Giro Bravo Glove - Quick Review

It as been some years since I wore fingerless gloves. I have preferred the added protection full fingers offer even in warmer weather. However, we're selling the Bravo gloves at City Cycles and in the interests of customer feedback thought I'd give them a try.

First up they fit me perfectly - by which I mean snug. The result is no uncomfortable creasing of the palm when holding the bars. I've got fairly average hands and the medium size was spot on.

Personally I choose gloves with little to no padding on the palm. There are padded areas on the palms of the Bravo but it is done subtly, providing a svelte thin profile. Across the centre of the hand there is only the synthetic leather resulting in a thin natural grip. There is a gel pad over the thumb and padding over the inner knuckles.

Overall I found the Bravo's offer a nicely shaped and supported grip on the bars. The cushioning doesn't feel over the top but does protect the key areas.

The other side of the glove is a thin mesh so not much protection from straggling undergrowth or a cold breeze. A nice simple Velcro fastener makes it easy to get the Bravo's on and off.

I really liked these gloves and they'll be a definite favourite through the summer. They are not for those who like lots of padding and protection, but do provide grip and comfort with minimal thickness.

Maintaining fitness

In December I became a bike shop owner. Making my passion for cycling a career. I now eat, sleep and breath bikes, but this does mean I've got far less time to ride them.

I made a New Year's resolution to ride 100 miles a week. I can count on the fingers of one hand how many times I kept that promise! Compared to recent years I am barely spending half the time on the bike that I used to. I just don't have the free time.

I went into the new enterprise expecting long days and for it to be all consuming, so this change hasn't been a surprise. What has actually surprised me is how long I have been able to maintain a representative level of fitness.

Time in the saddle has been greatly reduced for more than 6 months. Yet looking at the lap times from last week's races my comparative performance is still very similar to last year. I don't seem to have lost speed over 60 to 90 minutes.

Of course I used to focus on other longer distance events and I expect this is where I might struggle. I've on!y completed a handful of rides over 3 hours since completing 10 hours in the Alps at the Grand Raid last summer.

My riding has changed. I now have to grab a quick hour or even 30 minutes when I can. Surprisingly this has kept me in reasonably good shape. Perhaps there are less nonsense miles, when I do get out, making the effort is more focused?

What has been great is the dry weather this Spring. The local trails on the South Downs are running fast and they haven't yet got too overgrown. So no nettle and bramble rash keeping me up at night!

I will continue to ride when I can. There is no specific event focus this year, so we'll see how it goes. To be honest I've already visited the podium twice this year so it's been a good start.

Round 4 - Gorrick Spring Series

Consistency meant that I went into the final round of the Gorrick Spring Series at the top of the points table. After two 4^th placed finishes and a 2^nd, a podium in the last race would guarantee me the overall  Masters title. So no pressure!

My strength is the climbs and I need a good hill in a course to maximise my potential. Unfortunately the new Gorrick venue at Bordon is as flat as the preverbal pancake. The dry weather meant the sandy conditions were loose and dusty. We set off down the opening tracks scrabbling for grip on the bends, legs out speedway style! I got a good start and was second into the first singletrack section. I dropped to 3^rd as we exited onto the next wider path and the lead two then began to pull away. 3^rd was what I needed so I kept my head down and pushed hard.

Being new the course had a very ‘natural’ feel. It was less cultivated than many of the venues which have been manicured, tuned and refined over the years. I liked that and felt it flowed well, with a good combination of twisty tracks with swoops and drops, coupled with wider sections to enable passing.

Towards the end of the lap I began to pay for my efforts. I couldn’t maintain the pace and I slipped to 5^th as two riders came past. I did everything I could to keep that podium spot in sight. A flat course tends to mean fast and close racing with it difficult to gap those behind.

Through the second lap the gap ahead of me opened, but weaving between the trees I could still see those ahead, as well as those chasing me. It could have gone either way and as with any race I went through positive moments when I closed on those ahead, and periods of self doubt when I misjudged a corner and threw away valuable seconds, or my lungs just hurt too much!

I was determined to give everything on the final lap and was out of the saddle, powering  on the pedals at every opportunity. I felt strong but I needed a hill to really get everything out.

I crossed the line 5^th. Now it was down to others results. The result was pinned up on the board, those behind me in the series had finished just ahead in 2^nd and 3^rd. I didn’t know how the maths was going to work out. Even as the announcer began to call the podium results, I still didn’t know where I had come. They called up third place and there was a pause. Over the tannoy they said first and second were tied on points.

This meant I was 2nd overall based on the race result at the final round. Of course having come that close I was disappointed. However, if you had said to me in February I'd be second in the series I'd have been amazed and delighted. Having won two rounds I also feel the prize went to the stronger rider. After 10 years this was my last Masters race, Veterans next year!

Lucky Man

It is almost 6 weeks since I was struck from behind by a car while riding through Chichester. I have been to the doctor this week and largely given the all clear. Without a doubt I was incredibly lucky. Over the past few weeks I have shared my story with many who have similar experiences. What has struck me is how most had endured far worse, frequently life changing, injuries despite the accidents themselves often actually being far less dramatic.

The windscreen of the car which hit me was smashed as it punted me into the air and threw me down the road. The fact that I was totally unaware of the impending impact and therefore didn't have time to tense my muscles might explain my miraculous escape. 

It has however left me feeling vulnerable and exposed to the fragility of life. I have two memories of the accident, one the crescendo of crunching carbon fibre. The other is flying through the air not knowing where I was going to land. Were these going to be my final moments before a car ran me down as I was thrown into its path? 

I was straight back on the bike, even racing a few days later, but I am extremely aware of vehicles approaching and more cautious where I would have previously been confident and maintained road position. Also on fast off-road descents, I can sense the pain and impact of my previous accident. I know from experience of previous accidents that my confidence will grow and with time the memories will fade, but perhaps with age there comes a realisation of my own frailties.

Gorrick Spring Series Round 3

After two 4th placed finishes at the previous rounds I was sitting in second place in the Gorrick Spring series. I already knew that the series leader would be missing the third round so I was keen to finally make that step onto the podium and also collect as many points as possible in his absence.

We were back at Area 51 near Frimley, the site of February's first round. This time however there was no ice that had made the previous race so treacherous. Instead the conditions were dry and the course was running extremely fast. The guys at Gorrick had also been busy cutting in some new trails and linking everything up in reverse to provide a different race track from our previous visit. The end result was very similar though, 100% twisting, undulating singletrack with very little opportunity to relax. Even quickly taking a gel required two attempts!

Third away from the line I followed the leading two into the first climb. The leader was already stretching his legs and opening a gap. I was through into 2nd on the next incline when I was asked if I wanted to pass by the rider ahead. This was an unexpected courtesy! I thought he might perhaps have a mechanical problem, but he re-joined and continued behind me. The leader was soon out sight and despite the presence of the rider behind I steadily stretched out my advantage.

It grew to 20 seconds at the end of the first lap, 40 seconds by lap 2 and nearly a minute into lap 3. By now I was feeling comfortable, but behind me I spotted my friend Jon. He was riding Grand Vets so we weren't directly racing, but there was honour at stake! I pushed a little harder to try and stay ahead until the finish. First I misjudged an awkward root and had to dab a foot to regain balance. Then I brushed a tree while cutting the line a little too tight. It was time for a reality check, I was fatigued and making mistakes. There was no reason to take the risk so I accepted defeat in the friendly rivalry stakes and eased the pace back slightly, finishing in a comfortable 2nd.

So persistence and consistency means I will head into the final round leading the series. I'll need another podium finish to guarantee I stay there.

Going tubeless

I was an early convert and switched to tubeless tyres on my mountain bike many years ago. There is no way I would go back! Occasionally I ride a bike with tubes and the lack of control, feel and grip will be one of the first things I notice.

Replacing the tube with sealant allows you to run lower tyre pressures. At the Gorrick race on Sunday I ran 18psi front and 21psi rear which is the softest I've tried. However, on the fast rooty course it worked perfectly, taking the sting out of the multiple impacts. On the damp soil it also increased the tyre surface area in contact with the ground providing extra grip for cornering up front and increased traction on greasy climbs on the back wheel.You are able to risk running those much lower pressure because there is no chance of pinch flatting a tube against the rim.

So you might think that rolling resistance would go up at such low pressures, but because the tyre is more supple and absorbs small undulations in the trail you actually roll along faster and in much more comfort too.

The big sales pitch behind tubeless tyres is of course their puncture resistance. On YouTube you can watch video's of people stabbing hundreds of nails into tyres or riding over beds of spikes. I have taken off tubeless tyres which when I've checked have had 4 or 5 thorns in them that would have deflated a tube in seconds. So it undoubtedly works! Living on the South Downs one of the main causes for punctures is cuts from flints. This is an area where tubeless sealant isn't always quite so successful. Cuts tend to open and close under stress as the tyre rotates. This means that the hole can continue to weep slowly, sometimes covering rider and bike in a splatter of latex sealant. There is also no doubt that when something does go wrong out on the trail, putting in a replacement tube can be a very messy business!

The same can be said when it comes to fitting tubeless tyres. With a pump it can sometimes be frustrating (and tiring) trying to get in enough air to get the bead to seal allowing the tyre to inflate. However there are some great high volume pumps on the market now which overcome this problem by dumping a volume of air instantaneously. For example the Top Peak Joe Blow Booster.

The final advantage of tubeless tyres is the weight saving. It is relatively small but that weight is in a critical area - rotational mass. So you'll be able to accelerate faster.

I've tried various brands of tubeless sealant but have always come back to the original - Stans No Tubes. They have recently released a Race Sealant which claims to have larger particles floating around in the liquid that seal the hole quicker. This is a claim that is hard to verify as no two punctures are the same, but the peace of mind probably justifies the higher cost.

Gorrick Spring Series - Round 2

The Crowthorne course is a true classic. However, the guys and girls at Gorrick do a fantastic job of mixing up the trails and introducing new sections to keep the experience fresh every time we visit. This time the course was the usual challenging twisty, rooty singletrack, linked with some open fireroad to test the legs and lungs. Storm Doris had left the course super grippy so it was fast and furious with no let up.

Charging away down the long open start we jostled for position as the path undulated up and down. One second I was in 3rd then some riders powered by in the slipstream, then they faded and others came through. It was frantic! On the final rise that lead into the first section of singletrack I surged into 2nd and dived between the trees.

Lungs burning I whipped the bike left and right, the leader pulling away slightly in front. Briefly I was on my own, but soon another rider was breathing down my neck and he eventually bundled through on the inside of a sweeping bend. Head down I chased hard, he was the same rider who had finished just ahead of me at the previous round, depriving me of a podium spot.

We hit the next open section, and I tucked into an aero position and fought back to his wheel, but I had dragged two companions with me in my wake. They both slithered past as we rode briefly in a group of 4 before the elastic began to stretch and the gaps started to grow. I was at the back, keeping the rider ahead honest and was only 10 seconds back when we completed the first lap.

I was still carrying the scars from my road traffic accident on Tuesday. Dosed up with Ibuprofen my shoulder, which had been my main concern, wasn't really causing me any grief but deep breathing was uncomfortable with sore ribs.

Into lap 2 and initially the gap ahead probably grew slightly but then I became aware that he was slowly but surely coming back to me. I drew myself closer and closer until I grabbed the opportunity to duck past as he stumbled on the roots, running wide while letting through the leading rider who had caught us both from the race behind.  

I gave it all I had, using the faster rider to pace myself and eek out a bit of a gap. However, I couldn't completely shake off my pursuer. Every time I checked over my shoulder he would be there and he wasn't giving up! Even when I couldn't see him the rattle of his bike over the roots was a constant reminder to keep pushing. On the final straight I glanced back and he was charging out of the saddle in flat out hot pursuit!

I had built up a large enough gap and finished 4th for the second event running. Maybe I'll get on the podium next time!