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| Gorrick 2006 |
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| January 2007 - Shorts! |
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| Southern XC - 2008 |
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| National Marathon Champs - 2009 |
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| Chichester Challenge - 2010 |
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| Gorrick 100 - 2011 |
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| Gorrick - 2012 |
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| Erlestoke - 2013 |
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| 2014 |
Saturday, 31 January 2015
Nine Years!
Friday, 23 January 2015
Masters Category Axed for 2015
Quote from British Cycling:“There are one or two changes to the (British National) series in 2015, principally the absence of a separate category for masters.”
In summary riders aged 30-39 now fall back into the ability based classification system of Sport/Expert/Elite. “The Commission has felt for some time that riders of masters age (30-39 years) are still competitive in the ability based categories”, a British Cycling spokesman said.
While this is undoubtedly true for the leading Masters, riders like myself are now plunged into a Sport category field undoubtedly swollen as a consequence of the merger. 10th or 15th Master in the country sounded pretty good and achieving this goal was something to strive for. I am not inspired by a national Sport ranking.
There may still be a Masters category at the National Championsips in Essex, which is good because I have unfinished business at Hadleigh farm. Two years ago I crashed while practicing the course on the Saturday, breaking two ribs, so was looking forward to actually racing at the London 2012 Olympic venue.
I’ll admit as a 37 year old this news has come as a bit of a blow to my motivation for the year ahead. The recently released Southern XC venues and dates had inspired me to target series points. Some readjustment will now be necessary to my plans and goals for 2015. Perhaps this even means moving my focus purely to the longer marathon races before turning 40 in a few seasons. It might also be an opportunity to focus on personal cycling goals outside of racing.
Saturday, 17 January 2015
Happy 3rd Birthday Miss Madone!
My Trek
Madone is celebrating becoming my most travelled bike! The first
commute of the new year took it beyond the 14,000 mile mark and it is
still going strong.
I bought the bike from South Downs Bikes in Goring at the end of January 2012. Averaging 400 miles a month it has stood the test of time and is still ferrying me backwards and forwards to work 3 or 4 times a week; plus holding its own during regular weekend social rides. It has dabbled with timetrials, a road race, several Sportives and century rides. It’s tackled local roads as well as trips to Tenerife and France. Admittedly apart from the frame a lot of components have been replaced or upgraded, but the heart of the bike is the same. Amazingly the original bottom bracket is still going strong, despite fording floods and swollen rivers several times over the years.
I bought the bike from South Downs Bikes in Goring at the end of January 2012. Averaging 400 miles a month it has stood the test of time and is still ferrying me backwards and forwards to work 3 or 4 times a week; plus holding its own during regular weekend social rides. It has dabbled with timetrials, a road race, several Sportives and century rides. It’s tackled local roads as well as trips to Tenerife and France. Admittedly apart from the frame a lot of components have been replaced or upgraded, but the heart of the bike is the same. Amazingly the original bottom bracket is still going strong, despite fording floods and swollen rivers several times over the years.
 |
| Back from another evening commute! |
The Madone was one of those bikes that just felt immediately
‘right’. Even a professional bike fit only subtley tweaked the set-up by a few
millimetres. As much as I love riding it, truth be told I can’t bring
myself to spend money on what I view as the commuting
bike. Although the Shimano 105 groupset has just about survived intact
as parts wore out and were replaced, the wheels are a very cheap and equally heavy
(robust!) pair of Campagnolo CX’s. The contact points match the mountain
bike, so Eggbeater pedals and a Specialized Romin
saddle, which just seems to suit me perfectly. The bike fit did move me
to a longer stem and lower bar height, leaving the Madone feeling like an old
comfy slipper, getting on with the job of efficiently moving me from A
to B.
The Trek is beginning to look its age, with a scuffs from mudguards on the seatstays and cable rub marks around the top of the forks. When it does finally come time to say goodbye a switch to disc brakes is about all I’d want to really change.
The Trek is beginning to look its age, with a scuffs from mudguards on the seatstays and cable rub marks around the top of the forks. When it does finally come time to say goodbye a switch to disc brakes is about all I’d want to really change.
Friday, 9 January 2015
Schwalbe Durano Tyre – Quick Review
This is
sure to be the kiss of death but I felt compelled to post a quick
review so impressed have I been so far with these tyres.
I’ve ridden my fair share of tyres but in the past, come the winter, I usually fall back on the ever popular and reliable Continental Gatorskins. This year however, back in October as I was preparing my road bike for the winter ahead, I was lured instead into buying some Schwalbe Durano tyres. It was a decision based on a special offer at Chainreaction and a glowing review on Bikeradar. Since then I’ve been commuting the 35-40 mile round trip to work at least 3 days a week in all conditions, most of them wet! The bike then gets cleaned on Saturday and regularly called into service for the 3 hour Sunday social. According to Strava the tyres have just cleared 1500 miles and to my utter amazement I am still waiting for my first puncture.
From past experience I would normally have expected to have been wrestling with tyre levers several times by now. Undoubtedly luck has played its part, but it is still impressive performance from the Durano’s. Wear seems good and the tyres aren’t littered with the little cut marks that the Conti’s usually seem to pick up. Best of all is the grip and cornering confidence that these tyres offer even on damp roads. The Durano’s handle more like a summer tyre such as the GP4000, which may be due to the dual compound construction, which provides softer rubber on the shoulders of the tyre. Rolling resistance seems to be on a par with other tyres.
So far I’ve nothing but good words to say about the Schwalbe’s. Although that’ll probably all change on the way to work tomorrow now I’ve posted this blog!
I’ve ridden my fair share of tyres but in the past, come the winter, I usually fall back on the ever popular and reliable Continental Gatorskins. This year however, back in October as I was preparing my road bike for the winter ahead, I was lured instead into buying some Schwalbe Durano tyres. It was a decision based on a special offer at Chainreaction and a glowing review on Bikeradar. Since then I’ve been commuting the 35-40 mile round trip to work at least 3 days a week in all conditions, most of them wet! The bike then gets cleaned on Saturday and regularly called into service for the 3 hour Sunday social. According to Strava the tyres have just cleared 1500 miles and to my utter amazement I am still waiting for my first puncture.
From past experience I would normally have expected to have been wrestling with tyre levers several times by now. Undoubtedly luck has played its part, but it is still impressive performance from the Durano’s. Wear seems good and the tyres aren’t littered with the little cut marks that the Conti’s usually seem to pick up. Best of all is the grip and cornering confidence that these tyres offer even on damp roads. The Durano’s handle more like a summer tyre such as the GP4000, which may be due to the dual compound construction, which provides softer rubber on the shoulders of the tyre. Rolling resistance seems to be on a par with other tyres.
So far I’ve nothing but good words to say about the Schwalbe’s. Although that’ll probably all change on the way to work tomorrow now I’ve posted this blog!
Sunday, 4 January 2015
Merida Brass Monkeys Round 3 - Deepcut
Doing well in the Brass Monkeys winter series requires stamina and speed on the bike, but also a helping hand from lady luck. The bikes take some serious abuse from the rough trails and the onslaught of torrid winter conditions. Surviving 12-15 hours of racing without a mechanical failure or puncture can't be taken for granted. A cold or illness, which are so prevalent at this time of year, can also wipe out a race result. In 2012 I was gridded first at the final round based on points accumulated, but was so ill during the event I had to call it a day. This year the bike has worked flawlessly at each round, but today I was seriously bunged up and coughing relentlessly. Nevertheless points were on offer and we all know that points mean prizes!
A thick frost covered the carpark in Deepcut for the final round of this years series. The popularity of the races ably demonstrated by the traffic jam to get in! The Deepcut course is one of my all time favourites, but the trail planners had been busy switching things around and adding new sections to mix it up a little. As well as freezing cold, conditions on the ground were also extremely slippery during the opening 6.5 mile lap. Riders fish tailed and drifted through the undulating trails. I was about 10th and enjoying the bursts of power required for the brutal little climbs, followed by the flowing singletrack back down.
If I have a complaint this year, it is the revised start times that send the massive 2hr field off 15 minutes before the 4 hour race gets underway. Particularly on the second lap I spent what felt like an eternity cruising along behind back markers looking for a way past. It is the same for everyone, but it is hugely frustrating and makes it very difficult to escape the clutches of riders behind. Often a serious effort to pull out a gap is wasted when you come up to the next group of slower riders at the bottom of a narrow climb.
The worst example of this was on my second lap. Five riders were seemingly attached to my rear wheel, flowing along in my wake. We caught five back markers from the shorter race and I quickly picked my way past the first four before the others had a chance. With a long fireroad ahead I hoped I might be able to squeeze past the last rider, stretch the gap to those I was racing and slip away. In my eagerness I sneaked down the righthandside of the path to overtake, just clipping the undergrowth. A long sinuous length of twig wrapped itself neatly around my cassette and through my rear mech. I was lucky nothing was damaged, but after stopping to pull the majority of the offending branch free, all 10 riders had passed me and the faster guys I was racing were now infront the backmarkers. I conserved energy and didn't chase wildly but it was over a lap before I had negotiated my way back to the position I had been in before my mishap.
In my mild panic I did however forget to take a drink on the fireroad and with little opportunity to grab a bottle I paid the price on the next lap, as my concentration faltered and leaden legs set in. Luckily I kept eating and a huge swig of water at my next bottle stop helped bring me back to life.
Into the 6th and final lap and the mud had been moved aside by the passage of a thousand tyres and the course was now running grippy and fast. I was racing two guys on Fat bikes. Fat bikes are apparently 'THE' trend of 2015. The huge oversized tyres clearly providing endless grip in the technical sections, but the extra drag and weight began to tell as the race wore on and both riders tired while I forged on. I crossed the line in 7th, which should be good enough for 5th or 6th in the series overall (TBC later this week). Although I was 5th overall last year my results in the individual races this season show a significant improvement. Maybe all that commuting to work finally paying off and its a great start to 2015!
Series Results:
A thick frost covered the carpark in Deepcut for the final round of this years series. The popularity of the races ably demonstrated by the traffic jam to get in! The Deepcut course is one of my all time favourites, but the trail planners had been busy switching things around and adding new sections to mix it up a little. As well as freezing cold, conditions on the ground were also extremely slippery during the opening 6.5 mile lap. Riders fish tailed and drifted through the undulating trails. I was about 10th and enjoying the bursts of power required for the brutal little climbs, followed by the flowing singletrack back down.
If I have a complaint this year, it is the revised start times that send the massive 2hr field off 15 minutes before the 4 hour race gets underway. Particularly on the second lap I spent what felt like an eternity cruising along behind back markers looking for a way past. It is the same for everyone, but it is hugely frustrating and makes it very difficult to escape the clutches of riders behind. Often a serious effort to pull out a gap is wasted when you come up to the next group of slower riders at the bottom of a narrow climb.
The worst example of this was on my second lap. Five riders were seemingly attached to my rear wheel, flowing along in my wake. We caught five back markers from the shorter race and I quickly picked my way past the first four before the others had a chance. With a long fireroad ahead I hoped I might be able to squeeze past the last rider, stretch the gap to those I was racing and slip away. In my eagerness I sneaked down the righthandside of the path to overtake, just clipping the undergrowth. A long sinuous length of twig wrapped itself neatly around my cassette and through my rear mech. I was lucky nothing was damaged, but after stopping to pull the majority of the offending branch free, all 10 riders had passed me and the faster guys I was racing were now infront the backmarkers. I conserved energy and didn't chase wildly but it was over a lap before I had negotiated my way back to the position I had been in before my mishap.
In my mild panic I did however forget to take a drink on the fireroad and with little opportunity to grab a bottle I paid the price on the next lap, as my concentration faltered and leaden legs set in. Luckily I kept eating and a huge swig of water at my next bottle stop helped bring me back to life.
Into the 6th and final lap and the mud had been moved aside by the passage of a thousand tyres and the course was now running grippy and fast. I was racing two guys on Fat bikes. Fat bikes are apparently 'THE' trend of 2015. The huge oversized tyres clearly providing endless grip in the technical sections, but the extra drag and weight began to tell as the race wore on and both riders tired while I forged on. I crossed the line in 7th, which should be good enough for 5th or 6th in the series overall (TBC later this week). Although I was 5th overall last year my results in the individual races this season show a significant improvement. Maybe all that commuting to work finally paying off and its a great start to 2015!
Series Results:
- Round 1: 8th
- Round 2: 11th (I was dressed as Santa!)
- Round 3: 7th
Wednesday, 24 December 2014
2014 End of Term Report
7179 : Miles ridden
478 : Hours in the saddle
10 : Races
6: Top 10's
2 : Podiums
0 : Wins
Highlight:
First Gorrick Podium
Low point:
Crash at Dunsfold 4th Cat Road Race
Favourite Ride:
Sunny Good Friday blast through Porridgepot and other Gorrick classics with Matt Craner and the crew.
2014 Summary:
2014 has been an enjoyable, rewarding and successful year of
racing, with podiums and consistent top 10 finishes. Things started
positively in January when 9th at the final round of
the Brass Monkeys secured 5th
place overall in the four race series. Even better, Spring heralded my
first podium finish since 2012 and first ever at a Gorrick event after
11 years and nearly
50 attempts. There was another strong top 10 result at the Kawasaki
Enduro in May before my season hit a bit of a speed bump.
My first (and quite probably last) foray into the world of road racing ended in a South London hospital ward. It had started well, as I enjoyed the experience of racing in a large peloton on a warm, sunny, evening. With the line insight we opened up for the final sprint and at 30mph the rider in front of me unclipped and nose dived to the floor. His cart wheeling bike bringing me and several others hurtling to the ground. Six months after my slide along the asphalt, cheek bones have healed and luckily I still have both my ears, but the scars are still visible.
Missing the bulk of the summer races, including the nationals, was
frustrating but provided me with an opportunity to just get out and
ride. Evenings after work were spent under blue skies on the green South
Downs, enjoying the glorious dry trails. When
finally it was time to start training again, the dry weather meant I
could pile on the miles commuting to work. This was lucky because my
fitness was shocking; numerous times I was left trailing off the back of
a social group ride. However, as I racked up the
miles the weight dropped off and strength returned to my legs.
My return to racing in the Autumn started just as the Spring had
finished, with another podium at a Gorrick cross country event. Despite
another week in hospital during October I was back in time to finish 7th
in the Masters Plus category at the final XC race of the year.
Unlike last year I had very few long rides under my belt going into the winter endurance races so a series best of 8th in atrocious conditions at the first round of the Brass Monkeys
series was a personal triumph.
I’ve really enjoyed my cycling in 2014, the uncompetitive summer
was frustrating but it was nice to forget about racing for a bit and
revel in the simple enjoyment of leaving the house and exploring the
local trails. Competitively it was rewarding to get
back on the podium and I was generally pleased with my performances,
since I’m not getting any younger! (Only two years away from the Vets
category now!)
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my readers!
Sunday, 21 December 2014
Weight Weenie – Part 3
The final part of my gram shaving exercise really is just
nit picking! Weight savings are negligible in the grand scheme of things, but
the prices are low and it satisfies my inner bike geek!
A bike is covered in steel bolts. Companies like Pro-bolt offer a complete range of far lighter aluminium and titanium fasteners, in a range of colours to match your ride. Individually the gains are insignificant, but if you start to consider ten disc rotor bolts, four for the disc callipers and handlebar stems etc. there are small but cumulative gains to be had.
It isn’t suddenly going to propel you to the front of the race but mentally knowing you’ve optimised your bike does provide a physiological crutch when you’re on the starting grid staring at the other riders tricked out race rigs.
Bottle cage bolts. Replacing the steel bolts with aluminium saves more than 50% - 7g.
Replacing the bolt in my seat post clamp with a Titanium
replacement saves 3g.
A bike is covered in steel bolts. Companies like Pro-bolt offer a complete range of far lighter aluminium and titanium fasteners, in a range of colours to match your ride. Individually the gains are insignificant, but if you start to consider ten disc rotor bolts, four for the disc callipers and handlebar stems etc. there are small but cumulative gains to be had.
It isn’t suddenly going to propel you to the front of the race but mentally knowing you’ve optimised your bike does provide a physiological crutch when you’re on the starting grid staring at the other riders tricked out race rigs.
Bottle cage bolts. Replacing the steel bolts with aluminium saves more than 50% - 7g.
Weight weenie saving: 10g
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