Beginner racers and " Goobers "

Now..i get a lot of questions fired at me by people keen to go from Zero to Hero via an XC Full Suss or a 6" Freeride Monster..
Relax..
Most cheap sub €1000 bikes are way, way better than anything the early World Cup Elite Riders ever had..
So don't worry too much about your bike..I'd like a rule that says you have to be able to sell your bike for €500 at the end of the race to compete in sports..
We were riding the same trails as we do now on fully rigid bikes with Cantilever brakes..we were a bit slower and crashed a lot more..but seriously..the only difference is MTBs these days are more reliable..way more reliable as parts have gotten better engineered..
So to start racing..
regardless whether your " friends" tell you that your are deadly..you are not,  well not until I or Bob Seymour tells you you are.
Mountainbike racing is simply put " The Hell of Pain and misery and Euphoria "
But on a good course that throws it all at you, its like a man powered rollercoaster..most of the time you are out of control shouting for your mammy inside your head..but for those moments when you are at one with the bike, the mountain and Elvis ( they get longer and more frequent as you get better) its magical..
Come on for f*cks sake we are hoofing down trails even wil horses wouldn't walk down or eejits on Motorbikes !
So to start ,
Always go Sports..always..even if you are A cat Roadie but who has never ridden a MTB ..
Wear baggies or Lycra..baggies are more decent..Lycra only works if you are not carrying a tyre around your waist.
Do a few practice laps..
walk the tricky sections to see if you are missing something..
Watch the good lads..you'll know them theres only a few !!!
But if you can watch Robin at anytime..do it..hes still the best without a doubt..
Don't eat or drink anything an hour before..your a sports rider..not Ryan Sherlock monitoring your Blood Sugar levels and feeling guilty about eating a piece of Cake two years ago.
or the love of god no cotton t shirts or tracksuit bottoms !! and no 3 litre Camelbacks..
This stoopid magazines have a lot to answer for
A good breakfast made out of porridge..
Warm up properly..work up a bit of a sweat..be ready for the off..
Don't be afraid of the other Sports riders...
Especially the ones that are on fancy bikes and are trying to avoid eye contact with me !!
Mtb racing can be fun, scary but Ultimately you will be joining the ranks of a great bunch of people all doing the same thing and all shitting bricks on the start line.
Get there early..prepare yourself
study the bleedin course..
you wouldn't jump in to Shark infested waters unprepared !!
oh yeah..a Goober is not a bad word..or description..its what you are till you become one of us..a Savage !!
I'm sorry, but every sport has its Aristocracy and Hierachy..you just have to know how to join it !!
And in the race if i make up a dumbarse name for you as you go through..its your own fault for not printing your name on the Start sheet !!
oh yeah..use 3 bloody cable ties on your number plate..2 on the bars and one holding it to the cables or brake housings.
don't race on baldy tyres or old chains ( they rattle when theres no oil left on them )
And remember its way easier to lose 10lbs off your arse than off your bike !!

Handlebars McGann

Look at the state of this lad..like Rob Davis, he seems to have been around forever..
We call him Handlebars ever since he saw Sean Travers crash in The Phoenix park..when he saw Travers standing there with two halves of a set of handelbars..he started shouting " Handlebars..handlebars !!!" at Travers like some sort of special case..for ages we couldn't remember his name, so I christened him Handlebars

Name: Darren McGann

Club: West Coast Wheelers

Category: Eternal Sports Rider

Years racing: 19 years, give or take, a couple of races a year to a full seasons ;o) Over 20 years mtbing.

Best result - Not necessarily highest result: 1st in the Sports class  2002 National points series. A few 3 top places in Connacht MTB leagues over the years.
Finish 2nd in the Duo class in Gaelforce 24 hour race. Hoping to start and finish another Irish XC Champs.

Bike: Too many, I'll but probably be using my trusty 1997 Pace RC200.

Favourite Trail/ Race/ Biking Destination:
Trail: Ross Wood in Galway,
Race: Djouce Wood ( Awesome switchbacks),
Biking Destination : Austria/Canada.

last days digging before the XC Nationals

Well..
Saturday the 10th was a bit of a bust regards the digging..torrential rain slowed the chaingang down and dampened their enthusiasm..
But Sunday was a better day entirely..warm ,Sunny and no flies !!
I rearranged Sesame Street and went to work on the lower part of Gran Canaria..now know as Ballinakillian !!
Heres a few Photos of our work
Heres Sir Richard lynch with his spade 

Check out the Arm Guns on Luke as he handles the massive pebble in the wheelbarrow !!
What a legend..

Sprockids National Champs Event at the National XC Champs

Hey..so you're a kid between 2 and 16 and you want to race your bike, well you want to go real fast and do skids and wheelies and bunny hops and beat your mates, brothers, sisters,Mums Dads..well heres your chance to ride a MTB course at the biggest Bicycle Event in the World..the Irish Cross Country National Champs in Djouce..
 On Sunday 18th I will have a Course for the Sprockids , turn up, get Mum or Dad to sign on with Me or one of my Assistants and away you go..
Starting at 9.30 !! In the main car parking field !!
You'll get a cert just like this one and maybe even get a prize...
Mum and Dad can ride it too if they want..
You have to have a Helmet !!
Check this out