You?re a cyclist so you?re bad!

In early 2010 a newspaper journalist ? probably in The Daily Mail ? obviously wrote something that annoyed me as I asked Rob Ainsley to write a column about the apparent hatred of cyclists that pervades the wider media. Nearly three years on and Jan Etherington writes some utter twaddle in the Daily Telegraph and [...]

Source: http://magazine.bikeradar.com/2012/09/25/youre-a-cyclist-so-youre-bad/

schwinn indoor cycling

Cycling is on the up. Why?

There are always indicators in life that that tell you that a particular industry is doing well and the fact that WD40 has entered the cycling market with its Anti friction dry ptfe and Fast acing degreasers is a shore case of telling you cycling is on the up. I wonder why cycling is doing so well? In UK and London were I am it is booming with more and more bike shops opening on every street corner. It reminds me of the mobile phone boom when there was a mobile phone shop on every street corner then big business got in Involved and then disappeared the small independent shops. Cycling is differently on the up you could say I am a product of that I am out at least three times a week racing against me self trying to beat the time I did last time I was out on my bike, or in the winter I am on the turbo trainer even this blog is a result of the cycling boom. You just need to look and the number of cyclist in Richmond Park on any given Saturday or Sunday morning or the huge numbers using TFL super highways every weekday rush hour to see how popular cycling has become.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Cyclingchatcouk/~3/teq5Ot1ugKg/

cycling training

Amgen Tour, Levi Just Misses TT, Horner Keeps Lead

The winner of the last 3 Tours of California, Team RadioShack?s Levi Leipheimer, who is also the winner of its last 3 time trials in the city of Solvang, just missed his fourth victory in this year?s TT to Garmin-Cervélo?s David Zabriskie by 13 seconds. Levi looked very strong on the first parts of the [...]

Source: http://www.teamradioshack.us/amgen-tour-levi-just-misses-tt-horner-keeps-lead/

cycling holidays uk

Phew ? Bike Science Team Issue Jerseys In Stock NOW!

We’re always getting asked about our “conspicuous” team kit at events. It’s been described by more than one person as looking like an “angry wasp”. So many of our customers love the design, that, thanks to our new sister clothing brand “Phew” we’ve finally got around to producing a version for general sale. More tasteful [...]

Source: http://blog.bike-science.com/2012/08/03/phew-bike-science-team-issue-jerseys-in-stock-now

british cycling

Passport to Pain


I'm not a big organized bike ride guy. Most of my riding has been solo or very small group travel (like two people). But when I heard the concept behind "The Passport to Pain," I couldn't resist signing up.

The ride had at least three things going for it. It was close (Vashon Island is a ferry ride away from my home in Seattle). It was one day (pain is best in limited doses). And it was creative (the concept is brilliant).

Riding 78 miles in a day is not particularly painful ... unless those miles include just about every hill on a very hilly island. Someone (Bruce Morser) figured out if you strung all of these hills together into a route, you'd climb 10,000 vertical feet. Now who doesn't want to do that?

The ride (this was its second year) benefits the Vashon Island Rowing Club, which is ironic, since rowing never involves hills. There are three options (78 miles, 50, and 30ish). The long full-meal-deal ride is called "The Idiot".

I noticed at the starting line that I was surrounded by people with bikes that weighed less than my front handlebar bag.

Each rider was issued a passport. Inside were 18 boxes to be stamped at eighteen check points along the course. The checkpoints were monitored by smiling locals and adorable kids. The hills were less adorable. A few top out at a 23 percent grade! But the views take your mind of the pain, well, most of it.

The ride is not officially timed, which makes it less a race, and more of a community of shared misery.


As far as unofficial rankings, I was the last to finish the long ride. Which makes me the last idiot, I suppose. I was accompanied by Tim, a bike advocate on Vashon, who was also riding a mountain/touring bike. The barbecue was officially over, but they had saved us some food and welcomed us with cheers.

So I got to see more of Vashon Island in one day than many locals see in a lifetime, while getting some much needed climbing miles in preparation for an upcoming bike journey.

Pain has never been so much fun.


Photo by David Weller

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SIGHTS AND SOUNDS is posted every other Friday. Willie Weir is a columnist for Adventure Cyclist magazine. His latest book Travels with Willie: Adventure Cyclist will inspire you to hit the road and just might change the way you approach bicycle travel. He lives in Seattle with his wife Kat. You can read about their adventures at http://yellowtentadventures.com/.

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2012/09/passport-to-pain.html

pro cycling magazine

TdF Halfway Point ? Havoc, Mayhem, Carnage

When it?s over, it will be very hard for anyone to discuss this 98th edition of the Tour de France, without mentioning the numerous, high profile, and wild crashes that have marred the first half of this year?s contest. Not only has there been an extremely high number of riders hitting the deck, but there [...]

Source: http://www.teamradioshack.us/tdf-halfway-point-havoc-mayhem-carnage/

cycling gear uk

How to make your next bike ride safer than the last

Have you ever heard any of the below advice that is frequently thrown around: Wear high-vis Wear a helmet Wear appropriate clothing Typically, this will come from a journalist writing for a car publication or someone with a deadline, and not enough time to really research what cyclists can do to stay safe. There?s nothing [...]

Source: http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/safe-bike-ride/

cycling plus magazine