Another fortnight in September

October already - where did that year go?

302 miles covered in the past 2 weeks (128 / 174) that's brought me to 7,130 for the year. Gonna push for 9000 by 31/12!
Longest day on bike 50 miles.

Cayo has been preserved, after mistakenly taking it out on a dry day(above) but very wet below! Dirty bike is performing well though, to the point that i treated both bikes to a good clean at the weekend. New term and relevant schedule kicks in proper this week, which affects mileage potential, but trying to keep above 150 minimum as long as possible.
May go out and do the Monday night NABC ride tonight, but with moire rain on the radar may delay my decision.

In other news. Bertie and 2 other spanish "mates" have been suspended due to suspected doping. Bertie's case is a strange one, as he was "clean" for days before and after the rest day test in question from the Tour. Have heard the possibility of a blood transfusion muted, which may account for traces of a drug being in the system as opposed to the alleged food poisoning story - this one will run and run.
As or the Worlds - brilliant, cycle racing as it should be: congrats to Pooley, Phinney, Spartacus & Thor, also not forgetting Millar and Cooke's gutsy rides too.

Winter is approaching so arm warmers and long sleeves garments etc are becoming de rigeur. Bought a Planet X long sleeved jersey which arrived this week - love it really comfortable - hat and long fingered gloves will be on soon too - ho hum, roll on Xmas!

PB Update Sept 2010

Having taken the Cayo for its first decent spin (greater than 50 miles that is). It felt right to update the score card:

Personal Bests for 2010:

One hour      20.82 miles (was 20.43miles)
10 miles        26m:08s (No Change)
20 km           35m:05s (was 35:14s)
50 km           1h:32m:37s (No Change)
50 miles        2h:37m:13s (was 2h:37m:42s)
100 km         3h:22m:06s (No Change)

Marginal gains - yes, but if it's good enough for Dave Brailsford and Team Sky, its good enough for me!!!

Last 2 weeks report

I know, I know the lack of a future target (at the moment!) adversely affects my posting regularity and focus but all apologies aside here are the stats for the past 2 weeks:

2 quite different weeks but very similar mileages achieved, 167 & 160 miles respectively - making 6828 for the year to date. With only 4 days of potential cycling ahead this week the 7000 barrier may have to wait until next week, but definately breachable in September!

Apart from the near constant rain, and therefore riding the "dirty" bike more than the Cayo, have been pleased with mileage so far in september - lower than my peak of a couple of months ago but still consistent.

Highlights of the month so far, include watching the Tour of Britain (see post below) and also (finally!) managing to get out on the NABC Saturday Club ride on the 18th - 52 miles, 19.1mph average - which i reckon we could have done quicker, but were hampered by some stop starts for a guy who had 3 punctures - "We never leave a rider behind" (and actually quite right too). A looping ride out through Buxton, Swanton Abbot, Worsead, Dilham and Stalham to Sea Paling before following the Norwich 100 route back through Horsey, Potter Heighham, Horning, Wroxham and Coltishall. - Great bunch of guys (and one girl) - 10 of us in all - I will be back!

And finally congratulations to Cav on his Green Jersey in the Vuelta, first points jersey win for a Brit since Malcolm Elliott - 21 years ago!

Tour of Britain Stage 6

Tour of Norfolk might be a more apt description - based on my endeavours to see the race today.

Arrived Kings Lynn via Car at 9.40, and wandered around the market place, snapping any bike related piece of equipment that moved (and some stationary ones too!)

Saw the riders signing in and the Jersey competition wearers all presented to the public, then Daniel Cox leader of Norfolk County Council bored everyone to tears with a speech before the riders were off. They looped around KL, before haring back down the other side of the market place then headed north.

I zipped home, and swapped vehicles by jumping on my bike before picking up the riders in Coltishall, then again in Wroxham.

All in all a good day out, and based on admission prices - all FREE!

Weekly Update September - Week 1

Back on the bike for real then?

The stats:
160miles completed this week - 4 days of consistent commuting on the Cayo, thats 6500 for the year - still on course to break through 8000 for 2010. Proposed participation in NABC club ride on Saturday never materialised - kicking myself now as through a mutual contact learnt they did 80miles (green with envy). Next one 18th Sept - I'm there!

Looking at one's diary, ongoing for this term my weeks will look a bit different so will be probably be up and down on mileages plus inclement weather may foil plans from time to time. September is particularly hectic, but loose plan is to do a regular 2hours or so on a Monday (or other day off) plus 4 days (full -on) commuting where possible with an additional Saturday ride (if possible). This leaves me with an aim of maintaining a minimum 150 per week, which may convert into a 250 plus on a good week?

Rode in on Trek today due to wet ground and further threat of rain - felt like riding a tank in comparison to the Cayo, although feel i may be amending Cayo set-up again after riding the Trek...

Vuelta continues although Petacchi has withdrawn with injury but amidst a doping scandal back home. with the worlds looming - most of the big names not in contention for a jersey will do a sequenced withdrawal this week. Sky have a new Green Kit for Tour of Britain in an effort to show support for the disappearing rainforests - ToB kicks off at the weekend, and is in Norfolk 16th Sept - booked day off months ago!

Idle plan is to build a fixie over the winter, albeit with little or no outlay - quite a challenge?! anyone with an old track bike kicking around or indeed a road bike that is unwanted please let me know.

Back home!

Sorry for 3 weeks of silence, the Vuelta has started too, and i have made no comment as yet...

So my excuse for radio (and all other comms) silence? - Holiday!

Had a great 2 weeks in France, and although the Cayo came along, only managed 100 miles or so for the duration, which makes August perversely the lowest mileage month for the year so far - checking the report card - could do better! Just completed 6 x approx 17mile loops, but did improve from 55mins down to just over 52 over the 6 attempts - 3 x clockwise and 3 x anticlockwise (2 of which saw Simon and myself racing blind goinf in opposite directions - great fun!)

Cayo had its first taste of commuting today, based on the settled forecast for this week, may repeat the experience a few more times? Certainly slower with a bag on the back, but still very responsive - loving riding it - need a big ride...see below.

Club ride this weekend (first time out with NABC for nearly a year) and maybe even an attempt at circumnavigating Norfolk in a day too before end of month?

Cav wins but then loses, and Team Sky smitten by mystery bug - its all happening at the Vuelta!

Silly Season continues, Schlecks continue to build team, but what about spartacus? Garmin-Cervelo will be a team for 2011 - hmm Hushovd and Farrar in the same team? - Watch this space.

More next time

Once, twice, three times a Focus!

3rd ride yesterday - I know that all good things come to an end but 3 rides and 3 levels of marked improvement, can't be bad can they? - see update to personal bests below

Personal Bests for 2010 (update):

One hour   20.43 miles (was 20.34miles)

10 miles    26m:08s (No Change)

20 km       35m:14s (was 35m:20s)

50 km       1h:32m:37s (No Change)

50 miles    2h:37m:42s (No Change)

100 km     3h:22m:06s (No Change)

Ergo sum just need a real ride out to make inroads into the other PB's

Update - August Week 1

Zoom!

Loving the Carbon Fibre in action! - Had 2nd go out on my new Focus - just an out and back ride to Aylsham, 17.72 miles in 53m34s - 19.9mph ave. Out in 28.5mins, back in 25 - flying literally! Still need to adjust position, handlebars seem ok now, but saddle is next for twiddling treatment.

The stats this week:
Mileage 198, for the week smashing through the 6000 mile barrier, totalling 6175 for the year.
Weight around 11st 3 or 4 and Wii fit age still sub 30.

Frantically collecting the last remnants of sponsorship in - looking like hitting £2200 all told so a good effort by the Roaring Forties.

Still awaiting Bontrager bottle Cages for new bike, on backorder with reseller, won a mini pump on eBay and am still in the market for a wedge saddle bag and some aero bars.

Off on holiday a week today, taking the bike so hoping to get some decent early morning rides in - report to follow...

In other news Mark Renshaw wins a race, plus Dan Martin takes the Tour of Poland, Levi and Lance sign uo for Leadville 100

First Ride Report

Technically the 3rd ride, but as the first two were brief spins around the block, not sure they count!

So with the threat of rain nullified, and the wind speed lessening, and without the usual rucksack on back (for commuting), at a little after 7.30pm yesterday evening I set off for my inaugural ride on the Cayo.

First impressions were good - nice and smooth, faintest of clicks as gears are changed, nice whirr of wheels/tyres on tarmac, loving the freewheeling souind of the Fulcrum's too. Still undecided about the ride position - seem too upright for the hoods, but very comfortable on teh drops, although this is a new position for my brain / body to adjust too - plenty of time though...

My cunning plan was to follow 3/4's of my route to work, thereby giving me an indication of how the Cayo matches against the Trek. This I duly did, comfort on uneven road surfaces was markedly better, as was straightline average speed, climbing (well pointing bike slightly uphill) felt better, and the bike was more responsive to changes of speed too. As intimated above I spent the majority of the time on the drops and also on the large chainwheel.

Stas were 19miles in just under 1hr 1min - 18.7mph average (was higher earlier in the ride but got caught in traffic for the last 1.5-2 miles).

Not sure if it was a case of road rage or whether the driving instructor whose car I undertook at speed (on a 1.5/2 lane stretch of road) just liked my bike, because he felt the need to firstly aim his car at my back wheel, then come alongside me and gestciulate / mouth some unidentifiable words in my direction before screeching off (breaking the speedlimit) then pulling onto a garage forecourt, stopping to (presumably) pursue the conversation further, although at this he was foiled as I maintained speed to glide past him. he then overtook me again further down the road and disappeared into the dusk that was then falling. - On reflection I should have taken his phone number that was liberally splattered all over his car, as I am not sure his driving technique was worthy to be passed on to others, but hindsight as ever is a wonderful thing.

Might go for an early one Saturday morning...

You beauty!

After what feels like a lifetime, I finally took reciept of my new bike yesterday. - The Focus Cayo 105 Triple 2010.

Aren't Wiggle just brilliant? - Bike arrived fully assembled, just had to fit handlebars to stem and affix pedals (which I had sourced seperately but arrived in perfect sequential timing!) and Wiggle supplied the multi tool and pedal wrench with which to do it all too!

Fiddled with the set-up and went for a spin around the block - silent gear changes, lovely click/whirr when freewheeling. Got back amended the handlebar position and repeated the procedure. - Strangely on my Trek I favour the hoods as my riding position and with the aero bars fitted, hardly ever use the drops. With the Cayo, the drops feel really comfortable albeit for the short amount of time that I spent riding yesterday.

Still awaiting some Bontrager Race Lite Bottle Cages due next week and in the market for a pump, saddle wedge bag and aero bars.

Full initial ride report to follow....