Fixed Wheel Belt Drive
Had this on the back burner as a project for the last few months but with work racing and family things seem to take a lot longer. The other thing I was waiting on was the hub to suit a Gates Belt sprocket to fit on.With the Halo Fix-G Track Hub I was then able to build it into a TREK District 2 and fit the belt drive :)


Madien flight for the bike was on Sat night in the dark down from the shop, kinda weird at first cause there is no noise but could feel the instant drive and pick up!

The next day I hit the local Club run which involved about 4hrs on the belty and it passed with flying colours, think I have just ridden my new fav bike :)

Last Hurrah of the Cyclocross Season
So that's all folks! the 2010 season is done and dusted, and the last race of the season being the 2010 Cross Champs Sun past which had been postponed from the start of Dec due to the snow.

Being that I usually finish my season on Mull and training is all geared round this having to lift it again towards the end of Jan was going to be a task and a half, this and being laid low with flu for 6 days from the 1st Jan did not help either. I can usually get my self into good shape for racing as long as I have a bit of base behind me in about 3 weeks, after the illness I was a week behind but threw the positive on that I had a great bit of enforced rest :)

Heading towards the Scottish Champs I managed to get in a good few efforts on the road, Mtb and rollers but being honest the fitness was not where I wanted to be going into a major race lie this but had to roll with it.

On race day I felt good and traveled down to Irvine and looked forward to riding in the sand trap once more :) Warming up gave me a feeling that the legs had no ping so was going to just see how I felt on the first lap and go with the moves if I could. The race started well with me getting the holeshot but up the run I got passed by Davie Lines and Ross Creber, I latched on the them and hoped I could stay but after a few laps I got distanced and James Fraser Moodie caught me. This is where the race started for the bronze medal.


After a few attacks by both of us it became apparent that we were both on the limit so it was going to be a drag to the finish for the last podium place, second last lap and with our hard racing I had noticed that Greg Walker had been plugging away and was coming up to us. James made a break for it and I kept him in sight hoping the legs would have a lap left in em, just before the sand trap there had been a tricky corner with a hole to one side this is where James slipped and fell leaving the way for me to push on.


The Bell lap and I managed to keep Greg Walker behind collecting a bronze medal at the Scottish Champs for the second year in a row :) On reflection I would say it was a fair result for me looking at my build up, I think if I had not lost the week at the start of Jan I may have been nearer the front but think I still would have got bronze. Well done to Ross on his win and Davie on another solid silver like last year :) would have loved to have seen my best bud Davie win it after some strong performances towards the end of the season, 2011 is yours Davie if it is not mine ;)

1.Ross Creber - Premier MetalTek
2.David Lines - Endura Racing
3.Craig Hardie- Hardie-Bikes.com

So that's me on the off season for a while now and all that's left is a few thanks :)
To my Wife and Daughter who put up with me :) My Mum & Dad for looking to the shop while I am away at times.

A big thanks to all the Scottish Cyclocross Committee for putting in all the hard work getting the races going and the organisers with all their volunteers who put the hard work in running the races on the day.
Till next (this) season thanks everyone for making it a great season :)

Craig.

Photos from Marty and Gammyknee :) more @ Scottish Cyclocross Flickr Group

Back on it
So leading on from my first run on the Moont in frosty but generally good conditions we had another dump of snow over the Friday to Sat, this scuppered any plans for the first Cafe road run of 2011 and the first since mid Nov!

As I was trying to get back at on it the Spike front tyre was back on the 29er for a Sunday run :)
Sunday dawned icy icy, anyway spike on and off for 2hrs which was a great work out, once home got some some food then cooked myself on the rollers for an hr.
So far this week have managed another two good roller sesh's and with the comutte back and forward to the work the legs are coming on nice and dandy :)

Looking for a good solid weekend of riding then it is taper down for the Scottish Cyclocross Champs on the 23rd @ Irvine beach park, BRING ON THE SAND!!!

First Ride of 2011
Well I managed a wee ride out on the Mountain scoot this afternoon which certainly blew the New Year cowbwebs away! Never did anything silly just a small local loop to get the heart, lungs and legs working again.

Was going to venture out on the local Club Cafe run tomorrow but the white stuff has just gave the place another coating!! Now I like snow but for five weeks we had it so another dose is not called for.

Craig

Cold or Flu
So it's a Happy New Year but not a great start for me as I picked up a bug on the 31st which ran it's course and I am only starting to feel better today 6 days later!!

Was looking for some time off the bike but not like that, always wary of explaining bug's as Flu but I think this time I can say it was. Will be looking to get back to riding either later today or tomorrow but it will be gently does it.

2010 review
It's that time of year when everyone gets in their look back over the past 12 months.
The year started for me Highland Games Grass Track racing at Newburgh where I struggled a bit as the form was just not there, this Games proved how dangerous a sport we compete in as in the 4800m Scottish Champs race Lewis Oliphant had an off and broke his collarbone ending his season :(
After this race it kicked me in to gear though as we moved through the season I managed to win 38 races making it my most successful Games season for me ever, after the season I was voted Highland Games Cyclist of the Year by the SHGA committee which I was very honoured to receive. Having won it in 2005 it was brilliant to win again :)
A big thanks to all the different Highland Games venues during the year and all the helpers behind the scene's making it possible for us to race all year, I feel privileged to be part of the Games history which dates back to 1703. This year I have a trophy from Halkirk Games which dates back to 1897.

Once the Games season finished I managed to get a few easy weeks before embarking on the Cyclocross season to try and retain my Scottish Cyclocross Series Championship that I had won in 2006 and 2009. Going into the series I felt good but not great which is fine as the season is long and I wanted to be strong in the mid to end of the series, starting the series I managed a few 3rd's to be going on with then got a win before spending a week in Lanzarote to get a bit of sun. After getting back from the sun I managed a few more wins and podiums with worst result being 4th in all the races :)
Again I would like to thank all of the people involved who make the racing happen, especially all the SCX committee who give up their time for the sport.

This has been a fantastic year for me and if 2011 is as half as good it will be a cracker.

Happy New Year to one and all and hope you make 2011 the best you can whatever you do :)

Craig.

Cross at the Castle SCX Rd9 12/12/10
Waking up in the Castle and looking out on the course changed thing from Sat with a widespread frost meaning the course running in the opposite was going to bit a faster one.

The race started with the same bodies at the front as Sat with this time Dan Whitehead pushing on and know one able to go with him. I settled in to second exchanging it back and forth with Davie Lines and James Fraser Moodie not far behind, Myself and davie did have a few digs to get up to Dan but he was on fire today and the digs were more to try and keep away from James who was always lurking just off us.

Image (Via)Vw.splitscreen

Going into the last lap I was feeling pretty cooked but was hanging on to Davie, at this point I was going for a last chance attack through the muddy rutted section which with frost had turned into hard ruts making the going hard. I pushed on but then for the first time this season I lost my chain which for a reason would not catch back on to the front sprocket! Davie then caught me and proceeded to push me till I tried to get my chain back on (Sportmanship in full effect there) but with no joy, I then had to dismount to get my chain on giving James the chance to catch and then pass me.

After this I did nearly catch back up with James but even without the chain incedent I was cooked so i think it did not make a difference to the final result. Dan was on it today and a great win taken from the front, just like I like to do it :)

1st D.Whithead
2nd D.Lines
3rd J.M.Moodie
Full results: Sun Mull
So that's the Series finished and retaining the Scottish Title has been a real honour again, thanks to everyone who has been a part of anything to do with the Series this year as it's been brill.

2010 Scottish Cyclocross Series overall:
1st C.Hardie
2nd D.Lines
3rd James Fraser Moodie
Overall series 2010 League Tables: SCX 2010

For this last week past I have not touched the bike and will be looking to start again this week coming, would normally be off the bike till after the New Year but as there is the rescheduled Scottish Cyclocross Champs on the 23rd of Jan I will be looking to get in training again to see if I can get the double :)

Craig.

Cross at the Castle SCX Rd8 11/12/10
After all the snow that had fallen round the Fife area it was not looking good for getting to Mull but as there was a partial thaw it looked better. Setting off in the morning looked good and I had decided to take the road from Creiff to Lochearnhead which proved to be a seat of the pants journey being that the road was pure ice in long stretches!
Having negotiated the Ice rink we arrived at the ferry to Mull just in time, but if we had missed the ferry then it would have been disappointing but there was no way I was going to risk life and limb! Would just have got another ferry and raced on Sun.

On to the race
After arriving at the beautiful location that is Glengorm Castle I had a scoot round the snow/ice free course (gulf stream in effect). There was a couple of muddy bits but in general the course was in a pretty dry condition. The course included everything you need with run ups, barriers, fast bits, tech bits and overall a brill course that kept you thinking all the way round :)
After warm up the old legs felt alright but not as fresh as they have been but this is normal for me at the end of a season, no point in having loads left at the end of the season and no racing left!

The race took off with myself, Dan Whitehead and Davie Lines to the front, once into the first laps Davie pushed on and gapped me. I kept Davie in sight and then realised he was coming back to me, once I had caught him I had seen he had a front soft wheel so a change of bike was needed past the pits. We were then together for a while but Dan and as always slow burner James F Moodie was now catching the two of us.

Once there was now going to be four at the front Davie had pushed on with Dan chasing, when Dan was going I had felt my right hand shifter starting to feel soft! At this point I was only shifting if essential knowing there was only two laps to go, onto the last lap and going into the uphill section in front of the Castle meant a gear shift and bang the lever broke sticking me in my 13tooth sprocket!

At this point I had pushed on but was not going to catch Dan for second with only one gear, my concern now was James getting the last podium spot, I had to run a lot of the bankings that I had been riding and James was catching probably releasing that I had a problem. I managed to get on to the finish straight in front of James and pushed on to finish with just a handful of sec's for third :)

Close racing with a bit of drama at the end for me makes it one of the more memorable races and it was great to see Davie Lines get his first ever Cyclocross win, well done that man :)

Check out the Handlebar cam action from my first lap :)

Cross at the Castle 2010 from Hardie-Bikes.com on Vimeo.

Then it was on to Sun for the last round of the Series to see if I could get round for the last Hurrah!

1st D.Lines
2nd D.Whithead
3rd C.Hardie
Full results: Sat Mull results

Craig.