New Arrivals 2 - Scott CR1 Team Road Bike

I've been really enjoying putting a lot of miles in on the road bike recently as part of my coaching/training program with EliteVELO for next years XC racing.....but have been using my dad's old antique steel frame 27lb road bike!

So...continuing my transformation to the 'dark side' I recently sold my downhill bike (shock...horror) so that I could put the money towards a more up to date lightweight road bike which would fit me properly.

My downhill bike wasn't getting a lot use recently as I mostly prefer riding my Scott Ransom now for downhill so figured I'd get a lot more use out of a road bike.

After considering various options I decided on the 17lb Scott CR1 Team - full specs here. Really nice, great value road bike - super lightweight high quality carbon frame with complete Shimano 105 groupset and lots of potential to upgrade in the future.

Once again a huge thank-you to my sponsors Hot Pursuit Cycles for making this possible....just praying for some dry weather now so I can go ride it :)






New Arrivals 1 - 2013 Season XC Race Bike - Scott Scale 900RC

Super-stoked to have received my fab new Scott Scale 900RC XC race bike for the 2013 season!

Massive thanks to my sponsors Hot Pursuit Cycles for making this happen, I really can't believe it!! - I'm so looking forward to ripping up the 2013 season on this superlight carbon 29er XC race weapon.

The frame is the lightest 29er currently available weighing in at less than 949g! Scott then decorate it with only the best (and lightest) components without any compromises and end up with a stunning 29er XC race bike which weighs less than 20lbs - unbelievable :O

Full specs can be found here meanwhile here's a few pics....











South West Cyclo-X - Round 7 Velo Cake Cyclo-Cross, Sun 18 Nov, Redruth School, Redruth

Although it was pretty cold start to the day, the sky was blue and the sun was shining as we loaded up the bike and kit and headed off down the A30.

On arrival in Redruth the racing was already in full swing with the kids races so we quickly registered and then got out to checkout the course and watch the youth race.

The course looked pretty good, although not very technical....it was mostly long straights over four terraced levels with the bottom two levels connected via several sets of stairs to run up and a fairly steep slope connecting the top level.

The youth race was fast paced with Will Kelly dominating and never looking under threat, leading from start to finish!

Time for my race, got a great start and led the field out for the first quarter of a lap but then struggled for power on the very long straights so lost a few places with the more powerful senior riders cruising right by.

Settled into a good race pace and was riding my xc bike well but being pretty small I found running up the long flights of steps each time took a huge amount of energy and required quite a large recovery which made the following part of the lap slow going :(

Dug deep and kept at it and took the Junior win (and another 50 points for the series) and got 8th place in Senior so another good result :) Well done to Matt Zietz for a great win and thanks to VeloCake for another good days racing. As usual, BC Race results and write up can be found here


Leading out at the start...

Trying very hard to keep Matt Noble in sight...
Riding the steep slippery slope to the upper field

South West Cyclo-X - Round 6 South West Champs, Sun 5 Nov, South Dartmoor College, Ashburton

MDCC were hosting the first ever South West Cyclocross Champs this weekend so we headed down to Ashburton on Saturday to help out with setting out the course....between the rain showers. I could tell by walking around on the grass/mud that it was going to be sticky conditions for the race...

Woke up to the sound of torrential rain on Sunday morning - oh great :( it had been raining all night so it was going make it a pretty muddy race.

Got there early to watch and support the riders in the earlier races....and witness the course conditions worsen by the minute! Couldn't decide which tyres to run (mtb or cyclocross) but in the end went with the CX tyres.... I don't think it would of made too much difference either way as the mud was very sticky and clay-like and nobody's tyres seemed to be shedding it very well or offering up much grip!

I got a pretty good start (4th place) as we headed out on the first lap but didn't settle into a rhythm very quickly and a small mistake on the top of the farthest bank cost me a few places whilst I tried to clip back in.

Eventually settled down but the race was slow going as the ground quickly turned to slushy mud making sections of the course un-rideable as the race progressed.

For me the main goal in this race was about being Junior Champion so was I was totally focussed on getting the Junior win and spent the race managing that and not worrying too much about my overall position (finished in 11th) - a full race report and results can be found here and here. The flat track and very gloopy conditions certainly suited the more powerful riders anyhow.

Got lapped, just before the finish line, by Dexter Hurlock, who rode yet another fantastic race and took the Senior win - well done mate! Today I was simply grateful not to have to endure another lap!

So I in the end I won the Juniors and got the South West Junior Cyclocross Champion title and a rather nice gold medal so another successful day's racing :)

Good start....heading out in 4th

Me and a pretty muddy bike post race


Tough conditions meant a lot of mechanical failures

Junior podium

And a nice gold medal for the win.....stoked!