LONG TERM RIDES
The Vitus and I are (almost) best friends again after a rethink
The latest on our team bikes – where we’ve ridden, what we’ve changed and how we’ve found our inspiration this month!
Nothing gets me stoked to ride like watching pro racers do their thing. Case in point – standing by the Visit Scotland arch at the Fort William World Cup just as Amaury Pierron finished his winning run, which climaxed in a heart-stopping moment as he landed on his front wheel. Seconds later he’d cruised coolly into first place, whereas in a similar situation I’d probably be scraping myself off the floor. Despite seeing some wince-worthy crashes up there, I decided to stop procrastinating (my speciality) and get out on the Vitus.
First off, I was careful to ensure the bike was better set up this time. I reduced the sag by putting some more air in the fork and pumped up the front tyre, which got things feeling firmer and steadier than before. Having decided that my nasty crash at the Forest of Dean could be partially blamed on what Rob described as “death pedals”, I upped general grip and control with some Burgtec MK4 Composite pedals, and the difference they’ve made is extraordinary. I like to feel like my body is fused to the bike, so the combination of large-pinned pedals and flat shoes has improved my control and confidence no end. I also fitted some matching Burgtec Bartender Pro grips, but after a few
hours’ riding, the inside edges of my thumbs were rubbed raw and really painful. I ran this problem past the others, and don’t think it’s down to the position of my hands. It wasn’t a problem with my old grips either, so I’ll try changing them again.
I tagged along with Rob and Tom to a shoot in Gloucestershire. The trails there have plenty of flowy rollers, which I love, but – just my luck – the weather was once again absolutely hideous. So hideous, in fact, that just as we arrived we got the news that the nearby Malverns Classic festival, which I was due to attend, had been cancelled. So much for summer.
Fortunately, I quickly pushed through the post-crash fear by starting slowly, maintaining focus and not biting off more than I could chew. By the end of the day I’d found a good flow state and was able to start challenging myself again, after eight weeks of dragging my feet. I’ve managed to get back into a good training groove since then by setting myself small, realistic goals, going on simple yet regular rides and – most importantly – not procrastinating! www.vitusbikes.com