Ben's First DH Ride!

Let's get it on! We took Ben out for his first ever downhill ride today, it was awesome! A nice rock smashing ride down Ned's to tell the story of downhilling, and to break in Dave's new V10 frame and RC4 shock.



With borrowed fullface, and goggles. Jeans and a hoody. Oh, and he had to buy some gloves before we left the shop... Ben was ready to smash and grab some DH trail.



We assembled a good crew. Adriano, up early with the Canadian coloured DH kit, Dave on his new black ano. V10 frame, Mike "gotta get as many rides in before I become a father", Ben "the new guy", and myself.



It was wet, so what better trail to ride than Ned's. Ben borrowed a Giant Glory 01 demo bike to experience the gnar. Down The Incline I heard Ben say, "you can just point and the bike does all the work!"

Here's Mikey shreddin' the trail with style.



We've created another downhiller! Over the front wheel, pinning it, Ben was on it. We all had a good time, soaked with dirt, water, endorphins, and smiles. Another great morning of riding before work!

-Scott

Shimano MW-80 a Winter Rider's Best Friend

I've been riding these Shimano MW80 dream boots for 2 years now, and I'm not going to change a thing! I will recommend these shoes to anyone looking to continue their riding through the winter time. Whether its colder weather and you're powering through the snow, basting winds, or axle deep swampthing puddles do not affect the comfort of your toes.
The Shimano MW80 are a GORE-TEX insulated SPD shoe with a neoprene ankle cuff,to keep the water at bay. Most people have heard of GORE-TEX by now, its a waterproof, windproof, and breathable fabric. GORE-TEX is the real deal, so your feet stay dry when taking on our famous Vancouver rain season(s), and when it gets a little warmer your feet still breathe.
There are alternatives. You could wear booties, but water can still get in the bottom, and they just don't last. They get torn, tattered, and worn out. The GORE-TEX liner in the MW80's is protected by the leather outer, so the liner won't get torn. 2 years strong on the MW80's and they still have plenty of life in them! When this pair wears out I'll be investing in another because they have never let me down!

-Scott

Race the Ranch DH course "Pale Rider"

I've been building a new downhill course for the Bike Ranch in Kamloops for the first stop of the BC Cup on May 2nd, 2010. This entire area is built upon thousands of years of glacial silt, which means that the dirt turns to dust in the summer, and that there aren't any rocks......... anywhere! All rocks and man-made features have to be trucked in, which makes it kinda challenging when you want to build a technical DH race trail.

Pale Rider is getting closer to being complete, so I figure I better post a few pictures.

Just after the start of the trail. Every rock and log was brought
in with my little truck or by Bobcat.

This was just a section of single track for the past 2 years.
Now, it has some technicality to slow people down.

It doesn't look like much, but the logs are two feet apart,
with two large boulders right after.

Surprisingly, the fastest and smoothest line is to the far right
(if you time it right).

Trail closed. This is where Pale Rider breaks from the old DH course.
This section is essentially complete, but there are a few things left to build.

Bench cutting in Kamloops, where a large pick is your friend.
This short section leads into the only steep section of the course.

The steep section. The camera does not give it justice. It is hard to walk down,
but surprisingly there is a beginner line to the right.

Looking up the steep section. The "pro" line is the portion with the
wood cribbing and rocks. It's shorter, faster, and scarier!

The "stairs" and the easy, slow line on the left side looking up.

The stairs and the mandatory ride-around. Those stairs consist of bald, off camber pine logs.
Any moisture and ...........................good luck!

This section leads into a road gap (with ride-around) that will be completed soon. Next post will be the completion of the road gap and the section after it.

Wayne Parsons

OFF THE TRAIL, ONTO THE ROAD

Well the coach says: its time to build some miles, keep the heart rate low and go long. But the only long, slow distance I know on the North Shore is watching those sorry souls walk their big bikes up Fromme.

It seems the only way to get the time in the saddle and the aerobic base necessary for endurance/stage racing is to move over to the road. So although I have resisted it for years, I bought a road bike. At 48cm, all Carbon, and Dura-Ace, when you pick it up it feels like a toy, even compared to my Blur XC!

Having never been on anything narrower than 1.9's, those skinny tires and narrow bars looked very intimidating. New gear shifting, new clip system-it was not pretty for the first while. Instinctively I started racing down from the top of the British properties with my butt hanging over the back wheel and my arms out wide! Luckily, Mary told me not to wear a camelback.

Now that I have completed a few rides, I am getting more comfortable. And as much as I miss the tranquility of the trails, and the "WooHoo's!" of doing a new section, on the road I am actually able to get into a rhythm and keep a high cadence for more than a few moments at a time. Instead of rocks and trees there is only the odd truck to bang into and my body is just not as beat up as after mountain biking. One other bonus-cleaning the bike is way less effort. And yes, I can keep my heart rate down in those lower target zones. My new toy is here to stay.

Colleen Little for the Steedettes

The Issue of How to Train For Downhill Racing

I started racing downhill in 1998 as a Junior and spent about 4 years racing Elite. During that time I made up a few regimes on my own and worked with a couple of coaches, but all of those plans seemed to be half-baked adaptations of programs that were designed for road cycling. Nine years later, the bikes have come a long way and yet the training programs have lacked progression. Most athletes are still using roughly adapted versions of what road cyclists use, with some shuttles and moto thrown in for good measure.

Maybe the reason we all gravitate to training like roadies is because those programs are readily available. You can easily pick up a copy of Joel Friel's Cyclist's Training Bible and design your own periodization program (that's what I did). But road biking is hugely different from downhill. DH events are 2-4 minutes as opposed to several hours or even days in stage racing. The most important muscle groups in downhill are, in my opinion, not your legs but your upper body, and bike skills are a footnote in road riding but are paramount in downhill. So you've got two sports, one that emphasizes long steady periods of exercise focused on the legs, and another with short, fast and variable workloads focused on the upper body. The only thing similar between downhill racing and road cycling is that they take place on a bicycle (but even the bikes don't have much in common).

Clearly, it's time to develop a new standard for downhill training. I've tried this year to sub road rides for rowing, and to put a little more time in at the gym. But I'm not a fitness guru. Fortunately, there are a few people out there who are. Todd Schumlick has had huge success training moto-x athletes and has been applying his knowledge to help Steve Smith get in shape. James Wilson is working with Aaron Gwinn and writing a column for Decline on his mostly weight room workouts. Both coaches seem to acknowledge that downhill racers need to change the way they've been training, and are putting forward some rational alternatives. But those approaches have yet to fully trickle down to the masses, or at least not in a way that would allow you to design a full program.

After having spent the fall on base training I've decided to give Crossfit a go. They focus on a more rounded version of athleticism (balance, power, speed... upper and lower body) as opposed to the endurance focus that you'll find in road programs. I'm starting up this Friday...and I'll throw in some shuttles for good measure.

The Buddy System (or Care and Feeding of Training Partners)

In the world of sport enthusiasts, there is a wide range of participants from weekend warriors to Olympic athletes. But no matter what level you play at, if you compete in an individual sport (and are not the Lone Wolf type), having a compatible training partner (or group) goes a long way toward getting you to the finish line. I have discovered over the years that finding and retaining a good training partner can be a hit and miss process, but that once you find a good one, the relationship needs to be cultivated and nurtured to ensure longevity.

top of Oilcan, February 9, 2010...where's Waldo?

My BC Bike Race partner, Colleen, and I have known each other for about 10 years…we started out trail running together with a group of women, and have grown into being each others' most consistent and compatible partner. We don’t trail run so much anymore, having replaced the running shoes with wheels, but our fitness and technical prowess on the trails has developed in tandem, and we continue to be well-matched in our enthusiasm and level of commitment. We are also close friends, which is good, because we’re going to be seeing a lot of each other over the next 5 months while we train for our seven-day adventure! If your training partner is not a close friend, that’s ok too (as long as they’re friendly!). Below is my personal list of what to look for in a potential training partner, and how to be a good one yourself -- guidelines to follow to ensure a robust and productive relationship.

Colleen on Ned's

The IDEAL training partner is all (or most) of the following :

• is like-minded in terms of goals/aspirations, attitude toward training and competition, and level of commitment/discipline;
• has a compatible fitness level;
• is willing to prioritize training among competing commitments;
• is mildly competitive with you (this helps to keep you both honest and working hard!);
• is supportive through injuries and other setbacks;
• has a sense of adventure ("hey, wanna do a seven day stage race??");
• has a sense of humour (knows that hiding your gummy bears on Day 5 of the race may give you a nervous breakdown!);
• is cool in a crisis, and takes mishaps/mechanicals in stride;
• has a good sense of direction (especially if you don't!);
  
• is flexible, when necessary;
• is smart about their eating/training/recovery so they are ready to go at the prescribed time/day;
• does not bail on a planned training session (or at least has a very compelling reason)!
• is punctual!!!

Lynn on Upper Oilcan, December 7, 2009 -- river of ice!

It is hard to find someone who embodies all of these characteristics, AND is willing to interrupt the ride to take pictures of you at play in the woods (see top image, an attempt at a self-timed photo intended to include both of us in the frame...notice the wheel coming in from the left?!)! Maybe you have a stable of partners to choose from -- a different one for each sport or type of riding, or for training days when your main partner is not available -- or maybe you end up riding solo sometimes. But if you put in the effort to develop a solid training partner relationship, the resulting camaraderie will be the least of the benefits...the greatest benefit is that you will push each other to higher performance, both in training and on the big day, and have fun doing it!

Julian on Bridle Path, December 9, 2009.

2010 Troy Lee Designs D3 Carbon

Steed Cycles have just received the highly anticipated all new 2010 D3's. These feature the latest helmet technology incorporating the protection from their moto lids in smaller overall size.

Come check out the Sam Hill and Steve Peat's signature model and the Blue Flame graphic.





SAM HILL CARBON SIGNATURE




STEVE PEAT CARBON SIGNATURE







BLUE FLAME CARBON D3

New to "Club Nomad"...

What could top a February ride in the sun with 10 degree weather? How about if the ride is at The Woodlot in Maple Ridge? And what if your riding partner was enjoying day-two of Nomad ownership?

Since picking up my Nomad in Novermber (this one), my riding partner and co-worker Mike has been pining for one. He rode Kimbo’s briefly in September when I had it for a week, but with brakes the opposite to Mike’s favoured setup, the test was brief and conservative. Three months of envious rides on the ‘Shore, Burke and at the Woodlot followed, and last week Mike finally ordered his Nomad.

Mike’s bike is spec’d similarly to mine, with a durable anodized finish and RockShox Totem fork, save for a few changes. A moto background meant (besides running his brakes backwards) Mike was more comfortable with the linear and plush travel of a Totem Coil and a Fox DHX RC4 Coil shock. He’d even considered a couple of other bike options, but how can you argue with this kind of endorsement: Kim- Nomad, me- Nomad, Steve- Nomad, Scott- Nomad, Dave N.- Nomad, Branden- Nomad. ‘Nuff said.

For the maiden voyage we hit Fromme (about 10 minutes after picking up the bike) and although he was still playing with the bike’s set up, Mike proceeded to destroy Upper Oil Can like it was Roadside Attraction. We finished up with Lower Oil Can and Skull and Mike was beaming with the kind of elation only a fellow Nomad owner can truly understand.

We were both pretty pumped for today: we’ve been riding the Woodlot almost weekly and can’t get enough of its fast flowing trails and well-groomed but sizable gaps and drops. The anticipation was tangible as we unloaded the bikes and began the hour ride to the top of Cabin Trail (aka Goldminer). Even on the ascent, which is rugged but all rideable, Mike was ecstatic about how well the Nomad climbed. On any bike, today’s ride would have been amazing: sunny, warm and great trails. For one person just starting a long season on a brand new bike and another who everyday gets faster and goes higher on his, the ride was beyond words. We floated effortlessly down chutes and drops stopping only occasionally to session a few of the bigger gaps and jumps.

I think the only thing that could top someone’s second day on a Nomad are the next few hundred rides on it!

Jonathan

Pushing the Gears

I've been trying to get out on my bike more and more lately. As a result, Friday morning rides have become a tradition. My friend Mike and I got out last Friday morning for a shred on our Nomad's. A climb up the Old Buck always looks to me like a wall with a rope you have to climb to the top like in army training or something like that. I never find it easy, but always look forward to getting to the top.
I haven't been able to make it all the way up in my middle ring on my Nomad, always bailing out to the granny on the last stretch or so. But, today was the day I made it!

Mike, feelin' good at the top of the BP.

Severed was the special on the menu that morning. We hammered down, with time to grab a coffee, and shoot the breeze with some friends before heading to work, pimped on life!

-Scott