Team Pies and Thighs

Mirror, Mirror, on the Downs.

2009-05-13T06:49:00.000-07:00

May is the Brighton Festival. This time a few works have appeared in public spaces. In a tranquil valley in the middele of the Downs is the Chattri (WW1 Indian War Memorial) and alongside it a large, neigh, HUGE mirror has taken residence.

Good reason for a ride?

Courseitis!

Photo for the boys at Mule HQ

2009-03-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

Thought I should try and look the part - Cape Epic bike and pie-eating rider ready for the off. Bring on the sunshine!

How can I need so much stuff....?

2009-03-17T05:14:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year again when I draw up a list of things to take to South Africa, and then when I start to grab those items, I realise I don't need a suitcase and a bike bag, but a shipping container all to myself.

I've rationalised my list a lot since last year, so in theory there's a lot less to take. In practice, the suitcase already looks pretty full and there are still a good few things to throw in. Thank heavens I don't need to take a supply of Mule Bars this year, as that's a few kg saved.

I can see tomorrow being another case of, "No, the bike bag's not heavy, barely anything in it apart from the bike!" as I smile sweetly at the airline check in staff....

Light or Dark...?

2009-03-15T10:18:00.000-07:00

New toys, similar builds....

One from the darkside, one gear and a lot of fun

One from the lightside, XTR build and nice and light. This year's Cape Epic bike.

What do you name your bike?

2009-03-13T12:51:00.000-07:00

It has arrived, it has been unpacked, it has been assembled, it has become a she, she’s been ridden home from work (35miles across the South Downs).

But she’s nameless, she’s nameless [la da dee dah dah].

Any ideas?

Ellsworth Beast Major

2009-03-12T03:42:00.000-07:00

Babcock
Bland
Carthorse

Turbo sessions are inanely dull; most of us ride bike because it’s fun, we get to experience
first hand the coming of the seasons: enjoy the crisp views over to Leith Hill, witness the
steamy breath of cattle, the squeaky crunch of fresh frost and the appreciative nod of
another rider: training when summer’s hordes are watching Celebrity Big Brother.

Dint
Ellsworth Beast Major
Ellsworth Beast Minor

But I’m sick of this rain, so the Turbo’s been dusted off (literally).

Haemoglobin
Loudhailer
Mattock

Turbo training is the antithesis of why we ride bikes, do it properly and it’s physically
painful, reduce the effort and your brain turns to porridge. No views, no nods, no crows.

Nancy Boy Potter
Nibble
Orifice

So I’m doing a Level 2 session, and there’s a DVD trying to keep me entertained.

Plectrum
Sediment
Soda

It’s the Secret Policeman’s Ball.

Ta
Undermanager
Zob

And I’m in tears, tears of laughter. Rowan Atkinson, I thank you. I will never look at a
competitor’s Ellsworth (or Cotic Soda, albeit unlikely) without looking back on this Turbo
session and smiling.

Touches wood

2009-03-06T07:15:00.000-08:00

It's arrived. The shipping doc is correct. The words on the outside of the box look correct. The quick look inside the box looks correct*.

Perhaps, just perhaps, my Epic bike has finally arrived!!

*well, except for the tyres. They're wrong.

Both down but unbowed and unbroken...

2009-03-03T05:29:00.000-08:00

Well it sounds like Nigel has also been pretty lucky. Less than two weeks ago I took the lead on arguments with cars and got taken out on a pedestrian crossing of all places.

Lights still green or just starting to flash. I dash across but hear the car coming, and as the brain processes what is happening, turn towards him to hopefully fit down the gap between kerb and car wing. Unfortunately I didn't quite make it and got clipped by the car and shoved off the bike.

Again, a lucky escape with limited damage. The slightest of wheel buckles, a bent bottle cage and a bruised knee. After all the training, missing South Africa for something so silly would be truly devastating.

My time was up

2009-03-03T03:13:00.000-08:00

My commute is generally quite dull, the seaside strip is pretty uninspiring. One section I look forward to is the traffic filtering about 8miles from work: a bit more interesting than that suburban dual carriageway.

Filtering is tarmac’s singletrack: wits about you, covering the brakes, eyes constantly scanning for anything untoward. Lightening reactions to any eventuality. Could I have been fighter pilot based at that airfield just back there?

Not today.

My number was called.

Car stops to let another out, seizing the opportunity he swung straight into my path. Braking hard I glanced his wing.

Damage? One very taco’ed front wheel, and a bruised thumb. Everything else (bar tape and saddle included) are “immaculate” (as immaculate as a bike that’s done a month of winter commuting without a wash can be).

Be careful out there.

Spring has sprung

2009-02-25T06:57:00.000-08:00

Unlike rose tinted politicians, I have conclusive evidence spring really is here: caught in the sweep of my Exposure Joystick as I rolled out of the drive: a flash of yellow.

The year’s first daffodil. Smile.

Mixing it up

2009-02-24T07:43:00.000-08:00

You’ll have noticed I don’t just ride bikes (albeit my principle active past time, especially at the moment). Saturday was the National Cross Country Champs. Yes, cross country, as in sneaky short cuts by the broken fence, notes from Mum/Matron, boys from the upper fifth enjoying a sly fag, and a towering moustachioed master bellowing “BOY” if you’re not trying quite hard enough.

This time I was one of 2874 fully grown men charging up the start hill (the ground did thunder I’m told) all having paid for the privilege of trotting round 12km of Parliament Hill, trying so hard that I can say the view from the top over the City (and Norff Laandan) was stunning in the spring sunshine.

How did I do? Well, I didn’t end up in short-cut detention, and no “Boy” was shouted, so I guess I didn’t catch the watchful eye Mr. Sheldrick.

Singletrack, the leg killer....

2009-02-23T01:36:00.000-08:00

Given the fairly chilly winter we've been putting up with, and the fact that I don't believe I've done enough mileage training for the Epic, I thought it was about time to do a weekend with a couple of long days in the saddle.

Venue - mountainous Surrey/Berks/Hants
Distance - a paltry 100km each day
Singletrack - loads

Well we got the weather, the MuleBars, the riders but why oh why did a simple 100km turn into two serious challenges? Saturday was marred by a day of shocking kit malfunctions for the group, but we ploughed on regardless, the group dwindling by the hour. Sunday was less problematic for kit, but still the group dwindled.

Is riding singletrack that much tougher on the legs? The on/off nature of the sinuous trails shocking the body in to levels of effort that are wildly different to consistent hours of road or more gentle trail riding? The computer certainly doesn't show a calorie burn level or output graph that should cause concern, yet each person who finished the route seemed to be sufffering badly.

Time for a long road ride to see if singletrack really is the leg-killer.

Mid Table Mediocrity

2009-02-20T06:11:00.000-08:00

Race report: The run introduced the new sensations of snow and exerting at minus five, riding SS was blooming hard on the climb (I think I was the only singlespeeder), and more opportunity to ski was welcome. Opinion: Me: Mediocre.

Post race my bike was spotted by the lovely Mssrs Dekker and Kloser, to whom I promised hecking the team event…….

Then I was ill. Very. Very. Ill.

[ Winter Tri is increasing in popularity: after an article in the Gaurinad, and a bit of recruitment, 20 GB athletes entered in a field of 150, making this famed-for-its-snow country the forth largest continent ]

The Final Countdown

2009-02-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

to the Winter Triathlon Champs*

Off tomorrow morning to Austria. This time last year I was hoping for a medal, but with Epic training concentrating on LSD, man, I'm just hoping to not make a fool of myself.

On the upside there is plenty of snow, and sunshine is forecast.

*Don't worry it's not donning skimpy speedos and plunging into a icey lake: rather a run, bike then cross-country ski. Might still wear speedos though, natch.

Happy Tow

2009-02-09T01:43:00.000-08:00

Shoreham to Worthing
50x12
92rpm
132bpm
No rain, light tailwind
8 inches off the number plate (MV04….) of Mr. Double Glazing-Lorry.
Bring. It. On.

Snow falling and yet spirits lifted....

2009-02-03T08:21:00.000-08:00

Just an observation from yesterday where snow brought most of south east England to a standstill:

Is that the most social day I've experienced while living in the south east? Having made my way into work yesterday to find all meetings cancelled, I trooped back early to 'enjoy' working from home. Walking into the village for some lunchtime provisions, it occurred to me that there were a lot of people out and everyone said hello. Not in that forced way, but actually pleased to say hello to another person enjoying an impromptu day off, as the land lay cloaked in a blanket of white powder. The village was busy, chilren were out sledging or making snowmen with that look of glee that only a day off school brings, and adults were making the most of spending time together or with their kids when they were least expecting it. Brilliant!

Now just need to get out for a run or ride to make the most of it. Not quite the fresh tracks I would prefer to be making, but not too bad nonetheless.

Three into two does go. Discuss.

2009-02-03T08:04:00.000-08:00

The hypothesis is: that to ride three bike races in two days all centred within a 15mile radius of home is possible.

Method: ride out to Saturday’s time trial via the bike jumble, ride it (dare I say race?), ride home. On Sunday drive out to the second time trial in the morning, complete the course and drive to the park for a cyclocross race. Conclude with pie and mash from the best Sunday Post Race pie shop in the North Laine.

Results, individually disappointing, except the coffee and muffin, but in the scope of more than 3hrs racing (and a further 3 just riding) a good whack at Epic intensity, just without the massage.
So in conclusion, three does go into two, just not very well

Get some mudguards

2009-01-28T07:30:00.000-08:00

There are reasons to look forward to March, one is the fresh red bush tea, and the other is this escape from this interminable rain.
Today’s commute was wet; no not just wet: high-pressure orifice-penetrating wet.
This isn’t just sense of humour wrecking, it’s kit wrecking, motivation wrecking, back side wrecking. Thankfully there’s a new mudguarded kitted bike-in-a-box sat by my desk.

I think Thursday’s commute is just going to be wet.

A bike, a bike... my kingdom for a bike!

2009-01-28T02:19:00.001-08:00

It's got to that time of year again in the build up to the Cape Epic when thoughts turn to bikes. Of course, the brain is regularly thinking about bikes, but in this case it's about the specific bike I/we might use for this years race.

Once again we entered autumn with great intentions of buddying up to a nice manufacturer/shop to obtain a shiny race bike at reduced cost, but due to bad timing/economics/lack of compelling strategy we're struggling. Well, what does this mean in real terms? To be honest, no that much yet. Last year was raced on a second hand bike picked up in mid February, and Nigel's bike arrived in the week before departure so no need to panic at this stage. However it would be nice to test ride a bike we're going to spend 8 days on ahead of the race, fettle a few pieces and find out what is and isn't comfortable. Still, there are still a few irons in fires, so I'm sure something will turn up.

Failing that, it could be a geared steel Inbred (my usual bike but converted from singlespeed to geared) as it's comfortable and I like riding it. It does mean I could be the heaviest rider/bike combo at the event though! Perhaps I could find a penny farthing and do it in real style...