News from north of the border

Copied from the Descent-World forum - "You may or may not know that Inners has had some unfortunate problems with its uplift system as of recently, we can pretty much confirm this is now sorted, subject to final FC approval, provisionally OK, the other good thing that will come out of this all new system is NO 2 MILE BIKE RIDE TO THE PICK UP POINT!!!!

So if any of you know Derry Ford and are from the borders area or ride at Innerleithen you need to give him a BIG BIG pat on the back for sorting out the uplift problem

The other thing that came out of the meetings at Inners on Friday was dates for a Winter race series at Inners so keep em peeled for those it will probably be limited numbers. "

So hopefully things are going to start picking up again soon. I for one cant wait to do a proper uplift day. I was there at the weekend again and the place is as popular as ever, with lots of folk braving the not so brilliant weather to push up the track or do the XC loop. It was a good days riding but I've found the faster I ride the more trees I hit. In other words I need to invest in a full face helmet!

Sheffield Dirt Society

Well first (and for me, I think I can honestly say last) trip to Sheffield indoor dirt this evening, and the boy Warnock, Phil and myself headed over in the Dad mobile with the Sanchez, Chameleon and good digi camera.
Finding it by complete fluke rather then good directions it was proper baltic and first impressions were it looked quite quiet. Introductions to the organisers and a tenner lighter each we made our way onto the course...

4X is not for me.
I had a laugh, but felt totally out of my depth in an environment where I didn't feel comfortable pushing the envelope, and with in my opinion, nothing for the beginner. That's not to say the lads there haven't done a good job - props to getting it organised and putting the commitment in - everyone there had a great time and although it got slightly busier, it was never rammed and there was a good chilled out, if slightly unfriendly to us visitors vibe going on.



So why 4X isn't for me? I don't think I can ever see myself with the commitment to take the course flat out. I really struggled with the rhythm sections and haven't Scott's level of jumping experience gleaned from GT.

Scott however really put 110% in. Perhaps thats why his crank arm fell off? Anyway re-tightened and he continued to try, but I think he came to the same conclusion as me - its a long way from any of the riding any of us do. We can both now appreciate the level of skill/balls required to do it competitively.

Anyway a good night out. A little different. I'm just glad I didn't splash out on a single ring and chain guide for the Chameleon ;)

Sheffield tomorrow...

Yup we're off to Sheffield Indoor dirt tomorrrow night after work for a bit of an explore. Scott's keen to try out some new skills and I'll be there with camera. Might take my bike too, just not sure if there's anything there I can build up my confidence on?

More photos from Milky...

Fearingout team rider Dave and the other Tavi locals were out this weekend. Milky and Mono were capturing the magic on camera. More photos from Milky... check out HIS SITE

(Photos in the 'my gallery' link at the top of his page, on the 'Tavi woodlands' section).

ABOVE: Bloomers. Sunday. Tavi.

DVD news

Episode 6 'pushing the senses' is finished.
All eleven copies are burnt and ready for distribution following the premiere next Thursday.

Not amazing, but some great sections and its a visual progression from Episode 5 but perhaps more variety for 2007?

I'm sure there will be plenty of discussion over pizza and other mtb DVDs at the premiere.

Just got to start thinking about Episode 7 now.

Introducing...

Well, my 4X race rig is ready....

After feeling the Cove not handling great with tired old wheels, mavic rims from my old XC steed and shit XC tyres, yet 'Bling' in orange to hide how buckled and poor they were, I've been investing...

Here she is now all upgraded, new 24Seven wheelset, DMR diggers, a non bent seatpost (!) and now ready to 4X race! Check out that seat angle, DJ stylee :)

Comments anyone?! And yes, I do have an "upgrade next list"; new rear mech, cassette and cranks...! Next time.

Wideopen

Silly me

Damn my stupidity!

As Milky said at the end of yesterday I had a quick blast on Ash's minibike and decided to get a bit cocky... my hand blew off the bars while wheelying through a ditch thing and i ended up going face first into 2 mate's wing mirrors after getting bucked off the bike. Doh! Luckily I didn't do any other damage but I did end up flying 6 foot in the air (as well as the bike) and landed face first, I was wearing a helmet so it's all good.

I ended up putting a 2 and a half inch deep hole in my upper thigh right next to the family jewels (lucky!) and a severely bruised and luckily not broken little finger. 8 stitches and 4 hours later and I was free to go home, with my pride dented but luckily nothing else too badly damaged.

Will probably not be racing this month but the winter series is done on best 4 races out of 5 so I should have a good chance of getting a decent result overall if I do well at Combe Syd. I'll be travelling up to Bird's Hill anyway so I can write up a report for the site.

Anyway cheers!

Mono

Monos crash

Team rider Aaron (Mono) Bartlett had a bad crash out at Tavi today on a mates moto-bike. He lost control and smashed the bike and put some healthy dents and scratches in 2 cars he met on the way to the ground. He has a badly broken finger and a huge hole in his leg.

If all goes well he should be back up and riding in a month or so. Lets hope he does.

Get well soon mate.

Just what I needed....

Good ride this morning, if a tad chilly! If ever the weight of the stinky (and me!) were highlighted, it was by Jon and his rigid antique! Every uphill he flew by me. But as I always say, its worth the weight/wait (get it/!) when it comes to downhill. Charity lane was trez wet, but good lines, and good to be back. The bridleway was a different idea and a surprise, with opportunities for random air, fast DH pedalling, and drifting.

And to revisit the steps brought back memories. A lot easier these days (skil and/or bike!), and mayeb an opportunity for clearance sometime soon.

Saturday morning have never been so good :)

Macc Forest fun

Joined today by Jon who had what I think he described as a 'baptism of fire' around Macc forest, this ride was planned to get Chris back out on a bike, but in the end he couldn't make it... undeterred and itching to ride the 4 of us met at the Leather Smithy at an early for us, 9am.

2 hours later we'd done the whole bridleway circuit. Blasted down Charity Lane with big grins. Re-discovered the 'north shore steps' (see below) and played with drifting on the very fast bridleway descent.


Scott on the old 'north shore steps'... nostalgia

Good fitness ride and back by 11am. I think this could be a regular winter ride from now on. Anyone interested?

Back in 4X - 2007!

Fearingout are pleased to announce Matt Jenkins is back on the team racing in the NPS 4X 2007

He'll be at all 6 rounds, hopefully the National champs, and the Fearingout support crew (i.e. Scott, myself and Phil's gazebo) will be as at many events as we can.

Steve will be at the Nationals, and Scott and Terry are currently thinking about making an impromptu appearance in the senior category!

Great to be involved in 4X again this year, look forward to seeing you all at the races... see you in Sheffield on the 30th for gate practice...

Cloud Cover Winter Series - Race Report Rd3

As promised here is the Race Report from round 3. Right click, Save target as... on the image above, or the link in the 'Rides' frame to the left.

Enjoy.
As always BIG BIG thanks to Milky for the photos, and Mono for the excellent writeup.

Cloud Cover Series Round 3

Full results and report from Round 3 of Cloud Cover Winter series online tonight... but for now Millki's photos are here, or visit his site here.

Dialled bikes indoor series Round 2

Round 2 took place on Saturday - full results here.

We'll be heading over to Sheffield on a weeknight at the end of January to suss it out, and for Scott/Terry to decide on whether they are racing (go on lads, you'll clear up in Senior).

What a day

Awesome ride today at Gwydwr. Check out the photos by clicking on the link below left (in the 'rides' frame.

Gwydwr beckons

Gwydwr beckons with sunny spells (no mention of showers!)
Photos to follow tomorrow night - will be the first trial of the Goodridge hoses, new rear mech cable and also Fox DH shorts and new Camelbak.

MacMini has arrived, but I've had to order an adaptor to get my old Apple Studio LCD display to work with the DVI port on the MacMini.

And also - you may have noticed the site has changed a bit! Yes Version 10 has been on the cards since I launched the revised site as version 9 - but its been a work in progress... I'm now happy enough to make it live... hope you all like it!

Shopping in January...wtf?!

Making their way to me........are some 24-7 Supercross 2 wheels, blinging my 4X/street rig up :)

And now for my dilemma....CRC have Marzocchi DJ1's down at £280 (worth 400 notes originally).....whats a guy to do.

Rides at Sheffield indoor to be announced soon....gate practice and 4X practice ahoy :

Home sweet home...

Fresh back at Uni and with a burning desire to ride I cant wait to get out at the weekend.

I've spend the last two weeks on my snowboard, making tracks in the first snow of the season in Switzerland (when it finally did snow that is). Lucky I haven't been without my biking fix for too long though...

New Years eve saw the village of Villars in the Swiss alps where I was staying host an annual local bike race down the slopes. Riders turned up early in the morning to get the first lifts up to the top where they waited on mass for the start of the race. The course took them down one of the top ski runs, which was a little bare due to the late snow, and then off the pistes and through the woods where what snow had fallen was untouched and quite deep in places. Down to the edge of the village where a few more turns though some trees on the snow covered paths brought them back to the bottom of the lift and the finish line. It seemed like not too many people were taking it too seriously and the mass start was definitely the best place to watch them.

A snow race is definitely on my to do list when it comes to mountain biking.

There's a few pics on the organisers website, although its mostly in French so good luck finding them...

Back at Uni now and it looks as though the winter series at Inners has been well and truely cancelled this year, so I need to start hasseling mates for a lift to the Hamsterley races!

New mac for me...

Since the Powerbook is on its last legs I've opted for a MacMini to replace it... which should be with me in 10 working days.
I can then finally finish editing the 2006 video!

Just wish I had the money for an iPhone!! Available Q4 2007 in the UK apparently.

Back from the Dead...

Alright folks. I've been a bit quiet due to a Viral Infection caught in Paddy land. Its lasted a while, and I'm not even back at work yet! Still, almost 100%, though I hear there's a Gwydyr trip this weekend, not sure my weak limbs will make it.

Still, check the Dirt homepage just now, there's a wicked video from google with some nutter jumping off of a ski jump (off season, no snow). Amazing what balls and a few inches (of travel) can do for you!

http://www.dirtmag.co.uk/

Tavi photos

I've hosted the Tavi photos on my server, and used Simpleviewer again. Not sure if its working properly yet but let me know.

Had a call from Jon (one of the lads from work) today - he's dug out his old bike and is looking forward to joining us on the 14th at Gwydwr.

Bring it on.

Tavi Woodlands today

Hi, there are a few photos of FO team riders Mono and Bloomers from today up on my site www.jacobgibbins.co.nr .

I tryed to put some up on here but for some reason it won't let me! so go on my site and have a look.

Goodridge hose fitting...

Fitted the front Goodridge hose last night - bit of a bar-steward on your own but its on and working...
Today I fitted the rear brake hose, and bled the system. A
lso fitted the rear mech cable, took her for a little spin and all seems well.

Click the image for step by step photos... and the trial of some flash software, a first for the FO site.

Athertons on Commencal...

BIG news for the Brits - the Athertons have lined up a deal with UK importers Madison to land themselves a ride on Commencal rigs, with XTR groupset and DT Swiss wheelsets!

Most of us know of the Andorran company and their involvement with Cedric Gracia... They make some fantastic looking frames and have a certain, 'je ne sais quois' about them ;)



No news from Giant UK on there plans, but might explain the enthusiastic response I got to my sponsorship request earlier in the year!


Full press release on DIRT website.
Commencal bikes website.
Team Atherton Racing website (not updated yet...)

4X National Champs 2007 announced

See full report on British Cycling HERE

Sounds like atleast it'll be a weekender, but without the glamour of the DH it'll loose some appeal for me... still can't think of a better way to spend the August bank holiday...

Who's up for it?

Website for Belmont Estate here. Location here.