It all starts with a Road trip – well for me it does. Arriving the day before events, settling in and getting ready by pre-riding the course. Nothing changed with this event, a sifty ride in Vegas in the morning, followed by a gentle spin of the legs on the SS around the Taupo circuit before lunch. I planned on just cruising around testing the brakes I had just shortened the hoses on, but the course was fast, and the single track was fun. By the end of the first uphill I had a grin on my face, by the time I hit the final downhill I was actually laughing. This course was fun, it was dry, it was grippy, it was wide enough for overtaking almost everywhere – it was perfect for this style of event. Things were looking good.
The rest of the team arrived the next morning – and a right bunch of misfits we were. A spanner monkey and recent fixie convert from Palmy, a half broken but enthusiastic fixie devotee’ from Welly, a Nui grom hucker with ghetto from hell SS, and a truck dwelling SS deviant from Whanga’s. Winning was never on the cards, in fact we weren’t even playing that game. We were here, and on fixies for one reason only, because someone suggested it. At the time it sounded rather good (I may have been under the influence at that time), in another 11 hours it wouldn’t sound quite so good.
Rider one out of the gate had problems – dropped chain (how do you drop a chain on a fixie you ask – you need to see this fixie. . . . ). Never mind. Next I had a spin around the track. Traffic was the biggest problem, we cant slow down like a normal bike, and we cant speed up like a normal bike. Momentum is king on the fixie, and traffic not travelling at your place sucks your energy like a Dyson on steroids. Still, the track was wide and overtaking came easily. First two laps down in under an hour, and no problems with the bike. The track was already beginning to cut up, and tree root that were previously hidden beneath dirt were now showing through – things could only get worse from here.
I had a couple of hours to kill, so wandered the sites. The Pink Ladies were wearing altogether too much Pink. And not a subtle pastel pink either – but PINK! With the cutest little bikes
they were not to be underestimated – these ladies can ride. With grins on their faces they were already telling tales of being beaten on the downhills (just) only to rip the legs off the opposition on the next uphill. And sometimes ripping legs off on the downs AND the up, having fun and riding was what they were about, they just also happened to be fast.
Time for another sifty – and to chaperone a rider on a lap. Getting out and doing it is what these events are about, whether doing 15 min laps or hour laps. If your doing it, its better than not. So just for a change and for this lap – I borrowed a Coiler and put on knee/shins and FF helmet (with pink balloon on top). Cruising around on the Coiler was, um, different. The bike was HEAVY (compared to any of the bikes I own), but would smash the trail to smooth with sheer weight and suspension travel. I found myself looking for tree roots to run over just so I wouldn’t feel myself run over them
(thanks for loan Duey)
Time for another double lap and I was off again. Track was cutting up and the jarring from running 700C wheels and ridged forks was beginning to effect the handling abilities. The traffic had thinned out a bit more, and people who were overtaking me were polite and friendly. Generally a nice atmosphere prevailed on the track, where whippits and mongs shared the trail without resorting to abuse. The single track remained fairly stable, with a race line beginning to appear, and if I manage to hold it, I could get through fairly painlessly. Though as soon as I hit the grassed areas, the bike grew wings. Those poor sods on MTB tyres, I almost felt sorry for them.
[caution – product review ahead]
This sifty involved another ‘test ride’ – of a beast of another nature. I borrowed Lisa’s Blur (thanks Lisa), and went out to see what all this VPP talk was about. After raising the seat height (I managed about 500 meters before having to ask the Jamis guys to borrow 5mm – cheers for pit stop service) I resumed my lap. Overtaking 4 riders on the run in to the start/finish ramp I found out how well this bike could sprint. Clearing the flat section and landing half way down the lander, just before the transition to flat ground I found out how well this bike takes landings. It sprints almost like a HT, and takes hits like a free ride – so far I was impressed. Halmost at the top of the first climb I sent myself a mental note “sit down and change gears you mong – you have 27 of them to play with so why are you grinding the hills?â€
:blush: You are too kind! 
over 500 reads already.
