The Folding Stuff

It takes an open mind to work as a product manager for a bicycle company. New ideas can come from anywhere, so everywhere is a good place to look. This doesn't preclude the product managers from having a favourite piece of inspiration though, and on this trip to Madison to talk web sites with the US team, I came cheek to saddle with the Hybrid bike product manager's.

The bike has a pretty cool story to go with it as it belonged to Chad's uncle, bought for him by his wife so he could put in his Porsche to use when he got to where he was going. On one occasion, the bike took it's owner to see Mr. Gorbachev speak when he was over here. Chad inherited the bike after his uncle died, and has remained an inspiration to him since.

I was a little disappointed as Chad took first a Soho 4 then a 7.9FX out of the car for himself and Brian, (Euro Marketing guy), then the Bridgestone folder for me. But as the ride around the town of Madison unfolded (sorry, couldn't resist), I began to appreciate the 12" wheeled wonder. Sure it was heavy, had the frame stiffness of a wet noodle and comfort a long way down the list of priorities, but it was fun. It could take kerb hops, keep up with the other bikes on the downhills, (although potholes were interesting), and was obviously a talking point for almost everyone we passed. 

Quirkiness has it's moments and if all that it achieves is to raise a smile then that's enough, but when it gives inspiration too, it's gold and worth every penny.

Straining camps!!

I'm feeling particularly smug, you see just as a week long weather front of really terrible wet weather hit south of England myself, wife and a band of bike mad friends boarded a plane to sunny Majorca for a week of nothing better to do than ride our bikes......bliss!

If you have never been on either a training camp or to the Spanish Island of Majorca well i can highly recomend both. I've been a few times now, along with the other 35,000 other cyclist that need to escape the cold winter of northern Europe, believe me it's not just your fitness that gets a boost from the trip it's also the mental boost that riding your summer bike (if you are prepared to risk running the bagage handlers roulette) and letting your bare legs and arms feel the sun again after months of being covered in layers of windstopper and winter lycra gives you.

We stayed as we always do, on the north side of the Island in Port De Polenca, it's nice and quiet in March as the holiday season has yet to started, so thankfully not an England football shirt in sight and the bars with their all day English breakfast and day old copies of 'The Sun' are still closed for the winter. You can also get into the mountains with a great network of quiet back lanes that apart from a few locals, no one uses.

You can mix your rides well, with flat recovery rides to places like Petra for some great expresso and cake, as well as big mountain rides over to places like Soller, which will have you climbing up switch back turns and up great the slogfest which is Puig Major, at 1500 meters it long enough to get you feeling great to pants and back again!

Now it's not just the racing crowd that use the Island, if you have a summer of Sportif rides or maybe you have got yourself a place in the Etape then you could get a great start to season by coming to Majorca, it's tolerant drivers, big climbs and quite roads are a perfect way to get you ready for any cycling goal you have planned and it also works out cheaper than staying at home.  At 30 euros per person Dinner (each as much as you can buffet) Bed and Breakfast(buffet again) it's a bargain. http://www.pollensapark.com/pollensahoteles/hotel_park_ing.htm

Contact Pedro the manager for bookings and further information.

Trust me, you'll come home feeling smug too!! 

Injury - but the game still goes on

Being a sports person can be the most frustrating things of all times.  Not only do we put ourselves through immense pain for no reason, but we also get angry and upset at the first instance that we can't torture ourselves.  For me I am experiencing this mixed set of emotions at the moment.  After a great holiday of skiing, two months down the line I still have this indescribable niggle in my leg.  This is hindering all running as the impact brings out the pain.  I can walk, cycle, and swim fine...but of course, due to my having secured a spot in the London Marathon, the running has been the worst effected by my clumsiness.  Everyday I think “today is the day that the pain will stop”...but alas it is still there reminding me that I am human and injuries are just part of the sporting world.

So, instead of moping in my misery I need to explore this opportunity to work on all other aspects of fitness levels.  As I am trying to focus on triathlons this season, now is the time to finally force myself into the pool to work on my swimming which I enjoy the least.  I don't know whether I despise swimming due to the fact that I am hopeless in the pool or whether I just don't enjoy the thrill of jumping in a pool when it’s cold and dark outside.  Swimming in my past only occurred when I couldn't face the heat of the sun anymore...not an actual form of exercise.  But recently I have attempted to embark on this new challenge that has been forced upon me.  I have even joined a club in an attempt to motivate and encourage me.  This, to my surprise, has actually worked.  Although still in the slow lane and practically drowning after the warm-up laps...I feel a sense of accomplishment and most of all, confidence.  It is somewhat addicting as I can see the results almost instantaneously.  My breathing has eased up and I am not choking on every breath I take.  I am a born again swimmer (or just evolutional swimmer).

The other major leg of the triathlon, the one that actually takes up the most time, is the cycling.  The weather teased us earlier this year with the sun shining almost everyday, but now it seems back to the dreary winter days.  I spent the weekend cleaning the bikes, getting them ready for their next ride...but let’s hope the weather agrees with my plan.  Considering I am a warm weather rider, I have taken to in the indoors with spinning classes.  These classes are a great way to exhaust and challenge yourself.  Every class I walk into I feel like I am a decent cyclist...but every class I stumble out of, I am reminded I have a long way to go.

So, although my training is tainted and my motivation slightly altered I am trying hard to make the best of a bad situation.  I think this is some sort of blessing in disguise to force me to other methods of training and challenge me to my fullest potential.  I will, however, welcome a run...but until then its back to core training and technique building.

Do the test

I just found this superb website and had to share it.

It contains a short movie with sound (which you don't need to hear) and is completely work safe.

Do the test and then get your friends and colleagues to do it - just don't tell them the answer first ;-)

Our village bobby

Yes ok, Milton Keynes is a large town (waiting for city status) not a village.

Anyway, riding home in the rain the other night I bumped into (no, not literally) our areas Police Community Support Officer and as he was on a bike too we started chatting about bikes.
His colleagues mostly patrol on foot but he knows he covers more ground, catches more people doing naughty things and probably most importantly is seen by loads of local people - local  people seeing their local bobby on a bike is a good thing in my book.

During our chat I complained (as usual) about the amount of broken glass on the cycle paths of Milton Keynes and suggested that a lone officer was unlikely to be able to sort it out, but here's his answer:

Milton Keynes Council  has a 'Street Care Report Form' on line for reporting broken glass, graffiti etc. and once it's reported the council quickly sort the problem out. I wouldn't mind betting that every local council in the country has similar facilities on their websites - go have a look now and hopefully save yourself a fortune in punctured inner tubes.