Sunny Sunday

What better way to spend a Sunday? I ask. A lovely little ride out in the autumn sunshine followed by 4 hours on the sofa 'in recovery' (with doughnuts, of course) whilst watching the great battle of wits and strength unfold in the World Road Race Championships in an equally sunny Switzerland. Whilst wishing a win for Spartacus (after the dismal GB showing) I surprised myself by being rather happy at watching Cadel streak away and put the massed ranks of Italians and Spanish to the sword (imagine if Basso or Valverde were to have nicked it - awful). I was even more happy when I realised that I had an 'exclusive' image of our square jawed winner from this years Le Tour (will I ever run out of reasons to keep digging into this archive?). Maybe this race always featured in his masterplan. G'day all 'round.

PS - Note time of posting. He's only just stepped onto the podium.

Oh the days dwindle down

It's getting a little bit darker both morning and evening now as winter speeds relentlessly towards us whilst we're still wondering when the summer actually happened (again). It's been a little easier to swallow over the past few days as the weather has been absolutely superb - if Doctor Nature wrote a prescription for perfect cycling weather then this is how it would be. Nothing has been nicer than the ride home as the sun begins to set and London is bathed in gentle sunlight whilst the air is just the right side of cool as I gleefully pedal along (in a funny way it reminds me of the same sensation I had when I tasted the first incarnation of cool mints back in the early 80's - strange, the things you remember). It would be nice to think it might last until next Sunday's Ride of the Falling Leaves (which I have now entered after they opened up some more places) but I'm sure it won't.

I blog therefore I buy

This image brings to mind both the pleasure and the pain of my cycling obsession. You may remember that I recently posted an 'Instant Schleckism' item after having tried on the new all white Jawbones as worn by the streaky Luxembourger. Well, after fighting the urge for all of 2 days afterwards I set about tracking down the best bargain price and, without a hint of smugness, I can report that I paid 35% less than the full retail price! 'How did you achieve this?' you may well ask. Well, after finally tracking down an Elite Moro bottle cage on e-bay to match the one I currently have (even I couldn't justify buying 2 of them in one go when I originally bought the Colnago) I was presented with a 10% off next e-bay purchase voucher for my troubles. Straight back onto e-bay and hey presto, a bargain pair of Jawbones (modelled here by my conscience - hence the pain I feel when indulging) that I feel a tad flash wearing but actually rather like although would say that they perform no better than Radars.

CLICK HERE FOR THE BEST PRICED OAKLEYS

A spoddy September day in London

WARNING - QUITE A LONG POST TODAY!

This weekend was an absolute cyclefest for the city with the Tour of Britain on Saturday followed by the Skyride on the Sunday. Now, I made sure to be at the former whilst making doubly sure to avoid the latter (after last year I will NEVER make the same mistake - thousands of 'em weaving, cruising, NOT LOOKING as they leisurely made their goody-two-pedals way down the Embankment. Bloody lethal).

So, back to the Tour of Britain. Having secured a good spot to get some pictures of the start I casually leaned up against the barriers and munched on a sandwich in the knowledge that with my trusty Canon G10 I would get some great starting shots. Countdown begins, camera on, ISO set and finger on button. Here they come, getting closer, ready, 'click' and.....camera off!!!! WHY DO THEY PUT THE POWER BUTTON NEXT SHUTTER BUTTON? WHY AM I A COMPLETE TIT? Totally missed any half decent shots of the start - balls. OK, deep breath and on we go.

As is my particular thing, I am much more interested in the backstage than the front so managed to locate the pits and merrily wandered around snapping completely pointless pictures of dormobiles and soigneurs (don't worry, I shan't bore you with them). Luckily this led me to a back street of the course where only a dozen or so spectators were loitering. Even more luckily it was where the soigneurs were waiting with bidons - contentedly (nay, nonchalantly) standing in the middle of the road as they faced first the fleet of outriders and official cars followed by a peloton screaming down towards them at 25+mph . So, after a nice chat with a lady from CandiTV/Marshalls Pasta (surely the 2 least famous brands on Earth?) I sidled over nearer to the Cervelo chap in the hope that he might pass me a bidon in the same way that he had just done to a 6 year old boy. He must have seen the child in my eyes as sure enough (deep spod joy) I got my prize - half full of flat Coke (why not Zipvit? Most likely 'cos it tastes like shite, that's why) - and scuttled off as happy as a pig on Zipps. As if it couldn't get any better I was then presented with Agritubel and an AG2R versions - hell, I was practically part of the Pro Tour family.

Anyway, race is now over and I haven't a clue whose won but know that they will all be coming back to the buses very soon. Sure enough they all did and I clicked away to my heart's content as my beloved looked on with love in her eyes and no doubt a question in her mind as to whether she need bother with a child when she is already married to one. I was flitting up and down, clicking him, clicking him, clicking this and then clicking that (why on Earth I wanted to click 'that' I can only wonder but I clicked 'that' anyway).

Finally the carnival left with the exception of the Columbia HTC entourage. After all young Bosen Hagen had won the GC and he would be the last man back so patiently we waited, and waited. Finally, after the other team members collected their cases (Kim Kirchen being strangely ignored by the public which surprised me for a man of his standing in the peloton) the, not unattractive, female soigneur informed us that Edvald had taken a car directly from the podium. Off sidled the menchildren with the exception of one man and his little boy and me and my beloved (she had no choice). Seeing the disappointment in said boy's face, said soigneur disappeared into the dormobile and returned with a bidon with 'Kim' written in felt tip pen on the side. I HAD BEEN OUT-BIDONED BY A F***ING 8 YEAR OLD! I felt sick to the pit of my stomach knowing that, as a man of a certain age, I simply could not beg for a consolation prize too so off I walked, dejectedly, into the setting sun with my patient beloved. Oh how I can't wait until junior is born - he will be my bidon stooge forever more.

Here's a few pics (I hope you don't find them too boring)


Racing, racing, racing


Kindly Cervelo soigneur


Are all soigneurs ex-riders? Methinks not


Bidon booty!


Introducing the Katusha dogs. Who do they belong to.......?


....... to Ben Swift's mum and dad (very Rotherham)


Pozzato maybe a poseur but he is a bloody good poseur (eat your heart out Correspondent)


Reimer in a real huff at missing out on 2nd in the GC ('too flash' was the comment from my beloved)


Nicolas Roche in full flight....


....and enjoying a recovery drink afterwards


Kai Reus cotemplates what might have been


Ed Clancy finally surfaces after 8 days of hiding in the peloton


Gratuitous Zippage!


Malcolm Elliott - legend to all riders of a certain age


Next stop Switzerland

CLICK HERE FOR CANDI-TV (YOU'LL BE NONE THE WISER)

CLICK HERE FOR MARSHALLS PASTA (TARTAN PASTA? WHY?)

One brake wonders

The winds of work blew me east today, to what some might call the spiritual home of the urban cycling revival - Hoxton. Now, cards on table, I am of the opinion that fixed wheels belong to the track (in much the same way that mountain bikes belong on trails and I didn't do the Dragon Ride on the PM). All this crap about 'feeling the road' doesn't wash with me - probably the only way the majority of riders in that area have 'felt' the road is when they have gone a over t by forgetting to pedal as they try to stop their arses falling completely out of their jeans. Anyway, back to the story. Being fully prepared to do a little sniping at fixie types I happened upon 14 Bike Co. - doubtlessly a mecca for the aforementioned - and had a look around. Now, there is no denying that a track bike is a thing of simplistic beauty regardless of where it should or shouldn't be ridden and this place is akin to the White Cube of fixies. I'll admit to feeling a little enthused for the genre so asked what looked to be the main man if I could take a few pics. He couldn't have been nicer, 'no problem'. He then proceeded to tell me all about how and where they make the bikes (using Reynolds steel and all in Britain) as if I were an expert and knew the terms and names he was dropping (I stupidly said that I had a blog and he must have assumed I knew something about cycling -the man's a fool!). Anyway, he must have soon sussed my ignorance and left me to it as I happily clicked away (twice). I'm still no fan of the fixed for the road but I do like nice people and got the feeling that had I wanted to know more or (perish the thought) buy one, then the service at 14 Bike Co. would have been excellent.

Click here for 14 Bike Co.

PS - whilst out that way I also saw one of the regular Rollapaluza 'clique' (for a clique it surely is) who was riding a cyclocross bike - no doubt a new trend for winter 2009 (yawn)

Toe clip or not toe clip?

I have to admit that I am still a bit of a wuss when it comes to using cleats whilst commuting. Whilst I know it will be better for efficiency of pedalling and give me the excuse to buy a nice new pair of Mavics, as I cannot trackstand on the Moulton (I can't even trackstand on a tricycle!) I prefer to ride on normal pedals. This then leaves me with the style / efficiency dilemma of what to wear on the daily ride. To date the best thing that I have found comes in the form of Norman Walsh's Fell Running shoes. Lovingly made in Bolton, Norman has been producing shoes since 1948 (he started out by making athletic shoes for the 1948 GB Olympic team) and the Fell Running shoe is actually worn by fell runners rather than just wishing it was. The thing that makes them so good for cycling is not just the tough construction (pictured above - worn near daily and no sign of seams breaking or glue ungluing) but also the sole. It's something called Xymid (very Superman) and it's very stiff but still has a bit of flex for perching your tootsies on the pedals as well as having little studs which grip a treat. Much, much better than the awful offerings from Specialised and other 'cycling specific' companies.

Click here for Norman Walsh potted history (their own site is awful)

Things I learnt at the Southern Sportive

1. Not sleeping (again) before a long ride is not good preparation

2. Driving through London and out into Surrey at 5.45 in the morning is the best time to commute (and to see the mist hanging a few feet above the fields)

3. It is now autumn (as the shivering masses will confirm)

4. Hampshire / West Sussex, although quite pretty, is the road kill capital of England (I have never dodged so many flat pheasants in my life - it's a pikey's feast)

5. Do not panic when your old chap resembles a compressed air capsule - it's in their somewhere but VERY traumatised

6. Headwinds for 5+ hours do not make an enjoyable days riding

7. Sachets of High 5 powder are difficult to get into a bidon when you are in a hurry. I looked more like a Colombian drugs mule than a cyclist by the time I had finished

8. Don't be so cautious!

9. Running a red light isn't always a bad thing. What got me DQ'd from the Dragon Ride gained me the time to get the Gold standard (just)

10. Never, NEVER, save a Zipvit orange(?) flavoured energy+ gel as your final booster. After 5 High 5 gels I thought the change would be a little 'final push' treat. WRONG! Truly the most disgusting tasting thing that I have ever tasted. They must have decided to call it orange by picking flavours out of a hat

11. I need to get my bike fitted properly - sore back and an arse that is still on fire 36 hours later

12. Active recovery sucks. Today's commute literally brought tears to my eyes (though this may have had more to do with the fact that I am breaking in a new Prologo saddle on the Moulton. Intended for the Colnago but I'm secretly loving it where it is)

13. Riding a bike should be a pleasure and only a pain if you are paid to do it

Here endeth the lesson(s)

Ready to ride?

The weekend is finally here. When I say the weekend I mean THE weekend - it's the Southern Sportive on Sunday and I am ready to ride. Well, when I say ready I mean sort of ready. I'm trying hard not to think about the sore throat, the twinge in my right knee and, as of today, the niggling little pain in my right hand when I pull on the brakes. The funny thing is that up until the start of the week I had been feeling absolutely fine. I hadn't given the ride that much thought (after all, surely a Dragon Rider can take on anything I smugly thought) but then the e-mails started coming 'Here are final instructions...', 'Your race number is...' (it's 1111 which is actually quite cool but even that seemed to add pressure) and, worst of all 'We're aiming to set off at 8.30am...' (I live a good hour and a half from the start!). Is it just me or do we all get a touch of hypochondria in the face of a physical challenge? I am self diagnosing a good dose of Procycling (the best of all) whilst lying on the sofa followed by a shot of Tour of Britain highlights and rounded of by a pre-race massage from the beloved. Physician, heal thyself

Picture - Steffen Jensen

A whole lotta bottle

A little bit (more) of a geek posting today. Behold my prized collection of bidons. All have their virtues and I love them all equally but for differing reasons.

1. Mr i-Ride.co.uk - Part of the goody(?) bag that I was given for completing the Dragon ride. He has now become my preferred choice for a nice recovery drink after a weekend ride (Rego choc flavour if you must know)

2. Mr Nike - Simple, old school. He was first bidon I bought when I was born again.

3. Mr Zipvit - Free (if you forget the £3.99 p&p) with the Zipvit trial pack (see 18 July posting). He is not a bad little chap and very squeezable but, due to the Cervelo branding, he is only used on the commuter run and is not allowed to grace the Colnago.

4. Mr Bike Food - Bright and breezy and probably the best designed of all. He's not only got grip ridges but also a handy clear measuring strip down the side (it's not hard to do so why don't they all?). Would be a permanent fixture on the Colnago but for the fact I only have one and don't intend to buy any more Bike Food as it's a bit tart for my taste buds.

5. Mr SIS - Whilst others may be better designed and come in pretty colours, Mr SIS has stuck with me through thick and thin (despite a brief falling out on the Dragon Ride which resulted in a face full of High 5). He's clear, dependable and probably favoured by most 'athletes'. Good work fella.

Instant Schleckism

A trip into town for a spot of lunch with the beloved gave me the opportunity to escape for an hour and have a look at the new and improved Condor Cycles shop. I have to say it was very nicely done with plenty of light and space and a (albeit small) dash of creativity in the merchandising and display. Typically of me I looked around itching to spend only to leave empty handed (a combination of the paradox of choice and the 7 deep queue to pay - business is good at Condor obviously). One of the things that caught my eye was a pair of white Oakley Jawbones. Now, I have looked at these during le Tour and didn't think much of them in comparison to Radars (especially the Livestrong versions - I don't care how 'noble' your cause is Lance, you still look a twat in them!) but, in the flesh, they are quite intriguing. Sadly at Condor they were locked up tight in a glass case but back on sunny Oxford Street I spied them in a shop where they were enticingly unguarded for the casual try on. 'Oh, yeah' thought I once I looked in the mirror, 'it's all making sense now - instant Schleckism'. At £200 a pair there is no way that I am getting them but it was nice to dream of being the great man for a few moments.

CLICK HERE FOR OAKLEY JAWBONES

CLICK HERE FOR CONDOR CYCLES

UnZipped (again)

Livid, bloody livid! As some of you know I have been contemplating the pros and cons of indulging in a set of Zipps for quite some time now (pro's - 1. bling, bling. 2- greater aerodynamic efficiency. 3 - not having to pedal up any hills / cons - 1. child on way and ill can afford the spend. 2 - could potentially overstep the poseur mark. 3 - the beloved's silent disapproval). However, unbeknown to you is that I have now had a 2 failed attempts to purchase the damn things! Months of trawling for a bargain firstly led me to J E James who had a pair of 2008 303's on sale at a third off. So, deep breath and small amount of sweat, I place the order. 2 days later after no reply to my additional request for credit I call them to enquire and am told that there is no problem, they are being transferred from another branch and they will confirm once checked for any damages (slight alarm at this comment). The next day an automated e-mail comes to me saying that 'the item ordered is out of stock'! VERY POOR SERVICE. So, I leave it to fester for another few weeks as I try to summons the courage to try again (and take the time to indulge in the pleasure of constant surfing for another unknown-to- anybody-else-in-the-world bargain price). Finally, I feel I must have these wheels, I have just had a great ride with Neil (whose R-Sys free wheel click is jealousy inducingly loud) and feel I deserve to have 303's for the Southern Sportive. OK, SBR have 2009's at 20% off and I have just taken delivery of a Tesco card with 0% for 12 months - GO FOR IT, MAN!! It's Tuesday, they're in stock 5-7 days, order placed, quick trip to Cycle Surgery for a Campag lock nut (£12!) and chain whip and I am ready to take delivery and even change the cassette over myself! Wednesday, phone call 'sorry, we get them direct from the importer and they are out of stock for the next 3 weeks' SO THEY WERE NEVER F***ING IN STOCK, WERE THEY?! I now find myself resigned to never getting them. Why would I want wheels at the end of the season? Why am I spending so much when I am about to be bled dry for the rest of my life? And, most importantly, why would I want a pair of 2009's when I have just heard that the 2010's are going to be even better?!!

NO LINKS TO J E JAMES AND SBR - THEY WOULD ONLY LIE TO YOU