Category: Words

Dirt Rag have an insider view of the Fox Racing Shox factory in California. Check out the plushness. Ned’s S-Works Epic is fairly stunning, but nothing like what used to be consider bike porn back in the 1990s. I always wanted an Alpinestars Ti Mega with Elevated Chainstays. Well fashion’s changed a bit since then, although I’d still like to ride one in a really muddy race to see what I missed out on. Finally, how about this for a novel way to charge an iPod – using an onion and Gatorade.

More specifically, saved by Dura Ace brake callipers. That extra power saved my bacon once again. Even if the back end did get a bit sideways, it did stop me kissing the rear windscreen of a Clio on the way into work this morning. Mental note don’t try and draft cars.

Ride into work almost claimed me this morning. The final quarter mile sees the careful corner, this is a dual carriage way that drops down hill and then effectively does a 180 degree turn and then has a left turn off the inside lane that then does another 180 degree turn. It takes you from Upper Brook Street into Sackville Street and the apex of the various bends in the road are a real test of lane discipline for drivers.

Of course if you’re on a bike and they’re not paying attention it’d be all too easy for them to cut you up and leave you in the gutter and in the last few years the number of time I’ve shouted curses, banged on roofs or stopped and had words of people is ridiculous. It is without doubt the most dangerous section of the commute. The technique is to occupy as much space as possible and hold your line and speed. A road bike even in the wet can carry more speed through all the corners than a car. In the dry you can really rail it around the corners and play the traffic lights to your advantage,.

Today a taxi driver tries to overtake me through the first bend and then, despite not actually completing his shining example of vehicular ineptitude, our Mancunian friend still attempts to cut me up going into the left hander. This is despite the fact he was in the wrong lane to be trying to do this move anyway. All they need to do is wait. I’d quite like not to end up underneath the wheels of a Toyota. If I do go out of this world in vehicular glory, I want to be doing it in spectacular style, at great speed and whilst going backwards. On fire.

…they’d probably be the best cats in the world. And they’d benefit from having some of Acer’s genes. He’s an Island Cat, coming from the south coast valleys of Guernsey. He is a truly big cat, not fat, just huge and sinewy. He’s not a mouser either, in our house he’s known as a big game cat, because when he used to go out on the kill (doesn’t seem interested in chasing things these days), he didn’t go for sparrows or mice.

Nope he went for seagulls. Or rabbits. One day we woke up to find he’d taken out a whole family of rabbits and left their bodies on the back lawn. He’s a fussy eater and as he’s getting old his canine teeth have fallen out and now he’s only one left, which mean he has added fang to his list of nick names. Without doubt he is a complete character and the old boy is a great fireside companion to contemplate a good Malt Whiskey with.

Forget all the marketing nonsense and tacky gimmicks and the Eve of All Hallows has some really great traditions associated with it. The night before All Saints Day is a chance to carve some pumpkin lanterns.

Makes good soup too, best served with a nice oven warmed focaccia and some freshly ground black pepper and paprika.

Harry Hall the founder of Manchester’s finest bike shop has passed away. Back in the day he opened his first shop in 1957 and worked hard to establish a name in the British Cycling scene through hand-built in Manchester own-brand frames. Harry Hall bikes went onto feature in many World Class stage races, including the Milk Race.

I never met Harry that many times, but my most vivid memory was working with him at a demo day up in Mellor where he was insistent on doing all the spanner work on the bikes – fettling brakes, swapping pedals and getting mucky. Harry of course was a famous bike mechanic, providing support services to pro races from the 1950s onwards, often from a Mini. He was mechanic to Tom Simpson during the 1967 Tour de France in which Simpson famously passed away.

Since 1989 Harry Hall Cycles has been owned by Harry’s son Graham, who took up the challenge following Harry’s retirement. Harry used this change in his life to focus on racing and became a successful veteran cyclist, winning numerous medals, including a World Championship. He was without doubt a major player in the development of cycling and the trade in the UK and was a popular figure in the North West, which was the home and training ground of the professional British rider long before the building of the now world famous velodrome.

Your lights. First ride home of the year last night since the clocks went back, so something had to go wrong and of course I managed to forget a front light. I’ve been carrying rear lights for the last couple of weeks because if it’s been over cast or raining I’ve needed some extra illumination. In the end I drafted a van most of the way home and then chanced it through a couple of leafy streets before making it safely home. I’ll dig out the Light and Motion HID for tonight. There ain’t going to be no fool saying they didn’t see me with that bad lad strapped on the bars.

First ride in a long time this weekend with a trip up to Ireby in the Northern Lake District and a ride on Saturday around Bassenthwaite Lake. The weather was changeable as you’d expect from the Lakes at this time of year, but it was warm and we made the most of the last days riding of the year before the clocks went back on Saturday night.

Found some time to visit Keswick, Cockermouth and Carlisle, although the latter was only because a trip to the Audi dealer there was needed. The car alarm went off randomly the entire time we were away which woke everyone up on the first night at 1am until I drove the car into the middle of nowhere and then walked back to our B&B, the very nice Woodlands Country House.

So on Saturday it was whisked off to Carlisle Audi where they were supposed to have disabled the alarm horn, but unexplainably seem to have failed in even this simple task despite charging for the work. There’s some explaining to be done there then. Despite the woes it was a great weekend away and I can’t wait to get back out on the bike again.

Few more photos up here 

Friday took me down to London for a social engagement at the Savile Club, so I used the rest of the day to drop into the Royal Geographical Society, Science Museum and the Tate Modern. It would have been criminal to go and not check out the art form that has so many different people talking about it.

One thing that is hard to appreciate is the sheer scale of it and the fact that the crack really do tail off into micro cracks in the concrete. Even though the Guardian exposed the construction methods last week, it really has to be seen to be appreciated.

In other news, not much riding going on. Went to rugby training today and still feel reasonable so I think I’ve finally recovered from the lurgy. Fingers crossed anyway. My prediction for the Rugby World Cup Final: England vs South Africa.