Jon's Ragley Blue Pig photos...

Those that don't have Jon as a friend on Facebook won't have seen these yet, hot of the press so to speak...

Lovely looking bike!

Jon's Ragley Blue Pig

Useful transport and Posing

The Wideopen Ragley Blue Pig test bike had been built up, lacking wheels at the moment.
I had her finished thursday evening so she got packed for the trip to cambridge! Yes extreme bike in cambridge. So it was functional transport for a shake down of a new build, sounds sensible, within 5 mins I stacked it and landed, gloveless, on the pavement. Ouchy.
Overall a very responsive bike, puts power down so well, and with familiar wide nuke proof bars handled proper!.
Day 2 of the Bluepig,
Bandaged and gloved up, it's a tow path ride whilst filming Em's 8 cruising the river, the bike was so smooth even at low speeds, problem was the 'pig wanted to be ridden properly and Minions do not like sand and hot tarmac.
I think the best thing I can say about the bike before riding her properly is 'bling'!
Chained up outside the Fort, a group of 'cool' kids crowded round her checking the details, best of all on the way off they shouted 'this is a proper good bike whoever owns it' they got a thumbs up and a knowing nod! this was closesly followed by many city or 'shitty' bike riders slowing down to see what they could have won!

And as a bonus note whilst I've been writing this on the balcony 3 couples have stopped and used my motor as 'vehicle porn'

The itch...

...no nothing like that!
and nothing like Elly's chicken pox either.

I feel Scotland calling, that's all. Anyone for hardtails down deliverance?

All this talk about France...

Jon and I headed down into Wildboarclough tonight for a different sort of Thursday night ride - which started very unusually with a 30 minute push up Cumberland Brook.

Aboard full sussers with armour and full face we had every intention of flat out reinstatement and I'm pleased to say both of us were certainly feeling 'on it' - what an awesome ride!
The top half is wideopen, loose, mixed surface dropping into a more technical slab ridden shoot, where line choice is harder than you think picking routes across loose shale and leaning the bike into the edges of the track for the last ounce of speed.

Second half starts slow, with a bed of loose pebbles making progress hard work and sketchy, then your dropped into a tight bridleway - rocky as hell with some pinch points but just roll fast through here... the loose surface dissappears and things speed up, wicked quick - before a slight climb. Then all hell lets loose as you drop again taking a rock strewn line or my option the rooty banked left line - nailing it down here buzzing like hell pedalling between little root sections and then it opens up and it's a flat out pedal down to the lower gate.

Through this and the small ford and it's all over - far too quick.
Jon and I found ourselves wondering if France will be like this? But longer! Let's hope so!

Cumberland Brook 17/9/09

Full bounce and smartphones...

Just short one tonight...

We'll be heading out Thursday to ride Cumberland Brook. Anyone up for it let me know. Although it's certainly rideable on a hardtail it's a lot more fun and scary fast on a full susser. Jon and I rode there a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it so that's why it's back on the agenda. It's worth noting though that it'll be a push up, and probably only a few sessions on the way back down as it's 30mins to the top!

In brief - looking at finally chopping in my Nokia 7210... anyone got any opinions on the 3 stuff? I'm wondering about the E61 set up with push email using Mobile me or Google mail... I know it's not an iPhone but it's £15 a month versus £30+ with the cost of the iPhone upfront too!

Gaaaaaaaa I love the Chameleon...

Jon and I headed out for a Friday night (vs Thursday) ride this week... it's been about a fortnight since I last was out on the bike and it felt too long!
I was on-board the Chameleon... the Coiler is a heavy bike for sunny evenings - and the bottom bracket needs replacing... great excuse to 'bed the brakes' in on the old hardtail.

Jon was recovering from man flu - but all the same was still not bad climbing tonight. The Chameleon really benefits from the lock down on the Z1s that the old AM3s didn't have, so I motored ahead. The weather and views were amazing and three days of dry weather had dried out Charity Lane a treat.

With Jon's man flu I headed down first - and I was hollaring and whooping like a mad thing, the Z1s (first ride on Charity Lane with them fitted) really have transformed the bike - fantastic confidence, pinned lines, flat out pedalling, great flickiness, light front end easy to pull up it was amazing. I was stunned. The most fun I've had in Macclesfield all year - awesome.

Jon was a little more down beat - the flu had killed him. On to the singletrack and unfortunately the dry weather hadn't worked it's magic here - and the limited drying time had actually just turned the top surface to slime. Shame, but not enough to take the shine of a truly awesome summer evening. Shame it's September!!

Other news - met up with Jamie (of Wideopen fame) earlier in the week. Great to see him and sup beers/ciders. We're heading down to Cycleshow in October together for the mag... maybe see you there?

Macclesfield 11/9/09

Elly loves BMX

Have I broken my daughter?

Unlike most 2 year olds 'I watch Charlie Lola!' at bed time, or 'In Night Garden' in the Hilton household Elly announces 'I watch bikes'!

Not just any bikes either...
Try and fob her off with an old Fearingout DVD 'do you want to watch Daddy on a bike?' - results in 'NO!!! BMX!'.

So perhaps the fact her Puky is brakeless is a sign of things to come?

Anyway - here is Elly's favourite - the Fit lads on the Ride DVD 'Ride to Glory'.
Truly awesome (plus I love the Charlatans).

Enjoy!