It started this week. Whoever it is that controls the daily disco soundtrack slotted in the disc marked "Dawn chorus: assorted feathery vocalists" and pressed play. That means spring is coming.

Considering that the snow came down so hard and then thawed so fast the trails are actually remarkably dry. OK the moor tops are still bottomless bog and slush, with 3 feet of die hard snow in some places as we found out last night, but the local singletrack is actually firmer and faster than it was for most of last summer. That means the trees and plants are working up a thirst and drinking all the thaw water. That means spring is coming.

There's easter eggs in the shops and creme eggs on the telly. That means spring is coming.

So snow flurries and whatever else the weather might have in store this weekend be damned. That's three counts and out for winter 2010. I know cos a little bird told me.

 

Happy New Year folks and hope you had a great one. It's certainly been interesting in terms of riding but we're amazed how hard some of you have worked to beat the weather.

We've had loads of people getting in touch via the website over the hols, but this one stood out for sheer commitment!

 

"We did coed y brenin yesterday. Rather exciting getting there from Wakefield superceeded by an even more challenging drive back.
Superb day out, Pins n Needles was rather interesting to say the least! Really impressed to see that all the trails are in first class condition, and all the staff were pleased to see the few nutters who decided to venture out...a real credit to all you guys there. I've sent an email to MBR about our day commenting on the fun to be had in snow and ice and giving full credit to the trail centre and trails.
Happy new year.

Cheers

Rob"

 

Can't fault the Yorkshire boys for really wanting to get their ride in though we probably ought to say that checking weather and driving conditions so you don't get stuck is a wise idea. If you are snowed out of Wales there's nowt stopping you going loco locally though!

 

 

 

Thats why we were up in Wrexham with brake pad specialists Fibrax, who offered us the use of their rolling road brake dyno for a couple of days. It's the best brake dyno we've used in terms of on trail realism too. It recreates actual braking forces at the wheel point of contact, it's fully programmable to run different protocols and it even lets you spray water onto the set up to simulate wet conditions running. 

As a result we got some really useful data which we'll be working through for a while and will form a key part of this years disc brake grouptests in MBUK and What MTB magazines.

Massive thanks to Mark, Sarah and the Fibrax folk for looking after us so well, and if you want UK brake pads developed for UK conditions then we definitely know where to go now. Also a big thumbs up to the Stableyard B&B and the Buck Inn at Bangor on Dee, not least for the amazing teapot display hanging from the rafters in the bar!

Have a great weekend

G

We can remember when he was just a suicidal DH sprog but our mate Rob Jarman has now got himself a 3D TV advert of his very own. Well actually it's not an advert for him as you can't buy him (although he can be hired for stunt work, coaching and babysitting) but for Boardman's Pro suspension bike. What we're excited about though is not just the wonders of a 3D vision version but also the fact the new TV ad has been filmed at Cwm Carn. The eagle eyed will spot some classic sections and some new bits as Rob flies over them and out of your screen in the short ad titled "The Commute". You'll need the specs from the Channel 4 3D season though, as the ones we got when we went to the picture house to see "Up" just made us look like Buddy Holly rather than adding a new dimension to the visuals.

Anyway, you can watch the 2D version on your typing telly here www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGEffPbecB8 Just try not to snigger when his imaginary boss says "night, night" as obviously we won't be making his life a misery about it on Thursday night rides for months to come, oh no......

 

There are some wonderfully random moments in the world of freelance sh*te writing, but this has to be really close to the top of the pile.

Through a very fortunate combination of events, I'm nowhere near Wales today. No, I'm sat in a hotel room in Mantova in Italy, having spent the day riding with legendary Italian sprinting superhero and all round heartthrob Mario Cipollini on his new road bike. I'd love to tell you I gave him a hard time too, but lets just say he hasn't lost much speed since he was winning Tour de France stages by a country kilometre.
Still the bike's an absolute belter - think 900g Cervelo Soloist with a surprisingly smooth and cultured ride for a chrono bike. We've been watching the frames being hand made in a factory near Bologna today before getting properly stuffed on steak in a restaurant run by the Italian equivalent of Mrs Doyle. Turns out "Gowarn gowarn" is very hard to say no to in relation to another glass of chianti and a home made tiramisu.

 

Back to the grind of bike testing in the increasing grit and filth of our fine island tomorrow though when I'll try and remember to backflip the calendar a bit to re run our own version of the Cube and missile crisis that happened last week....

 

 

Ciao for now.

 

Guy