Blogs

Billed as the Valentine's Kamasutracat was the first alleycat messenger bike race of the year, Probably. Ok, it isn't purely for couriers but more of a turn up and take part and more importantly money raised went towards the London Courier Emergency Fund. An Alley cat race is basically a point to point orienteering race across town and a lot of fun to boot. It was supposed to Start from Tour de Ville, Lamb Lane E8 at 1pm, but with a low initial turn out and a lot of dithering and chatting and perving over some very nice bicycle bits we were finally ready to race.

So got round to booking my entry and Eurostar ticket in the last couple of daysfor the Flanders sportif. Worried about my fitness, 140km is a long way in early April but plan to enjoy it. And the beer and frites while watching the pro's on Sunday.

Surprised at the entry fee of just 14 euro's, would be a lot more in the UK.

Shimano were giving out their press pics on these natty 1GB memory sticks. Who wants mine? Be the envy of your cycling buddies with your Shimano branded storage. Maybe. it comes in a little presentation box so you could even give it to a mate as a present and claim it cost you money,

Simply comment on this post and you're in the bag. This compo closes Friday, I guess. The judge's decision is etc and so on. I've taken all the Shimano pics off...

Strange things seen on a ride.

#1 - Lingertree

Group ride. Wet February day. Mud. And we're not even in Belgium.

But not forgotten.

Never Valentines Day any more but the anniversary of your death. Was it really 5 years ago I burst into tears when I heard the news getting home from a race?

You were a hero to me, you still are, despite, and because of, your faults.

Grazie Marco, may your good lord take the time.

I have a new bike.

It started with a scrap of paper full of sketches and scribbles and ideas for a new frame, with some nice colouring in. I took this scrawl to the pub to meet my friendly local frame-builder and over a few pints we talked about this and that while he translated my random jottings into meaningful numbers and he promised alchemy to turn them into something lovely.

Some while later my frame turned up.

Before I've even turned a pedal on the thing this bike seems to be laden with what could be called "Soul".

Don't have a course? you soon will...

Dear manufacturers: we've come a long way since those grey boxes that took batteries the size of your fist and spat out enough light for you to see your front tyre, so praise where praise is due: we've had some progress. Now we've settled on what looks to be the perfect solution, the humble LED. In a decade we've moved forward a long way, from those green flashy things that cateye used to make to 1300 lumen searchlights you could use to light a football stadium. And it's all good. There's one thing that hasn't really changed though.

Forests have already been felled and a zillion innocent pixels, er zapped bringing you the news that Lance Armstrong and Don Catling the UCLA drug-testing expert have agreed to end their independent doping program before it started. So what do a few more matter!

Just in case you've been locked in a cupboard for the last 24 hours I might as well throw my two penn'orth in, and point you at the choicest opinions aired on the matter so far.