cyclepassion.com - I'm so not into you.
For a company producing calendars and posters of scantily-clad female cyclists, Cycle Passion’s website certainly did a good job of pouring cold water over my initial excitement. These guys need a redesign bad.
I’m liking the easy-living gastro-singlespeed NYC vibe of the Pedaling video series. Great design and production too. Discovered via Dave Zabriskie’s Twitter.
I think I can call last Wednesday’s 3-hour hilly loop the ride of this year so far. After thorough drenchings on both legs of my commute on Tuesday – a day when it literally did not stop raining – Wednesday dawned clear, with blue skies. The sun’s appearance, and perceptible warmth on my face, was little short of a miracle after so much bitter cold.
Riding last Sunday’s loop – which I can see becoming a mid-week staple – in reverse took me over Toy’s Hill the same way I rode it in the Reigate sportive last year. From bottom to top it’s a 10-12 minute climb, but a Box Hill-style gradual ascent unlike the harsh gradient on the southern side. I prefer it this way round, because there are at least 2 other chevron spikes on this route (including this little baby in the hills west of Biggin Hill) so there’s no shortage of opportunities to get out of the saddle.
After a weekend off (wedding) I’m planning another mid-weeker this Wednesday, followed by a longer one on Sunday, and possibly a bit of speed-work on Richmond Park the following Weds to tune me up for the Puncheur.
The best thing about February is that it’s no longer January. That said, it’s still cold, and wet, and muddy. In fact the only thing that saves February is that my birthday is on the 7th – which potentially means new kit.
Having achieved my January goal (I rode about 29 hours / 17 days, compared to Jan 09, when I rode 25 hours / 15 days), I’m starting to feel a return of the legs. Yesterday I did 3 hours, mainly brisk, on a hilly circuit that took in Toys Hill and a handful of other spikes. My heart rate graph for the ride revealed an average of 144 bpm, and a max of 169 bpm, very similar to what I recorded on Jan 17, although I felt like I was riding smoother and stronger over tougher terrain. I’m considering doing the same route in reverse on Wednesday, but just pushing it a fraction harder.
But man, the conditions sucked. 1 hour of drizzle, followed by freezing fog and visibility down to 70 metres, and a layer of slush that turned to mud on sheltered roads. Roll on Spring time.
Clearly ridiculous - or is it?
Apparently Steve Jobs was annoyed when his Garmin malfunctioned on a lunchtime hike; on returning to the office, he got his boys onto some R&D for a new Apple bike computer, nickname: Colossus.
Via Velodramatic.
My mate Matt Simmonds, aka Simmo, has just emailed me in search of advice about riding his first sportive (we’re doing the Puncheur together on March 7th). Here are his questions:
Last time we rode together – October time I think – Simmo actually beat me on 3 laps around Richmond Park, so clearly he’s acting the novice here to lull me into a false sense of security before kicking my ass on race day. However, I’ll humour him.
I don’t claim to have written the book on sportives but I have ridden a dozen or so. Here are my responses:
Any further qu’s comment below!
You are currently browsing the Legs, Feeling No Pressure blog archives for February, 2010.
Loading ...