2008 Mountain Bike Season Update 1 - Let the Season Begin

Well the snow is gone, sun is shining, I've been out for two rides and I'm stoked for another mountain bike season. Hope you will all forgive me but my first ride was on the road (65KM) because things where still a little wet. Last night I went for a short ride down the Ridge, Catalyst and the Flats of the Don Valley for my first venture into single track for the season and trails are good to go. Tomorrow nights plan is for a good MTB ride afterwork and the sesaons going again.

So with all this good weather the wheels are turning and I figured an update on this seasons plans are in order. This season I wanted to concentrate on downhilling and I scored a spot to ride with the guys from Poisonfrog Promotions for the season and I'm excited to be riding with such a strong group of riders and Lee (owner of Poisonfrog Promotion and team manager) has been awesome, the teams seems like a good mix. Things are looking like it's going to be ripping season. (visit http://www.poisonfrog.ca/ and make sure to check out the racing section of the site.)

The plans for this year includes racing select XC Races hopefully about 5 O-Cups and is still going to be about building and getting my times down. I hope to pull some top 20 finishes in sport (at least being in the top 50% of the field) and by the end of 2009 I'd like to be turning times close to the Expert Class. Also on the XC side of things I'm planning to ride the 24hrs of Summer Solstice and Paul's enduro. Paul's is an awesome race I suggest you check out if you haven't. It's a 100KM enduro (with 40 and 60KM options) and I'd rank it as one of the best races in Ontario. I'm looking to come in under 8 hrs for the 100KM this year. But ultimately the big push is going to be on the DH Scene, being my first year I hope to race mid-pack sport and next year running in top third in sport. Definately pumped to be spending the extra time on the DH bike and can't wait for the first race at Kelso.

The other questions all of you riders will have is what am I riding this season?

XC will see the ol' Commencal Supernormal - with A new set of FSA XC 300SL's (they must be one of the sexiest looking wheelsets out there) weighing in respectively a 1.65KG complete and hopefully strong enough to deal with my not always smooth riding. A Thompson seat post was added Sunday (not by choice as I snapped my post on my first ride of the sesaon) and a Thompson 110mm stem was added to shorten the reach a little. The wishlist for upgrades as the funds become available is long; hydaulic brakes -Magura SL's or Shimano XT (the feel of the mechanical Juicy just aren't cutting it and the bike could afford to loos a little weight), seat Selle Italia SLR, FSA K-Light cranks, some Scwalbe Racing Ralphs once my tires need a change and maybe a new set of Candy 2TI pedals, but all this is on hold because of the investment in a new DH rig.

For those of you who haven't check out Banshee Bikes and still think of them as a big huck brand you should visit their site (http://www.bansheebikes.com/) and their Blog link. They've got a really tight line up this year covering everything from XC to AM to DH with a few things comming down the pipe in the form of the new Legend MK1 for DH which the bikes first races resulted in wins and apparently something for the weight conscious XC rider.

With that little lead in I'm sure you guessed my new bikes going to be a Banshee? I have new grey Banshee Scythe w/DHX 5, a Boxxer World Cup front, Gamut P40 chainguide, Crank Brother Mallets and the rest will be transplanted form my old bike for now mostly Bontrager Big Earl stuff, SRAM X.9 shifters, rear deraileur, LX front deraileur, and an XT cog. I'll be sure to add some actual pics when everything is in (frame should be here next week). Also as always the guys from Cycle Solutions have been awesome as well with help setting up the 2 bikes this season. If you haven't stopped by, check them out. The shop may seem a little crowded at first but the guys are awesome, great vibe, good mechanics and an awesome line up of brands.

Here's my pre-lim schedule for the season.

-Sunday, April 27th XC O-Cup # 1 - Mansfield
-May 3rd -May 4th DH O-Cup # 1 - Kelso

-Sunday, May 11th -XC O-Cup #2- Albion Hills
-May 17th - 18th Canada Cup Bromont (DH)
-May 24th - 25th Canada Cup Mt. Tremblant (DH)
-Sunday, June 1st XC O-Cup # 3/Canada Cup - Hardwood Hills
-Sunday, June 8th XC O-Cup # 4 - Kelso
-June 14th - 15th DH O-Cup # 2 - Kelso
-June 21st - 22nd 24hrs of Summer Solstice
-June 28th - 29th DH O-Cup # 3 - Horseshoe
-July 19th - 20th DH O-Cup # 4 - Camp Fortune
-August 10th XC O-Cup # 6 - Buckwallow
-August 17th DH O-Cup # 5 - Blue Mountain
-September 7th XC Provincials - Mountainview
-September 13th - 14th DH Provincials - Camp Fortune
-September 20th - 21st Pauls Dirty Enduro

A quick update my frame came in yesterday (April 24th), and the grey looks sick, almost has a copper undertone shining through it. Here's a pic, I should have her built up Sunday after the Mansfield race short of the Boxxer I'm wating for. I'll add a few picks of the build at that point.