DNS, DNF!

Went to bed feeling good about the final stage. My calf was taped and sorted however little did I know it wasn’t to be.

Form, where for art thou form?

Ever done an exam where you have received a grade significantly less than expected, despite having prepared for it? Today was one of those days where my perfromance was lacking, despite feeling fit just a few weeks prior.

The Mountains

Enjoying the luxury of feeling clean and again having a mattress to sleep on, I almost slept too much, hitting the snooze on the alarm a little too much this morning. Day 4 and with a 7am breakfast I was a little more empty than the previous day.

Don't follow me!

The night wasn't overly comfortable sleeping on a rug on the floor, but it was the same for most, except those who had elected to carry a mat.

Stage 2. Finding the legs

Last night was spent deciding on kit for stages 2 and 3; the marathon stages, where everything necessary to sleep overnight and eat during the stages, would need to be carried.

What you need

• 10mm Hex Socket
• Appropriate suspension fluid (fox 10wt in this case)
• Float Fluid (Anti-friction lube)
• Workshop towel/cloth
• Rubber hammer or similar
• Travel adjust spacer (5mm, 10mm or 20mm)

Optional Tools ]]> Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:34:14 -0700 http://www.cyclistno1.co.uk/features/maintenance/fox-forks-travel-adjust.htm Richard Fox http://www.cyclistno1.co.uk/blog/titan-desert-race-day-1.htm Titan Desert Race - Stage 1

Not quite as planned

The wake up call this morning was pretty sweet at 5.30 am. Sunrise with the calls of camels. The air was calm and beautifully clear after yesterday's sandstorm.

Doing a wheelie for more than a couple of yards is a skill which very few mountain bikers try to learn. Usually it's good enough to get by just knowing how to do a small one to lift the front wheel over an obstacle.

After a couple of days in Barcelona, the adventure that is the Titan Desert Race began as we boarded the charter flights outbound for Morocco.

The CRC MTB-Marathon Series powered by Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport epitomise all that is fun about mountain biking: challenging routes, fun trails and great company amongst fellow riders. This is what draws me and hundreds of others to these events every year.

You might remember, last year, Gary took the Felt Edit Team for a quick spin and was totally won over by its no holds barred XC pedigree. From then on it was one of those frames that was burned into my subconcious, I had to have one.

I have been a mountain biker for 18 years, a keen road cyclist for 7 years and the maintenance contributor for Cyclist No1 for a while now.

Gary Fisher has been pushing the merits of big wheelers with his genesis geometry (currently in its second iteration as G2) for over 10 years.

The 24-hour solo at the 24 Hours of Exposure, UK and European Championships – it’s been something I’ve been working on for over a year, and it still hasn’t quite sunk in that all the hours of training, the sacrifices, and effort I put into it has paid off, as I have come

On the 4th August 2012 I’m going to ride the length of Wales, Coast to Coast, North to South, offroad, non-stop. That’s 320km (200 miles) with 11,000m (36,000ft) of climbing.