I LOVE MY BIKE

I have now decided to give up trying to create content for my blog every week as at the moment until the race season properly starts then its train, train and train and i don't believe people spend their time waiting for the latest shoestring post...

Instead i will post when something of not happens.. wether that be a great ride or race.

This is definately a milestone post of blog worthy news, the first real ride of the new bike.

I have had my Gary Fisher Superfly for a few weeks already but had been holding out for some extra parts to arrive so i could go riding with my set up and position 100% to do the bike justice.
Just so happened that the completion of my bike coincided with me and rach going to the Lake District for the easter break, its become a bit of a traditon of us to head to the Lakes whenever there is a bank holiday, we stay at the same place every time, Yew Tree House B&B.. Great place.. Rob there is super helpful, a mountain biker and always happy to accomodate fellow riders.. its always a treat to get a few days there to relax and enjoy the area.
As it happens the Lake district is the venue for 2 of my races this year.. both being held at Grizedale Forest, a NPS Marathon race and the North Face Wild Boar 24 race so sunday i decided to go riding and check the place out aswell as try out the new bike. Woke up sunday morning to a good covering of snow everywhere but the weather was surprisingly mild, got to Grizedale and arm warmers and Gilet were the order of the day instread of usual winter jacket ( a good sign that we are nearly into some good weather).
The North Face trail is 10 miles long and an unequal balanace mostly singletrack over the fire road climbs, there is also a healthy selection of wooden board walks.. typicallly lake district under tyre of rock strewn dirt with a selection of roots.
The trail starts with a nice fire road climb before the climbing takes a more singletrack affair and traverses up the slope, the bike climbs so well, technical climbs are a breeze with the larger tyres rolling over everything.
Wooden Board Walks + Snow = some cautious riding, i managed to stay on board for most sections of wood and only superman'd off the bike on one off camber section when the front wheel washed out and i launched bike off to side of another off camber section to avoid a similar off.

The downhilll sections felt super smooth on the new bike, i am not a good downhill rider but the 29er is like viagra for riders that can't perform on the down's:) The big wheels just allow you to roll through so much more than you would get away with on a 26 inch wheel.

Am i looking forward to racing this year??? I'm climbing the walls wanting to get out and race this bike:)