Click on the image to find out more!

TickerTape is always fast, hell that’s kind of the point…but today was particularly fast because Spoons had seen some tweaks that increased speed through some of the fastest sections of trail we’ve got at the Allotment.
Ben and Ben (Batt and Irons) were on the pace from the off-set with both taking great pride unveiling their current fastest time with as much fanfare and suspense as is possible with a raised eyebrow, a whiteboard and a squeaky pen.

Charles Mountford managed to brain himself on a tree then punch the ground (screwing his wrist up) within 10 meters of the start line. Yep, that straight bit. Between the trees. With no corners or features. Yep, right there.

Ever keen to showcase my incredible triangular bandage skills I saved the day (by putting a tube sleeve bandage on and accidentally wrenching his bad shoulder whilst laughing at something Simon said when I should have been paying attention). Still, he took it like a man. Grrrr.

Jamie Friel was ripping all day on a multitude of different bikes. Having his bike stolen last week was crap but on the plus side he must have ridden about £14,000 worth of bikes over the course of the day!

Simon (Big Burd) managed to get worse as the day went on despite looking smoother than all but Ben (Irons), I reckon he was missing the usual banter from Stace, Jim and Robin or was in need of some alpine air to bring out the best in him.  Robin did make it in the end, but we reckon he should’ve spent the afternoon trying to get that Duran Duran style bleached quiff sorted instead.

Other than plenty of all round Gunning It there were some that stood out above than the rest…. Jamie McDougall managed to look much faster and smoother than anyone had ever seen, even after destroying his big toenail by kicking the ground then ripping it off with a set of pliers and a tyre lever he continued to impress and was the worthy winner of the Beans award. Ben Irons was the other Beans victor, setting the pace and riding with more grace than a hardtail should allow. Something’s happened to Ben recently – he’s stopped looking like a gypsy and has bought a bike that actually works and as a result he’s killing it and is only getting quicker…

So there we go that was this months TickerTape – riding bikes fast between trees with mates.

Thanks to everyone for setting up and packing away, to Tom Rickhuss for the photos, Shimano for the race tape and Schwalbe and Monster for the prizes.

p.s. Oh…and…Ben Batt was the fastest (at the expense of his brothers bike) and the most visually impressive too (even though I’ve realised he looks like he’s doing a gorilla impression when he rides)! Oh yeah, and what’s with that eye of his….?

Beans

Yesterday, Boin and BB King rode the allotment and took some helmet cam footage of the trails. Enjoy!

Today Ben, Will and I have been hard at work making a new notice board for the Allotment.
The weirdest thing has been happening though…. rather than being the ones doing the wolf whistling (well you know what builders are like…) we’ve been getting loads of attention from passers by.
I think it’s something to do with the way Ben hold his drill….

This year we’re taking 2 test bikes to the mega courtesy of Max Bikes PR. It’s gonna be ace!

The Marin Quake XLT 180 7.9 and the Transition Blindside with their long travel, considerable seatpost extension, single crown forks and double ring + bash set-up are aimed squarely at those doing the Mega or any other all day alpine riding.
So, anyway, before throwing ourselves down any massive mountains we thought we’d take them down the Allotment for a thrash about and some pics… (click ‘em to make ‘em bigger)

Today was as hot as a dig day ever was,
the midges were militant and the flies were pretty aggressive too.
We raked and raked and raked then did a bit of digging.
Just a bit.
Not much.
Well… about 10 to 15 barrows (x 5)
We built a sweet little berm using nothing but soil (and sweat), rode it a bit then went home.
Beans.

The next round of the 2010 BCC TickerTape DH Series* is on BBMS and thanks to all the recent hard work we’ll be using the brand new bottom section for the first time!

(it’s fast, off-camber and super flowy)

* well, it makes it sound “Pro”…

Its Dig Day this Saturday and there’s plenty to do!

We’ll be aiming to continue work on the new bottom section of BBMS which will include; bench cutting the new line, building a catch berm, building up a drop and then continuing to clear the trail to the very bottom.

Hopfully plenty can make it out, it should be great weather and would be ace to be able to open this new line by the end of the day. Oh, you might need insect repellent though but dont worry if you haven’t got any – we’ll be selling it on the day!

See you there… (starts at 10:00am and finishes at 16:00, any help during this time is greatly appreciated)…

Hello everyone, just a reminder that there is a dig day this Sunday (2nd May).

The Day will be split up into 2 parts;

1st part- we will be continuing work on puppets, to get the course ready for Mays Tickertape (judy line), mass raking section of the bottom part of puppets is encouraged.

2nd part- TDS (Trail Development Sessions), BRING your BIKE and your IMAGINATION ! Together as a group we will discuss and test (session) different (and entirely new) line options for the bottom of BBMS that may well become a new properly defined bottom section to BBMS…

Hope to see plenty of you there, DO BRING WATERPROOF CLOTHING as it is expected to rain. Don’t worry though as there’ll be warm drinks and doughnuts for everyone to enjoy!

Ben. (DH Rep.)

Sunday 25th of April 2010 saw the first of what we hope to be a regular event – Dinner ’til Dusk.

Starting at 14:00 (after some terrible time planning from me) the various solo riders and pairs set off to see how many laps of the 15  minute course they could do in 2 and a half hours.

After a hectic (on foot) sprint to the bikes the steady lapping began, with Simon Truelove of the Flowerpot Men back first from the first lap in the warm conditions.

As the minutes ticked past fatigue and mechanicals starting to take their toll with Dan H losing a front brake pad and Dan I continually having to adjust his saddle.

90 minutes into the riding the rain began to fall, with our jester (see the videos) kindly taking on board wiping and lap recording duties.

Maths came into play with around 20 minutes to go, with calculations being made as to whether another lap could be squeezed in, with Juliet amongst those who forced another lap from tiring legs.

As people finished a crowd grew around the timing board, cheering, rattling and clapping in the riders as they finished, with Mark taking the win with 11 solo laps and the Flowerpot Men (Simon and Ben I) finishing with the most laps for a pair (13).

Then onto the prizes – for giving it beans! Many people were in contention – Charles and Ben L for their final descent style, Stace for battling through his mechanicals, Timmy for arranging a bike swap to improve his lap times by six minutes and Pete for altering the course marking tape to befuddle all those behind him.

In the end however it was decided that the people who had given the most were Marjory (consistent, determined laps on her new bike) who received the KCNC bar caps, Piotr (solo riding and organising photos) who received the KCNC star fangled nut replacement “thingy” and Dan I (second place despite saddle problems) who received the KCNC Skewers. Thanks KCNC!

Tired of waiting all year round for set2rise? Keen to prove that the only reason you’re at the back on night rides is because you don’t know where you are going? Wish you owned a full face so that you could get your (non)competitive fix at the allotment?

Cross country riders – be sad no more! From Sunday the 25^th of April 2010, you too will have your own non-competitive (yeah right!) event at which you can spend the afternoon at the Allotment whizzing around adapted versions of the Allotment’s trails.

The event in question is “Dinner ’til Dusk” a three hour mini enduro where solo racers and teams lap the Allotment and surrounding area on a twenty minute circuit containing singletrack, fast descents, badger attacks and less climbing than descending*.

The event is open to all, but as all cross country riders know, downhill riders are too chicken and too lazy to compete. Ideally the teams will either be solo riders or pairs, but if people want to take part as a bigger team please get in touch.

The event will start at 13:00 and will finish at 16:00 giving plenty of opportunity to change into dinner jackets and ball gowns for the evening’s AGM.

Hope to see you there.

*not true.