Blogs

Whilst surfing the 'net I came across this brilliant new website which is allowing you to upload timed and measured plans for turbo training.

www.turbotraining.co.uk is the name and after a quick registration you can be following other peoples plans or (and this is the fun part) creating your own!

I have been working on the pyramid of pain ...

http://www.turbotraining.co.uk/indoor_cycling_workout.php?id=116

... a session which is designed to warm you up, get some pain in your legs, hold the form, go for some more intervals and then warm you down.

thought i'd bung the helmet cam on for a bit of fun this morning. the ride in started at a snail's pace through thick snow, and ended with very wet feet and a slush-covered bike...

Six inches up at our gaff this morning. Proper snow. Proper hard to walk in, over the top of children's wellies, kerb-obliterating snow.

In the office now. Slush. what a difference 130m of extra height makes...

The unusually chill February seems to have brought with it an old adversary of mine. Not only have we black ice, sleet, slush, snow and hedge clippings along the sweeping rural back roads but most recently acres of iced dung!

Now, whilst temperatures in negative figures keep this slimy garden nutrient from attaching itself to chainstays, tyres and worse still clothing, it remains a very serious hazard.

What I learnt in the park:

1. 25mm Schawlbe Stelvios surprisingly effective going uphill once you get started, top fun on the downhill, practiced some of the tips re back braking etc etc - they work once you get used to the the back end sliding out… I was on a road with no cars mind.

2. 25mm Schwalve Stelvios are fan-bloody-tastic for off-piste downhill park action.

3. B&NES council recycling bin lids make amazingly effective sleds

4. Snow is fun

Stop, look left, look right, look left again.

You never know where it's going to come from.

 For some snow ball, sledging, trying to ride skinny-tyred bike in snow action…

I spend a fair proportion of my life trundling around the M25 and recently I’ve started to notice what might be the onset of a growing phenomenon – cyclists bowling along in the slow lane.

The first sighting was on Saturday 27th of December, as I crawled along on the clutch I noticed a the warm glow of a fluro yellow race cape and a clubman aboard a Cervelo joined the motorway from the slip road and sprinted through the sea of traffic without a moments hesitation.