Singletrack Staff Blog

Delays! Bugger!

Just called Specialized and was told ‘By the end of the week’.. again..

Many apologies for these delays. It’s frustrating I know. But if you can bear with us just a little longer it will be worth it. I’ve not managed to get an explanation for the delay other than the time it takes to clear goods through customs. I’ll be posting a daily update this week to keep you all informed, but for waiting so long, as well as the free Stumpjumper book we’ll add a small extra ’something’ in with each delivery of ROAM. Not sure what yet but I’m going to have a think about that while we wait.

On another ROAM flavoured note, we are planning to run another big screen presentation of ROAM at Mountain Mayhem this year. So there’s another reason to come along to SSMM even if you aren’t actually riding

Just got back from Fort Bill. It’s 1am..
Just a note to self really. Published in public so as to burn into the brain.

Double Vodka and Red Bull is a stooopid drink to end the night at 2am on. I managed to fall asleep on our stand in front of the ‘cranked up to 11′ umpteen killowatt sound system they had blaring away all weekend with the inane drivel of the two commentators. Mind you my views of their commentary could be influenced by the pulsating of my head right now. I managed to find a seat in the main grandstand in front of the finish line - and fell asleep again neraly dropping the video camera down a flight of stairs.

Ive’ got loads of video footage from the weekend that I’ll be editing into next week’s podcast.

Sleep!

Well the rain carried on and off all day yesterday. We saw lots of soggy riders bravely racing round despite the downpours. We stood and watched the four cross too, despite getting drenched again, but the atmosphere didn’t seem to dampen any folks’ spirits. A late dinner and a few beers (and a few more I suppose…) finished the day.

We now just have to survive today’s showers and watch the DH, then pack up and drive seven hours home again. Monday’ll be spent unpacking and then clearing up the office and getting stuff in place for deadlines again…

I’m writing this from the just-online-now press tent at Fort William. I can hear rain hammering on the tent roof…
But at least I have a coat and umbrella. In 40 minutes the women’s cross country race starts and they’ll have the joy of racing round on this hard and technical course. I actually quite envy them - actually, no I don’t. I reckon I’ll come back in the summer and ride round in the dry instead.
We’ve been doing a good job of holding the Singletrack EZ Up from blowing away, meeting all our readers, both at the event and in the pub in the evenings. What other world class event is there where you can see the very best in the sport racing during the day, and see them in a pub for a beer in the evening?
Right, I’d better get on with my first Fort William report. Lots of spy shots to come…
See you later
Chipps

After sleeping in the van on Wednesday night without a sleeping bag (my own fault) and then fighting with a EZup/box kite for hours - we’re finally set up at Fort William… The weather is ‘changeable’ but the atmosphere is great… Quite weird seeing famous people riding past you + Rob Roskopp is here who was a bit of hero for me in my teenage years as a skateboarder.

Hopefully we’re getting a big ride in on Monday with some nice photos to bore people with ;]

Well today is the last day of my week off work. What a rubbish week to take off! Rain, rain, rain and a bit more rain. And my new frame didn’t turn up either. Ah well. Still did lots of riding (and testing of various rear shocks for the next issue) and found some more new trails - which is always reward enough in itself.

Like several hundred other folk no doubt, myself, Craig and Felix are off up to ride in some all-weather-friendly 7stanes forest playgrounds this weekend. Say what you want about such ‘junk food’ places but they’ll be a welcome change from the soggy and windy ‘real’ riding Death Marches that I’ve done this week. We may well see you there eh?

Stepped outside the Calderdale comfort zone last night for a car park rendevous at Delamere Forest, and had the pleasure of two hours guided riding round tight, twisty and swoopy singletrack.

It was good to see so many different “Thursday night rides” all meeting up in the car park before setting off in different directions, and proved once again to me that it doesn’t take many miles to deliver you to somewhere with a totally different style of riding.

Being more used to the wide open vista’s of moorland riding, it was nice change to find myself constrained, ducking and weaving through undergrowth and tree branches while trying to keep to a sliver of track weaving back and forth between the trees.

Thanks to Dave Dodds for guiding and the Sideways crew for company.

Next time maybe a whisky and haribo stop though, eh?

I’ve just returned from the 24hours of Finale (www.24hfinale.com) in Italy, where I raced in a rag-tag team of four journos from France, Belgium, Sweden and the Prinicipality of Todmorden. We didn’t do that badly really.

The race wasn’t really the focus though, it was just an excuse to get out to an area of Europe I’ve been wanting to visit for years; Liguria. It’s the Italian riviera - so head east from Nice, past Monaco and you’re there. It’s an area of big mountains that slope down to the sea, covered in lush, aromatic forests and olive groves. And snaking through all of them are loads of trails. Loads of them, I tell you! Dry, dusty, twisty trails… with shuttle rides to the top. In the Mediterranean sunshine!

Sorry, I’ll stop gushing. You’ll see for yourself in a forthcoming feature… Besides, the other guys in the office are looking at me in a very unsympathetic way. Has it been raining here lots or something?

Just finished stripping down my Kona Kilaeua ready for a visit to frame doctor Bill (as featured in the latest mag). He’s very kindly offered to try and fix it after I discovered this during it’s annual “proper” wash and shine.

The bike’s been my favourite for a long time now and it took a lot of soul searching to decide whether to retire and replace or repair it.

Hopefully I’ll be riding it at a few SSMM’s yet

UPDATE Tuesday: Just got this from Specialized UK: “Expected into our warehouse Friday subject customs etc.”

I hope they arrive soon as the pile of envelopes is growing by the day. Specialized have told us that they left the US on the 12th May, so they have to be here any day now surely.