Category: Riding

Hit the Downs MTB

Another of the events I’m strongly considering this year (in addition to the SDW in a Day) – the ‘Hit the Downs MTB’ event, which is happening on the 7th May this year, and is organised by the Chestnut Tree House, a great cause to support. There is a choice of 20 and 40 mile routes (making it a great warm up for the SDW in a Day), although I haven’t been able to find the route map. Check it out: http://www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/events/hit-downs-mtb/

Shoreham to Amberley and back

Went out on the Kitsune on Saturday, originally planning to do a 40 miler. Ended up leaving later than planned, so went slightly shorter. Headed up the Downs Link Trail from Shoreham, turning left at the South Downs Way. Up past the pig farm to Chanctonbury Ring, and down to the A24. Back up the other side, and along to just before Amberley. Very slick conditions, quite sketchy in parts – the Rock Shox Reverb a godsend as always for getting the centre of gravity down on the hairy sections.

Total Distance: 31.9

Elevation Gain: 1,943ft

Time: 3:18:51

Average: 9.6

Max: 28.6

Strava Trophies: 20 (2 PBs)

MTB Blog Resurrection

This is the resurrection of my mountain biking blog, which was originally live between 2006 and 2009. I started riding again in June 2016 after a five year hiatus, and ride all over the South Downs. I am currently considering entering the ‘South Downs in a Day’ event (previously the SDW Randonnee) in July this year.

Kona is my favourite bike brand; I’ve had four of them in total. My first was a 2003 Fire Mountain in bare Aluminium with a Rockshox Judy TT.

Second was a 2004 Kona Dawg, followed by a 2007 Dawg Primo.

The latter was not ridden for five of the years I owned it, and was stored inside the various flats I rented during that time. I absolutely loved that bike.. I nicknamed it ‘Betsy’, and even created a Facebook page for it. That got closed down by Facebook some time in the five non-riding years 😂

I had it serviced in June 2016 and went on a few rides to see if riding was definitely something I wanted to start again.

Once I’d confirmed this (I’ve had a blast), I purchased a 2013 Kona Kitsune in September 2016 as ‘new, old’ stock from an online retailer. I’ve recently sold the Primo on Ebay.

Since then I have got quite into the mechanics side of bikes, and spend hours watching YouTube videos (RJ the Bike Guy, Bikemanforu and Shaibike are my faves) of how to swap out parts etc.

I rescued the Fire Mountain from my parents shed in January 2017, with a view to restoring it back to a rideable condition for commuting to work.. there’ll be a post or two about that soon.

Cheers!