Moda Forte Bike Review

Last Sunday I rode my new Moda Forte for the first time on the track. This was a Team Time Trial RSR (British Cycling Regional School of Racing) at Manchester Velodrome and was a perfect way to test this bike on a hard session but out of competition. 

It felt like a big step up from my club Dolan which I had pretty much outgrown.  Although both have an aluminium frame the Moda is more streamlined and comes with carbon forks.  It felt good straight away and only needed a few tweaks to make the ride perfect (dropping the stem for the ride I'm used to). It really is the whole package for the type of track bike that I need at the moment, with its American Classic wheels. The only things that I needed to change were the 44cm handlebars which felt huge (swapped for some 40s) and the sprocket, because I need youth gears.

I can't wait to race it.

http://www.moda-bikes.com/portfolioentry/forte/

Ghent 6 day 2015

Some of the Architecture in Ghent is amazing!

The Ghent 6 day. One of the world's most prestigious 6 day track races. This event attracts thousands of cycling crazed spectators from all over the globe into one velodrome in the centre of Ghent. This year I got the chance to visit this race for the first time with some friends... and boy was it exciting. Even hearing the blasting music from outside the velodrome got me excited to see what would happen inside! 

Chris Lawless

On the 2nd to last night Ilio Keisse (the local pro) raced to the win and managed to get the lap on the field that him and his comrade Michael Morkov needed to win this years event (pictured below). This was amazing to watch, all the crowd went wild at the move and it looked awesome. To be honest I'd love to ride on that track but then again wouldn't anyone?

Thanks to Tom, Vicky, Alex and Matilda for taking me!

This is the favourite photo that I took over the weekend
 - Ilio making a move

This is Ilio's move to take the win

Winner, Winner, Chicken, Dinner (my iccle wickle little sis, Lotta)

My sister Lotta had a brilliant weekend... I will let her tell you about it.

Hey guys,

So my first under 14's win, a big deal right? After having a great race at our home race in the NDCXL the day before (coming 2nd, my best result this season, only beaten by Zepnat's Ammo), I thought my weekend of racing couldn't get better, though obviously it could. I race again on Sunday on Lincoln. An up and down, twisty turny, long straight course suited me quite well as I could try to put the power down along the windy straights and put my good technical skills to the test down in the woods. I had a good start and in 2nd trying to stay ahead of an under 16 girl (Jessica Woodworth from Bourne Wheelers) but she was closing the gap I had on her.  Unfortunately she dropped her chain on the third lap leaving me wondering why she was so far back but also pleased as I had opened the gap up and I attacked again. Than it turned into one of my usual races of being on my own burying it to stay ahead. As the bell for the last lap started ringing I  knew I could hold on the 2nd place of all U16s 30s behind Isabel Darvil and 1st under 14 as long as i didn't muck it up by crashing or breaking my bike. Fortunately, I did it, I had won my first race, I was buzzing!  

Well done to anyone who raced!     

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

This bank was REALLY steep (Photo from Steph's Photo Page on Facebook)

HPP Sauce (Holme Pierrepont CX)

Last weekend the Mansfield family had a very busy 2 days. This was because we were doubling up on races with the NDCXL and Links League. Furthermore the NDCXL event was the Nottingham Clarion NDCXL event for this year! 

The NDCXL was a great event with an amazing and challenging course providing interesting racing when the weather took it's turn for the worst! (rain to say the least!!)


I've always enjoyed racing at my home grounds of Holme Pierrepont. Seeing the trees whip past when we race through Wildman Woods is always a fun section of when I race at HPP. This was an awesome race and I really enjoyed the course, after a couple of weeks of not feeling very competitive.  I was racing in a group of three with James Swadling and Tim Elsmore-Martin, it was very difficult and I needed to really dig in and attacked once to drop the first of them, and again to drop the second.  I was really pleased to secure my 5th place in the final positions, against some tough competition ahead.  Well done Toby Barnes who won... convincingly.

Team mate Calum on his way to his win in Juniors

Mallory Park Awards Night

A couple of weeks ago the Mallory Park Road Race League finished with me in the lead of the overall points. So now we've arrived at the annual Mallory awards night, we had a couple of very short, fast and fun races and the legendary mini bike race. But instead of bragging about what I'd won I would like to say some thank you's. So I'd like to thank my team mates Alfie Lofthouse and Will Beech from my club Nottingham Clarion, without you guys I probably wouldn't have won it so thank you guys it means a lot. I'd also like to thank my coaches but also my Dad for being my timekeeper, my encourager, my driver and my coach too, thanks a lot Dad. I may have to back on my not telling you all what I'd won but I think this can be an exception, so I'd like to thank the people who nominated me for the rider of the year competition this was really special because I didn't expect it, so thanks a lot you made my night. Also I'd like to thank the event organiser Mike Twelves, the commissaries and Mallory's sponsors Raleigh and Jewson thank you for making this happen, without you guys we couldn't be where we are today. It was great to have Ian Wilkinson the Raleigh GAC Team Captain handing out the awards. And finally it was awesome to hear Mick Ives reading out Nicole Cookes letter to all of us at Mallory Park and seeing Bradley Wiggins' video message to us I think between them they have 17 world championship titles. This was the best way to round off the road race season, I'll see you all next year in the U16's!!

National Clarion Track Omnium

That was awesome! Going into this event I had no expectations of where I would come, as it was my first ever track omnium. And certainly little did i know that i would have won the thing. It was a really hard set of races and I think that it was really close between me and Christopher Horden in every set of events. this was really tight and close racing on the track, something of which i had little experience. So as my first ever race it was really good! I will be back for more!

#crosshascome

Today was my first race as an under 16, me and my family went for an away fixture in the West Midlands CX league. The course itself was really different to what we expected it to be, with it being really boggy in certain places - I took file treads but the first thing we saw was a muddy bike.... I guess they will stay in the shed for another year! This was a perfect start to the season as the course rode really well and played to my advantages, even starting at the back of the field didn't stop me form finishing well inside of the top ten!! With this race done I'm really starting to get into the 'cross spirit and can't wait for my next race in my home league at the NDCXL.