Black Canon Collective

Category: TickerTape

  • Raise some money – win some cool stuff!

    We really need to raise some money to buy some more freelap watches for use at TickerTape races…

    So, we’re asking our TickerTape loving members to get creative and think up ways to (legitimately) raise some doh.

    What about…

    A sponsored ride.
    A week of doing chores around the house.
    1000 press ups in an hour.
    Bunny-hop your gran.
    Going a whole week without saying “rad”, “dude”, “yeahhh boi!”, hi-fiving or greeting people by saying…”sup”.
    Or, just rattling a big bucket at a supermarket checkout whilst dressed as a brownie.

    Whatever you can think of and successfully carry out without stealing, hurting or defrauding other people is cool.

    So now for the best bit…

    All proceeds will go towards buying freelap watches (which is obviously very cool), the top three fund raisers will win some cool prizes AND whoever raises over £100 will have their name put into a hat to win this brand new beautiful commemorative signed copy of STEVE PEAT WORLD CHAMPION- SEVENTEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING – something that money simply can’t buy (he only signed 100 copies, we ordered this one within minutes of it being available and got #15, the rest have all since gone) !

    So go on, download the sponsorship sheet (you can use as many as you need) and get fundraising!

    The closing date is Friday October the 1st.


    All money collected for this fundraiser must be given to the BCC or returned to the donors.

    Money can be donated personally and / or raised by sponsorship.

    The BCC will spend all of the money raised from this fundraiser on Freelap watches and timing equipment for use at TickerTapes.

  • Sock Puppets

    August TickerTape was a quiet one in terms of numbers, but as always it was still full of plenty of action, laughs and more super gnarly radness than anywhere else within 10 miles of Frome.

    After being helped to set up (thanks guys!) there was an odd “no, no….after you!” etiquette going on that highlighted just how rough and intimidating puppets can be – no-one wanted to be the first one down, so we just sat there looking scared.

    Before too long though Chris Smith had finished his course walk, taking soil samples and scratching “Copyright Chris Smith” on all his lines, it’s normally at this point that the full time pro mountain biker claims it’s ages since he last rode, and that he “can’t remember any of the track” but we all know that’s a load of b******s! ; )

    Keith, head honcho of Max Bikes PR, popped by to say hi and drop off some awesome prizes for the next few events – we’re really lucky to be supported by Keith if it wasn’t for him we’d be giving away tins of baked beans rather than shinny new products and cool t’s.

    Everybody rode really well with only a few spills and no injuries worth mentioning. Josh Jobbins was the only full time hardtail rider this time around and was running it single speed too. For being the most fearless as he chattered his way down battery hill (sometimes on his bum) Josh won a colour co-ordinated KCNC machined topcap, which was pretty cool given the state of his existing one.

    Liam Arkell killed it all day long too and was nothing short of impressive as he rode all the rough stuff fully committed and flat out. He managed to catch Chris’s eye – “who’s that kiddy on the Cove…he’s going pretty quick ey?!” high praise coming from the man himself. Needless to say Liam won the other beans award – a pair of very limited edition SockGuy Transition socks.

    As for the winning time, well …. but…. it snapped… if I’d have had….. yeah, but next time…. ok, Chris won, fair and square and he did so convincingly; beating me by 0.47 secs and leaving with over an hour and a half still to go.

    Next month we’re racing BBMS and it’s going to be the last event before the special TickerTape Triple Crown in October – so come along and get some practice in!

    (thanks to Tom Rickhuss for the action shots)

    August TickerTape 2010

  • Tickertape DH Jam Sunday 22nd AUGUST

    What is it?

    Its our monthly club timed practice day on one of our taped downhill tracks using ‘freelap’ timing equipment and kindly donated ‘shimano’ tape.  This month we’re timing on ‘Puppets’, check out the helmet camera footage of ‘Puppets’, the second one, after ‘143’.

    When is it?

    This Sunday (22nd) 11am – 3pm

    Where is it?

    The Allotment, our home in the woods

    How can I take part?

    You need to be a member and bring along proof of your membership to take part, it doesn’t cost any money to take part in a Tickertape. The only cost to you is the cost of your membership for the year.  There are a few rules though; Your bike must have 2 working brakes and you must wear a full face helmet to take part.  Also you get 2 runs with a ‘freelap’ watch, then you must let someone else borrow it.  This is known as the 2 run pass it on rule. There’s no limit to the amount of runs you can record in the 4 hours, Will managed 17 one day!

    I hope to see many people there, help setting up and packing away is highly praised, and don’t forget to bring beans, you know what I’m talking about!

  • Sausages and RSI!

    Hello

    We’re holding a night of tape rolling, food and ….well, more tape rolling, on Monday (that’s tomorrow).

    We’ve used up all 3000m of shimano tape now and despite a pretty fantastic effort at the last committee meeting we just can’t get to the end of the massive bundle.

    So, PLEASE come along and help out – I promise you’ll get some good food and if you try hard enough some RSI too!

    Monday 16th, 19:00-21:00 (see the forum for location)

    If you can make it please say so below (we need about 8 or so people to make this worth doing)

    Thanks!

    p.s. We get given this tape by shimano and as we can’t hold TickerTapes or Dinner ’til Dusk events without this tape we re-use it to save money and minimise waste. We’re looking into getting two tape rollers but haven’t found anything suitable yet so for now we need to roll this back up by hand. I’m hoping that within the next week or so we’ll come up with a more practical solution (all suggestions welcome!).

    p.p.s. The sausages will be worth the effort – they’re the best in all of Frometownshire.

  • The Fast and the Furious

    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





  • TickerTape – Sunday 18 July

    It’s TickerTape this Sunday.
    We’re riding Spoons.
    The course has been modified (for this month only) to add a little spice, and mix things up a bit.
    The changes add speed (to the fastest trail we’ve got) so lycra and bullet helmets may be an advantage.
    I’m joking of course, bullet helmets help no-one. ever.
    Timing starts at 11 and will run until 3.
    As always, there’s plenty to play for so bring some beans* and your shouting voice too.
    Members only, full face helmet and a working bike needed to take part.
    Oh and some beans, don’t forget the beans!

    *Beans have been proven to be far more effective than Gnar, Shred, Rip and even Gunning It.

  • June TickerTape – BBMS + Massacre

    Our TickerTape DH Jam format hasn’t changed much since the first event well over a year ago…

    1 x taped DH course

    1 x white board + pen

    1 x freelap system

    It’s a jam, not a race.

    It’s about having a laugh not psyching each other out. People always cheer each other on (and wind each other up)…

    Sure you’re against the clock and there can only be one fastest time, but that’s between you, the hill and you’re ability to ignore the massive shouts of “PEDAAAAAAALL” from the onlooking crowd.

    Beans have always played a big part in every event, whether its trying a drop for the first time, fully committing to a rooted corner or doing 17 runs in an afternoon. Giving it some beans is always rewarded.

    This month Will Hardy took the fastest time, winning the coveted sticker for the first time ever by 0.38 seconds.

    Jamie Friel showed more beans than most improving by a whopping 30 seconds over the course of the day. It was his first ever TickerTape too, and he was going for it!

    Jamie McDougall also gave it plenty, suffering from about 27 punctures and hitting almost every tree in sight. Committed.

    After the event was over and tape collected we spent the rest of the afternoon sessioning Spork and riding trains down OneFourThree…it doesn’t get much better than that.

    Thanks to everyone for helping set up and pack away, to Andrew Grace for the doughnuts and bananas, to Max Bikes PR for the awesome prizes and Shimano for providing the race tape.

    Beans.




  • Got beans? (TickerTape prize)

    Whoever gives it the most this Sat at the TickerTape DH Jam gets to take home this Dakine Jersey. Simple really.

  • 19th June – naturally tantalizing TICKERTAPE Downhill – fun doesn't have to cost the earth

    This months  Tickertape – ‘super-duper, down to earth, timed & taped downhill event‘ , is on Saturday 19th June.

    Our old friend BBMS has had some new organic surgery to his/her lower half and we will be riding him/her all day after we’ve dressed him/her up in stylish shimano tape and stuck some freelap timing poles up the top and down the bottom of him/her.  Some help undressing him/her at the end,  leaving BBMS in peace to rest will be commended by the wood gods and will give you good luck in your future bicycle antics.

    Last dig day – she's a beauty!

    Riding at a Tickertape is limited to club members only, whom must wear a full face helmet, but anyone is welcome to come along and spectate.  There is no entry cost, however donations are very welcome to cover the costs of Tickertape events and to help reach our target of being able to purchase some more freelap watches for the club.  So, if you feel like ‘buying the tickertape a pint’………….. please do.

    The weather looks good, but a word of advice is to bring insect repellent or some money to purchase some avon skin so soft (what the marines use in the jungle as insect repellent, apparently) for £3 from the club.

    See you soon amigos.

  • JUDY TickerTape – what a track….!

    Puppets has always been known as a great track but had been dormant for a few years whilst we worked hard to get BBMS, Spoons and 143 up to standard, so you can imagine the excitement of the first ever TickerTape on Puppets!

    With no times to compare against there was plenty of guessing what would be respectable on this deceptively long track… would it to favour those who can ride the steep or the flatter corners at the bottom? would anyone take on some of the straight line options on judy? do we really have to push all the way back up?

    Stace and Jim were involved in their usual ding dong but were so focussed on beating the other that they completely missed Charles’s blistering pace on board his loaned TRANSITION BLINDSIDE – beating both by a clean 2 seconds!

    Ben Irons was busy putting in his usual fast runs, teasing those of us on full sus bikes and making his hardtail grimace. poor thing.

    Will Hardy was stupidly fast through the steep tech section leaving us silent as he doubled up the steps and hit the berm faster than everyone else. He also put in 17 runs which is ridiculous and shouldn’t be encouraged!

    As is becoming a bit of a theme Chris Smith earned yet another TickerTape Sticker with the smooth and consistently fast style that is begining to haunt the rest of us. Chris said it was his favourite track but stressed that he’d never even sessioned it before, he also said he owed his victory to his Lucozade Sport and a pretty awesome sandwich that Cally made him [pro riders ey, always banging on about their sponsors].

    Stuart won the Beans award for riding his hardtail with no fear whilst wearing a ‘wife beater’ top, we’re hoping that he’ll wear his new Dakine jersey from now on as I’m not sure we’re ready for another display of those guns. Special thanks to MAX BIKES PR for the awesome prizes.

    So, 45.31 I wonder how long that will stand? With Ben Batt, Neil Cousins, Rob Lewis, Redd How, Jack Howe and many others yet to set a time it’ll be interesting to see especially as the track matures, roots come to the surface and new lines open up.

    And now for Ben Irons with the stats….