We seem to have mice in our garage, I don’t think this one is going back on a bike 🙁
MSC Ceramic Bottom Bracket
The Bow went through so many bottom brackets in the two years I had it, I lost count. Shimano ones seemed to last about 3 months in the winter. Eventually I tried the Gusset one with needle rollers that seized in Russia (it was completely worn out though)
After considering all the expensive options Cycle Shack offered a deal on an MSC Ceramic bottom bracket 
so I agreed to have one to test out. RRP is about £80 which is very good for a Ceramic and it weighs only 87 gms. I am hoping the lack of metal bearings and the higher quality will enable this one to last a bit longer when it goes into the Kinesis XC Pro 3 build.
for more info go http://www.mscbikes.com/components.php?idioma=2&familia=0043&subfamilia=0141 or contact Cycle Shack.
Out with the old and in with the – Kinesis Maxlight Pro 3
The Corratec Bow and the Giant have been replaced!
Essentially I was not riding the Giant at all as I loved the Bow too much. In the end I have been wrecking the Bow and not keeping it as a race bike as originally intended. So I now have a Kinesis Maxlight Pro 3 frame from Cycle Shack ( Thanks to them both for the support) and the intention is to get a second frame next month to build up as an identical training / hack bike (only blue).
I will choose the best bits from both the old bikes to build up the new race bike but have a few new shiny bits too and plan some more in the spring, but more about that in a later post….
SOLD – Corratec Bow World Cup Frame 2010
Now SOLD
Comes with headset, seat clamp and seat post and two spare mech hangers.
Offers !
The Corratec Super Bow is an amazing ride, point and squirt with a very stiff rear triangle. Id love another but they have stopped making the 26inch version so grab a piece of history !
contact mark@stodgell.co.uk
DD Slalom Kayak and Paddle for Sale
Sold
For Sale:
Double Dutch Slingshot 75 (cut for 75kg paddler). Fair to good condition, stored for 4 years without use, hence reason for sale. Includes Peak airbags. Sensible offers only, please.
Double Dutch carbon paddle for sale: approx 825gms. Good condition, 2 metres long. Again, sensible offers only, please.
See gallery below for more photos and email mark@stodgell.co.uk for more details.
Holly in British Squad Calendar
2 proud parents will be buying a British Squad fund raising calendar this year as we will get to look at Holly for a month. The photo taken by Peter Guillaume at the JK sprint in Northern Ireland.
I also like the other one Peter took on the day shown on the right, such determination!
The calendar is available pre-order from Compass Sport here £7.50
http://www.compasssport.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=72&Itemid=38
Spine tingling
Since coming back from Russia I have been struggling big style with my back. I’ve had a history of a very ‘mobile’ sacroiliac joint but 16 hours of travelling after a night partying following the long race in Russia has really caused me problems.
I think it probably stems from not warming up properly in the horrendous rain before the race and my cranks seizing forcing me to put a huge load through my pedals to keep going. That and jumping of a 3 metre wall in the days before.
I saw the Chiropractor the day after I got back in agony and I was fairly sorted during that week but then typically went and over did it last weekend both on the bike and doing some DIY. So back to square one until Tuesday when I saw them again, plus some sports massage and I am now getting much better.
The bottom line is I need to do lots more core stability work (something I am quite good at during the winter but tend to neglect through the racing season) and lots and lots of stretching.
Its amazing how the gluts particularly cause so much referred pain down the leg when in spasm.
My work colleagues have got used to me lying on the floor rolling around this week trying to stretch out the various muscles and joints. At home I am using a hard foam roll for self massage which is also good.
I am going to avoid the mountain bike for a while too when better to make sure I don’t aggravate it any more, but my last race of the season is now in two weeks time in France with all the driving that involves. Time to concentrate on getting better !
Orifix Mapboards – review
Well in the end I raced the whole of the European Championships with the Orifix. I used the extra spacers to get it higher above the handlebars which really helped with reading the detail. To start with it feels very odd having the board so high but it does force you to look further ahead which is no bad thing anyway.
The board frame comes to bits and packs flat which is useful for travelling (and delivery through the post) and the board itself goes on with plastic butterflies meaning it can be tightened easily or swapped for a different size without tools if it does come loose (as Mirys do from time to time)
It attaches to the bars with finger turn nuts which is very quick though I did have to do them up very hard to stop the extended mapboard from twisting when I got a little energetic with the bike flying down the steps in Vyborg. I will probably tweak them with a pair of pliers next time.
The clear plastic foil although causing me a slight phaff on the relay more than made up for it in its rejection of water and mud, the extra wrap around performing far better than the Miry hardly letting in any rain on the middle distance race where others were left with a soggy mess. The Velcro fixings also will allow flexibility for some of the bigger laminated maps found on adventure races.
The Orfix is also available with reducing shims for smaller diameter handlebars.
So I am a convert, my old trusty Miry will pass down the family tree to Cath and I will be swapping to Orifix… http://www.orifix.net/index.php
If you want one get in touch with emilybenham@me.com