Catch up!
I have been really busy of late with a load of things and so not really had time to do the blow by blow updates. Here’s a quick blast of my bike related activities of the last 10 days or so.
Got out for a night ride last week that took us up to Lichfield. Was a really clear mild evening again so a pleasure to ride. Still had some issue with punctures but at least it wasn’t just me this week! It was Roy’s first time on this route and he enjoyed it. It was a touch more technical than he has been used, particularly in the rooty sections through the large coppice we pass through.
Got out on the weekend and did home to Kinver and back again although this time I made some changes to route and I think I have it nailed now. No busy A-roads and some more off road so all’s good. I spent a decent amount of time during this ride doing some filming. It should have been about 6 and half hours riding, I was out for 9! It’s been a while since I have been able to do a self shot movie in the sun. The GoPro works so much when there is good light and the over cast day of my last video left me feeling pretty unsatisfied with the end result if honest. I have also had a bunch of ideas of late, about how to make these films visually more interesting and so wanted to try them out. Its taken a decent while to do the edit and although I’m almost there with chopping the clips I want to do a bit more with this one in terms of colour grading and some effects. I think it could still be at least another week until I have anything to show. I’m very pleased with how its going at the moment. Above is a still taken from it.
Yesterday I got out on the bike again as I had a random day off. Very lucky really as it was the best day of the year so far in terms of weather. I spent it up at Licky Hills just messing about in the woods. I felt 10 years old again, on summer holiday from school, ultimate freedom! I was sessioning the best bits of single track and pushing back to the top, trying out some bigger drops (2-3ft to flat) than I’m used to and getting comfortable with those, and hitting some fairly steep step sections while hanging off the back. On the whole a good technical skills practice and with no one around I didn’t have to worry about diving off the trails for walkers.
Over the whole of this period I have been working on the Five build. Generally this has been progressing but certainly at a slower pace than I would have hoped. About 85% there now. There seems to be something up with the chain line as it isn’t running particularly smooth at the moment. I think I know what to do there though so hopefully that should be a fairly quick job just adding in a spacer. Unfortunately I have to replace the hoses on the brakes. They were bought second hand and must have been fitted specifically for a shorter bike with a smaller fork. I have never had to even bleed my own brakes so this whole process will be a new one for me. Not insurmountable though and if I take me time and step through the instructions then it should be fine. Hope to get this doe by the weekend and with any luck my next blog will be talking about how well its rides.
