Wednesday 9 May 2012

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

It has taken a while, it's been emotional but after three weeks of trying to buy another bottom bracket for my Race Face cranks (see previous blog), trying to find the correct disc brake adaptors, waiting for wheels to be built, the list goes on, I at last had a complete  On One Carbon Race 29er bike to use last weekend for the Gorrick 100 on the Sunday. Unfortunately what I can only put down to one squat too many at the gym last week had resulted in a very painful back, a trip to the osteopath to be told I had damaged the ligaments in my lower back and a ban from racing at the weekend. Now you can choose to ignore their advice but it just means you end up back there the following week with more pain being inflicted and a lighter wallet. On the plus side I was also told my planned decorating was not allowed either so sofa, ice pack and Giro D'Italia it was.


Bank holiday Monday came and by the end of the day my back felt sort of okay for a road ride on the 29er in the evening on what would be my 3rd time on a bike since Exposure, and one of those rides was down into Newcastleton the day after the champs.

First time proper on the wagon wheel bike as my son called it, the initial out the saddle getting going felt strange but I put that down to the narrow bars I run. Once I got going the increased rolling speed was very noticeable even with my chunky Kenda Nevegals on. I know it was only a road ride but I was already impressed. The dulcid tones of the Hope Evo freehub clicking away when freewheeling and the stiff, responsive feel to the On One Race 29er frame when I tried some out the saddle moments.



I will put the bike fully to the test on my next offroad ride. My component build up on the bike at the moment is Stans 355 on HOPE EVO hubs, HOPE Race Evo disc brakes, Race Face cranks, SRAM XO gripshifts (yes I said gripshifts), SRAM front and rear mechs, FRM post and headset, Race Face bar and stem, some stubby bar ends and Selle Italia Flite Flow. Likely changes will be a 2x10 chainset, 2x10 gripshift, USE bars and post.



As for my next races.....after some good results in the Asics Offroad duathlon series I am doing the Eastbourne Road Duathlon at the Eastbourne Cycling festival, Hellrider 8 hour mountain bike duathlon (run then bike and repeat for 8 hours) and hopefully the Erlestoke 12 hour endurance mtb race. The one sticking point with the Eastbourne Duathlon is lack of a road bike....minor detail I know. I will be doing my best to beg and borrow one for the 20km road section up and back over Beachy Head!

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