Life In The Saddle

My Kona Private Jake is a seriously versatile bike, and probably the most used of ' My Rides '. From commuting to racing; from weekend-blasts to two week tours; the Private is a do-it-all rig. I haven't changed a huge amount in terms of the specification of the bike, but there have been some subtle tweaks and alterations. Here's how it is currently set up... Bike Specifications: Frame: Kona Race Light 7005 Aluminium Butted - Medium/Large Fork: Kona Carbon Headset:  Full Speed Ahead Stem: Kona Road Deluxe Handlebar: Kona Road Front brake:  TRP Sypre disc brakes 160mm rotor Rear brake:  TRP Sypre disc brakes 140mm rotor Rear derailleur: SRAM Rival Clutch Mech 11spd Shift levers: SRAM Rival 1X Cassette:  SRAM Rival 11-32 11spd Chain: KMC 11spd Crankset:  SRAM Rival  Bottom bracket: SRAM Rival Pedals: Shimano M520 pedals Wheelset:  Novatec 30 Disc Wheelset  Front tyre: WTB Cross Boss Tubeless Rear tyre:  WTB Cr...

The sound. The sound of flints and gravel; pinging and crunching beneath wheels. The sound, of tubeless tyres hitting tarmac, momentarily; buzzing like an angry bee. The sound of friends, wincing and shouting; as they fly down chalk downland and rutted single-track, slightly out of control. The sound, of cyclocross. Today, I rode a CX Century. 100 miles of chalk, gravel and mud; intermingled with very occasional tarmac respite. I rode 100km of it with great friends; old friends and new. It was a superb day to be in the saddle of the Kona Private Jake - a bike which has affirmed itself as my new favourite. Here's a photo essay, to sum up the day's events... I've reached 1000km on the Kona Private Jake to date. She is quite frankly, superb. Ben unfortunately punctured early on, and the huge sidewall gash put end to his ride. My Kona Private Jake, and Chris's Kona Rove. Sitting pretty. Worth the climb. Green and Blue. Café stop - #...

It might sound obvious, but in order to be a great mountain bike rider, or racer, you need to ride a mountain bike; a lot! It is something that I realised in earnest at the Island Games mountain bike events last year. Mountain biking is about a lot more than just your engine, which you can train effectively on a road bike. It is about handling; it is about confidence; it is about core strength and upper body strength. It is a whole different world, for both mind and body, than the world of skinny tyres and tarmac. 2016 is all about change for me. It is a year of trying something fresh and new. One of the proposed changes, was that I pledged to myself I would ride more off-road. The objective was to more often take to the trails; to stir up some dust (or mud!), and find spice in the variety and challenge that off-road riding has to offer. The problem for me, in the past, has been that I enjoy riding on the road too much... Road riding is simple, fast, hassle-free and time effi...