Thursday

Hi Guys,

Long time no see but looking to join you on Thursday. Note you are going to Chicksands. Is this a definate as if so my brother and Gavin may join us. However they live in Silsoe and Clophill so would meet us on route. Therefore can you confirm that you are definately going to Chicksands and the route you will be taking. I will then make arrangements for them to meet us at some point.

Rain stopped play (for most)

Darkening sky and then rain from about 5:30pm saw a plethora of texts giving excuses, sorry reasons! for not being able to make the ride. Phrases spring to mind like "a few good men" and "the good and the brave".
Anyway just Dave and I braved the elements, which politely stopped pissing just a tad before the 7:00pm start, what looked like was going to be a wet ride turned into a rather pleasant outing.With just the two of us plans for Chicksands were abandoned and an easy consensus reached to take what is now the established 'normal route' (plans are afoot to add some variation for future rides). Waterproofs were removed once in the woods as both of us were beginning to over heat having been fooled by the earlier black sky. Once on the sand it became apparent that the earlier rain had not soaked far into the ground making the going treacherous as the top layer just slipped on the dry sand under it. With the going a little slower I was able to make the most of the few roots down the back of the wood to bounce the bike around a little while Dave clattered along behind me!
The single track before the bog was pretty lively with the top layer very slippery, there was a number of occasions where I thought Dave had stacked it as I watched his back end slip away only to be saved at the last moment. The Bog did not live to its legend and was quite an anti climax as was the final climb up the field to Steppingley.
A quick (or not so quick for me) dash up the bypass and we were both rewarded for our troubles with some fine ale and food at the Oss (some less worthy partook of this sustenance, but we shan’t name names!).

Next ride is THURSDAY not Wednesday, THURSDAY 7:00pm by the Albion, off to Chicksands weather permitting.

Monday 20th April Ride

5 of us set off from outside the Albion this evening on a very nice but cool evening. We proceeded along the normal long route and made good progress. Was a little wet in areas but the downhills were pretty dry and fast with Justin bombing down with his usual gusto.

Again the tree on the singletrack seems to have got lower with only Dave attempting to get under and losing his rear light in the process. The bog was succesful for all but myself as I went flying into the brambles and a very muddy shoe (luckily the overshoes mean the cleaner wont be annoyed at work tomorrow!)

These are the stats of the ride (again from my house). This is actual rider time so although was a bit quicker than last week I think we had more rests to was a bit more of a blast.

Actual cycling time: 1hr 19mins
Distance: 14.84 miles
Average speed: 11.2 mph
Max speed: 26.5 mph

See you all outside the Albion on Wednesday slightly later at 7.30

Oh and I managed to break some more bike bits - this time my singlespeed chainring! Pics above:

Wiggle e-voucher

Any one interested I have a e-voucher for £5 off when you spend over £25 in the next 14 days at wiggle.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/

Wednesday 15th April Ride

Well Chris, Dave and myself made it out tonight and surprise surprise I made it round without any mechanical faults! Bike ran smoothly and seems to be good now! We went for the normal long route and it was a pleasant evening to do it with short sleaves on for the evening.

Managed to set a pretty good pace without too many stops and wihout incident until the singletrack through the wood when I hit my pack on the low tree (which seems to be getting lower every week) and then a pedal/crank on a log following one of Dave's routes. The bog was pretty wet but all 3 of us made it through without stopping and then a short blast home. We only really needed the lights once we got onto the road which was nice! Dave's 3 lights seem sadly redundant now!

These are the stats (including to/from my house):

Total Cycling Time: 1 hr 23 mins
Distance: 14.99 miles
Average speed: 10.8 mph
Max speed: 23.4 mph

See you all out next Monday!

Chicksands/Rowney Warren Wednesday 9 April 2009

For everyone that didn't make last nights ride i think you missed an epic ride. Blox, Rob and myself set off from the usual spot (outsde the Albion) and decided chicksands would be a good idea. Being fairly new to Ampthill (I have only been living there for 3 years!!) I didn't have a clue where Blox was taking us, past some allotments across some fields, he assured me he knew where he was going, then we popped out and were confronted with a stupid hill leading up to maulden church. It was granny cogs all the way up to the top of the hill, well nearly all the way up as we heard strange noises coming from Rob and his bike and then a horrible snapping noise and ping his rear mech had snapped off his bike, if you have seen the blog he just bought a new one this week, and he had bought an XT, and it snapped off and snapped his chain as well. He then strapped this to his bike, told me and Blox to head off and he would start walking home, after seeing the pictures of the mech i am assuming he got home ok. Blox and myself plodded on we did chicksands wood and rowney warren, the woods are in great condition and both Blox and myself managed some of the more challenging hills, two of which neither of us have ever managed to get up before. As it got darker and darker we decided we would head back, we got out of the woods and headed to the army base, where the smell of onions is almost unbearable. We then got onto the road by shefford and Blox noticed he had a puncture and typically we had no spare inner tubes so puncture repair kit it was, we managed to locate the hole and fix the puncture. We sat off for the ride back, it seemed to take quite some time as we had both got quite cold fixing the puncture, by the time we had got back to Ampthill we were so wrecked we didnt even go for a beer!!!!!! although we were still back by 9:30, so without all the delays it is a solid 2 hour ride. A great evening ride with some scary moments, especially being stalked for a good mile around rowney warren by a deer, this felt a bit like a disney version of the blair witch project. We will be doing this again soon I think
Dave

Seriously FFS!

On our way to Chicksands tonight another disaster with my bike...

snapped mech hanger, ruined chain and bent rear mech so some more bits to order :-(

Anyhow going to attempt the monday evening route on my fully rigid singlespeed with v-brakes tomorrow so should be interesting!

Not the way to leave the mountain!

Afan February 2009 Whites Level boardwalk section.

Thankfully not one of us!!!

That time of year!

Yes it's that time of the year again, The UK's most important test!

The mbr Trail Bike of the Year 2009 for the third year running and the second year with a ten out of ten is ...................................... yes you guessed it ORANGE FIVE PRO!!!!!!!!!

All I've got to do now is learn how to ride it without flying over the bars each time we hit the bog!!!!!!!

See you all Monday 7:00 pm outside the Albion.

Saturday ride anyone?

Sorry I couldn't make it out last night. Decided to do some of the route on my way home from work and on the flat just before the downhill section in Steppingley woods my rear mech decided to place it self in my rear wheel. Hence a bent mech, mech hanger, broken chain and bent spoke! Pic below

So anyway ordered the new parts and they should hopefully be arriving tomorrow, which if they do I want to get them on the bike and go for a ride on Saturday is anyone about to show me some more of the local trails?!

Thanks! Rob