On Yer Bike

This Saturday afternoon, I took time out to complete viewing one of my Christmas gifts, the BFI film, "On Yer Bike". A two-disc collection which provides a fascinating insight into the British cycling experience on film featuring an arrangement of short dramas, animations, advertisements, newsreel items, and public information films, spanning the period 1899-1983.

The film opens with nineteenth-century women elegantly displaying their proficiency, moving on to the cut-throat 1928 Olympic Trials at the Herne Hill Velodrome and careless 1980s BMX kids meeting untimely ends. Thinking back to that day in 2013, when I went in search of my new bike, this film includes as least those classic British brands I originally had in mind, such as Raleigh, Hercules, Moulton, Humber, Rudge and Whitcomb!

The line up of films across the two-disc collection:

Disc One
Lady Cyclists (1899) | Race for the Muratti Cup at Manchester Wheelers' Annual Meet [Extract] (1901) | Rudge Whitworth Britain's Best Bicycle (1902) | Manchester and Salford Harriers [Extract] (1901) | Flying the Foam and Some Fancy Diving (1906) | Fat Man on a Bicycle (1914) | National Bicycle Week Begins (1923) | Olympic Trials (1928) | Cycling the Channel (1929) | Woman Wheelers (1929) | From Acorn to Oak (1938) | Cinema Adverts Humber, Raleigh, Rudge (1938) | Tom's Ride (1944) | How a Bicycle is Made (1945) | Stringing Along (1947) | The Ballad of the Battered Bicycle (1947) | Pedal Cyclists (1947) | Good Cycles Deserve Good Riders (1950) | Skid Kids (1953)

Disc Two
Cyclists Special (1955) | Hercules: Lion Cubs (1956) | Cyclists Abroad (1957) | Cycling Proficiency Scheme Father and Son (1959) | Riding on Air (1959) | The Racing Cyclist (1966) | The Moulton Bicycle (1972) | Free Wheeling (1979) | It's a Bike (1983) | Cyclist Turning Right (1983)

This Saturday's viewing closed with Disc 2 and I was immediately enthralled with the opening film, the Cyclists Special from 1955.

This shows my idealistic cycling fantasy which was a reality back in the 1950s. The ability to cycle up to the railway station, check you bike onboard a specialist cycling carriage and disembark a couple of hundred miles later to cycle traffic free roads in a different part of the country.

What also captivated me about this film was the destination of their cycling adventure, as this is an area I know well. It is clear to see in this film how the growth of car ownership over the last 50 years has done much to ruin our towns and villages. While we can not turn back the hands of time, I do hope that the recent growth in bicycle ownership continues at a similar pace and has an equally but more positive impact on our surroundings and quality of life.

New Year's Resolution #3 - 30 Minutes A Day

Every month I get a summary of my cycling stats in an email from Endomondo. It was only at the end of last year that I noticed that their tag line in this email was "... 30 min a day will help keep you fit". Looking back, I noticed that in some weeks, I was only getting in one ride a week and although this could last a couple of hours, it was not getting close to the 30 min a day, according to Endomondo I should be achieving.

As my Tour de Fitness is all about keeping fit, my New Year's Resolution #3, where possible, is to complete at least a 30 minute ride a day, with the option to make up any lost time one or two days later, but no more. That sounds a bit formal doesn't it!

There are only a few reasons for me not wanting to ride, these being:  

• extreem weather conditions
• work and family commitments 
• getting kitted up for less than an hour's ride!

So my new year's resolution had to be able to overcome these challenges. My solution was to revisit a purchase I made back in February last year and one I referred to in my ".. gone in a flash" blog and which surprisingly never got mentioned again! This was a turbo trainer to which any of my bikes could be attached. I never really got on with it last year, finding it a very dull experience but having a new goal for 2016, I felt it was worth giving it another go.

Since the start of the year, I have already complete over 5 turbo hours of pedalling, compared to just over an hour during the whole of 2015! My main way of keeping focussed has been to work though the albums on my iPod looking for the best spinning tracks .. this is work in progress, so I'll try to remember to bring you my recommendations later in the year. Time will tell if Endomondo's 30 min a day recommendation pays off, but I'm feeling better for it already, even if just psychologically or  just in getting to rediscover some the music I'd long since forgotten I had!

New Year's Resolution #2 - Build A Venge Project

My three bikes from 3 years of cycling are all of the Specialized brand. Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc., more commonly known simply as Specialized, was founded in 1974 and is based in Morgan Hill, California. When I started on my Tour de Fitness, I went looking for the last brand of bike I had, I'm very brand loyal. This was, however, before the return of Raleigh to the mainstream market and racing circuit. In the absence of anything I remembered from the 1970s, I scanned the local shop's brochure and was attracted by the specification, look and price of the Specialized Crosstrail. A new allegiance was struck.

When I was looking to complete my first 100 mile ride, I revisited my bike shop to acquire a road bike and came away with the Specialized Roubaix. The bike that Specialized created for the one day classic, the Paris Roubaix. Built to cope with the Belgium cobbles and climbing, perfect for our Devon roads!  A year later and with another winter on the horizon, I decided that I needed a quality summer bike and returning to my bike shop found the ideal candidate, the Specialized Tarmac. An all out racer ridden by a number of the pro teams: Astana, Tinkoff-Saxo and Omega Pharma - Quickstep. My trusty Roubaix, with it's cushioned ride became my winter bike, well suited to handing the hidden potholes beneath puddles and obscured by darkness.

During 2015, the Tarmac acquitted itself well over a number of 100 mile rides and the epic Etape Loch Ness. I also became more hands on working as a mechanic on my bikes and I got to thinking it would be great to build a bike from the frame up. Before Christmas, a good cycling friend showed me a beautiful carbon Cervelo frame that he was preparing to do likewise, build the perfect bike. I started looking for a frame which would compliment my Specialized collection. A model I did not have and one which would be a very different animal was the Venge. A thoroughbred aero road racing machine and a model favoured by my sprint cycling hero, Mark Cavendish! The die was cast, my new years resolution #2 - build a Venge project - was put in motion.

Through the three months to February, all the frame sales I scanned through had asking prices of more than I'd even want to pay for a complete bike. I was starting to think that I was in for a long search until early in February, I was emailed details of a bright orange Venge .. a whole one .. for sale in Cornwall. The colour did not at first grab me, the price however did. It was never my plan to buy a complete unit, but seeing an immaculate Venge, so well looked after and at a price I was prepared to pay for my project materials and parts, how could I refuse; I guess I could always take it apart and put it back together if I wanted to build it myself!

So, perhaps the quickest new year's resolution to come to fruition with the least amount of effort! I'm feeling a bit of a fraud really, although over the moon with the new addition to my Specialized collection. I'm going to have to find a race to give it a proper run out now .. if I do, it will be my first. Is it Ok to add a late addition to my list of new year's resolutions?

New Year's Resolution #1 - Take Time Off Work To Cycle

Like many at this time of year, I have settled on a number of New Year's [Cycling] Resolutions for 2016 and I'll reveal them over the next few weeks as each one makes an appearance.

The first resolution was actually decided on last year, when I had another 5 days added to my holiday entitlement for long service and good behaviour. My resolution #1 is to start taking the odd day or half day off work just to cycle. The trigger for these events is to be a forecasted big sun!

So far, I've managed 3 such half day rides. The first occurred in the week leading up to Christmas, the second in the last week of January and the third was this Thursday afternoon. Coincidentally, all of these rides have been with my old friend the Near Naked Man, who since giving up the Broom Wagon has a little more time on his hand. Who I will find to ride with once his liberty is finally traded for another honest job is yet to be determined, but if this is the only challenge I can think of for making this new resolution happen, I can surely cope with that!

I'm really looking forward to keeping this monthly extravagance going for the remainder of the year and unlike many new year's resolutions, this seems to be one I have most chance of keeping! Although I say extravagance, I'm starting to think that the elation and stress busting endorphins these rides provide me, could actually be that which keeps me sane, that is until I can either apply for another sabbatical or stop buying new bikes long enough for me to be able to afford retirement!

I can see a possible flaw in this cycling passion: I need to work to keep cycling, I need to take time off work to cycle and I need to cycle to keep working. My head hurts, time to hit the turbo, it's too wet and windy to cycle today!

New Year's Resolution #1 - Take Time Off Work To Cycle

Halton Hill Climb on Film

It's been a good month thus far with over 140 miles ridden. I know this is not a big distance for many of my cycling buddies, but it's all relative and I do have another life to live! So, in context, this Sunday's ride was definitely the highpoint of the month so far. Close to 80 miles across flooded terrain and 5,000 feet of climbing.

The ride was also my first of the year to be put to film. Yes, the GoPro was brought back into action to record this epic morning cycle up Halton Hill.

I found working the camera's hidden buttons with winter gloves a little challenging but managed to piece together a few scenes which should give you a flavour of the first half of the ride.

My 2015 Adventure

I've just received an animation of my year with Strava. Some of the figures really surprised me. I knew it had been another good year in the saddle.

I just love it and hope you do too!

My 2015 Tour de Fitness

How quickly a year passes these days! Looking back over the year, while I never ventured into the world of triathlon as I'd hoped, indeed the wet suit never even got an outing, the months have been filled with many a cycling adventure and my Tour de Fitness reached new heights!

January

The year opened with the AVP Monthly Ride and falling on the 10th anniversary of the club's formation it was a very special ride with over 30 Pedallers joining the club peloton.

This was also the month in which, riding with cycling buddies Kelly & Steve, we found quite a bit of ice, something which, with apparent evidence of global warming, we would not see again for the rest of the year! 

February

Work and business trips got in the way of my cycling during February, resulting in me completing a dismal 189 miles. The whole month seemed to literally go in a flash.

February did, however, mark the occasion of two very different cycling related purchases. Firstly,  feeling the lack of miles, I finally made the plunge in sourcing myself a turbo trainer for when the either work or weather prevented me venturing out. The second purchase came from a chat with local artist, Richard Webster, who dropped into 'my' coffee shop, the Broom Wagon, with the suggestion that he paint a canvass of my favourite pro cyclist, Mark Cavendish. I just had to have that commission. It was amazing to see it created before my eyes and now to have it hung on my wall!

March

At the January AGM, it is traditional for AVP members to volunteer to lead one of the Sunday monthly rides. Somehow, I was 'encouraged' to add my name to the list and selected March. This ride would coincide with Red Nose Day with a finish at the Colyton gardens centre who were putting on a bit of a show for the event. The rest of the route was in my hands and not being one who remembers the simplest of circuits, I knew this would be a challenge. As it was, I created a true Queen Stage of a ride with a number of challenging climbs including the notorious Stockland hill. I feel all who completed it felt they'd achieved something special!

I concluded the month with my first century of the year, a ride in horrendous conditions out to Portland Bill with fellow cyclists Rex, Andy & Wesley.

April

While there were a number of good rides in April, the focus was definitely on my first sportive of the year and my second ever closed road event. This one was not being held in Devon nor even London, but over 600 miles away in Inverness, northern Scotland! I had signed up for the the Etape Loch Ness with an old friend, Mike who although having moved to south west Scotland earlier in the year was, like me, surprised as to just how far north Inverness was!

It was a truly amazing ride and such an adventure. So with RideLondon completed in 2014, Etape Loch Ness in 2015 .. perhaps a Welsh event in 2016?

May

May was month for the colour yellow as we took delivery of the club's new supply of kit. This included the very limited edition 10 year anniversary jersey .. if you own one of these, you possess one of only 14 that will ever be made .!

Oh yes .. we did a little cycling too, indeed I rode over 350 miles on various club runs in a month that turned out to be my second best of the year.

June

I entered another sportive in June .. the Ax-pedition. This was a nice local event but not one I enjoyed. Indeed, I was on a real downer after it and even vowed that this would be the last I would enter ... yeh, right!

Anyway, the real event of the month was a holiday in France which took me to within a few miles of one of the most iconic mountain climbs in cycling folklore, Mont Ventoux. This is a 22km climb to an altitude of 1911m and one I had a fantastic time climbing not once but twice during my stay.

July

What could possibly follow the thrill of Mont Ventoux? How about a 3 month short sabbatical! Yes, I now felt I had all the time in the world to pedal when and where ever I wanted. July saw me take full advantage in cycling over 400 miles, my highest monthly mileage for the year.

July's weather was so beautiful and just perfect for my summer wheels, the Specialized Tarmac .. we had such fun, we even made it north for a ride along Hadrian's Wall while spending time with my folks.

August

Being in my second month of sabbatical, I had the time to organise the August AVP club ride for which no leader had stepped forward. This was to be a ride with a difference, it was to be a treasure hunt, a format I think we'll repeat next year. 

Continuing the entertainment theme, the AVP hosted a stand at Seaton's Great Outdoors Festival where I had opportunity to try out a fat bike on the beach .. I just have to get one, one day !

Towards the end of the month, the AVP annual 100 miler saw me return to Portland Bill, but this time the weather was gorgeous. That's not to say that the whole of August was so blessed, indeed one of my other planned rides to watch the Red Arrows over Sidmouth was curtailed due to, what Red 10 coined, the 'South Coast Nemesis', as display after display were cancelled.

September

In my third and final month of sabbatical, I returned north to spend some more time with my folks. Coincidentally, this coincided with the Tour of Britain passing through Cumbria! I had the privilege of cycling out to 3 of the stages and enjoyed meeting up and riding with my old friends from the Rock to Roll CC whom I joined on the ride up to the final stage on Hartside Fell.

Although just 3 months earlier I had vowed never to do another sportive, in a fit of renewed enthusiasm, I had somehow signed myself up for the inaugural Cross Boarder Sportive. Surprisingly I enjoyed the event, and have even now now booked myself a further two big events for 2016! Never say never!

October

As September closed, I made a quick trip to the midlands to both catch up with my ice cycling friend, Steve and to visit the 2015 Cycle Show at the NEC. Each show seems to be better than the last to me, and this was no exception. This year, I got to meet meet Vicky Brown, our British & World Cycle Speedway Champion, hear Lucy Martin being interviewed by Ned Boulting and bought my copy of Mark Fairhurst's excellent book "P is for Peloton" from the author himself.  

Unfortunately, October marked the end of my sabbatical and triggered that inevitable return to work. The Near Naked Man kindly closed up the Broom Wagon to ride with me on my last Friday. I then quickly settled back into the old routine of the Thursday evening and Sunday morning club rides.

November

November saw me take a holiday without the focus of cycling and I recorded my shortest ever time on the road for a month since June 2013. I did, however, get to winterise Roubaix and start to prepare the Tarmac for the 2016 season by converting it to a compact chainset.

While I did not complete many miles cycling, I did discover a new Cycle friendly coffee shop in Sidmouth, for when I do manage to get back out again.

December

In this final month of 2016 we saw my first AVP comic strip and sadly the end of an era with the both the removal of the Pedalabout, the original inspiration for me joining the AVP and the closure of the Broom Wagon my place of solace. 

So, during 2015, I have happily continued my Tour de Fitness journey, traversing over 3000 miles on two wheels. 

2013 was all about getting back on a bike, 

2014 was all about entering my first sportives, 

2015 was all about extending my tour into foreign parts, to north of the border into Scotland and climbing Mont Ventoux in France.

What do I have in plan for 2016?  In May, I'll be extending my tour to include Wales by riding the 2016 Velothon and in June, on my return from another foray into France, I'll be repeating my first real sportive, the Dartmoor Classic in an attempt to come away with the silver medal I missed by just 3 minutes back in 2014. Who then knows what other adventures may also come my way .. !

Happy 2016 to all!