Again, two days two rides...

This week Jon and I headed out last night for the week night ride, another warm, sunny, dry ride. I was out on the Cotic again and this week everything just clicked for me, I felt totally pinned. Charity Lane Jon sent me down first and the thought he was tailing me down sent me harder and faster than last week, it was awesome. The singletrack was wickedly quick and the ride was just perfect. Awesome...

Then instead of Friday morning riding with Ross this week Elly and I headed out to the forest for her first mountainbike ride on her pedal bike. She was fabulous, absolutely amazing and full of smiles and confidence.

Wideopen Issue 15

Two days two rides...

Two rides this week...

First up Thursday night Chris and I headed out after work... After the issues post ride last week with the Gamut chain device and me bending it, I wanted to test the Cotic out so was onboard the hardtail again this week... With a couple of weeks dry weather Chris and I decided to try the singletrack. A fantastic decision - it was absolutely bone dry and lightning quick.

Then this morning Ross and I headed out for a quick blast. I had tinkered with the chain device again last night with Elly's help! It worked much better today! With two days back to back I managed to pick a better line at the bottom of Charity Lane - still need to ride it a few more times before it's as quick as the old one. The singletrack was absolutely amazing today - really pumped the roots for rhythm and let it rip down the top section. Awesome - just wish we could session it!

Week 2 and old faces...

Well another week and another weeknight ride... this week Ross joined Chris and I for his first Macclesfield ride for about 12 months. I think he enjoyed himself!

We took the pace a little slower this evening (suited me too) with good chat as usual before taking on Charity Lane. A personal reflection - much more confident and 'on it' this week, although I need to push my fitness a little I think to get the most out of the run. The bottom end though really is super knarl these days, the winter has taken a lot of the softer material out of the rock strata on the bottom berm, and the freeze thaw has broken up the edges making the middle a boulder field - it's just not as fast as it used to be, well on a hardtail anyway.

Having seen some pretty mega tree felling from the cars we decided to do the full loop - so standing at the view point is quite different now! Cool to ride past the 'north shore steps' from days of old... the descent back to the cars was fast and fun. Lots of smiles...

Getting home I decided to replace my chain - easy task made difficult by me not sorting the cranks properly and wrapping the chain between the cranks and chain device upon testing causing some damage to the aluminium spider of the chain device. Some judicious bending has restored it's shape but it's still not quite right and the new chain needs to bed in a bit... Fingers crossed she doesn't play up too much next week.

Tomorrow, Jon is riding at Lee before heading up to Scotland with Leo and crew - have a good weekend riding lads!

Dennis the menace...

Good ride this evening - the first weeknight ride of 2011 and just Jon and I... the weather turned out well in the end and we resorted to the old favourite route wise.

First time down Charity Lane in anger on the Cotic and it felt bullet proof, but the lane was rough after a winter of freeze thaw cycles and I think I found the handling limit of my short frame and mid-range fork. Good fun though, got to remind myself it was the first time I'd ridden it flat out since last October! Smiles despite feeling a bit shaken around, no punctures and no scary moments!

Roll on next week!