...

It struck me after last nights shenanigans that perhaps with all the will in the world there is only so far you can go by self motivation and improving slowly by riding the same sections again and again.

Delamere 4X is a case in point. I had good runs, I had bad runs - and although I felt my lines improved by us all talking about line choice as we pushed up, I found it difficult to decide why sometimes I pulled a jump and landing clean, and othertimes I felt like I was going to either nose dive and wipe out or buckle my back wheel.

So maybe we need a little help?

I've been looking into it and Nigel Page does evening Training sessions in Delamere forest. To this end I have emailed him for more information. If there are 3 of us then its £26.67 each. Any more £30 each.

Anyone fancy it?

Delamere fun

Last night saw James, Leo and myself head over to Delamere for some skills leanring on the 4X track. After a longer than I recall drive at debatable alleged speeds (!), it seemed ready to piss it down! However, it held off and we were quite excited by the time we made our way past the steep the chortles on the semi-DH sections. After pushing up to the top, we had a couple of runs and the rustiness soon fell off!

My new bike was feeling ace, James was loving what his bike was made for, and Leo.....well, poor lad couldn't help falling off his XC rig! My forks seemed improved, but to be stiff enough for 4X I think I need new springs, or more likely, new forks. However, having got home to my street, I had a chortle around and they'll be fine for street, so I'm keeping them for 2006 at least!

After a few runs on the track we had some concentrated efforts on particular sections and got some good photos (to follow...). I nailed the early "Big" jump which delighted me, so I'm a happy man! Atmosphere in the forest was good, fun all the way, and we all learned something new, bike handling, what parts are likely to break first, pad usage, etc etc!

Next....? Roll on Sunday for some Edale fun, the Stinky beast returns for me. Or is anyone up for some street fun on Friday?!

Alpe D'Huez

Wow!

Look what was waiting for me when I got home from work today - a brochure for the Mega-Avalanche! Posted from France!!

A whole week of celebration, training, qualifying and the race from Monday July 24th through until Sunday 30th. Not just the big race though, also the DH Sprint (Thursday) and a Film Festival from Wednesday onwards.

Don't think I'll be entering but if anyone else wants it drop me an email!

The beast awaits...

Last night saw a triumph...after my dopey "duh, how does the rear mech hang" and genuine "this rear disk mount does NOT fucking work", the bike is fixed. James came round and we sorted it out in no time. Even got the gears working relatively well (front end may need a spacer taking out of the Hone's, which is a c*nt, cos it's not exactly a walk in that park getting that in!).

Anyway, having assembled her, James was keen for me to "get out on da street"! So we went out for a little chortle. The bike felt ace, strong, planted and easy to control. The geometry does verge more on dirt/trials/street than 4X, but still, she'll be adaptable. The brakes are bedding in already, and feel pretty damn powerful, loving it. Did some 'moves' and the front end will change somewhat with a shorter stem, but a longer stem may be more suited on street stuff, options are good!

Meanwhile the saddle looks shit, but I'll soldier through til I rob another bank! Priority this evening is getting ahold of some new oil for my forks, the old mega plush, XC set up on the Psylo's isn't really suited to what I'm after, so straight from work I'm after some 10wt oil to flood them with, ready to hit Delamere! But they do look good having removed all the shitty PR tack!

Question is....which bombproof bike to take?!!

The beast is unleashed...

Well this is it - its done - the Cove is finished.
Good work to Mr Warnock, we did some minor 'adjustments' to the rear brake mount, and got creative with cable routing but the maiden ride was a triumph.

I'll let Scott go into more detail tomorrow but its definitely different to the Chameleon. Longer, heavier definitely, but it seem to suit him down to the ground. I could hardly get the front end up on it but no problem for the big man.

Looks pretty bomb proof too. Now off to Delamere on Thursday to try it out and no doubt some street nibbles before the weekend too :)

Cove Sanchez...erm, well not quite yet!

Got the build started at the weekend. Front end is complete (headset, forks, front brakes). The rear end is proving a bit of a c*nt. Got the Hone's and cranks fitted, but progress stops there! Front Derailleur is sprung in the wrong direction (GT design differing from Cove) and I couldn't figure out how the rear derailleur is hung. Plus I had bbq, beer and sunshine to attend to!

Still, its cloudy today, and I've done some homework (Derailleurs), so hopefully she'll be rideable tonight (think I'll copyright that phrase!).

She looks ace and the geometry looks spot on! And the Julie's feel excellent. Bring it on.

PC by FO

That's Political Correctness by us!

FO would like to point out that as Chris Moyles recently defended himself (or Radio 1 did), that use of the word "gay" can mean crap. I.e. not meant to offend people of any sexuality, but plainly by saying "MBUK or MBUGay", James is pointing out that MBUK may or may not be crap for reasons that many people discuss on a regular basis. For example, not mentioning FO having had their slopestyle fella at the top of a hill near Peebles say he would (honest, I was there when he said it!), and then not, is a bit of a low blow.

Never mind, MBUK are obviously too busy keeping their shockingly poorly laid out website bang up to date, to talk to the grass roots people on the ground.

Not that we're important, but hey, an article on us would be good, I know it!

MBUK or MBUgay?

Whatever your opinion on the above magazine, team rider Ste Larking is featured in the Kona slopestyle feature where everyone got beat by some 15 year old.

No mention of Fearingout though - I'll have to have words with Doddy :p

Stay low stay loose

Yup yup yup what a great ride last night.

I echo the big man's comments - it was reminiscent of last summers weekend rides where we took our time, had good chat, enjoyed the views and hammered the bikes hard.

Took the Chameleon out due to 1) bedding the forks in post refurb and 2) its a damn sight lighter then the Coiler Dee-lux on a hot summer's day. OH MY GOD how fun was Charity Lane on a hardtail... admittedly Scott was just a blur in the distance (isn't he always) but taking aggressive lines, carrying speed and poping over boulders and rocks has never been so much fun. I got to the bottom with pumped arms and a big smile after having about a million near misses but coming though a more confident and better rider :) (cheese over).

Seriously, to all those full-sus boys, if you've still got a hardtail lurking in your shed/garage take it out for a spin over the summer and have some old school fun. It'll never be as fast on the downs but it'll improve your bike handling skills further in one ride then a full-susser would do in a month.

Next week we'll mostly be riding Delamere once Big Man has his bike built. Photo diary of the build to be put up on Sunday fingers crossed :)

Enter the new kid...

The Cove Sanchez arrived last night. Boy is she heavy! That steel frame wont ever break though, so come the next nuclear war, it'll be the only thing left standing in my house!

Only got her out of the box, but I have the headset cleaned up ready to fit, and she'll be on wheels by the end of the weekend, a somewhat half completed job, but critical parts arrive today (julie 2006's and gear shifters). The old saddle and seat post fit, though they do look shit!

Photos to follow on Monday (fully built!). Can't wait to get on that short geometry and get round a 4X track, then hit the street for some drops and jumps training!

Aaaaaaahhh

Thursday night, you get home from work, you think "just how gourmet is this evening?"....so what better than to chuck the bike in the boot and check out your favourite haunt?

So we got to it, James and I had a 24 hour delayed ride, and it was well worth the climb. Absolutley gourmet views, not too hot, but lush. Not too bad a climb, I clearly pushed the road climb, but as a XC boy pointed out at the top..."must be a bit heavy riding that up". Aye, fucking right it is! Anyway, on we rode and poised at the top of charity lane, you just knew it was going to rock. Off I went and as the terrain was bone dry (first time since......before the last ice age?) the lines were easily found, so speed was the key to aim for. Flew down and even got some full speed pedalling in. The bottom jump I must have cleared about 15ft easy, just on speed with a natural lift. Felt great having the bike glide below. The smiles said it all.

Top nights ride, and more of that please!

Looky here what i've just bought...

...Except I've bought it in white. The shopping list still has....Magura Julie Front and rear brakes (180mm+160mm), new
Shimano Deore R-Mech (old ones goosed), new Shimano Deore Shifter (Pair of, my old intergrated brakes/shifters will be binned), new DMR Seatpost and Saddle.

And then I can refurb my forks with overfilled oil like james and have a street/4X bike ready to race/jump/whatever! Plus I'll be adding a citrus paint job to the forks and rims, dunno what it'll look like!

Instruction manuals

For general comment, but how shite are instruction manuals (for bike stuff, no toaster comments on here!)?!

Having bled my brakes to death recently, I mock the danger warnings of dot 4 oil, in fact I might even drink it soon. Anyway, to my point....having found my problem hose, having bought an F1 style goodrich hose, got some new oil, I went to fit it last night. Washed the bike up nice, got it on the DIY stand in my living room, rear wheel off, ready to go....!

Ball ache to get the old hoses off (quite rightly) but the instructions were dire on remaoval and new fitting. Even worse than flat pack instructions! So, as ever, I used my (often unused) brain to work it out. Not that its that complicated right enough, but someone should tell Hayes and Goodrich that, cos they've made it look and sound like wiring up a bloody spaceship!

Anyway, brakes are fixed.

In other news.....I'm now hatching a plan to rob a bank to fund my street bike! I've got the building bug and want to get the new rig going, so I might buy some parts each month! Off to get the frame now...

Dodgy refurb?

Well what do you think?

I've refurbed my 2002 Rockshox Psylo XC U-turns - new oil (probably massively overfilled as they are very stiff now) and a spanking new paint job. Sort of a rich maroon red colour.

Time will tell how much a good job I've done of the service and the paint! I've a feeling the U-turn assembly may not hold up to well as I forgot to regrease it properly in my anger at stripping the plastic top cap first time around!!

Bring on the street/4X!

Fort Bill or bust...

Well the UCI World Cup visited Fort William last weekend - and the media circus is just dying back down. Much more interesting than Shuey being put to the back of the grid for cheating during GP qualifying!!

Results are in here. Full write up here. Sam Hill's first win of the season and a British 4th/5th/6th!



Team rider Tom Deacon came 40th!


The NPS visits Fort Bill on the 23/24th September for the DH series finale. We plan on heading up for a weekend of riding and socialising. Details via Scott shortly.

More lessons learned....

After about a months worth of "how the fuck is my rear hayes losing pressure/fluid?", I last nigth found the answer, a suspicious "bulge" in my hose (presumably due to a crash or two) and the tell tale dribble of fluid on the frame means I now know why! More investment required...

Fortunately during the ride the brake found a "fluid spot" and the brake worked, so the ride of charity lane was as ace as ever. Climb up wasn't too bad, again I had to push the final bit but I SHALL get fitter for next week. Maybe...

Top weather last night, so we took some snaps, and my 2nd lesson of the night was to remind myself how useless I am with James's camera. Poor lad had to do everything 10 times to get one crap shot!

Distinct lack of Wednesday turn out seems to be the theme to date, so presumably June will bring us some more banter and riding out in the forest.

Laters.