Evans Trailbreak at Bramley

The snow was falling as six intrepid members from Redhill Cycle Club made their way to Bramley for the latest TrailBreak ride. The 23 mile ride weaved it way along off road tracks to Peaslake and back, additional loops were added for the courageous and a short cut was available fro those that needed it.

David Peacock was trying out his new Rohloff ‘all in one’ gear system, whilst the rest of us made do with the conventional derailleur gears on our mountain bikes.

We set off together and very soon got caught up in the sticky mud. Wheels sliding and bodies panting as the chilling wind tore through the many layers of clothing. Gary Hall, Dave Ricketts and Richard Sterry broke away from the others to get to the first check point.

A short section of road was taken at speed to free the mud from the tyres, depositing an extra layer of insulation on the riders. Back on to the muddy trails again where the wheels were sliding into the gullies making steering more of a balancing act than detailed navigation.

The snow had settled on the tree branches and the higher ground, providing picturesque views making it all worth while. Our limbs were warming up by this stage but only a limited number of fingers and toes could be felt.

The decent to Farley Green was particularly slippery, bikes were sliding all over the place and it was an effort to stay upright. A large stick had a fight with Richard Sterry’s derailleur, and won. The gear mechanism was ripped off the bike breaking the gear hanger and disabling any form of pedal power. Dave Ricketts and Gary Hall quickly set to work to shorten the chain so a single gear could be used. Within 10 minutes they set off to continue the ride, whilst Richard Sterry opted for the shorter route to make the 10 mile journey to the finish. He says “The chain on the single gear had a mind of its own, it jumped about a bit then settled on a larger gear making it very tight. Turing the pedals was incredibly difficult and it felt like riding with the brakes on.”

During the pit stop Richard Saunders and Claude ???? overtook the mechanics to continue sliding down the tracks. The mud was getting the better of them so they opted for the shorter route to get back quicker. Just before the finish Richard Saunders got a puncture. Not wanting to stop and repair it, he limped to the finish with just enough air to spare.

David Peacock was also suffering with the mud getting into the disk brakes and the grit was wearing down the pads. His new gears were brilliant, he says “They took a bit of getting used to, and it was great that he could change gear whilst stationery.” He persevered on with the standard route before reaching the finish.

All the riders made it to the finish in one piece where hot food and cups of tea were most welcome.

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Evans Trailbreak at Bramley