Megaavalanche kit guide for 2010

Short kit guide for the Megaavalanche

Yourself for starters: Passport make sure you have 3months remaining, driving license, cycle license and a doctors letter written by you or your doctor.

Bike: If your only doing the megaavalanche and not the sprint then just take the 1 bike, in fact don’t even take your DH bike because you can easily ride the sprint dh track on 6inch travel bike.

Tires: Now this can the tricky bit do you take DH tires or XC well its up to you if your not bothered about rotational mass and weight then stick on the DH tire they will give you a little added protection but on the other hand if you want to keep your bike light keep rotational mass down then go xc with slightly heavier tubes. I personally go xc tires hard compound and have only punctured once or twice through the week.

Drive train: Going with a triple is the most common and good enough, its likely though you will come back with teeth missing or bent. A dual ring with bash is the best option, maybe a 28-36 setup or similar. If you feel you have the strength/power then maybe you can run single at the front with a chain guide possibly a 35T and a good 9 speed 11-34 at the rear. Or if you have the cash go for the new 10 speed rear sram setup.

Suspension: Air Shocks are fine maybe if there old have them serviced before going. Also make sure you check with the manufacturers base settings and set them up correct for your weight with all you’re riding kit on and tires pumped up to racing pressures.
Brakes: Needles to say a good set of stoppers are needed here and depending on how trigger happy you are will determine your rotor size and pad combination. I’d say, 180Fr – 160R if you’re brake efficient or 180Fr – 180Fr if you’re not so efficient and if you’re really inefficient then go for the big 203mm front and back. Get them bleed before you go and get some high end brake fluid put in, go to Halfords or similar and buy quality stuff it’s the boil up of the fluid that usually wipes out your pad to disc contact power Pads Organic in the dry and sintered if it rains..

Goggles: DO NOT WEAR SUNGLASSES!!! Reason being, when you want to get rid of them because there covered in dust, water or sweat, you cant! unless you stop and put them abay or have a lanyard attached to them, but then they will jump around hitting your helmet and body.

Essentials: Adjustable Seat posts: If you’re going for a good result then get yourself a gravity seat post enough said.

Water bottle rack and bottle: This is one component that is forgot about or not used by many riders because it’s too roadie or not cool. Well il tell you this it’s one of the best upgrades for your bike, having nothing on your back is great it stops you getting all sweaty and stops you being top heavy, keep the weight low and fill your pockets. Get yourself a pair of endura shorts or similar and you can carry everything you need in the pockets Pump, tube, repair kit levers etc. but carry a small backpack if you feel the need to just don’t over pack it, all you need are the essentials, you don’t need a workshop on your back.

Good multi tool: Essential saves taking allot of other crap.

Tire Levers: Metal tire, levers not plastic.

Energy Gels: Glucose and fructose based.

Recovery drinks: SIS Rego recovery all the way baby.

Indoor cyling Fitness For Beginners

Training at any time for most people can be a hassle, not only does it take up time but it hurts the next day and you end up walking around like you have soiled yourself for a couple of days, and that for most people is enough to knock the training on the head..
But,Its this sorness that we need to overcome, once you get beyond that Lactate build up (the feeling you get when your legs are heavy) and muscle cell repair it's rare that this will happen again unless you let your training slip for a few weeks. The reason for getting this muscle sorness is due to the muscle cells being ripped apart then rebuilding. Its a bit like evolution they try to evolve they rebuild stronger and try to protect against this happening again. This is an on going process that needs to be done a few times till your muscles are conditioned enough for cycling at your what ever level your trying to reach.

Below are a 2 programs for indoor training, they are very basic fitness programs that are there to get you going they are aimed at sorting out your Aerobic fitness levels and condition you enough to help move on to bigger things.

Before you start we will use a sytem called PE ( Percived Effort) Its a scale of 1-10 (1= easy and 10=V.V.Hard 100% effort) and you have to judge yourslef on how hard you are workin its a good way to motivate yourself as you can ask yourself how hard am i going could i go harder? For these programs i would try and get a percived effort of around 7. if your using a HR monitor this would be around 70% maximum hr. There are other ways PE can be used but i will tell you more about this at another time.

Indoor cycling programs:by Jesper Bondo Medhus Training for Cylclists

Aerobic power 1 (50 minutes)

15 minutes – Warm up (increasing intensity)
5 x (4min high intensity + 2min low intensity)
5 minutes cool down

Aerobic power 2 (49 minutes)

15 minutes – warm up (increasing intensity)
5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)
3 minutes recovery5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)
3 minutes recovery5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)
3 minutes recovery5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)
5 minutes cool down

This program is also designed to increase your maximum oxygen consumption. You work with a slightly higher intensity during the intervals than in the previous ‘Aerobic Power 1′ program. You will also gain increments in your anaerobic capacity.
You can expect results after only a couple of training sessions. This program really rocks.

Enjoy

Indoor cycling programs:by Jesper Bondo Medhus http://www.training4cyclists.com/effective-programs-for-indoor-cycling/

Freecaster.tv: MTB - Freecaster.tv MTB World Cup 2009 DVD Trailer

Take a look at the trailer for the MTB World Cup 2009

Freecaster.tv: MTB - Freecaster.tv MTB World Cup 2009 DVD Trailer

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Kill the Bill, Fort William this weekend

I got home from work on tuesday and Steve Boyd calls me letting me know that there is a race on at FW this weekend so im entered and going up tomorrow for a weekend of getting soaked, muddy bruised and drunk. This should be a good laugh

KILL THE BILL ONLINE ENTRIES STILL AVAILABLE UNTIL TUESDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER AT 1PM AND ENTRIES AVAILABLE AT NEVIS RANGE ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON 4TH SEPT AND SATURDAY MORNING 5TH SEPT - CALL MIKE DIRECT ON 07921 453 033

Glentress Busy Trails

I got myself over to Glentress on Saturday, the first time in a long time that i had ridden there on a weekend. I couldn't believe the amount of people that place attracts there must of been over 200 people just there for the riding. You have every age group from 3year olds upwards.

The riding there is fun not the most challenging since they have made every trail about 4ft wide and hardpack, there are one or two bits that are tricky and technical but not much. The XC Back route is by far the best trail there and although its a slog up to the top its well worth it. The DH section after the mast is excellent it has little bits of everything. Its a trail that if you push hard you get the best from but if your not that great on a bike you can still make it down at your own pace without to much difficulty and you will have had a great time. The other trails spooky woods etc are great if your just getting into riding and even if you are good on a bike it can still be great fun, its just the fact it lacks the technical traits that make it a bit boring for people who like to push themselves a bit. And the other downside is the amount of people on the trial's at weekends (black route not included) you can get stuck behind people quite often and it gets a bit frustrating especially when you tell them your there ad they do nothing, your not wanting to spoil there ride just cause someone is ripping it up behind them but to just if they could acknowledge you or give you a signal to pass or something.

All in all it was great weather and its good to see people getting out the house families hanging out with there kids.

Morzine

Where do i start with this crazy holiday!!

I arrived on thursday afternoon after a long but comfortabile drive in Willy and Maurines (his wife) motorhome, we took turns at driving and sleeping and done the journey from my place in Berwick to Morzine in approximatley 20hours.

I was welcomed by Angela and Damiean the owners of the chalet where im staying, Chalet Adonis (http://www.morzine-retreats.com). They are both down to earth sound guys and they make your stay real comfortabile.

Next day i met up with my mates Callum, Ross and Bonga(Barcode). Ross had broke his finger a few days earlier so he could't ride his bike but Callum and Bonga were up for it so we all went up the plenny and spent the afternoon riding some secret tracks that branch of the plenny run.
I was riding clipped in on my DH bike, not for the first time but not something i do all the time and it was causing me problems on the muddy steep sections. I was struggling to keep the pace with the two of them down some steep off camber muddy sections, they were flying and it was hard work on these tracks.

That night i went to there campsite and met up with Willy and the boys, we decided to head out for some drinks as at my Chalet there were 8 girls staying and they were going for a night out to including Angela. The boys were well excited, so i met everyone in town that night. We headed to the normal haunts in Morzine and obviously got pissed. All of us apart from Willy and maurine headed back to the chalet for a few drinks, after a few drinks (time now about 3am) Ross decided to get in the Hot tub and that just opened the flood gates, 2 min later everyone was jumping in and booze started flowing. Everyone was having a blast and the lads were doing there best to get fired into one of the girls but they were having none of it. The party ended when Angela fell off the hot tub and banged her head off the decking.

The next day we were all rough and i had promised willy i would take him out on the bikes, just as i started fixing my bike the rain started pouring down and i was well pleased as it to heavy to go riding and my hangover was to bad to be on a bike.

That night we went up to Lake Montriond to watch a fireworks and laser light show, the Fireworks were amazing and there must of been around 300 people there. They had bands playing Dj's on and most important beer tents, it was like a mini festival. We were up till 5am drinking again but i was up at 9am to take willy out on the DH bikes. Ross lent willy his bike and pass and we headed up. Willy was great on the bike I took him down the Plenny run and he made it no worries, 52 year old and he is going faster than some 20year olds.

later on i met up with the lads and we let willy crack on with his own thing on the bike. We headed of on some more tough tracks and yet again i was finding it hard to keep up.

The rest of the trip was all about the riding although i was still having far to much booze and late nights but it was worth it. The lads left on wedensday and i had 1 more day to go. I headed out riding with Damiean and then later on met up with Willy who tried to ride again but his shoulder was to sore so he headed off. Damiean and I met up with an MSC team rider Calum and we done a few runs of the pleny then went to the Super morzine and done some trails up there. Next day im on the flight heading home.

So glad i went on this trip i learned a good few things from it..

Morzine

Im in Morzine, France at the minute im off riding in 20min so il tell you all wat i've been up to the last few days tonight.