One of the attractions of sport and time trials in particular is the amateur ethos. Doing sport – not for name and fame – but for your own individual sense of satisfaction. Seeing sport not as ‘win at all costs’ but an opportunity for self-transcendence. How far can you push your mind, body and spirit, using your own efforts?
Martyn Roach of the Hounslow and District CC. Resolute club man, and national champion.
The amateur / Corinthian ideal is not about money. But, the attitude with which you do sport. In the 1950s, sport tied itself in knots – banning people from racing who accepted so much as an inner tube from a bicycle company. This made a joke of amateur sport and, inevitably over time, the line between pro and amateur became blurred. I don’t think anyone mourns the loss of strict rules about not accepting money. But, whether pro or amateur, whether well paid or competing for just honour – an athlete always faces the choice of how to compete and with what attitude.
DHB Aeron shorts are a ‘mid range’ cycling shorts from DHB (Wiggle) that were sent to me free for review. I’ve now used them for a few weeks, and they are a decent pair of shorts, which offer good comfort whilst in the saddle (whether TT or road bike)
Chamois
The chamois is made by an Italian firm CyTech, who over the years have produced pads for brands such as Assos, Gore, De Marchi, Rapha and others. This padding is one of the higher end ones. It has up to 10mm foam in areas where it is needed most with air pockets to enable the shorts to breathe. I’ve only used for 3 and half hour rides, but it is quite comfortable even with wafer thin saddle.
For the past few years, May Bank holiday Monday means the Kent Valley R.C. hill climb on Shap Fell. The attraction of riding Shap Fell has increased now I’ve found Great Dun Fell, a few miles away. So I can come up north and do two hill climbs for the price of one. This year, I ended up riding Hartside too, so I kind of got three for the price of one this year.
The first thing about Shap Fell hill climb is that you pay close attention to the weather forecast (or more accurately the wind direction) The first two times I rode Shap Fell were into roaring headwinds. After riding it with a tailwind in past two years, it doesn’t take a genius to work out which is more enjoyable.
Last year I rode a road bike on the basis that aerodynamics probably don’t matter with a tailwind. But, this year I thought a time trial bike would be quicker. So I brought two bikes – the Trek Speed Concept and my road bike for riding Great Dun Fell later.
Cycle lanes come in many different forms – the good, the bad, the ugly and sometimes the downright bizarre.
Cycle path Oxford
In recent years, the number of cycle paths in the UK have increased substantially. In theory, they have the potential to make cycling safer, more enjoyable and reduce friction between different road users. However, because of the haphazard nature of creating cycle paths, there often seems little continuity in design and implementation. It means we have cycle paths ranging from the good to downright bad and some just silly.
More than anything, we need road planners to be bolder in actually designating more space for cycle paths. We widen roads to make dual carriageways, often all we need is a couple more feet to create a really good cycle path. Also a good cycle path is much more than painting a white line on a pavement and hoping it all works out fine.
Segregated Cycle Paths
Bi directional cycle path enables commuters to avoid crossing road and congestion.
This cycle path is separate from the road. It doesn’t conflict with pedestrians and is wide enough for dual way. This is an ideal cycle path for an inner city path. It is the kind of path which would encourage a huge range of new people to start cycling.
The Tour de Yorkshire seems to be a great success. An estimated 1.5 million spectators lined the roads. You don’t see those crowds when watching monuments like Liege Bastogne Liege. Despite numbers of spectators they seem very well (compared to Tour de France standards)
The lumpy terrain of Yorkshire provided interesting racing on all three days.
The scenery is great.
Some photos from Stage Three
East Chevin 30 mins before the race arrived. It was packed with people. The sun turned to rain when the riders arrived.
Lawson Craddock and Nicolas Edet on East Chevin. The two were out front for a long time.
In a spare moment, I think it would be good fun to do an everesting attempt (climb 8,848m in one ride) but then I do 2,000m of climbing in training, and I think why would anybody want to do that *4?
Of course, there’s a difference between sprint training up a few hills, and taking it steady for 12 hours plus.
When I recently rode the Tour of Yorkshire stage 3 (3,000m of climbing) I knew I had to approach it differently. You can’t start hammering it from the start when there is such a long distance and number of climbs to do. So I took the first 1,500m of climbing at a steady, reasonable pace. Sticking in the 28 sprocket and not going crazy. It takes a little discipline to hold back at the start of a long ride. Travelling south to Hebden Bridge, there was a tailwind making the climbing seem quite easy. I’m almost hardwired to see a hilly and start sprinting up it. But, it was quite a good experience to go up some long climbs like Cragg Vale and Cote de Hebden Bridge as if you were going to be doing this all day. If you have the right gearing you can keep the effort at a reasonable level. I understood how an everesting is more practical if you don’t kill yourself sprinting up the first hill you see.
Getting the right gearing
“It’s a 42!” – I was taking photos on the Cow and Calf and this rider shouted out with great seriousness ‘It’s a 42!’. I’ve got a 42!” (he was referring to the size of the chainring.) I loved the tone in his voice which was said with a combination of resignation, regret and perhaps a little pride. Who wouldn’t want a 39 on this 16% slope?
It is a weekend of extraordinary British cycling achievements. First Alex Dowsett breaking the World Hour Record, then I learn that Dave Preece (and reader of this blog) has succeeded in cycling from Lands End to John O Groats on a Penny Farthing! It took Dave 15 days.
Yesterday Alex Dowsett broke the UCI World Hour Record setting 52.937km. It was a great achievement, and I really enjoyed watching the event on TV. It was impressive to watch the metronomic lap times and then the gradual winding it up as the hour progressed.
It seems like it will not be Alex Dowsett’s last effort either.
“So would he have another go? “I don’t see why I wouldn’t want to do it again sometime. I enjoyed it today. This is what cycling is about, for me, the noise of the crowd in the last 10 minutes was huge.”
This weekend is the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire. I was lucky to be able to come up north and today I rode the last part of stage three. It is over roads which I have been cycling on for many years. They are also incredibly hilly, so hopefully it will be good training if nothing else!
Firstly, I cycled from Menston to Hebden Bridge – this is over Bingley Moor and the roads out of Keighley towards Denholme and Mixenden. It was 1,100m of climbing before you had done 30 miles; I suppose this is what you call a warm up. At the top of Cragg Vale, I joined the last half of Stage 3. Cragg Vale can claim to be the longest continual descent in England – it’s good fun even with a headwind. But, when you reach the bottom at – Mytholmroyd the stage gets really tough. I spent all day being grateful I had a 28 sprocket.
Near Mixenden
The first climb on the route was:
Cote de Hebden Bridge
(Though if you look on the OS map it is called ‘Cock Hill’) I suppose you can take your pick.
Oxenhope Moor was climbed the other way during the Tour de France.
Hebden Bridge to Oxenhope (direction north)
Length – 3.5 miles
Average gradient: 5%
Height gain: 1,018ft (310m)
This is a good climb, which I like (though with a headwind, it’s a bit more of a pain). It is testing as you climb out of Hebden Bridge, but nothing silly; the climb then gets in to a steady rhythm all the way to the top. It’s quite exposed towards the top of the moor.
The descent towards Oxenholme and Haworth
On the descent, tou get a good view towards the Worth Valley.
Haworth main street
A great place to take photos. This short cobbled climb is merely a foretaste of more hills to come. I enjoyed the short cobbled climb with a few local residents saying with great wit – ‘you’re a bit too early’
Mention cycling and red lights and many people will immediately see ‘red’ for want of a better expression. In 2013, over 4,000 cyclists were issued with fixed note penalties for jumping red lights.
Red light jumping is also prevalent amongst motorists. In 2006 the then Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, said 43,500 fines were issued for drivers caught jumping red lights (London.gov.uk).
Given the emotive nature of the issue, some may be surprised to learn that red light jumping is less prevalent than people’s perceptions (like the people who tell you ‘all cyclists never stop at a red light’). This is partly because ‘bad behaviour’ sticks in the mind much more than following the rules.
According to TFL between 1998 to 2007, 4% of pedestrian injuries were the result of red light jumping by cyclists. Whereas 71% occur when a car driver jumps a red light and 13% when a motorcyclist does. (CTC) Which shows that cycling through red lights does put others in danger, at the same time highlights the fact most road casualties are the result of motorised vehicles.
