Artisans at work

Some great shots from Andy White at Fyxo from the Baum workshop down in Geelong:

http://www.fyxomatosis.com/index.php/213-inspiration/899-darren-baum-and-the-chocolate-factory

Paris Roubaix 2012

Not to be missed....

Melbourne Ironman 2012

A great day to be in Melbourne last Sunday. Craig Alexander broke the 8 hour mark for an Ironman for the first time in Australia, but more importantly Robbie Hyland made the podium on his first attempt in the event.

His overall time was 9:52 (including a blinding sub 3 hour marathon to finish!) putting him third overall in the Men's 18-24 category. An absolutely fantastic effort.

Ian and Wendy are recovering well.

Glory awaits us all..

French cycling enthusiast Robert Marchand set a new the one hour speed record on Friday at age 100.

The centenarian rode 24.25 km in 60 minutes watched by crowds of cheering supporters at the International Cycling Union (UCI) velodrome in Aigle, Switzerland. 

Marchand kept a steady pace and was hardly out of breath when he finished, telling his fans: "I could have gone faster, I didn't want to.

"I could have done a kilometre more."

The feat does not threaten the 49.7 km (30.8 miles) achieved by Czech cyclist Ondrej Sosenka in 2005 at the age of 29, but it will be recognised by the UCI in a new over-100s category.

Thanks to Bob

Cruisin' with Super Mario

How good would this be???

There is no end to how Italians combine cycling into their lives. Take for example, the "LA CROCIERA DEL CICLISMO", in partnership with the Gazzetta dello Sport, which is a cruise where cyclists take their bikes on board and can disembark and ride at various ports. The 3rd edition will feature cycling at four ports between 29 April to 6 May: Bari, Katakolon, Corfù, and Dubrovnik:

On this edition the riders will have the opportunity to ride with Francesco Moser and Mario Cipollini:

From http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com.au/

Guide to the Spring Classics

Cyclingnews has produced a neat little two minute beginners guide to the Spring Classics that are now upon us.

Mont Ventoux

I came across this classic shot of Bartoli leading Coppi and others up Mont Ventoux in the 1952 Tour de France.

I surprised to realise that the photo was taken within my lifetime.  I must have been about three weeks old.... but I don't have a clear recollection of it.

Jim....Mr Indefatigable

to Mr Indefatigable, now laden with a little more metal work than before.

Glad the first spin on the w/e went well.

Thanks to Bob

What you missed this morning..

Another great Thursday ride in the Dandenong's this morning, up above the clouds

Something to look forward to...

        I read somewhere that to be happy you need to have 3 things:

1. Someone to love

                        2. A reason to get up in the morning

                  3. Something to look forward to

      This is definitely the latter:

http://web.me.com/stevehicks7/Site/Welcome.html

Euro trash

Spotted on Sunday in the rolling hills of Eltham/Warrandyte

North Carlton boy wins Milan San Remo 2012

Simon Gerrans wins it!

A great look behind the scenes... 

Ode to Bob

Bob, he  broke his innominate

That’s the bone that they couldn’t name

All were worried at Tour de Lygon

We feared that our Bob would be lame.

His coxal was smashed – that’s the hip bone

In particular, acetabulum

The leg bone had nowhere to hang on

To ride would be cyclero ad hellum

The innominate’s the  illium, ishium and dare I say pubis

It’s what holds the leg in its place.

You break it and you’re in big trouble

And never again will you race.

Says Bob “It’s certainly serious,

I’ll have to change my regime”

But Bob’s the master of subtlety

And all wasn’t quite what it seemed.

Top surgeons they pieced him together

And then they all wished him the best

“The best” may involve a wheelchair

Walking stick and a good rest.

Maybe a blanket, a fire, hot cocoa,

Pain killers, year after year.

“Your bike riding days are behind you”

But Bobster had different ideas.

Bob wasn’t keen on retirement

E’en with a broke pelvic girdle

He knew all the stuff in medical terms

But he wasn’t fazed by such hurdles.

See Bob isn’t easily defeated

See Bob he had different ideas

Soon Bob is out there and riding

Although not always riding with gears

Last October we all rode ‘round Bay in a Day

How we trained for this draining event

Said Bob "thought I’d pop down to Sorrento & back

On my fixie to see how I went" !

3 Peaks is a Challenge for wide-eyed fanatics

For cycling supremos and such

Not gentlemanly chaps on the road to recovery

From muscle and bones turned to mush

But out of the mist rode TDL’s Bobster

His muscle and bones well intact

Did he ride? Did he ride? He rode and he nailed it

And my friends that’s not myth, that’s the fact.

Yes I know this poem is corny

And sure, it’s too long and et al

But Bobster, I say, he is worth it

Inspiration - he is to us all.

Poem: from Howard, our Poet-in-Residence

Sentiments: from all of us

More Milan San Remo

A great photo from Phil of the roll out from Milan in 1954

How cool is that car???

Who'd be Fausto's brother?

HAS COPPI JUST GIVEN HIS BROTHER A BEATING OR WHAT?

From BigRingRiding, again

Milan San Remo

This weekend sees the Milan San Remo Classic.

A nice promo piece from Italian TV to set the mood:

http://www.steephill.tv/players/gazzetta/?title=2012+Milan+-+San+Remo+Promo&dashboard=classics/milan-san-remo&id=c995393c-337a-11e0-a4c7-50d5df2bfa64&yr=2012

Medicos and the 3 Peaks

I am surprised Geoffrey can manage the Two Peaks 

With thanks to Don

The ultimate fixies

This is something that will capture Bob's interest. Maybe the Biathlon or the Obstacle Race?

The 31st Annual Evandale Village Fair & National Penny Farthing Championships

        The wheels of time turn back 100 years as the peaceful village of Evandale in northern Tasmania once again plays host to the Evandale Village Fair and National Penny Farthing Championships. The Evandale Village Fair is held annually in February, and features a full program of Penny Farthing bicycle racing featuring the National Penny Farthing Championship. Started in 1983 the Evandale Penny Farthing races attract enthusiasts from across Australia and around the world. Accompanying the Penny Farthings races are a country fair and period themed festival.

2013 Event Information

 

Since 1983 the Evandale Village Fair and National Penny Farthing Championships has built up a reputation for holding the most competitive Penny Farthing races in the world. This year promises to live up to the reputation.


Events that will be held in 2013 include:

- The feature race of the day, the National Penny Farthing Championship. The fastest eight riders advance through heats in to the final, which is over 4 laps of the circuit, a total distance of one mile.

- Separate championship races for ladies, juniors (under 16), veterans 1 (50+), 2   (60+), 3 (70+).

-  Slow race (last over the line wins)

-  Slalom (two at a time around witches’ hats)

-  Novice Race (first time riders)

-  Sprint (200 metre dash)

-  Relay (teams of 4, one lap each)

-  Biathlon (run one lap, ride 2, run one)

-  Miss ‘n Out (last rider on each lap eliminated)

-  Obstacle (run, carry bike, wheel bike, sprint)

-  Consolation (for those who haven’t won a medal.)

More info at:

http://www.evandalevillagefair.com/

Hand crafted heaven

When you go out on a one day ride and 25 different riders want to buy your bike you know you must be riding something pretty special.

Lew's new titanium Baum certainly falls into that category. And it's locally made.

http://www.baumcycles.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/baumcycles/6838784423/in/set-72157629223773597/

3 Peaks Challenge - Thank you and good night

3 Peaks 2010

3 Peaks 2012

Two years on and the third 3 Peaks..and what have we learned?  Not much it seems.

Finally the weather was good. In fact the third edition of the 3 Peaks offered up just about perfect conditions after the horror show that was the first two events.

Bicycle Network Victoria have really got their act together with excellent logistics, support and clearly defined time limits over the whole course. If riders reached the final checkpoint within the allocated time they were fully supported to the finishline. This meant that nobody was being pulled off the course within a couple of kms of the finish. Excellent work from BV. I'm sure Jim's detailed letters of complaint to the organisers had something to do with this change of policy.

Happily the five starters Stuart, Alan, Bob, Lew and Steve all made it through to the finish around the 12 hour mark, well within the 13 hour cut off time. This probably translates to about 11 hours ride time for most of us and a few rest/mechanical stops making up the rest. Thanks must go to the injured Jim for coming up with us and offering much needed encouragement and logistical support. Thanks also to Bob arranging for the excellent accommodation at the Falls Creek Country Club and Saturday night dinner at the Gateway. Absolutely perfect.

Stuart and Bob incurred the only punctures of the day, which was a was a welcome relief after the couple of years (where Jim and Steve have both ended up walking the last few kms to the finish line when the final puncture was just one too many). Stuart also managed to make a couple of off road excursions as only Stuart could...but thankfully didn't sustain any injuries.

So given everything in terms of  weather and logistics was as good as could be, what was it like?

As hard and tough as I can recall from previous years. Most people I spoke to on the ride were doing it for the first time. This is not backed by any scientific analysis but I suspect that since the numbers are not growing greatly (if at all) for most people once is enough. By any standards it's a gruelling day for a weekend warrior...which I assume is a large part of the target market.

With adequate training it's obviously achievable for riders of our standard, but it's certainly at the extreme end of what an amateur rider can reasonably accomplish in one day with any sense of enjoyment. Completing it does  bring a considerable sense of achievement.  Having achieved it, the desire to suffer that much to do it again is much harder to muster.

So....a great ride. Successfully completed.

But never again.

Cycling treats

One of the treats of life is to drop by Northside Wheelers in Prahran (http://www.northsidewheelers.blogspot.com.au/).

A small shop filled with an eclectic range of cycling paraphernalia and history. An excellent Rapha range at prices comparable to the internet, and a small library of fascinating cycling books not found elsewhere as far as I know.

Well worth stopping by...

Sitting on the speed limit

A great start to the European season for the Aussie team GreenEDGE. Taking out the opening Team Time Trial in the Tirreno-Adriatico by a massive 17 seconds.

The BMC team...with Cadel as defending champion was almost one minute back...with current Belgium individual time trial champion Philippe Gilbert getting dropped. Amazing stuff.

Give my creation life..

Since Anthony's Project X has generated so much interested  I have pushed him for some more details....


So what's in Project X exactly?


For those cyclo-tragico-geeks that might be out there missing sleep over this, as far as I can tell it's a Paconi (Kevin Wigham, local Aussie builder) 60cm frame made from (...probably) Columbus tubing, Columbus drop outs - freshly powder coated by Bell St Powdercoating (....great job btw) in pearl white and french blue. Frame I'm guessing is early 90's vintage. Rims are 36 hole Mavic MA40's laced to early Zeus Gigante track hubs.....more later.

Cheers 


Antoine de Strada Canning

Feel like a pedal this Sunday?

 That's not a nasty watermark across the bottom of the poster.

It's the ride profile.

OMG

Project X

An update from Anthony on Project X:

Project X takes shape, finally....... if you think it
clears the "who gives a root" threshold. 

Speaking for myself...it definitely clears the threshold. Now what about the cranks...?

Strade Bianche 2012

A great win for Spartacus by 42 seconds on last Saturday in Italy's version of Paris-Roubaix. Last year's winner Philippe Gilbert finished 7 minutes back in the last group.

It's going to be an fascinating Belgium Spring Classics series.

Thanks to Sirotti for the classic pic

Three Peaks Challenge tips

For those looking at a day of pain next Sunday at the 3 Peaks Challenge the cyclingtips blog gives a good guide to last minute preparation:

http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2012/03/3-peaks-challenge-tips/

Big Ring Man

This guys got sinews and muscles that I didn't know existed.

From Church of the Big Ring