New year, new team!

Although it's been clear for a while through social media and our new kit that Naked Bikes is changing for 2014, we've not blogged about it yet.

Now we've submitted the forms signed in triplicate to the wonderful folks at British Cycling we can finally reveal that our new team name for 2014 is..... Naked Bikes/Haibike/ImpSport RT!

As you can see, we're working with some great new sponsors, and we're really proud to have them on board.

First up is Haibike, distributed in the UK by Raleigh. You'll also notice the Raleigh logo on the jersey, something those of us in the team old enough to remember the 1970s are particularly proud of!

Raleigh are thankfully still a force to be reckoned with in world cycling (check out their new CX bikes for proof), and are responsible for bringing the fabulous Haibike brand to these shores. Those in the know may have heard of this superb German brand, and there's some real excitement in the team about getting our hands on our race bikes for next season.

Most of us have opted for the Greed Team 29 for next season, with the fabulous SRAM XX1 set-up, but the range includes full-suspension options too. As you'd imagine, the Naked Bikes shop has access to the full range of Haibikes, with new stocks just in.

Next up on the jersey, and responsible for the jerseys themselves, is Impsport. We're proud to be working with the UK's largest manufacturer of Custom Cycling Clothing, Triathlon Clothing and Athletics Clothing, and having them provide our kit.

Although not in the team name, we're still pleased to say we're partnering up with Uvex, the manufacturers of fine cycling head protection, and continuing our fantastic relationships with local big names Sturgess Motor Group and Hewitt Ladders.

A big thanks to everyone for backing us - roll on 2014!

Weekend roundup - time for some mud!

It had to happen sooner or later......proper mud at a CX race....!

Rich tackled Round 10 of the NDCXL series at Markeaton Park in Derby, finishing 3rd V40, 9th Vet overall. Conditions were bright and mild, but the amount of mud underfoot saw many riders either repeatedly stopping to dig mud and leaves out of drivetrains, or opting for multiple bike changes through the pits.

Rich: "Really pleased with the result. Been doing a lot of work on my mud skills, and it's paid off. Aside from a single fall I managed to stay on the bike for the entire race! Enjoyed the fact there was a decent amount of running required too, as that's something else I've been working on, but not needed until this point in the season"

Mud everywhere but the Haibike logo - that's dedication to the sponsors! (Photo courtesy Ian Nutt)

Weekend CX roundup

The weekend saw the Naked Bikes 'usual suspects' out racing CX, but also saw the first race in team kit for new team member Ross Marriott.

Ross delivered a great first result, taking 6th Junior in the WMCCL race at Beaumount Leys.




Ross in action

Nick P was also in action at Beaumont Leys, taking 6th V40.

Nick: "A tough race  - started 5th on grid 3rd for first lap then two offs from high speed overtaking and no grip on wet grass. Caught a Jewson young lad half way so knew I wasn't doing too bad and set sights on next target. A Lichfield rider caught me on the rollers section but I took him back by the 2ft planks and finished clear of him holding onto 6th vets 40+ "

Nick P in plank action

Over in Nottingham, Rich was racing Round 9 of the NDCXL, taking 7th V40 after some protracted battling.

Those of you with eagle eyes will notice a slight revision to the team kit. This is actually 2014 team kit, courtesy of the wonderful folks at Impsport. Team feedback is already very positive in terms of quality and fit. If anyone is keen to 'get the look', the NB webshop has team kit and other Impsport designs available.

And finally... (as they say!)

New team member Ross has been caught on camera again...



Photo courtesy Ian Nutt

We've heard that he's excited by the prospect of a new team Haibike for 2014, but we reckon he's going a little too far in his efforts to convince everyone that he's grown out of his old bike!

There's some footage of him in action here

Hot off the Press!

It may have a quieter weekend on the racing front this past weekend but we still have some Naked Bikes news, with the folks at the Leicester Mercury proving there's an unlimited number of puns on the word Naked!

Nick T is now trying to get as many newspaper features as he's done races in 2013!

 



In other Nick news, Mr Popham appears to have had an expensive and slightly disheartening weekend of racing at the Inter-Regional CX Champs at Middlesborough. Despite being in 14th on his last lap, a barbed wire fence claimed both his tubs, and dropped him into 23rd by the end of the lap. (At least he's now got the whiff of tub glue vapours to keep him smiling for a while!)

The MTBs are back!

Just when you thought Naked Bikes had turned into a Cyclocross-only team, the MTB action is back!

 

Nick T, Andy and Nick P took the trip east to Thetford to compete in the winter series this weekend. (Yes Nick Ts season still isn't over!)

 

Nick T:

 

Thetford Winter Series 4 hour has always been a winter favourite of mine. Relaxed, well run and well drained, flowing single track courses. I love the cold air, smelly burger van, sporadic fag smoke waft, thumping PA sensation every 30 minutes or so as you pass through the arena. Anyway after spending 3 weeks off the bike resting after a busy spring and summer season I met Andy at McD’s A14 East. Such is the tradition we don’t really need to arrange place/time, it’s just a ‘meet you same place/time?’ kind of rendezvous. The best sort!

Blessed with clear skies our race plan was as laid back as the atmosphere; start steady, don’t get sucked along into the energy sapping lap 1 sprint (it’s winter racing for the social after all?), find a brisk 2 up pace and steadily pick off any faster starters who hadn’t paced themselves, then dependant on ‘legs’, open it up at the 2 hour mark. The plan stuck, plenty of banter in the group of 4-5 riders we formed, picking up and passing a few ‘heavy breathers’ on the way. It really was a great course…….dry, fast, autumnal, leafy single track, swooping all the bermed corners like kids at the BMX track.

 

Nick T in action - note new team kit!

 

So, 2 hours dispensed with, the course cleared of the 2 hour racers, we get 7kms of course to ourselves. Andy had dropped off a little, more bottle/gel stop and a bit of back trouble than legs I hasten to add. That left me with another Andy #2, from Gipping Race Team Vets. He was strong in the single track but a little slower on two of the gradual inclines. Good for me as the final run in forms the second of the inclines. Last lap bell (there wasn’t a bell!) and I realised Andy #2 had dropped off noticeably on the climb. This was the opportunity to go hard and get the 7th place we’d both been jockeying for. All the time I could see glimpses of his red/white kit through the trees – I knew he was coming, but I managed to pull a proper gap in the end an came in a good 2 minutes up – 7th in the bag. Pleased with that. Decent position to carry to R2.

Andy #1 had a good strong finish in 11th Senior too, not far behind Andy #2. I think both us feeling the 4 hours of racing hard tails in our back sides! Team mate Nick Popham raced the 2 hour Vet, coming in a credible 9th place. Good day out at the races for Naked Bikes!

 

Andy forces a smile, despite being forced to ride behind Nick T

 

A big day out....

Sunday saw a great team turn-out for Naked Bikes at the West Midlands CX League race at Misterton near Lutterworth, with Nick P, Matt and Rich on the bikes, and Ben, Lee and Mark on the sidelines (with cowbell!)

Welland Valley CC's course was a superb mix of grass, pavement and singletrack, with a few hills thrown in too. With just a light scattering of rain in the morning, conditions were perfect.

As the youngest of the racers on the day, Matt went off first in the seniors.

Matt:

"Misterton has always been a firm favourite of mine, I've had so many good battles over the years and this year was no different.

The seniors race started very fast and I struggled to match the early pace as I've had a month off racing but soon enough some riders started to suffer. I slowly wound it up over the first half of the race and got into second place 30 sec back from the leader but slowly found my top end power lacking somewhat .

On the second from last lap two rides passed me and I had no answer so had to settle for 4th on the day  - not that bad ! Still more work to be done.

I had a fantastic time and had great support from the Naked Bikes lads with cowbells and shouting. Misterton did not disappoint - many thanks goes to organiser Dean Barnett and Welland Valley"

Matt in action

 

Vets Nick P and Rich started a minute after the seniors...

Rich

"After a disappointing race last week, I just wanted to get my mojo back and have some fun racing. Having to start from the back of the grid added to the challenge a little, but it gave me some overtaking practice at least. Absolutely loved the course - most enjoyable 'cross course I've raced all season. Was happy to get 10th Vet40 on the day."

Rich refusing to be beaten by a bearded MTB singlespeeder

Nick P managed an excellent 7th V40

Nick:

"After a gridding issue due to commisaring the last couple of week was sorted (any competitive cycling in the UK is run by commissaries so proud to be involved in an important role) I was gridded 5th in the front line.

Another fast start on a fantastic course, very slippy by the pits with a climb to the finish line before heading onto the circuit. There was a great log dismount then a double switchback that I was able to ride every lap. Then over the challenging root to a bunny hop point on the descent close to the tree to lead us to the side of the lake and then just a case of keeping the power on.

My pace was a bit down on the year before from battering CX and MTB seasons back to back and the effort of winning MTB regional champs twice in a row.

Last few laps were my strongest, passing a young Jewson lad and a Max Gear rider who chased me to the line for a sprint finish - but the old man got it!

A good result with a lot of top local lads turning up."

Nick P racing to 7th V40

All photos above courtesy of Ian Nutt - check out his Flickr stream for more amazing shots from the race

Leicester Mercury feature is here

Born Slippy....

A quieter weekend on the racing front, with a number of team members taking a break after the mountain bike season at present. Rich ploughed on (literally!) through the mud though this weeked at Round 7 of the NDCXL, although things didn't exactly go to plan.

Rich:

"The course was really greasy, and I slipped out and got my chain stuck within about a minute. I pushed really hard to try and work back up, but the course was narrow and slippy, so I was either held up or slid out as I overdid each corner. Happy in the end to claw back 14th V40, 17th overall"

Rich tries out his new interval regime. Ride for 30 seconds, fall off. Repeat.