With my broken rib starting to mend and my chest infection more or less gone this weekend was all about getting back on the bike and enjoying some recreational rides.
With the Cannock Chase in perfect condition and my road bike out of action (needing a bottom bracket which hasn’t arrived yet) getting out on the single tracks with friends on the mountain bike was called for.
Friday morning brought ‘Berkswich Dad’ Steve to my house for some bike size investigations before a quick ride on the Chase. Steve bought a bargain, end of season, Viper from Chain Reaction cycles just before Xmas on my recommendation. The Viper X-Team was an incredible deal, just £700 for a XT / SLX mix of kit, Juicy 3s, a Fox fork and Crossride wheels. However Steve has always felt it was slightly too small. I suggested we tried a lay back seat post and possibly a longer stem before looking for a new frame so we got a tape measure out and tried a few spares of mine before a test ride. Unfortunately we came to the conclusion that it is just too small, although the standover height is OK the top tube is just too short. The original price of the bike (reduced from £1300) meant that even with a new frame it was still a bargain so the hunt for a frame that Steve likes is now on, plus if anyone wants a mint Aluminium small hard tail race frame get in touch.
After a couple hours with the kids zooming about Brocton Coppice on their Isla Bikes, Saturday took me back to the newly opened Cannock Chase Monkey Trail. Riding from Marquis Drive with John T, a seasoned biker who doesn’t get out so much nowadays, we grabbed a cheeky lap of the new route before getting home to put the kids to bed. The trail is cutting up now on a couple of corners but is generally standing up well. It even looks like there will be some new little extensions opening soon, with Clixby’s signs up and some new log balance sections being constructed. We bottled the ‘black graded’ rock garden again, but this time I walked back up it to have a look. Suffice to say I won’t be trying it any time soon on the Corratec Bow with a broken rib. Perhaps on a 6 inch full sus rig and some body armour, but I’m happy to bury any pride and ride the chicken run.
Sunday saw us out again in the sunshine, this time to ride the last section down through Tackeroo to the visitors centre and then back across the chase via some local trail pixie routes home.
The Chase is remarkably dry at the moment with no mud anywhere, the riding really first class.
So another easy ride on Monday and then hopefully the start a 2 week hard training block before the Polish World Cup MTBO in June.