Check out the Blazing Saddles ride on Wednesdays. There’s another one that goes out of the Stubbing Wharf pub on Thursdays (can’t remember the time -Blazings will probably know). I’m not organised enough about riding to go but quite often bump into them on the tops.

A friend of mine runs a ride for girls on Mondays. I take it you’re not a girl though?

I’ve never seen anyone chasing blokes with pitchforks. Shame really, I have a shop on Market Street and a bit of entertainment doesn’t go amiss.

This is a beautiful part of the world – the only way is steep up and that takes getting used to. But you will. You’re hitting it at the coldest darkest patch of the year so you’re really going to appreciate the spring!

Thanks for the information. I’ve now googled tabata… 8O

I’m in the same position as the OP.

Excuse my extreme ignorance but what are 1 leg drills and spin ups? I’m only on my second ‘cross race and loved the mental descents in mud and even the climbs were not too bad but yesterday there was soggy flat and soggy cornering that were draining my will to live.

I can finish in the top 10 on my commute ‘training’ but then the field’s a bit smaller if you’re a girl :wink:. Kinda hoping to do better so thanks for the information – I’m really interested in how the more serious people do it.

Lovely day here too – we were up for a CX race in Northwich. Blue skies but my first taste of CX mud and oddly sapping soft wet ground (it’s only my second race so it’s all new). Great race thanks to Weaver Valley CC!

Drooling over those photos though – wish we could have done everything in one day – days off like this are just too rare.

Yes by coincidence I’ve got that combo on the Rock Lobster and guessing you’ll need a 113mm (might get away with shorter, we’ve only waved a tape measure at it).

Have tucked into a delicious Weissbier so not taking the cranks off right now… might never get them back on and it’s cx racing in the morning…

Looks like somewhere round our way on the Mary Townley … can’t work out the station though… go on, tell us…

Thanks for the link! Got the last lap :-)

+1 for physio

I went with tight calves, shoulders and sore lower back to be told that my quads weren’t doing their fair share of the work. Now I have exercises to get them going before riding and it has changed even after only a couple of weeks.

Not what I expected – thought I’d get stomach muscle exercises and a massage and that my quads were mighty fine.

Also, she doesn’t expect to see me back unless I do something stupid- one session seemed well worth it.

Hmmm, I would say yes. Your job might be reorganised whether you stay or go – but if the year’s secondment will give you more experience and make you more employable then you need to do it. The world of work is not cosy at the moment.

I’d go for the East End (although it’s gone posh since I left) – you’re out to Epping in the east and most of Central London is cycle commutable.

You meet the best people in London – that bit I loved. There are just so many people that you’re never the strangest or most exotic (great if you’ve always felt that you stick out like a sore thumb – and weird when you move on again and realise that yes, you do).

It’s an image to conjour with daznal…. maybe you could specialize in reglazing mountain bothies with really small windows? :wink:

Rode up to see my sheep on the way to work Sue!
Bike picture (CX and muddy field content)

It’s all sunny and nice today:
sunny picture

What more can you ask for?
OK… cake.
Working on that… :-)

Shiny but unnecessary? essential mb usage content :?

After my lucky borrow I can definitely see the benefit for the small business that needs a mountain bike (not sure how big that niche is…). Interesting idea and more fun than leasing a van (which is one of boring business things we may have to do).

mmmmm…. mud :-)

I’ve only ridden one race but it was ace. All cats started together so new people (not raced in the league or never before) had to start right at the back.

Had no idea what to expect but it was easier than I feared – was vaguely surprised at overtaking people but it was dead exciting. The singletrack wouldn’t upset anyone with a bit of mb experience (and I emphasise the bit – only been riding for a year), there were lots of tight corners, two dismounts (at which I’m rubbish) and lots of grass. There wasn’t any mud this one (another of my fears!).

My practicing is off-roading round the Calder Valley and the landscape in Nottingham is a lot more rolling so it was a gentler introduction (we were on our way to a party so it was a kind of nice detour too).

I work most Saturdays so won’t get out again until November… boo hoo. You all go ahead, make me envious…

Noticed slow puncture at start of mine, did two laps then bf borrowed me a track pump (obviously no spare wheels or 12 year old to pinch bike from) and I raced back to pull back in front of girl I’d been racing for the last two laps (it was Shipley Park at Notts and Derby, only 4 very long laps!). V satisfying and although I did ok the enforced pause gives me plenty of room for improvement next time.

Brick Lane’s a good call but don’t forget gumtree, set up an ebay watch… sometimes they wait for the coast to clear (or it to be bartered round the criminal fraternity*).

*that’s me being sexist … oops

I try not to look on there – that way lies danger!

First ‘cross race and have started stalking the internet for races… oops

What frame? Pics demanded now!

Hywel Lewis – Todmorden – 07816 585661. V cheery!

Blazing Saddles, Hebden Bridge is closer than Leeds. Lots of nice shops for other stuff too.

For a long time I’ve wondered whether the invention of Cyclocross by a breed of hardy Pennine cycle enthusiast sheep farmers back in the mists of time for traversing their fields and rounding up livestock was merely a myth.

But today I have proved that it can actually be done. I rounded up 60 unruly Shetland ewes with a combination of tight uphill zigzags (to collect the sheep into a flock) and long, wet grassy slides downhill (to push them towards the gate). There were a few sprints to chase stragglers and bingo! All sheep moved field. Just like our ancient forbears…

Mmmmm ‘cross bikes… more addictive than heroin. Careful!

Diet book that worked for me – Racing weight / Matt Fitzgerald – I don’t like diets but it’s about spacing food around exercise and eating good things.

I seem to have lost a stone by keeping to standard calorie intake + commuting 12 miles a day on a bike + a few off road detours and some extra riding at weekends. Seem to have developed a CX bike addiction though…

BTW Calorie burning calculator:
http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

Oh yes and they have elite racers after the seniors.

(Back to work, muttering darkly… everyone in the valley is out riding today… and tomorrow the Met Office promises rain :?)

There’s a Rapha supercross at Huddersfield today too (vets/women just started, seniors 1.45).

Am working though and trying not to think envious thoughts. :evil:

Rapha booked sunshine. It’s amazing, the power of sponsorship these days…

Sometimes it’s just nice to peep over the rim of the valley…

Some people’s normality is completely alien and interesting – there’s an English language teacher in Japan who posts random stuff and photos of Japan (google spike Japan) which is totally fascinating but I don’t think he’s an ‘expert’.

I liked looking at the blogs people posted for the nice pics and to make me remember to do (or try) some of the stuff that other people do. Reading stuff on the internet is something I do when it’s quiet in the shop to stop me from being too keen and frightening away anyone intrepid enough to cross the threshold. And to stop me musing too much on how annoying it is to be inside when it’s so great outside…

I do here but it’s for my company which keeps sheep and makes knitwear. Not a bike wheel in sight (except when I cycle round my farming rounds).

Which reminds me, I haven’t posted since lambing and they’re all grown up now. Better get on with it!

Yes that’s what I mean – there are many threads about bike theft (and happily recovery) on here. So cross fingers – there’s some good and some dubious advice on this:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/gumtree-a-more-wretched-hive-of-scum-and-villainy

Always worth sauntering round any dodgy bike shops in the area and checking local small ads. Good luck.

It makes me cry.

You’ve set up an ebay watch list for them haven’t you? They sometimes turn up in a while (once the tea leaves think that it’s gone quiet). The polis have been known to go and collect them for you.

Someone on here saw their bike on gumtree looking for a ‘swap’ – hot bike for a cold. Don’t know how it turned out…

Don’t forget the bloke opposite Morrisons. Think he fixes bikes as a kind of community service, always very inexpensive.

Live in Calderdale – can ride straight onto the Mary Townley Loop, over to Lee and Cragg Quarries (yes, it’s quicker to drive but it has been done) and various rocky singletrack stretches within spitting distance.

Would never have got into mountain biking if I didn’t live here and it hadn’t been for the steep valleys and borrowing a bike for daily journey up steep hills and farm tracks. Then discovered you can get up onto and around the moors much more quickly than on foot – hooked.

FS is waiting for forks to be serviced. Riding a cross bike while I wait feels like I’ve been attached to a pneumatic drill and shoved down a hillside. I’ve been telling myself that’s why I feel flattened. Not approaching 40.

Cod liver oil anyone?

Haribo tangfastic. Nothing beats fizzy cola bottles.

There’s a weird vegan baker who sells cakes on Hebden Bridge market who makes a snack bar consisting of squidgy chocolate, peanut butter and rice crispies and is unexpectedly tasty and efficacious.

Am taken by the idea of Eccles cakes. Must remember to get some.

Times journo in speeding shock:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/news/article1870320.ece

What anyone does is their own business (obviously except on STW…) but this is a fairly likely scenario in the event of owning up.

Taking notes!
I’ll report back next week – we’re doing the Notts & Derby league one.

The City and the City is great. Read it on the Eurostar last year and couldn’t put it down.

I’m a girl (really, not a euphemism for a bit scared) so will be bunged in with the vets which always seems to be the biggest field and have visions of a massive scrum in which I hold up loads of grumpy speedy whippets with my crap cornering (but I can hold my own on climbs). Still going to have a go…

I’m doing my first one too… Do people get cross if you hold them up? I am not sure how fast my flat out is compared to anyone else’s. Particularly not with corners. I am quite good at playing chase the roadie on tarmac (it’s been my ‘training’ riding to and from work) but I’m having fear about corners (may not yet have balanced desire to ride flat out and desire to turn).