The bug bites...

Welcome to the fold Mr Cefferty...

After over 12 months of me waxing lyrical on Fridays after weeknight rides or on a Monday after a mega weekend trip Ryan has used our 'bike to work' scheme to source a top end entry level hardtail - a Voodoo Hoodoo from Halfords... Seems a good frame with some solid components, nothing bling but dependable strong and hopefully long lasting. So yeah spot what else has rubbed off in our chats... yup they are 5:10s from Day 1, and you might not spot the front tyre that he's replaced already after just a rag around the BMX track near his home.

Anyway good ride tonight. A dry evening after a week of heavy showers. The Cotic was solid - but the 8 speed shifter is playing up I think, it's done nearly 8 years so perhaps it's time to retire it and upgrade... birthday in August, maybe a 1x10 setup on the hardtail?!

Charity Lane felt amazing, Bottom of the Oven fast. Climbs a lot easier - think it goes to show what a difference how tired you are makes to riding fitness. I feel I'm a lot more rested than the last few weeks.

So Ross joined us too and struggled a little with bike fitness, think he enjoyed himself though - that's the main thing, having a smile (or a gurn) on your face.

And what of Ryan? Well he races hairdresser's cars at the weekend so we knew he'd be competitive - and his fitness was up there with mine. Not to shabby on the descents either and big smiles - we'll see him out next week I think and he's keen to travel to one of the trail centres with us soon too...

Macclesfield Forest 30/6/2011

Snap crackle and pop...

Great ride this evening - Jon, Chris and I out on hardtails this week as things were wet and I fancied a change from the big bike...

One thing that after all these years is still such a big part of mountainbiking for me after work is the 'therapy' of climbing up to Charity Lane. It gives you a good 30-40minutes to download work and life with your mates. Even better this week we got on to advising Chris on 2x10 setups and Jon dreaming of a hydraulic deraileur system.

Charity Lane is smoothing out, as it always does in the summer. Still loose and rocky but a line has emerged and I felt fast if a little loose. Good to take the full susser confidence back to the hardtail - you pick better faster lines and it keeps things interesting. Chris said I was pulling away from him which is cool, but Jon obliterated the pair of us - both on the downs and the climbs. Animal. Jon left us for a blast back to town - Chris and I headed down Bottom of the Oven - I was expecting to find it very loose and pretty sketchy but today I just felt on it down there, pinned and very quick with plenty of pumping and jumping (pop) at the top before careering down the steep loose bit with a bit of style.

Onwards and Jon snapped a chain (snap) on the way round to the viewpoint so we briefly caught him before he accelerated up the hill and out of site. Up to the viewpoint Chris and I had a relax and reflection on how lucky we are to live, work and ride in such beautiful countryside. Then down the old push up trail which was great apart from some walkers that slowed us right down - despite it clearly saying 'bike trail' grrrrr. Still we were polite to them. In the darkness it was slippery but great fun - tons of adrenaline pumping.

Sorry no 'crackle'. Couldn't think of anything to make the title work better than that. See you all next week!

That hit the spot...

Well tonight it was just Jon and I as numbers dwindled again. Kev is out long term with an ankle injury (due back on the big bike mid August I reckon - just in time for Scotland in September!). Chris was away with work, and Tony decorating...

So it's been wet the past few days but it didn't put us off. The usual climb proved to be very therapeutic as Jon and I ranted and got lots off our chests. Charity Lane is evolving again and the climb is a lot smoother already... I wondered if this would be translated over the summit. The full sus allows you to carry so much more speed into the rough stuff, but poor line choice meant Jon closed the gap right up and then with the more level smoother bottom section held my tail to the close - result!

We both reflected that last week (singletrack) felt to short, so decided to do the whole forest loop... not before Bottom of the Oven (awesome tonight), I feel so confident on the big bike. Up at the view point watching the sun start to drop in the sky I was reflecting about next year being 10 years of Fearingout. What a milestone...

Not reflecting long though before we nailed the final descent - and Jon was 'on it' pinning and railing the corners finding grip where I thought none existed. I could only just hold him and I felt flat out on the big bike.

Roll on next week - and the rest of the summer on two wheels.

A quick blast...

Four out tonight including a 'riding tanned' Jon back from a week ragging the Pitch over in the Sierras in Spain. Sounds like he had a wonderful time, I for one am very jealous. Good ride this evening, as Jon and I were joined by Chris and Tony. Just a dryish Charity Lane and slimy but drying singletrack this evening...

Even I felt though that the descents just aren't long enough.

Then I come home to find Dirt mag on the doorstep and an article on Whistler.
Damn it!