Beginners spins & Underage riders

Hi all,

This may or may not have been sent around before, but it's worth saying again:
If any riders under the age of 16 are planning on doing the beginner's ride, they'll need to download our "Underage rider form" here: Underage rider consent form

Both they and their parent must sign the form, and the parent must accompany the rider to the meeting place to meet us and hand over the form. The Parent must also return to collect the rider at the appointed time, to be agreed with the ride leader on the day.

If anybody has any trouble downloading the form, email me and I'll email it on to you.
If you have any other queries, just drop me a mail or a call to 086 3354576.

See you all on Saturday,
Sean

MTB Beginners Course - Week 1

The MAD MTB Beginners Course kicks off on Saturday September 2nd. We'll meet up in the Hellfire Club car park at 10am (directions below). Sean and Morgan will show you how to check your bike over before the ride and how to set it up properly. We'll then have an easy ride around Masseys Wood for about two hours.

Helmets are compulsory on these rides - no exceptions under any circumstances. Check here for a list of what else to bring.

There is no cost for attending these rides but anyone continuing to ride with MAD afterwards must join the club (€20, +€35 Cycling Ireland membership). Sean also likes Jaffa Cakes.

Hellfire Club Directions
From the Yellow House in Rathfarnham take Willbrook Road south
Continue along Ballyboden road until you reach the Ballyboden Roundabout
(you can also get to the roundabout from Grange Road to the east, or the Ballycullen exit of the M50)
Go straight through the roundabout and take the first right
Take the first left, up Stocking Lane
The Hellfire Car park is 2km along, on the right.

Map Link

Sunday 27th August

Hi,

After much debate over where and how much we'll do this weekend, I've made a decision.....though whether or not I'll be there depends on me getting a lift ooop north for a race.
The original plan was to do the Wicklow way to Ballinastoe, taking in the Sally Gap and Kippure on the return leg. Now, our Commander in Chief (Morgan) is the only one I know of to know the trails down off Kippure (cliff paths by Lough Bray) and seeing as he is off inspecting airport security in Heathrow this weekend, we'll be putting the Kippure part on ice for the moment.
So, the route will be as follows......the Wicklow Way to Djouce, at which stage we'll evaluate energy levels and time factors and decide to either (1) return home via Enniskerry or (2) go to Luggala for the POG course and return home via the Sally Gap.
Meeting at the Yellow House at 10am.
This is the longest spin that we've done in a long while, so you'll need fit legs, lots of food and water and if possible, a good sense of direction. As there's a reasonable distance involved, stopping and faffing will need to be kept to a minimum.
There are various opt out points along the way, most returning home via the Enniskerry road, should they be required.


Also, the Ulster XC champs are on this weekend, should be a good event. Both myself and Ryan are willing to trade petrol money for a seat in a car if there's any going spare.

We may also have a club meeting at some stage next week, keep your eyes peeled for details.

Happy biking,
Sean
086 3354576

email me!

MAD Introductory MTB Course

During the month of September MAD will run a 5-week series of rides for people who want to take up mountainbiking or feel the need to improve. Each week the elite MAD trail guides will lead you around a new area, providing advice and support. There will also be a demonstration on the basics of bike maintenance. There may also be biscuits*.

Check out the beginners pages for details of what you'll need to bring. If you have any questions or just want to let us know you're interested, email beginners@madmtb.com.

We'll provide an update with full details each week, including directions. The general plan is as follows.

Date	Venue	Maintenence
Saturday Sept 2nd	Masseys Wood	General bike setup
Saturday Sept 9th	Kindlestown	Puncture repair
Saturday Sept 16th	Leadmines	Headset and v-brakes
Sunday Sept 24th	Three Rock	Chain repair
Saturday Sept 30th	Slade Valley	Gears

*bring biscuits.

IMBRC presents - the final XC NPS race for 2006

The people have spoken! Sugarloaf this Sunday

It was a close-fought contest but the final result was in favour of Kindlestown and the Sugarloaf this Sunday. I expect to see 15 happy riders (and maybe 8 disgruntled Djouce fanciers) in the Kindlestown car park at 10am. The Sugarloaf could be considered proper mountain - so be prepared. Bring warm clothes and rain gear even if it's sunny in the morning. Bring plenty of food too.



Directions to Kindlestown
-------------------------------------
Take the M11/N11 south to Kilmacanogue
Two miles or so after Kilmacanogue you'll pass the "Eco Shop" on your left
Take the next exit signposted "Glenview Hotel"
Take the next right turn (do not cross the flyover bridge)
You'll pass the Glen of the Downs golf club on your left, then take a right
The entrance to Kindlestown car park is on your left.

Rides this week - time to choose

There's a lot on this week - road racing, beginners rides, club league and a welcome return to proper Sunday spins.

The Mick Lally Memorial race is on this evening the Phoenix Park. Last weeks race was cancelled so this another chance to give road racing a go (main park road, 7.15pm). There's more racing on Thursday with the regular Club League taking place in Slade Valley (7.15pm).

On Saturday Nigel and Paddy with lead a beginners spin to Masseys Wood. Everyone, including complete novices is welcome on this one. Meeting at the Yellow House at 10am.

Finally on Sunday we'll have the first club spin in ages (the NPS season has been taking up all our time). There are a couple of options so we'd like you all to choose, after all MAD is the club that listens to its members. The first option is to start at the Yellow House and follow the Wicklow Way over Kilmashogue, Prince Williams Seat, Crone and on to Djouce. Here we'd ride around the POG course and return via the Sally Gap. Option 2 is to meet at Kindlestown, do a lap or two of the track, then head to Glen of the Downs and up to the summit of the Sugarloaf. Both spins would be quite long but there are several opportunities to cut the ride short on each. It's up to you...

Race report: XC NPS round 7 Castlewellan

A long spin to get to Castlewellan but we were rewarded with a really great course and sunny weather.
Big well done to all who raced especially the huge effort by Nigel Mel and Ryan who had literally tortured themselves adventure racing the previous day!
Don't know how they did it - these fit people huh?!

Fergal and Steve got the first practice lap in at about 9:30am - yeah, we arrived a 'little' early - it was cool - no-one else around!
Official results yet to be posted, but as far as I remember;

Morgan narrowly eluded mechanical problems by puncturing AFTER the finish line - nice timing Morgan!
Steve fresh outta French prison raced really well & got a 5th.
Nigel was pushing hard and finished very close to Steve in 6th. Fergal got an 8th, Ryan had a great race just missing podium with a 4th.
Mel won Sports ladies (Mel - you can give an account of your 'opposition'!) and finished strongly in overall Sports.

Not so lucky was Geoff whose derailleur decided to mortally injure itself by snapping-off on the first lap -aagghhh! and he looked so good in those gloves!
EDIT>> As we were sitting back after the race, Geoff’s face was not that of a happy man, but just then…when all appeared lost…a change!
Geoff’s expression went from one of disappointment to contemplation, from contemplation to firm resolve, then finally to an unmistakable look of steely determination!
The fire of competitive commitment burned in his eyes, like hot aviation-fuel poured onto flaming lava, as he uttered the immortal words:
“That’s it lads, next year is gonna be the year-MY YEAR, I’m gonna take Sports by the neck and shake it - mark my words!”
A deathly silence fell at the back of the Almera, my mouth was agape, Nigel stopped complaining about his sore legs, Steve even stopped munching his lump of choc-biscuit cake, we all looked at Geoff, we saw THE LOOK, we knew he meant business:
Rapid Rooney 2007 – prepare for the power!

Christian had a few nasty impacts (big aaaggghhhh!!!) that left him battered, bruised & bloody but still able to finish and keep smiling - that's the spirit Christian-unbreakable!

Shane had shaken-off any remaining ghosts of his crash and had a fun few laps with those big forks of his in Sports.

Sean was heroically trying to shake-off sickness during the week but it continued to plague him and he retired early (not that you'd think he wasn't well when you see this video clip I have of him & Morgan hammering it along a singletrack section!).

Nigel spent a long time getting tips on action photography from some pro camera guy, so expect to see some great camera work from him soon!

The Eurospar was the venue for sambos and chips before hitting the LONNNGGGG road home - man that traffic jam in Newry was a killer! Newry is no longer myself & Steve's most favourite northern town (as if it ever was....)
Final XC on this years calendar is IMBRCs hosting at Slade Valley, a venue we are all familiar with, but the IMBRC track-masters are shaping it up to be a very different course to the Dash so all of MAD should put in a few weeks of intense training on the course to finish the season strongly and bag as many podium places as possible!

I'm sure Sean will devise some torturous training schedule over the coming weeks for MAD (he's nice like that!)


Full official results here

Hellacious Weekend of Racing

MAD will have two entries in the Outsider Annacurragh Bike Adventure this Saturday. Nigel and Paul will be formidable contenders while our own Team Lurve (Melanie and Ryan) are going to cause mayhem in the mixed category. Good luck to everyone and don't wear yourselves out because:

On Sunday it's the penultimate (that's second last to you) round of the 2006 NPS. We're heading back to Castlewellan, last visited in April, where XMTB are running a UCI C2 (fancy!) event. The course has changed slightly since the last race so it should be interesting. Let us know if you're coming so we can bring the necessary deckchairs. As usual - contact Sean to arrange lifts.

Race Details
Driving Directions
Course Map

Club League Race Thursday

Hey folks
Meeting out in slade on thursday evening at 715(try get there a little bit before this). We're going to use part of the new section that IMBRC are building to help bed it in. If you are cycling out don't forget to bring lights for the journey home if we are running late. Any queries, drop me a mail/text

Nigel
087 9335403
poloholemint AT gmail DOt com

Bank Holiday Weekend Rides (5th, 6th and 7th)

Hey all,

First off, congratulations to Mel for winning the elite ladies race in killaloe on sunday. Especially since i belive she was doing an adventure race the day before in kerry! (crazy fit people). Also a big well done to Ryan for 3rd place in experts and finally to fergal who's flying along these days taking 8th place in sports. A very good weekends racing for MAD there.

Well we have a load of stuff going on this weekend. If the weathers nice it'll be great. If not then it'll be muddy. Either way its all good!

Saturday - Slade Valley, 10am at the yellow house (for cycling out), or 11 at the entrance to Slade. We're making a welcome return to Slade for a few laps of the course we used for the race there. Its a great course wiht some lovely tracks and since not everyone got to ride the race this'll hopefully make up for that.

Directions
Take the Tallaght exist off the M50 and follow the N81 towards Blessington. Continue along the N81 (don't take the N82 towards Saggart). After climbing The Embankment take the right turn signposted "Slade Valley Golf Club" (If you reach Brittas you've gone too far). Then take the next right hand turn also marked for Salde Valley Golf club and the forest entrance is along there on your **left** hand side
**EDIT - The forest entrance is actually on your left hand side! Doh! EDIT***

Sunday - Cloon woods - 9am at the yellow house. We're goign to take a gentlish off road spin out to cloon woods to watch the Downhill NPS race on there. This race is being run by the EPIC club so we want to get out there and support them even though we're all too scared to do downhill. This should be brilliant to watch and will feature some of the top downhill riders in Ireland and Europe, doign big crazy jumps and probably falling off occaisionally. Bring some food, water and maybe some warmer clothes so you don;t get cold at all while standing aroudn to watch the race.

Monday - Easy local spin - 12pm at the yellow house. Off up to 3 rock and its surrounds for an easy paced spin on the different trails there. Theres a possible option also of a longer spin on monday. Sean or someone will post details if they want to go ahead with this.

Hope to see ye all there. Any questions just get in touch. Raingear will be a very good idea this weekend judging by the way things are going! (086 6087046, paddyobrien at gmail dot com)

Paddy