We were on a test day with the DH bike and some fast lads at the Moelfre track. Thats not us in the vid, but thats the track we were riding. Some of the CRC Intense team were there too, and perhaps, in retrospect trying to keep up with Matt Simmons and Pagey was a mistake, especially on a borrowed bike (I wasn’t riding our sample).

I’m still not entirely sure how, but I think I hit a kicker at about 1:55 on that vid, and took off into space . Cord found me about 10-15mins later, barely concious with a very broken bike. Big dints in my helmet and a pain in my shoulder.

Ed from Greatrock valiantly whisked me to Wrexham Hospital, who checked me over, confirmed the damage – broken collarbone -, and in the process had to cut up my Dianesse suit. And my Icebreaker Merino. And my Aldi long sleeve.

I have a fracture clinic appointment today, and a 13hr flight to Taiwan on Sunday. ~Hmmmmm.

Ow.

Anyone know where you can get new green Travis forks from?

We press-released it all this afternoon, and here’s the story on Bikeradar, and another on Singletrackworld.com.

I’m just relieved to get it all out in the open at last so we can crack on with what we’re meant to be doing, rather than doing things with smoke and mirrors. Cheers!

We’ve got a tweak website, but it’s not there yet – http://www.tweakbikes.com

Taiwanese and Chinese people often adopt and English name to let stupid westerners do business with them easier. We were out in the company of Wei Hau (Pazzaz) the other night and decided that it was all wrong, and so asked if we could have Chinese name instead. 

After looking us up and down they decided that I should be called this, as shown, which seems to be pronounced “bollocks” and is something to do with a racehorse. Better that than the first one they thought for me which was “ta ta ta”, or “blah blah blah”. And Chin Chin means cock in Japanese.

Heading out of here in 4hrs and I land back on mothers day, home about lunchtime if the trains work. Save some rain for me. I’ve missed it.

ps: Copperslip is your friend.

It’s all about momentum. Mass, movement, direction. And relying on a bobbling about 25lb (ok 28lb) bike to control where I’m going… fuck that.
If I want to go over there, I will. I weigh LOTS more than that bike. So I’m off that way. Push off that pedal and I’m over there. The bike’ll come. It has to cos I’m holding onto it.

Steep shaley slope entrance to supergully. Never ridden it before. So just hammered it. I want to. I will. And I did.

Try it. Just move your body where you want to go. The bike’ll have to come with you.

Supertacky rubber and stuff helps when you want to steer it to go. But it’s like controlled falling a lot of the time. So just decide where you’re heading and drag the rest of your kit in the same direction.

Works for me.

And so, after much persuasion by my lovely wife I got out – just the usual up the hill and back. And it rocked. 

Had a super-ace ride, climbed well, descended great. Got lots of stuff worked out in my head, and validated lots of ideas that I’ve got going into products right now.

I don’t know what sort of person I’d be if I didn’t ride at all, as it gets so much straight in my head when I do. Shouldn’t leave it so long next time.

Straight out the Stubbings and up the hill to Heptonstall. Not a great start even if you’re on form, but by the time we hit the trafficlights by the Fox and Goose I could tell I wasn’t firing on the right number of cylinders.

Ed practically dragged me up to Heptonstall, and whilst the descent of Blue Pig was fun, the climb to the top of Nutclough was awful. Then Kelvins extended classic requiring a hike up to the top of Old Town, I bailed on the climb when even Chipps couldn’t humour me to the top. 

Turned around, picked up the nice bit of tech bridleway and opened the gates for the A-Team arriving back down. Seems I didn’t miss too much in terms of tech, so was all good – and the run down Nutclough was top stuff as always – the Ti Summer Season sample just rocking with slightly too soft tyres and forks (which probably didn’t help me going up).

A pint and a half of Landlord in the Stubbings rounded the evening off nicely. And sure enough, this morning the cold monster has crept up on me. Lungs a bit congested. All the kids are off with various ailments. I’ll see if I can get to the hospital for a wrist-X-Ray to find out why I can’t move it right (but it’s ok on the bike). Odd.

Didn’t have a drink last night – ah – though I did have 2 cans of  Gin and Tonic at about 5pm… 

Got a Dr’s appointment in an hour about my wrist which is being odd. I bet it’s RSI, but we’ll see.

Nightride from the Stubbings tonight. Which will be damp at best. Lights charging. Wikid.

Other things – I can’t actually remember what – escalated, and I grabbed shoes and running kit and headed off early doors leaving Jo to do breakfast and things (thanks!).

Top of the hill, and back via the little freeride chute that I fell off on on my birthday (on my bike). Then back down, below the cliff, down the steps and home. 40mins. Nice. 

Went to Bradford this afternoon for sweetcorn and Primark. Bath leaking. Fixed (ish).

Q: If my dad is a joiner, why is the side of my bath not finished after 5 years?