Ford MTB Team Training Camp; the Chris Davidson diaries

Chris Davidson ‘hangs loose’ (Image credit: Chris Davidson)

CN diarist Chris Davidson, who writes from the perspective of his role as wrench for the Ford Women's MTB Team has been a busy guy. After officially ending his off season with a whirlwind trip to Europe and when a garage load of Scott mountain-bikes showed up at his house, Davidson has been running non stop. His latest set of diaries cover the new team's pre-season training camp and a little training race called the Redlands Classic.

I left a snowstorm in Salt Lake City to arrive in much warmer and sunny conditions in Southern California. Ford Cycling is holding a training camp to get everything squared away for the 2006 season here near Malibu and I am excited to get things underway. Most of the riders flew in last night, so this morning started a disbursement of clothing, helmets, shoes, bikes, wheels, etc…the cycling equivalent of Christmas.

I had been able to ship the riders their road bikes about a month ago, so everyone has been able to get dialled in on the fit and handling, but today the riders saw their 'home' hardtail bikes for the first time. This year each rider gets four bikes: a 'home' hardtail, a 'race' hardtail, a 'race' dual suspension, and a road bike. Here at camp riders flew in with their road bike, as we head directly from camp to do the Redlands Stage race.

The morning saw me fit up riders on the 'home' hardtail and send them out on test rides to check fit. Bars and levers were adjusted, steerer tubes were cut and saddles were tweaked numerous times. Our newest U-23 pro rider, Melanie Myers, got the one pair of slick tires that I had mounted up on 26" disc wheels and headed out for a test spin as I worked with other riders on fit. About a half an hour later, someone from the hotel office came out to the parking lot to say that there was a call in the office for the Ford Team.