24 December 2012
No bike, I'll run then
Running to supplement cycling, while I'm doing family Xmas duties, I've been doing a morning run, in the rain. Concentrating on good aerobic workouts in short amount of time(40mins). Doing hill intervals. I feel like I've done a good club run on the bike when I return, except running is high impact and using your leg muscles in a different way to cycling. As you're running your muscles are lengthening (eccentric contraction) and opposite is true of cycling (centric contraction). Left me walking down the stairs like a crab. But I'm hoping the aerobic workout will be of benefit as well as burning Xmas calories.
17 December 2012
14 December 2012
Christmas 1979
20 November 2012
2 November 2012
24 October 2012
If You Show Off the Milk, Who's Gonna Buy the Cow?
Have you heard of this band? Discovered them yesterday, and they seem pretty awesome. Bit like Mogwai post rocky outfit form Norway. And they have the best band name of all time, The Samuel Jackson 5! and my current favourite song is titled 'if you show off the milk who is gonna buy the cow?'
check out their website for tracks
15 October 2012
End of Season blues
8 September 2012
giro empire shoe
just seen these empire shoes from giro, featuring...laces. i particularly love the all black version. just make sure you tie em in double knots.
looks like they have similar uppers and soles to my pair of trans
5 September 2012
Lon-cam-Lon: 166km: 29km/hr avr
4 September 2012
Serenity
Hutchinson Serenity from fortiche studio on Vimeo.
Lovely video, for Hutchinsons new puncture proof tyre, no tube, no air! only time will tell as to whether the world is ready.17 August 2012
16 August 2012
pardon the way i stare
Just discovered Sheffield's field cycles (via footdown blog) who by the looks of it craft so lovely track & cx frames and components. when i saw this integrated bar & stem paint job, a small rush of blood went straight to my head
new studio book
After over a week creating digital presentations its nice to have print in my hands, once more. I love ephemera, collections, big type and print! lovely book by unit editions
.
8 August 2012
nice kit design
Just come across this kit design by a fella called bernard sincock as far as i can make out he's based in LA and thats all the internet will tell me. Lovely kit design, very swiss.
you only have to thumb through cycling plus to see how much design could start riding the coat tails of this cycling boom, which is a good thing. i am available for designing anything cycling related btw. I'd love to do a kit design one day. May even post up a 'thin gray lines' kit just for fun, it will be like i'm 12 years old again. particularly love the cap.
3 August 2012
1 August 2012
Is it wrong to be going through a Jesus Lizard phase? Thats clearly rhetorical question as i couldn't care. I remember finding this track on a cassette my older brother had from a magazine cover, forget which one, I kept rewinding it back to hear it over again, and i, a good 15 years later still think its awesome track. Got me thinking – it makes a change for me to be into something while it peaks in popularity. I usually either (a) stay the fuck away forever, harry potter, dan brown, stella artois, or very infrequently admit i was wrong to shun first time round and discover it at a later date once everyone has squeezed their fun out of it, and I have to settle for second pressings, re the strokes, the sopranos.
30 July 2012
23 July 2012
18 July 2012
One bloke cheering at the future of the left
Going to see the last stand & hope for liberal britain tonight. I love you Stewart Lee
13 July 2012
#being pro – stage 11
So yesterday's stage 11 saw the pros take on the same "hills" as I covered on sunday. Pierre Rolland took victory in 4h45mins. makes me shudder under my 10hr20 time.
Cav rolled in just before the cut off time, and admitted how tough the stage was, I can vouch for that Cav.
Brilliant pictures via cycling tips
Brilliant pictures via cycling tips
11 July 2012
Etapé act 1 Report
In brief:
Position:3386 out of 10,000 (only 4422 riders finished)
Climbing time: 6hr57m
Finish time:10hr30
In Detail: Back home watching the highlights of stages I've missed while I was in the Tour myself. So that was indeed the hardest thing I have ever done, I knew it would be really tough but nothing like it actually was. After a stressed non stop day before arriving in race village, registering ourselves and bikes leaving hire car at finish line, shuttle bus back to village, taxi to our chalet, we got to bed with empty stomachs around 10.30pm, to be starting the next day at 4.30am. I hurried pasta and pesto into a bidon to eat on the way to the village, arriving in the pouring rain. Finally after around an hour wait in the start pen and much needed bitter coffee the peloton I was in set off at 7:00am. The start was naturally nervous by all riders around me, still wet we took around 12km over some – in places flanders-esq roads – to get to the first climb Col de la Madeleine, by now thankfully stopped raining and began drying out. I felt good taking it steady got to the top in under 2 hours I think. 20 minutes of descending didn't quite do the effort it took me to get up there justice. Then on the the Col du Glandon shortly followed by a wee descend and peaking at Croix de Fer. Now by this point I was starting to feel it, the sun beating down on us (someone told me it was 32ºC), with the sunscreen washed off my arms i was burning up. After an ass fight queue to get my bidons filled (a running theme), a decided not to hang round too much and crack on, I was around 6hr20mins in and at the start i was looking to get a time of 8ish hours. But believed the hard part was over – oh how I was wrong.
The "easier" climbs on paper were indeed the hardest on the day with Madeleine and CdF already in my legs. Spent Col du Mollard staring at the ground 50cm ahead of me, trying not to catch all the riders ahead snaking up the mountain. I was beginning to break up, my legs were fine even with the confident 12-25 (not particularly hill friendly) cassette I was sporting, it was the heat, I was on fire.
The final climb La Toussuir to finish I was in tears, my body was screaming at me to stop and get off, but I knew if i did i wouldn't start again. By this point I had made two rules for myself, not to stop and not to get off and push like the dozens around me. An english crowd spotted phoenix jersey and cheered me on, that was the moment I started crying. 10km to go was the longest of my life, once got into single figures I knew I had it, and even clicked down to a higher gear and raced it out, I wanted it to be over. The descents were brilliant though, closed roads great surface, really trusted throwing yourself into the corners. I actually enjoying going down for the first time ever. And it was all worth it for the pro tan lines I'm now sporting.
all packed
swiss air
pasta party in start village day before
While everyone is talking about Peter Sagan's weird victory dance, I am personally left in awe of Philippe Gilbert's shoe change, he managed to stay pedalling remove a shoe and put on a fresh one with minimal effort. I have just mastered drinking and riding, and no hands, and we have all seen pros peel bananas and don a race capes while descending at 40mph but changing footwear pretty awesome. After a little internet research its not the first time he's done this.
And while i am talking shoes, it feels right to mention my new giro trans disco slippers. They are pretty damn good, they're two types of black, they fit like a glove, they're carbon soled, and they're two types of black! I have been enjoying dancing in these of late.
One week to go – last weekend of training, i'll be doing the usual 60km club ride saturday, then sunday either 100km spin or some swains circuits, then next week i'll be tapering myself silly and carb loading like a champ.
*one small footnote on the image, i never really gooed over specialized, but I guess s-works pro series is well... very pro and i certainly wouldn't kick this one out of shed.
**one further footnote on images, i'd like all images on my blog to be taken by me or have me in them but haven't mastered cycling and taking pictures yet, nor am I the master of time with ample on my side always
well not here in Belgium and on itv4, but the excitement for me starts here, with me myself and I.
Stage 7&8 look like the most interesting in the first week, I will be in France by that point, Charlie did you book a chalet with euro sport?
Brilliant images by Brent Humphreys check out the rest of his Martin Parr esque tour series here
The Smithfields Nocturne is here again this saturday – i'll be down cheering on the LP boys and Delia racing for VV. Ch4 16th June @ 7 for those of you who don't like crowds or London.
Good luck finding a spot to lock your fixie.(image from last years')
Look at all that gelato on the otherside of the table, the sun was almost shining in their faces
Flap jacks definitely belong in that list along with coffee, bananas, merino wool, post ride cola – that cyclists love. and over the last few weeks i have been experimenting with my own recipes, to cut back on all the butter and sugar you get in shop bought ones, and to add more things like nuts, for recovery versions, more oats and banana for pre ride ones. recent highlights evolve inclusions of gram masala (an attempt to make more savory, after hours of sipping regular gels and electrolytes I crave something less sweet, although curry flavor at 6 in the morning wasn't the greatest idea – so with that in mind, a new batch of what i am calling the breakfast versions which include 2 espresso shots in the mix. The mix is made with ripe bananas (which is naturally sweeter, ie less sugar) mashed up which binds things so you dont have to use butter or oil. let me know if you like a recipe, and i'll attempt to write it down.
Climbing time: 6hr57m
Finish time:10hr30
In Detail: Back home watching the highlights of stages I've missed while I was in the Tour myself. So that was indeed the hardest thing I have ever done, I knew it would be really tough but nothing like it actually was. After a stressed non stop day before arriving in race village, registering ourselves and bikes leaving hire car at finish line, shuttle bus back to village, taxi to our chalet, we got to bed with empty stomachs around 10.30pm, to be starting the next day at 4.30am. I hurried pasta and pesto into a bidon to eat on the way to the village, arriving in the pouring rain. Finally after around an hour wait in the start pen and much needed bitter coffee the peloton I was in set off at 7:00am. The start was naturally nervous by all riders around me, still wet we took around 12km over some – in places flanders-esq roads – to get to the first climb Col de la Madeleine, by now thankfully stopped raining and began drying out. I felt good taking it steady got to the top in under 2 hours I think. 20 minutes of descending didn't quite do the effort it took me to get up there justice. Then on the the Col du Glandon shortly followed by a wee descend and peaking at Croix de Fer. Now by this point I was starting to feel it, the sun beating down on us (someone told me it was 32ºC), with the sunscreen washed off my arms i was burning up. After an ass fight queue to get my bidons filled (a running theme), a decided not to hang round too much and crack on, I was around 6hr20mins in and at the start i was looking to get a time of 8ish hours. But believed the hard part was over – oh how I was wrong.
The "easier" climbs on paper were indeed the hardest on the day with Madeleine and CdF already in my legs. Spent Col du Mollard staring at the ground 50cm ahead of me, trying not to catch all the riders ahead snaking up the mountain. I was beginning to break up, my legs were fine even with the confident 12-25 (not particularly hill friendly) cassette I was sporting, it was the heat, I was on fire.
The final climb La Toussuir to finish I was in tears, my body was screaming at me to stop and get off, but I knew if i did i wouldn't start again. By this point I had made two rules for myself, not to stop and not to get off and push like the dozens around me. An english crowd spotted phoenix jersey and cheered me on, that was the moment I started crying. 10km to go was the longest of my life, once got into single figures I knew I had it, and even clicked down to a higher gear and raced it out, I wanted it to be over. The descents were brilliant though, closed roads great surface, really trusted throwing yourself into the corners. I actually enjoying going down for the first time ever. And it was all worth it for the pro tan lines I'm now sporting.
all packed
swiss air
pasta party in start village day before
4 July 2012
#being pro
1 July 2012
coffee for legs
Last 100km ride before the big match was hindered slightly with mech problems, so hastie drop off at LBS, on way home. On a positive note i have just used Elite tone cream for first time and my legs feel like they had a double espresso.
29 June 2012
Étape – one week to go
*one small footnote on the image, i never really gooed over specialized, but I guess s-works pro series is well... very pro and i certainly wouldn't kick this one out of shed.
**one further footnote on images, i'd like all images on my blog to be taken by me or have me in them but haven't mastered cycling and taking pictures yet, nor am I the master of time with ample on my side always
It starts here
23 June 2012
Nearing Religion
It feels like being a cyclist has given me a drive, a real sense of purpose, nearing a religion at times – it's what keeps me connected to the world, I need it otherwise I feel lost. There are other hugely important things in life, family, friends, working life, but I think cycling – it being driven by one's self – it is a great way to lose all external unseen forces, whether it be a difficult week at work, mounting bills or something someone said to you in the pub in passing – and pureify life once more, man, machine, natural elements, a starting point and nothing much else. And like a Catholic's hand over the flame we test our boundaries, our faith and suffer for our causes.
"I wanna work with machines and look handsome" Howard Devoto.
The other religious acts I have picked up along the way, with no priest or supreme being showing me the light, is the uniform, the cloth. laid out in wedding day detail before every ride. Its connected me to people I have known for a few weeks more than some people i have known all my life. And connected me to the passing – saying hello to fellow cyclists, dog walkers, joggers along the way, less so during rush hour and at men in vans – its best to revert to a harden city goer during times of great depression. I feel kinda privileged to able to lose myself in something which somehow resonates on a bigger scale. And yes at the end of the day its just a fucking bike ride. But...
"I wanna work with machines and look handsome" Howard Devoto.
The other religious acts I have picked up along the way, with no priest or supreme being showing me the light, is the uniform, the cloth. laid out in wedding day detail before every ride. Its connected me to people I have known for a few weeks more than some people i have known all my life. And connected me to the passing – saying hello to fellow cyclists, dog walkers, joggers along the way, less so during rush hour and at men in vans – its best to revert to a harden city goer during times of great depression. I feel kinda privileged to able to lose myself in something which somehow resonates on a bigger scale. And yes at the end of the day its just a fucking bike ride. But...
18 June 2012
North (ups &) Downs
Went for a long awaited spin with my étape buddy Charlie yesterday – headed out for circuits of hills around the beautiful North Downs. Proved to be brilliant training – we took handful of steadier climbs over around 90km, they were longer grinds than i usually get in North of London coupled with some lovely descents which we both took joy weaving down. Final climb is definitely worth a wee mention, chalk pit lane, which almost got the better of me, probably cos i'd been racing up the hills all weekend. A 20% beast that keeps giving for around 1.8 km. At moments like this I'd like to thank my parents for my climbers physique.
7 June 2012
Nocturama
The Smithfields Nocturne is here again this saturday – i'll be down cheering on the LP boys and Delia racing for VV. Ch4 16th June @ 7 for those of you who don't like crowds or London.
Good luck finding a spot to lock your fixie.(image from last years')
5 June 2012
Coppa di Gelato - London-Southend-London 152km
Look at all that gelato on the otherside of the table, the sun was almost shining in their faces
1 June 2012
Flap Jacks
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