Time to think about the new season
Enough, I’ve had enough, of snow that is. Against this backdrop it’s been a pointless gesture raising the white flag to the powder god but surely I’m not alone in wanting an end to this weather and yearning for some sign of a thaw.
Eventually the fun to be had on a ... Continue reading
Why work is better than leisure
Attending my club Christmas lunch run recently, conversation revolved around the usual well-worn topics. Training seem to elicit the strongest debate, dividing those present into two distinct camps: those that rack up the miles commuting to work and those that don’t.
For some reason, anyone not constrained to time-honoured working hours of nine-to-five was ... Continue reading
Revival of the three speed fixed hub gear
There’s a lot to be said about single speed bikes, and let’s face it there has been ever such a lot said. But one thing is for certain; direct chain driven transmission is incredibly mechanically efficient. There is almost no loss of effort between pedals and rear wheel when using two ... Continue reading
Mobile raves out in the sticks
Just recently I was quite forcibly reminded of the importance and value of owning efficient cycle lights. The lesson, if it can be called that, was learnt from a driver’s perspective, which of course was myself, thus making it all the more pertinent.
Being late for an appointment is no excuse for driving ... Continue reading
Motorcycle racer's pushbike gets makeover
When you’re sat only yards from the RoadCyclingUK desk, it doesn’t take too long to get a stiff neck. Beautiful, shiny new bikes made from the most exquisite materials pop into view every now and then and any focus one may have had on what one was doing rapidly evaporates.
I guess ... Continue reading
Andy ponders his lack of resolve
For reasons best known to my inner self, my motivation to train and ride cyclocross this season has deserted me. The effects of an injury sustained late this summer were swept away by a glorious four-day tour in Shropshire, so why the malaise and feelings of guilt?
Well, reading the news articles detailing ... Continue reading
Is price a fair indicator of quality?
‘Reassuringly expensive’ was the slogan used by a drinks company some years ago to promote their ‘premium’ lager brand and, and by all accounts, it was a roaring success. Apparently, the reasoning behind this wonderful campaign was to churn out a roughly similar product to everyone else but, by charging more ... Continue reading
The mid-morning coffee stop is all-important
It seems to me that the way to tell if a holiday or break has been a success is by the length and intensity of the withdrawal period afterwards. This week, I’ve been mostly daydreaming about Shropshire, the land that time forgot and hopefully won’t be in a hurry to change.
But ... Continue reading
66cm Cannondale CAAD5 stealth build nearly ready for the road
Beast v2. After an introduction to the road through the creation of the original big boys CAAD 5 and the subsequent kilometres logged (and of course enjoyment) it became apparent one steed was not going to be enough.
This time around I decided to put something together that was going to be ... Continue reading
How not to prepare for the 'cross season
Last year my preparations for the cyclo-cross season went a bit pear-shaped. A pile up during an evening crit followed by a flu type bug saw to that. Never mind, this year a different approach was all that was needed - or so I thought.
Earlier in the year I’d marked out a ... Continue reading
