by hattenburrow | Nov 28, 2017 | Adventure, Biking Adventures, How to
Winter riding doesn’t have to be a frosty affair it can be good fun and very beautiful especially if you are prepared.
“If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail”
My advice would be look at what rides / training you want / need to do then head to trusty (or not so) BBC weather forecast and look at the week ahead this will help you plan longer rides on days when the weather is better and shorter sessions in the rain.
One thing to mention on this is that if you’re doing sprints, wet / icy weather and slippery roads are not a good combo so be ready to change your session accordingly if you can be flexible in your training around the weather and expect that, it will rain, you will get wet and it may be cold for the first 5 minutes until you warm up then riding will be enjoyable.
It is true what they say there is never the wrong weather just the wrong gear.
My top kit list would be:
- Grip Grab overshoes – warm and dry feet make riding in wet and cold weather so much more comfortable. Make sure you buy a size that hugs your shoes I recommend The Hammerhead, it is a warm and waterproof coated neoprene winter shoe cover. Designed and tested to keep your feet warm and dry in wet and cold weather conditions.
- Altura Night Vision Evo jacket this versatile jacket is labelled for ‘commuting’ however I love mine for every occasion it’s great for training the big vents on the sides give adequate breathability whilst knowing I have the waterproof and high visibility factors Altura say: The Night Vision Evo features lightweight, waterproof, windproof and breathable fabrics in a soft touch 2 Layer Altura Shield™ EVO fabric, which help to keep you both dry and warm on your rides. You then have the benefit of critically positioned reflective details and an ingenious integrated i-Lume™ rear flashing light to ensure you are easily seen. With the addition of NV360° performance you have 360 degrees of reflectivity for maximum after dark visibility from all angles.
- The cloudburst glove from Grip Grab is waterproof and windproof glove, like slipping your hands into hot water bottle covers whilst you ride with a soft fleece lining. The OutDry® Waterproof and Breathable membrane makes the Cloudburst gloves that will serve you well as an all-round high-end glove.
Riding through winter tips:
- Early mornings are stunning wake up and get out before the sun rises and watch it come up also a bonus around Christmas is seeing everyone’s Christmas lights!
- Put a little warm water in your bottles if riding in freezing conditions to stop it freezing.
- Get your kit on the radiator ready to go!
- Check your tyre pressure riding in a lot of mud – decrease the air in your tyres to help with grip
- Get a good pair of lights, ideally helmet and handle bar Exposure lights are fantastic but pricey for a cheaper option search amazing from 1000 lumen lights
- Invest in thermal underwear and a good rain / windproof
- Let people know where you’re going and how long you will be out
by hattenburrow | Nov 11, 2017 | Adventure, Inspiration, Uncategorized
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What are your dreams made of?
Next week I reach the ripe old age of 30! This is a super scary thought for me, I don’t know if anyone else feels the same but in my head I had this elaborate portrait of what being 30 would look like. I would have a lovely house, husband, dog and maybe kids with a great high flying job in marketing probably in London. Well I guess I am almost there I have an incredibly supportive boyfriend, a slightly mischievous dog and a lovely house a.k.a building site because buying a house in southern England is like selling your soul to the mortgage company.
Just writing this has actually made me feel better about myself, It’s often the case that we take for granted what we have. Especially in todays ‘social’ world where every image on Instagram shows just a tiny slice of other people’s worlds, and usually it’s the good stuff you see!
I have taken the time recently to take stock of all the amazing memories, people and achievements in my life that make me grateful each day to be who I am. I am however, a great believer in always pushing forward and have goals and aspirations, dreams that I want to reach.
I have not had a ‘normal’ career path but I have certainly learnt who I am along the way. Starting with a degree in fashion, I still remember my interview and convincing my Dad that the black suit dress was not the best option and instead opting for a far zingier outfit. They must have liked it because the next thing I knew I was starting Uni in Southampton and couldn’t of been happier. Southampton was brilliant I have awesome memories learnt a hell of a lot about life, love, friendship and fashion of course! I also learnt that the fashion industry was not for me. After three years working hard on my degree I found myself back at home feeling rather delated and not sure what to do next. Not to be knocked down by the first hurdle I decided these feelings were normal and that’s feeling down was not constructive. After some soul searching I found my way back to my comfort zone of the class room and started my Masters in Marketing Management at the same time as being an intern for the university. This was a fantastic opportunity to keep learning (pushed way outside my comfort zone) and earn money. Win win.
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This time I left Uni with a direction and a drive to earn money! This drive landed me in a job in telecoms…. Que feeling totally confused and disinterested in trying to sell Voipe (I still don’t know what this is 7 years later). This first taste of employment taught me to search deeper and that money was not the bee all and end all.
Some would say ‘fate’ created an avenue to pursue my own path for a few months whilst I recovered from a back injury. This was my first taste of working for myself and I lapped it up. The thing I loved about working for myself was problem solving for clients. Whilst I had been an intern the Director of Marketing, who I reported too, was far too busy to give me things to do so I went off round the university and found ways I could improve the business services by listening to my colleagues and trying to solve their problems. I loved the creative freedom of thinking on my feet.
After my back injury Pilates was my way back to health, as well as biking this is where my hunger for living a healthy balanced lifestyle grew. I had always loved being outdoors but now being outside was an escape it allowed me to release tension and feel alive again. I spent so much time walking the country lanes with my Mum whilst I recovered, I loved the silence and peace I found in walking. My passion for biking was re-ignited when I could go further and needed a non-load bearing exercise.
After a while of working for myself again came the drive to earn money, also the drive to be closer to Martyn, living at home in Suffolk with a boyfriend on the Isle of Wight was not ideal!
So I returned to Southampton and my first taste of the real marketing world working in an agency. I enjoyed this new challenge in a fast paced industry where every 15 minutes counted towards a client’s bill. An opportunity came my way to combine my passion for health and fitness with my career in marketing and I was soon re-locating to Surrey. Surrey Sports Park the most beautiful gym I had ever set foot in! I had great fun at SSP working with the sports performance and fitness teams in the marketing department I also love being able to train at lunch and have free membership to this fabulous facility!
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This was also where my coaching journey began and I did my cycle coaching award and then coached at the Sports Park. I enjoyed my job but the 45 min commute was meaning I couldn’t coach or train as hard as I wanted to and my passion for cycling had grown to racing and after working my way into elite level at cross-country I wanted to dedicate more time to my sport.
Moving to Dreams Come True was great I had a brilliant boss who was very flexible and working for a small charity felt homely and fitted well with my values.
Working at Dreams, where we help young people with serious illness achieve their dreams has made me think about my dreams and goals. As a coach, it is so rewarding watching kids and adults work on a bike skill and then by the end of the session leave with confidence and more ability than when they started. Some of the kids I coach have been coming for four years and it’s the best ever feeling looking at where they were and were they could potentially go as gifted young riders. One of my life goals is to never stop learning and with this in mind I decided to take the plunge and learn how to be a Pilates instructor. I have seen first-hand the benefits Pilates has given me. My goal for 2018 is to combine my cycle coaching with Pilates and offer wellbeing programs for women and girls where I can show the benefits of leading healthy lifestyle through cycling, getting outdoors and maintaining a good strong core and working on posture and alignment.
It seems scary writing this down because it makes it so real. This is my goal and I am on a journey to change my view point in life. As my Dad would say ‘happy are those who dream dreams and are prepared to pay the price to see them come true.
I’d love to hear some of your life goals and how you are going to make them happen so please get in touch.
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by hattenburrow | Oct 9, 2017 | Adventure, Biking Adventures
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by hattenburrow | Sep 21, 2017 | Adventure, Biking Adventures, Mountains
Singletrack fun in Solden.
A lazy start with a fantastic breakfast at the Die Berg hotel. We looked out onto a rather drizzly mountain, hoping the sun gods would bless us with some good weather for our endure day.
At intersport I picked up my new ride for the day a Cube Fritzz race enduro bike with 160mm travel on the fork and 27.5 tyres it looked like a serious bit of kit!
Today was the day to try the other side of the mountain. After getting our bikes and heading to the lift, I was glad, in the weather conditions, to have my Grip Grab gloves and shoes covers to help keep me warm.
Arriving at the mid-station at 2,174m we stepped out into a blizzard of snow. I instantly felt the chill in my bones and didn’t need to read the temperature gauge to know it was below freezing.
The trail from the mid-point took my mind off the cold as I cruised down large flowing berms loving the freedom and exhilaration of the smooth trails, constructed by Bike Republic Sölden.
The ‘flow trails’ are man-made with features like board rides, rock crossings and berms. These trails are designed in a way that allows you to flow from feature to feature down the mountain, hence the name. Their flowing lines are cut into the side of the mountain and maintained by a team of trail builders.
We saw a lot of wildlife from deer, stoats and plenty of birds of prey. It is one of the reasons I love biking you can really get close nature and see incredible wildlife you wouldn’t see in a car.
The other thing I love about mountain biking is the ability to go on an adventure, a journey. We traversed the side of the mountain climbing and descending until we got to our lunch stop. A beautiful hut called Gambya Thya at over 300 years old. It had been run by the same family for years, making award winning cheese and ham. We were in for a treat! The quaint wooden hut was filled with ribbons from award winning cows and photos of days gone by. The little rooms were full of character and the family’s welcome arms made me feel warm after being in the fresh alpine air.
We tucked into Austrian delicacies, drank mugs of warming hot chocolate and sipped on schnapps made from pine cones. What more could a mountain biker need on a lunch stop?
Revitalised and well fed we headed out to continue our trail adventure, stamping more lines as we weaved our way down the mountain and back to the valley below.
Wednesday –
Heading to the airport at 1pm it seemed like a missed opportunity not to grab our bikes and head back up the mountain. This gondola was bigger and you could wheel your bike right in and sit next to it. This was much more convenient than trying to balance it on one wheel in the other gondola. Up at the top the view was breath taking. The mountains stood elegantly in the sun, their white rocky peaks towering above the lush green valley below.
The first trail of the day was called Habe line, this was a new section of trail and in places the gravel had not bedded in yet, making the sharp turns a little more challenging. After the top gravelled section we came into a muddy section of berms hitting one a little too fast I has a moment of mud slide and ended up looking like a mud monster on one side! Typical on the day I had to pack to fly home!
A bit like snowboarding having the views and the viability in the mountains made the biking a whole different experience. The trail was dry (in most places) and the bike ate up the ground underneath it, rolling from berm to berm gathering speed before I would break and re focus on the next trail feature.
Breaking out of the forest descent onto a plateau we came across some very friendly alpine cows. They were so inquisitive coming right up to us and even licking one of the guys leg!
My favourite bit of the descent was a board ride snaking its way through the trees and down the mountain side, it was like you were flying through the tree canopy alongside the squirrels. My main challenge was keeping my eyes looking ahead as sometimes through the trees would be the most amazing mountain view, which would grab my attention for a split second as I flew past them.
The flow trails were really good fun. There is a good network of trails suitable for all types of rider, but the trails are not easy and should be treated with respect and not underestimated, after all this is a mountainous playground where the weather can change in a moment so you need to be prepared and understand how to handle your bike in order to stay safe and enjoy the trails.
by hattenburrow | Sep 12, 2017 | Adventure, Biking Adventures
A two day adventure in the Austrian Alps
Monday was the first day visiting Austrian Alps in the picturesque village of Solden nestled in the Tyrol region.
This scenic village is an adventurous paradise with skiing in the winter and mountain biking and hiking in the Summer.
The Solden tourist board (Bike Republic Solden) is creating great infrastructure for biking and I was keen to try it out. So along with fellow mountain biker’s Dave, Martin and Peter we headed out on the first adventure of our trip.
Our first day in Solden was spent testing e-bikes. I had a Hai AllMtn with 150mm travel weighing in at a hefty 25 kilos I was glad I wouldn’t be needing to ‘hike a bike’ anywhere!
We hired our Hai e-bikes from intersport in the village and set off to the pump track with our guide Alex, from Bike School Ride On. As a coach I was very impressed that instead of heading straight to the trails he talked about bike techniques and we used the pump track for him to give us feedback on our riding technique.
We then headed up the mountain towards our first trail, Monday was trying the ‘silent side’ of the mountain where there are no lifts so under our own steam, with the help from the e-bikes we headed swiftly onwards and upwards.
Having never ridden an e-bike before I was pleasantly surprised, the motor works when you’re pedalling and has four settings eco +, eco, standards and high depending on how much assistance you need depends on which setting.
The e-bike made easy work of the Alpine climbs, I used the standard and eco settings mainly, rolling up the gravel paths at an easy 16km the climb to the top took no time at all which was great I can really see the benefit of an e-bike for long days climbing in the alps for those who don’t have the needed fitness levels for such demanding climbs.
The first trail of the day was a black run called Jagers Notweg, Bike Park Solden have introduced a passport system where riders can collect stamps of each trail they have ridden in return for goodies, neat huh!
This was a natural trail with sharp, steep corners which I found a little too technical for my liking. I had to walk sections with the bike and this was really hard work the e-bike weighs almost half of me so lugging it around the trail was cumbersome.
The natural trails were brilliant, if not a little testing, with steep sections, rock shoots, lots of tree routes and the odd hiker to contend with. All natural trails are shared rights of way so you need to be alert and respect other trail users.
Jagers Notweg – the start of this black trail lulls you into a false sense of security as you traverse a very pleasant path with trees on both sides. The trail soon turns into a testing singletrack with hairpin turns, jagged rocks waiting to pinch either you or your tyre and roots at the most unhelpful of angles. The days previously it had rained which had made both rocks and roots slick and the payment for getting things wrong on this tiny trail was not worth thinking about so there was a lot of negotiating on foot this is where e-biking was an issue weighing in at around 58kg my bike at 25kg was nearly half my weight and keeping myself and it upright was a work out in itself.
Just as you think this little singletrack has thrown all it can at you, you reach a bridge and then a 10 minute climb to the double track path. Delighted to reach the top Dave and I chilled and chatted about our attempt at the most technical trail in the whole of Bike Republic Solden, happy to have that stamp in our passports we headed onwards and upwards. I was happy to have some assistance from the e-bike which plodded along nicely in eco mode my feet turning the pedals around 80rpm. Sometimes forgetting I had assistance at all until I stopped pedaling and the bike would coast along like a normal bike losing power. With an e-bike the more power you put in the more it gives back.
We then headed back up towards our lunch spot at Kleble Alm, a typical Austrian chalet serving delicious Goulash Soup. Batteries re-charged we headed down the Kaiser trail and back towards the village.
Overall I would say e-bikes have a great place within mountain biking to help those who don’t have the fitness level to have access to the outdoors and go on adventures.
Tomorrow is Enduro day using the uplift to get to the top and enjoying the flow trails on the way down.
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