Bikes

Got an old bike , need a new one ? Why not trade it in…….

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….yes at All Terrain Cycles Bikestores, we now take Trade In’s.

So if you are looking a new bike look no further.

Be it a MTB, Road Bike, Ebike, Ladies or Kids bike, we will trade in any bike

with two wheels irrespective of age or condition against a new bike of your choice.

 

Trade in any old bike for a brand new bike of your choice

This is how our scheme works.

Bring your Trade in Bike to either of our Bikestores.

Select the bike you wish to purchase and we will give you -10% of its value as against  your old bike. We don’t mind what its age is or what condition it is in as long as it has two wheels you save -10% off your purchase.

Frequently asked Questions

  • What happens to Trade In’s? – We will ever sell them or donate them to local recycling charities.
  • Can I Trade a bike in and purchase a new one on Finance or Cyclescheme ? – Unfortunately we can’t offer this facility if  you pay the balance for your new bike by cash or credit / debit card.

What do I do next ?

Come to one of our stores with your Trade in Bike, one of our staff will help you select your new bike and give you -10% off for your Trade In , it really is that simple !

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Its been a busy opening few weeks of the 2018 season for the Saltaire based All Terrain Cycles Race Team, with a number of riders in action across a range of disciplines.

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In Mountain Biking, Bruce Rollinson, Stewart Coates, Ryan Middlemiss and Hamish Thomas were in action at the National Series Cross Country races at Sherwood Pines. A nice sunny day on a drying but fast course, saw Bingley based Bruce and Stewart neck and neck in the Grand Masters V50 event, won by former pro rider Tim Davies of CC Abergavenny. The All Terrain Cycles pair spent most of the race in 6th and 7th place until the last lap when a resurgent former National Champion Tim Gould got past them both. After a bizzare foot in rear wheel incident Stew got ahead of Bruce going into the finishing loops, and they finally finished in 7th and 8th place respectively.

Stew Coates and Bruce Rollinson

Stew hot on the heels of Bruce in the V50 event

On the road, Keighley based rider Chris Sherriffs has had a great start to the season, picking up a number of top ten results. First up was the Rosendale RC 11 mile Time Trial held in freezing conditions near Bolton by Bowland at the end of February. Despite not feeling great Chris turned in a great performance to pick up 3rd place, and putting time into some notable riders shows that his early season training is coming to fruition. Over the following weekends Chris raced at the Salt Ayre circuit series in Lancashire, picking up two fourth places, a fifth and a sixth, all of these events coming in sprint finishes behind small breakaway groups with Chris winning the bunch sprint.

Chris Sherriffs rides in the Rosendale RC 11 mile TT

Also on the road, another Keighley based rider Steve Colloby opened his 2018 road account this weekend at the Town Green Masters RR near Bickerstaffe in Lancashire. After missing the 7 man breakaway group which went early on, Steve put in a strong performance to try and chase down the break, before leaving the remaining pack behind to take 8th place over the line. This comes on the back of a return to Track racing for Steve after a 20 year hiatus, as he has been competing regularly at Manchester Regional Track League over the past couple of months, also turning out some good results and getting a number of wins under his belt.

Colloby in action in the Town Green Masters RR (Photo courtesy of Ellen Isherwood)

With some great results this early on its looking like a great season ahead for the All Terrain Cycles Race Team.

 

Enjoy a day on your bike – but be prepared!

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Fortunately, we’ve enjoyed relatively good weather so far and with months of summer still ahead, why not make the most of it and plan a day out on your bike? In Yorkshire, we’re lucky that for many of us, it’s easy to get into some beautiful countryside, even if you don’t reach the Dales, there are lots of rolling hills and pretty villages just a short ride away.

 

But a word of warning, planning is key to enjoying your rural adventure. The starting point, of course, is your trusty bike.  No doubt, you regularly have it serviced professionally as well as keeping it clean and in good working order yourself, so it should be in tip top condition and ready to go – if not, get it checked out at a reputable bike shop!

If you really feel that your bicycle is past its best and actually you need to invest in a more up-to-date, efficient model, there are literally hundreds to choose from. Again, visit a decent bike store with plenty of choice and well-informed staff who can guide you – and ideally go to one which offers the option to go for a spin on your chosen bike before buying.  Don’t forget that the Government’s Cycle to Work scheme is a great way of helping to offset the cost of buying a new bike with employees at many places of work able to benefit from tax exemptions on their purchase.

So, having checked your tyres and lubed your chain, you’re ready to set off, but what else should you have with you? While space on a bike is limited, a small under saddle kit bag will give you room to carry essentials such as a spare inner tube, tyre levers and a pump plus some basic tools.  It’s well worth investing in a small CO2 inflator which makes the job of changing a tyre much quicker and easier.

In terms of what you need, as with any sport, having the right kit will really pay off. Good quality, padded cycling shorts are a must ; and so is a high performance waterproof jacket which can easily be packed away – it doesn’t matter how sunny it is when you set off, always take a waterproof with you, we are in Yorkshire!  Another good option for our changeable weather is to buy some ‘warms’, lightweight arm warmers which are perfect to slip on or off as needed.  Cycling leg warmers are also really useful, particularly as they can be stuffed into a pocket.

Always put on plenty of sun cream before you set off, and ideally take a small tube with you. As you tend to be in pretty much the same position on a bike and have the breeze cooling you, it’s easy to get burnt.  You could also wear a cap under your helmet to help keep the sun off your face and, of course, some good quality cycling sun glasses are essential.

Finally, don’t forget to refuel! Cycling uses up lots of energy and, like the guys on the Tour, you need to make sure that you drink and eat frequently – little and often is the key.  Take two bottles of fluid with you, ideally one containing a specific energy drink for sports as these are specially designed to provide the sugars, carbohydrates and electrolytes you need.  It’s also a good idea to take a couple of energy gels, these are basically a concentrated form of sugars which provide a quick energy hit in a very compact form.  You can also take along energy chews to graze on while riding, or energy bars, these are cereal bars designed to be easily absorbed and digested.  Another tip is to supplement these snacks by making sure that your ride takes in one of Yorkshire’s many tempting tearooms!

So, with a little bit of planning, you can enjoy the wonders of cycling in God’s Own County this summer! Just pop into one of our stores in Wetherby or at Salt’s Mill and we’ll get you kitted out and ready to head for the hills.

Electric bikes – bringing power to the people

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While traditionally there has been some snobbery from hardcore cyclists about the emergence of electrically assisted bikes, attitudes are changing and today’s e-bikes are appealing to people of all ages. As well as older people, increasingly, 20, 30 and 40-somethings who enjoy the thrill of mountain biking are turning to motorised bikes for some off-road fun.

 

Electric bikes have been rapidly growing in popularity in Europe in recent years with estimates that as many as 30% of cyclists on the continent have ‘converted’ and predictions that the craze is about to take off in the UK too. In Germany, 535,000 electric bikes were sold in 2015 alone.  Given their strong environmental credentials and the fact that they are a cost-effective way to get around, many commuters are now using them and they are proving as popular with motor cyclists as with traditional cyclists looking for a little extra power.  They’re also a great way of giving teenagers more independence – anyone over the age of 14 can ride them.

 

With a small, integrated electric motor engaged by pedalling or using the throttle on the handlebar, they have a maximum uphill speed of 15mph and riders can choose from different levels of power to assist them. They have rechargeable batteries that are charged at a normal mains socket; it takes about three hours to charge and they last for around 20 miles.

There is still an element of exercise involved as you have to pedal in order for the motor to run, making them ideal for people who want to get around without getting sweaty or for those who have an injury that prevents them from using a conventional bike. That extra boost of power saves the slog, particularly up hills – meaning you won’t get hot and bothered and can ascend at a steady, safe and consistent speed. They also have the additional advantage of not needing road tax, insurance or a licence – and you can park anywhere!

Providing a practical, cheap and fun way to get around, they are, of course, ideal for older people who want to prolong their cycling life. However, having originally targeted pedal assist bikes at the over 50s, the industry has been surprised to see the huge take-up from hip, young mountain bikers looking for the added thrill of having a motor, enabling them to tackle off road trails no matter how steep.

 

These e-MTBs offer all the benefits you would expect from a performance-orientated trail bike, but with the added boost of power. They’re ideal for mountain bikers recovering from injuries (knee joints don’t seem to copy as well with bouncing up stony trails on two wheels as we get older!); or for those who want to enjoy an occasional off-road blast without having to commit to a tough training regime in order to keep up with the pack.  An e-bike will help get you up those climbs faster and enable you to cover longer distances so they’re a real boost for training as well as helping you to quickly power through to more exciting parts of the trail.

 

Every cycling purist I know who has claimed that he will never ride an electric bike because it’s ‘lazy’ to have pedal assistance has changed their mind as soon as they’ve tried one – me included! There are now a huge range of e-bikes to choose from, whether you want a compact model for commuting or a high performance mountain bike with carbon frame, there’s an electric bike for you.

 

While the UK has been slower than Europe to see the light and embrace e-cycling (it’s been enormously popular in China since the 1990s!), I think the British cycling community is starting to realise that these clever machines offer a number of benefits. We’re finding that many of our customers who might already have three or four bikes to cover their on road and off road activities, are now adding an e-bike to their fleet.  Try one – you might be surprised!

 

Mud, Sweat and Gears Series ( Eastern XC Series ) Race Report by Adam Hinchcliffe

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Following on from my opening blog; it was my first race of the season a couple of weeks ago down in London at the Olympic Park for the Eastern XC series set up by the Mud, Sweat and Gears gang!

Nerves we’re already setting in prior to the race at least two/three weeks before he kick off as I was wondering on how many possible outcomes of the race were there going to be? Not only with these thoughts but also with dark thought on, am I going to be fit enough? Am I going to be on form? etc. etc.

Andrew Hinchcliffe , All Terrain Ride in Peace Rider , at Eastern XC series

 

I have done a few of these events set up by the MSG guys and what a day they put on!

For most of the races below Birmingham (usually generally I class anything below Sheffield as the South or southerners!), I tend to go down the night before to get myself fully prepared before the event; I know there are some guys who do the one shot hit, but for me it suits to head down the day before. I can usually pre ride the course familiarise myself, and set myself up for the following day. I have always believed in the four P’s! ( Poor Planning =  Poor Performance).

We arrived the night before nice and relaxed, recce’d the course and completed basic admin tasks, and then settled for dinner in London with friends before a nice night’s sleep.

Course

The course was fantastic, man-made but great! A fast flowing single track course with many opportunities to overtake and take the lead! Not amazingly technical which suited me, but nonetheless exciting! We had a number of rock gardens to contest with nice following berms which when perfectly dry can gain some speed out of!

Race Day

Race day came along too quickly! Before knew it, we were up and having breakfast and away to the event!

Once parked up I went through my normal routine firstly signing on followed by checking bike, checking gear, preparing pre-race, race and post-race fuel and getting my post-race clothes ready!

I started off with my warm up and gently jogged for ten/fifteen minutes followed by a couple of warm up laps to gauge myself against the others, I met up with a couple of guys form my previous season racing who I went around with which helped relax my nerves.

 The start was soon approaching…

14:00

I was on the start line right at the front in prime position to take the first corner.

14:15

The claxon went and we were off! I flew out of the start line like a bullet; I shocked myself. I hit the corner flat out straight onto flat open single track where I powered down. I focused purely on keeping myself out at the front; it was short lived!

The first lap went really quickly and I was nicely placed in the front group, with the 2nd group following closely. I stuck with the guys as long as I could, but unfortunately my handling skills let me down a few times in the corners and I started losing time. 5seconds here 5seconds there!

The second group swallowed me up quick but I was in a good position.

I was happy, It beat being at the back! Laps three, four and five went quickly. The aim for me was to stick in with this second group. It was a great battle taking the lead, dropping back but great in terms of finding out where my skills were, where and what I needed to practice and concentrate on for the future

Lap six came along and my energy started to dwindle. I held on as long as could to the finish.

I came in at 9th in the Elite/Expert category. Probably the best result I have ever had!

It was a positive for me; I learnt a lot but also had shown and proved that my fitness and skills were better than the previous season, and that my training hadn’t been to waste!

Roll on the 19th for the Midlands XC series opener at Sherwood Pines!

All Terrain Cycles Ride in Peace Team Rider , Adam Hinchcliffe 2016 season Round Up …..

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January & February is a good time to round up and reflect on your previous season and the entry back into base training following what is believed to be a well-earned break! (He says lightly!!!)

The 2016 season has been a very interesting and big learning curve for me with some massive highs and more than enough lows; for some of you, you may not be aware that this is my first semi-professional season racing just purely mountain bikes in the XC arena as my background was originally racing Cross Triathlon for GB. It’s certainly a massive transition from the two disciplines without stating the obvious!

For those of you who are not aware, Cross Triathlon involves an open water swim usually in the sea or a lake, followed by a mountain bike section typically a marathon type single track circuit and not very technical with the final discipline being trail/fell running.

The MTB XC arena tends to be laps of a particular technical circuit lasting usually no more than 1hr 30minutes whereas CrossTri could last a competitor up to 3+ hours dependent upon the course.

“Where does this all lead?” you might be saying?

Well my career in MTB XC started roughly at the middle end of 2015 (August 1st to be specific!) following a shoulder injury which I was incredibly lucky getting away with no need for invasive surgery in my right shoulder.

The MTB-XC career plan started when I began losing motivation and drive for triathlon and after long discussions with my coach decided enough was enough and to make the transition early into MTB XC. This is where the big plan came into effect!

The BIG plan.

So the big plan, which came to fruition in 2K15, was to have a 3/4 year race career in XC with the ultimate goal in chasing the “Elite” category status with my current placement in the Expert category

Adam Hinchcliffe in action for All Terrain Cycles

The aim of the first year (2015/16) was to ultimately get me racing and used to this discipline. I lacked experience in this arena!

The 2016/17 season is going to be my developmental year, so to build on my past experiences and develop the skills and weaknesses I found last season.

I started the 2015/16 season at a weight of around 85/86kgs which for a 6ft racer wasn’t particular ideal. Not only this, I was putting out wattage around 235. For the amount of work I was putting in was absolutely nothing?

Having started with James I went from 235watts to 330watts with then a steady increase to 347watts! I aim to be hitting 390 by the end of the season. This just proves that, with the ight coach and training plan suited to you, you can change very quickly.

 

The 2016 race season was a big eye opener for me. I struggled massively with keeping and holding the pace with the front groups at the beginning of the season however by the end of my season In September I was holding quite close! I wasn’t always a podium potential but I was close too and actually finally got onto the podium in my second to last race which finished off the season quite nicely for me! I took part in over twenty races this season and had a positive incline all the way through

My season started with a race down at Cannock Chase, the “Cannock Winter Warmer” in the elite/expert category. This wasn’t just a winter warmer in was a WARNER! To what my season was likely going to be like! The race started off fast, I didn’t stand a chance! I held on for dear life at the back of the pack. Out of 25 I came in at 20. I knew from this there was to be some hard changes to my training.

I knew what I was going to be up against this race year!

The next race began the Eastern MTB XC Series (Mud,Sweat and Gears – more like tears in my case) down in Hintlesham in Suffolk. A long old journey! This race had a few more positive outcomes compared to the last despite the fact the whole course was a quagmire. I settle in tenth place in the mixed Elite/Expert category which was better than the last event.

The following races ensued; Midlands XC Series, the Nutcracker XC Series (Northern) the Southern Series etc. but nothing prepared me for the looming National Series.

The National Series started down in Wales at Pembrey Park outside of Swansea. The journey down was uneventful but incredibly long. Despite having a relief driver I was till tired by the end of the journey.

Having got there unfortunately a little late there was no time to practice which meant an early start the next morning!

The morning came quickly; my brother (pit man/driver/dogsbody) and I went to breakfast where I couldn’t stomach anything. Following this we shot off to Pembrey Park where I, I donned my team kit and shot off for a couple of laps. What a great course! It flowed, limited technical sections and fast. Perfect! Except every racer there was super-fast. I came in at 46th not the last I hastened to add but not great.

The season just got better and better for me which was great. I started getting in to small packs and actually racing rather than sustaining! I came away from the season relatively happy but with a lot of hard lessons learnt and a lot of areas to work on; but mainly still motivated and enthusiastic!

The end of 2016 start of 2017

Following the race season I had a couple of weeks off, more like three! Just to get my head and thoughts back. I wrote a summary on where I needed to and what I needed to do to get better.

The main area to concentrate on was to lose more weight. Having finished the season around 86kgs, I started to look at my diet, and started focussing on losing it!

The second area to concentrate on was improving my power output and sustainability of it. Which hopefully with the weight loss my wattage/kilo would soar up!

Then thirdly and which would come with experience was my MTB technique and skills.

The off season training has gone great, my weight has dropped massively including through Christmas, and my base output has improved.

Once December/January hit we started working on higher end outputs and power started soaring. However half way through January I hit a massive downer. We think potentially I over trained.

We’re still positive!

With the 2017 season looming; first race 26th February in London at the Olympic Park, nerves are setting in!

Let’s see how it goes!

Cull Cup and Duncan Sparrow Road Race (Pimbo) 05.03.17 Race Report by Melissa Greaves

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Cull Cup and Duncan Sparrow Road Race, my first race of the season, and more importantly my first race for All Terrain. The start sheet was pretty intimidating with Team GB and a few of the other big women’s teams featuring on the list.

Melissa Greaves All Terrain Ride in Peace Rider in the mix at Pimbo

 

On the day there was a field of around 60 riders, not put off by the torrential rainy conditions. The big names were already lined up at the front when I rolled to the start taking my place at the back. Luckily I was able to make my way up to the front of the group easily and without any panic. Straight away this gave me a confidence boost and I settled into the bunch. The race was fast with both Team GB and Team Kuoto Torrelli riders continually jumping of the front. Some of the moves stuck for a few laps but nothing stayed away.

With the rainy conditions it was difficult to keep track of how many laps we had left. I love racing in the rain, but with no mudguards and heaps of gritty surface water visibility was very limited. I just focused on keeping myself in a good position near the front.

When the bell eventually rang on the last lap everyone seemed to panic, and what had seemed to be a pretty well behaved bunch became a bit frantic. I lost a bit of confidence and gave up my position. By the time we got to the final corner there were multiple screams of ‘hold your line’ with riders barging into invisible gaps and undertaking some dodgy manoeuvres to get to the front. At the end of the day that’s racing and hopefully as I get into the season I’ll become more confident in handling myself in the final stages of a race.

The finishing straight at Pimbo is quite long so I held back on starting my sprint, with hindsight I definitely left it too late. Although I managed to make up some places I could see a lot more girls in front of me than I’d have hoped. I was disappointed with my final position of 23rd because I had felt really strong. However, overall I was happy with my race, as I haven’t really raced at this level before or in a field of that size, it was a good start. I can come away with a good indication of my fitness and some learning points to take away for the next race.

York City Crit Race Report 7 March 2017…..

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All Terrain Ride in Peace Team Rider David McNeil reports on last nights York Crit.

Only 20 pre-registrations for the 3/4 race but EOL brought it up to 40 riders. First few laps were dodgy as people reminded themselves how to ride in a group. Quite a few took the cyclocross line (the grass!) in corners. No big offs though. I was happy to sit in the pack as we shelled out about half of the field by the final 10 laps. Things got ropey again thereon. Lots of dodgy riding and several junior riders gave an appalling account of themselves. The 20 stayed together and with a few hairy moments on the bell lap I elected to back out of the final hairpin carnage. After the obligatory crash was avoided I was happy to cross the line at the back of the ~15 strong bunch which was pretty strung out after the corner fracas. Happy enough to remain upright given the various scrapes going on around me. Good to be able to comfortably sit in the bunch. Useful reminder on the importance of positioning and moving up effectively too though. Always miffed not to place but I’m still not confident to commit to a bunch Sprint after my nasty crash last year. Guess I need to make sure I set up break always! Less good was the conduct of those juniors who after chucking their weight around in the race (such as it is!) Proceeded to gob off pretty spectacularly after it. Commisaaires and organisers didn’t seem fussed and didn’t grip it which was a shame. They’ll just act that way from now on, or until a big boy throws them into a hedge!

Mountain Bike Trail Centres are on the up!

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The UK now boasts some great trail centres for off road enthusiasts. Tony Booth of All Terrain Cycles takes a look at some of the best in the North

 

With the end of the summer in sight, many cyclists are putting away their road bikes and turning to mountain biking during the colder months. For all but the most dedicated of the lycra clad devotees, taking to the roads in wet and icy conditions on extremely thin tyres doesn’t have quite the same appeal as scrambling through the woods on some chunky MTB treads!

trek

As well as Britain’s network of bridleways and country lanes, we’ve also seen the emergence of dedicated off road trail centres with purpose-built and way-marked trails and great facilities for cyclists. These have been a huge boost to the sport in recent years and we are fortunate to have some of the best in the UK here in Yorkshire or within easy reach.

So why are trail centres proving so popular? They are quite simply a paradise for mountain bikers and cyclo cross enthusiasts, offering a wide range of trails (rideable whatever the weather), and suitable for all levels of skills from complete beginners to the most adventurous daredevils.  With well-marked specific trails, colour coded according to level of difficulty, they are a great way of progressing and trying more technically challenging routes.  As well as tough red and black graded trails, enthusiasts can also hone their skills in specially-designed bike parks, usually identified with an orange trail marker (orange also indicates downhill runs).

Even if you’re not a seasoned pro, heading for a trail centre with friends or family is a great day out. They offer the chance to cycle off road, so are ideal for children – look out for the green trails which are usually flat, well-surfaced and wide enough to ride two abreast; before progressing to the slightly more difficult blue routes.

It’s also a fantastic chance to explore different parts of the country as well as many offering great bike maintenance facilities and usually a really nice café to refuel with tea and cake after pounding the pedals.

Many of the trail centres have been set up by the Forestry Commission which now boasts 2,500km of trails, often through some of the UK’s most stunning scenery.

Here’s our round-up of some of the best in the North:

Stainburn Forest Trail Centre, near Otley

  • Located in Yorkshire, this is one of the UK’s most challenging trail centres offering everything from natural trails to technical man-made single track; but be warned, the black route is the most technical man-made cross country trail in the country! Dalby Forest Mountain Bike Trail Centre, near Pickering
  • Situated close to the North York Moors National Park, Dalby Forest is England’s largest trail centre and was the venue of a UCI World Cup Race in 2011. With a huge 34m red route and a shorter black-graded World Cup Cycle trail, it features lots of great MTB single track trails for a wide range of abilities as well as the Pace Bike Park and the more challenging Dixon’s Hollow for adrenaline junkies Sutton Bank Mountain Bike Trails, near Thirsk
  • On the edge of the North York Moors, close to Sutton Bank, it features three interlinked mountain bike trails Gisburn Forest Trail Centre, near Slaidburn
  • Located in North East Lancashire, Gisburn is a firm favourite with many enthusiasts as it offers great views and almost 39km of excellent mountain bike trails and single track – including ‘The 8’, an 18km roller coaster of a trail! – plus a new skills loop Grizedale Trail Centre, near Hawkshead
  • Set in the Lake District National Park, the centre features high quality natural MTB trails and single track including the notorious North Face Trail Whinlatter Trail Centre, near Keswick
  • Also in the Lake District, Whinlatter is home to two excellent cross country mountain bike trails, the blue graded Quercus Trail and the figure-of-eight Altura Trail, 1,600ft above the Keswick valley Clayton Vale Mountain Bike Trails, near Manchester
  • 12km of urban MTB fun including an MTB skills zone Doddington Hall Mountain Bike Trails, near Lincoln
  • Purpose built 3m XC course with bridges, berms, rollers and optional jumpline Kielder Trail Centre, near Hexham
  • Sitting in the middle of a huge forest in Northumberland, it is home to over 100m of fantastic mountain bike cross country trails including single track, some tough climbs and technical riding

Hamish Fletcher-Cooney reports on a heavy schedule of MTB championships…

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Hamish Fletcher- Cooney team Rider for All Terrain Cycles

Hamish Fletcher- Cooney team Rider for All Terrain Cycles

Okaaaay… long post, it’s been a hectic few weeks.

Saturday 28th. North of England MTB championships, Aske Moor
We set off with the Elites and had the same number of laps so we had a chance to compete for the overall title as well as the Expert (my category) win. The course was a series of 1.5-2.5 minute power climbs with short, tricky, awkward descents straight into the next power climb (reads like the lactate tolerance session from hell). Over the first 2 laps me and Phil exchanged the expert lead which was also 3rd overall, whoever won would be on the podium at the North of England champs and get a major boost up the national rankings. At the end of the 2nd lap I was just distanced and badly in the pain cave when my right shoe ripped in half, uppers came away from sole. I went through the pits and yelled at my crew to go get my spare right shoe. I then rode a lap with essentially a massive flat pedal (the sole of my shoe) and a lorica sock. I lost about 90 seconds to Phil and wore out my left leg. End of the 3rd lap I unclipped the base of my shoe, ripped off the upper and swapped right shoe. I was able to chase back a few seconds but my left leg was camping badly and I lost by over a minute.
2nd Expert, 4th Overall. 100 points.
I am now ‘that guy who had to swap his shoe’. For the record, never put sidis on the radiator.

Saturday 5th. Midlands MTB Championships, Chesterfield
Fast and slippy. The sort of course where you turned into a corner more in hope that you’d exit facing the right way than any real faith, also really wish I had 560mm bars again. 3 4 minute climbs which you had about a 50/50 chance of cleaning with fast but uncambered singletrack descents. Ben won the race by 5.5 minutes as we all expected but there was a real battle for 2nd-7th. I suffered on the first lap in about 6th but kept fighting back on the descents and moving up a place here and there by sprinting for the singletrack at the top of climbs if I managed to hold on. It was 26-28 degrees and a bottle of water went over my head in the pits every lap to the amusement of the commentator, he’s not the one with a pony tail racing in the sun with no wind – need a haircut. Kept battling up but had no idea what place I was in. Finally dropped Phil on the penultimate descent having matched him on the climb. Final climb I had to dismount, slipped and went down, by the time I got back up Phil was right there. 2 minutes uphill to the line, 60kg vs 82, turns out I wanted it more won the battle and got 2nd but it really really hurt.
2nd Expert. 200 points so far.

Sunday 6th. Southern XC Championships, Southampton
‘Apparently one of the expert riders did the midlands yesterday then drove himself 5 hours to get here.’
The least technical mtb course I’ve ever ridden. 16mph average. 25+ riders in my category on the start line. What you really don’t want the day after a hard hot race is a harder hotter race on a course that’ll reward the strongest guy.
We were doing through and off and I lasted until the final 3. Oliver (remember this name) attacked lap 2/5 when I was feeling super super sore and I let the other guy chase him for half a lap before I dropped him and started my chase. I kept him pegged at 40-50 seconds but I was bone dry despite putting a litre of water over my head and half a litre down my neck every lap. You know where you know you must be sweating because it’s an oven but can’t feel anything? Salt stains etc. Half a lap to go this polish road racer I’ve never met comes past me like I’m standing still. I knew if I could keep him in sight I had a chance and if not it was a long long way to 4th so I went into the red and kept him pegged but not hitting trees with no peripheral vision and numb extremities was challenging. I bruised my shoulders a bit. 200m to go uphill he had about 5 seconds but I kicked and passed him with ease to take my 2nd 2nd in 24 hours. I was on the ground a fair while.
2nd Expert. 300 points so far.
If I can keep them in touch I’ve never lost a sprint in a mtb race…

Sunday 13th. British MTB Series Round 4. Builth Wells, Wales.
Previous results were 6th, 22nd (with a flat – I am ‘that guy who rode the rock gardens at Plymouth with a flat front tire’) and 15th.
Hilliest national round of the year split into 2 long climbs which is not good for me but the descents are fun and if it rains I should be on for top 10.
It rained and was super slimy, perfect. If only it was for the 250m of climbing per lap. First lap I did my usual trick of leading into the first climb and forced a good pace in the very slippy conditions such that I was 6th at the top, awesome! 2nd climb 2 guys came past me but I kept them close. Descent was total chaos and I just focussed on my ride and passing lots of Juniors (they set the Juniors and Elites off first at a national). I came through the arena to here the PA announce I was in 4th, wow, how did that happen? I guess they weren’t all juniors. The next lap I just focussed on my effort and passing as soon as possible when I caught someone. End of 2nd lap I was on Ben’s wheel, the guy who beat me last week by 5.5 minutes, he must be going bad to be down mid-pack with me. Start of 3rd ‘Ben & Hamish fighting for the lead in Expert, they’re passing most of the Elite field, go on lads!’. I’m a bit distracted and Ben drops me on the climbs as I’d expect, I shouldn’t be thinking like this I should be busy dropping him. Pushing the descent too hard to catch back up and BANG! I’ve burped most of the air out of the back tire. I have a think (again, should be busy riding not thinking) and decide to keep riding to the pits where Robin will pump it up with the track pump rather than me have to untape my CO2 inflator etc. I lost 2nd place baby-ing it to the pits and Dad did an awesome job putting the right amount in very quickly and I was off on my last lap in a very long race. I ditch my bottle to save weight. 1st climb I went too hard with the adrenaline and slid my way down the descent. 2nd climb, last climb I am shaking with fear, my legs aren’t responding at all, I can see 2nd place and all I can think is not to mess up my first ever national podium rather than chase him. I bounce off a few trees, and put my foot down a few times and suddenly 4th is right with me. Oliver is back from the dead and it’s a 600m uphill sprint to the line, he starts early and I match him but as we accelerate I just can’t push and feel weaker and weaker and he pulls ahead a few meters at a time. 100m out it was sewn up, I’d lost my first ever sprint in a mtb race and come 4th, my 2nd lap was the fastest of the race by a long way and I somehow threw it. I started crying before I crossed the line.

400 points in 3 weekends and at least 5th, maybe 3rd in national rankings. All goes well and I should finally get my elite licence in November 🙂 We did pass most of the Elites on Sunday after all.

Last national round is on the course that suits me best, I’m praying for rain and I’m coming back strong. I know I can beat those guys now, I won’t choke again.

VeloTorun , Poland … a rider perspective of this iconic cycling event

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After a busy weekend full of fantastic events including The Fred Whitton Challenge, the Ilkley 2 day, the PMBA Enduro at Lee Quarry and, All Terrain Cycles, Team Rider Jeremy Copland , choice was, VeloTorun in Poland.

velo

VeloTorun Poland 2016 – Jez Copland of All Terrain on front of grid !

So VeloTorun: my coach Andy got me into this as he took part last year. A closed road, sportive style event which is sponsored by Michal Kwiatkowski of Team Sky as both he and Michal Golas (fellow Team Sky rider) both originate from the town of Torun.

The event attracts both professionals and amateurs alike with three different distances depending on ability. The main field was for the Giga option at 110km which achieved an extremely un-sportive-like 26mph average last year. This year saw nearly 700 riders in total, 380 of which were riding the Giga!

Speaking to Daniel Wojtyna (a local pro who Andy met last year) it was soon apparent this was far from a sportive and a little more extreme than I’d expected. From a recce with Kwiatkowski on the Saturday, Daniel estimated the first 20-30km’s to be at around 50kmph and (considering the wind) the last 40km’s to be around 60-65kmph mark. I laughed (and a small part of me broke inside)!

Obviously the 380 riders wouldn’t be together for the full distance so it would be key to get a good position at the start and get towards the front in the first few km’s.

The morning arrived and I fuelled accordingly with a great breakfast. We made our way to the start which was only a 2 minute ride away from the hotel, arriving 45 minutes before the off. Fortunately for me, the weather was a little cooler at around the 26deg mark and the wind wasn’t as strong as the day before, which made me think the speeds maybe marginally slower.

It was time to begin a warm up but as we set off I noticed people were already forming at the start so we headed to get a decent position about 10 rows back behind 100 riders or so. Pre-start interviews with MK and MG got the riders fired up and it was clear the event had attracted a large number of Pro’s who ride round to set the pace / protect the Sky boys.

We were off! The full road width and 100’s of riders set off at a reasonable speed – 32mph to be exact which, due to the size of the peloton felt pretty easy. Maybe Daniel’s speed estimate was spot on!

Like most events you expect a high rate of attrition over the first few miles, especially in a sportive so I maintained my position and didn’t attempt to get nearer to the front. I was wrong. Probably due to the lack of elevation change, virtually no one was being dropped. Oh joy.

This pace lasted for about 10 miles before we took a right turn into the forest. Everyone bunched on the inside so I took a wide line on the left which saw me in the first 50 riders on to the narrower roads – ideal. We continued at around 28mph through the forest and emerged intact as a group.

The first small climb (and I mean small) saw a few riders shelled due to the speed and a rider hitting the deck as his chain snapped. I was still in the group but on the redline to keep on. The surroundings opened up and we became more exposed to the wind so we lined out diagonally across the road true bunch racing style. Some quick descending and what seemed a relentless sprint after a 90deg corner I still felt pretty good but my worse fear was about to be realised – a climb! Not just any climb but one which had a road sign at the bottom (like our gradient signs but with a car instead of a gradient value) which indicated to cars that there was a climb! Oh dear God this could be fun I thought.

I dropped onto the inner ring and jumped on Golas’s wheel as he came passed. This was similar to the climb out of Skipton towards Embsay but with a couple of corners to give a false flat. I dug in again and maintained the wheel – I looked down and saw 182bpm which is my highest recorded year to date. Reaching the summit I was pretty spent only to see a few riders continuing the pace into the distance – this was the point I was going to be shelled I thought.

Absolutely turning myself inside out I got in with 5 other riders and started to get back to the group. A sharp hairpin right and long drag saw the group easing away slightly. After about a mile the road dropped away and the 5 of us gained some time and got back on the bunch. I looked at my garmin to see it tick over the 20mile mark – this was going to be a long day with ONLY 45 more to go!

I looked round to see there was only 60 of us in the group with Golas riding near the back keeping everyone on. We chatted and he got his phone out – I thought he was going to take a selfie so was keen to make sure I was in it!! Instead he just browsed his texts and responded to a couple. I deliberately looked down and noted we were traveling at 28mph. I don’t think I could focus enough to unlock my phone let alone read a text! Chapeau.

More open countryside and a tailwind saw the speed maintained. The average at this point was still 28mph. I was batting well above my standard here.

We started the second loop of the forest I spotted the 30mile mark go by. The pace relented slightly making it more comfortable up the 2 climbs which was good for me. The group was now down to 30 riders with no sign of anyone chasing.

The 40mile mark came and went with an average speed of 27mph thus far. As you can see it was about survival for me as I ticked the mileage off. I knew the last 5 or 10 miles would be brutal but wanted to stay on as long as possible.

I was starting to recover and feeling pretty confident that I could get to the 50mile mark.

As we left the forest the road was pretty rough: melted Tarmac rather than potholes but it was pretty bumpy. A few of the riders slowed and I maintained speed and stuck to the very right hand side of the group. A quick right then left saw us onto more rough Tarmac. In search of a better line the group split left and right which squeezed me towards the edge of the road. In this section the Tarmac didn’t have a straight edge before it dropped onto the gravel but instead it was uneven lumps, bumps and potholes to which I couldn’t avoid. I hit them hard enough to rotate my bars down a couple of degrees and my rear tyre popped.

I was gutted as I knew I wouldn’t get back on to the group and would need a few minutes to swap my tub. About 5 minutes later (after a bit off faffing and dejection of being out) the Kwiatkowski group of 10 came through. Not only had I been riding in the front group with Golas and some serious Pro’s / amateurs, I was in front of Kwiatkowski which made me smile inside. Obviously I appreciate they only play at events like this but it turned a negative situation into a slightly more positive one.
48 miles done and an average of 26mph was more than satisfying.

After fitting my tub I solo tapped the remaining 17miles back, stopping for a toilet break and 3 times to re-inflate my spare tub. I finally got back a tad under 3hours with an final average speed of 23.4mph.

On reflection this has to be one of the, if not THE hardest cycle events I’ve ever done. Not only the speed but the physical and mental effort needed to ride in such a large competent group. I was more than satisfied with my achievement and I cannot wait to do it again.

Just to put the cost in perspective: the entry fee was €20 which included food, goodie bag with gels and bottle etc!

I would recommend VeloTorun to any road cyclist, after all, how many times can you say you’ve ridden with 2 Team Sky Pro’s in a competitive (for most) event??

Why you should get a Bikefit ?

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We have just invested £30,000 in the latest technology to enable our specially trained technicians to custom fit bicycles to riders’ specific needs, improving comfort, control and performance as well as minimising injuries.

Pro Bike Fit at All Terrain Cycles

Pro Bike Fit at All Terrain Cycles

Available to customers at our Salt’s Mill, Shipley Bikestore ,the state-of-the –art bike fit studio features a fully adjustable jig giving the flexibility to assess and easily adjust every aspect of the rider/bike interface, including crank length, saddle angle and handlebar width, in order to create the optimum riding position. This geometry can then be replicated on the customer’s own bike to ensure it is set up to their exact personal requirements taking into account body proportions and what the rider wants from the bike.

Bike Fit Suite at All Terrain Cycles allows us to adjust your own bike as well as use or Bike Fit Jig

Bike Fit Suite at All Terrain Cycles allows us to adjust your own bike as well as use or Bike Fit Jig

“Cycling enthusiasts are becoming increasingly serious about optimising performance and the starting point, of course, is to ensure the bike fits properly from choosing the right frame size through to the correct adjustment of all the contact points,” explains bike fit technician Chris Williams who has worked for All Terrain Cycles for five years.

“As in many sports, science is being used to improve the process and this high tech jig, one of just a few in Yorkshire, enables us to easily make adjustments and tailor the bike to exactly meet the rider’s needs. Whether customers are investing in a new bike or simply want to get more from their existing bike, a comprehensive fit can make a huge difference curing a host of problems from sore neck and back, knee pain and uncomfortable saddle to numb hands.”

A riders personal flexibility is assessed and built into the fit

A riders personal flexibility is assessed and built into the fit

The personalised bike fit analyses the rider’s current bike set up and also looks at their body dimensions, flexibility and core strength in order to achieve the ideal riding position.

Our managing director Tony Booth, adds: “As riders prepare for a summer of cycling, our new precision bike fit jig is already being put to good use with our trained technicians, many of whom have ridden at a semi-professional level, using their knowledge, combined with the latest technology, to ensure maximum comfort on the bike, so giving better performance.”

The jig also allows us to replicate the exact geometry of a bike we may not have in stock. This is particularly useful in ensuring correct bike size and rider comfort prior to us ordering from a supplier .It enables a customer to easily test the difference in riding position between different models or sizes of the same model even if we don’t have these bikes in the showroom.

Great for any bike but absolutely essential for custom builds such as Trek Project One ,as these factory ordered bikes cannot be cancelled once the order is placed.

 

 

All Terrain Cycles Ride in Peace Road Team 2016 season kicks off ….

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All Terrain Cycles Rde in Peace Road Riders in Action

All Terrain Cycles Rde in Peace Road Riders in Action

 

Well that was a busy weekend of racing! Obviously the biggest and most important event on the sporting calender anywhere in the world on Saturday was the Cafe Race from Keighley to Gargrave(!!!) and I’m pleased to report that All Terrain took first and second, with Edward McParland taking the win with myself in second. Alex Barusevicus was close behind in 6th nearly managing to make it a clean sweep for us but he was just overcome in the last few metres by Billy Harding and Alfie Moses.

All Terrain took first and second, with Edward McParland taking the win with myself in second. Alex Barusevicus was close behind in 6th

All Terrain took first and second, with Edward McParland taking the win with myself, Steve Colloby , in second. Alex Barusevicus was close behind in 6th.

 

On to some proper racing on Sunday, and Edward McParland Matthew Bulmer and myself were all in action in the Jim Rogers Memorial E123 Road Race. I rode this race last year and it was on a pan flat circuit near the coast and I enthusiastically encouraged Matthew Bulmer to enter it as we are both riders that are built for fast flat courses. However, shortly after entering we were informed that the race had changed circuits and was now on the VERY hilly Dolphinholme circuit with around 7000 feet of climbing over the 77 mile, 6 lap course including a short section of 25%…. Eeek!!! Just suited to a pair of mountain goats like myself and Matt!

ride in peace 3

Matt Bulmer

First time up the long steady climb to the finish line and the race split to pieces with Tom Stewart (Madison Genesis) and a number of Pedal Heaven riders including James Gullen and Jack Pullar forcing the pace on the front. Ed was right to the fore of the pack and only just missed out on being in the first break to go away, and myself and Matt were hanging on for dear life as the splits started to open the bunch. I managed to position myself on a decent wheel and just hung on to the chasing pack as we crested the summit, and Matt was chasing hard just off the back, regaining contact halfway round the lap. Next time up the climb and the three of us positioned ourselves near the front of the group, but some poor riding from another rider saw him cut across in front of Ed forcing him to come to a stop and unclip, taking him out the back of the group in the process. Matt’s efforts from chasing over the previous half a lap came back to haunt him, and I tried my best to hang on to Ian Wilkinsons wheel as he decimated the group behind…. with about 250 metres to the top of the hill I had to let his wheel go, just as Ed came belting back past me, but too late to rejoin the front chasing group! By this point the peloton was blown to bits, with no more than about 10 riders at a time, and a leading break of about 5, and 10 chasers behind them. Eds group of 10 was the next group on the road and myself chasing hard and Matt just a short way behind me.
Down the other side and the super slippery Giant Propel and aero deep section wheels came into their own as I caught Ed’s group, as they chased to try and get back. Matt was caught in no mans land, with one other rider for company, and for a while they held the gap to our group, but with the other rider sitting on Matts wheel and refusing to do any work it was always going to be a mission impossible to get back on. Luckily for me the pace steadied in our group and the next few laps saw us working to try and close the gap, which meant the pace was hard but steady up the climbs. The race Commisaires then decided to pull us out a lap early, (I wasnt complaining!) and so with just shy of 70 miles and 6200ft of climbing on the clock we made our way up the climb for the final time with a handful of placings still available for the first few few in our group over the line. Once again Ed got the better of me in a sprint, (just as he had done on Saturday!) and we finished just inside the top twenty, although we are still waiting for the final results from the officials!

ride in peace 4

All in all it was a tough day, but with a bit better luck on that second climb Ed would have made one of the front groups, and Matt and myself got a good workout ahead of our first ‘Regional A’ RR next week at the BBM event, (I’m assured that this one is REALLY on a flat circuit!!) Ed tells me he’s off skiing this week…. I’m off to do a bit of sprint training while he’s got his guard down!!

The results sheet on VeloUK has got me down as 20th, but I know for a fact that Ed was one place in front of me and he’s not on the result sheet…. at all, in fact, were you even there Ed, I dont remember seeing you at the finish!

 

A week later and we are back for more !

After a some hard racing under our belts last weekend, Matthew Bulmer and myself were joined this weekend by Chris Emsley for the cat 2/3/4 BBM Revolution Road Race over at Pollington. Having grovelled around after the Elite riders last weekend myself and Matt were hoping for a good result this weekend, and Chris has been showing some good form in the recent reliabilitys so was also looking to test his legs in his first RR of the year. The race started well enough, with us covering the early moves and then after 5 laps of a 9 lap race a break of 10 went up the road with Chris safely in the move. With all the pre race favourites in the break, it was clear that this was going to be the winning break, so after half a lap and the break gaining around thirty seconds, I jumped clear of the dawdling peloton. I was soon joined by Matt and the two of us rode full gas for a good lap and a half getting to within about 100 metres of the leaders at one point, before they started pulling away from us again. We were infuriatingly close to closing the gap, but we had to accept that it wasnt to be, and as the break moved to around a minute clear of us we were caught by the chasing bunch.

With the break working well together, Team ATC hopes were firmly pinned on Chris. In the final gallop for the line, Tom Murray took the win, with Jake Tanner and Jack Cutsforth rounding out the podium. Unfortunately for Chris the efforts of his first race of the season came back to haunt him, and he was forced to limp over the line with one foot unclipped in 10th place after cramping up on the last lap!

In an interesting and rather unusual development the main group soon found itself stuck behind a horse and trap with two vehicles blocking the road behind it, and we came to a virtual standstill until they were forced off the road by a passing ambulance. By this point we were two and a half minutes down on the break, but with points still available on the line, Matt threw caution to the wind with a last lap attack, and was only reeled in with about 1km to go. I hung on for the inevitable bunch sprint in which I was 3rd. Not all bad, but not the results we were hoping for.

There was also a good showing from ATC riders at the usual cafe race on Saturday with Alex Barusevicus and Ben Wood breaking away early on. As we turned into Hetton Ben got baulked by a car and was caught, and i put in a dig over the Angel going clear with Matthew Bulmer, Alex Barusevicus and Billy Harding. The four of us then stayed clear all the way to the Gargrave, and with the line approaching we all started thinking that Billy Harding was going to do a “Stannard” on us……. but I’m pleased to say team ATC are better than Etixx Quickstep (Fact!), and I duly beat him in the sprint by a wheel length, with Alex in 3rd.

Yorkshire lasses launch annual ladies only charity sportive

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Just a year after forming one of the region’s only all-female cycling clubs, Yorkshire lasses Kate Horsfall of Wetherby and Judith Worrall of Thirsk, together with All Terrain Cycles and the ladies of the Yorkshire Lass Cycling Club, have launched a ladies charity sportive.

YLCC in Training

Members of Yorkshire Lass in Training

The first Yorkshire Lass Annual Charity Sportive will take place on Sunday 14 August in aid of Women v Cancer which comprises Breast Cancer Care, Jo’s Cervical Cancer and Ovarian Cancer Action. Starting from Carlton Lodge Activity Centre, Thirsk, the event is being organised through British Cycling and will offer three levels of difficulty with a 30 mile ‘Piece of Cake and a Cuppa’ ride; a 60 mile ‘Reet Gud Ride’; and a 103 mile ‘By Eck Tha War Ard Ride’ route – all riders will be awarded a medal and a piece of cake when they finish!

 

Wetherby-based Yorkshire Lass Cycling Club was launched last March and the response has been phenominal due to the growing popularity of women’s cycling, with All Terrain Cycles, which has superstores in Wetherby and Saltaire, funding the club’s first year’s affiliation to the British Cycling association and designing the exclusive club kit. As part of its commitment to promoting cycling in Yorkshire, All Terrain will be supporting the sportive and helping out with equipment and mobile mechanical support as well as supplying energy gels to help keep the ladies’ wheels and legs turning.

 

“It’s been a fantastic year and we’re proud to have grown the club to almost 100 members. With many of our ladies taking part in charity cycle rides last summer, we really wanted to host our own event,” says Kate. “Like the club itself, our sportive is inclusive, offering rides for all abilities.  The aim is to encourage people to try something new and push themselves a bit harder while also having fun – it’s amazing what you can achieve when supported by friends and the promise of a piece of cake at the finish line!

 

“We are really grateful to All Terrain Cycles for their ongoing support, from providing our fantastic club kit and sponsorship to giving us a friendly welcome as we set out on our rides on a Sunday morning, we couldn’t have done it without them. With their support, we hope to raise lots of funds for three wonderful women’s charities.”

 

Tony Booth, managing director of All Terrain Cycles, says: “Women’s cycling is becoming increasingly popular – it’s great to see so many ladies taking to their bikes, whether complete novices or experienced riders, it’s a great way to make new friends, get fit and have some fun. We expect the Yorkshire Lass charity sportive to become a firm favourite in the region’s cycling calendar.”

Tony Booth MD of All Terrain Cycles

The lunch stop will be at the famous Mousey Thompson shop and café for the participants doing the 60 mile and 100 mile routes. The ride will be well signposted with marshalls at points along the route, mechanical assistance provided by All Terrain Cycles of Wetherby and well stocked feed stations.

The event is being supported by a number of local businesses including Carlton Lodge, where Judith works. David Sharpe, chief executive of the activity centre agreed to stage the sportive which has also attracted other sponsors such as Yorkshire Tea Room, Yorkshire Tea, Office Solutions, Heck Sausages, Paynes Dairies, Masham Sausages and Chia Bars which are donating cakes, tea, sausages, energy bars, milk and office supplies.

Yorkshire Lass Cycling Club meets at 10am most Sunday’s at All Terrain Cycles on Audby Lane, Wetherby. Anyone interested in joining the club, taking part in the sportive or who would like to be a sponsor should visit: www.yorkshirelass.cci or to enter the charity sportive, visit www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/140445/Yorkshire-Lass-Annual-Charity-Sportive.  For any questions about the sportive or accommodation for the sportive, please contact yorkshirelasscc@hotmail.com.

Dating back to 1907, All Terrain Cycles is the oldest cycling business in Yorkshire. Having supported the sport of cycling since 1997 with its shop team, All Terrain Cycles is committed to playing an active part in the region’s cycling fraternity, sponsoring a number of cycling and charity events in the region every year such as the Bronte Sportive, the Lord Mayor’s Cycle Ride and the Ripley Castle Cyclocross.

 

Building on the success of its 10,000sq ft retail outlet at Salts Mill, Saltaire in Shipley, and its thriving online business http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk it opened a second 10,000sq ft cycling superstore last year in Wetherby. Selling many of the leading brands such as Trek and Cannondale, both stores stock over 1,000 mountain, road and BMX bikes, plus clothing and accessories as well as offering repairs and servicing.

 

All Terrain Cycles, Bikes, Cube Bikes, Cycle shop, cycling, Electric Bikes, Giant Bikes, Orbea bikes, Salts Mill, Trek Bikes, wetherby

Power to the Pedal….Electric Bikes, the future of Cycling ?

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As we head into spring, you’re probably thinking about getting out and about on your bike a bit more, or even starting out for the first time. It’s often at about this time of year that many of us consider using our cars a bit less and cycling to work or to run errands. In the words (well, nearly) of Oasis, they’re electric, no longer viewed as eccentric and they may just get you doing things you never expected… I’m talking about electric bikes !

Trek Powerfly

Don’t be fooled Electric Bikes are amazing fun !

Before I tried an electric bike, I’ll admit I was sceptical. Being a long-serving ‘traditional’ cyclist something in me said that an electric bike would spoil the enjoyment. How wrong I was. Having now given the e-bike a try, I can honestly say they’re huge fun and I’m a convert – as are thousands of others.
Electric bikes first came to Europe about a decade ago and they are becomingly increasingly popular here in the UK. Environmentally friendly and cost effective, they’re the ideal alternative for the modern cyclist and bring cycling within the reach of many more people than pedal power alone. They bring the fun of being on two wheels, without the gruel of getting fit. They can be ridden anywhere that push bikes can be ridden, they’re really easy to use and persuade even ‘non-cyclists’ to get pedalling.

The bikes have a small, integrated electric motor to assist the rider’s pedal power and use rechargeable batteries that are charged at a normal mains socket and last for about 20 miles. With a maximum uphill speed of 15mph, they have the added advantage of no road tax or licence being needed and provide a really stable ride.
There is still an element of exercise involved as you have to pedal in order for the motor to run, and by law it has to cut out at about 15mph, so you’re back to pedalling again. They’re ideal for people who want to get around without getting sweaty or those who have an injury that prevents them from using a conventional bike. That extra boost of power saves the slog, particularly up hills – meaning you won’t get hot and bothered and can ascend at a steady, safe and consistent speed. Be warned though, wrap up warm as it can get chilly with the reduced physical exertion!
Broadly speaking, electric bikes fall into two categories: pedal-assist/pedelecs, where the motor is controlled by pedalling and increases the rider’s efforts and the power-on-demand type, where the motor is activated by a throttle, usually on the handlebar. Under UK law ‘electrically assisted pedal cycles’ (EAPCs) can be ridden by anyone over the age of 14 without a licence and they don’t need to be taxed, registered or insured.

They’re available in various sizes, as with pedal bikes, and you can get different tyres to suit all surfaces and conditions, meaning you can tackle all trails no matter how steep or how long. And it’s not just road bikes, there is a huge range of off-road bikes too. Known as e-MTBs, they offer all the benefits you would expect from a performance-orientated trail bike but with the added boost of power.
If industry reports are right, more and more of us will be going electric with e-bikes predicted to account for around 25% of all bikes sales within the next few years. As with pedal bikes, prices range significantly. An entry level electric bike can be bought for as little as £500, going up to as much as £5,000 for a high performance mountain bike with carbon frame. It’s important to think about how you’re planning to use your e-bike before buying one, just as you would for a conventional bike. Think about the distance you’re intending to travel, how hilly your journeys might be and, therefore, the level of power you will need before investing.

But whatever your pedal power preference – manual or electric – more people on bikes, can only be a good thing.

We have a great selection of Electric Bikes

We have a great selection of Electric Bikes

 

At All Terrain Cycles we have a great selection of Electric bikes from Cube , Trek , Giant and Orbea.  Come and speak to our knowledgeable staff for more information at either our Salts Mill or Wetherby Stores.

Giant Defy Advanced SL1, an owners review

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I have had the pleasure of nearly 12 months riding Giant’s Endurance machine, in that time I have covered over 3,500 miles on it using it for TimeTrials, Sportives and ultra endurance rides and it’s a belter.

Giant Defy Advanced SL 1

Giant Defy Advanced SL on Buttertubs

The model I have is the 2015 but other than a snazzy red paint job the bike is unchanged for 2016. The excellent Ultegra 11 speed drivetrain doesn’t need any more words said on it, it’s been faultless.

The wheelset and tyres are Giant’s own carbon SLR 0, they’ve remained true and running sweet since day one, impressive considering I’m a big rider and the state of the roads. The tyres are pretty good too, the front is still on there but the back wore quite quickly, once I’d swapped out the ultra-light innertubes for something a little more substantial I’ve hardly flatted at all. The bars and stem are also Giant’s own carbon components, they’ve been comfortable on multi hour epics and have just got on with the job. The disc brakes have won me over too, fantastically powerful yet easily controllable with no rim wear to worry about and still on the original pads, excellent.

The frame is the heart of any bike and this is where the Defy Advanced SL really shines.

Fleet Moss Yorkshire

Fleet Moss at Sunset

The D-Fuse Integrated seatpost really makes a difference with reducing general road buzz and certainly lessens the fatigue from road vibration. You have to be brave when cutting the tube, there’s something instinctively wrong with taking a hacksaw to a carbon frame but with “measure twice, cut once” ringing in your ears it has to be done. The provided spacers allow for quite a bit of adjustment so all is not lost if you’re a little out with the saw.

I can’t really say much about the claims of the oversized steerer other than it goes where you want it to and behaves impeccably even at high speed, the same with the Powercore bottom bracket. Even with my weight grunting up Hardknott at a cadence not far off single figures there’s no noticeable flex in the frame.

Where the Defys really shine are their shock absorbing capabilities and the range-topping frame on the Advanced SL is truly impressive. I have been “blessed” with an ankle with little movement, it has 12 screws and a 6” plate in it, it is, however, the perfect testing mechanism for the harshness of a bike’s ride. To give an example I borrowed a cheap winter bike from a friend, Ribble’s aluminium offering. I could only manage about 2 hrs on it before the pain was too much from the harshness of the ride. 3 weeks after taking delivery of my Defy I rode for 24hrs on it, it really is that comfortable. My other bikes are steel and titanium, the Defy feels similar at first but absorbs big hits far more impressively and is ultimately more comfortable,

Overall I’ve been hugely impressed by the Defy and I highly recommend it. It’s coped with Strava sprint KOMs, the steepest roads in Yorkshire and Cumbria and has taken me on 300 mile epics. All this in a super lightweight package, what’s not to like?

It was 20 Years ago today …….

Posted on by allterraincycles

… that I bought All Terrain Cycles.

tb2

Tony Booth MD of All Terrain Cycles

Hardly Sgt Pepper I know, but never the less a very important day in my life.

Then known as Riley Brother Cycles this family owned Cycle specialist had been trading since 1907 and was located on the High Street of Crosshills, in the foothills of the Dales between Skipton and Keighley.

Back in 1996 we crammed ourselves into a few hundred square feet. We mainly sold Mountain Bikes as was the case in the mid 90’s. Occasionally with 24 gears and flashy things like V brakes!

How the world of bikes has changed in the last 20 years.

By the late 90s we had taken over the flat over the shop , created a wacky Cave room complete with Pterodactyl flying over head, opened a BMX shop further down the Street, and needed a separate warehouse to support the huge increase in stock.

By the early 2000’s we were bugling at the seems. Our Crosshills shop just couldn’t take any more stock, and half of what we had we couldn’t find ( or so it would seem at times  !)

The hunt for new premises followed and after much deliberation, saw our move to Salts Mill.

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Salts Mill Shed 48 late 2005 – Prior to refit for All Terrain Cycles Now our Workshop by front door

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Rear of Salts Mill Shed 48 late 2005

You needed a good imagination but after months of hard work and long days this became the amazing shop we have today ………….

 

 

 

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All Terrain Cycles – Salts Mill Bikestore 2016

May 2014 saw the opening of a second Bikestore, located at Sandbeck, Wetherby, this new venture is on the same scale as Salts Mill Bikestore. Like Salts,the store offers our customers a huge selection of Bikes both Road and off Road, and a massive selection for  Ladies.

 

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All Terrain Cycles Bikestore Wetherby – opened May 2014 10,000sq ft of Cycle Heaven

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of Customers for their continued support, as well as the dedication from our staff, many how have been working at All Terrain from the 90’s.

My family and I ,look forward to the next 20 years.

I wonder what bike technology will be like in 2036 ?

 

 

Trek Stache 5 2016 review

Posted on by allterraincycles

What is it?

29+, oh no not another wheel size I hear you say? The Trek Stache is a hardtail based around the 29” wheel platform utilising 3.0” tyres.

Trek have spent the last 4 years developing what was called ‘Project Weird’, an in-house research project based around frame geometry and trying to figure out just how short a chainstay length was possible with a larger tyre.

These experiments led to developments that would eventually make their way onto the Stache, including the sliding Stranglehold dropouts that allow the bike to have 420mm chainstays, which is short even for bikes with ‘normal’ sized tires, and extremely impressive when considering the wheel dimensions of the Stache. To enable these short stays, Trek have worked with SRAM to develop the new Boost wheel spacing offering.

The goal with the new bike was to have something that was enjoyable to ride everywhere (this is NOT a fat bike), although with an admittedly different on-trail feel than what most riders are used to.

The model in review here is the Stache 5 which is totally rigid, albeit fitted with a carbon rigid fork taken from the popular Trek Superfly (US only model). The Stache 5 does come with a 1×10 drivetrain but my intention was always to make this Single Speed.

the 29+ MTB of choice

Trek 2016 Stache 5

I wonder how long this Stache 5 will stay this clean ?

Reasons for purchase

For many years I have ridden and raced Single Speed – we’re not going to discuss the merits of gears ‘v’ single speed in this review!

It was at the European Single Speed Championship I first became aware of the 29+ format as the then (and current) World SS Champion was riding a custom made frame with the larger tyres. Yes, they do look quite a bit larger than a standard 29er tyre but they really do look in proportion with the rest of the bike.

This had me thinking: one of the biggest advantages of riding 29” over 26” is momentum, which is critical for single speeding. As 29+ has a theoretical overall diameter of 31” then this would surely make an amazing single speed bike, right?

Initial investigations found that it was possible to have custom titanium frame manufactured or go with a heavy steel frame from a more main stream manufacturer. Ultimately neither option was ideal due to cost and a resistance to have an unwieldy bike in the fleet.

When Trek announced their 2016 bikes part way through 2015, I placed my order to secure one of the first bikes into the country. The main reason for the purchase was 29+ but I was intrigued by the Stranglehold drop out adjustment which would allow me to run the bike as single speed without the need for a chain tensioner.

 

Initial impressions

WOW those tyres are BIG!

The bike is a real eye turner. This is mainly down to the colour but when you look at the thought that has gone into the frame design it is easy to understand where the 4 years of development has gone. It just looks right as the proportions are spot on.

Out of the box this bike comes in at 26lb, which considering the price (£1300), the width of the rims and size of the tyres is a really good weight. Immediately 2lbs can be shed by going tubeless (yes the tubes do weigh 1lb each!) but it should be noted that the bike comes with tubeless ready rims, tubeless ready tyres, rim tape is already fitted and the tubeless valves are supplied with the accessories so it’s a relatively easy fix.

Removing the gears, adding carbon bars, swapping out for a shorter stem and a layback seatpost has taken the total bike weight to 22lbs which would be deemed light for a 29+ bike.

 

How it rides…

Looking down on to that front tyre is very strange at first but you soon adapt. It does take a little bit more effort to get up to speed, but once it gains momentum it’ll cruise right along, with nowhere near the amount of rolling resistance I’d anticipated despite the massive footprint of each tyre.

When it comes to technical sections, the extra rollover ability that 29ers possess is one of their biggest strengths, and the Stache’s supersized dimensions take this to the next level. Roots and rocks simply disappear under the wheels, squashed beneath the 3” Chupacabra rubber. The traction available is truly unbelievable, again proving why this makes a perfect single speed bike as you need as much help as possible to push the gearing on the climbs – the footprint is almost 50% larger than a standard 29er tyre which explains why the tread pattern is pretty minimal. The tyres have a very round, low profile tread and the high volume allows them to be run at much lower pressures than normal – I have found 11 psi to be perfect for my local trails.

The front end is dialed in to fun mode. With a 50mm stem fitted, the 730mm bars allow you to muscle the wheels into bends and through roots and rock gardens. Handling is accurate and it is great fun to ride. The low bottom bracket height keeps your weight low, meaning the bike is happy being pushed deep into corners.  Grip in the corners is so high that you will have to recalibrate your senses – this bike just keeps on gripping, well passed what would be deemed acceptable on a standard 29er tyre.

It is important to note that swapping back to ride a standard 29er bike could be quite alarming as it will not offer the grip levels you have become accustomed to!

North Yorkshire Evening Road Cycle Race League Report

Posted on by allterraincycles

Chris Emsley , Road rider for All Terrain Cycles Race Team reports on his experiences of this event :1

After a disappointing and frustrating start to the season with some naïve racing tactics and mis-timed sprints, I entered my first ever road races in the Chevin series, up against Elites & Cat 1’s (along with the 2, 3 and 4’s), which was quite daunting but I felt I had nothing to lose.  I gained a lot of experience in these races and finished 11th in the final Saxton race, which would hold me in good stead for the NYERR round that was held there later in the season.

2

I missed the first 2 events through illness and holidays, and went into round 3 at Sheriff Hutton with still no points to my name.  The pressure was on!  The course at Sherriff Hutton was 4 laps of an undulating course with a steep uphill finish, totalling 70km with over 1000m of ascent.  The course suited me well as quite a punchy rider who can get over the climbs, and early in lap 2 I got into a 5 man break, but some riders seemed unwilling to ride do their turns and we were brought back by the end of the lap.  From here I stayed up near the front but tried to save some energy for the tough uphill finish.  I was slightly out of place going into the sprint but managed to come over the brow of the hill in 4th place and held that to the line.  First points in the bag!

 

3

The next round was held on the roads around Flamingo Land, but the night didn’t turn out as well as hoped for me or the other ATC team rider Steve Wallis.  We both wasted too much energy chasing down early breaks and then tried twice to get away ourselves, but the pack kept a close eye on us and we were chased down immediately.  Coming towards the finish we were both still well placed, slightly too well placed and as Steve went for it up the final hill leading to the finish, I chased on, as did the pack.  Once over the hill there was still a good 200m to the finish and the pack came past and we were both left just shy of the top 10.  Lessons learnt.

4

Round 5 and back to Saxton, the only race where I knew the circuit so far, a good fast circuit with a few gently rising hills and one or two sharper kicks to boot.  I sat in up near the front of the pack for the first 2 laps then on the 3rd lap I got to the front and kicked out of a sharp left corner leading up a short steel rise, 3 riders came with me and we got a good lead on the pack, only to be held up by a car on the road and that was that.  So I again stayed up near the front making sure nobody else tried the same tactics and saved my energy for what should be a bunch sprint.  Last lap, 2 boys from the same club went up the road and the rest of their team slowed the front of the pack to try let them get away, so it was left up to me to chase on. I managed to bring them back up the final ride before the fast downhill section towards the pan flat finishing straight, feeling I had burnt too many matches to get a good result in the sprint. 5 However … a rider went way too early and I was quick to jump on his wheel, where I stayed until 100m to go where I powered past and came within 25 meters of the line, where two riders just snook past me and relegated me to 3rd place.  I was still very happy with the result given how active I’d been in the race and now the points were beginning to rack up to get my season goal of becoming Cat2.6

Round 6 and onto Brandsby Bank, finishing up the infamous climb of Yearsley Bank, used on the British Road Race Championships in 2012.  4 Laps of a flat-ish circuit and then climb of around 1.2km with an average gradient of just less than 10%.  I was warned before the start to make sure I saved some energy for the finish, so I duly sat in the pack, close enough to the front to stay out of trouble and keep my eyes open for any breaks going away, but not too close to waste any energy.  Leading towards the finish I got up and around the top 10 riders, then as soon as we hit the climb I went full gas, getting a gap of 30-50m on the pack.  Thinking I may have done enough to win, the road then kicked up again to around 15% gradient, and I saw the sign for 500m to go.  My heart sank and my legs died, and riders began to come past me.  As the road flattened up near the top I put in a final maximum effort to the line and managed to salvage 6th place.  Just happy to be in the points on such a brutal finish.

I again missed round 7 due to a trip to France to climb Alpe d’Huez and then watch the Tour de France.  But I was back for the final round, once again at Brandsby Bank!

Round 8 – start line – the commissaire announces the race has been upgraded to a Regional A race as there are a lot of Cat2 riders racing and for this round the finale will go up Yearsley Bank, and then continue a further 1km to the finish line!  I need 8th place to get enough points to get Cat2, but my hopes weren’t as high as they were 2 minutes ago!  However, I knew the circuit and knew the final climb.  Maybe not all was lost.

7

I sat in once again and missed a breakaway form, 4 riders got a good lead and nobody seemed to want to chase.  I went after them alone and got to within 25m of them, then took a sharp left turn into a block headwind, I then had two choices, risk burning all my matches or sit up and wait for the pack.  8Knowing I needed some energy for the finish, I chose the latter.  So, once again I got myself in strong position going into the climb up Yearsley, but this time stayed with the pack instead of attacking.  Coming over the brow I was in 3rd place in the group, I then sat in the wheel until 100m to go and sprinted past, taking the sprint finish and 6th overall.

 

9This final result gave me enough points to get my Category 2 racing licence and also took the prize of best overall rider, accumulating most points over the series of races.

 

 

 

 

A great first season road racing and more to come next year10

Some tips on teaching your child to cycle

Posted on by allterraincycles

Learning to ride a bike is one of the landmark achievements in any child’s life, not only is it the sense of mastering a new skill and the confidence it brings, but also it’s their first taste of independence.

Two wheels or three

There is no right way or wrong way to learn to cycle. Most of us will remember our first tricycle or bike with stabilisers and, undoubtedly, they offer the greatest stability and allow children to get the hang of the pedalling without having to worry about toppling over. But they are cumbersome and awkward to manoeuvre, for the child and the adult.

Given balance is actually the main part of cycling – the pushing round of the pedals is simply a way of propelling oneself – some argue that tricycles and stabilisers delay a child’s two wheeled progress. This is where balance bikes come into their own, encouraging the child to develop a sense of balance and feel for what happens if they lean from one side or the other. They don’t generally have brakes as the feet do the stopping (be warned, shoes may not last long!)

Some consider that children who start off on balance bikes go straight to a two wheeled pedal bike more readily, because they are much less likely to fall, having already developed a sense of balance. Children are often naturally inclined to run along with the bike and some persuasion may be needed to get them to sit on it – it may be easier to focus on getting their feet off the ground rather than their bottom on the seat. Encourage them to scoot along, using their feet, taking larger and larger strides so they need to balance for longer between each stride.

Although specific balance bikes are available, it is just as effective to take the pedals off an ordinary bike. You just need to make sure the bike is small enough that they can comfortably straddle the bike with both feet flat on the ground, so they can scoot along without feeling out of control, and then simply take off the pedals. The added benefit of this is that when they have got their balance, you can just put the pedals back on to take them to the next stage.

Whichever method they’ve started with, most children will be ready to try a two wheeled, pedal bike by about five – which is normally when the back-breaking work starts for the parent running alongside, trying to steer! Steering through their shoulders does avoid some of the pain and gives the child a greater sense of freedom, while still knowing you’re there for emergencies.

If you have gone down the stabilisers route, the transition between to two wheels will take a little time, maybe a few weeks, but they’ll soon be off. Don’t rely on stabilisers for too long though – children who do tend to find it harder to get the hang of having just two wheels.

Having started, now you need to stop!

Introduce the idea of braking at the same time as they’re learning the pedalling bit. You don’t need to focus on it too much, as you’ll undoubtedly be around for the first rides to stop them careering into something, but at least get them to understand that pressing the brakes means they can stop before an obstacle. This is why it’s best to start them off in a large, open area so there are fewer things to crash into. Although it might be tempting to start on grass, thinking it will cushion any falls, tarmac is much easier to ride on.

When they’ve built their confidence and can balance and pedal, it’s time to focus on braking – explaining the need to use both brakes at the same time, to avoid going over the handlebars or skidding, and to brake gradually. Now is also the time to encourage them to look around, especially in front – rather than at you – and to understand when they need to break or change direction to avoid things.

The most important thing to remember is that all children are different and will vary in their two wheeled ambitions. Some will want to learn earlier than others – and that is the key, the child has to want to learn and it should be fun. Seeing a friend or sibling riding around, enjoying newfound freedom is often a good incentive but three or fours years seems to be about the average for the first cycling adventures.

Similarly, there are many different approaches to learning to cycling but whatever the method, there will inevitably be a few crashes, bumps and grazes along the way and then, bingo, that Eureka moment will happen and they will never forget how to ride a bike.

All Terrain Ride in Peace Team update ……..

Posted on by allterraincycles

Chris and Jed Whitfield on our DH Team had a good weekends racing up at Hamsterly Forest early in the month. Chris came away with the English Vets champions Trophy again!Pretty sure the trophy is  shrinking every year though. Jed came home in 6th place in Master blasters not what he wanted really but Hamsterley has some pinners.

Chris Whitfiled wins again

Chris Whitfield English Vets Champion 2015

The Track was a mix of flat out pedaling berms and jumps onthe top half of the course then a new loamy technical section to the finish.Because of the nature of the track any mistakes cost you dearly, Chris managed to shave 2 seconds off his  first run time beating 2nd place by 4 seconds.

 Giant bike is running great and the bell helmets are comfy as ☺

The Glory shot !

The Glory shot !

Our man in Scotland , Gregor Notman had a weird one Arthur BDS at Fort William with the gondola being shut it was just a bit of a sprint and nothing technical just some big jumps! He ended up 10th in expert with a shadey run, here’s a pic from vital mtb putting the glory through its paces.

Somewhere over ( sorry under ) the Rainbow !

Somewhere over ( sorry under ) the Rainbow !

End of the month saw gregor at  Langollen . He reports it was an insane so much carnage over the weekend. He qualified 3rd and ended up 4th in finals, he was so happy as it was his first ever British podium.

Gregor Notman takes 4th at Llangollen

Gregor Notman takes 4th at Llangollen

The Road Team entered the Ilkley 2 Day at end of the month.

This weekend Peter Barusevicus, Matthew Bulmer and Ed McParland competed in the Ilkley 2 Day stage race in Nidderdale, some tough racing on demanding courses. They certainly put the Terrain jerseys at the front of the race and came away with some good results!

Team All Terrain at Ilkley 2 day

Team All Terrain at Ilkley 2 day

Stage 1 Individual Prologue 5th – Ed McParland 6th – Pete Barusevicus 19th – Billy (Matt) Bulmer The first stage was a 1.5 mile prologue or should we say sprint, there was a little climb to begin with and then an all out effort to the line. With the wind behind us it favoured the ‘larger’ lads but  held their  own and put some good times down.

Stage 2 Road Race 3rd – Pete 5th – Ed 36th – Billy This stage used the locally famed Penny Pot Lane course, 55 miles with a couple of short sharp climbs to deal with. At the end of the first lap a split developed during the hill prime and soon developed into a large break which would eventually stay away for the entirety of the race. Ed and Pete found themselves in the group and decided to push on seeing the gap open up.

They kept the work rate high and Pete had 3/4 attempts at getting away but unfortunately was reeled in by the remaining 15 strong group. This however gave Ed a chance to sit on and rest up before going for the hill primes on 3 of the 5 laps. The end came down to a sprint with 1 man chipping off the front. They were both up there, no time lost and KOM jersey secured. Job done.

After a strong early attack from Billy which allowed Pete and Ed to taketheir feet off the gas, he was unlucky to be on the wrong side of the bunch when the split happened, a strong ride to the finish saw him at the front of the bunch gallop. Stage 3 TTT 5th Team TTT or Pete’s TT. Pete put the power down from the start and so much so that Billy and Ed weren’t much help, only contributing to some of the work.

They finished with a strong time and were unlucky not to win, but the wind picked up and a couple of teams who set off an hour later than us managed to put down some really quick times. No change on GC or KOM. Stage 4 Road Race 3rd – Ed 5th – Pete TBC – Billy The queen stage of the race with a long climb out of Darley and up to Thruscross.

To their disappointment the commissaires decided to reduce the number of laps due to wind, but we were still chomping at the bit to get stuck in and attack the hills. The first 3 of the 5 climbs were ridden at tempo which reduced the bunch significantly. Pete lead Ed out for each of the hill primes which meant the Jersey was secured!

On the 4th ascent Pete sat on the front and towed the race up, thinning it out even more and was unfortunate not to break away. Coming into the last lap we knew we still had to get 20 seconds from somewhere if we wanted to take the overall, so early on the climb I put a big attack in and gapped the group, Ed pushed on and was joined by three other riders. Unfortunately one of which was the race leader. We pushed on but Ed was unable to get away and finished 3rd on the stage.

Pete also attacked and managed to put some fresh air in between himself and the group, finishing 5th on the stage. Billy held a good position in the main group and rolled over a little down on time due to cramp on the last climb. KOM jersey secured and moved up on GC! Overall 2nd – Ed McParland 4th – Pete Barusevicus 32th – Billy Bulmer KOM Overall 1st – Ed 3rd – Pete Points Overall 3rd – Pete 5th – Ed Team Overall 5th – Team

With the kit and the bikes we by far looked one of the smartest teams at the race and rode strongly together, with perfect teamwork we were unlucky not to have done better!!

 

The Etape du Dales 2015 a survivors story …..

Posted on by allterraincycles

2015’s edition of the iconic Yorkshire (with a bit of Cumbria) Sportive will be etched into the memory of every rider who took part. For most that memory will be buried away and only looked at in a few months time when, maybe after a few beers or in a fit of insanity those riders think to themselves “maybe that wind wasn’t that bad after all, maybe it’ll be better next year…”

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Chris Emsley of All Terrain Cycles Ride in Peace Race Team

 

 

The thing with the 110 mile Etape is it doesn’t shy away from the highest and most exposed roads, the route was chosen to give the most exposure to the Dales most spectacular routes, there really is nowhere to hide. The first is Fleet Moss, Yorkshire’s highest road which you get pretty much straight out of blocks but the hills keep coming with the Buttertubs, Low Row, Tan Hill, Lamps Moss, the Coal Road (shudder), Dent Head and then Dale Head all lining up to turn even the strongest legs to jelly.

This year saw three riders from All Terrain taking on the Etape, Chris Emsley, Steven Wallis and myself, we all rode individually due to our differing speeds and abilities (ok, those 2 are way faster than me).

The wind does funny things in the Dales, it doesn’t blow in a nice straight line, it gets funnelled up the  valleys and is very unpredictable, that tailwind you’d been assuring yourself was coming up? Nah, not happening…..This year the wind was the major talking point, not that talking was an option, if you could talk whilst pushing against that wind no one could hear you anyway, it was 6 hours before I could even hear myself swear. The usual death-grip plummet off Fleet Moss was a nerve-racking brake fest with riders being blown across the road, this continued on the climb up the Buttertubs only relenting on the descent after the hairpin. A joyous tailwind shoved us down Swaledale and at times gave a helpful push up the sharp climbs above Low Row.

But all that was soon forgotten when, hitting Arkengarthdale the route turned left on the 7 mile climb up to the Tan Hill, it’s not much of a climb either (the Strava KOM time is 19:48, this year I took over twice that) but it’s very exposed, the weather station at the Tan Hill recording a steady 25mph westerly that day with gusts towards 40mph, a headwind to remember. Groups of riders formed and I clung on as best I could but after getting dropped I soon found it took more effort to pedal half as fast on your own, I grabbed the next passing wheels and hung on, our group fragmenting at the top of the last climb, where the wind was the strongest.

I’d intended stopping at The Tan Hill feed stop but knew I’d struggle to get going again so I rode through, Chris, knowing that he had no chance of bettering his previous time wisely took advantage of the feed with a brew and a butty, Steven passed me shortly after on the climb up Lamps Moss with a group from Harrogate Nova who made light work of the rolling climb. The Mallerstang was surprisingly sheltered and the run up to the Moorcock pretty uneventful. This was my first stop, in hindsight not the best plan as there’s precious little time from leaving the feed before you hit the Coal Road, and you do hit the 30% bends at the bottom like a wall. The photographer at the top was wearing a hat and a duvet jacket as we grunted and sweated past him and dropped into the balmy calmness of Dentdale. This was shortlived as the run down from Newby Head to Ribblehead was once again a battle into a headwind. Eventually though Stainforth feed arrived, one last bottle fill saw a pleasant tailwind help us up to Dalehead and then a lovely run down Littondale and Wharfedale to the finish.

Steven, the true athlete was sat at the end, having knocked out the 110 miles in 6hrs 54, 14th overall and now knocking back a pint of Guinness, it was all I could do to eat my sausage butty and drink tea. Chris had finished in 7hrs 17 having a few stops on the way, in hindsight he reckons he could easily have gone sub 7 (think it was 3 pints at the Moorcock that did it Chris). I managed an 8hrs 18, not my best but that wind had taken it’s toll on everyone, 827 riders finished with over 600 of them behind me, average times somewhere around 45 minutes slower than normal.

I say 3 riders took part, we actually had 2 more with Lars and Bjoern riding 64 miles of the route, including the Coal Road, whilst smiling, and riding past 50+ riders…..not bad for an 10 year old. Lars then went on to rub every one’s nose in it by tapping out a Strava KOM on the last climb of the day.

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Lars and Bjoern – remember his name a star in the making.

 

So, one to remember, or at least to try and forget. The beauty of a ride like that is next time you’re riding into a headwind and those around you are whimpering you can safely tell yourself that it’s a mere whisper compared to that day back in May……………..

Advice for novice cyclists ………

Posted on by allterraincycles

Getting started

It would have been impossible to live in the county last summer and not be aware of the cycling fever which gripped Yorkshire.  With some of the most beautiful (and challenging!) countryside in the UK, it’s no surprise that cycling has been growing in popularity in recent years and the hosting of the Grand Depart pushed the sport to a whole new level.  Not only is it a convenient way of getting around, cycling is also great exercise helping to build strength and muscle tone as well as improving cardio-vascular fitness without the damage of pounding the streets on foot.  What’s more, if you join one of the many local cycling clubs, it’s a good opportunity to meet new friends, have some fun and socialise while you cycle.

Finding the right bike

The starting point is to find the right bike.  Do some research online so that you have a little basic understanding of the options in terms of the type of bike suitable for your needs and also more technical information such as frame materials and components which will affect its performance, weight and durability.  Then go to a reputable cycling specialist which can offer a huge range of bikes and use the expertise of their staff (usually cycling fanatics!) to find the perfect model for you.  Be prepared to ask lots of questions and if the staff can’t answer your questions, go somewhere else!

buyingaBike

At All Terrain Cycles we pride ourselves in having friendly and helpful staff

 

In general terms, as with most things, you get what you pay for, so buy the best quality bike you can afford.  While there is a certain amount of brand and fashion in bicycles, usually more expensive bikes will offer technical advances increasing performance and comfort.

You wouldn’t buy a car without test driving it, so don’t buy a bike that you haven’t ridden!  Often it’s just a matter of finding the right fit for you and you can only identify this by taking it for a spin.  Staff should be trained to advise you on the right frame size and seat height for you.

If you’re just starting out in the sport, a hybrid bike is probably a good bet for you.  These bikes are a cross between a road bike and a mountain bike.  They feature the larger wheels of a traditional road bike and also have fatter tyres giving a comfortable, fast ride.  They’re an ideal ‘first’ bike as they’re suitable for whizzing around town, doing some gentle off-road and also for longer rides.  As with anything, the price range is huge, but for £300 to £400, you can get a decent entry level hybrid.  Once you’re hooked by the cycling bug, it’s easy to upgrade to a more sophisticated model or to a road or mountain bike should you wish to do more specialised riding – or as many enthusiasts do, start to build up your own fleet of multiple bicycles for different uses!

Essential kit

showroom

All Terrain Cycles Salts Mill – One of the largest Cycle Shops in the UK

Make sure that when you buy your bike, you also invest in another essential piece of kit – a helmet.  These days, no one would get on a motorbike or a horse without a helmet so it amazes me that they’re happy to mount a bike and take to the roads with no protection.  As a cyclist, you are vulnerable and it makes sense to take as many safety precautions as you can to minimise risk – always wear a helmet; choose high visibility clothing; and, if cycling at night, make sure you have lights.  In terms of safety on the roads, try to be as visible as possible – remember how difficult it is to spot cyclists, observe good road sense and always be cautious.  Another piece of kit that you should not leave the garage without is a bike tire repair kit – cheap and easy to carry, you could be very glad of this if you find yourself with a puncture in the middle of the Dales!

Having invested in the essentials to get you started, you can gradually build up the additional kit which will make your cycling more comfortable and improve your performance.  Warm cycling gloves, padded shorts and cycling glasses will all be greatly appreciated if you plan to spend many hours in the saddle!

Like everything, practice makes perfect.  If you don’t feel confident, start off by cycling in an open area, off-road while you get familiar with the gears and brakes.  Then progress to short rides, either at times when traffic is lighter or on quiet roads.  This will also give you a chance to build up your fitness, ready for the Tour de Yorkshire

Ride In Peace Team kick off the season

Posted on by allterraincycles

Ben Wood at Prisick

Ben Wood at PrissickGreat start to the seasons racing this weekend. Ben Wood, Nikky and Chris Emsley headed up to Prisick – highfield kitchens cat 3/4 race. Tough race with average speed of 25mph over 30 laps. Conditions were dry with a hard headwind on the finishing straight. All the team rode super well and we were unlucky to not get in the top 10 finish with crashes and some dodgy riding at times. Ben had a two hour rest then raced the 4th cat race and just didn’t have the legs to finish it off after riding well all day. Came in 11th.

Peter Barusevicus at Pimbo

Peter Barusevicus My third race of the season (My second was Soens but I punctured so enough about that) was held under rainy conditions round an industrial estate in Lancashire, called St Helens CRC Pimbo.

This was an elite race so there was a handful of pro and a smothering of elite riders on the start list. The course was held on a shallow incline, of around 3-5%, meaning there was a fast downhill back stretch and a a fast finish straight due to the tailwind; total lap length of about 1.5miles.

Attacks came straight away and were constant, reminiscent of a Belgian Kermesse. I tried my hand in a few but nothing came to fruition so I settled back into the bunch and watched proceedings. The bunch was still all together at 3rd distance and there was a big bunch gallop for the first prime. I stayed put and saved my legs for later skirmishes.

At around half distance a break went up the finishing straight containing Condor JLT’s Joe Moses and Giordana RT’s Richard Hepworth. This looked promising so I jumped across and started working with my fellow escapees, slowly increasing the lead over the bunch to 1 minute. A few laps later Moses sprinted up the road to claim the second prime. We came back together and all started working smoothly again.

At around 3/4 distance, a group of 4 containing One Pro Cycling’s Pete Williams, Raleigh-GAC’s Brad Morgan and ChampionSys-VCUK’s Dillion Byrne bridged across to us and almost instantly started attacking to test the breaks legs. These repeated attacks didn’t come to much except dislodge of the weaker riders from the initial break.

With 3 to 4 laps to go, Williams swung to the side as to protest at some riders lack of commitment to the break. Instead, he slowly accelerated and before we knew what was happening he had a gap. We frantically tried to close it but to no avail. Williams slowly continued to increase the gap to the point where he had 20-30 seconds on us at the finish.

I found myself at the front on the last finish straight and strung out the break as I tried to loose the following wheel, but the remaining pros were too experienced to fall for my zig-zagging across the road and Morgan was the first to launch his sprint, followed by Byrne. I started to come round Byrne in the final 100m but lost out for 3rd by half a wheel.

All in all I felt very strong and was very happy with my performance, holding my own against some pros and one very on-form Pete Williams (up to a point). Amazing ride by Williams to ride away from the chasing bunch like he wasn’t riding.

Yorkshire Cycle Retailer announces 2015 road and MTB Teams

Posted on by allterraincycles

team 2015

All Terrain Cycles Ride In Peace Race Team 2015

The region’s oldest cycling business, All Terrain Cycles which has superstores in Saltaire and Wetherby, has announced its road and mountain bike/cyclocross teams for the coming season.

 

team 2015 2

Bell Helmets sponsor All Terrain Cycles Race Team 2015

Having supporting the sport of cycling since 1997 with its shop team, All Terrain Cycles has brought together some of the most talented cyclists in Yorkshire.  The 19-strong road team includes up-and-coming stars such as Chris Emsley,31, who last year won the Cat 4 race at Tameside and came in the top 10 of all the races he entered.

 

All Terrain Cycles’ MTB/CX team comprises nine members including Chris Whitfield who is the SDA Down Hill Champion for the third consecutive year; and Jeremy Copeland who took second place in the XC Single Speed European Championships.  One of the most exciting riders is Bjoern Koerdt who, at just ten years of age, has already scooped the titles of Yorkshire Cyclocross Champion, Yorkshire Road Racing League Champion and Yorkshire Summer Cross Series Winner.

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Bjoern a star in the making Yorkshire Cyclocross champion U12 2014

 

“As cycling enthusiasts, we’re committed to promoting the sport and believe it’s vital to give talented riders the support they need to fulfil their potential,” explains Tony Booth, managing director of All Terrain Cycles.  “Cycling has become highly technical and riders need the very best professional support in order to have the best chance of success.  As well as taking part in our regular training rides, team members also benefit from expert servicing by our mechanics, and advice on everything from the latest cycling products for enhanced performance to biodynamics, the positioning of the cyclist on the bike.

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All Terrain Downhill Team get in some training

 

“Each year, our teams have gone from strength to strength and we have high hopes for the 2015 season.  Chris Whitfield hopes to be SDA Champion for the fourth year in a row and with the addition of a couple of new riders, our road team is looking better than ever and is confident of putting in a strong performance in a number of national team events.”

 

Tony adds: “Great Britain has become one of the leading cycling nation’s in the world and with Yorkshire’s passion for the sport, we want to make sure that tomorrow’s cycling stars come from our region!”

 

Dating back to 1907, All Terrain Cycles is the oldest cycling business in Yorkshire.  It plays an active part in supporting the region’s cycling fraternity, sponsoring a number of cycling and charity events in the region every year such as the Bronte Sportive, the Lord Mayor’s Cycle Ride and the Ripley Castle Cyclocross.   Building on the success of its 10,000sq ft retail outlet at Salts Mill, Saltaire in Shipley, and its thriving online business http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk it opened a second 10,000sq ft cycling superstore last year in Wetherby.  Selling many of the leading brands such as Trek and Cannondale, both stores stock over 1,000 mountain, road and BMX bikes, plus clothing and accessories as well as offering repairs and servicing.

 

Giant Defy Composite 2 2014 – a Staff Long Term Review

Posted on by allterraincycles

What can I say about this bike that hasn’t been said before?? A full carbon, Shimano 105 equipped road bike for less than £1500. Amazing performance at a great value price.
Let’s go back to March 2014…….
I am stoked to get my hands on my bike (finally). Only ever had a basic road bike before, a Giant Defy 4 – Aluxx Frame and fork, Shimano 2300 groupset. This svelte carbon bike should be fun….
Eight months later and I’m still feeling the same. The Defyhas been a pleasure to ride. Comfort and compliance, a geometry that suited me and my ability, and great reliable kit. All in, a fantastic package. The first few rides enabled me to fine tune the ride position, and get used to the new gears. After that it was time to put the miles in….

So the first few rides were my daily commute, 5 ½ miles each way. Not anything super exciting, but enough to get me started. Within a few rides had my times down to under 20 minutes (just). I was impressed with the way the bike rode and handled. Even with my near 17 stone weight on it, the Defy was still lively and nimble. It climbed really well also, even with my lack of fitness at the time. With the summer approaching and that ‘little’ race coming to the area, I decided to start pushing the distances a little bit. By adding on a bit extra to my ride home, I was able to get up to 20 miles easily. Even with my level of fitness I was able to push more and more on the bike. 

No matter how hard I pushed, or how fast (and badly) I descended and cornered, the Defy never felt out of shape or control. By the time the Tour de France had its Grand Depart here in Yorkshire I had got down to 16 stone and felt much better about riding longer distances. So much so that the day of the second stage, I decided to ride out to our VIP area, and then put in a few extra miles after. By the end of the day, I had ridden nearly 50 miles. That was unheard of for me, and I felt I could have ridden more, if not for failing light, failing legs and lungs, and the wife (boss) wanting me home again.

From then I tried to get out for a longer ride once a week, which was an absolute pleasure. Usually 15 – 20 miles on a Friday evening, along roads giving some fantastic views across Yorkshire. Pure riding heaven.  As the year drew to a close, and the nights got darker it was time to think ahead to winter and 2015. 

The new Giant dealer book landed, and all of the staff started rifling through it to see what was new for the next season, but more on that in a later blog.

Overall I have been very impressed with the Defy Composite 2. It is a fantastic bike to ride. For me it opened up a whole new world of riding. For the new season I have decided to try something new.

 A cyclocross bike. A bit of a change from the road, but more suited to my needs. Most of my riding is commuting, with the occasional longer ride, often with my Wife, along quiet roads and the canal towpath. The Defy was fantastic on the roads, but that’s not where most of my riding will be. If I was out for longer rides every weekend, or entering Sportive rides, the Defy would be perfect.  

It didn’t work out as the ideal bike for me, but it proved to be a blast to ride and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an endurance/sportive bike.

 With a TCX on order for me now, all I have to do is not look at the catalogue for 2015 and fall in love with road bikes again. At least not yet…..

A Cumbrian Cracker

Posted on by allterraincycles

Sunday the 16th November saw nearly 900 riders setting off on the annual Cumbrian Cracker sportive run by Epic Events.

All Terrain Cycles at Cumbrian Cracker
Starting in Grasmere the 57 mile route climbs steeply up over Red Bank before settling down to a delightful run south alongside Coniston before crossing the A590 and down to the half-way feed at Cartmel before climbing back north and into Grizedale with a final plummet into Hawkshead and a fast run back to Grasmere.

All Terrain Cycles at Cumbrian Cracker
The event was really well organised with a comprehensive pre-ride e-mailed briefing which covered, in great details, all the requirements and the route was well signed and marshalled. Timings were courtesy of front hub-mounted timing chips and results were published the evening of the ride.

A good spread of riders from beginners on mountain bikes to well-practiced club riders meant the times varied from 2hrs 54 to 8hrs+, but of course, it’s not a race is it…………?!

The weather was brilliant with mist lingering in the valley bottoms, patchy sunshine and calm lakes, with the autumn leaves still clinging on it was a real belter of a day.

This was my first run of this event and I was pretty happy with a 3hr 50 time especially as my riding partner for the day managed a 3rd place in her Cat.

Overall a great sportive for riders of all levels and at £20 good value.

The SwissSide Gotthards worked at treat !

How Has Strava Changed the Way We Ride?

Posted on by allterraincycles

Strava has taken the world by storm. Critics say that it turns the sport into a computer game, whilst many cyclists enjoy the thrill of competition.

What is Strava?
In many ways, Strava is like a social network for cyclists. Cyclists have an online profile, which enables them to compete for the best time on any route – from their morning commute to a tough mountain ride.

The whole world is divided up into ‘segments’ which are virtual race tracks. If you’re using Strava, the app logs your time every time you cycle through one of these segments. It allows you to track your progress and see how you compare to the other cyclists in your area.

The app uses GPS mapping to host a competition of egos, where riders compete to be crowned ‘King of the Mountain’. The term is borrowed from Tour De France and this prestigious title is fought for ferociously, making the app highly addictive.

Why Cyclists Love Strava

Competition is inherent in any sport and you could say Strava simply formalises many cyclist’s desire to compete. The app allows you to compete with anyone in the world, transforming cycling into a truly global competition of pedal power.

Many cyclists love the sense of achievement that Strava gives them. Whether this means getting into the top ten for a segment, or simply tracking our own personal progress, the app encourages you to better yourself.
Norman Triplett, a psychologist at Indiana University proved back in the late nineteenth century that an element of competition makes cyclists faster than those who ride alone. It’s simply in our nature to compete and as a result, using Strava is likely to boost your speed and really push you to do better.

Claims that Strava is ‘Unsupervised Street Racing’

Critics of the app claim that it promotes reckless cycling and has transformed the sport into an overly competitive computer game. The app becomes problematic if the online scoreboard becomes more important for cyclists than the act of cycling itself.  In some cases, riders are taking risks they otherwise wouldn’t in pursuit of a virtual goal.

The risks are only too clear when you look at the case of Kim Flint, a Californian rider who was trying to win a downhill ‘King of the Mountain’. In 2010, the cyclist crashed into a car whilst attempting to get the best time, and later died in hospital.

In order to beat the existing time, he was cycling way over the speed limit, making the ride very dangerous. Despite this, his family tried to sue Strava and failed. The court ruled that every cyclist is responsible for their own safety. Even so, the app does encourage reckless behaviour, which is big concern for many people.

Those who object to the app, claim that it is not a ‘game’ if you are cycling on roads shared with cars. One of the most vocal critics is the inventor of DigitalEPO, an app which artificially boosts your Strava performance. The site claims to be against what it refers to as “obnoxious street-racing websites”.

However, like many things, Strava is something which can be used sensibly and enjoyed, but if taken too far, can be dangerous. The question of whether or not, Strava is actually responsible for dangerous behaviour is still disputed.

How Has the App Changed Cycling?

Strava is huge – with millions of members worldwide, the app has changed the way many people cycle. Cycling with Strava in your pocket, means that you are permanently racing.

This not only affects the commuter or weekend rider, but cycling clubs too. Many of these clubs have embraced the app as a way to compete, not only amongst themselves, but against rival cycling clubs.
However, it’s not like cyclists didn’t compete before Strava. Whereas they may have previously raced each other to a distant landmark, they now compete online.

It’s not just that the way cyclists race that has changed – the app has changed the way many of us think about a ride. Whether this means slowing down before a segment so that you can attack the race with more power, or simply waiting for better weather conditions before cycling – many cyclists are changing the way the ride to improve their Strava time.

Has Strava Changed Why we Ride?

Many Strava-sceptics are worried that the app will change the nature of cycling. Instead of cycling for the joy of it, many will get out onto their bikes with the intention of beating a time on Strava. You could say that this doesn’t matter and that anything which encourages people to cycle can only be a good thing, but others argue that the ‘soul’ of cycling could be lost.

By constantly measuring your ability and competing against others, will the individual pleasure of cycling disappear? What was a relaxing journey through towns, cities or open countryside can become a series of races divided by invisible lines.

Despite Strava’s critics, the app is hugely popular and motivates many to get out on their bikes and improve their performance. Do you use Strava? If so, how has it changed the way you cycle?

Jane gets a great result in Rovaniemi 150

Posted on by allterraincycles

Rovaniemi 150
After a hard race in America it is now time to head off to Finland to compete in Rovaniemi 150. This is a 150km Arctic Winter race run in the wilderness surrounding the City of Rovaniemi. The course is a mixture of frozen rivers, tacks, forest roads and frozen lakes.
My preparation for this race was less than ideal having only returned from America 2 weeks before and my Husband Andy having to endure 8 days in hospital for treatment to his frostbitten foot. Even until the day before we were due to fly out I was not entirely sure if we were actually going. There was no way Andy could race and this had a huge emotional impact on all of us. There was nothing I could do or say to make him feel better and I just felt guilty and tried to avoid the subject of the Finnish race, which is difficult when you are busy packing your winter gear and fat bike!
Yet again we had a very good journey up to the Rovaniemi and because we had taken Andy’s parents with us we treated ourselves to a nice hotel. The Porohovi was also where the race event center was. This was very useful for prerace brief, kit check and the start and finish of the race. Our room was huge which was very useful for sorting out my kit and building my bike.
The Friday before the race was due to start was fairly hectic as we had a scheduled visit to see Santa and I really wanted to go and have a ride on the river to see what the snow condition were like.
It doesn’t matter what age you are you can never fail to be excited about visiting the real Santa in Lapland. After some photos he wished us all good luck and sent us on our way. I suppose he’s a very busy man. We still had some time before the bus was due to take us back to the hotel so we took the opportunity to go on a Reindeer sled ride through the forest. It was a much civilised way to travel and I was starting to wonder why on earth I was embarking on another crazy long distance snow race.  I think I need my own reindeer!
All too soon I was stood on the frozen river waiting to get going. I was fairly nervous but I really wanted to get this race done so I was fired up. The temperatures were warm at about -1oC so I had altered my clothing that I had worn for Arrowhead.
Ready steady go! As ever the pace was fast but the river was riding really well and it soon became apparent my tyre pressures were too low. I did have a little practice ride the day before but now with my bike fully loaded I needed more air. I was so cross with myself and unsure what to do because I had locked horns with the Alaskan lady I didn’t want to pull over and pump up my tyres. The checkpoints on this race are fairly frequent and I had altered my Garmin to kilometres so we soon reached checkpoint 1 at the 10km mark but yet I pushed on.
I tried to hold her wheel but she was so strong and I was starting to overheat. I had already removed my hat and buff and unzipped my jacket. This was a long race and I wasn’t planning on stopping so I decided just to ease off slightly but it was awful watching her pull away from me.
After the river we ended up on a forest track where the snow was much softer. For once I was glad I had not stopped and added more air to my tyres as my bike snaked and squirmed under me.  I just kept telling myself to relax and pedal smoothly and I was soon overtaking a lot of the men who were also struggling with the snow conditions. Before I knew it I had reached the second checkpoint. I was actually making really good progress which did loads for my moral.
The next section I was dreading, during the brief Alex’s words were this bit will be shit for the bikes. It was a section of steep winding single track that eventually dropped onto the lake. I was still feeling upbeat and thought come on it’s the same for everyone I bet the Alaskan not crying about it. It was tricky and sometimes the snow was up to the top of my thigh. I had decided to take a gamble on my kit because of the warm conditions and as a result my bike was so much lighter than in previous races. This certainly paid off through the woods because I was fairly nimble with the bike and could easily pick it up to get round the narrow trees. I took a few tumbles but no real dramas and I soon reached the shores of the lake Sinettajarvi .
The lake rode really well and I still perhaps should have stopped and pumped up my tyres but I was now riding with some of the Italian racers and we were trying to figure out a song we all knew so we could have a sing along. The atmosphere at all of these races is just phenomenal and even with language barriers you still come away with lifelong friends  who will always have a special place in my heart. The lake was about 11km long but we soon were riding past the ice hotel and had reached the far shore where much to my delight Andy and his parents were there along with many other race supports. It was here I eventually decided to pump up my tyres.  Andy stood over me with his hands firmly jammed inside of his pockets as no outside help is aloud what so ever.  I was so happy to see he was also enjoying himself. He had built a fire in the shelter and was cooking reindeer sausages and warming hot juice on the fire. It was quite a little party with many nationalities such as French, Dutch, Spanish, and Finnish there supporting their husbands.
After a big hug it was time to get moving again my heart felt a little lighter seeing Andy with a smile on his face. Over the next hours I rode and pushed my bike through various terrain. The scenery was just stunning and with the different conditions rarely did it become monotonous and some of the descents were huge fun if a little scary in places.  The volunteers at checkpoints were so friendly even though not much English was spoken. One chap tried to make me sit by the fire and eat some reindeer sausage. That was tricky trying to explain I was racing and didn’t want to stop though my body would have appreciated a sit down by the fire.
I was now at the highest point of the race and approaching the halfway checkpoint. For the bikes this is the slowest section of the course as it is very high up and the snow tends to blow covering the track making this a bit of a slog. It was just starting to get dark but I could see that everyone had been pushing their bikes and I knew that the middle checkpoint there was a refuge with a fire. This is the only checkpoint throughout the entire race where you can get inside and escape the elements. I had already decided unless I was actually on my knees I wasn’t going to stop. Still in my mind I was hoping that the Alaskan racer had stopped and was perhaps slowing down a little.
The refuge looked amazing so warm and cosy with a big fire roaring in the centre of the cabin. I think the lady thought I was totally crazy when I checked in and out at the same time. I knew had I stopped it would have cost me at least an hour. It was now totally dark and I was plodding on looking at the beam of light cast in front of me from my head torch. The next section was slow going but I knew there was a fast section of road coming up. Just keep it moving every step is a step in the right direction and I had passed halfway.
I was getting a bit lonely out there and it felt like it was midnight even though it was about 8pm. Then I heard voices coming out of the darkness. It was Andy, Maria and some of the other supporters. Hooray at last I had reached the road.  I stopped to eat drink and add some air to my tyres. I had been pre warned that this section was quick so make the most of it.
After a big group hug  time to get back on it and I was actually riding my bike very quickly. I was very aware of my lack of helmet as I flew up and down ice covered roads but I was making progress so that was worth celebrating. The van full of the race supports pulled alongside with lots of cheers and whoops then all too soon it pulled away and I was alone just surrounded by darkness and my own thoughts.
My Garmin clicked over 100km so to celebrate I stopped to have a caffeine gel and a big drink I also treated my backside to some chamois cream. It’s all about little treats to keep you going. The road section was all too soon over and I was back pushing my bike through soft snow. I am normally absolutely fine on my own in the dark but I started to see things and a couple of strange shapes in the trees made me jump. I had been on my own for hours and I was tired and could feel my tempo slowing down. I don’t normally wear an iPod but I knew some of the terrain would be very testing so I had shoved my shuffle into my pocket. I am too ashamed to admit to the cheesy rubbish I listened too but it helped pick me up and push on again. After what seemed like a like a life time I had reached the next checkpoint.
Just 25km to go to reach the river I was starting to believe I could do it and with a mixture of pushing riding and falling off I was finally heading down hill to the river. I knew once I was on the river it would be flat but I may have a headwind. So close but so far away the amount of snowmobile traffic on the river during the day had turned it into mashed potato it was awful to ride on and the headwind was testing too. For a moment I just wanted to curl up and have a little cry but that wouldn’t get me closer to home.  Come on Jane quit your moaning and get this done.
Eventually I could see the final checkpoint. They had done a wonderful job of making it welcoming with a big fire and candles in the snow. Just 10km left now let’s go. It was a slog and at one point I got so disorientated I almost went down the wrong fork in the river. I had to use the last of my strength to concentrate and soon I could see the lights on the bridge and Rovaniemi in the back ground. It was like Elephant Lake All Over again with the lights never getting any closer! At last I was scrambling up the snowy river bank because I didn’t have the energy to ride it.
I had made it my eyes struggled to focus in the harsh light of the hotel foyer. My family had waited up until stupid o clock to see me home. It had taken me just over 18 hours to get round. I never did manage to catch the Alaskan lady so I had to settle for 2nd place again. She was so strong and I think doing Arrowhead only 2 weeks previous was a bit ambitious.
Rovaniemi 150 compared to Arrowhead 135.
Though they are both winter ultras Rovaniemi is a very different beast to Arrowhead. Though historically Arrowhead is a much colder race you have the nice warm checkpoints to look forward to and your drop bag. For me personally I broke Arrowhead down into small chunks checkpoint to checkpoint and also managed to carry a smaller amount of food with me. Rovaniemi you don’t have your drop bag to look forward too or Grilled cheese and soup at the halfway point. You are out there for the entire race and have to carry all of your food but the distance is shorter.

Neither race is easier than the other the both have massive challenges you have to overcome but what is the same is the power of human spirit whether it’s other racers, family or the army of volunteers that make these races what they are. Yes I did hurt out there but I have come away with some amazing memories and friends for life that nobody can take away from me.  www.allterraincycles.co.uk

All Terrain Cycles back Leeds Lord Mayors Cycle Ride

Posted on by allterraincycles

The Leeds Lord Mayors Cycle Ride was officially launched this morning. Here at All Terrain Cycles, we are over really chuffed to be a Main Sponsor of the event. We will be involved with Mechanical assistance and support as well offering event riders help with equipment and bikes.

 If you show us your entry form in Salts Mill Shop , we will give you -15% off goods you need for the ride.
 Here are Team Riders Gaby Shaw and Chris Hope showing the Lord Mayor, Tom Murray how its done.
 Come and join us on 29th April and ride 400 miles from Dortmund to Leeds , or join in at Hull on Sunday 4th May or the Family ride in the afternoon.
 What ever takes your fancy please come and join us , we want 100s of riders to make this an event not to forget and help us raise loads of cash for Loffty that supports Kids projects in Leeds.

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk

Arrowhead 135 – The Coldest Bike Race on Earth!

Posted on by allterraincycles

Well here we go again, jetting off to go and do a ridicules bike race. This time we were heading to a place in Minnesota called InternationalFalls and its only claim to fame is that it’s the coldest place in Americaoh and it’s where Hot Tub Time machine was filmed!

 

The Arrowhead 135 is recognized in the book “The World’s Toughest Endurance Challenges” by Richard Hoad and Paul Moore as one of the 50 toughest races in the world. It is a human powered Ultra Marathon taking place in the coldest part of winter in the coldest city in the lower 48 states. The average finish rate is 50%; the finish rate for new racers is much lower.

Historically this is the coldest race anyplace even the Arctic. Arrowhead 135 is organised by local folks dedicated to the promotion of human powered ultra-endurance events across beautiful Arrowhead Region of Northern Minnesota.

 

I’ve now been snow bike racing for 3 years I have committed a lot and time and money into racing fatbikes in various locations around the world. Preparing me to be physically and mentally fit for a race in January can be very hard work, especially with the endless wet and muddy conditions and long dark nights. This year I have been praying for a hard cold winter and I have ended up with the opposite. My body could be in for a bit of a shock with a second polar vortex due to hit North America next week with potential temperatures of -55oC.  Due to the very wet and muddy conditions in the UKI have mainly been training on some of the classic road routes within the Yorkshire Dales as well as strength training and structured training on the Turbo trainer. I am using a Tacx Flow Trainer http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Tacx-Flow-Multiplayer-VR-Trainer-2012-_125627.htm which measures loads of parameters for those like me like to train to numbers. I had planned to do some long mountain bike rides up at Glentress over the Christmas period but I came down with a mystery viral infection which hampered those plans. This has not done much for my confidence going in the race but I’ve had to put this behind me and concentrate on the positive aspects of my training to date.

 

For the race I will be riding a Salsa Carbon Beargrease http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Salsa-2014-Carbon-Beargrease-Fat-Bike_130415.htm which is considerably lighter than my Salsa Mukluk I’ve ridden in previous races. I have also gone from 60mm rims to 82mm I am hoping this will help me out in the softer snow conditions that may arise.    

 

Clothing I will be wearing 3 pairs of socks made of both man made fibers and wool. Shoes I have modified a pair of winter mountain bike boots by attaching a gator to them to keep my feet dry from potential overflow that can occur on lake crossings. On my legs I will be wearing a pair of Endura Equipe Bib longs http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/equipe%20bibs/list/search and on my top half I will have on various layers Starting with an Endura Baa baa wool base finished off with the Endura Stealth Jacket http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Endura-Stealth-II-Waterproof-Jacket-_128364.htm. My hands will be buried inside a pair of massive bar mitts imported from Alaskaand I will be wearing the Endura windshield gloves. I will be carrying extra clothes and survival gear including an Everest grade down sleeping bag, bivvy, stove, insulated water and food.

We have a wide range of adventure bikes and fatbikes by both Surly http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/surly/list/search and Salsa http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/salsa/list/search at All Terrain Cycles http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk. Please feel free to pop down and see us should you have any questions regarding these quirky bikes or bikepacking. You can find me working in our Salts Mill store http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/Store/Directions and will be more than happy to help you get your adventure started.

 

Please see link below for a small inspiring film of last years race.

 

Thanks

 

Jane Chadwick

 

 

 http://salsacycles.com/culture/the_push_a_short_film_from_salsa_cycles

Take care of your Bicycle and it will take care of you

Posted on by allterraincycles

there is no need to be a mechanical Wizzard.
Many routine jobs can easily be done by yourself, saving you time, money and more importantly prolonging the life of your bike.
Here are my top 3 tips for today:
1.Clean that Chain
Most folk lub their chain as they is only right.
But there is a right and wrong approach.
Lub should only be applied between the side plates and rollers, anywhere else doesn’t do any good unless you like gooey muck!
Before you lub try wiping down the chain with a rag, best to do this after every ride to reduce build up and save your righthand sock!
2.Clean and grease your seatpost.
There are few things on your bike that cause more frustration and damage than a stuck seatpost.
Its so easily avoided.
Mark your post by wrapping some tape around it where post meets the frame to record your saddle height. Remove the post and clean it. Apply grease inside the seat tube ( fibre grip  if its a carbon post ), then slide the post back into the frame to the height marked by the tape. Tighten the seat clamp using a torque wrench to manufactures tolerances.
Now you are ready for your ride !
Neglecting to do this can lead to total seizure both of heart and seatpost, in extreme cases you may need a new frame so well worth 10 minutes work.
3. Lub your bottom bracket cable guide every time you you lub your chain.
It takes 30 seconds , hugely reduces friction on the cables and will help fill you day with love and beads.

If you don’t fancy this we have -25% sale on servicing costs throughout January and February http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/Store/ServiceDepartment

All Terrain Cycles is a cycle shop with a deep history established in 1907

Posted on by allterraincycles

making us is one of the most established and respected shops in the UK. All Terrain Cycles started very much as a local business and remains so at its heart to this very day. http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/Store/CompanyHistory

The shop was originally called Riley Brother Cycles and until 2006 was based in Cross Hill near Keighley before the move to the current premises in Salts Mill, Saltaire.
The business is still independent and family owned with two generations now working in the company (with grandchildren in the family, a third generation may also be on board very soon). Bikes are in the blood at All Terrain!
We’re all cyclists and love everything to do with riding bikes. Look around our staff meetings and you see riders of all levels from top downhill mountain bike racers to daily commuters. Even those grandchildren were riding bikes almost before they could walk. We just love them.
In recent years a lot of emphasis has been put on developing our website. This has seen All Terrain Cycles become a household name with cyclists the length and breadth of the country. However, we are a local bike shop at heart and as such we have also developed our store at Salts Mill to make sure we continue to offer the very best service for local and visiting customers old and new.
2012 has seen some major in-store developments come to fruition which ensure we not only offer you the best service but also the best possible environment in which to talk bike with our staff. Make sure you pop along and see it for yourself – over 1000 bikes in stock alongside the widest possible range of accessories, clothing and cycle related products currently available.
Over 100 years in to our business, here’s to another 100 of being your number one choice for all things bike! Thank you for your ongoing custom. It’s really appreciated.

Get a grip on those Winter trails and roads……..

Posted on by allterraincycles

With Winter upon us its time to think about kitting your bike out with winter specific tyres.  There are a few worthwhile options on the market.
Spiked tyres from Schwalbe are the best option in snow and ice.
The Schwalbe Marathon Winter comes in 700/29er as well as 26″ sizes

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Schwalbe-Marathon-Winter-Spiked-MTB-Tyre_123373.htm

This Kevlar belted tyre will give you great grip as well as protection from puncture. Make your journey, a safe journey. Even on tight bends and with violent braking, this tyre will keep you under control even on icy roads. The spikes work best on ice when run at low pressure , whilst at maximum pressure they can be ridden on ice free roads with little road noise.

For snow Schwalbe manufacture the Snow Stud available in 700 x 38c ( also usable on 29ers ) plus 26 x 1.9.

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductCode=108907
This tyre is the perfect winter tyre. The studs are only on the edge of the tyre at lower pressures the tyre gains optimum grip but at higher pressures on snow free surfaces it performs like a conventional tyre.

For extreme conditions look no further than the Ice Spiker.

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Schwalbe-Ice-Spiker-MTB-Tyre-_108906.htm
With 304 especially long spikes you will be prepared for the worst of conditions. To ensure the spikes are permanently fixed we highly recommend running them on roads for approximately 30 miles to bed them in. They are available in 26 x 2.1. So whatever Winter has in stall for us you can stick out there, remain safe and have great fun in the snow !

All Terrain Cycle Staff attend Trek Dealer Demo Day at Coed y Brenin

Posted on by allterraincycles

5 AM, Wednesday Morning.
Stood on the Doorstep with a bag of Spare Clothes, Helmet, protective Gear, Shoes and riding Pack. Its dark, it’s cold and worst of all its raining sideways! Great..
 Tom rolls up a few minutes later, kit thrown in the back and off we go for a 3 1/2hr drive down to one of the best trail centres in Wales. This place is a mountain bikers idea of heaven (or as close as), with every trail offering something a bit different, from tough tech descents, tricky long winded climbs as well as plenty of silly stuff to keep me entertained as well!
Fast forward 3 ½ hrs later me and tom are running across the car park with riding kit in tow and into the room 5mins late! Oops!
The trek guys are all pretty cool about it, were not the last guys there so it’s ok! On the upside the weather seems to have broken, so it’s wet, but not throwing it down so things are looking up for the ride out. About 20mins of training on treks suspension platform and how to set it up, were told its time to go out and pick our weapons of choice!
Everyone heads straight for the remedy 650b bikes, and they are snapped up in seconds. So it looks like we’re stuck with the 29ers. I’ve never been a huge fan of 29ers for anything other than xc as I find they can be quite a handful on the tight, twisty trails and they normally handle like a blimp in the air, but hey, were here to test the range of 2014 bikes so why not try something we wouldn’t normally ride. We both settled on a remedy 9 29er apiece https://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/remedy%2029ER/list/search and went about setting up the suspension, seat height etc.
Eventually it was ride time, the group of 20 set out along the MBR trail from the centre and straight away we were met with a gentle gradient with some nice rocky sections and a few turns. Nothing too taxing, but a nice start to get to grips with the big wheel Remedy’s . I was expecting the usual feel, great over the rough stuff, but numb in the corners and useless in the air. As expected the big wheels ate up everything in the way, roots, rocks, ruts and general trail debris, the suspension was plush and controlled and thanks to the DRCV shock and treks full floater platform I could get the power down when I needed to, but it smoothed out everything from the bigger hits to the small undulations in the trail. The big surprise was when the trail took a bit of a downhill and it started getting a bit twisty. Now a 29er is never going to be as nimble as a 26” or a 27.5” bike, but the remedy was as close as it could get. It was responsive, lightning quick in the berms but best of all, it was easy to recover after taking a corner a bit wide or if you needed to change you line quickly. I was impressed as was Tom, but we weren’t totally sold as yet. The Next climb was a steep switch backed section which is normally a pain to get up on longer travel bikes. You can’t get out of the saddle all the time as it ends up feeling like your trying to pedal a sofa and you waste more energy compressing the suspension than actually pedalling the damn thing up the trail even with the CTD system on. In the saddle you are constantly fighting to keep the front wheel down, which wants to pop up on every root and rock as your weight is so far back due to a slack seat tube. The remedy did neither. I have got to give trek their dues; they have put together a long travel bike that actually climbs! Don’t get me wrong, it’s no mountain goat, but I didn’t feel I was constantly fighting to keep the front end down and when I did need to get out of the saddle, it didn’t wallow around like a beached whale. As we got the top me & and Tom had a chat about the bikes.  I couldn’t put my finger on but I still felt something was missing.  It handles & corners well, it climbs well and rocky trails are a breeze to ride so it was shaping up to be a great bike, but we both agreed it wasn’t quite there yet. This was the same story throughout the rest of the ride and as we rolled through the last section of trail we were both still in 2 minds about the bikes. We decided to have a quick ride through the skills area on them and try to make our minds up as it’s always fun to have a bit of a play on any bike and see how it handles the small tabletops and skinnys that make up 90% of all Trail Centre Skills Areas, but I wasn’t holding my breath. Now Tom has ridden Coed Y brenin before, but didn’t mention that the skills area was actually pretty good, and straight away I spotted a good sized 4x style track with some nice high berms and every type of jump under the sun! Now 4x and bmx tracks  where were I cut my teeth in when I first started riding, so I can never resist beating a bike up on the jumps to see how it handles! Suprisingly the Remedy did not disappoint! For a big wheeler, the bike was great through the jumps. I could place it wherever I wanted in the air, be it laying out flat table tops or whipping the back end about, I didn’t feel I was fighting the bike at all. I could corner Low on the berms and because your centre of gravity is lower on a 29er as you sit in the bike, rather than above it, I wasn’t losing the grip on the loose surface of the track and it was holding speed through every corner. As I rolled through the last jump I headed straight back up to the top for another go! Tom was riding a rocky, tight section with a few small jumps and a couple of fair sized drops and as he rolled out of the last drop we met up and headed back for dinner.
Riding along the road back to “base” we started talking about the Remedy’s. We both agreed that they were the best 29” trail bikes that we had ridden. They handle the corners well, they are nimble in the air, you can ride through rough stuff with ease and they climb well. All the boxes were ticked, the big question is would we have one as our personal ride. The answer: Maybe!
Tom said he’d rather have the 27.5” version of the remedy  https://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/remedy+/650b+Bikes/list/search-f2 over the 29er as he wasn’t completely sold on the big wheelers handling characteristics through the tighter stuff, you do have to hit every corner a little wider than you would on a smaller wheel. Myself? Yes, But I wouldn’t have it as my only bike. I’d have to have something that I could go truly silly on for the bigger stuff, and that’s why my 27.5” is a better option for myself. As a specific bike designed for trail centre riding and a bit of back country stuff, i really do recommend the remedy 29er, it’s a bike you really want to dislike, but cant!
After a quick feed and drink, we were back in the training room. We went through all the usual stuff in regards to suspension systems. How the Rear end of the bike works, the benefit of the system trek use, why the DRCV shocks are better for treks suspension platform etc…. we didn’t really learn anything we didn’t already know, but it definitely sharpened and reinforced what we all ready knew about treks bikes and why they ride as they do. Then it was time for ride 2.
This time it was the turn of the slash 27.7”. Bigger hit bikes than the Remedy’s, these things are designed to take on almost everything. With 160mm of travel all round, dropper seatposts and a set of adjustable travel  Fox Talas forks they are in theory the perfect do everything bike. Also equipped on our 2 demo bikes was the new Sram xx1 Groupset.  Now I have the x01 11spd Groupset on my current bike and I am very happy with the performance. Its sharp, slick and the lower gearing on the 10-42t cassette is great for trail and enduro riding, But the best thing of all is the weight saving you gain by removing almost half of the drive train and chain device.
As we set off, the weather decided to do other things!  About 1k into the ride I started having some tech issues with the gears and the dropper post so I turned back and went to grab another bike. Tom continued on. As I rolled back into base, my mind was made up on the slash, I was not a fan. On the ride back, I noticed that when in the saddle, even on the fire road, the front wheel was lifting at every given opportunity even with the talas fork wound down to 120mm!!! I can imagine out on the tricky climbs, the slash would be a real headache. My suspicions were confirmed when tom rolled in 30mins later looking like a drowned rat!! The weather had got that bad, even the lads from trek had started packing up the Eazi-Up and most of the other shops had started to call it a day. It’s a shame as if the weather had held up for another hour, we could have given the fuel ex range a whirl, but hey there are other days we can play out on those!
On the way home the conversation turned to the bikes. We both agreed that treks range this year is probably the best looking for a long time and the fact that they have both 29 and 27.5” bikes in the range makes sure that pretty much everyone can find something they want. But for us this year their stand out bikes are by far the remedy’s. They will do pretty much everything you want them to do and with the option of both 29” and 27.7” wheels they will suit 99% of the people out there who are looking for a good, do everything trail bike, and due to their forgiving ride will be appealing to be novice or a seasoned veteran!
Thanks for the lads at Trek to putting on a great day and putting up with my awfully fitness, cheers for handing back on the climbs guys! Hopefully, we’ll be allowed back! No thanks to the British weather for once again just being plain rubbish, but it didn’t spoil all of our fun!

A Novel idea for Fitness Training

Posted on by allterraincycles

If you are looking for a novel idea to get you off the sofa and onto the bike, here is one form Harry Carpenter.
Harry, father of All Terrain Cycles Team Rider , Rowan Carpenter, www.allterraincycles.co.uk came up with the plan last year to ride at least one 100+ mile ride each month.
Yesterday he rode the final 100+ mile ride of 2013 , 130 miles taking in 6 Counties.
 
 

Harry’s thoughts
“It was great to have an incentive to do a big ride every month, whatever the weather, the 205 miler in July was the highlight”
 
 
 
 
Far better than sitting on a Turbo Trainer  in front of the TV !
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/Nutrition+and+Training/Trainers/list/f1-f2
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

If You go Down in the Woods Today ………

Posted on by allterraincycles

 You surely will get a big surprise.
Particularly if its 4am in the morning, that’s the time All Terrain Cycles Team Riders
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/Store/RaceTeam set off riding on the black run in Grizedale Forrest, Cumbria.


 

 It might have been dark but they did get the chance to take this amazing picture and get to see the sunrise!

Rowan Carpenter and Joe Flanagan All Terrain Cycles Enduro Team Riders 2014
www.allterraincycles.co.uk will be riding
Giant Trance Advanced 0 http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Giant-2014-Trance-Advanced-27-5-0-MTB-Bike_130009.htm and Giant Trance Advanced 1 http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Giant-2014-Trance-Advanced-27-5-1-MTB-Bike_130010.htm
bikes for the 2014. With 27.5″ wheels they will provided the perfect mix of acceleration , speed and handling that they require for racing at the highest level.

Posted on by allterraincycles

,,”The 5th Bronte BigK Cyklesportive hosted by Leeds City College, Keighley Campus is all set for on Sunday 20th  July 2014 and organisers are inviting cyclists of all standards to take  advantage of an early bird offer for the event which will raise vital  funds for Sue Ryder – Manorlands Hospice. The event includes routes which suit all abilities  up to professional riders. 
This year our courses have been altered to encompass as much of the route taken by the Tour de France Grand Depart Yorkshire as possible.
The longest three routes cover 30 miles of stage 2 Tour, including the stunning sections through Haworth, Bronte Country, Penistone Hill, Cock Hill, and the decent into Hebden Bridge. They also include England’s longest constant incline of 6.42 miles up Cragg Vale and the stunning decent into Ripponden. Even the 20 mile option takes in 7.4 miles of the route including Haworth, Penistone Hill and Oxenhope.
There are many other great sections too, check the routes out on the maps below.
The Bronte 88 mile Monster http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3533478
71.5 mile http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3533669
55 mile http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3533630
23 mile http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3533503

All routes start and finish at Leeds City College in Keighley which has excellent transport links. Every entrant will receive a complementary BBQ meal at the finish and a Goody Bag put together by our main sponsor All Terrain Cycles www.allterraincycles.co.uk ! Each bag will contain a medal and a new inner tube, plus other goodies.
All Terrain Cycles are supporting Sue Ryder http://www.sueryder.org/Get-involved/Events/All-events/2014/July/Bronte-Sportive-2014  by supplying a Giant Defy Composite 2 Road Bike http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Giant-2014-Defy-Composite-2-Road-Bike_129943.htm
that is the star prize in their TDF raffle. With tickets on sale at only £1 each , it gives you a great chance to win a bike worth £1299.

All Terrain Cycles Handsomedog XC03 is a Winner

Posted on by allterraincycles

“Hi People, 8 years ago I bought my first Handsome Dog frame, a bit of a mongrel, if you’ll pardon the expression. It was supposed to be all Easton Elite but you said one tube wasn’t so it was mine for £65! You remember the frames, the ones where the stickers came off before you got it home! That frame served me brilliantly. It was light, stiff, climbed and handled like a dream and inspired confidence. It even made me look good! By October 2005 the components on the frame were looking a bit tired. The frame was battered but still handled like new, but it was 7 years old and I weigh 14 stone, enough said! After much consideration I replaced it in October 2005 with a brand new Marin Attack Trail. This looked the bees knees and had all the nice components you could wish for…….but, and here’s the but…….My old Handsome Dog still climbed better, descended better and handled better. I struggled on with the Marin, trying every suspension setting in the book, different tyres, you name it. Nothing made it feel special or even that good!. So in January 2007 I came to your new place at Salts Mill for inspiration. http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/Store/Showroom
The Handsome Dog XC03 frame seemed to fit the bill quite nicely. http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.HandsomeDog-XC03-Frame_101739.htm All the attributes of the old ‘Dog but with disc mounts and a bit more weight (no bad thing. Remember the 14 stone bit!)With the addition of a new seat pin and some nice flat bars all the other bits from the Marin swapped straight across and built a really great looking bike. This weekend was the first opportunity to give it a try and it is everything I had hoped it would be, and more.

Reasonably light, uber stiff, climbs like a Gazelle and the downhill handling is epic. I had never liked the Fox TALAS RLC forks on the Marin but on the ‘Dog, OH MY GAWD! They are fantastic. They suit the frame really well running about 115mm travel on a soft-ish air pressure. Well done, guys! http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/ This has rekindled my passion for mountain biking. I thought I was getting old and past it (42!) when all I needed was a new ‘Dog!Keep on building great frames and CHARGE MORE FOR THEM! The new one was only £149.99. It’s just completely outclassed a supposedly state of the art full-bouncer!I’m riding the Aire & Calder to Skipton with a friend in the next month or so, so I’ll drop it in and let you take a look, but meanwhile I’ve attached a piccy. (It’s not in a dungeon. This is our cellar!)Again, many many thanks for the ride of a life! I’ll be back in 8 years time if the old legs will still work at 50!-  Paul F

All Terrain Cycles ex 2013 Race Team Bikes for Sale

Posted on by allterraincycles

Its that time of year again when the race Team at All Terrain Cycles www.allterraincycles.co.uk sell off their Race bikes.

We have a host of Road bikes http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/Bikes/Road+Bikes/list/f1-f2, DH bikes http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/Bikes/Mountain+Bikes/list/f1-f2
and XC bikes to sell.
The Racers out there will know you must keep on your bike in top fettle and all these top spec machines that have been fully serviced and kept in top order throughout the 2013 season.

We have some Giant TCR Advanced SL 2 bikes http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Giant-TCR-Advanced-SL-2-Road-Bike-BEN-WOOD-TEAM-BIKE-_130504.htm for sale at a massive saving off the original price.

Or may be a Giant Anthem X 29er 1 full suspension bike is more up your street?
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Giant-2013-Anthem-X-29er-1-Full-Suspension-MTB-Bike-TOM-HOOPER-S-TEAM-BIKE-_129975.htm

If you are a Down Hill sort , then the Giant Glory is the one for you !http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/glory/list/search

Ben Whitehead gets 8th position for All terrain Cycles in Dudes of Hazard Enduro Race

Posted on by allterraincycles

“Over the weekend of the 16/17th November was the annual Dudes of Hazard ‘this is enduro now’ race. For the second year running it has been a sell out race with 350 riders. The race’s popularity is down to a few factors. Awesome riding in the Scottish highlands, good organisation and really relaxed vibe and for this year Red Bull had sponsored the event with bucking broncos and dj for the evening entertainment.

I travelled up to the race with my friend Ben on the Friday night and shared a hostel with what seemed like every single employee from Hope technology. The weather was quite wet on the Saturday practice but cleared up come race day. I rode well but had a couple of small unschedualed dismounts on stage 3 which put me back into 8th place. I wasn’t too upset though as I really came just to ride some quality tracks with some good friends and have a couple of off season beers.

Till next time “

Ben Whitehead – All Terrain Cycles Enduro Team Rider
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/
 
Ben rides an Orange Five http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Orange-2014-Five-S-Full-Suspension-MTB-Bike_129675.htm pictured here in a technical rock garden.
 

All Terrain Cycles Team Ride Joe Flanagan Trains in The Lake District

Posted on by allterraincycles

Riding in the Lake District can be exhilarating at the best of times, but All Terrain Cycles  Enduro Team Rider, Joe Flanagan makes it part of his preseason training regime.
He has just sent us these pictures of such a training run taken this weekend on the Old  Man of Coniston.

There is snow on those hills winter is coming get the base layers out !
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/base/Baselayers/list/search-f2

All Terrain Cycles Maintenance Course Paid for Itself

Posted on by allterraincycles

I would just like to give you feed back in a course I have just completed that was run by a member of your staff ( Chris ). The course was well worth the money. Very well explained as although there were only four of us on in the room we all had a different level of understanding about our bikes and all were able to keep up and learn the things to avoid and to do that could help improve our bikes. This course has paid for its self as it has possibly saved me from buying a new cassette as when looking at my chain, I found it needed replacing. With out the course I would not have had the knowledge or the know how to do the  now simple job of changing a chain.. There were many things I found help full and although I fell had a good understanding if things before hand now feel that I would like to learn more and better my mechanical understanding of my bike. If your were to ever run a more advanced class I would be great full I you could let me know..  

Regards

J.W.Turner

LEARN TO FIX YOUR OWN BIKE WITH THE
 
ALL TERRAIN CYCLES TRAILSIDE MAINTENANCE COURSE!

WEEK 1 – TYRES / TUBES / PUNCTURES

WEEK 2 – GEARS / CHAINS

WEEK 3 – BRAKES / CLEANING OF BIKE / THINGS TO CARRY WHEN ON A RIDE
£30 PER COURSE OR £70 FOR ALL THREE NIGHTS

CONTACT BEN OR CHRIS ON 01274 588488
EMAIL ADDRESS – sales@allterraincycles.co.uk
UPDATES WILL BE ON THE WEBSITE, TWITTER AND FACEBOOK
NEXT COURSE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND AT
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/Store/ShowRoom

Posted on by allterraincycles

I recently purchased my first road bike through All Terrain Cycles http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/ ahead of a charity cycle ride from Bristol to Bordeaux. I had done a lot of web based research and looked through lots of sites for the right bike at the right price, I found the price really competitive on ATC, plus the range of complimentary products and accessories was great. I called the office number to find out if they were happy to take payment from a company run cycle to work scheme, which they were. I then received constant updates from Natasha in the office, including confirmation that payment had been received, an update that the shoes I ordered were out of stock and a suggestion of a suitable alternative and confirmation that they had checked a garment before sending it out and had found a defect so they had contacted the manufacturer to send a replacement. The bike, and all of the other bits I ordered arrived safely with a courier the next day. I have nothing but good things to say about All Terrain Cycles and their staffs attention to detail and would highly recommend them. Now all I have to do is cycle 500 miles!

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Cannondale-2013-Synapse-Tiagra-Road-Bike_127787.htm

Tim E

Exciting 2014 Ladies Giant Bikes Land at All Terrain Cycles Today

Posted on by allterraincycles

We have just taken stock of this exciting new Ladies Cyclocross bike, the Giant Invite 1 http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Giant-2014-Invite-1-Cyclocross-Bike_130079.htm
This bike is in a category of its own: Combining  the stability, traction and a relaxed riding position of an off-road bike with the smooth efficiency of a drop-handlebar road bike. The frame is constructed  from aluminium  and  offers plenty of stand-over height thanks to its women’s-specific geometry.
Another great and unique feature are the exclusively designed brake levers that offer multiple reach options for secure riding.

Now if Road bikes aren’t for you, how about the latest in Ladies MTB?
Take a look at the Giant Lust 27.5″ Full Suspension bike.

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.Giant-2014-Lust-27-5-2-MTB-Bike_130086.htm

27.5″ wheels combined with the Maestro Suspension technology is a winning combination making this bike the ultimate off road all-rounder. 
Its lightweight alloy frame is hydroformed for style reduced weight and strength , with a unique design giving mountains of stand-over height.

All Terrain Cycles are appointed Official UK Service and Demo Centre for Swiss Side Wheels

Posted on by allterraincycles

UK cyclists can now test, buy and service Swiss Side wheels at one of the UK’s biggest retail stores, All Terrain Cycles http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/
Zurich, Switzerland – November 20, 2013 – Swiss Side is very pleased to announce the formation of a partnership with All Terrain Cycles (ATC) establishing one of the UK’s largest cycling retail store as their official service center in the UK. Swiss Side customers can now go to ATC and test out Swiss Side products including the Matterhorn, Gotthard, Franc, Heidi, Heidi Shadow and St. Bernard wheels as well as make purchases and/or have their currently owned wheels serviced.
Trading for over a century, ATC is located in the heart of Yorkshire in the beautiful World Heritage Site of Salt Mills of Shipley. This store hosts a massive range of bikes, components and equipment whether it be road, mountain, commuter, BMX, hybrid and more. The shear volume and variety of products they offer is made possible because they warehouse their equally massive online outlet at their retail location adding a substantial additional product inventory. So, Swiss Side customers can now find their favorite new set of wheels and everything they could possibly need to go with them in one location
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/swiss/Swiss+Side/list/search-f5
One ATC standout feature is their large workshop facility for bike building and repair and team of very experienced and professional staff to help with all customer needs. Swiss Side UK customers now have a brick and mortar location for all of the customers services needs in addition to the usual excellent online customer service that Swiss Side is known for. ATC also provides ergonomic bike fitting to optimize cyclist’s setup for their body, and is open seven days per week.
The Swiss Side Guarantee
Swiss Side uses the same factory and has the same base components, quality and level of engineering as the “Big Brands” at a price that is 40% less. Swiss Side quite literally has incredible products at unbeatable prices. Swiss Side also uses Sapim spokes and Enduro bearings on all of their wheel sets.
Words From The Swiss Side Founders:
“We see it as an important step for our customers, that they have a brick and mortar location where they can see, test and purchase our products as well as having the confidence that there is a physical location where they can go for advice and service needs,” says George Cant, Design & Creative Director for Swiss Side. “We also believe in and want to support ‘the local bike shop’ as they are very important for cyclists and we feel it’s necessary that their place in the online sales market is not compromised.”
“From a technical standpoint, ATC is second to none. Their knowhow and workshop facilities are absolutely top level,” says Jean-Paul Ballard, Technical Director for Swiss Side. “It’s important for us as a brand, as well as our customers to know that for whatever issue may arise or basic servicing needs, their wheels are in good hands.”
Words From ATC:
“We know a thing or two about wheels at All Terrain,” Tony Booth, managing director for ATC. “Our history goes back to 1907, when we started as a general wheel builder repairing wheels for prams, cycles, motorbikes and agricultural machinery. Everything apparently had spoked wheels in 1907! We have been very impressed by the Swiss Sides wheel quality and value for money so its with great pleasure that we have been appointed the Swiss Side service agent for the UK. Apart from servicing wheels we also stock a full range of demo wheels so you can try before you buy.”
Swiss Side partners with ATC for the Ultra6 Challenge: http://www.swissside.com/321
How does Swiss Side offer this exceptional quality at such low prices? Find out here: http://www.swissside.com/why-swiss-side
See how Swiss Side wheels are made with the factory tour video: http://vimeo.com/swissside/swisssidefactorytour
ABOUT ALL TERRAIN CYCLES:
All Terrain Cycles is one of the most established and respected cycling shops in the UK and is located in the heart of Yorkshire in the beautiful World Heritage Site of Salt Mills of Shipley. Established in 1907, this independent and family owned shop is run by cyclists for cyclists. ATC has over 1000 bikes in stock alongside the widest possible range of accessories, clothing and cycle related products currently available and offers all of your servicing needs. For more information on the ATC UK location and their massive ecommerce business visit http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.
ABOUT SWISS SIDE: Swiss Side was founded in 2011 with a mission to deliver the absolute best road bike wheels on the market, based on a fusion of Action Sports product design and development with engineering from the pinnacle of Formula 1, at the best possible price.

A great Christmas Stocking filler for the Cyclist or Athlete in your life

Posted on by allterraincycles

If you are thinking about a stocking filler for Christmas, how about the SIS Endurance Starter Pack?
You get a host of nutritional goodies and a bottle at only £6.99 rather than the normal selling price of £12.99.

 The Starter Pack contains

– 2 sachets of GO Electrolyte

– 2 sachets of GO Energy
– 2 sachets of REGO drink powder
– 2 mini GO Energy bars
– 2 GO Isotonic gels
– Mixed flavours – with an 800 ml SiS bottle for easy preparation
 Available in store or online and ideal for the Cyclist or Athlete in your life.
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.SIS-Endurance-Pack_116263.htm