Lee Quarry Web-edit

Lee Quarry Web-edit from James Hilton on Vimeo.

Bang crash wallup!

Hungover as hell.

That's pretty much the headline today... Headed north to Lee Quarry with Kev and Chris (fellow hangover sufferers) to meet up with both Ross and Steve Larking.

The weather stayed fine, the trails were grippy and worn in, the lines flowed and all had fun and felt 'on it' at one point or another.

Kev and Steve started sessioning some ghetto lines in the freeride area, and after a few runs for camera Kev really found his flow and was looking mega cool... things ended in a bang though when the bike lost it's footing on a landing and sent him down hard. Nasty graze and shook up but otherwise ok!

Later in the ride after more berms and jumps and a session on the pump track Steve was larking around (pun intended) jumping into the quarry - whilst it looked awesome on video there was a nasty sound on impact and once he stopped he'd lost the rebound damping in his Pikes! With a serious competition to attend on Monday - his reason for stopping by the North West (en route) we headed back to Macclesfield where we swapped over my Pikes to get him running again! Good luck Steve!

Good ride in general though, fun, my favourite being chasing the jump kids down the singletrack at the end and passing them twice!

Lee Quarry 30/10/10

Best of British?

Guess what's coming in for Longterm test at Wideopen HQ next week...

A Cotic BFe! We'll be running her for 6+ months to give it a good hammering and tons of exposure in the mag. As I'm a short arse Cy was keen to get an XS size frame out into the media so we'll be onboard a tiny blue BMX size frame as of probably next Wednesday!

So looking back at the photos from February, and remembering how awesome the 'small' frame was I hope the 'extra small' isn't too tiny. Back then the bike impressed with a stable and confidence inspiring ride - but I didn't ride it back to back with the Chameleon which really has become my hardcore hardtail benchmark. The comforting factor is, as I'll have to strip down the Chameleon to build her up, she has virtually identical sizing and geometry - just steel instead of aluminium - and perhaps every so slightly heavier (though I will weigh her before I build her up to check)... oh and one last positive, I'll be able to get the Gamut chain guide on a proper rig as well :)

From Scotland - Wideopen trip 26/2 to 27/2/2010

Facebook 'Like' button...

Just a short post to point out the new 'Like' button on the bottom left of every post.

What happens when you click it? Well you need a Facebook profile but it then shows one, how many people have liked it, and two shows up on your Facebook wall as a little 'so and so liked this page'. Drop me a line if it's not working for you.

Sunset on the Summer Season?

Last last weeknight ride of 2010 - promise?

From Macclesfield Forest 13/10/10

So another 4 o'clock finish and the second chance for a last weeknight ride of 2010. I'm not quite sure what the drawer was but up from 3 to 5 out this week - to enjoy the crisp autumnal evening.

The weather has been fine(ish) all week so the going was dry as James (good to see you out on the bike again), Kev, Tony, Jon and I did the familiar climb up to Charity Lane. It was great to have a bigger crowd with some good chat on the climb and bike chat at the breathers - it sounds as if Jon is on the prowl for some air forks and Kev is on the prowl for a new bike! Good stuff.

So this week I was back out on the hardtail and god how much do I love this bike. It's now sporting nice light but laterally stiff 140mm air forks and it's transformed the bike from a heavy unwieldy dead ride to that seat of your pants twitchyness that makes you smile and keeps you honest. Oh and the acceleration, my oh my it's incredible - the super stiff cranks, super stiff rear end combine for awesome power transfer - and with an old school 8 speed setup it really does feel uber dialled. So the new forks were good and I found confidence on Charity Lane with them, growing as the descending continued. A good purchase.

Jon punctured on the descent (unlucky) but everyone else made it down in one piece. James taking things steady as he talked about maybe having run the Dawg too far into the ground - new bike time Jimbo?

Onwards and 'Bottom of the Oven' double track is getting overgrown making line choice less flexible at the top, but the marbles on a short hardtail were 'fun' made even more exciting by Jon and Kev chasing me down - I was trying to keep off the brakes, jumping literally from one side to the other to avoid big rocks and keep her pointed down - it's that sort of stuff that pushes your limits and improves your skills.

As it was the 'last last' ride we went on to the view point before doing the push up track descent back to the cars. Some lovely views of the sunset (see above - and spot Kev and Jon dissappearing in the distance).

So this week was the best. Fantastic riding. Great banter. Good bike chat. Awesome mates. I can't wait for next year - thanks for the memories and see you out over the winter at weekends!

Macclesfield Forest 13/10/10

I couldn't resist a cheeky extra shot of the Chameleon in it's Mk IV guise - super stiff, lightweight all mountain chuckable Peak district machine... lit with car headlight! :)

From Macclesfield Forest 13/10/10

Forks fitted, Chameleon Mk IV!

30 minutes of faffing this evening results in new forks fitted and me itching for a test ride! Cragg anyone?

2010 Recon 351 = Pike Air?

We'll see but at 35% off retail price and a lot lighter than my Z1s on the Chameleon I thought they'd be worth a punt for the Winter all rounder that the Chameleon always becomes!

Remember back to 2006?

Way back then I had grand plans to run a T-shirt company with eyes on parts and one day frames. Big ideas and big ambition...

After 'conning' all the Fearingout guys to help fund that first batch of T-shirts (I think most of us ended up with 4 or 5 each) I decided that a race team would help promote the brand and be quite a cheap way of advertising...

Posting an ad for rider CVs on Dirt netted several riders, Steve being one of them. He sent in a very enthusiastic email and despite not much of a proven track record seemed somehow worth a punt - back then the team became Ben, Chris Bloomfield, Tom Deacon, Matt Jenkins and Steve... all very keen and excited riders - and all happy to sport Fearingout tees and stickers at the races. Well that's where it started...





Meeting up face to face at the DH/4X National Champs at Moelfre in 2006 was a hi-light and after he started uni up in Scotland we've seen him several times on Scotland weekenders.

Steve stayed on in 2007, joined by Mono, Milky and Matt Simmonds (now on Chain Reaction!) and had a great season racing the SDA on hardtail, as well as visiting us in Macclesfield after the 4X Nationals.




So when I started Wideopen and roped in Jamie and Scott he was a regular contributor as part of the Fearingout team. As the mag became more established and successful Jamie badgered me to make a decision and for 2009 we officially moved him over to race for Wideopen.




Now regularly ragging a Kawaski green Dialled Alpine he's someone I consider to be both an asset to the magazine and a good friend... read his interview on Hardtail nation...

Last week night ride of 2010?

Good ride tonight, just Kev and I after Tony's classic arrival, look in boot, see no front tyre situation! Mind you he caught us up at the top of Charity Lane - killer work matey!

Charity Lane was wet and grippy but I wasn't feeling it at all tonight. Good times with Kev and Tony, but weak ass performance on the big bike.

So is that it for 2010? Or will we squeeze one more in next week!

Autumn Sunshine

Scotland Weekender Web-edit

Fearingout Scotland Weekender 2010 from James Hilton on Vimeo.

Scotland seems an age ago - and this video won't set the world on fire but for those that were there I hope it brings back some good memories :)

Kids are awesome!

I've been watching 'Follow Me' with my 3 year old daughter this evening, and the innocence of kids is awesome...

"Daddy when I'm bigger you and I can go riding there and I'm going to be the leader and do all those jumps!"

Just spent £260 (down from £400) on some new forks for the Chameleon to lighten her up a touch! Watch this space!