Photos from Fort William MTB World Cup 2010
Discussion
OK, I'm just blatantly showing off my photos from the weekend's MTB World Cup at Fort William. Simply awesome to watch these riders up close 
If these don't inspire you to go biking then you're in the wrong part of the forum
Full 100 pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/a11y_m/sets/721576241...
And a few choice ones:
If these don't inspire you to go biking then you're in the wrong part of the forum
Full 100 pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/a11y_m/sets/721576241...
And a few choice ones:
neil_bolton said:
Makes me remember riding it last year the day before practise, and just how brutal the course is...
It certainly looks very brutal on the bike and rider. I only got up there once last year and only rode the new red DH route (plus the bottom section of the DH track). This year I fully intend doing the whole World Cup course but my only issue is my bike, it's far from ideal: 6" air-sprung Giant Reign...I wonder if sub-10min is out of the question for me
a11y_m said:
This year I fully intend doing the whole World Cup course but my only issue is my bike, it's far from ideal: 6" air-sprung Giant Reign...
I wonder if sub-10min is out of the question for me
I did the World Cup course the weekend before the event - on a Giant Reign. I can confirm....it isn't ideal. You can do it though - just don't think the bike (or rider!) would last if you did too often. Came off big style at one point though. Remember to wear body armour!I wonder if sub-10min is out of the question for me
Junior Bianno said:
a11y_m said:
This year I fully intend doing the whole World Cup course but my only issue is my bike, it's far from ideal: 6" air-sprung Giant Reign...
I wonder if sub-10min is out of the question for me
I did the World Cup course the weekend before the event - on a Giant Reign. I can confirm....it isn't ideal. You can do it though - just don't think the bike (or rider!) would last if you did too often. Came off big style at one point though. Remember to wear body armour!I wonder if sub-10min is out of the question for me
May well have been to do with setup, but the Spicy soaked it up well.
Ah well, at least I'll have a proper excuse for going slowly
I've got a set of '06 150-170mm Marz 66SL's fitted so it's not exactly standard, improves the head angle a bit but still not ideal. Body armour - yup, mostly, just need some shorts with padded bits on the hips, etc and I'll be ready to roll...
I've got a set of '06 150-170mm Marz 66SL's fitted so it's not exactly standard, improves the head angle a bit but still not ideal. Body armour - yup, mostly, just need some shorts with padded bits on the hips, etc and I'll be ready to roll...
a11y_m said:
Ah well, at least I'll have a proper excuse for going slowly
I've got a set of '06 150-170mm Marz 66SL's fitted so it's not exactly standard, improves the head angle a bit but still not ideal. Body armour - yup, mostly, just need some shorts with padded bits on the hips, etc and I'll be ready to roll...
I'll agree on the body armour, however I do ride better and far quicker without it.I've got a set of '06 150-170mm Marz 66SL's fitted so it's not exactly standard, improves the head angle a bit but still not ideal. Body armour - yup, mostly, just need some shorts with padded bits on the hips, etc and I'll be ready to roll...
In the afternoon session at Fort Bill, I ended up with just soft knee pads on, my Full face, and shorts and a tee shirt. Focuses the mind a bit that does. Especially when tab smoking DHy boys look at me oddly as they push off at the start, and then get all surprised as I whizz past them on the rockslabs... I got a shake of the head in respect at the end
I found I rode more freely without pads. Didn't stop me from barrelling off a jump into a ditch at full pelt though...
ps
with rolled up shirt sleeves is cooler than cooly McCool and the cool gang.Edited by neil_bolton on Thursday 10th June 14:37
a11y_m said:
just need some shorts with padded bits on the hips, etc and I'll be ready to roll...
Ha ha... that's exactly what I didn't have and although the body armour took the brunt of the hit, it was my hip that took the rest. Can you still get hip replacements on the NHS?On the bike front, it is probably more my lack of skill and kahunas rather than the machine. There are some bit old hits on that downhill and I was bottoming out 6" travel all the time. Reigns are pretty light and think you could shake it to pieces riding that kind of course regularly.
Anyway...we went to Laggan the next day and that was awesome...much more my kind of thing.
I love that photo of the sleeves-rolled-up rider - despite it not being a competitor (notice the "B" on his number board) I thought it was worth of posting. Think he was a course marshal or the like, checking the course for "safety" before the race runs.
Last year I wore my proper full-face helmet (purchased purely for this), fairly lightweight elbow/forearm pads, and a more substantial set of knee/skin pads. Kept my Camelbak on for back protection. This year I've got a 661 pressure suit top-half inc back protector, but I've also got the option of using my new rucsac instead: just bought one of those EVOC ones with the integrated back protector (CE rated if that means anything).
I did manage to bottom out my Reign on the drops in the final run into the finish of the main track, but that was more poor technique and surprise that anything else! And somehow my Reign now weighs 35lbs, not light anymore...
Last year I wore my proper full-face helmet (purchased purely for this), fairly lightweight elbow/forearm pads, and a more substantial set of knee/skin pads. Kept my Camelbak on for back protection. This year I've got a 661 pressure suit top-half inc back protector, but I've also got the option of using my new rucsac instead: just bought one of those EVOC ones with the integrated back protector (CE rated if that means anything).
I did manage to bottom out my Reign on the drops in the final run into the finish of the main track, but that was more poor technique and surprise that anything else! And somehow my Reign now weighs 35lbs, not light anymore...
a late entry!
Just made it home this morning from the World Cup. Well, the WC weekend followed by a weeklong roadtrip riding round the UK.
I wont post up any of my WC riding phots because they are as lame as a very lame thing compared to the pretty special stuff you guys have put up
It was a good weekend though...
Just made it home this morning from the World Cup. Well, the WC weekend followed by a weeklong roadtrip riding round the UK.
I wont post up any of my WC riding phots because they are as lame as a very lame thing compared to the pretty special stuff you guys have put up
It was a good weekend though...
Edited by theboymoon on Saturday 12th June 11:54
a11y_m said:
Cracking photos Scoobydougie 
But I s
t you not, I'm actually in the crowd in your first photo - to the right of the rider, far right of the green banner, last person in the bunch, the bloke wearing a black tee leaning over the barrier, that's me
Of the 1200 I took I pick one to post with a PH'r in! What's the chances! But I s
t you not, I'm actually in the crowd in your first photo - to the right of the rider, far right of the green banner, last person in the bunch, the bloke wearing a black tee leaning over the barrier, that's me Scoobydougie said:
Scoobydougie said:
Of the 1200 I took I pick one to post with a PH'r in! What's the chances!
Yeah, absolutely random but superb! We were in position before 4X practice started to get that spectating spot but was worth it - that's where I was standing to get my 4X photos (including Dan's huge jump) in my first post.
a11y_m said:
I love that photo of the sleeves-rolled-up rider - despite it not being a competitor (notice the "B" on his number board) I thought it was worth of posting. Think he was a course marshal or the like, checking the course for "safety" before the race runs.
Yup, its one of my friends. They are the course sweepers. They make sure that there are no people left on track from practise and that the course is in ok condition (tape not broken, no major holes etc). Infact my team mate James was working as a sweeper too and did a chest cam run. I'll get it editeded and on here soon (it was a 5:10 so not that far off qualification time)Floor Tom said:
a11y_m said:
I love that photo of the sleeves-rolled-up rider - despite it not being a competitor (notice the "B" on his number board) I thought it was worth of posting. Think he was a course marshal or the like, checking the course for "safety" before the race runs.
Yup, its one of my friends. They are the course sweepers. They make sure that there are no people left on track from practise and that the course is in ok condition (tape not broken, no major holes etc). Infact my team mate James was working as a sweeper too and did a chest cam run. I'll get it edited and on here soon (it was a 5:10 so not that far off qualification time)Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff