Thursday 30 April 2009
Racing SDA 2?
If your thinking about taking your steed down anoch moor up at fort bill for the second round of the SDA then do what a lot of people seem to be doing and get up the open weekend which is the second one in May and put some man hours in to get the results even better!
Ae NPS Round One
Only one week after the first Scottish round we were back on track for practice at the first round of this years national series at Ae Forest. Everything was looking well until about 5 oclock Saturday when it started absolutely peeing down! matters only made worse by the wet and hail stones on Sunday morning too!But this is why downhill and mountain biking in general is a proper sport cause it doesn't get called off till the bus is spinning in 1st gear back down the hill.
So the course. It started with the new top section (the line to the left) a flat out straight into a steep right so the course turned back onto itself and joined up with the old one just before the top woods. Through this you either ploughed through the straight line or snaked the three corners between the tight trees!then get round the next right either with help from the berm or cutting the roots. Hit the small rock garden then drop, switch back, double, berm, table, bus stop, switch back drop to road. Alot of your speed for here come from getting the small rock garden fast and smooth.
Absolute pin it across the road then if your a real rider you drop into the rock garden then get ready for the really fast woods, the trick for it is don't touch the brakes. Come out these and hit the switch backs then double or single log drop into a right berm to straight at the bottom.
Finally just about home free and what do you hit the new off camber sections with the first rapid left where alot of people just binned it! high or low as long as you stayed on you were going good. Take the next few rut corners full speed then sprint till the finish.
The results for Ae Bike Shop and Solway Insulation Services
Myself Ryan Chambers Senior Category - 2.28.980 4/58
My Friend Lewis Cochran Senior Also - 2.41.500 31/58
Our Friend Callum McCubbing Junior - 2.35.218 15/45
The second race was a great success cant wait for the next round of the SDA at fort bill in may! Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend at Ae and will be back again! Cheers for reading.
Hold 'er open!
So the course. It started with the new top section (the line to the left) a flat out straight into a steep right so the course turned back onto itself and joined up with the old one just before the top woods. Through this you either ploughed through the straight line or snaked the three corners between the tight trees!then get round the next right either with help from the berm or cutting the roots. Hit the small rock garden then drop, switch back, double, berm, table, bus stop, switch back drop to road. Alot of your speed for here come from getting the small rock garden fast and smooth.
Absolute pin it across the road then if your a real rider you drop into the rock garden then get ready for the really fast woods, the trick for it is don't touch the brakes. Come out these and hit the switch backs then double or single log drop into a right berm to straight at the bottom.
Finally just about home free and what do you hit the new off camber sections with the first rapid left where alot of people just binned it! high or low as long as you stayed on you were going good. Take the next few rut corners full speed then sprint till the finish.
The results for Ae Bike Shop and Solway Insulation Services
Myself Ryan Chambers Senior Category - 2.28.980 4/58
My Friend Lewis Cochran Senior Also - 2.41.500 31/58
Our Friend Callum McCubbing Junior - 2.35.218 15/45
The second race was a great success cant wait for the next round of the SDA at fort bill in may! Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend at Ae and will be back again! Cheers for reading.
Hold 'er open!
Pitfichie SDA Round One
The first race of the Scottish Series is over and as a weekend on a whole it was a great success. Sure by the time the second race run had come the social enjoyment of the push up had worn off, even the fittest were tired after being in the sun for half an hour pushing their bike up a hill.
So the track. It started on an open hill with a line cut through the heather. Pedal for about twenty seconds+ with a few corners in there till you got to the slab, lunch this half way down then rail the next long right then back on the pedals till you get to the woods where you meet the boulder step down. Hit this and take the ruff straight line after or cut it to the left and take the line to the left with a right hander. Your line was absolutely crucial for the step down or cut line because this is where all your speed was generated for the next straight, corner, rock section, corner. Get through this clean then you had a nice section to get ready for the lower half.
Come out a left hand berm and get your front wheel over a beast of a boulder, if you could get this quick you were quick! Next straight down a rock section were most people just pointed the front wheel to wards the exit then into another left hander. After this you were faced with four flat rock gardens on the trot and if you got out of line in one then you were absolutely cookered! hardest place of the whole track to carry speed.
Finally the last small sections of flat pedally straights with some jumps into berms thrown in to give you amazing exit speed if you were off the brakes then a open right hander to the finishing jump and your done.
How did the Ae Bike Shop/Solway Insulation Services team get on?
In senior myself Ryan Chambers finished 17/81 Time- 2:47:276
My fellow senior Lewis Cochran finished 35/81 Time- 2:52:311
In junior Callum McCubbing finished 14/52 Time- 2:46:357
Not a bad start to the series, we all enjoyed it and it leaves us plenty room to improve which iv got no doubt we will.
Keep it pinned.
So the track. It started on an open hill with a line cut through the heather. Pedal for about twenty seconds+ with a few corners in there till you got to the slab, lunch this half way down then rail the next long right then back on the pedals till you get to the woods where you meet the boulder step down. Hit this and take the ruff straight line after or cut it to the left and take the line to the left with a right hander. Your line was absolutely crucial for the step down or cut line because this is where all your speed was generated for the next straight, corner, rock section, corner. Get through this clean then you had a nice section to get ready for the lower half.
Come out a left hand berm and get your front wheel over a beast of a boulder, if you could get this quick you were quick! Next straight down a rock section were most people just pointed the front wheel to wards the exit then into another left hander. After this you were faced with four flat rock gardens on the trot and if you got out of line in one then you were absolutely cookered! hardest place of the whole track to carry speed.
Finally the last small sections of flat pedally straights with some jumps into berms thrown in to give you amazing exit speed if you were off the brakes then a open right hander to the finishing jump and your done.
How did the Ae Bike Shop/Solway Insulation Services team get on?
In senior myself Ryan Chambers finished 17/81 Time- 2:47:276
My fellow senior Lewis Cochran finished 35/81 Time- 2:52:311
In junior Callum McCubbing finished 14/52 Time- 2:46:357
Not a bad start to the series, we all enjoyed it and it leaves us plenty room to improve which iv got no doubt we will.
Keep it pinned.
Friday 17 April 2009
SDA Round One - Pitfichie
If your like me then this weekend you will be heading up to pitfichie for the first 2009 round of the Scottish Downhill series. Also if your like me your definitely going to be thinking I'm pushing my bike up a fire road all weekend in Aberdeen for fun and that's when people start to look at you funny. Its not as bad as it sounds though because really its quite clever. It will be an easy start to the year, nice course, easy atmosphere and hopefully the Field Salmon Saturday night now that's the real race right there!
It also will make the other races seem luxurious when you get in the bus to the top or a gondola at Nevis and if you like the breeze-eeee open ride to the top the chairlift at Glencoe.
The weekend after pitfichie which will be the 25/26th is the first national of the year at Ae Forest so if your not one of me who's heading five hours up the road tonight to go sleep in a tent then push my bike up hills most of the weekend then get to Ae if your entered, practice the new slippy bottom section (just off the SDA route from last year after the double log drop) and show the competition how its done! Also heard the Ae Bike Shop and Cafe is having a BBQ Saturday night should be mega!
It also will make the other races seem luxurious when you get in the bus to the top or a gondola at Nevis and if you like the breeze-eeee open ride to the top the chairlift at Glencoe.
The weekend after pitfichie which will be the 25/26th is the first national of the year at Ae Forest so if your not one of me who's heading five hours up the road tonight to go sleep in a tent then push my bike up hills most of the weekend then get to Ae if your entered, practice the new slippy bottom section (just off the SDA route from last year after the double log drop) and show the competition how its done! Also heard the Ae Bike Shop and Cafe is having a BBQ Saturday night should be mega!
Saturday 4 April 2009
Easter Friday at Ae
This Friday coming-the 10th of April-in the forest of Ae there is going to be a cycling treasure hunt that is guaranteed to be a fun day for all! From 1pm-3pm after meeting at the Ae Bike Shop and Cafe set out on your bike into the forest or hire one from the Ae Bike Shop but call ahead first so you avoid disappointment (01387 860 541) :) I know if any dads are reading this they will be thinking yeah fun for all sure...well they serve beer at the cafe so even for the dads it will be a fun dayout in the forest! It will be a really fun day with a big turn out so hopefully ti will be enjoyed by everyone. Hope to see you all there.
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