NOVEMBER 2008
5 November 2008STRATHPUFFER 24
News just in.... The Bike Mechanic Team will be making an early start to the 2009 season, returning to race in the depths of the Scottish winter at the Strathpuffer 24, which claims to be the toughest of all 24-hour endurance races.
After coming a respectable 24th place at the 2008 event with Dan Taylor and Mark, Huw and Jon will be returning to better their performance, but this time teaming up with Scottish locals, Mike Wann and David Wilby, who raced against (and beat) The Bike Mechanic Team in 2008.
Time to dig out those woolly socks and thermals....
2 November 2008
NEW TEAM MEMBER
After riding for us a couple of times this year at the Strathpuffer and the Kona Cheddar Bike Fest, Jon Whittaker has agreed to ride for The Bike Mechanic Team at various events for 2009.
Being the keen rider he is, he has already entered the Bontrager Twentyfour12 on the 25/26 July 2009, attempting his first solo 24-hour race.
The rest of us will be there in some shape or form, but we'll decide at a later date....
SEPTEMBER 2008
28 September 2008KONA CHEDDAR BIKEFEST RESULTS
The team have just returned from this year's Kona Cheddar Bike Fest with some excellent results in their respective solo categories. Full results can be found here.
- Huw : 4th in the 10 hour Solo Men's Competitive Category with 26 laps
- Mark : 3rd in the 10 hour Singelspeed Men's Competitive Category with 23 laps
- Jon : 6th in the 10 hour Solo Men's Fun Category with 20 laps
- Anne Pitman : 2nd in the 10 hour Solo Women's Competitive Category with 22 laps
Huw's write up....
The Cheddar Bikefest was one of the events I was most looking forward to this year and it was my final event for 2008. After great results from this year's other events, the pressure was on to produce an equally good individual performance to finish off the season for us.
After a practice lap late Friday afternoon, I knew the event would be tough and I wasn't disappointed. I started off with a good short Le Mans style run and was in the front pack starting the race, perhaps starting off a bit too quickly. Nevertheless I got into a steady rhythm, lapping between 18 and 22 minutes for the first few hours. After a few laps I was told I was in 4th position which really put the pressure on.
However, the faster-than-normal pace started to take its toll around the halfway mark and my lap times started to increase and I soon dropped back to about 6th place, which was a huge disappointment and it was a mental challenge to keep going. I decided I had to stop for a breather and something to eat. After a lot of encouragement from the team and others in the soloist's area I was back out and managed to pick my spirits, and the pace, up.
I lost count of the number of laps I had done and I spent the next couple of hours riding steadily and was constantly on the look out for the 2 soloists that had overtaken me. With this goal in mind, the riding became easier and with less than 2 hours to go to the end I had managed to pick my way back up to 4th place (I still don't know where or when I overtook the others!). I started counting down the laps and darkness soon fell, and I knew I was nearing the end of the race.
The last lap was a blur although I was pleased and happy that Mark caught up with me on his final lap and we rode in over the finishing line together. The sense of achievement of finishing my first 10-hour solo race and finishing as high as I did will be with me for a long time, and will certainly be an incentive to do well next year.
A singlespeeder's perspective, from Mark....
I was ready for the Cheddar bike fest this year. Last year I entered it fairly blind and naive not least because I was new to single speeding but also because I didn’t pre-ride the course. However this year I felt much better prepared. I had inadvertently ridden all my laps at SITS on my SS 29er, then purposely ridden the Brecon Beast…..all 109Km of it again on my 29er so I was really up for it.
My practice lap on Friday afternoon in the beautiful autumn sunshine was well worth it. I now knew where to go for it and when to accept defeat, push the bike and conserve energy. Roll on Saturday 10am.
I got off to a good start; I knew there were 6 of us altogether riding single speed solo so I kept my eye out for them. I didn’t see another SS rider for the first lap, but on my second lap I had a puncture, as I was replacing my tube, all the other 5 riders went by! I couldn’t believe it, I was gutted. But that’s the way it goes.
I carried on, lap after lap, I lost count after a while but was having a great time, the course was so much fun and all the riders were friendly and encouraging when they realised I was a solo rider (heaven knows where the other SS riders were though!) The laps and hours went by (and so did another 3 punctures) I was sure I was in last place. Then on the climb that over-looked the lake where the switchbacks were, two SS riders were sat down taking in the view! One of them was a pairs rider, and the other was a chap I’d met whilst riding the Beast two weeks before who I knew was riding solo. We got chatting (just the usual inane stuff strangers on the course talk about) but when he dropped in “I think this is my 12th lap”, I knew I’d done more than that……I couldn’t be in last place after all!! That was all I was interested in – beating my place of the previous year.
Once my watch passed the 7pm mark I seemed to get a new lease of life knowing there was only an hour left. With encouragement and persuasion from Lou and Charlotte it was possible for me to get 2 more laps in before the 8pm cut off so I went for it. I shouted for ‘malt loaf’ as I passed our support team and headed out on what was to be my final lap with a mouth full of Soreen. Half way up the first climb I spotted the all too familiar blue stripe on a fellow solo riders number board and went through the usual “how’re you doin’ mate?”……and of all the riders on the course it turned out to be Huw, what a stroke of luck! I was so pleased to see him. We chatted (or grunted at each other!) as we grinded our way through our last lap and crossed the finish line together just as we’d crossed the start line together 10 hours previously.
I’d heard of Huw’s progress from Lou & Charlotte during my rest stops so I knew where he was in the rankings, but I had no idea where I had finished. I genuinely believed I’d finished last but one. I went to have a look at the results board mainly out of morbid curiosity…..and I still can’t believe I discovered I’d finished in 3rd place having completed 23 laps. I was completely and utterly blown away. Had I read the screen wrong? Was I hallucinating through an overdose of energy gels and sausage rolls? A podium place…..me?! I’d like to say I was speechless, the reality however was the total opposite…..gift of the gab!
I finished on a total high and the euphoria will stay with me for a long long time. For me, Cheddar is my singlespeed event for the year. I think for next year I will try a different gear ratio maybe try something a little more forgiving for the climbs at the sacrifice of having to peddle like a demon on the small amount of flat course at the venue.
All in all, a great race, a great venue and a fantastic atmosphere – roll on 2009
17 September 2008
BRECON BEAST 2008 RESULTS
Well done to Mark and Andrew who completed the full 100km last weekend. Mark finished in 6 hours 11 minutes on his 29er Singlespeed, while Andrew followed, finishing in 6 hours 59 minutes.
10 September 2008
BRECON BEACONS BEAST 2008
Good luck to Mark and Andrew who will be riding at this weekend's (Sunday 14th September) Brecon Beast Enduro, riding the full 100km! Lets hope they won't need wetsuits and a snorkel after the recent wet weather.
2 September 2008
KONA CHEDDAR BIKE FEST
The team will be going solo at this year's Kona Cheddar Bike Fest on the 27th September, with Huw entered in the Competition Men's Solo 10-hour category and Mark in the Men's Singlespeed Solo 10-hour category. Jon Whittaker will also be making a return to the team entered in the Fun Men's Solo 10-hour category.
AUGUST 2008
SLEEPLESS IN THE SADDLE : MUDFEST PART 2What can I say?! It started off muddy, and it ended muddy. One front of heavy rained followed the other throughout the weekend making the race both physically and mentally draining. It was a shame because this year saw some welcome extra sections of singletrack on the course to keep it interesting.
We kept our nerve during the first 12 hours, but our morale and enthusiasm deteriorated during the night, which showed in our placings, dropping us to about 25th during the night. Fortunately for us, it was difficult for everyone and some determined laps during the early hours of Sunday and a final push towards the end of the race brought us back into the Top 10.
I'd like to say it was fun in the mud, but not this time, but we are over the moon with our 9th place.
JUNE 2008
MOUNTAIN MAYHEM : MUDFEST PART 1
The Bike Mechanic Race Team were in attendance at the 11th Giant Mountain Mayhem, competing in the Men's Sport Team Category. This year's Mountain Mayhem team were Huw Thomas, Mark Deacon, Andrew James and Michael Wann, who came 56th out of 248 teams in the Sport Men's category.
Full results can be found on the 2008 Giant Mountain Mayhem website .
The weekend started with the traditional camp setup, barbeque and socialising and as ever, we all came prepared for all eventualities.
Well prepared! Mark, Huw and Andrew
The Friday afternoon sunshine and dry conditions put us in the mood for a leisurely pre-race ride around the course. This year's course was, for me, one of the best and included some nice sections of singletrack, some fun steps and even a pretty tight and steep switchback! The climbs were of a reasonable length but none of the usual "leg-burners" that brought tears to your eyes in the middle of the night on previous years.
Unfortunately, Saturday morning brought about the promise of rain with very heavy looking clouds above the site, and there was a flurry of activity around the campsite with people busy changing to mud-tyres. After a leisurely morning of eating breakfast, enjoying the atmosphere and browsing the stalls, it was time to get ready for the main event. Starting off for us was Huw, who had to run the half mile Le Mans style start, and having to battle his way through the usual middle-of-the-pack congestion throughout the first lap. Even so, he did it with a smile.
Huw at the top of the first climb (Photograph by Matt Cope)
Mike, Andrew and Mark followed with quick laps to bring us up into the top 100 teams. The next set of laps saw us climb up the positions and into the night stage. The weather and conditions deteriorated from there, with people having to drag, push and carry their bikes through ankle deep, sticky mud for the best part of 8 hours throughout the night. The low point must have been Mike's seemingly never-ending double laps during a downpour, however one thing was certain, we weren't the only team suffering! We soldiered on and kept up the encouragement and dawn brought about a change in the weather and the course soon started drying out to make the final hours of the race more enjoyable. Andrew completed our race with the final lap, bring our lap tally to a respectable 20 laps (5 laps each) in just under 24 hours and 5 minutes.
There were many times during the race when we all vowed never to enter the event again, but after some sleep, and now that our bikes and clothes are washed, we are all looking forward to entering again in 2009!
Andrew, Mike, Mark and Huw after completing the 24-hour event
The Bike Mechanic Race Team were in attendance at the 11th Giant Mountain Mayhem, competing in the Men's Sport Team Category. This year's Mountain Mayhem team were Huw Thomas, Mark Deacon, Andrew James and Michael Wann, who came 56th out of 248 teams in the Sport Men's category.
Full results can be found on the 2008 Giant Mountain Mayhem website .
The weekend started with the traditional camp setup, barbeque and socialising and as ever, we all came prepared for all eventualities.
Well prepared! Mark, Huw and Andrew
The Friday afternoon sunshine and dry conditions put us in the mood for a leisurely pre-race ride around the course. This year's course was, for me, one of the best and included some nice sections of singletrack, some fun steps and even a pretty tight and steep switchback! The climbs were of a reasonable length but none of the usual "leg-burners" that brought tears to your eyes in the middle of the night on previous years.
Unfortunately, Saturday morning brought about the promise of rain with very heavy looking clouds above the site, and there was a flurry of activity around the campsite with people busy changing to mud-tyres. After a leisurely morning of eating breakfast, enjoying the atmosphere and browsing the stalls, it was time to get ready for the main event. Starting off for us was Huw, who had to run the half mile Le Mans style start, and having to battle his way through the usual middle-of-the-pack congestion throughout the first lap. Even so, he did it with a smile.
Huw at the top of the first climb (Photograph by Matt Cope)
Mike, Andrew and Mark followed with quick laps to bring us up into the top 100 teams. The next set of laps saw us climb up the positions and into the night stage. The weather and conditions deteriorated from there, with people having to drag, push and carry their bikes through ankle deep, sticky mud for the best part of 8 hours throughout the night. The low point must have been Mike's seemingly never-ending double laps during a downpour, however one thing was certain, we weren't the only team suffering! We soldiered on and kept up the encouragement and dawn brought about a change in the weather and the course soon started drying out to make the final hours of the race more enjoyable. Andrew completed our race with the final lap, bring our lap tally to a respectable 20 laps (5 laps each) in just under 24 hours and 5 minutes.
There were many times during the race when we all vowed never to enter the event again, but after some sleep, and now that our bikes and clothes are washed, we are all looking forward to entering again in 2009!
Andrew, Mike, Mark and Huw after completing the 24-hour event
