Video Blog: Back on two Legs

Here is my first attempt at video blogging. In all honesty I am still getting my head round the software, IMovie seems to hide and disguise all the actually useful controls. This vid could probably still do with a few more tweaks particularly on the audio side but I think these projects reach a point where it just needs to be sent out, I would end up fiddling forever otherwise! It does however leave plenty of room for improvement so expect bigger and better things next time and possibly a little more mountain bike riding! First race is next weekend, I still havent tested my leg on the MTB so it could go either way. I am confident and feeling strong so with any luck it will be a good weekend and if nothing else it will be good to catch up with everyone after the winter break.

UPDATE: Followed some feedback and got the audio levels sorted so heres the new tweaked version!

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BUCS 2011 - Moelfre

BUCS 2011 - Moelfre Student Championships from Rob Rickman on Vimeo.

I was on camera duty for this years BUCS. It was a great weekend and really nice to be back out in the welsh hills. The weather was a mixed affair but that didnt dampen the mood and there was plenty of excitement both on and off the track. Swansea was well represented, we had 5 riders posting more than respectable times. It is fair to say that thanks to the shear genius of the vibe trolley swansea was also responsible for bringing the party. The XC on the sunday was fantastic, a straight up straight down track, the down being down one of the DH tracks the up being up the uplift track. Bike skills were required along with brutal fitness. The steep showdown section provided endless entertainment as rider after rider were sliding out or getting flicked over the bars. There is a strange beauty about that unavoidable moment when the front end digs in which when combined with an epically high saddle and an extended stem forces the rider into a slow but perfect arc over the bars, the bike following thanks to the carefully engineered clipless pedals. All of us who practice the statistically safer sport of DH had a great time cheering on the XC riders and providing helpful advice and support whilst sitting in the sunshine nursing a hangover. All this action has been crammed into the video above for all the non students out there who want to know what they are missing. Once again BUCS wins the prize for the best atmosphere and all round event, thanks to all the organisers for pulling it off again this year.

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Back on the road!

The big news is the cast is now off and I am back on a bike! The doctor doesn't recommend anything too agressive for a while so the BFe is still locked up and sitting in the corner looking neglected. After so long being immobile it feels great to get back out on the road bike and getting some freedom back. Today was a gentle but rather cold and blustery ride out onto the Gower. My leg feels far more natural on the bike than walking at the moment, cycling was actually far easier than I expected after so long off. The goal now is to stay intact and get fit ready for the race season.

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SnowRat

This cold snap has produced some lively conditions out on the roads, the mix of snow and ice makes getting about a load more interesting than usual. I recently chucked some cyclocross tyres on the Rat. These things have been absolutely fantastic now that things have got slippery. In the snow and ice I feel as in control as on the mountainbike but with none of the excess drag. The Rat sporting these cyclocross rubbers has been perfect for flying around the city whilst everyone else is stuck inside or sliding around in their cars. I have to say that I have been enjoying it so much I keep taking the long route to work and avoiding the gritters to find the fresh snow and more challenging descents and climbs. Here are some early morning pics from the top of the hill, even the bay has had a splattering of snow!

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Bfe: Extra Small and Extra Gritstone

Cy has made a bold move with a near invisible graphic scheme on the new gritstone BFe and it looks seriously sharp. The wrap matches the frame the logos are done in reflective vinyl which by normal light arent visible but ride past a strong light or get a flash on it and the graphics really pop. A cool effect that I reckon would make for some interesting pictures under the artificial lights in a skate park. Incidentally this is where this frame wants you to take it. The reduction in length makes it super chuckable and dead manageable on the back wheel, Pete more or less manualed the first straight of the pumptrack first try and he had only been on the bike an hour. The new stealth graphics will be grabbing some attention for sure, they have a really intriguing appeal. The look reminds me of a subtle version of Pashley's matt black frames from back in the day. Anyway enough of me rabbling here are some pics.

No Flash

Flash!

Pete getting his slide on!

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Snow Lines

Stunning weather, snow, bikes what more can be said. We hit the hills and had loads of fun sliding around in the white stuff. Jonathon Lloyd was on the camera and did a great job of catching the action to compact flash. Lets hope theres more of this great winter weather to come.

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Autumn Chilling

It has been a bit quiet up on here recently so I though about time for an update. Following the end of the race season and the rapidly closing in evenings I have been making the most of the local riding here in Swansea. This has involved a whole load of the trail centres with a splattering of Kilvey and Clyne on the side. Kilvey is riding really well, there are now 3 full, official DH tracks on the hill. I am really enjoying the new track which is a nice tech affair tracking tightly through the trees at a relatively slow pace making for a decent length overall run. The original trail is still a super fun, rapid run. I sometimes forget what a great bike the BFe is when the trail gets faster and more challenging as I have pretty much spent the whole year on small XC tyres. Sticking some large bouncy rubbers on her and pointing her down a proper DH trail feels beautifully natural, balanced and puts a massive grin on my face.

Clyne is all change at the moment, they have had a decent chunk of funding to link together the network of home built trails and make something more all weather and loopable. Rowan Sorrel and his crew have been involved, Moos trails has had a boost and the old dirt jumps are being rebuilt and targeted towards the beginner rider with some safe tabletop lines. This should see Clyne becoming a top quality local facility right in the heart of Swansea. Unfortunately a slight hiccup in the funding has put some the development on hold temporarily but I understand the project will be kicked off again at the start of the next financial year.



Afan 4X track has seen some action with a University club day both last weekend and one planned for the weekend coming. The club now has an elite 4X rider, Pete Warner and with a local track it seems a few more people are getting inspired to give it a go. Last weekend was good fun, we were playing with race lines. The massive open, rough corners give so many options and open up some decent battles as all lines are compromised. Cut inside get ahead and aim to block or go wide carry speed and dart through on the next straight. I think the track will produce some top class racing. In places it still needs some love but I think with more people getting up there the track will ride itself in.



The RoadRat is getting daily action. It really is a solid, setup and forget bike. I am loving the simplicity, the Alfine hub works a treat and all bar a change of brake pads the bike really has required no attention. I have just equipped it with a set of the Hope dual LED lights with the intent of also using them on the BFe for some night rides. I am still a little uncertain about these lights, I have ridden halogen lights in the past and the spread of the beam made a lot of sense. These seem a little too focused for a sole handlebar mounted light but they are yet to be properly tested out on the trail so I will reserve judgement. Build quality is absolutely top notch and they come in a very nice compact, lightweight unit. Burn time is good and they make a great head torch but I think there are a few niggles that are amplified by the price tag which sets expectations high. Expect more to come on this topic with some head to head tests out in the woods as the winter progresses.

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Afan Dirt Park

South Wales mountain biking is seeing a great new development in the form of a new centre catering for the more extreme end of the sport. Last weekend saw some fine tuning of the new 4X track up at Bryn Bettws Lodge at the back of Afan. The track has been built with the aid of Phil Saxena who is better known for his work on the word cup 4X tracks. The place has big ambitions and looks set to be a really good venue for the UK scene. The pro line, christened by Duncan Ferris is quite literally massive and if that by itself isnt scary enough the run in is over a massive multiline rock garden. It was clear the track has been designed to make some tight close racing and will be a serious challenge for all levels of riders. If thats not enough there are also some comp level dirt jumps, a licensed bar and when we were there the guys had a barbeque going to keep us all well fueled. With any luck this is just the start, the guys have access to an array of diggers so we should see this being developed and built up over time, exciting stuff!

More details and updates can be found here: Afan MTB Afan Valley

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Snow on the Raven

We had a totally lush ride up at Brechfa a few weekends back. A snow shower over night left us waking up to a light dusting. Out in the hills the ground and trees were covered with white powder that produced some stunning scenery. The snow was really powdery and light enough to keep the tyres rolling quickly and still gripping in the corners.
The Icing on the cake was a near deserted trail and bright sunshine coming together to form a perfect winter ride.

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Winter Skate

First Uni Longboard club meet was a success. Dodging the rain and security guards we found a dry spot to have a session and dragged the surf club along for a play. A load of people were trying longboarding for the first time and seemed to really like the landbased activity. The realtive warmth when compared to the plummeting surf temperatures and the similar feeling of carving turns seemed to turn a lot of the surfers onto the idea of longboarding. Hopefully now having shown there is enough interest the club will be supported by the Uni and be able to become official for next year.

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