A poor workman blames his tools

As you know, a couple of Saturdays ago saw the now annual pilgrimage to Smithfield to watch the (ever improving) Nocturne. As you all know the folding bike race became yet another Hendernator procession but I do now think that the Elite race could do with stepping up a gear to attract a more international entry level rather than simply being another national level crit with the odd (HTC sponsored) guest rider.

Anyway the point of this post is that Dan joined me and my Grupetto amici to enjoy the racing and like me he packs a Canon G10 as his preferred choice of snapper. However, unlike me he knows how to use the bloody thing (a combination of skill, training and bothering reading instructions that I do not and simply never will bother doing). So behold a selection of his really rather decent pics. Another chapeau! methinks.

In the words of Lionel - 'Cos you're once, twice, three times a winner

On a blustery June evening in central London one man stood alone (outside a pub) awaiting his destiny. When the time came that man did not fail. He stood tall, ran fast and unfolded with the rapidity of a Ninja origamist. Holding steady his nerve he sat in the wheels with a beady eye trained on his prey - yet another Dahon folding bike. What was before the start a distant dream became a brilliant reality as Keith "The Hendernator' Henderson stormed to his third victory (a threePete as a certain Mr Sampras often said) in the Smithfield Nocturne Folding Bike Race with almost embarrassing ease.

Chapeau mon brave, chapeau, chapeau, chapeau!


To the victor the spoils

This time it's serious

June is upon us and that means that the Smithfield Nocturne will soon be upon us too - it's the one night of the year that we all gather to marvel at the spectacle whilst wondering why it is always so bloody cold despite it being close to what 'they' call mid Summer.

Of course, yours truly does have a vested interest in proceedings thanks to links with arguably this country's greatest all round cyclist - Keith Henderson (aka Cadence Man / The Hendernator). Who else can hold down a full time job and a family whilst still managing to ride a 6.08 time in the Dragon Ride (check the stats - that is good), be runner up in the national Rolapolluza finals and be twice winner of the Smithfield Nocturne folding bike race - THE MAN IS A MACHINE!

In recognition of his growing palmares the kind people at Dahon (and I say this without a drop of seething envy, I really do) have loaned him their latest pride and joy - the MU-EX. What a piece of kit - superlight, superfast (Sram RED!!) and superstyling make this possibly the ultimate in folding bike porn for those who can afford the £2099 price tag.

Will the man become one with the machine? Find out on the 19th June