Raceright

Ritchey WCS Matrix C260 stem

Neil Macleod — Thu, 17 May 2012 18:19:41 +0000

I received a very nice bit of kit today, the new Ritchey WCS Matrix C260 stem. I’m planning on fitting it to my mountain bike, to go with a set of bars I’ve been wanting to use but had stashed away for a while.

Opening the box I found that the stem comes in its own little pouch (why does a stem need a pouch?!). It’s amazingly light and looks really cool. Very smooth clean lines to it.

Of course I popped it straight on the scales after initial caressing was over and it came in at 116gms for a 110mm.

Full spec of it is over here:
http://www.ritcheylogic.com/dyn_prodfamily.php?k=474031

The bars are again from Ritchey, not that this was planned, and are the unusually shaped WCS Carbon Flat 10D. I’ve got a thing about the angle of my bars. Whereas I like risers and the width/control they give, I also like the lower, more agressive position of flats. With these I’m hoping for the best of both worlds. I weighted them when I got them, and if I remember rightly they are 142gms.

With the spec for them here:
http://www.ritcheylogic.com/dyn_prodfamily.php?k=358533

I’ll pop them on the bike this weekend and update with a combo bar/stem pic, and give it a test run. I’m looking forward to seeing the results.

POV lap on the WC XCO course in Pietermaritzburg

Neil Macleod — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:53:17 +0000

A lap on the World Cup Track XCO Pietermaritzburg (RSA) with Rabobank Giant rider Michiel van der Heijden.

Highlights from UCI MTB XCO World Cup – Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

Neil Macleod — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:31:53 +0000

Mens highlights

Womens highlights

Build up to the UCI MTB XCO World Cup – Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

Neil Macleod — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:31:38 +0000

On course with the Scott-Swisspower team

Absalon talks about the new course layout

Pietermaritzburg World Cup Course POV

Neil Macleod — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:37:13 +0000

This looks great fun!

Pietermaritzburg World Cup Course Rock Garden – part 2

Neil Macleod — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:54:19 +0000

More from the rock garden on the Pietermaritzburg World Cup Course, different angle this time. How quick do they ride this?? Very impressive.

Pietermaritzburg World Cup Course Rock Garden POV

Neil Macleod — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:46:33 +0000

With the 2012 season of World Cup racing starting up soon, I watched a replay from the South African round in Pietermaritzburg. While it looks really physically demanding there where a couple of other bits which really caught my eye, in particular the rock garden. It’s not always easy to see just how difficult these actually are. Wether there is a nice clean line available for you to glide down, or if it’s something which is much more technically demanding. Then… then I found this…

Harvard study discovers new hormone released from muscles with talks to other tissues

Neil Macleod — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:44:24 +0000

A Harvard study has discovered a new hormone released from muscle through which muscle communicates w/ other tissues. Haven’t had a chance to read through it all yet, but thought it worth sharing as it’s an interesting piece. Via @Jeukendrup.

http://1.usa.gov/zOwe5E

Handsling Racing Team photo shoot

Neil Macleod — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:22:28 +0000

Yesterday the whole team met up at the last round of the Imperial Winter Series to do a few photos together, before the race.

It was great meeting up with the whole team, together for the first time, some of them I’ve known for years, others are new faces, but all are a good group of guys. Worst hat award goes to Pete Cole with some pinky, purple fleecy thing that was born in a decade that has long since past. Hero award goes to Boris (Nigel) Halpern, having flown in from Norway just for this. Pretty good effort I reckon!

Got to have a look at the Trigon bikes as well, and I have to say they are looking very nice indeed. The down tube on the mtb’s is quite frankly… enormous! I’m looking forward to getting mine and giving it a blast. In fact, it got my brain ticking over and meant I spent the evening looking through weight weenies and the Ax lightness site, figuring out ultra expensive ways to pimp the bike out.

We all got a few bags worth of kit handed out to us, and it was good to see my designs all printed up and real. RST have done a great job there.

Here’s some photos Rob Enslin took, hovering in the background while we were getting ready.

Hillingdon Winter Series 14th Jan 2012 – Crash

Neil Macleod — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 10:24:24 +0000

Pete Cole of Handsling Racing had just made the break in the E123′s Hillingdon Winter Series, when a crash right in front of him halted his progress. Luckily he had his Drift HD170 from www.actioncameras.co.uk rolling. Via @handsling