New Zealand Single Speed Champion

On friday at 11.41am I decided I might as well go through and do the national single speed champs in Napier this weekend. After a month off the bike I figured it would be a good hit out before I start training again. 3 hours later I arrived at the track to check it out, but there was a river to cross at the start, so I went to my accommodation and had a feed.
Woke up to a stunning day in the Hawkes Bay. I got to the track nice and early with good intentions of riding the track before the race, but once again the thought of wet feet put me off. Turns out we had to put our bikes on the other side of the river before the start anyway, so wet feet it was.
Bob-Brenda had ridden around the back to avoid the wet foot scenario and to stash some bottles on the big climb. So I ended up having to carry her back across the river.
Everyone was strutting around at briefing in funky outfits and the easter bunny was handing out chocolate, when all of a sudden they started the race-catching people unaware.

Me and Garth post race

The race was four laps and before we got to our bikes we had to hunt out an easter egg and eat it, some of our bikes had been hidden, it was a mad rush, an 8km lap with one short cut per lap. Lap one was a "raw egg" for the shortcut penalty, which turned out to be a marsh mellow easter egg. The following 3 laps you could choose between, egg, beer or wine. The egg actually proved to be the worst, and a wine the best, as I found out after trailing each.
It took me almost a whole lap to catch Garth-the world ss champ, who had a blinding start. Once I caught him I got a good gap, however on the last lap, the month off the bike caught up with me and I imploded. Quite badly and hugely. I was knackered. So I had to change my plan, from beer sculling to wine sipping, turns out a shot of red is faster than a can of beer, and was the telling factor in me taking the title as Garth was wheeling me in.
Again, another awesome, well run event on some of Napiers best trails. Thumbs up to 'Bob' Brenda Clapp who is now the womens national ss champ

After race recovery position

Playing Around with a Fixie

Geax Aka 2.2 Review

Geax Aka 2.2 tyres, my new favorites for 2011. Previously I was a Mezcals man, with Saguaro's coming in a close second. But Geax released a superior tyre, the Aka, and the Aka in 2.2 has been permanently attached to my rims all season. You can run these bad boys at super low pressures eg. 15 psi and the rubber sticks to the ground like shit to a blanket.
I rode them at the 2011 Oceania Champs in Shepparton, Australia and they proved to not only be suitable on NZ trails but railed me to 3rd place on marblely, rocky, high speed terrain.
I can't wait to see what new tyres Geax develop in the coming years.