Johnstuff's Biking + Freediving log

[Johnstuff]

Well my freediving log has been a little dormant over the winter (it's been too cold to dive much) so I thought I'd start a log for all my biking stuff.

I've been doing a fair bit of biking latley, mainly freeride, downhill, trials and dirt-jump biking.

I've recently moved house and now have a garden with a bit of space to practice bike trials techniques.

I'll describe the techniques I'm trying to work on and stuff like that sometime soon...here's a few pics of me practicing for now

[Julle]

hi John, nice pics
Freediving is also a beautiful sport, i checked out your freediving log, nice stuff .. I've got a friend that like me love mountainbiking and freediving (not vegan).
So you are the 3rdh case i know of cycling-diving syndrome

[Johnstuff]

Ha ha, yeah I do have cycling-diving syndrome


I've done some more trials practice on Tuesday evening - I've got a few pallets to jump on now. I've been working on landing gaps on the front wheel, seems to be going ok.

Wednesday went dirt jumping with Downhillingdemon, was a pretty good evening. First time I've been jumping in a few weeks but seemed to come back ok!

[ekhart]

brilliant pictues.

[Johnstuff]

^Thanks:)


I built up an old trials bike I used to ride yesterday...I'll post pics soon! It's an older style frame from when trials bikes still had seats. It has slightly more old skool geometry (shorter, no BB rise) and seems fun to ride so far.

I've been doing more gap to fronts but have crashed a couple of times going over the bars!

[downhillingdemon]

Fancy Western Park again this week????

[Johnstuff]

Yeah I'm up for western park again...I'm half tempted to try my trials bike on the jumps - not sure if that's a good idea yet.


I'm supposed to be riding at a spot near Leicester this evening...gonna be on the DH bike but might take the trials bike too cause the place is not far from shepshed rocks

[downhillingdemon]

Yeah I'm up for western park again...I'm half tempted to try my trials bike on the jumps - not sure if that's a good idea yet.

Guess you could chuck both in the car - it'll be easy to swap back to the jump bike if needed! I'll bring the camera and see if we can get some pics with these animal lib jerseys in action

[Johnstuff]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSqf97R3shI


I've been riding my old Echo Pure (2004) for the last week and I can't belive it, it's better than my Simtra. I think it's because it's slightly shorter.

I've got to sort out my rear break though and my headset doesn't seem too healthy either.

My gaps to front wheel are coming on a bit, you can see some in the video.

[Johnstuff]

This might sound confusing because I have two frames with the same name, the 2004 Echo Pure and the 2007 Echo Pure. They are very different. The 2004 I have been riding has a damaged break mount so someone is gonna repair it for me. In the mean time I built up a 2007 because I had the frame spare from a couple of years ago.

It's got more extreme geometry with a raised bottom bracket but it seems to be riding very well!

I managed to injure my wrist crashing in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqp01aBeLzo

My wrist is now almost better and I've been out down the local dirt jumps yesterday...that was lots of fun:)

[Julle]

wow...perfect control of the bike and long jumps!
get some vid of the local dirty jumps

[Johnstuff]

Thanks Julle...my control is far from perfect but I'm improving.


Update: I've been riding more and doing a little better in terms of going bigger, in all areas of riding really. I did more of a XC ride in Malvern that was great, I did get hot on the climbs but seemed to get up them all ok. In dirt jumping I have been working on tweaking the bike, seems to be getting more natural. In trials I am managing bigger stuff, did some of the biggest taps I have ever done last monday (a tap is when you jump up an obstical by smacking the front wheel into it).

I haven't ridden any Downhill for a couple of weeks now...hoping to go to the Forest of Dean on sunday though

I'm still working on my house so that keeps me fairly busy but when I get my bedroom sorted I'm thinking of getting some weights and stuff to train with, hopefully develop more power.

[Johnstuff]

I was back freediving yesterday morning in Dosthill quarry. It was pretty awesome but also cold and I didn't dive very well. I'm doing a pool session on tuesday then back in the quarry on thursday so I'll see it I improve...think I'm just out of practice.

I also cycled over to someone's house yesterday - about a 12 mile round trip that I did flat out on my XC bike all ther way.

I'm pretty knackered today so am gonna take it easy...taking my folks for a gentle ride round rutland water and a look in the bike shop:)...I was gonna do housework but can't be arsed, it'll still be there tomorrow!

[Johnstuff]

Right...I thought I'd combine my freediving and biking into the same log!

Not updated for a while...what have I been up to?

Well I've finally sorted out the rear brake on my trials bike, by grinding the rim with a cutting disc (most trials riders use a rear rim brake with a ground rim to increase friction). It's working well but I crashed over the bars again and injured my big toe. I thought I might of broken it but it's much better after a couple of weeks.

Got a trip to the Alps to look foward to!

I've been doing lots of freediving but my performance is still pretty bad. My depth is a fair way off what I know I am capable of. I have decided to enter the Triple Depth 2010 competition in Dahab Egypt at the end of September.

I have been diving in the national diving centre in Chepstow with a group called Saltfree.

Best go 'cuz I'm off to play badminton with some guys from work...should be fun!

[downhillingdemon]

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