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