Dusty trails!

Now I'm no racer these days so, as a break from running the Yeti demo van to various races and events, I headed off to the Sierra Nevada mountins in Southern Spain.
On a pal's recommendation I went with Ciclo Montana, the longest established mtb holiday company in Spain. Lisa, my better half, had been out with them last year and had raved about her holiday ever since and, after many weekends in muddy UK fields, I was eagerly awaiting it.

Right from the off it was a perfect mix of lovely weather, great company and food mixed with some ace technical singletrack riding. For anyone looking for a riding trip away from the more obvious Alpine areas, I would highly recommend it - the riding is true 'big' xc riding with long climbs (or sometimes minibus lifts!) followed by seemingly endless techy, rocky and dusty singletrack descents. Luckily modern trail bikes such as the 575 from Yeti make such riding so much easier, light enough to make the climbs a breeze but enough travel to rip up the downhills!

If you fancy some ace riding, check out these guys
www.ciclomontana.com
Stu

Midlands Champs - Round 2: Hanchurch

As some of you might know both Martyn and myself (matt) live very close to Hanchurch and in the small period of time when it’s not like a bog or overgrown with brambles there is some amazing natural and man made single track some of it built by our very own Martyn (Dibley) who is the course designer for this event.

Last year was the first time there’s been an event at Hanchurch and it was met with glowing reports with the only ‘a nice to have’ was bigger climbs and descents… (The descents I can understand, but climbs… Please).

Race day and with it come my hangover, the sun and a feeling its going to be a long day… As I’m in masters I don’t start until 2 so I strolled over around 12ish to find Martyn standing in the arena with a massive grin on his face, its seems he’s built a proper technical course and some of the ‘roadie’ mountain bikers have asked for their money back due to it being to technical… The comment which kinda summed it up for me came from one of the stalls: “Courses have got to easy these days and it’s nice to see a proper mountain bike course again… I’d be too ashamed to ask for my money back if I couldn’t ride it!!!”

As I wasn’t sure of the course a couple of us went for a wonder around. (Stu the Yeti rep on a fully ridged bike). The course consisted of kick ass single track, small rock gardens, linking sections of fire road, two VERY fast decants and a stinker of a climb… A proper mountain biker’s course!!!

Start Line: And the only plan I had was ‘get into the single track first’ and take advantage of knowing some (not all) of the trails but the only flaw was a 1mile fire trail and a missive climb to get to the first section. With the sound of the gun we were off, I slipped into 3rd place and held the wheel of the guy in front until the top of the last climb and made a do or die attack for the single track just beating the 1st place rider. Like a dream I managed to open up a massive lead to the point I couldn’t see second place that was until my hangover truly kicked in along with cramp and I went backward on the start of lap 2 dropping 6 places…

Screaming friends at the side of the track were great motivation and with my second wind coming at the end of lap three I managed to claw my way back up to 4th only narrowly missing out on a podium for the race. On a bright side this was the midlands champs I didn’t go away empty handed, I picked up 2nd place with was a nice bonus.

Martyn and Christian didn’t have any better luck, Martyn broke his front mech and was stuck in big ring where as Christian had been suffering all week with the after affects of all that rain at Bristol the week before; but he still managed to finish high enough in the race to get 1st place in the Midlands Champs – Expert cat.

Next race in 3rd round on the Nationals with the National Marathon champs the next day… See you there.

Bristol Bikefest

I’ve been going to Bristol Bike fest for the last 5 years and it’s always been one of the highlights of my racing calendar and this year was no exception even though we were taking a ‘Band aid’ team (2 members were missing due to work commitments).
Each year the as part of the race briefing the organiser tells us how he sold his soul to the Devil for good weather but this year I think he’ll be after a refund !!! Friday night shortly after putting up my tent up the heavens opened and it rained all night made worse by finding out my tent wasn’t waterproof! (Sitting in your tent race morning with water dripping into my cereal really isn’t the way you want to motivate yourself)

Come start time the rain had stopped and the sun was trying to come out but it didn’t make that much difference for the people picked for the honour of first lap as the open sections of the course were water logged… We gave as our normal level of team support (laughed our heads off) as our first rider splashed through the muddy field into a respectable 7th place. As time went on the course dried really well just leaving the odd sketchy rock and by lunch time we’d made it up to 3rd, fighting for 2nd.
With just a couple of laps to go we were down 3 mins on 2nd due to race traffic and bad light so we decided to put the two full time yeti members out for the final laps to see if we could make the time up and even though we set the fastest laps of the event we missed out on 2nd place by a matter of 20 seconds finishing 3rd, what made it worse is we were friends with the 2nd place team and beers were on us !!!

For those of you who don’t know the format of Bristol bikefest its split into two days worth of racing and our original plan were to stick around for Sunday’s 6hr race but as all of my kit was soaked form my leaking tent I had to bail… I do know Ruth our female team member entered the mixed pairs and got a very respectable finish in 4th on a very muddy course, so well done Ruth.
While I’m congratulating people I just want to thank Daz and Patrick our two friends who were roped in at the 11th hour for doing such a cracking job, well done lads…
If anyone see’s us at events please come and have a chat, we’ve usually get a Yeti easy up and you’ll find us chillin out there…

Report : NPS 4x Round 3

Round 3 of the 4x serries was blessed by stunning weather and a dusty hard baked track. Martyn was invited to join the 4x team for the weekend and sends his account of 3 days intensive racer-jump practice and the comp itself.

Sunday May 24th 2009 and what a day. Bank Holiday weekend usually means rain here. Not this weekend! Temperatures soared, girls undressed, not a cloud in the sky, and a chance to go 4x racing!!!

I did intend on racing both rounds at the weekend, but stupidly I had hit up the BMX tracks of Cheshire so intensivley, that my poor hands were in no fit state for a white nuckle ride.

Saturday was rescheduled as a spectating day and gate start tuition. I was once told 'a clever person learns from his mistakes, but a wise person learns from those of others'. Never could this ring more true!!

never have i felt more sorry than when a junior rider fell sidways out of the gate, just as 'riders ready, whatch the gate was called!'

After an hour, or so trying to understand when people start to react to the gate, lights or sounds, i took a walk down the course to see what i needed to start worrying about.

The first straight was really simple. 3 big rollers which could be pumped, manualled, or for the quick boys pump in double out. Then after another few cranks a small step up with a long landing area to catch those who over jump.

The racing wraped up at a helthy 6pm, with 'Boom Boom' taking the honors by a healthy meter. just in time for the coutry air to fill with the sound of party and the scent of burning meat. this is when i snuck under the tape for my first run of a 4x track! and boy did I land with a bang!!!

Race day came, and i headed up to the gate for my first attempt at taming teh Beeps! boy do i need to pratice that!

In teh race i won 3 of my motos, and got a 2nd behind scroobs, my team mate. allowing me to progress to the knock out phase.

In the first race a got a good gate, and then held 2nd down to the line.

In the semi's i tried to hard at the gate and did a wheelie up it! not advised. had to back of the pedals for a moment until the front end came back down. it was all over after that and i finished 3rd in the semi.

gutted, but i will be back to stick it to the 4x contingent again soon.

jhgj

dsfsdfsd

REPORT: NICE PRICE SPECIAL

The headline event for Yeti in 2009, the Nice Price Special, was a two day race at Cannock Chase. With qualifiers on Saturday and the main event on Sunday it was something a little different to your usual XC.

Another thing a bit different was the weather - heavy rain, created deep mud. But the team raced regardless with the return of Martyn Brookes. Matt sends this report on the weekends action:

"For the first time in 2009 the entire Yeti team lined up on the same starting grid - a rare occurrence because usually we're all in different categories. Spirits were high and there was plenty of banter, with organisers Pat and Ag joining the mocking of Martyn's news ginger/sun bleached look!

With 30 seconds to go that all ended and we were ready to hit the first singletrack. Still tired from a week in the Pyrenees I was pushed back into fourth with Chris and Martyn up the road. Conditions were made difficult by the mud, but thankfully the organisers had reduced the laps by one to reflect that. After lap one Chris - tired from the precious day of racing - let me by to try and catch Martyn. A combination of my effort and Martyn's flat tyre meant it wasn't long before that happened - I couldn't possibly comment on which contributed the most though!

We spent the next few laps sliding around on off camber descents and twisty singletrack. By lap three I was tired and the heavy rain did little to inspire me. However as the rain got harder the mud became less sticky and the course got easier. This contributed to a great final result as I finished second, with Martyn and Chris taking third and fourth.

Ruth was the only woman to finish as the others didn't complete the race! It wasn't a free-win by any means though - just to complete this race took serious energy.

The event itself was really good fun despite the poor weather. Banter between riders lifted the overall mood as did the marshals with cow bells, friends, family and other random people all of whom probably thought we were mad for racing in such conditions.

A big thumbs up goes to the organisers who, despite the weather managed to keep a light-hearted atmosphere. Hopefully next year the weather will be a bit better and we'll see a load more people racing this unique event."

REPORT: NATIONAL XC R2

Round Two of the National XC Series was a test event for the 2010 World Cup at Dalby Forest, so Ruth, Chris and Luke would be in for a testing race on a truely race-ready course.

Conditions on Saturday's practice were almost perfect in the afternoon, with the trails dry and dusty - however this did not last, with predicted rain hitting the course.

By raceday, the lap was soon returning to its original state and Ruth was the first to race. The tough climbing suited her alot better than round one at Sherwood and it was another seventh place in the Expert category.

By the time Chris and I had lined up for the Expert race in the afternoon there had already been some more rain. As we headed out on the first lap this only got worse and the first singletrack had an icey coating to the rocks! It didn't help that we both got a terrible start and were held up in the early stages behind just two riders!

When Chris did get through it was time for a game of catchup which would last 3.5 laps. In the end it resulted in a solid 11th place. I would mention that on lap three, Chris ran Medusa's descent, losing ground on George Budd - a move that essentially cost him a top ten finish! However, it hardly seems fair when my own 'sicknote' performance was nothing to write home about.

The next race is the Nice Price Special - a two day at Cannock Chase that sees the return of Martyn Brookes!

REPORT: ENDURO SIX

Just got word that Matt and Chritian finished third in the Elite men's pairs race. Full report and pics now live thanks to Matt and Rob Crayton.

Both the guys were on ASRs and running the Kenda Karma/Small Block tyres - apparantly they hooked up great on the one dry day the UK has had this year!

"After a week of heavy rain I wasn’t looking forward to racing in six hours of mud but when we turned up on the Sunday I couldn’t believe how dry the place was, even the water splash was a bit of a damp squib.

We set up at the far end of the paddock with the Yeti easy-up which dwarfed all the fishing brollies and makeshift awning to keep kit dry; the bloke next to us was well chuffed that he was going to get some free shelter just in case the forecast wasn’t right and it rained before 4pm.

Christian drew the short straw for the run (thank god) and finished it in a very respectable time and way faster than I would have.

Our plan was to do double laps and we’d already been joking around about who would get the fastest Yeti lap and with Christians second lap coming in at a blistering 0:25:21 I was starting to worry he’d already done it !! As the battle raged on I slipped into the lead of the times battle but amazingly when we checked the time after the event we’d both clocked a 0:24:57 so it was a tie.

For those of you who’ve ridden the course as part of the Enduro Six or SITS the organisers have ploughed a lot of money into making the course more resilient to the elements, they’ve dug out and hard cored the trails through blue bell woods and a couple of other places. Personally I don’t think much thought has been put into building the corners on these sections but as the race carried on natural berms started to appear and track just got faster and faster so be the end it rode well.

All in all it was a cracking race, we had some good banter with our fellow Yeti riders on the trail and getting 3^rd place was the icing on the cake.

I’m taking a few days off the old bike and having a play on the local climbing wall and will get back into some steady mile before going to the Pyrenees with a couple of friends training to do an Ironman (mad fools).

I believe the next event for the Yeti team is round two of the British Mountain Bike Series where our two Expert riders Luke and Christian will be going head to head, that should be interesting ;)."

PHOTO: ROB CRAYTON PART 1

I have been seriously lazy. You'd think having a pro photo guy on the team would mean a stockpile of pics of everyone in their new kit. Alas, that has not happened yet. Luckily, Rob Crayton fired us over some cool shots, and some er... 'unique examples.'

First from the British Mountain Bike Series at Sherwood:

Chris - sans-saddle

Matt

And secondly at Midlands XC R1

Ruth takes the Expert win

Matt hits up the podium

Matt and Chris celebrate with some bromance

TECH: SUMMER TYRES

Just got some fresh tyres through from Kenda which would have proved great on the weekend. Thanks to the great British weather, today they are renderred useless.

Still, they look nice and weigh in light. First up is a Karma 1.95 L3RPRO at 450grams. Then there is the Small Block 8 at 460grams. That tyre really won't see the bike for at least two weeks!

Full details, pics and real reviews to come as soon it dries out and it is sensible to mount these babies up!

TECH: TYRE TESTING 2

After the first instalment, tyre testing has continued. First an update on the Blue Groove. While this is the front tyre of choice on hard surfaces like rock and hardpack it performs poorly on anything loose, letting go spectacularly without warning. And with that, I present to you tyre testing part two.



The Kenda Nevegal Stick-E L3RPRO 1.95 is another condition-specific tyre. As always the Nevegal was used on a Stan's ZTR Olympic rim with yellow tape and Stan's sealant. It aired up fine using a track pump and sealed very well with many less leaks in the sidewall than the Blue Groove. You can ride these tyres from the box, rather than waiting a couple of days.

A central line of ramped knobs keeps rolling respectable, while the outer rows, supported by spider webs on the carcass, resemble a cutdown mud tyre. This design is optimum for riding in loose, dry conditions - if you can pick up the trail surface you are riding on, then this is the tyre for you.

Where the Blue Groove let go, the more substantial Nevegal hooked up in the turns. Roots were handled without problem thanks to that mellow central pattern and soft compound rubber.

The downsides? This tyre is 554g, 100g more than a Blue Groove. It won't enjoy mud - while able to go through the stuff with some drifting grip is uninspiring because of the central ramped tread. Cutting this line would improve things if you were racing on a track where a significant portion was muddy. My advice would be to run a far more aggressive tyre if you're in a mudbath though. Finally, for racing I'm not mounting this tread on the back anytime soon. It is heavy and slow rolling and generally you can get away with the back wheel getting wild.

Overall, this tyre excells on the front in anything dry and loose, especially loam and copes great with roots too. You'll see us with this tyre at the Midlands XC, Gorrick and Southern XC venues.

Once we're done reviewing the whole Kenda range we'll post a total tyre guide for UK racing. Still to come are tests on the Small Block 8, Karma and Short Tracker.

REPORT: MIDLANDS XC R1

Last weekend the team were in the Midlands and Matt took the first podium of the year - third in the Masters race. Here's his very brief report - he asked me to flower it out a bit but I'll let you fill in the gaps - Matt prefers to let his pedals do the talking!

"I’m pants at writing stuff so I thought that if I passed on some info you’d be able to make it sound good!

Ruth got the win in the Expert women’s, Christian was fourth in the Expert men’s.

Warm weather, cool course, very fast with attacking climbs and fast singletrack which showed the difference between mountain bikers and roadies. Tyres worked fantastically on the dusty ground, Karma on the front and Small Block 8 rear. Standard tyres run tubeless that worked just fine.

Next event for me is the Enduro 6 with Christian (Pairs) this Sunday them I’m off to the Pyrenees for some hill training… good times…

Not at the next round of the nationals I’ll be in the sun, but that is balanced out by the pants weather forecast given for Sunday. Oh well, to coin Christians phrase; 'Win or Die (of hypothermia) trying…'

Finally, in an update from Germany: Dibbers (Martyn) is doing 50 miles each morning and when he isn’t riding he’s climbing grades 5 to 6 out door routes on the local crags… He’s going to come back twice as fast as he left!"

So, that’s the word from inside the Yeti UK camp. Not sure what to worry about more; Brookside smashing the miles in or Fatty off to the Pyrenees. Guess we’d all benefit from turning the pedals hard and therefore avoiding the wooden spoon of slowest rider at the next race!

TECH: TOP TIPS FROM KENDA

Fresh from the factory - check out the blog of our tyre sponsor here and find out insider secrets about the whole Kenda range. Everything from ride characteristics through to tyre cutting is covered with alot more to come.

This year we are all using the Kenda range and getting to grips with a tyre to suit every condition. Soon there will be an update on the Blue Groove Stick-E L3RPRO 2.0, as reviewed earlier and a first look at the Nevegal Stick-E L3RPRO 1.95. Another consignment containing the Small Block 8 and Karma tyres is on the way so before the season is out I'll be sure to detail all of the strengths and weaknesses of each tyre, making your choice at the counter that bit easier.

If you need your tyre fix now, go to Kenda UK.

NATIONAL XC R1

Two weeks of mixed fortunes for the team! I can't really report well on what happened at the first round of the British Mountain Bike Series as I was not there. After resting and coming into form I got hit hard by the sickness bus and there was no way I could race, ride a bike or do anything in public. Our other riders could at least have a go.

Joining me in the ranks of 'unfortunate times to have something go wrong' was Chris who had his saddle fall off halfway round the Expert race. He spent an hour wondering exactly how he'd explain any accidents to the medics. Fortunately that didn't come through and he finished 36th.

It does get better though. Ruth rode well into 7th Expert for the ladies and can't wait for the hilly courses. And Matt got the result of the day with 15th in Masters - otherwise known as the ex-elite category. Don't believe me? The top five had a clear two minutes over sixth place, which Matt was only one minute adrift from...

Next big race is the National XC round 2 at Dalby on May 10 with a host of regional events in between for the mistakes and illnesses to be ironed out.

REPORT: Gorrick R4

It doesn't get any easier having a bad day at the office - even if you are used to it! The Gorrick didn't exactly go to plan - I knew the form wasn't great coming into the race, what with the National next weekend. But I was still up for having a go in the race.

At the Gorrick Series, Expert and Elite riders are grouped together, which means the top ten is always out of bounds. Today was no exception, but soon I was up with the 'leading' Expert riders. Although I felt bad I figured the performance was still good so kept going, riding a couple others off the wheel.

Two crashes later though (the second one being a 180, still clipped in and then slamming to the dust!) and I was out of the race. Too much pain to mention. I can only thank the riders behind for not slamming into me...it was a pretty close run thing as I scrambled off the track!

This morning the injuries are alot better, post-race I thought my back was twisted but it seems the only lasting damage is my panda-hand, that will be fine for Sunday though where I hope to be flying...just not through the air!

TECH: TYRE TESTING

This weekend was spent testing at Afan, riding hard and seeing if my new front tyre - the Kenda Blue Groove Stick-E L3RPRO 2.0 - was any good.

I'd earlier aired it up, tubeless with yellow tape, on my Stan's Olympic Rim and was excited to see what it could do so I tested the Blue Groove on some loamy singeltrack. It performed well, nothing spectacular but nothing scary either. A good start.

I had my reservations before the Afan weekender though. My main concerns were:

• How would a 445g tyre that had thin and porous sidewalls (it took a week to seal, but was easy to get seated with a track pump) hold air on some of the roughest and fastest singletrack around?
• Would the tyre burp and would the sidewalls hold out against rock scuffing?
• Due to the large gap between centre and outer knobs, would there be a significant fall off in traction when leaning the tyre into turns?

Some quite serious questions to be levelled then! Conditions at Afan were to be very favourable though and perfect for the recommended use of a Blue Groove. With only a few wet sections almost the entire trail network was dry and dusty. The rocky stretches were hardpack but there were also a good amount of sandy and loose over hardpack sections. Running at 20psi there was only one moment of panic as I launched a lazy two wheel drifter around a 20mph corner...everywhere else the tyre did great with no worries. There were alot of heavy hits and sidewall scrapers but no damage to the tyre or burping.

I think this could be the front tyre of choice for the race season - I have certainly been impressed despite its less than confidence inspring appearance and stats. The soft compund rubber does the business and there is no wear so far to the tyre after 8 hours of heavy abuse. It should be OK in light mud as well due to the widely spaced pattern and biger side knobs but I will report on that just as soon as I have to ride my bike through a swamp. For now though this tread is staying put.

Get yours from your local Kenda stockist.

EVENTS: UK Tribemeet 2009

For the past six years, Andrew from Yetifan has organised the UK Tribemeet - basically a good excuse for anyone who owns a Yeti bike to show up at a trailcentre and ride their bike with other Yeti owners.

Over the past six incarnations there have been some huge names at the meet, including Chris, Seth and Mike from the factory and in 2008 the global race team (yes, that means Olympian Jared Graves and World Cup downhill winner Sam Blenkinsop).

2009 is no different with the dates set for 22/23 August and the excellent Drop Off Cafe and Glyncorrwyg trails are host. The team will be there supporting the event, taking it easy and enjoying the great riding. As always; keep em peeled at Yetifan for the latest info.

TEAM BIKE Luke Webber

Here's the first team bike of the 2009 season. Each rider builds their choice of Yeti frameset around a unique set of components. This makes for a pretty interesting range of bikes that you'll be able to read about here and checkout at the races. Over to Luke, for the lowdown on his bike...

Here's my Yeti race bike for 2009 - a stock large ASR alloy in 2008 team colours. First a bit of history, I've been racing Yeti bikes since summer 2003 starting out with an ARC that is still in the stable today. However since then I have become a total convert to full suspension, especially when it is executed as well as it is on the ASR.

My first Yeti fully was a Kokopelli. I could tell it rode well but was a bit heavy and unrefined. By 2007 I was convinced and grabbed an ASR. The full carbon back end bought weight down to a competitive five pounds and now I am on another ASR - albeit one with bigger, stiffer tubes and more relaxed angles.

This makes a great difference, not that I can notice the stiffness at 65kg, but the handling is now more predictable when the going gets fast which is good to have considering the nature of current UK race courses.

The shock on the new bike is generally run fully open and around 145psi but that changes depending on where we're racing. Overall, the bike handles great, rips the turns and there are few other bikes I'd like to try out. I'm confident that the ASR is the best bike for racing on and that is a great help on the line!

Buildkit comprises of...
Headset - 6 year old Chris King
Fork - RockShox Sid Team, no poplock
Wheels - Stan's ZTR Olympic, Tune QR, tubeless w/yellow tape and various Kenda tyres
Brakes - Hope Mono Mini Pro
Groupset - XTR shifters, front mech; XT cassette 11-32, shadow mech; Ultegra SL compact chainset 44/34 TA rings; SRAM PC991 cross-step chain.
Pedals: Time Xen
Finishing - Raceface Deus XC SL 90mm stem, Next bar and post, SLR saddle, ODI Ruffian lockons, Gore cables, Yeti cable protectors, carbon bar tape chainstay protector, Tune Wassertrager.

All up weight for that is 22.1 pounds.

I suppose the interesting bit is how light this bike is without stupid stuff on. If I was to go all out there is easily another pound or two to drop, but I like to go riding off-piste and not change setup or risk having a bunch of mechanicals.

The other custom trick I am using this year are a set of road cranks with 44/34 rings and road pedals. After training big miles on my road bike through winter my legs have become used to having a narrow q-factor which mountain bike chainsets don't provide. And while road pedals and shoes aren't great for running, they give a massive increase in power, plus a big platform for cornering.
Rides so far on the bike have been very positive and at Gorrick R3 - the first time the bike was used in anger - there were no problems. I can't wait to get this thing on the podium!

TECH Get Your Groove On

Managed to air up my first Kenda tyre today ready for the new season. I have decided that the Blue Groove 2.0 is the choice for spring racing with a good directional tread. Weighing only 446g there is no point in risking a summer tread which will be compromised in the sand or loamy forest conditions you are likely to face at Gorrick events or the first National in Sherwood Forest. The only downside is a little compromised rolling.

Despite being a standard tyre, this example fitted well on a Stan's Olympic rim with just yellow tape. A dash of sealant inside and around the bead was all it needed to seat with a track pump. At first there were alot of sidewall leaks but a quick ride on the local woodland circuit and rubbing some mud onto the bead and sidewall helped the Stan's dry out.

Next I have to decide on a rear tyre...

TECH Team Kit

Thanks to our generous sponsors for 2009 we're currently getting our first wave of team kit. Coming soon are jerseys and shorts in a design like this...looks pretty cool.


But first to arrive ready for a winter of hard training were lights from Ay Up. The pics really don't do their size justice - they really are tiny compared to other systems and don't lack any punch. Just ask team rider Martyn Brookes who rode them to several King of the Night victories in 2008 and is sure to go for another few in 09.

Next to arrive was a large box from Moore Large who are providing Lake shoes and Kenda tyres along with some other stuff as the year progresses.


First up are the Lake MX330c mountain bike race shoes. These are full on pimp white, mega stiff and comfy thanks to the Boa system. No more velcro straps or heel slip as the Boa goes completely around the heel cup holding your foot in place. The only shame will be getting these covered in muck!


However, for those very occasions we also have the Lake MX140 boots. In a more suitable black, with a high cuff and Event waterproof and breathable fabric it looks like these are the shoe of choice for any 24 hour in the British summer.


Oh, and on the note of the British summer it is just as well Kenda fired through some tyres. Our first batch includes a pair of Nevegal 1.95, which despite a very deep and agressive tread pattern come in at 556g on my scale. The lighter Blue Groove 2.0 slices another 110g from that but forgoes the deep tread in favour of a lesser knob. The sides are still heavily loaded though and both treads are a good width.


Apparantly tyres for dry conditions are coming later (those guys at Kenda are very pessimistic!) We'll post our thoughts on how each tread rides, just as soon as we get them mounted up and rolling.

RIDERS READY: Martyn Brookes

NICKNAME DIBLEY
HOMETOWN STOKE
AGE TWENTY TWO
CAT ELITE
BIKE ASR CARBON

Martyn is the teams top Elite rider and is officially the UK's fastest night rider, crowned King of the Night at 24/12, SiTS, Mountain Mahyem, Bristol Bikefest and the Cheddar Challenge. 2009 will see another busy year as Brookside balances studies with racing and promoting a round of the Midlands XC Series.

This year, Hanchurch hosts the Midlands Championships which will be a big aim. It also helps that most of the course is now complete, so race prep won't involove seven days of hauling hardcore!

We caught up with Martyn to find out about his aspirations for 2009...

SO, WHAT'S THE MASTERPLAN FOR 2009?
Well, first on the list is to clean the climb up Snowdon, adding to Jacob's Ladder and Helvellyn which are already in the bag. Oh, clear the triple at Crewe and to pull a backflip in an XC race, that would be cool.

AND ON THE RACETRACK - STU TOLD ME YOU WERE FLYING!?
Ha! Total bull! I went spinning the other day and chundered...

I HOPE THERE WEREN'T ANY HOTTIES THERE...
No, it was in Stoke.

HA! I CAN ALMOST READ THE COMPLAINTS ALREADY.
When I went for the final sprint I gave it full gas. I errupted out of the saddle, gave it the full on BMX style and held it for eight seconds. Then I hit a dead end at 1350 watts...never done that before. After, the wheel was so hot sweat was evaporating on impact!

SO WHAT OTHER STUFF ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 09?
Getting a Seven and taking on the MegaAvalanche. That will be fun.

WITH ALL THESE OTHER CHALLENGES SOME WOULD THINK YOU'RE NOT AN XC RACER, OR AT LEAST IT ISN'T YOUR PRIORITY?
Ha, never have been. Just happen to like racing, that and being as technically perfect as possible. I take real pride in riding a course rather than a path that tape surrounds.

I GUESS THIS REALLY INSPIRED YOUR HANCHURCH RACE COURSE?
No, orriginally Dan Wells and I started to build the single track to promote better skills. When it was first built we could not ride it without dabbing, so new ways of delivering static skills to the trails had to be learned. Over time we kept extending and extending the singletrack, and only a portion is used in the race track. The rest was deemed to dificult and dangerous, which really sucks.

SO WHAT DOES A COURSE NEED THEN, AND DOES ANY UK TRACK COME CLOSE?
Well, no track has to be 100% singletrack - it needs to be a unique challenge. The best tracks so far have been Twentyfour12, Cheddar and Bristol. That track at the Ashton Court Bikefest is super taxing, on some bits you might as well take your seat off! To maintain momentum without stalling on the bends and bumps is super hard. You know it is a challenge when you gauge your limit by the sound your foot makes as it brushes against the fenceline!

SO HOW DOES YOUR RACE AT HANCHURCH FIT ALONGSIDE THIS?
I am just trying to show that XC races aren't all about fitness training, there is more to racing than that! I'd say the greatest skill you can have is the ability to race, you have to have that trained instinct to do well.

Thanks Mart, we'll be looking out for that at the races!

RIDERS READY Matt Dennis

NICKNAME FATTY
HOMETOWN STOKE
AGE THIRTY ONE
CAT MASTER
BIKE ARC

Matt is the senior member of the team, racing in the old-folks category. Unfortunately it turns out that some of these fogies are ex-elite riders and to compete you've got to smash it in the big ring. The reigning Midlands Champ has no problem with this this though and will be the team's not so secret weapon come 24-hour season.

On board Yeti since 2000 Matt can remember the old days and his constant flow of stories will be a great help to send the young 'uns off to sleep! This means Fatty can get on with the important business of riding his bike away from the endless banter under the tent...

SO, WHAT'S THE MASTERPLAN FOR 2009?
Ride my bike and have some fun! The best rides - like most things in life - are all natural. I'm talking about the Peaks, Lakes and hidden natural singletrack in the woods.

WHICH RACES ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THEN?
Bristol Bikefest for sure, love that track especially in the dry. Last year we got pipped but this year I am up for the win! Oh yeah, that and there's a big afterparty in the tent. Great for getting tipsy, but not so cool to help the performance on Sunday.

ANY OTHERS YOU'D LIKE TO TRY?
The TransAlp one day but getting an entry isn't all that easy. Maybe I can get it sorted soon...

HOW ABOUT THE XC RACES?
I managed to bag the Midlands XC Champs last year so it'd be cool to get that again. Plus I'm trying out some Natioanl events. It will be interesting to see how that goes...

RIDERS READY Christian Aucote

NICKNAME CHRIS
HOMETOWN DERBY
AGE TWENTY EIGHT
CAT EXPERT
BIKE ARC

Chris is the worker bee of the team - most likely to be seen at every event from XC sprint through to 24 hour solo - he's done them all. Racing Expert for a third year and ready to achieve his potential with Yeti to make it three Elite team riders in 2010!

Known for a love of fast dry singletrack and chocolate cakes, Chris first came to attention in 2006 winning the Sport race at his first National event and continuing with more podium placings. In the following two years attentions would shift toward marathons but in 2009 the focus is clear; to gain a coveted Elite licence. We caught up with Chris shortly before the first landmark event of the season to see how training was progressing...

SO, WHAT'S THE MASTERPLAN FOR 2009?
Definately get that Elite licence. It would be cool to get a Yeti 1-2 at an Expert race or two as well. Whatever the case, I'm excited about the coming year!

YOUR FIRST RACE OF THE YEAR WENT TO PLAN?
Yeah, the first Gorrick was just a test to see how the legs were. I had good endurance which was a relief but no power. I suppose it wasn't a worry.

HOW COME?
I'm not sure firing on all cylinders in January would have been a great plan! Since then the riding has been different and Sherwood will be a good test.

AH YES, THE FIRST NATIONAL...
It is always hard to know what will happen there, it is the first race, everyone has been secretly training. Nobody knows what is going to happen until the end of the first lap. Only then have you got a better idea of what the deal is.

We're hoping the deal will be cut in the favour of our Expert riders...it would be cool to see that 1-2 (no pressure!)

RIDERS READY Luke Webber

NICKNAME WEEBLE
HOMETOWN SOUTHAMPTON
AGE TWENTY THREE
CAT EXPERT
BIKE ASR ALLOY

More reknowned for his writing than his riding, for 2009 Luke is putting his own racing first instead of 'talking the talk'. There will still be a few media mogul moments, just don't expect a camera, notepad or laptop to be listed as essential items come raceday. For the moment pedalling a bike pretty fast is his number one priority...

SO, WHAT'S THE MASTERPLAN FOR 2009?
To be as fast as I can be. As for results, it would be nice to finish top-11 at the National Champs and qualify for a World Cup.

IS THAT A REALISTIC AIM?
I reckon so. I have been training hard for six months. If I'm not fit now, I never will be.

WHAT HAPPENED TO TAKING PICS AND WRITING STUFF...
I'm still doing that, it's just that this year I won't be travelling around Europe on an adventure with little regard to cycling. Last year I really missed riding a bike myself. It gets quite depressing watching everyone whizz by and not having part of the action.

SO HOW COME THE SUDDEN CHANGE?
I was really inspired staying with the top pros in the World last year. You can't help but take what they do on board. I wanted part of the action and riding hard this year is the first step.

SO WHAT'S THE KEY EVENT?
Definately National Champs. That is the only place I can qualify for a World Cup without an Elite licence. It is a big aim and every other race will be just treated as training. I'm not saying the National Series isn't important, of course I'd like to win a few...but I'm more concerned with continual improvements through those races.

WILL THERE BE ANY TIME OUT FROM THE RACING SEASON?
Definately. I really like those Avalanche Enduro and Mash-Up events where you're timed on singletrack. They are fun to do with a few mates and then relax afterward.

HOW HARD HAS IT BEEN TO BALANCE WORK AND RIDING FULL-TIME?
Luckily pretty easy. Through winter there is little work to do - not so many races, and the sun stays away. So there have only been one or two weeks that have been less than ideal. It is cool having Yeti support for the year too.

YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE BIKES FOR A WHILE NOW?
My first was a 2003 ARC that I saved forever to get, it made all those bad overtime shifts in a supermarket worthwhile. Since then I have guested on the unofficial team at a few events, but having a full setup this year will be a great help for the riders and also the brand. There are also alot of independant riders and teams on the bikes for 2009 and that just shows that they are great bikes in demand. Knowing you are on the best product on the line, that is one less thing to worry about and a big confidence booster.

RIDERS READY Stu King

NICKNAME KINGER
HOMETOWN YETI VAN
AGE UNKNOWN
CAT EXPERT ORGANISER
BIKE DEMO FLEET

Behind the scenes there are a few people who make sure the riders get the kit they need to produce the goods on the track. Stu is the man who brings everything together and is ultimately responsible should anything go wrong - let's be honest, Mark was never going to let any of the riders run the team - it would be guaranteed carnage! Alongside running the Yeti UK bike demo programme Stu will be at all the big races helping out and in close proximity to the burger van.

SO, WHAT'S THE MASTERPLAN FOR 2009?
It's going to be great seeing the team achieve their goals in the 2009 season. Keeping everyone kitted out with the latest Yeti goodies and showing the UK race scene the coolest new bikes!

HOW ABOUT YETI'S INVOLVEMENT IN EVENTS?
This year we're sponsoring Pat Adams' new Nice Price Special event. It is a unique two day race and we're hoping to do OK in the standings too...

AND THE DEMO FLEET?
Yeah, there are a load of demo bikes that will be at all the big races and official demo days for anyone to come and try. So you can see the bikes perform on the track and then test each one out for yourself - find out first hand why Yeti make the fastest race bikes!

WHAT BIKE ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO?
Definately the new Seven...Should never have sold the pink ASR though, it was a great bike to do it all on. If anyone leaves their team bike off guard in '09 they'll know who to chase for it!

I SUPPOSE THAT WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO KEEP THE GUYS FIT!
Yeah! My racing days are over now - besides I prefer to enjoy the sun of Sierra Nevada with CicloMontana.com. Riding for hours in the mud is overrated....I give the team another two years of crap at Mountain Mayhem before they decide there are finer things in life!

MECHANIC Howard

NICKNAME HOOF
HOMETOWN BROMLEY
AGE UNKNOWN
CAT KING OF SPANNERS
BIKE 303/575

Howard is the main man when it comes to getting the bikes preped for raceday. Most of the team riders are experienced mechanics and prefer to sort their own bikes; except when Howard is about. He is one of the few expert race technicians that all riders are happy to let loose on their bike after another muddy lap at Mayhem, only to wake and find that everything works like new...as if the 3am lap didn't happen!

Welcome

Welcome to the Yeti Cycles UK race team site. Over the coming season there will be updates from the team - Martyn Brookes, Christian Aucote, Luke Webber, Matt Dennis and Ruth Owen-Evans. Race reports, latest kit news and some insight from team manager Stu King and mechanic Howard are just a few of the updates you can expect.

Until then, see you at the races.