Coffee Club Ride does il Pirata

Half of the Coffee Club were in il Pirata pink today to celebrate the start of the Giro d’Italia.

I’m sure all know that Marco Pantani, whom the pink Giro d’Italia jerseys celebrate, was known as il Pirata, the pirate .. hence the coincidence of what is behind us!

The route took in Beer, Branscombe, Sidmouth, Honiton, Shute, Kilmington then home. 42 miles & 3,900 ft in glorious sunny weather through beautiful countryside .. just can’t beat cycling on days like today.

I've Discovered Zwift

What to do when your coffee club mates start raving over a 'new' interactive indoor cycling system called Zwift and the pros you also follow on Strava are posting the same? When British Cycling and Rapha want to share preferential offers they have secured with Zwift, should you be tempted to sign up? And then ones favourite cycling tech manufacturer, Wahoo, sends you a personal email offering you, for one day only, an unbeatable offer on their Zwift compatible smart trainer? Well, as the Borg would say in such circumstances, 'residence is futile' and my 7 day trial with Zwift was naturally started on Sunday!

My 2019 New Year RCC Zwift Avatar 

With a customisable avatar, power-ups and new levels to reach for, what's not to like! Will share more as we move through 2019, in the meantime, checkout the New Year's top hat I'm wearing in my avatar. Zwift provided this automatically in place of a helmet .. probably best not to ask.

Soggy Solo Coffee Club Ride

It is said that there’s no such thing as the wrong weather, just the wrong clothes .. I think I pushed the boundaries today ! 🚴‍♂️💦

Not surprisingly, I was the solo Pedaller on this morning’s Coffee Club ride. Channeling Quiff, our club climber & Captain Nemo, I headed for the hills on a very soggy 30 mile hilly circuit. I’ve never pedalled through so much water. Even on the descent into Branscombe there was at least 2 feet of water to navigate, never seen that before!

Shoes should have dried out for next week’s ride

Froomie's been at the mince pies

That's the Christmas Tree dressed!

Going to have to make another one of these when we know what the new team name will be for 2020!

You may have seen that I tweeted this picture and I've had some great and amusing responses ...

Liked by the legend himself ..

Comments from others .. love the "Froomie's been at the mince pies" !

We've Got a New Cycling Themed Coffee Shop

On Sunday 2nd December the AVP Coffee Club did a 50 mile circuit to visit The Feed Station in Merriott, Crewkerne on their grand opening day ... fantastic to have another cycle friendly coffee shop in our area !

May be I'll buy British next time

Wow! 2 months for FFWD to repair and return my wheel via their crash repair centre in Holland .. just in time for the 2019 season!

Awful customer service this time around, but they look to have done a good technical job and have even fitted a new freewheel. Some companies just don't get the fact that customers are their lifeblood and ignore good service means they will not return. While I abhor this Brexit madness, I am feeling I should perhaps seek out a  British wheel maker when they fail next time!

AVP do the 2018 Gridiron

The Gridiron is a type of cycling sportive more akin to an Audax which has been run by the Wessex CTC for the past 26 years. Ordinarily 1000 riders saddle up in the late autumn sun for a 100 km ride around the New Forrest. This, my first entry on the Gridiron was secured following considerable peer pressure with the promise of great scenery and weather.

I've condensed 6 hours of on bike footage into a 4 minute video. This provides evidence of the promised amazing weather and scenery. Surprisingly, the main protagonist behind me securing entry decided not to venture out and join me on my first ever appearance at this, his most favourite of events!

Yes it rained non-stop for the 6 hours, not a stitch on me remained dry!