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I take it you've confirmed that the headset, headtube or frame didn't get mauled by the crash? Was quite a hit the bike took
I take it you’ve confirmed that the headset, headtube or frame didn’t get mauled by the crash? Was quite a hit the bike took
HAd it apart and can't see any damage, it's actually in the LBS currently getting a new headset cup installed which is lower stack.
One part I left out on the Boxxer discussion is that the steerer was a little on the short side.. (but that wasn't justification for me to send back as he didn't claim anything different lol), not really short, but only 3-4mm of clearance before being tightened. But it's got about an 8-9mm stack headset cup, so we're throwing on a 2-3mm one to give some more clearance. But that does mean the headtube etc are now a bit more visible for inspection etc.
I've checked the rest of the frame, chainstays etc and again, all seems OK...
If he snaps a frame, he snaps a frame. The only time i'd get irritated by that is if he snaps it dropping against a wall, a post etc... if he shatters a frame trying to jump, race, ride, that's OK, it's all part of the game. It would potentially change a few things of course and maybe mean we go to a 29er V10/Demo earlier than I'd planned... but at the moment it doesn't seem to be broken, so the Fury stays.
Has the sponsorship deal dropped away now? Just wondering as you’re still buying a fair few items!
Has the sponsorship deal dropped away now?
No idea what you're talking about.... ask me again in 2 weeks 😉
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52494532461_5106dce332_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52494532461_5106dce332_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2nYLcBT ]2022-11-12_03-38-14[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
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Forks collected after servicing, fitted to the bike for testing.. But the lad wants to run the XFusion for first day out as he knows them and knows how they feel, handle etc... Bit weird in a way as personally i'd spend time getting the Boxxers sorted, but it's his bike and his racing, so it's not my place.
After some testing outside today he thinks he'll be OK for coaching next weekend. Me, again, i'm not massively convinced lol... but he was admittedly fairly convincing 😀
So we'll see what next weekend brings.
After some testing outside today he thinks he’ll be OK for coaching next weekend. Me, again, i’m not massively convinced lol… but he was admittedly fairly convincing 😀
I've fallen for that one earlier this year, it's not happening again 😆. The next time Missy wrecks herself, she's getting the full rest period and not a week less regardless of which race she may miss.
Has the sponsorship deal dropped away now?
Shhhh. It's sub judice 😉
Bit weird in a way as personally i’d spend time getting the Boxxers sorted
I’m with the boy on this one. Change one variable at a time and evaluate, this time it’s the dodgy shoulder being monitored for performance
I’m with the boy on this one. Change one variable at a time and evaluate, this time it’s the dodgy shoulder being monitored for performance
Yeah no issue with that, he's now got the XFusions fitted and ready to roll.
We'll be monitoring the pain and movement this week to see if he can do anything at all next weekend. But arguably he'll still get lots from being at the coaching session with Katy even if he can't ride, potentially even more so as he can listen, watch and absorb the information without having to practice at the time too.
We did our first ride back... about 2 miles or so around the airfield at Greenham Common. No rad, no gnar, no jumps, no anything other the sunshine and outside..
Oh and cake... there was cake.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52499129930_00fb995d55_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52499129930_00fb995d55_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2nZaLhA ]2022-11-14_07-34-26[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
We did our first ride back
Hope his recovery continues going well! And new hubs match spring! 😉
Hope his recovery continues going well! And new hubs match spring!
Well they DID.... by the time we went out he'd decided on the XFusion forks, which means he gets the silver Hope in the front as DH bikes have some weird standards.
XFusion forks are 110x20 non-boost
Boxxers are 110x20 actual boost.
So i can spacer the non-boost wheel to fit the Boxxers.... but i can't obviously spacer the orange wheel down to fit the XFusion. So, he's got mismatched wheels. Both are Pro4 and Fortus30... but different colours lol. This could bring a level of complexity if he hates the Boxxers and we end up selling them on and keeping the XFusion as he'll have an orange Pro4 that won't fit anything.
But thank you 🙂 he's getting there and feeling good, still a bit delicate, but half decent. He's targetting the race on the 27th at 417 as a comeback, with Southern Enduro the weekend after at Twisted Oaks. He's at the stage where it's winter, it's frustrating and he needs to keep sane, so we're having to keep him in check. But he's doing everything he's told and spent the day at Brian Simpsons clinic getting magnet/laser treatments to speed/aid the bone.
Well as much as some are likely to disagree, i've just spent an hour while waiting for a HPe unit to update swapping the boys brakes over on the older blue GT Fury.
Removed : SRAM Code R
Added : SRAM Guide
Now i know the argument is, the Codes are better, but someone commented not long ago about getting things 'the same' so he's got the same grips, the same brakes, the same pedals on the spare bike. There was nothing wrong with the Codes really, but just slightly different of course, so as stated i wanted the same.
It also made me realise i need to order a couple of 203 rotors up for them both as a couple of the rotors i have are center lock and we don't really use the center lock wheel any more.
yeah yeah, i know... but he's 14... he loves the Max Power look 😀
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52504061098_8604a203db_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52504061098_8604a203db_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2nZB39J ]2022-11-16_12-38-40[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
Not enough to want to run those Boxxers mind 😝
Not enough to want to run those Boxxers mind
They'll be going on. He just wants first rides back on what he knows. It's highly likely on of his first rides back will be in a race lol. Nothing like doing things a weird way.
We've told him he's not riding his coaching day on Sunday, which he's sad about, but part of him understands the logic.
The weekend after is a 417 race on Sunday, which in many ways would be a good jump back in.
It's hard to gauge though how well he's healing as you can't see the bone of course.
At least 417 is a very easy course to ease back into and it’s not tech rock / root smashing.
When my mate broke his collar bone (he’s done it twice with bike drink/ride injuries 🤦♂️) he’s been off the bike a lot longer than that. First one was a normal single break - the 2nd needed plating as he had a floating bit of bone as 2 seperate breaks.
I hear you. He's back at circuits tonight but only on legs. I don't know the right answer on timescales, some come back in 2-3 some take longer
It wasn't completely split in half, so it's not like it's been flapping about.
I guess if it’s still partially joined it’s generally going to heal quicker. My mate’s was definitely completely seperate on both occasions
I think being what 12/13? sorry if I'm wrong will have a big impact on a quicker recovery time mind.
close enough Joe, 14.
Ahhh so close, although I'm sure at that age I'd have been horrified at that mistake.
Hope his recovery goes well and he does get back riding properly asap.
more new rubber
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52505838741_848ff703a6_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52505838741_848ff703a6_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2nZL9zK ]2022-11-17_03-03-59[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
thanks @joe-m very kind....
He'll be at the very least sitting on his bike this weekend and riding 1-2 very tame trails.
yeah yeah, i know
Stickers acceptable. What isn't, however, is the clash with the orange spring and yellow bits on the stickers.
Only one answer...new yellow spring time 😜
Lol orange wheels, spring.
Yellow and purple frame and fork decals
Win win.
We'll see how it all looks when they're fitted.
We’ll see how it all looks when they’re fitted.
Psychedelic!!! 😉 Good to hear he's on the mend enough to get on the bike.
3 weeks today and back out riding.
Was on restricted duties, but still, out there playing
Ahh to be 14…..
I have longer than 3 weeks out without a major injury these days.
Matching tops look good…
Sure do matey 🙂
Was great seeing kids out pinning it, even if my boy wasn't really allowed to go hard... He still had a fab day, picking up ideas, tips, knowledge and coaching.
It'll be interesting as he's got an evening with a sports injury type doctor to see if he's allowed to race this weekend. It's only a little play race, so no biggy if he can't.
The great bit about yesterday is that his head/brain doesn't seem to have been affected by the crash, he was riding protectively of his shoulder and pushing the corners/steering with the rear more than usual, but only because of that, not because of any worries/issues in his head with the riding.
Hoping it is just me but those Boxxers look 'bent' in the photo...normally a fish-eye tends to bend things inwards at the edges of a picture, but the Boxxer lowers look bent outwards...it doesn't appear to be a straight line top to bottom.
Doing a very basic ruler line test down them, the fork lowers aren't straight to the uppers...assuming it is the photo, but just flagging in case it isn't just the photo.
Hoping it is just me but those Boxxers look ‘bent’ in the photo…normally a fish-eye tends to bend things inwards at the edges of a picture, but the Boxxer lowers look bent outwards…it doesn’t appear to be a straight line top to bottom.
Doing a very basic ruler line test down them, the fork lowers aren’t straight to the uppers…assuming it is the photo, but just flagging in case it isn’t just the photo
They've been stripped, serviced and checked by my LBS mate, so i'm pretty happy they're fine and just a trick of the camera. None of the marks etc were particularly 'impact' but obviously they've been used and been down. We're not worrying about the forks at this stage as they're not even being fitted currently.
Cool, was just asking to make sure it was just my wonky eyes not working...
no worries at all matey, all thoughts and feedback very much appreciated.
Well the boy is back off the bike for another few weeks yet, so thought i'd spend a bit of time and fit the forks ready for playing.
He'll be allowed to do some road/kerb testing to get the sag and initial rebound settings this week, but not much more than that at the moment. We bought a Shockwiz from a member on here, so that'll be fitted for testing and then when back in anger too.
The only difference is that they sit 1cm higher than the XFusions due to clamps/travel/position. I guess we could move it down fractionally or fit slightly lower rise bars if needed. He probably is picky enough that he'll notice, which is obviously a good thing as he is quite observant with bike changes/setup. But everything else is pretty much the same.
Plan is hopefully to make the 11th Dec race. We've cancelled Twisted Oaks race and 417 race to give him some more time to recover fully.
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Love it. I wouldn't have a clue what to do with it, but it looks great 🙂
Well the boy is back off the bike for another few weeks yet, so thought i’d spend a bit of time and fit the forks ready for playing.
That doesn't surprise me at all. I dont know if you misunderstood what the docs said about bone healing. It takes 2-3 weeks for a bone to start knitting back together and then 3-6 months to get to full strength (adults) so as a kid he may be quicker and able to get back on the bike quicker.
Injury shouldn't be rushed.
That doesn’t surprise me at all. I dont know if you misunderstood what the docs said about bone healing. It takes 2-3 weeks for a bone to start knitting back together and then 3-6 months to get to full strength (adults) so as a kid he may be quicker and able to get back on the bike quicker.
Injury shouldn’t be rushed.
DON't get me wrong here, he's not in any pain etc, but we're veering to caution rather than just going crazy.
He was out this weekend, but it was very much a one-off for now and he was taking it very gently.
If he had his way, he'd be racing this weekend.
Better a few weeks than a few months.
How's it feel to be the voice of caution? 🙂
How’s it feel to be the voice of caution?
Bizarre.... truely bizarre.
I'm just doing as i'm told... me, i'd let him race. But arguably there's nothing to be gained from a small irrelevant race. So we'll wait it out and get a bit more recovered.
Today’s update is the biggest one we've had with regards to weeksy08 and his racing.
A month or so ago we got an email when chatting which was very much out of the blue.
Since then it's been more and more mails, more discussions and more in the way of the plot thickening.
But the announcement today is that weeksy08 has signed to the newly created team of Katy Curd Coaching and the Privateer Young Guns.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52520570182_8562a7f056_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52520570182_8562a7f056_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2o24DJ7 ]073A7694[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
Katy Curd Coaching. Katy has been waiting for years to be able to make this happen and I can't put into words just how proud we are to be part of the squad. It'll be a 3 rider team, he'll competing in DH and Enduro in 2023. Katy is an absolutely infectious personality and her passion comes out in spades every time we speak.
Both ourselves and her have long term goals, aims and dreams and they've all magically aligned and this opportunity has come up for us to race for her. Part of this team brings masses of coaching, guiding, on-course, off-course, at various locations and even on-race tuition, coaching and assistance. This will push James higher and harder, along with personal training and physical development to get him to the next level. It's going to be absolutely epic.
2023 we've got various targets, he will be DH racing in British National Downhill Series and Pearce DH events.Alongside that he will be racing in Southern Enduro series along with the Haibike Enduro series for 2023.
One of the other aims and goals is obviously Social Media content and progressing his development of all forms of media to enhance his personal profile. With this in mind, Instagram tagging, YouTube, Facebook etc will become an integral part of the future for the lad along with providing riding content on a regular basis. As you'll be aware, he's a very very stylish rider and jumper, so with a bit of time and effort he should be able to get some pretty impressive pics and videos.
https://www.youtube.com/@MrWeeksy59
https://www.rootsandrain.com/rider111960/james-weeks/results/
@weeksy08 on Instgram (please add the boy on Insta to increase his profile, he'll be entertaining, I promise you that.)
https://www.instagram.com/weeksy08/
https://www.instagram.com/katycurdcoaching/
https://www.instagram.com/foxmikemtb/
https://www.instagram.com/privateerbikes/
Sunday brought the first meeting of the team, all getting their new kit and starting to find their friendships within the crew. This was really one of the easiest parts as Katy has chosen her riders really well. They’re all really nice kids, polite, attentive and you can see how they formed bonds quickly, playing off each others’ strengths.
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[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52519922342_d9f1372cbb_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52519922342_d9f1372cbb_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2o21k9s ]2022-11-24_10-42-30[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52521144243_d9223d1c7e_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52521144243_d9223d1c7e_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2o27AnH ]2022-11-24_01-23-04[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
The boy is working hard on training, fitness and core while off the bike, taking various classes on conditioning and developing his strength. As soon as he's back on the bike we've got days of uplift planned at all Pearce Racing event sites. Plus numerous coaching sessions with Katy and her team. We're waiting for dates for 2023 to come out for both the National Downhill Series along with Pearce events. Southern Enduro events will be taken as 'B' events, not meaning they're less important to his development but with the National and Pearce being the 'A' events, they will be giving different priorities in terms of booking.
We'll be spending quite a few hours on the road next year I think, with events in Scotland and Wales being fairly high up in the calendar, but we're very much looking forward to it.
Katy for anyone who doesn't know runs and owns
https://www.katycurdcoaching.com/ She raced at World Cup level obtaining multiple podiums in DH along with a pile of British Championships. But for us, it's her personality and coaching that meant within minutes of her offer, it was signed and sealed within the family and a response of "YES" was sent to her. The boy has been coached by her for a few years and we've tried other coaches, other courses but every time we've asked him “Let's go to Katy" is always his answer. She sees something in him and he sees something in her that means they have a brilliant bond.
He will currently be racing DH on his GT Furys, both the newer 2019 bike as his primary machine, now kitted up with the Rockshox Boxxer forks and Hope Pro4 wheels. Alongside that will be the older 2018 GT Fury, ready to roll with a 'muddy' setup, but its main function will be a a race spare.
For the Enduro races he'll be on a Privateer 141 very kindly supplied by Katy and Privateer bikes, he's really looking forward to this and hopefully the differences in terrain, fitness, strength etc of racinf Enduro will obviously also help with the DH racing.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52515787932_8553aaa5a6_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52515787932_8553aaa5a6_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2o1D98w ]2022-11-22_09-17-21[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
Let’s see what 2023 brings !
That's awesome! What an opportunity he's got there! Well done Weeksy08 👏
That's great news
Wow, fantastic. Sounds like next year is going to be a hell of an adventure. Good luck to him 🙂
Thanks guys... i'm not sure who's more excited, him or me. LOL
I'm also slightly daunted about racing Southern Enduro along with whatever other Enduros we talk ourselves into. Hopefully the recent purchase of the Slayer now makes a little more sense to some people too. I am going to need a bit more at times next year i think.
The below pic made me laugh, this was photo day last weekend, just 3 weeks after doing his collar bone... "taking it easy" was the order of the day... I don't think i lean like that when flat out
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52521714628_4251c2a12a_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52521714628_4251c2a12a_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2o2avVW ]2022-11-24_07-35-19[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
That's great news for your lad. I know how much you have supported him but not sure if this makes your life easier or harder 🤣
Awesome. That sounds like a setup that couldn't be more perfect for him.
I was expecting something GT via your suspension guy.
Great news - I'm sure you'll keep us updated 😉
I know how much you have supported him but not sure if this makes your life easier or harder
It's a good question.... i guess it's a bit of both for me. It's more demanding on my time, but in a good way. We've got a couple of weeks of quiet time and then we're straight into pre-season coaching, with sessions at Cwmcarn for him, Bringewood, Hopton and Bucknell... I've not booked all of them for myself, but i have booked Cwmcarn uplift along with Hopton. So it's a win win for me really as i get to ride too. Sure on the coaching days i'll mostly be riding solo as i won't want to jump in with what they're all doing... but i love bikes, love riding, so it's all fun and games for me.
Obviously there's going to be a lot of days away, a lot of nights in hotels, a lot of miles on the road... but as a parent, giving your kid an opportunity live a dream, well you can't put a price on that... If within that, you get to do stuff you enjoy too, well it's a win-win isn't it 🙂
That’s brilliant 👍. Saw Katy’s announcement on instagram and was straight over here for the detail 😀
Great news for him
Great news for him
Wouldn't have happened without the help you gave us with the SWorks back in the day... Thank you once again.
No problems. It couldn't have gone to a better home.
What a brilliant bit of reading. So glad I've been following this thread!
Might sign up to insta just to follow his stuff, but I'm sure you'll keep us updated on here 😀
Great news. From our experiences the right coach can make a huge difference. My sons coach really wanted to challenge him from the start and whilst I was apprehensive she was quickly shown to be right. And whilst we've clashed a little in the past with differing opinions, nothing to do with her coaching, we're happy to let her get on with it. All the best for next season.
sensational stuff!
Thats a real result and clearly Katy and her team thinks he can go places. Maybe see if they can get him a 161 for the less chunky DH races?!
Will hopefully bump into you at some of the Southern Enduro events (have you seen they have a West and East series of event now)
Thank you 🙂
Thats a real result and clearly Katy and her team thinks he can go places. Maybe see if they can get him a 161 for the less chunky DH races?!
Will hopefully bump into you at some of the Southern Enduro events (have you seen they have a West and East series of event now)
It's not genetic that's for sure. But she was telling us from the first coaching session she had with him, she'd earmarked this moment, which is a hell of a compliment for the lad. I like to and honestly do think that it's as much about him as a person as his riding... He's a lovely lad (as are Drew and Scarlett) and i think this has really helped open up this chance.
As for the bike, well we're still waiting for 100% on what model, the assumption is as Katy and Paul have a 141, then the team will get 141s, but the boy would clearly prefer the 161 as he's a boy. But if you see what Katy does on the 141, then it's not open to debate how capable the thing is. The challenge will be getting the boy to understand and accept the bike in that context of course.
What he doesn't quite grasp is that things can change and whilst he sees himself as a DHer, he could easily end up in Enduro longer term, it's a bit more accessible and realistic too... but that's all part of the game.
As was pointed out on here (and by Katy recently), all the DH racers in the off-season are playing on Enduro bikes and getting hardcore out there on them instead. Leaving the DH bike sitting there for winter to come back invigorated and ready for spring... He's struggling to get that, so i'm hoping on their next coaching day in a couple of weeks the Privateers have been delivered and she wants them to ride those instead of the DH bikes. It'll then kind of force him to ride it, get used to it and enjoy it.
It also makes a little more sense now why the Shockwiz was purchased last week 😀
We have the option of getting the Privateer set up by RSR Bikeworks, but it starts stacking up in terms of cost, getting the DH bike done for new forks, then the Enduro done both ends... etc etc.. So we're hoping for now to get things working well enough with some feel and the Shockwiz.
We've seen the dates yeah but we've not booked anything yet (or even sure if we could yet) as we're waiting for the DH dates to be up on British Cycling, along with the Pearce events.... Once they're up, we'll see where we are in terms of clashes and conflicts and see what can be booked.
The challenge will be getting the boy to understand and accept the bike in that context of course.
shouldn’t be that much of a challenge. “You like being on a team yeah? Then you ride the bike.” Sorted 😉
“You like being on a team yeah? Then you ride the bike.”
You'd be amazed how much we've used similar in the last 2 weeks
"Can i go out riding?" "Katy said no"
"can i race at Twisted Oaks " "Katy said no...."
"Can i play Xbox...." you know the rest 😉
Congrats Weeksy Jnr, the big racing rumour of the off season solved.
Excellent stuff...well done to the Young Man!
That's properly awesome news, congrats to the lad!
Brilliant stuff for the lad!! Even better though...the lid almost goes with the team colours 😜 going to have change the DH bike though. Deffo a clash there 😉😉😉
Brilliant stuff for the lad!! Even better though…the lid almost goes with the team colours 😜 going to have change the DH bike though.
I'm sure there'll be a new helmet or 2 incoming in the next few months... his one has had a bit of a life over the last 12-15 months. So yeah i can see a new one.. but whether it matches the kit or the bike, who knows yet 😀
Been following news of the privateer bikes as I think they look very good and are great value…from reviews I’ve read the 141 seems better reviewed/considered than the 161 so he may love it.
Well we were offered either bike, a 161 or a 141 but we decided after discussions with Katy to go 141, well, i say WE decided, i did 🙂 Sometimes the boy doesn't know everything and he just sees numbers, 161, bigger is better... Not necessarily the case, especially for the stuff we've got planned with the Privateer which is for him, fairly simple terrain at say Southern Enduro, so a bit less burly, a bit lighter, bit poppier, he'll be flying. Katy has shown in some of here clips/pics just how capable a bike a 141 actually is.. So he's got one of those ordered up.
He's now just waiting impatiently for permission to ride from Mrs Weeksy and the Sports physio type guy... he doesn't have it this weekend though, so i'm flying solo.
Excellent news for mini_weeksy - that's a huge step forward!
Congrats - you must be very proud
Chuffed for you both, great to see the perseverance and dedication is paying off.
Thanks lots guys. We've just been out for celebration pub lunch. The good thing in some ways is, this hasn't been a chore to accomplish like other things, it's just been fun and riding fast on trails, which is where we both have our happy place. So it's mostly just me and the lad having fun
But obviously things change a little now with all this new role, a bit more responsiblity and whilst Katy may not have results and performance goals for next year, me and the lad do within ourselves. We've also got longer term goals and aims, but let's face it, they may be more dreams than goals, so we don't get hung up on them.
We have 2 rules in our chats
1. Have fun
2. Be the James
Which simply means, don't change yourself for others, just go out, so your best and enjoy it. If he wants to whip a jump, whip it, if he wants to land in a front manual, land it. It's got to be adventure and laughs, or we're not playing.
It'll be hard work, driving, nights away, hard courses and social media responsibilities, but hey, this is what we do.
Over lunch Mrs Weeksy was saying about his comeback ride and when it will be, but we differ so so much on the when and why, I'm more racer than parent, she's the responsible adult. It's a tricky little mix at times, but we muddle through it.
Some of the comments on here make it a lot easier though honestly, I feel a bit less alone and I know it should be a blog type thing, but this forum has been a place we all come and post our brain farts for many years, so I'm afraid, you get it. It's my little random therapy session.
For a bike related update, I removed the Shockwiz from the Slayer and it's now installed and configured on the Boxxers of the purple GT for when he's allowed to play out again.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52527394405_51c3b0ea71_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52527394405_51c3b0ea71_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2o2ECk8 ]2022-11-27_04-33-14[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
Just to add a little suspense...
Another big announcement due in the coming days... Just waiting on our illustrious leader to announce 😀
Tell us! I love this!
Ian
Tell us! I love this!
I'm not allowed 😀 😀 😀
It's a funny situation in some ways as i was a pretty big part of this one happening. But despite the fact it's my boy, it's not my project this, so i have to wait for the boss to give the go ahead. I don't begrudge that in any way of course, what Katy is doing for us (and the others) is nothing sort of amazing and we're both/all exceptionally grateful.
She's just booked another coaching day for the lad, so as well as Cwmcarn soon, she's also coaching at a Pearce uplift day which will help him massively... We were going to book Dyfi for the day as it's one of his team-mates birthdays and they've booked Dyfi. But a day with Katy getting coached/taught on a course he'll be racing on is more important for him.
Still waiting to see if he gets sign off from the wife/trainer regarding the 11th at FoD for race... but i think he'll get it.
oh god, he's bought another van 😉
oh god, he’s bought another van
Oh i've been tempted... more than once. But i'm struggling with what a standard Vivaro/Trafic etc sized van gives us over a Kuga and rack. I think to really get value/use from a van it'd need to be Crafter/Movano type size so we could bed it out and kip in it at race weekends.
Somewhere to get changed/shelter and somewhere to leave a bike with far fewer concerns for it going missing, and zero faff getting ready to go riding. It doesn't sound like much but having had a Caddy, Vito and Transporter it really makes a difference - still can't justify one myself mind!
You're quite right that really you need the day van and the camper . . .
&Weeksy - Security, it gives you the security to park it somewhere with the bikes inside so they can’t be seen by any thieving toe-rags when you park it up on the way to or from biking (unless you get lots of windows) and it’s harder for people to follow you home in a white van as they’re practically invisible (the choice of the discerning terrorist for that reason).
I wouldn’t leave a half decent bike on a rack unattended.
Also you and your kid will fit in with all the other van life privateers (no pun intended).
Plus vans are cool 😎
I hear you, when talking through it last night, the benefit of taking 4 bikes away for a weekend is really the biggest part. If we were doing multiple days he may want both his DH bikes and Enduro bike... so yes that's a massive tick in the box for the van side of things.
The downside is that having bought the Kuga i'd have to flog that on, but it's petrol and low miles, so could techincally work out. It's something we're thinking/discussing, although lets just say Mrs Weeksy isn't onboard... But that's a whole weird discussion lol.
The other question is, do we just accept we need a van for the big days, like the Glencoe, Fort William etc and hire one for the weekend for those particular events. Keeping the car for the normal stuff along with Gazebo etc.