Fair weather riders!

Chris and I headed out tonight after everyone chickened out with the rain yesterday. Fun and good chat, and the new wheels were amazing on my bike! Wet though - very!

Scotland Weekender - April 2008 - VIDEO!

Finally got round to polishing off editing the video from Scotland last April. Enjoy.

Wideopenmag.co.uk ver2.0!

Just put the finishing touches to Wideopenmag.co.uk version 2.0

This time it's built in blogger code to be Google-friendly. Take a look...

Wideopenmag.co.uk

Once bitten forever smitten?

:: CLICK HERE FOR SLIDESHOW ::

Somehow from a promising start earlier in the week when it looked like 5 of us would be out come Thursday somehow it was just Jon and myself (can't wait to see Ross's whitened teeth though tomorrow after his dental appointment!)

It stayed dry but overcast after the earlier fantastic weather since last Thursday. Charity Lane was very dry, dusty and loose. No clear fast line really due to the amount of loose rock, in fact it was quite a sketchy fast run - resulting in a puncture for me after the second jump. After a quick repair the singletrack was awesomely quick, too quick for the little kink halfway, I think running in there as fast as I did actually slows you down - next week I'm going to try feathering the brake earlier.

Anyway Jon was out on the Pitch for the second time. At the start of the ride he's saying 'oh I'm not upgrading or changing anything incase I need to sell', half way round he's saying 'I might fit the bashguard off the Saints' and by the end he's on about forks, bars and stem! Have to see how long the XC rims last though - look like they might be the only wafer component on what is an amazingly specced bike.

But god do Specialized spec NARROW BARS!! So uncomfortable and confidence sapping - same problem as Chris has on his Enduro.

New wheels dispatched apparently - so that was a quick build. Hopefully next week I'll have a like new steed!

Upgrade fever 2008

Is it that time of year already? It seems every year around June I end up spanking cash on the bikes!

This year it's the turn of the Coiler Dee-lux that has soldiered on since I got it in 2005 with it's knackered LX hubs. Well after Scotland in April and 3 snapped spokes in the rear wheel I've finally decided enough was enough.
As much as I'd like to pimp it up with the Pro2 boys - I've been a little more restrained. Silver XT hubs laced with black spokes (and nipples) into EN321 rims will hopefully last as long as the rear wheel on the Chameleon (the older XM321 rim - equivalent to the EN321 with the same hub - 4 years old and still going strong). Despite not really needing too I also purchased a new seatpost - the NC17 Empire Pro - as I'm sick of having to keep polishing up the old one to stop it seizing in the frame.

Looking at about 10 days until I have them - can't wait!

Macclesfield Forest tonight and Jon, who's been riding every night this week, will be out on his Pitch for it's maiden Thursday night voyage (although he did cave and give it a run out yesterday!

Staying out for the summer...

With Dodgy's greatest blaring from my stereo and no cars on the road I met Ross early doors for a blast around Macc Forest today.

Absolutely gorgious weather brought the flies out in force, with them being worst on the Charity Lane climb. The descent was dry and loose and sketchy where the larger rocks were shifting on the sand - good though - and great feeling on the full bouncer again!
We returned the way we came and then took the old road through the forest back to the car :)

Saw Jon in Buxton later in the day astride his hardtail. Nice afternoon for an ice cream. He said he'd be out every night this week - git! See you all Thursday.