Congratulations to the Saddle Skedaddle riders Anne Woods, Matt and Greg Barton who completed the Kielder 100 this weekend in what can only be described as awful conditions and Gordon who made it to the 50 mile mark, which under the condtions was a no mean feat!!

Anne came in second in the female vets category…missing out on the top spot by just a few minutes and Matt was 45 overall and just outside the top ten in the male vets category.

Click here for the photos:

Here’s Matt’s thoughts on the event:

“Here I am, sat on a train heading south feeling exfoliated all over. BIG day out yesterday, rained the whole way round which accounted for there being 180 finishers from 604 entries. I managed to get round in 11:02 for 45th and close to top 10th in the vets, I got off lightly on the mechanicals front with only a snapped chain, various stories of people consuming several sets of pads.

My brother Greg who finished 122nd, snapped his chain twice and finished in 12:45 with just a front brake and borderline hypothermia.

Thanks again for the entry, hope all is well and here’s to a sunny Skedadle holiday very soon - i think I deserve it!!”

Anne’s Thoughts:

Survived and finished!!!! It was rather wet and muddy only 180 people finished  came in 173.

Dare I say I even enjoyed it and am even considering entering next year mind you I wasn’t saying that Sat eve - can’t possibly be as bad again weather wise Ooooops!

Catch ya soon - One happy Kielder 100 finisher

Cheers
Ax

Thoughts of Gordon Hull who won a free place in the event in one of our competitions:

It was completely minging. I got to the 51 mile check. The other two finished though, good for them!  

Cheers to Steve for giving me a lift half way back along the road, and for all the help from everyone to make it all work.  I feel I can do this one, but I’ll need to do a bit more bike prep and Gord prep for that matter.  I trained pretty well but there were other issues out in the trail which make it tough.It was completely minging. I got to the 51 mile check. The other three finished though, good for them!  

Here’s the thoughts of Sara from SIPS who arranged the event:

Congratulations to all 180 riders that completed the gruelling 100 mile course in the worst conditions we’ve had so far in the short history of the event. There’s a huge amount of respect for each of you from the hundreds that didn’t make it and everyone involved in the event. That was one tough day!

A huge thank you to everybody involved, to all the volunteers and helpers who did a fantastic job throughout the weekened, everybody at Forestry Commission England again for the help they gave us before the event finishing trails and to Stevie for the amazing finish structure, and for the FC support during the event; to the Kielder Community camp site and the communities and businesses of Kielder, Newcastleton and surrounding area, to Rescue Medics, all the caterers - The Duke’s Pantry, Alfresco Event Catering and The Olive Tree cafe in Newcastleton.

Thanks to our sponsors for their continuing support and generosity: Montane, Saddle Skedaddle, Rock UK, Accelerade, Juice Lubes, Joolze Dymond, Exposure Lights, USE, XCRacer.com, 7Stanes, Allendale Brewery and not forgetting the incredible guys at the Tech Support stations - Cycle Shack and Bike Seven - who tried their hardest to keep many of you in the event with their technical wizardry when so many bikes were giving in to the harsh conditions.

As you can see there are a lot of people involved in this event and they all help to make it what it is. Race photos are now available from our official photographer Joolze Dymond photography. Full results are on the Sportident website.

We hope you all had a great time. Keep an eye on the website to see when entries for the 2012 event will be opening. Have a great winter of riding. See you next year!

ps Skedaddle have organised a bucket load of Andalucian sunshine for the the 2012 event all to be delivered from their base in Spain in time for the start!!

Join this exclusive event and be part of the first ever fundraising bike ride on the new Way of the Roses coast to coast route from 20 - 23 May, raising money for Sustrans. Organised by Saddle Skedaddle this exciting three day adventure is a trip not to miss!

The 170 mile route takes you from Morecambe in Lancashire to Bridlington in Yorkshire and is made up of traffic free paths, cycle lanes and quiet country lanes.

The scenery is stunning and varied as you make your way from the Irish Sea to the North Sea across this fascinating part of Northern England passing through the Lune Valley, the Forest of Bowland, the Yorkshire Dales, Nidderdale AONB, the attractive small towns of Settle and Grassington and the historic city of York.

Itinerary

• Day 1, Friday 20 May - Arrival in Morecambe with overnight stay and a chance to get to know the other riders and guides.
• Day 2, Saturday 21 May - Morecambe to Grassington, 50 miles. 
• Day 3, Sunday 22 May - Grassington to Dunnington, 68 miles.
• Day 4, Monday 23 May - Dunnington to Bridlington, 50 miles. 

What’s included

• Three nights Bed and Breakfast accommodation
• Breakfast, lunch and dinners plus en-route refreshments
• Luggage transfers between accommodation
• Full support including guides, qualified first aid and bike maintenance with support vehicle
• Exclusive Sustrans Way of the Roses T-shirt
• People and bike transfers from the finish point to Bridlington or York stations and the start of the ride from Morecambe

Costs and fundraising

The cost of this trip is £345. As it is a fundraising ride for Sustrans you are asked to make a minimum donation of £150 when booking. The Sustrans supporters team will then send you a fundraising pack with a sponsorship form and hints and tips for those that want to raise even more money for the charity. There will be some exciting prizes for our top fundraisers too.

This will be a challenging and rewarding trip and one which you will not want to miss out on. There are limited places on this exclusive event so book now to secure your place and be part of the memorable and first ever fundraising ride on the new Sustrans Way of the Roses route. 

Last month we organised a photo shoot for Evans Cycles in the South of Spain where we run our Southern Spain trips. Here’s the write up from Gareth at Evans.

A few of us went out to Tarifa, Spain for a flat out four day photo shoot. Organised through Saddle Skedaddle, we were met by our guide Dan at the airport and taken back to our accommodation where we got straight on to building up the bikes. Once all set-up we took a few mountain bikes out hoping to catch the last light of the afternoon and captured some great dusk shots.

On the second day we loaded up the van and hit the road early, finding a nice quiet road which stretched up a hillside leading to various rural villas off the beaten track. With the sun rising this was looking like the perfect spot for some road shots so we kitted up and pulled the Fuji Team 1.0 and Finest 2.0, BMC Racemachine RM01, and two Jamis’s (Xenith Comp and Ventura Sport) off of the trailer.    

    

Keith & Mark enjoying the rocky hillside

    

Keith on the edge

After a productive morning we grabbed some lunch and then decided to crack on with the mtb shots, shooting in the forest at the back of our hotel which sprawled along the coastline. However, it was day three that had us buzzing as our guide took us up to a huge limestone rock face. Sceptical at first, once we had climbed up we could see the potential, (not to mention the amazing views!) so it was out with the 2 full-suspension bikes (BMC Trailfox and Lapierre Zesty 514) for some breath-taking shots. Check out the behind the scenes sneak-peeks of Mark and Keith riding the ridge.

    

Mark & Keith admire the vista with our guide Dan

The focus for Thursday afternoon was the mountain bike images, and with the Vulture’s soaring high above the cliffs we discovered some great tracks weaving through the trees in the National Park region. The Trek Paragon’s large 29” wheels soaked up everything in its way, rolling down the rugged terrain with ease.

To close out the day we found a winding road that was perfect for a few last road shots and parked up at a small café which proved to be the ideal location for some stylish lifestyle shots, showing off brands such as Castelli, Gore, and Maloja. After his caffeine fix our photographer Geoff was back on it, snapping the guys (and Debs) riding up and down the scenic road, and myself winding down the twisty descents on the precise BMC.

    

Afternoon Siesta

After a long day we decided to ride the few miles back to the hotel which gave us chance to put the bikes to the test, with the Jamis Xenith Comp certainly impressing! Back at the hotel Keith and Mark pulled on the Maloja casual wear that we took out, grabbed a bottle of Cruzcampo and chilled out on the terrace for the all important après ride sunset images.

I travelled home Friday morning leaving the guys to get the product images and pictures for the GPS feature which we are running in the spring catalogue. After this all of the bikes had to be packed back in the boxes which they came out in with as much kit as possible strategically stuffed in around them.

    

Geoff & Stu get gnarly

Grabbing a slight lie in on Saturday the team headed home and in little under three hours were back in the UK, reflecting on an enjoyable and productive trip, and eager to see the final pictures. You can see these and the product features in our spring catalogue which is out on March 30th, or pay a visit yourself and contact Saddle Skedaddle at www.skedaddle.co.uk for great cycling at one of their magnificent destinations.

If you would like to receive a copy of the Evans catalogue click here to sign up.

Read all about our Tea and Temples cycling holiday through Japan in this great travel diary.

 “I want this to be a holiday you’ll remember for the rest of your lives,” said our ex-mountain bike champion and tour leader Vince. He was handing around our little Japanese survival kits in brightly coloured drawstring bags to our group of seven cyclists who were comfortably finishing our breakfast in the delightful Three Sisters Inn Annexe in Kyoto.Tentatively we withdrew the contents and discovered an attractive pair of chopsticks in their own patterned box, a One World cycling water bottle and an ominously small and thin towel, the purpose of which became clear as our trip progressed. For the present though we packed our newly acquired chopsticks,water  bottle with our sunscreen and headed out to explore beautiful Kyoto for the next two days. As well as cultural sight seeing , this enabled us to test the comfort of our new steeds,Trek and Gary Fisher mountain bikes which Vince, originally a Goulburn lad, had efficiently adapted to suit each of us on our arrival the day before. Following our calm and competent leader who has spent almost twenty years cycling in Japan we cycled on a mixture of  footpaths,tracks and roads, taking advantage of traffic in Kyoto being limited to 30kmh. We cycled along Kyoto’s huge landmark river, through intricate streets with exquisite tiny shops to Vince’s favourite temples, including the Pure Water Temple where we strolled in awe, enjoying the magnificent structures and cool, picturesque gardens which utilise many of those intriguing Zen features of rocks, moss, water and lush plants such as azaleas and maples. We soon realised our new chopsticks were for the first of many sumptuous picnic lunches that Masa, our Japanese support driver extraordinaire, provided in marvelous locations, which only became more impressive as our trip progressed. Kyoto, a former capital of Japan for over 1000 years, has 1600 Buddhist temples, over 400 Shinto shrines and 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Venturing out at night through the colourful Gion area we enjoyed several of the many styles of Japanese cuisine, including the ‘do it yourself’ okonumiyaki, where the table is really just a big hot plate for cooking highy seasoned omelette concoctions. 

Farewelling the charming and traditional Three Sisters Inn on our third day we were soon following a winding river up and through the mountains  which surround Kyoto on paved quiet roads . Lush, green and shady the mountain forests of pine and cedar boast waterfalls and drifts of wild iris, wisteria and azaleas. Our group was already declaring Japan a cycling paradise, a feeling which only increased as we cycled through small rural villages and  mixed farms to a delightful thatched cottage in Miyama, which was our YHA home for the night. Before a calligraphy lesson and a traditional multi course dinner, Vince gently introduced us to the protocol of the Japanese bath, the onsen.  We listened intently, particularly to the use of those small thin towels. The YHA provided an easy introduction for us to learn polite bath practice in preparation for a larger and more public bath house with a glorious view across Wakata Bay when we reached the Sea of Japan at Obama  the following day. Here the traditional merged with the modern , when, after a traditional tea ceremony we meandered across to a rock concert on the beach, complete with hula girls which was launching a CD celebrating Obama for Obama.It was here that we discovered the joys of the yukata, the traditional cool, cotton kimono worn by both men and women alike to the bath house or just for a stroll along the beach. Views over Wakata from the beautiful mountain as we cycled up the next day were well worth the effort, with morning tea at the top. After a thrilling descent we enjoyed a Japanese curry al fresco at a woodcraft and gift shop. I do not know how we also managed a typical pub meal that night with a veritable feast of fried oysters, chicken, tofu and beef and an introduction to sake, which is definitely best when hot. Obviously in need of more sustenance we learnt how to make traditional dishes at a wonderful cooking school the next day, eating the products of our labour for lunch. Fortunately we rode all afternoon along the harbour’s edge and inland to the glorious Mikata Five lakes district where our bags were already waiting in the most beautiful accommodation I have ever seen, an up market yet traditional wooden ryokan. 

We relaxed luxuriously in our  segregated  hot soaking  indoors and outdoors bathing pools and discovered that here we were to wear our yukatas, always provided in our rooms, to dinner, alleviating the  need to fuss about what to wear. Yukatas come with an elegant little jacket for cooler weather or a more formal look. Dinner was a meal to remember and linger over, with the moon reflecting on the lake, individual burners to cook slices of tender beef on, sushimi, crisp tempura and numerous tiny intriguing dishes. Our group sparkled conversationally, resplendent in our yukatas and sipping sake. Mirroring the elegance and simplicity of design of traditional architecture, each bedroom with its water view, tatami mats and flower arrangement was a work of art. It was difficult to leave, but an off road experience with an extensive climb over the Mihama Mountains, rewarded by an exciting downhill, was on the agenda. This was the only day I used my camelback and I was proud of my new found mountain bike skills as I zigzagged very bumpily the 11 km down to our next beautiful picnic site.Our group was a little quieter than usual as we contemplated not only our recent hill challenges but our last day on Honshu. The next day we were to travel to Osaka by train and after several hours of sightseeing, catch the very comfortable overnight ferry to Kyushu, island of steam, mud baths and volcanoes. Beppu, in the early morning light, sprouted columns of steam all through the town, already setting the scene for a different experience in its volcanic topography. After a glorious bus ride past alpine health and recreation facilities built in the 20’s, into Aso- Kuju National Park, we began our ride from the top of My Kuju Pass, with a dramatic descent into valleys of farmland, through forest on an intricate network of paved farm roads to a charming inside/ outside onsen set beside a river.A lunch time bath seemed perfect as by now we were proficient at politely juggling those small towels for modesty, which are also used as washers while showering  before entering the soaking baths. Cycling clothes back on, we pedalled on and down into the world’s largest caldera to our destination, a small town at the foot of Mt Aso. We spent a welcome three days at Akamizu Lodge, cycling up mountains, through cedar forests, down mountain trails, picnicking beside river gorges including Kikuchi Gorge, with magnificent waterfalls and gasping at the stunning views. I believe that cycling up mountains beside an excellent raconteur renders any mountain insignificant. Our group had excellent opportunities to tell stories,discuss books,movies and our personal hopes and dreams while testing this theory. Climbing the popular Mt Aso was our hottest day (34) and also our only encounter with traffic. Fortunately the final section to the active volcano’s bubbling lake could be ridden in a gondola. Wild pink azaleas growing in the otherwise barren summit  were astonishing and a reminder of the success of plants in their natural habitat. After yet another stunning descent, naturally heated mud baths were a once in a lifetime experience. Once again we were reluctant to leave our charming and comfortable traditional hotel with its beautiful rock pool hot bath and delicious Japanese breakfasts that included croissants. We were also very attached to the Aso yukatas, definitely our most attractive, and companionably cleaning our teeth with a stunning view of mountains such as the Sleeping Buddha out the window. 

Rain greeted us for the first time as we prepared to make an energising descent from a volcano summit to an exquisite little town, Sensui, near the largest single span pedestrian bridge in Japan. After a rainy night and a twenty four course traditional dinner at our minshuku, we walked across the bridge which loomed impressively out of a dense mist much to Vince’s disappointment. The gorges, waterfalls and forests far below were just visible peeking through patches of swirling fog. We cycled on to our final destination, Yufuin, a charming little town surrounded by mountains and which offered shopping opportunities for us as well as for the many Japanese tourists who visit Kyushu to walk to a series of shrines as a pilgrimage, carrying decorative staffs. We shared a karaoke experience in a tiny bar and discovered that not everybody who cycles can sing. Our last cycling day was through a  myriad of tiny paved roads, through villages, farmland and forest with a glorious picnic spot beside a lake, a site for summer camping. We arrived back at Beppu, tired but elated having completed for some of us, the most challenging but beautiful rides of our lives. Our group unanimously agreed that Vince and Masa deserve accolades for the extraordinary planning and research which underpin the success of their tour. Each day in this wonderfully exotic location provided variety and excitement and heaps of surprises and delights. As one of our group said, “Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better it does.” We were sad to farewell each other after dinner back in Kyoto and sad to leave those excellent bikes without which I, at least , would not have reached the summit of those mountains. We were also already missing lovely Masa who had become a dear friend. Our small thin towels now serve as guest hand towels but evoke memories of a camaraderie in the bath house sadly not known in Western culture while our chopsticks have pride of place in the kitchen. Yes Vince, you certainly gave us all a holiday to remember for the rest of our lives. 

Carol Kelly   

If you are one of those people who last climbed on a bike when you were 10, you do not know what you’ve been missing. No, seriously. Even the most hardened getting-drunk-in-the-sun package holidaymaker (er, us) cannot fail to be won over by the freedom of pedalling along quiet country lanes.Especially on a more grown-up level if you’ve got post-festive flab to shift and the thought of the gym fills you with horror. And cycling is now seriously cool with celebrities like Kelly Brook, Elle Macpherson and David Walliams hopping on their bikes. It’s also a beautifully cheap holiday that can be enjoyed at home or anywhere in the world. But it does help if the somewhere in the world is flat-ish.

If you’re one of those people who last climbed on a bike when you were 10, you don’t know what you’ve been missing. No, seriously. Even the most hardened getting-drunk-in-the-sun package holidaymaker (er, us) cannot fail to be won over by the freedom of pedalling along quiet country lanes.Especially on a more grown-up level if you’ve got post-festive flab to shift and the thought of the gym fills you with horror. And cycling is now seriously cool with celebrities like Kelly Brook, Elle Macpherson and David Walliams hopping on their bikes. It’s also a beautifully cheap holiday that can be enjoyed at home or anywhere in the world. But it does help if the somewhere in the world is flat-ish.While Lycra-clad nuts on pricey bikes go for the land speed record cycling up an Alp or two, for most of us a gentle pedal between pubs is more appealing – with the bonus that the booze doesn’t count when you’re in the saddle all day.So operating on the principles that we wanted flat ground, good food, good drinking and lovely scenery, we decided to take our first . And as we didn’t fancy lumping our bags around, we plumped for a company that offered to transfer your main luggage between hotels while you got on your bike every day with nothing weightier than a water bottle and a map.Saddle Skedaddle is a small firm based in Newcastle run by an ord­inary group of blokes who all love cycling. We figured they were a good bet for nervous novices like us. The company offers either self-guided or escorted tours in the UK, Europe and far-flung places like Cuba and Chile.We chose to go it alone on our week-long trip, although if you want to make lasting mates the group trips sound a very good bet. Skedaddle supply hire bikes, helmets and locks in your country of choice as well as detailed and easy-to-understand route maps. You can choose easy trips (fantastic if you’ve got kids) where you cycle between 15 and 25 miles a day on level ground, through gentle (up to 40 miles a day with a few cheeky hills) to masochist (70 miles and mountains).Naturally, we chose easy and set off on a high-speed catamaran Condor ferry from Poole in Dorset to the beautiful port of St Malo on the north coast of Brittany. The crossing takes around five hours and you can take your own bikes free. Skedaddle works closely with cycling tour specialists in your destination country and we were welcomed by the lovely Valerie when we arrived. All the maps, local information and 24-hour help numbers were waiting for us in our spotless hotel room.We were both a bit nervous on our first day of cycling - foreign country, unfamiliar terrain and wine hangovers - but once we were out of the busy suburbs of St. Malo we knew we were in for a treat.  We soon found ourselves on a blissfully empty country road near the banks of the Rance River. There were days when we cycled for five hours and saw only two or three cars. Skedaddle had picked the route with such expertise that every day was a peaceful pleasure with French cows and soaring eagles watching your progress.The French appreciate cycling and cyclists too, which means even wobbly beginners are treated with respect and a cheerful “bonjour” by the few drivers you do see. Before we knew it our first day was over and we were on the quaint cobbled streets of Dinan. We’d never heard of it either but the town is absolutely beautiful, all crooked half-timbered homes and fairytale French spires.Our bags were ready and waiting for us in that night’s hotel, set in the centre of the ancient town. And there is nothing more satisfying than sinking that first 1664 beer after a day in the fresh air on a bike. Sheer bliss.The days are organised so you’ve got lots of time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast and to go sightseeing en route to your next destination. We stopped so many times to photograph amazing French chat­eaux and huge skies over sweeping landscapes that we were out of the saddle more than in it. Our second stop was Combourg where our hotel was in the grounds of Cinderella’s castle. Well, that’s what it looked like. And the food in the Hotel du Lac was superb even by French standards. Once again our luggage arrived before us and the bikes were sec­urely looked after in the hotel’s garage. By day three we were so relaxed we were chatting about cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats when we got back home - cycling is incredibly addictive when it’s made this easy.The real highlight of our five days on bikes, though, was pedalling towards the magnificent Mont St Michel, a walled medieval town and abbey set on a rocky island off the coast. It’s one of Brittany’s most visited locations but few people have the pleasure, as we did, of pedalling along a deserted river path and watching one of the most spectacular sites in France emerge through the early morning mist. It was so incredibly beautiful. From there it was on to the pretty resort of Cancale (famous for its oysters) and back to St Malo for our last night of celebration.There aren’t many holidays where you feel so relaxed, satisfied and just plain happy at the end of it., here we come! runs from Saturday to Saturday from April through to October.It costs £615 per person including seven nights’ bed and breakfast in two and three-star hotels. Minimum of two people. Bike hire costs an additional £90 per person. The services of Skedaddle’s in country French cycling specialist are available 24/7 and if you get too tired they’ll even pick you up and transport you and your bike to the next stop. Main luggage is transferred by secure taxi service every day for you.For 2011 they also have a as well as lots of other and .The firm offers cycling holidays all year round from the iconic British cycle journeys to and in the British winter.See or call 0191 265 1110. Or if you’re in Newcastle pop in and have a cuppa with Paul and Andrew.Saddle Skedaddle can help to organise flights and ferry crossings but it’s easy to do it yourself. We travelled with Condor Ferries fast crossing from Poole to St Malo. The crossing takes about five hours and bikes are carried free. Our return trip cost us £100 each. See www.condorferries.co.uk or call 0120 220 7216.

We had such a great time with the folks from Evans Cycles during the photo shoot for their Spring Ride It! Magazine that we decide to offer one lucky person a £500 voucher to spend on one of our holidays. Click Here to enter the competition
 
To check out some behind the scenes on the photo shoot Click Here

To learn all about our guide Dan, who was involved in the photo shoot and organises and guides most of our Spanish Skedaddles - Click Here

For the Evans Spring Ride It! Magazine - Click Here

Here’s hoping you win and to seeing you soon!!

Terms and conditions:
Only one entry person
Prize has no cash alternative and cannot be traded/substituted
Prize has been provided by Saddle Skedaddle ltd and can only be used toward a Saddle Skedaddle cycling holiday
No entries will be accepted by Evans Cycles staff and its suppliers
Competition closes on 30/4/2011 and the winner will be notified soon after
By entering this competition you agree to be contacted by Evans Cycles

Once again Skedaddle mountain biking holidays are sponsoring the Gorrick Spring Series and giving away some fab prizes for the lucky category winners and random spot prizes too. The series kicked of on 14th February and here’s the news of all that occured…

“Well dear I thought for this Valentines Day we could pop over to the woods for a few hours and get a bit dirty….” and so the first Gorrick Skedaddle Spring Series finally got underway at last and now with Tunnel Hill temporarily renamed The Tunnel of Love, riders were again in for a singletrack love fest as a perfectly crafted 5 mile circuit complete with a romantic interlude, plus plenty of the famous ‘Gorrick’ swoops and descents, balanced with a couple of killer stings in the tail lay in wait. Another perfect day out for well over 550 riders was in store that not even a quick smattering of snow could deter!

On the dot of 9am it was soon time to get the XC racing under way and pride of place to cutting up the trails went to the Youth riders followed by the juveniles, while the uber keen under 12’s & under 10’s waited patiently to get stuck into a shortened version of the big course. Matthew Lewis made short work of his two laps in the snow taking the first win of the day in the Youth class, whilst Gretel Warner romped away with the win in the Juvenile girls race.

Then it was a steady conveyor belt of perfectly timed races, as one category after another were unleashed. As one batch finished another was already underway painting the trails with brightly coloured garb that fleetingly looked as if spring had arrived early and certainly cheered up the drab winter colours! Just in case proceedings weren’t colourful enough and the sprinkling of unforecast snow not delivering the right amount of romance, the thoughtful Gorrick crew had kindly set out a plethora of red balloons and heart festooned ribbons and a canoe…. All as a homage to Valentines Day, and so ‘Canoe – darling Corner’ was born!

As each race unfolded it was soon clear that along with plenty of old faces there was a considerable showing of new faces along with a new tempo. After a winter of enduro races these riders were keen to quicken the pace and shorten the distance ready for the new season of XC racing. Many of the categories were taken to the line with everything to play for as competitors dug deep looking for their racing legs that for some had been well buried over the winter!

It wasn’t just the winners of each category that went home delighted with a days work, plenty of riders were buzzing with enthusiasm over the fantastically fun course as they laid siege to the catering van drinking them out of hot beverages and eating them out of bacon butties. A few other riders had more reasons than most to be happy with their day in the woods, especially Sport rider Adam Westhead who took home the Saddle Skedaddle Mountain Biking Holiday break and Howard Dale in the Fun race who won a 1:1 Skills session courtesy of Gorrick, Purple Bike Shed and InsideOut Fitness.

Round three will be with us on 7th March at Crowthorne and with Mothers Day just round the corner will we find homage to daffodils and bunnies? I know for certain we’ll find some amazing trails and a whole lot of XC fun!

Chief Skedaddle mountain biking guide Steve Woods will be at this event, ready to have a chat and share his thoughts on the merits of brown sauce as opposed to red on his sausage butties, so look out for the Skedaddle landy and he’ll be knocking around.

For more details of the Saddle Skedaddle Spring Series please visit: www.gorrick.com

Full results can be found at: www.timelaps.co.uk while you can relive the whole race through pictures at www.joolzedymond.com

 Ethical online site Daisy Green chat to Skedaddle ‘big cheese’ Andrew about buying a bike

 Wondering what to do with the spare cash you’ve got stuffed into the mattress post Christmas?

Wanting to shift a few of those mince pie pounds? Then there is nothing better than doing a spot of cycling, and there are some great bike deals to be had out there.

There’s a massive amount of choice out there from web based companies to the trusty ol’ bike shop, but it really is best to try before you buy.  Make sure you do a test ride before buying. Every person is different, so the fact that you are 5ft 5 doesn’t necessarily mean you need a small bike and to confuse matters, bike manufacturers have their own sizing system.

The golden rule is to keep an inch clearance between the bike’s top tube and your nether regions! And do remember the saddle position can be adjusted both forwards and back as well as up and down, and the height of the handlebars have some small possible adjustments too.

Nothing much has really altered over the last few years, so last year’s colour will probably have the same components as this year’s. If you aren’t too fussed with a exact colour match with your eyes (red included) then prices do alter vastly …in your favour!

There’s a million and one books out there stating that men are different to women (or should that be women are different to men?) and in the bike sense, its true. Bikes now tend to be gender-specific.

Traditionally, women’s bikes possessed a slanted top tube for those times when they wore ‘mustn’t show the ankle’ skirts, but nowadays the main difference is that the top tube is shorter in length because women tend to have a shorter reach. Also, with more expensive bikes, the suspension may be specially adjusted too.

Ensure you choose a saddle that matches your shape too as men and women have different shaped pelvises, even if this means changing the one that came with the bike. Women’s saddles are slightly wider and shorter and whilst you may think the biggest, most comfy saddle is the best, this is not always the case!

Decide what you’ll be doing mostly on your bike and buy accordingly and let the bike shop know as its no good getting a flash road bike if you simply fancy a tootle along the canalside on a Sunday. Similarly, if you fancy doing some off road riding then don’t get duped by a heavy full suspension bike, which will be great downhill, but a bugger to get up the hill in the first place.

With many employers utilising the cycle to work scheme for their employees, you can also get a bike at a reduced costs and pay your employer in installments too. So check if you company runs the scheme and if not, get them on board!

Getting a bike from an auction website is rarely a smart move! They are unseen/untried/on the cheap (they are never bargains) and may well have been stolen.

But if you are determined to buy one second-hand, check the bike’s frame number first to ensure it’s not stolen, which can done via www.immobilise.com

One great place to look however are local community projects such as Recyke Y’Bike – www.recyke-y-bike.org who reclaim, reduce, refurbish, re-create, re-use and re-cycle local bikes as well as offering maintenance classes and training course too.

Finally, once you have your trusty steed, make sure you get a damn fine lock before your new pride and joy becomes someone else’s. Don’t forget lights and something bright to wear in these winter months…fluorescent is back from the 80s with a bang, so you’ll not be out of fashion either.

Helmet wise (always!) whilst not a fashion item, is better than a hole in your bonce, so buy and check out that is still in date. Like that tin of pineapple chunks in the cupboard there’ll be a date stand inside the helmet so take a peek.

Don’t forget that there’s a bargain to be had and as they say in Newcastle ‘Shy bairns get nowt’, so even if you can’t strike a deal on the bike itself, most bike shops will thrown in some spares if you ask – don’t be shy now.

Here’s to a fun-filled cycling 2010!!

When we got an email from Robert Ellis about a cycling luggage system for touring bikes, so you get the most from your holidays, we were happy to assist. Lot’s of sleepless nights and notepads of scribblings later (from Robert!!) the project was complete and it’s a cracker!! So, if anyone out there is looking for a budding designer, then he’s you man.

Contact him on : rob-ellis@hotmail.co.uk

Check out the pictures below and also a few words of wisdom as to how it all began.

In the true spirit of the ‘Skedaddler’ I love cycling and I love exploring, but sometimes this combination can be problematic to say the least. My past cycling holiday explorations have largely been limited to a thread of weekend camping trips in the Peak district with my trusty tent and panniers strapped to my MTB.  However I recently took the plunge and decided to stray away from home to that there France and Spain.  Herein the problems began. 

Have you ever tried dismantling a bike and cramming it into a tatty cardboard bike box, in the short stay car park outside terminal five, in the pouring rain, only to be rewarded with a £40 carriage fee and a snapped derailleur thanks to your trusty baggage handler?  This is all before you’ve laid down a single pedal stroke.  On the bike, things only seem to get worse.  The humble bicycle and 25 kg of luggage and tent are not a healthy mix, as I soon found out on the twisty mountain roads of the Pyrenees.  Carrying everything you need for independent touring, including the kitchen sink, makes for a top heavy and unpredictable bike at the best of times and leaves you tottering about like a chimp on a unicycle. 

My other big moan of the trip was detachable luggage, which usually I would view as a good thing.  However it seemed that, in an attempt to save money I had accidentally bought the spontaneously detachable variety, which is impossible to remove when its dark and raining and you need to set up camp, yet pops off no problem (without any assistance in fact) when you’re on a French dual carriageway doing 30mph.
I know, moan moan moan, but it’s not just me.  I’ve spoken to over a hundred touring cyclists over the past year, all of which had shared the same or similar issues.  

After my ordeal, sorry, ‘adventure’, I couldn’t help thinking that there must be an easier and more enjoyable way to tour and explore by bike, and this is where Saddle Skedaddle came in.  The problem conveniently (too conveniently…) provided an ideal design opportunity to work on for my final year Product Design degree project, and who better to associate with the ultimate touring and adventure cycle than Saddle Skedaddle!
I’ve spent the past year working on an improved bicycle luggage carrying solution for adventure touring and came up with the following solution. 

The characteristic wobble and unpredictable handling of a loaded touring bicycle is challenged through the use of an innovative hubless wheel luggage storage system.  The luggage and two man tent is held securely in the centre of the wheel (without rotating) and low down to lower the bikes centre of gravity and provide safer and more predictable riding.  I’ve used a simple quick release strap system to hold the luggage in place, making it really easy to fit and remove.

The bike provides 60 litres of luggage space divided between two main waterproof bags which double as a ruck sack and hold all for ease of carrying, and within compartments inside the frame area itself (holding tools, first aid and personal items).  The bike is designed for minimum maintenance with a sealed belt drive and hub gearing, leaving the rider to focus on the fun and adventure of touring cycling.   
 
The business model would be for Saddle Skedaddle to offer the bike (loaded with tent, equipment, maps and routes) as a rental system to be collected at the destination airport for group or solo touring. The best bit is that the bike luggage bags will be posted to the Skedaddler’s home address before departure to fill with their belongings and to act as both airport luggage and to be fitted straight onto the bike upon arrival.  No need for double handling!

Sadly the model is made out of foam, so it won’t be taking me on any Alpine expeditions just yet.  Maybe next year…….  For now I’ll be sticking to my trusty (but a little rusty) bike.

Road cycling legend and multi Olympic gold medal winner Bradley Wiggins took first place in the Northern Rock Cyclone Beaumont Trophy in Northumberland on June 14th. He was also the proud winner of the Saddle Skedaddle sponsored King of the Mountains contest and was noticeably overjoyed when Skedaddle’s own road legend / guru / charlatan, David “Little Dave” Hall presented him with his award.

Bradley commented ”I was honoured to receive the King of the Mountains from David. They say you should never meet your heroes, but David was everything I ever hoped for and more besides. Even after 5 Olympic medals this must surely be the highlight of my cycling life” 

David in return commented “My legs are much nicer than Bradley’s and i’ve recommended  to him a new razor. I hadn’t realised that he was so short. Do you know that one of his team mates carries a milk crate with him everywhere they go? They bring it out for every photo shoot - it’s a stroke of pure genius”

 (David’s the one on the left…. in case you wondered).

This superb desert biking adventure focuses on the deep south of Morocco, a land of big skies and stark mountain ranges where mud-brick kasbahs appear to rise up out of the desert, sitting in tranquil palm oases and framed by dramatic backdrops of snowcapped mountains. We ride along Morocco’s dirt roads, taking us from Marrakech to the Tichka Pass, the highest in the High Atlas, and then southward, descending along the Draa Valley to the fringes of the Sahara Desert.