Nice images. My favourite and the one that made me chuckle was the last photograph… The gentleman in the line up of Black jerseys who has the Black Wayfarers on looks like someone I would like to converse with as anyone who enjoys a post ride cigarette is OK in my book.
Via the Rapha Flickr.
So here is the drill: The EDF energy Birmingham Half Marathon takes place this Sunday morning, “yay”, “great”, “yippee” and all that but here is the beauty of it…
The usually car filled roads will be taped off and e m p t y so Fin, Birmingham’s most “stylish” messenger has organized a ride around the 13 mile course. Genius!
So if you are interested ( I certainly am ) meet up outside the Birmingham Central Library at 7am on Sunday and let’s go mashing! Simple.
More info on the ride here.
This looks great… It is not yet on the Dolan website but I have no doubt that it will be pricey Carbon goodness. Mo info as it comes.
See more on the TFG Flickr.
This morning’s ride into work was different.
Different because it was the first morning I really felt the change in the air, that is to say that I had a certain chill run through my bones.
So it is at this time of year that I usually contemplate a ‘Winter Jacket’. Up until this point it would be fair to say that whatever it is be it shoes, coat, shirt, boots whatever… I always seem to just make do with what I have and generally suffer throughout the winter pilling on the layers to try and keep warm and dry.
Not this year. This year I am ‘investing’ in a real, proper cycling jacket that I can count on and one that I will not have to replace next year. That jacket ladies and gentlemen is the Rapha Classic Softshell.
“A thing of beauty,” according to The Times. “The best road jacket money can buy,” said Cycling Plus. This high-performance jacket is designed for tough winter riding.
I have read many, many reviews on jackets over the past few months and the only one that I can settle on and the one that keeps coming up for quality and function time and time again is this one.
Yes it may cost a little more than the rest at £240 but lets put that into context shall we ( if only to make me feel better about placing the order! ) I could quite easily spend that amount of money on a crank or a set of wheels or something similar, some folk spend that amount on a night out on bottles of ‘Cris’ and Moet for christs sake. What I am getting at here is that I can find it quite easy to throw my hard earned money at items that will make my bicycle ‘nicer’ or lighter but I won’t reach into my pocket to pay for an item that will make my winter just that little bit more bearable? Nonsense.
Sometimes it really is worth spending that little bit more on an item that you can truly rely on and more importantly for me an item that will stand the test of time and not look dated in the months and years to come.
There is also something about purchasing off a young company based in the U.K that really appeals to me and I might be talking complete trump here ( please tell me if I am ) but other cycling soft goods companies such as Endura, Altura and the like just don’t have the public ‘face’ that a brand like Rapha do. I know who Rapha are, I can call them up and speak to someone here in the U.K, I can go and watch their team Rapha Condor race professionally if I wish, I can leave a comment on their blogsite and it is all of those kinds of things that make me feel part of something. Something British.
When in france I rode almost exclusivley in Rapha products and I can say hand on heart that not one of the items I wore gave me an ounce of trouble. Every detail was perfect and well thought out, every pocket was where it should be, the fabrics used meant that my body temperature always maintained the right level, there are no garish graphics or logos and the fit is always, always on point. The only single item I wore that gave me a problem were my shorts and they were made by another company so there we have it, you really do get what you pay for.
The Rapha Classic Softshell available now at Rapha.cc
Condor Cycle’s remake of the original Paris Galibier bicycle.
The design for this unique bike came about in the 1940s, designed by Harry Rensch. Later, during the early 80′s, Michael Kemp and Monty Young set up Paris Lightweight Cycles, and with the help of a West London frame builder, Tom Board, built the Paris Galibier.
The reasoning behind the tube arrangement was to eliminate flex, but also allowing a degree of elasticity that helped to smooth bumpy roads.
So, Condor have relaunched it, such is the interest in retro bikes. It certainly stands out from the crowd, and if you want one Condor will build one to order. Frame and fork prices from £1,200.
Words from RCUK.
Paris Cycles on Classic Lightweights.
Paris Galibier at Condor.
You can keep your Oakleys and your Ray Bans pal… If you are after real performance in eyewear then call off the search as I have just found what you are looking for.
Yup, I did it… last friday I rode the 80 miles across the English / Welsh border into Welshpool and it was real hard, well from Cleobury Mortimer it was hard at least. You underestimate how much it helps to have other riders with you on journeys such as these as I travelled alone. The pain in my knee and the fatigue across my shoulders probably wouldn’t have bothered me so much if I was riding with someone else but alone those minor niggles became massive injuries ( well in my mind anyway ) and I could not think about anything else.
All that said I endured the pain ( and the careless caravan towing association who very nearly killed me on two occasions ) and got to my destination where a bath and a home cooked meal awaited me.
For anyone interested in the numbers I rode 81 miles in 4h 48m and that is with absolutely no thanks to the headwind.
While on the subject I would like to congratulate my home slice Adam ‘Army’ Armstrong who bagged his ‘cent’ over the weekend by cycling his favourite 25 mile loop 4 times. Good on you Army, hope your limbs feel better! Next time we ride 100 miles in 1 direction… then ride back!
Sugino 75 MC ring coming with a rather ‘retro’ look. I like it, I wonder if it is njs certified?
Via LSF.
No posts today friends, I am off to ride the 80 or so miles into Wales.
My route looks good once out of smoke filled Birmingham and I am really looking forward to the hills at around 50 miles in… the Long Mynd especially! I remember rambling over that as a kid but anyway I digress.
Have a nice weekend kids and rememeber… Whatever you do this weekend, ride safe.
I have posted a photograph of this bicycle before but upon finding a few more detailed pics I could not resist the posting of it again.
This 1979 Colnago Pista is perfection in Steel. End of.
Looks like Cadence are set to drop a nice simple backpack… Can’t wait to see the full product.
Via Cadence.
Japanese brand Tomoni is run by a small collective of very positive and progressive thinking people. Unlike traditional business were the focus is making money and moving units. Tomoni’s goal is to have fun working together as a cooperative to create beautiful bikes and building stronger and healthier communities.
That is one of the nicest head badges I have seen for a while… although good as it is I still rate the Kinfolk design as my number one. Sorry Tomoni! Great decals though.
Via Tracko.
Words from Cadence.
Peep the Tomoni website.
