XC in kent- Any willing volunteers!!!

impished

[/silence]Finally got my P7 light today :P
Once my retinas stop burning, hopefull by next week, I'll be up for a night ride.
Anyone up for a Chilham dark ride next week?
Or is everyone still using rubbish excuses like holiday/physio?

deadpool2e

anyone want to join me and russ Monday morning around Surry hills???

Went to cycle show today and i fell in love a few time i must say......Pics to come

impished

I'd love to do Monday, but the mortgage/boss/wife seem to think I should put work first :roll:

I take it the bike show was goooood then. Did you make the big mistake of taking a credit card with you :twisted:

andyturner28

You guy's are NUTS Spent about 20 mins in Kuala Lumpur airport last week pissing myself laughing, but there was no free wi-fi in the hotel so couldn't reply :twisted: Anyway, i am still using the holiday excuse till the 21st, but as the knee is much better now (been running in the jim and exersize bike) i am definately up for a ride as soon as i get back! Even though i am here all i can think about is riding my bike again!
12 or 24 hour race sounds like a plan, and i will be up for paying for the tops if they are not too expensive. Better get back into training when i get home then :roll:

RussAlf

Cycle Show yesterday was good, spent about 5ish hours there. Plenty to see and watch, luckily nothing to buy or it could have turned out to be a very expensive day!

Let the Story Begin:



At the entrance, Mark with his Show guide




The £7240 Scott Genius LTD, it was fecking light for a 150mm AM bike but then you would expect it to be really!


Nicks next bike, wont hurt yourself in this one so much.


GT Stand


Charge Stand


Hope Stand


Check out the size of that piston.


Hopes CNC machine, spot the Hub being made.


Very impressive exposure lights


Andys bag made its way there, still only brought one t shirt though.


Mark extremly interested in Continental tyres, Neil and myself showed a sudden interest aswell.


Mountain Bike test track, you had 15 minute runs and could try out bike from Iron Horse, Cannondale and Scott. I tried out a Cannondale Rise (with a lefty), Cannondale Moto and a Scott Genius. Moto and Genius were both very nice, Genius feeling very similar riding position to my meta. Cant remember what Mark and Neil tried but i know Mark tried a Iron Horse Sunday out, you needed a DH bike for the challenging terrain. Saying that it was quite fun speeding round the berms.




Shimano Stand


Bumped into a certain BMXer at the shimano stand


Trex Stand


The new Frame Mark has fallen in love with.



Dirt Stand with Peatys Bike


Yeti Stand


Best Bike Company of the Show, im not biast at all.




Playing with the free Shimano Frizzbee


Gee and Rachel Atherton insisted having there photo taken with the famous Mark Twohey XC in Kent Pro rider.


Singular Bikes


Mark at Home


New Specialized up and downy post on new Enduro






BMX and Trials Show, very impressive. Missed all the big jumps and backflips as it was at the other end.


Fancy Condo Fixies


Condor Fixie




"So what do you think of the trend to wearign skin suits in competition and Rachel will you go out on a date with me?"


"Skin suits are stupid and your old enough to be my dad"


We found a Hammerschimdt! Very smooth shifting feel, makes a racket when pedalling backwards!


Gear Box


Andy you wont get so many clipless moments with one of these!


Marks new bike on order.

Freebies included: Very nice Hope CNCd Keyrings and pen holders, Shimano "Saint" Beanie (which is actually really nice), unlimited supply on Monster Energy drinks (i had 5 lol), Red Bull Cola drinks, Loads of stickers, bags, catalogues, badges and pens.

More pics of bikes and stuff Here!!!!!!

A good day!

impished

Russ, have you spotted Mark helping to promote the "South Easts Greatest (only)" trail centre. Your favourite; Bedgebury? :shock:

Look at the Mudtrail webbie and check out Marks vid (and the criticism of the vid too )

deadpool2e

NIce little montage you have there Russ .Rachel wanted my phone number and i had to turn her down (she kept asking me to the pub????)

Those cheeky gits at mud trail.....lol.........If only they knew how it was filmed

will get some of my pics up soon.

Bmjboy

Hi All - We done Bedge and Bewl combined yesterday, Bedgebury has improved since I was there a year ago, not a mud bath anymore, but more a gravel track! New bermed sections will prove interesting with time, but at the moment nothing special, if not hazardous.

Overall found it pretty good and flowed OK, although I did have an off on a mini wooden bridge, powered down ON it, back end slid out and I had a rather painful experience with my seat! :oops: Lesson learned regarding power and direction changes on wet wood : TICK.

Found my fitness has greatly improved, but found the technical twisting and turning testing my back and arms more than my usual route around BBH. Will work on that aspect. I spent much more time out of the seat and moving the bike around to keep speed/balance.

Going to go again Saturday for 2 laps of Bedge to get some more training done in respect of my off the seat fitness, hopefully get some improvement down for Wales in 2 weeks!! WOOHOO!!

deadpool2e

Russ and I went to Swinley yesterday and found some good drop offs and some nice jumps. We both sessioned the jumps gully and in the end was doing all the big bits in one run. also found loads of new (to us) DH bits and a nice jump that me and Russ wanted to do but said we would do it next time as long as it is totally dry.

Russ the reason i was taking so long to get into it was because i must have had a bug because after i picked the kids up I was sick and felt dizzy, so had a little kip and felt fine after but a bit drained still.

impished

deadpool2e wrote:

Russ and I went to Swinley yesterday

Can you feel the jealousy

deadpool2e wrote:

Russ the reason i was taking so long to get into it was because i must have had a bug because after i picked the kids up I was sick and felt dizzy, so had a little kip and felt fine after but a bit drained still.

Hope you're feeling better mate.

Anyone up for a night ride round Bedgebury/BBH sometime soon? I've got an artificial Sun on my bars, so you could borrow my 2 x Fenix's.
Mark & Russ, I really think if you lost your 'night-ride-cherry' you would find yourself addicted. It breathes new life into all those trails you're starting to find easy/boring. :twisted:

deadpool2e

Right well heres a few pics i took at Cycle show 2008 much better than the ones taken by Errmm cough bikeradar cough


Me with Future wife ( but dont tell current one) SSHhhh



Thinking of how i could explain to said wife that my bike frame has change colour???


Eagle eyed action man


Russ just about to put on his pressure suit for the test track.


For some reason Russ was interested in a unknown bike brand?????

Still feel a bit Sh*t Ade but thanks any way.
I did like that very small night ride i had with you guys around blean, but am having a hard time trying to deside what lights to get and if i would use them much beacuse almost always have child care issues as wife works late.......

pittpony

Bike show looks good. Lots of bikes, bike bits and scantily clad women. Remind me why i didn't come??!

Ade - will hopefully get a night ride in next week as i have a new light to test out as well. I'm not sure it'll be as bright as your supernova but should see me OK.

pittpony

A few pics from the peak district if you're interested

A couple of views - much better in real life than on film. Stunning!



The fairly tame end to a great loose rocky downhill section. You had to pick your line quite carefully but it was nothing compared to what we rode on day 2!!


For once it wasn't me!!! OK so I did take a couple of spills...


Absolute pig of a climb - no traction whatsoever. The better climbs were a lot more rocky and still quite wet but you stood a better chance of making it up as you could get a bit of grip


Local reisdent took a liking to my cables. There are tooth marks in them now!


More stunning views





We didn't capture a lot of the technical riding on film but it was a real challenge, especially to my mates who ride very little. Great trip, i'd definitely go back

RussAlf

Today i rode Friston Forest down near eastbourne, was actually very good and well worth the trip. I rode there with my mate who doesnt ride much so it was a slow calm ride but from what i did ride it was good fun. It reminded me of Blean but with alot more steeper longer descents and longer climbs. Some good drop off, jumps and a downhill section. Worth a second trip to look around its got alot of potential.

Vids from Swinley the other day, excuse the mobile phone quality

Me doing the drop off

http://www.pinkbike.com/video/42946/

Me doing Gully Gap

http://www.pinkbike.com/video/42947/

Mark doing drop off

http://www.pinkbike.com/video/42943/

Mark doing Gully Gap

http://www.pinkbike.com/video/42950/

Sorry XC wippets for i have sinned ive moved to the dark side of flats and i prefer it.



Great pics Nick that looks great fun, will have to get myself up there. I definately want to have a trip somewhere soon for some decent riding.

RussAlf

Bmjboy wrote:

Hi All - We done Bedge and Bewl combined yesterday, Bedgebury has improved since I was there a year ago, not a mud bath anymore, but more a gravel track! New bermed sections will prove interesting with time, but at the moment nothing special, if not hazardous.

Overall found it pretty good and flowed OK, although I did have an off on a mini wooden bridge, powered down ON it, back end slid out and I had a rather painful experience with my seat! :oops: Lesson learned regarding power and direction changes on wet wood : TICK.

Found my fitness has greatly improved, but found the technical twisting and turning testing my back and arms more than my usual route around BBH. Will work on that aspect. I spent much more time out of the seat and moving the bike around to keep speed/balance.

Going to go again Saturday for 2 laps of Bedge to get some more training done in respect of my off the seat fitness, hopefully get some improvement down for Wales in 2 weeks!! WOOHOO!!

Bewl Bedge route is a good ride, normally 1 lap of bedge is not enough but combining the two gets it to a good distance. Ive never done 2 laps of bedgebury ever, often have the thought to but then get bored. I personally feel you would get better training in for wales at BBH, afan consists of up to 7min continuous downhills where you are going fast and need constant concentration, you get really bad arm pump and thats what normaly slows you down. Still any riding is good riding! Those bridges are rediculous, so many people have been taken out by them, they should chicken wire them or put signs up. Look what happened to marks wheel on one

http://p1.pinkbike.com/photo/2242/pbpic2242265.jpg

pittpony

Flats??!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

You'll be telling me we won't be seeing you in your lycra one-piece any more Russ

Bmjboy

RussAlf wrote:

Bewl Bedge route is a good ride, normally 1 lap of bedge is not enough but combining the two gets it to a good distance. Ive never done 2 laps of bedgebury ever, often have the thought to but then get bored. I personally feel you would get better training in for wales at BBH, afan consists of up to 7min continuous downhills where you are going fast and need constant concentration, you get really bad arm pump and thats what normaly slows you down. Still any riding is good riding! Those bridges are rediculous, so many people have been taken out by them, they should chicken wire them or put signs up. Look what happened to marks wheel on one
http://p1.pinkbike.com/photo/2242/pbpic2242265.jpg

The BewlBedge combination came in at around 28miles(ish), and its weird, that I actually started biking BETTER after about 15miles - I wasnt getting out of breath on hills, which is what I do when cold/starting a ride. Maybe someone can explain why that happens.

We've been doing BBH for ages now, and my fitness has greatly improved, though, doing Bedge last week showed me that my "out of the saddle" skills and fitness needs work. As the BBH trails are fairly straight (not twisty) I wasnt getting the need to get out of the saddle to chuck the bike and myself around. The twists n turns of Bedge tired my upper body more than BBH.

We've decided to do 2 laps of Bedge this weekend, simply to get a bit more technical turn riding in.

BBH will still be our main ride, simply for the hills.

Im still not sure how I didnt trash myself up on that wooden bridge near the start, like I say lesson learned. While I was fixing my seat afterwards a couple on hire bikes come through and the guy done almost the same thing, maybe some signage would help the less regular/experienced riders there. There are caution signs in other places, but not for wet wood!

9 days 'til Wales........
1 Day 'til I get my new Avid Juicy Carbons 8)

(Not that Im counting)

breezer

RussAlf: The best bit in Friston is the 2 mile singletrack thats not on the XC loop, its kinda hidden but fun when you know its there and ends in a great downhill

The bottom of the DH track is where I snapped my collar bone a few years back on a big tree that got in my way. Had to ride out of the forest 1 handed

Im off to bedgebury tonight for a night ride now that ive found my batteries from when I last used them in march heh

impished

breezer wrote:

Im off to bedgebury tonight for a night ride now that ive found my batteries from when I last used them in march heh

What's the score with night riding at Bedgebury? Am I right in assuming it's bridleways, therefore we're allowed there 24/7?

Bet Bedgebury's a whole different place in the dark :twisted:

Bmjboy

impished wrote:

breezer wrote:

Im off to bedgebury tonight for a night ride now that ive found my batteries from when I last used them in march heh

What's the score with night riding at Bedgebury? Am I right in assuming it's bridleways, therefore we're allowed there 24/7?

Bet Bedgebury's a whole different place in the dark :twisted:

The SingleTrack isnt bridleways is it? - Interesting to know what the official rule is on riding there at night.

Where do you guys park?

breezer

No idea on whether its allowed or not but often see other riders up there and also often see staff going round in their cars presumably doing a check before locking all their gates for the night and they have never stopped. A lot of it is bridleway as you say but not the singletrack I guess

I always park in the layby on the A21 going South at the end of the old dual carriageway thats now 1 lane as I refuse to pay for their parking anymore. It was ok to start with but ive paid enough and until they put in some more tracks etc its layby for me.

Only issue with riding there at night is that its so twisty you do need a wide beam, I am running a 24deg bulb which is fine and I know the place like the back of my hand, any less and you would need a spot

Had a WTF about to be taken and prodded by aliens moment one night when I saw about 6 white dots moving horizontally through the trees about 100m away and it was only about 30 seconds later I worked out they were other riders heh

RussAlf

breezer wrote:

RussAlf: The best bit in Friston is the 2 mile singletrack thats not on the XC loop, its kinda hidden but fun when you know its there and ends in a great downhill

The bottom of the DH track is where I snapped my collar bone a few years back on a big tree that got in my way. Had to ride out of the forest 1 handed

Im off to bedgebury tonight for a night ride now that ive found my batteries from when I last used them in march heh

I actually rode that section by mistake, i was following the red markers untill we got a bit lost and then i just decided to follow a bit of single track that turned out to be a long bit of singletrack that ended with a steep dowhill section ending out on a road. I had my roughguide rides map on me and one that the guys in the shop gave me. I definately missed lots of good bits so will be going back to explore more.

breezer

Yes the actual single track course isnt that well signposted and im still not sure where the last 1/4 mile goes as I end up going a different way each time!

As for Bedgebury, heres a pic, you can see where I park in the layby, this is from August so has the new bermed/pump bit where the old dark woods were that were cut down then you can also see to the left where I go back along the fireroad towards the visitor centre then cut off left for the long big of singletrack there which I think they use for their mini race series, rode back up it and had a play on the north shore by the looks of things heh

Bmjboy

breezer wrote:

No idea on whether its allowed or not but often see other riders up there and also often see staff going round in their cars presumably doing a check before locking all their gates for the night and they have never stopped. A lot of it is bridleway as you say but not the singletrack I guess

I always park in the layby on the A21 going South at the end of the old dual carriageway thats now 1 lane as I refuse to pay for their parking anymore. It was ok to start with but ive paid enough and until they put in some more tracks etc its layby for me.

Only issue with riding there at night is that its so twisty you do need a wide beam, I am running a 24deg bulb which is fine and I know the place like the back of my hand, any less and you would need a spot

Had a WTF about to be taken and prodded by aliens moment one night when I saw about 6 white dots moving horizontally through the trees about 100m away and it was only about 30 seconds later I worked out they were other riders heh

We are going to become "Friends of Bedgebury" £40 for an annual pass, and you're allowed 2 cars on it. As I have a Van, we can all bundle in that and park OK. Should pay for itself after a few visits, but I do agree its a ridiculous fee considering the MTB'er isnt really priority there now.

We where there this weekend gone so know the layout OK, riding in the dark will be a good challenge, will have to arrange something for when we're back from Wales (9 days to go!)

impished

Bmjboy wrote:

...will have to arrange something for when we're back from Wales (9 days to go!)

Sounds like a mass Bedgebury night ride on the cards soon then :twisted:

pittpony

impished wrote:

Bmjboy wrote:

...will have to arrange something for when we're back from Wales (9 days to go!)

Sounds like a mass Bedgebury night ride on the cards soon then :twisted:

I'm up for that!

By the way, just got the all-clear from the physio so am good to ride one evening next week 8)

impished

pittpony wrote:

By the way, just got the all-clear from the physio so am good to ride one evening next week 8)

Nice one 8) Name your day and I'll be good to go.
Although from Andys previous posts it sounds like he's gonna try to kill us!!!!

pittpony

impished wrote:

...from Andys previous posts it sounds like he's gonna try to kill us!!!!

Bring it on :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:


Sure, will sort something out nearer the time as (staggeringly) i'm quite busy again next week. Defo make it out one evening though 8)

RussAlf

Excellent Nick! i had a chiropractor session yesterday, got lots of exercises to do now. He thinks it will be atleast 3 months before it stops bothering me, thinks ive got some bad tissue damage. Some of the stretches hes given me to do are more like torture exercises. "light" cycling is fine though apparently just no kitesurfing for me for a good while.

Ade i may take up the offer of borrowing the 2 fenixs to try out this night riding shambles if you all head over to bedgebury.

impished

RussAlf wrote:

Ade i may take up the offer of borrowing the 2 fenixs to try out this night riding shambles if you all head over to bedgebury.

Sounds good to me 8) Just imagine how much fun it'll be when you can't see how loose the gravel is :twisted: (oh, and no mentioning wooden bridges )