Summer CX Season : Final Report.

Overdue : my report on the last round of the Banjo Cycles summer CX series in Newbury.

After the interesting events of round 4  (Race-lead-self pit-lead-crash-win-concussion-ambulance-car breakdown)... I decided, wisely, to NOT race in round 5 and give myself a decent run at recovery from the concussion. This was the right thing to do.. riding ill, or riding hurt isn't a good thing. Especially as you get older and recovery is tougher.

Of course, the upshot of this was that I didn't score any points for round 5..And looking at the points table going into the final round, I was sitting in 3rd place overall but unlikely to move up, even with a win. 3rd place overall, for me, is rather cool...

P was unable to join me, which after round 4, was a bit of a worry.. If I managed to headbutt the planet again. I'd be in serious risk of not being able to get home... solution... DON'T CRASH ... this seemed like a plan.

After work, I drove over to Newbury in glorious sun, parked up, and made an effort to thank all of the organising team personally for the support and help after my last race crash. The course for this week contained the same "up the left, down the right" hill but there was more use made of the woods at the top of the hill and after the down hill the course switched back and forth all over the flat section making it the longest lap yet. I rode a couple of recce laps and said hi to friends, the downhill was good for me, basically the same as the previous round I'd ridden, so I had confidence in the possible lines and knew just how low to duck to get close to the trees we slalomed through. The "flat" section wasn't too bad but did feature a very short off camber chicane, just like the one that claimed me (and others) in round 4, then a long off camber section (we used this in round 1 going the other way)...

Trying to keep up with hydration, I got through most of my water in the car and got ready for the start. I lined up next to Mandy Scott (Cotswold Veldrijden), who has been my closest rival in terms of consistency and points. From the start, I pushed (and got overtaken by most of the senior men) but ended up behind Mandy on the first climb. Get into a rhythm and settle down. I got past Mandy at the top and gapped her on the down hill...but on the long flat sections of the course, she closed up the gap again.. This would be the pattern for the whole race. Mandy overtook on the hill on the 3rd lap saying "don't worry, you'll pass me again, I'm knackered" ... um... yeah... she pulled away a little..

At the top of the hill, there were some very tight 180s and I caught up and passed Mandy just before the woods...and on to the descent, I went as fast as I could (back wheel slid away a little as I turned back across the off camber section that crosses the hill before the fast part of the downhill, caught it... just) and built a gap... I pushed really hard and tried to increase the gap. As we came onto the last lap, I had a steady gap on Mandy.. onto the hill and it dropped a bit... onto the downhill and I stretched it further... I thought I'd broken the elastic this time... onto the flat section... head down.. keep going..

Coming towards the last sets of corners, I looked back and Mandy was catching me fast... there were two corners to go to the finish straight... as we went into the first, a 180 switchback left, Mandy got onto my wheel... the next corner went slightly left before a switching back right... as I went into the corner I let the bike go left to stop her coming past there and then aimed at the apex. I knew this would push me wider on the exit of the last corner giving Mandy the possibility of coming up the inside.. out of the corner, change gear, out of the saddle.... SPRINT...

This was the first time since my first CX race that I have been this close to a rival right at the end of a race..the first time, the organisers hadn't rung the bell, so I didn't realise it WAS the finish and missed the chance to sprint hard....THIS TIME...I knew it was the end... last race, best chance to get points... and sprinting for 3rd in the race...

Where was I ???

Oh yes........ SPRINT.......

In my best "trying to channel Cav from what I've seen on telly" I got as low as possible and just emptied myself...

It was very, very close... the most fun finish in any race I've done..(this doesn't officially include round 4 as I can't remember finishing... ) to be pushed to really HAVE to race...

Very often in the women's races, my placing has been settled well before the end of the race... This was so much better...

I thanked Mandy for the race, she really must have flown over the last section to close the gap..

We all waited around as the organisers tallied up positions and points for the series prizegiving..I thought that I'd done enough to get 3rd overall.. And when it came to the women's trophies... Mark started..."and in 3rd place...Mandy Scott".... oh...damn...maybe not then... 2nd went to Ruby Miller, and then "in 1st place".. Me....um....really? I couldn't see how this worked ...but I went up and got my trophy and prize (£60 of vouchers at Banjo)

A surprise... 

The drive home was lovely, a beautiful sunset and a happy panda.....

When I got home, I got online to thank the organisers again and to confirm the positions... they went away and the following morning confirmed that I was right, somehow, in the push to get the results out, a mistake had been made and Mandy should indeed have been 1st overall and I should have been 3rd, as I expected...

It's taken a little while to organise getting trophies back and forth but... I now have my "legit" 3rd place overall trophy and I'm rather proud of it... it's the first thing I've won since starting CX racing. In the series, I took my first Ladies race win (albeit in a very small field and not against the faster riders) ..

I've learned more about race craft and pacing...and, most importantly, I had a heck of a lot of fun racing Major P in the summer series...

Now it's time for me, Major P and the newly completed Major B to get ready for the CX season proper.. although I will miss the opening round due to Bridesmaid duties in Wales that week.

THANK YOU to everyone at Banjo Cycles for organising the race series, for the race sponsors and all of the riders who made the Summer CX Series such fun. I'll be back next year.... 

My rightful trophy.. Happy with that.

Next for me is Griff's Cycle Lab Opening Event on Saturday 30th August ..... our "Grand Depart" ... Please join us if you can... you can check out the new super light Trek Emonda SLR, Lazer Helmets entire range, BlendaVenda, and the chance to win a £600 bike...  

See you there 

Panda

Project Jake 2 - The Finished Result...

Well.....He's done ....

I spent Sunday afternoon finishing off the Ex-Helen Wyman 2013 Kona Major Jake..

I'm very happy with the result, he looks excellent and, based on a very quick shakedown ride, the narrower bars and the smaller frame size feels just a tad more nimble and aggressive. I will report back once I've done a proper shakedown ride.

Finished..at last 

The final build specification as follows:

2013 Kona Major Jake CX (56cm)

Shimano Ultegra 6700 STI Shifter/Levers

Shimano Ultegra 6700 Rear mech

Shimano Ultegra 6700 Front mech (34.9mm band)

Shimano Ultegra 6700 wheelset

Shimano Ultegra 6700 Cassette 11-28
Shimano Deore XT SPD pedals

FSA Gossamer Pro BB30 chainset 46/36 (CX specific rings)

FSA Headset, Stem, Seatpost, Bars (w/Pro gel bar tape)

TRP EuroX Magnesium cantilever brakes w/SwissStop pads

Challenge Grifo Open Tubular tyres

Selle Italia saddle

Bike Pure headset top cap and spacer

I can't thank Helen enough for the chance to own this frame. He was always going to be built to be ridden and raced...this isn't a wall hanger. I've enjoyed building him up and am really looking forward to putting him through his paces in the coming weeks.... but for now... let's have some pictures.

The most colourful bike I own 

Side By Side - Majors P and B line up for a photo call

A brace of Konas

The two Majors looking purposeful and ready.

Major P has won a round of the Newbury Summer CX Series, and Major B was one of a set of frames that took Helen to victory in races such as the Koppenberg Cross and the European CX Championships.. so they are both winners...

Oh, and I think I owe you all an update on the last round of the Summer CX Series too... stay tuned....

Project Jake 2 - Latest Update on Major B(lue)

Ah, it's been a while, but we are back.

The brief lull in employment meant that I had to be a bit careful with cash for a bit, so the Major B project has been on brief hiatus.

Just before I went off to do support for the RN on a 2 day test event on the first two stages of the 2014 Tour de France, I managed to tweet a tease picture...

A few shiny boxes of shiny bits

I've been waiting until I sourced a suitable FSA Gossamer Pro BB30 chainset (46/36 chainrings) before putting the rest of the drive train parts on.

Tonight, I've spent a little time after work getting the chainset, drive train components and levers on, I've routed the brake cables through (though the TRP EuroX brakes still need to be properly set up) so...here are a couple of shots of Major B looking a tad more "Bike Like". Still got to route and set up the gear cables, adjust the drive train and brakes and I still need to get some pedals (Deore XT as per Major P and I've got some blue Pro Gel bar tape to keep the blue/black theme that Helen had on the bike when it was being raced.

Levers on, some cabling done and .....

...Drivetrain basically in place.

TRP EuroX Magnesium brakes.. not QUITE set up yet.

All this means that, all being well, Major B should be pretty much done and ready for test riding.... Excited...

C

CX Summer Series update - 2 races, 1 crash, 1 ambulance...1 win

Second blog entry for today.....

Time for a racing update:

The first day working at Griff's meant that I had to miss round 2 of the Newbury Summer CX series, by all accounts, a hot and tough evening. The course had been lengthened from the first round to reduce the number of laps and overtakes.

My next chance to race was round 3, P was busy, so this one was solo.. I loaded the car and drove to work, prepped the bike and headed straight over to Newbury from the shop. This time the course was reversed, going up the left side of the hill in a zigzag, going up into the woods and out on to a fast descent which turned it's way through trees and into the flatter park section. I did a couple of recce laps, tentatively at first on the fast descent and tight corners.. bit of a chat and then formed up for the race... I was a little slow at the start. The rest of the women's field was made up of two U23s and a U14, all routinely quicker than me. The first climb up the hill was tight and messy and I tried not to get in anyone's way so I lost positions quickly. After this, it was a lonely race.. I struggled to judge my pace and not get in anyone's way when the fast riders came through, The overtakes were a mix of good, poor and downright dangerous... and I just couldn't get a rhythm going.. actually, my laps were pretty consistent, if slow.. though I did find that I got faster each time on the descent through the corners...

Result - 4th place in the women's race (from 4 starters, no other veterans) and not last overall.

Onto Round 4....

This Thursday.. P collected me after work and we duly headed off to Newbury... in the rain. After the previous week, Mark (the organiser) had apparently asked the parks people to cut the grass...which they duly did the day before the race...and with the steady rain, it meant that the grass pickup on the bikes was really bad..

P came round on the first recce lap.. I ran with my Challenge Chicanes for this... the course was similar to round 3 but with even more back and forth on the flatter area but also the return of the really nasty little off camber kink that caught people out on week 1 (foreshadowing, as @CXhairs would say on the Svenness videos).. I gave the bike a quick clean and changed to the wheels with Challenge Grifos for a second quick recce, though I missed out the hill this time..I pushed a little to get my heart rate up and lined up for the start. the field was a little smaller and the women's race was just me and one other Veteran. I had resolved to start harder than last time and duly pushed hard on lap 1... I gapped my competitor and pushed on..the grass pickup was bad, the course pretty slick.

Mid race - looking focused

First time through the off-camber kink, I kept it as tight and high as possible and carried reasonable speed through it.. keep going... keep extending the gap...towards the end of the second lap, I really felt the bike dragging with the grass, already a couple of riders had pulled out with mechanicals and I'd seen one crash up ahead. On the third time up the climb, it was getting really hard and I heard the rear mech starting to struggle, at the top of the hill, I looked down and couldn't see my rival so jumped off, grabbed as much of the grass out as possible and set off... the Major felt like he was flying... I started to attack the course more... this time through the off-camber kink the bike slid a little and I had to pull hard to get the Major back up onto the course...

Lap 4 and I was pushing and feeling OK.. there were points where I was parallel to other riders and going as fast as the guys I could see. I went quite hard on the descent to keep ahead of a rider coming up to lap and let him by on the flat and hit the park section... as I went into the off-camber kink this time it gets a little blurry... I think the back slipped and then the front broke away, the bike went down and I fell to the right into the crest of the off camber bit..my head hit the ground HARD... it felt like the sky changed colour briefly (best way I can describe it) and it really hurt... I dragged myself up and (apparently) against the suggestion of the photographer who was there, I jumped back on was determined that I would NOT DNF and I would not get beaten after building such a lead (about half a lap)...

Full disclosure: my memory of the next period is hazy and has gaps...but I know I pushed...the last lap I rode was my second fastest of the night..I was fast down the hill through the trees, I know I was worried about the kink... I can't actually remember how I took it on that lap, nor can I clearly remember sprinting over the line (apparently I did) and rolled over to P...

I can remember sitting at the finish and there being concern, I can remember then being back at the car and Mark coming over (I Don't remember not listening to P giving me clear instructions based on his knowledge of head injury care which I duly ignored (sorry)). I was wrapped in a jacket and put in the car, Mark checked out the helmet, apparently intact, but concern for my state meant an ambulance was called. I was duly popped into the back and checked out. The ambulance crew were both professional, amusing (P getting given the hand injury leaflet instead of the head injury one, for example), calming and made sure I was OK. My head hurt a lot and I was starting to feel the impact on my side and shoulders.

After a while getting cleared and doing the paperwork, we exited the ambulance and everyone apart from the organisers had gone.. I thanked Mark and Jamie for sticking with us and keeping an eye on me. And we headed off home.

Result... 1st in the women's race (field of 2), but it was a win.. even if I can't actually remember crossing the line.

Overall ... I'm now sitting second in the overall standings but I may not be racing this coming week, either because I may be away with work, or if not, because concussion is a risky thing and I probably shouldn't race.

All results are here

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Oh, yes..... just to add "insult" to "injury", our car has been having issues, P had been getting it checked earlier in the day and we'd been told it was OK to drive.... but.....

On the M4 coming to Reading there was a bang and the engine sounded awful..we pulled to the side and left at the junction...pulled into a business park and called the AA..mentioning that I'd just been in an "incident" and an "ambulance" and we needed to get home... I was also starting to really need to use a loo..(I'd been drinking a lot after getting the all clear) we saw someone come out of the Verizon offices so P went and asked the security dudes if I could use a loo, so THANK YOU...not only did I get to use the loo, I stayed in the foyer whilst we waited and was given a cuppa too.. the AA were really quick and the patrol man did a fast, temporary repair to the exhaust downpipe (it had separated) and we were on our way..we got home around 2330... I went straight to bed and proceeded to get not much sleep....

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UPDATE

After the crash, I've retired my Kask K50 helmet as it hit the ground pretty darned hard.

Here is the replacement...

As of today, I feel stiff and sore, the headache is diminishing (Friday was rather vague at work) and I should be OK for the event that I'm off to support for the next few days.... that I won't be able to discuss until after I return... till then.... take care... and ride safe, people....


P.S There are pics of both races HERE .. including a sequence of my crash, if you really must... I warn you... it's NOT flattering

A New Job and A New Shop

Back in March I heard that my local independent bike shop might be changing ownership. We've been customers off and on for several years and they supplied us with spares when P and I did our LEJOG in 2012. Not long after this I received an email from the manager of the new manager asking if I'd be interested in coming to work with them in the workshop. We then spoke at length about the plans for the shop, particularly the approach to women's cycling and making sure the shop had a full range of bikes and clothing for women and organising specific ladies night events and rides.

The opportunity to work with a team I know, in a shop very local to me, with such a strong focus on women's cycling was tempting enough to say a very positive "yes".

Couple this with a net reduction from 4 hours a day commuting to and from central London to approx 25 minutes total commuting across the woods behind where I live...No longer needing the folding bike, no longer needing to shell out for season tickets and deal with the vagaries of the rail network...and I can use the Cross bike through one of my regular training runs every single day... 

I think the phrase needed at this point is "no-brainer".

This meant that I spent a few weeks at home catching up on things and getting some good riding in, but on the 12 of June, I went in for the first time to the new shop to build stock and we opened on Monday 16th June.... 

So, Ladies and Gents, allow me introduce you all to......

Griff's Cycle Lab 

The first two weeks have been busy and productive, the workshop is getting booked out fast and we are seeing a great range of bikes come through.

The shop has a great mix of road and mtb bikes from Trek, Genesis, Ridley and Saracen, and our location in Crowthorne, Berkshire means that we are not too far from the Surrey hills and just down the road from Swinley Forest and I'm very much looking forward to our proper "formal" opening night event in a few weeks as well as some of the other things we have planned for the future, not least the range of Cyclocross bikes we will be bringing in especially the Treks and Ridleys (but I may be a little biased there)

If you are in the area, please do pop in and say hi...

A Ridley Liz and Trek Lush in the window

Pride of place in the front of the shop for the women's clothing and accessories

Oh, and I really love our logo...

 
Coming next .... Report on my last 2 rounds of the Newbury Summer CX series....

Race Support with Matrix-Vulpine

A few weeks ago, knowing that I was not working for a bit, I asked Matrix-Vulpine DS Stef Wyman if he needed any mechanic help at the London Nocturne (a (obviously) night time crit in central London, around Smithfield Market). He said yes....

It was a little strange heading to the Nocturne as it basically re-enacted my old commute. Cycling to the station, train to Waterloo, cycle up through Smithfield... though leaving at 2 in the afternoon was a weird timeshift (and it's the first time I'd taken the Major into London).

Arriving at Smithfield, the support races were already on the go, and after a brief and confusing conversation with a marshall about getting to the pits (you can't.. you have to sign in.... but you can't cross without accreditation) I spotted the Matrix-Vulpine team car and got a wristband passed over..

A few of the riders were already around, relaxing and enjoying the day. I parked up the Major, next to Helen Wyman's race Kona. and got ready...

The Major in more exalted company 

The day itself was a riot of noise and colour, and I mean RIOT....the PA was kicking out music at ear bleeding levels making any conversation in the pit nigh on impossible though apparently, a quiet word from a world no2 ranked CX rider to someone got the nearest speakers "accidentally" unplugged... nice one.

TV crew grabbing a few words with Baz

The support races were an interesting diversion, none more so than the Boris Bike race which, on the slowing down lap, took a turn when someone (who may or may not be a Radio DJ) decided to sort her hair out, riding no hands.. wobbled and headed straight for us... she missed the car next to us, Emma Borthwick jumped clear, and it hit Stef and the team car.. 1 bike and a few wheels skittled and one DS with a gronked wrist...

The team gathered and we prepped the bikes.. (major front end adjustments for Harriet and Jo's bikes) and then the riders began to warm up. We'd scored a great spot with enough room for the whole team to warm up on rollers/turbos and be seen by the fast growing crowd.

Warm up time

It was good to chat to the riders and learn a few of their set up preferences, and basically be there to catch things, hold stuff and make their evening easier.

"And they are off..." DS Stef Wyman and Nick Hussey of Vulpine make sure online fans are kept up to speed on the race.

The race was fast and hard, it looked like Katie Archibald (Pearl Izumi-Sports Tours International) was going to ride off the front until she arrived in the pits having had an off, getting caught in the barrier on the other side of the circuit out of our view. In the end, the team's best finisher was Jessie Walker in 11th.

Not the best results, but a great shop window for the team, with many people taking time to say nice stuff about the team. Penny Rowson mentioned that the NFTO guys had said it was cool that Matrix-Vulpine had a female mechanic (which is nice) and it was good experience for me.

After getting the timing chips off and loading the bikes on to the car, we sat and watched the Elite men's race (won by Tobyn Horton - Madison Genesis) and I set off into the warm london night (around half 10 to head home) A slow trip (with no loos and a half hour wait at Ascot) and The Major and I arrived in Camberley around 01:15 am for the ride home, in shorts and a short sleeved jersey...the roads were quiet.....the moon was out in full... excellent.

The Major sitting on a train at Ascot waiting to get home - ignore the lights, especially the impromptu green "bracket" at the back :)

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A few days later and we did it all over again, this time for the Matrix Fitness GP series race in Woking. An easy 30 minute drive from the house. I arrived nice and early, worked out the circuit and chatted to @argyle_panda who invited me over to the WWF offices in Woking for a quick tour.. very impressive building, a lovely space to work and imaginatively constructed for minimal environmental impact. 

I may have picked up a little friend at the WWF offices - He's now in Belgium !

The afternoon wore on and the teams had a major struggle to get down to the pits area. The riders rode down to the circuit, so whilst we waited for Stef and the car, I got the timing chips fitted to each bike (thanks to Rapha Condor-JLT mechanic for the pair of snips I proffed) and FINALLY the cars arrived, it took about an hour to get the cars from the parking round and on to the circuit. Bikes prepped and we were off again.... Helen only needed to secure one point in the sprints competition to secure the overall jersey win, and duly delivered at the first sprint... hereafter she is to be referred to as "Top Sprinter" Helen Wyman...

It did look like the team might get a decent result, but unfortunate timing meant that the front group caught a, as yet unlapped, group right on the final VERY tight hairpin, throwing the group into confusion and allowing Eileen Roe (Starley-Primal) to get a jump and take the win. Frustrating, but... that's bike racing...

The teams had to clear out quickly to allow the men's team cars in, so as soon as we'd got the bikes loaded, Stef shot off (on the long drive back home to Belgium, pausing only to collect Helen after the podium ceremony, and in possession of a small, panda shaped, passenger) and I met up again with Ade (aka @argyle_panda) and we watched the men's race from the Hospitality area by the finish... which was a nice end to the day...... 

Two days later.........New job kicked in..... but we will get to that soon.....

Thank you to DS Stef Wyman for the chance to help out the Matrix Fitness-Vulpine Team 

To (Top Sprinter) Helen, Jo, Penny, Baz, Louise, Jessie, and Sigrid for being a pleasure to work with.

To Nick Hussey of Vulpine for being dapper personified at the Nocturne and a top sponsor chap,

and to Emma Borthwick for the company and chat at the Nocturne.

Thank you also to Ade (@Argyle_Panda) and Adele Mitchell for the great company at Woking.

Project Jake 2 - Brief Update

Just a quick update after posting the entry yesterday:

Almost as soon as I'd hit "publish" on the entry yesterday, the door went and the postman handed me the FSA seatpost that I'd ordered the day before. This morning the stem arrived, so... the obvious thing to do was get them on the New Major(tm) and stick one of my sets of wheels in to see how things look.

He's already starting to look good...

For the moment, I'm matching the majority of the components with the current bike, over time, I will probably update and improve on these too.

In the interest of avoiding confusion, I've been thinking about differentiating the two Majors so...

From now on they will be referred to as:

Major P (Purple accents on 2012 Major Jake) and
Major B (Blue accents on the 2013 Major Jake)

Which should avoid confusion although it does sound a bit like Captain Scarlet :)

Panda

A New Project - Major Jake 2

Some time ago I wondered "out loud" on twitter about sourcing a spare bike for the next cross season. Ideally I was hoping to find another 2012 Kona Major Jake to partner The Existing Major. The problem with that idea, is, if you remember, that I got that bike at a reduced price due to it being the last in stock... rethink!!!

I then received a message from Helen Wyman saying that she might have one of her old frames available at the end of the season when they have a clear out.

Cut to a few weeks ago and Helen let me know that she did indeed have a 2013 Major Jake frame if I still wanted it. A very brief exchange of DMs ending with "well, that was easy" and the deal was done. Helen said she'd chucked a "few goodies" in with the frame when she posted it.

The plan is to build it up with :
FSA chainset, seatpost, bars and stem,
Shimano Ultegra (10s) shifters and mechs,
Avid Shorty Ultimate cantilever brakes. (all as per the current Major)
And using one of my existing set of CX wheels running Challenge Open Tubulars,


A note regarding sizing, the existing Major is a 59cm frame, though I am right at the bottom of the size range for that and had been considering going for a 56cm frame for the new one regardless of from where it was sourced. So they will look a slightly different next to each other.

The frame arrived yesterday and true to her word, Helen had chucked a few things in there. Primarily a set of TRP EuroX Magnessium brakes (definitely NOT standard fit equipment) and a Selle Italia SL saddle which is, in Helen's words "not the most comfortable but it just matches so perfectly ha ha" (it does).

2013 Major Jake Frame - Slightly Used

TRP EuroX Magnesium Brakes

One previous, careful, lady owner, only ridden at weekends*

The SL Saddle which matches really well.

My plan is to get the bike built up over the next month or so as I get the remaining parts, and to document it here.

I'm definitely leaving Helen's name on the frame, although, as I will be racing this Major, I need to work out where to put my name decals on there too (if that's not too presumptuous)

And Helen did include the following message in with the frame:

I definitely cannot guarantee the winning but I CAN guarantee the second part, I'm very privileged to have access to the bike and will be proud to race him come the new CX season.

Thank you, Helen.

*OK, when I tweeted the "one careful lady owner" comment, I did get some amused replies... Helen followed up with "It was one of 3 so could easily have been one not crashed! Equally it could have won Koppenberg too #winning"

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Coming Soon:

A proper update on my work situation.
An initial review of the SportCrafters Omnium Trainer (with a follow up later in the year).
A few other reviews and hopefully a brief report from stages 1 and 2 of the inaugural Friends Life Women's Tour

Panda
x

A Second Race and a New Bike

Having survived and really rather enjoyed my first foray in to competitive cyclo-cross, I've been missing the races due to work or family commitments for a few weeks.

I've spoken to a lot of people about the race (including another appearance on the Bike Shop Show podcast, seriously, if you are not already listening to this, then go ... now... download... ) It was lovely to be featured in a CX exclusive edition, but sad that this included the news of the tragic death of US CX rider Amy Dombroski whilst out on a training ride.

Among those to whom I spoke was the ever helpful and brilliant Helen Wyman, Current European and multiple British CX champ, who mentioned to someone via Twitter that the bike she raced up till this season, the 2012 version of the Kona Major Jake, was seriously reduced at a particular online retailer. The Major Jake is a full carbon, Shimano Ultegra equipped, serious bit of kit. If I sold my current Cube Cross Race, it was actually rather affordable (£3k worth of bike for half price).... DONE....

The bike arrived last Friday (not cutting it fine for a Saturday race, no, not me) and I stripped and rebuilt it, then took it for a rather wet shakedown ride round the local area. It handled really well, very responsive to both steering and power input. The brakes (Avid Shorty Ultimates) were configured in the "wide" (mud clearing) mode on the front, so on Friday night (not too late, remember) I rebuilt them in the "narrow" (power) mode to improve the front end braking performance.

Fresh out of the box

Built (factory spec)

And Rebuilt (Panda spec, black tape, Selle Italia Diva Saddle) (note: this was before rebuilding front brake assy)

The race was on the Saturday, at Newbury showground. we arrived nice and early, I took the Cube as well as the new bike (henceforth : The Major) to allow for any mechanical problems, it was nice, if only this once, to have a full spare bike for a race, it makes you feel professional (small P) , a feeling that was going to quickly disappear.

Spare bike and Race bike, ready to be loaded on the car.

I went for a recce lap and the start felt great. Tarmac in to flat fast grass section on the end of the showground, into a gentle climb along a wooded path and a couple of sharp turns.. onto the 4X4 proving track ... rutted, sandy, steep and slippy.. I didn't attack the first ramp, so had to walk up it.. then gingerly roll down the other side..confidence -1, middle of the lap was OK apart from a bit of confusion as to where the Youth track and our track split, but resolved quickly enough, then into the return section.. narrow, twisty and rutted (back on the 4X4 track again) and I wasn't confident turning into a couple of sections which ended with the bike going over (front end tuck) and smacking my ankle on the chain set as I landed ... Confidence -5... remount and pick my way back to P, who was acting as Swanny once more (he's invaluable really)

I felt rubbish, the bike was pretty good (needed to tweak a couple of things, including headset spacing, so really glad I'd taken the Cube as I just swiped a 5mm spacer from that bike) but I wasn't..not a good start to the second race.

I had some food, and warmed up on the turbo, then rolled down to the start. we gridded up and the whistle blew... Race 2 .... GO!

I got a reasonable start and pushed hard on the fast flat section, only to get caught behind a couple of crashes going into the woodland and over that first ramp...damn... into the ruts and another crash in front... then someone stopped on a ramp right in front of me, swerving to avoid without falling. but I had to stop..I'm pretty much at the back of the field now (not good) but with space to ride (bonus) and put in a good push to catch a couple of guys before the last part of the lap.

What I hadn't seen/known was that the recce lap missed out a rather large and steep "sand dune". which came as a bit of a surprise.. never mind.. dismount and run it.. back on and push for the flat again.. I was struggling to clip in again after the sand and mud started to clog my cleat.. banging the shoe on the pedal helped a bit and the flat section was fast.....

In the first part of the second lap, after a couple of dismounts, I pretty much lost the ability to clip in either foot.. so from there to the end I had to ride with just the down stroke and my feet bouncing around on the pedals.. I did OK, I caught and passed a few more riders, aiming at another woman just up the course..but the lack of an "upstroke pull" made cresting the sharp ramps really difficult and I just couldn't catch her. My left cleat did briefly clip in though, just as I was about to dismount to run the big dune, which brought me down. nothing bad, just falling over at almost no speed.. I finished 10th in the women's race, and in front of several guys... looking at my Garmin data, I pushed a lot harder this race and was happy that I'd given my all..despite the worse result than race one.

The Major? he was brilliant.. I'm really impressed with the bike, and Kona have a great brand ambassador in Helen Wyman, who is pretty much the reason I chose their bike. (she is @CXHelen on twitter and well worth following, if you don't already)

Next race should be Basingstoke in a couple of weeks time.

In other news. The shop where I work is closing, I had already sorted out another job BEFORE the announcement... which I start next Monday.....

Can't quite say what yet... so... speak to you all soon....

Good News

Today is a good day on the project..

Last night I collected and assembled my "ride" bike - a 2011 Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105 and this morning I've had an email from the charity with which we hope to work which looks like it sorts our biggest worry in planning this...more info to follow when we announce the charity etc in the coming months.

Should be picking up P's "ride" bike on Saturday too....