Thursday, August 26, 2010

GARMIN - CERVELO FOR 2011

Garmin-Transitions and Cervélo TestTeam are apparently merging in advance of next season and will ride under the name, Garmin-Cervélo. The team will obviously ditch the excellent Felt bikes in favour of the Cervelo brand.

Thor Hushovd has already been in recent negotiations to join Garmin for next season and assuming he makes up part of the new look combined team it will be interesting to see how he combines with Tyler Farrar. Could this be another Cavendish - Griepel conflict or will the race roster be shared out to keep both sprinters happy? I doubt that very much. Of course Hushovd will be reunited with his ex lead out man Julian Dean which might put Farrar's nose further out of joint. Or maybe Hushovd will be the team's Classics specialist along with Martijn Maaskant? And of course there's Haussler to throw into the mix too.

The combined riders will certainly enhance any prospects in the team time trials.

But of course the issue most fans will be interested in, is how the Argyle 'style' of Garmin will mix with the über-cool team strips Cervelo have become famed for...

Sunday, August 15, 2010

MAMIL MIA!

According to a recent BBC News item I have a new acronym - I am a Middle Aged Man In Lycra, a MAMIL if you will.

Having read the article I have to suggest that this acronym, on the face of it at least, sums me up to the letter. I am 40 years old, I ride a full carbon Bianchi Infinito dripping with Campag Chorus 11 speed, and Rapha (wool not lycra!) is my kit of choice. I head out for rides with a couple of like-minded mates early on a Sunday morning and I drool over the latest bits of kit. I even shave my legs - the first time I saw my hairy legs sticking out of a pair of lycra shorts I knew I had no choice.

However... It's not quite that clear cut. I have been cycling for a number of years and I come from a cycing family. My dad was a formidable time trialist for Liverpool Century through the 70s and 80s and as a kid most Sunday mornings were spent heading out in our old Cortina, with my dad's bike strapped to the roof rack, to watch him hammer the opposition, generally setting a new course record in the process. He often raced with, or against, Keith Boardman, whilst I meanwhile would hang out with Boardman junior, Chris. I like to picture us racing our trikes together, but it's hard to define the reality from my fantasy. Suffice to say, cycling has been in my blood for most of my life.

OK, so I may have lost my way a few times over the intervening period, but for the last few years I have come back into the fold, for good I hope. I now get out on my road bike three or four times a week at least, every week of the year regardless of the weather, and I also get out with the kids whenever I can. I admit that as my 40th birthday approached I decided to treat myself to that carbon dream machine. But, I can think of far worse self indulgences as you hit middle age (is 40 even considered middle aged any more?) and riding the bike as much as I do keeps me fit and slim - something not all 40 year old men can claim to be! My wife may have preferred my hirsute look, but I'm sure she would rather have me fit and slim than fat and hairy.

If this is my mid-life crisis, long may it last. And maybe one day I'll even bag myself that spiritual journey to the mountains and follow in my heroes' wheel tracks.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

RALEIGH AVENIR SNUG CHILD SEAT


So, as I mentioned in a previous post, I took the plunge and bought a bike seat for my youngest so he could join us on our family bike rides.


After much shopping around, and almost buying the hype that the only seat to buy was the co-pilot, I stumbled upon the Avenir Snug on Amazon. The reviews were almost universally glowing, and for just £20 I thought it must be worth a look, especially with Amazon's generous returns policy. If it wasn't suitable I figured I would just send it back, no harm done.

Well, I ordered on the Monday and the seat was with me the following day. An hour later it was fixed securely to the bike with almost no hassle. Very easy to follow instructions. The seat felt substantial and the fittings were all robust. So far so good...

A week and many family bike rides later I have to say I am delighted with the seat. It has revolutionised the summer holidays as I can get out on the bike with all three children now and my youngest adores being on the back of my bike.

The seat is comfortable and stable, and better yet easy to attach and detach to and from the bike. The release button is a little stiff, but then this is probably no bad thing. The bright red 'sports' colour is highly visible and fun and the straps and foot rests are all adjustable. In fact the only problem I have had is my son being able to rummage around in my back pockets to help himself to snacks as we cycle along! That probably serves me right for wearing my Rapha jacket and popping biscuits in the back pockets mind...

Of course since I bought the seat the weather has been pretty ropey, which to be fair hasn't put us off too much, but I would much rather be heading out into fine August sunshine than the wet and windy British bloody summer that we're 'enjoying' right now...

Speaking of which, a big yellow glowing thing has just appeared in the sky outside - it stirs some distant memories, although I can't quite recall what it is. I must go out and investigate.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

RIDLEY SCOTT ASSOCIATES AND RAPHA


I received an email from Rapha this morning, announcing the screening of three fascinating films produced by Ridley Scott Associates and Rapha. The three short films, "A Throw of the Dice", "Two Broad Arrows" and "Of Steel" are inspired by Johan Museeuw, Sean Kelly and Dario Pegoretti and all three look like they would be well worth a look.

And here's the best part; all three films will be screened exclusively on the Rapha website for ONE TIME ONLY, starting Friday August 13, 2010. Trailers for the films are already available to view online now.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

FAMILY PELOTON


It was an eventful day in the world of cycling yesterday. No, I don't mean Contador heading to a reinvented Team Saxo Bank-Sungard for next season. No, much more important than that. Not only did I get back out on my bike proper after a forced two-week hiatus, but I also managed to borrow a Claude Butler mountain bike and bought myself a child seat to hang off the back.

Well, I didn't exactly buy the child seat for myself; the weight limit is 22kg and even though I take pride in my grimpeur-like physique, even I exceed that. My youngest son however does not, and the seat is for him.

After a few minutes of easy installation, the seat and bike were united as one and my son sat wailing behind me on the bike. He was not overly fond of the idea of being on the bike with me. Perhaps he objected to the view of my backside? After some words of gentle persuasion by myself and his older siblings, he came round to the idea and we set off on our maiden ride together. All went well and it was a joy to be out with the kids riding the country lanes. It was a nice bit of resistance training for me too!

We did have a slight mishap on the return leg of the journey however. In defiance of my strongest recommendation, my eldest son decided to sprint for the motion-activated traffic lights that control traffic flow over the bridge into the village. As he approached the lights they seemed reluctant to change and remained steadfastly on red. Now, being a law-abiding cyclist he hit the brakes to stop, only to lose control, Menchov-like, to end up depositing some DNA on the roadside. He was fine, but as I rolled up to check on him I forgot I had the child seat on the back of my bike. I stopped and of course as I did so, my bike lurched precariously to one side, depositing my youngest into a patch of nettles. Fortunately he took it all in his stride, but I worry that it wasn't the best introduction to cycling for him.

As for my solo ride? I got out at 6.00am in the early morning sunshine. There was a mist hanging over the river and an almost Autumnal chill in the air. It was a morning to exhilarate the senses. Interestingly, since having this wretched summer cold I have lost my sense of smell. Now this can be frustrating at the best of times, but yesterday on the bike I felt bereft of a sense I normally take for granted; despite enormous lung-expanding deep intakes of breath I just couldn't get the country smells I so enjoy. The dusty smell of recent summer rain, the dewy dampness of the wet fields, the heady scent of the harvest, the rotting corpse like, gag-inducing stench of the muck heap... OK, so it wasn't all bad...