James' thoughts

Since Nik has kindly set this whole shebang up, I really should consider adding some comments.

As the least experienced rider among the pack, I head towards this adventure with a weird mixture of enthusiasm,apprehension & concern.
Reading about others' circuit training, club rides & the like, sort of pales my 4.5 mile each way flat road commute into some sort of insignificance. Whilst it might help with reducing my 'Christmas Tyre' (not that sort), it certainly doesn't improve my ability of being able to breath at the top of some unpleasant incline.

Hardware wise, I have taken steps to decrease the likelihood of wheels vanishing beneath me, the puncture fairy & the lack of braking in the wet. A pair of chunky tyres, tubes made from shoe leather, & a cheap set of disc brakes have come my way & are now installed.
A trial ride out yesterday presented me with road, deep sticky mud, puddles, and still some frozen snow. Bike seemed to behave well, although brakes needed adjusting as the travel at the brake lever increased over the ride. I put this down to a mixture of maybe not tightening the cable clamp sufficiently, new cable stretching and/or pads bedding in. Either way, its such a luxury of not having to worry about whether I will hit the tree trunk or not on my way down a track.

I have this feeling that Nik's training ride this weekend, is going to be more of a shock treatment, beneficial only to get us out there more frequently & to up the intensity of the terrain we experience. I am sure he wont be disappointed.

James