Joe Public thinks we are all mad

As the Winter base training phase gets under way, it's loads of riding no matter the weather. Yes you read that right, training not just riding, an actual structure and planning; bring it on.

240 miles of top riding last week, now all I have to do is up that or the intensity a bit for this week, already hampered by a warm bed yesterday and the downturn in the weather.

The Joe 6 Big Macs out there will once again fail to understand what its all about, a bit like the press frenzy over that mountain marathon in the lakes last weekend. Makes interesting reading here Lakes Info. As usual people sensationalise things they can't comprehend.

Mad For It

What ever happened today I need to bottle it for future use, cant really explain why but coming out of work faced with a vicious headwind and driving rain I was just so up for a ride its not normal.

So I ended up doing the full 17 mile off road route home, getting soaked and plastered, the full strip of kit into the washing machine as I walked in the door.....and loved every slithering minute of it.

Do you think I've been infected by the TransWales, its no fun unless its hard core weather, nahh

Transition period over........lets do shedloads of riding.......Bikes are Ace!

Riding Through The Morph Machine

The Bacon Lettuce Tomato already needs some garnish......(Blur LT come on keep up).
The frame had any tat thrown on it I could find, much to the disgust of some other bikes, and the near demise of my shoulder at Thetford after stealing the good brakes off the race Turner.

I like it...and it deserves some good kit now its earned a home. The new Fox forks have to go on for this weekend, the Mavericks have popped their clogs for now, and are not damped enough even in top tune. Trouble is as a sucker to marketing...........sorry progress they are the new 15mm QR through axle type that Fox and Shimano have come up with for 09. Good principle guys, quick releases are left over from our flexy roadie friends, but at least sort some hubs out to go with them.

BETD do a 15mm QR hub right now, I phoned them Tuesday and a freshly built hub with a Stans 355 rim arrived in my lap at work Wednesday dinner time.....Brilliant service I'll be using these guys again, check out their site they are engineering bikers.

Now another thing Fox are forcing us into is post mount brakes....bugger need one of them too, cheapo old Hope (boy its ugly) ordered and to the rescue and I'm ready to hit the hills.......just need to sort out my rebound damping, slow speed compression, and lockout blow off......help!!!


The bike now looks like its gone through an upgrading machine and got stuck at the head-tube, so moving on it has to be the bars followed by the cranks.

Looking for my Mojo

Now that's a whole lot more colourfull.
For some time I've thought that I needed to get my Mojo back for XC racing, what better way than to get a new bike, new bikes are always faster oh yes!

The Turner is just to stunted for me, the TransWales was no fun, I need more bounce for max DH fun when I'm feeling shagged. The dream bike has for some time been a Mojo Ibis, 24lb easily attained, 140mm of travel, and climbs like a goat...gimme...gimme.

Spec lists of dream components have been drawn up many a time and quite frankly the cost is scary, but that's what dreams are made of. But wait, has someone stole my spec list?

That bike there is for sale, built and never used (think his Mrs found out how much it was) and pretty much has a wish list of components and colours (except the wheels) I would go for. How strong is my will to resist, the combination of red wine and empty plastic has to be avoided, who knows where it might end.

mojo....mojo...mojo...mojo.....help!!!!!!!!

Bit Dull - Nightshift Blues

Just setting up something to play with in future, yep its night shift cover time again. Just realized, is this a reflection of mood looks a bit drab doesn't it. The fact i have to sleep tomorrow while the sun begs to be ridden under has that effect. I definitely need a better picture up there, but it does remind me of the great times and places we spent together; still pains me to think of the toe-rag who has my 5.5 right now.
The plan is a daily ride and life blog, anyone who's interested can pop in without having your in tray filed with tons of multiply posts.
I need to make it look a bit more interesting first though. Blogger has got a bit slicker since the last time I was here.