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The first time I ever went up a proper mountain on a bike was on a Specialized Rockhopper (hired from the lovely people at Absolute Bikes in Flagstaff), so you’ll excuse me if I get a little dewy eyed when I’m talking about it. It took me, a singletrack novice through some expert rated trails in Arizona and I came back alive.
If that isn’t worth getting dewy eyed about I don’t know what is.
Did you watch this? The first episode of The Woman Who Stops Traffic was on C4 last night and looks like being really interesting viewing. The level of opposition she faced from the locals when trying to convince them to walk, share a car or cycle to work was pretty intense.
Why is sitting in an unmoving traffic such an entrenched position for so many people? Personally I don't think I could handle watching cyclists backsides flash past me every day whilst I sit in a jam (especially since they actually seem to be smiling).
The lack of inspiration shown by the councillors and the general public, who all seemed to agree a new car park would set things right, was pretty outstanding, as if they are generally happy with the current situation.
Although Marlowe - the first test town, was possibly at a complete standstill the next morning, it really showed what can be done with some common sense and a tiny bit of willpower. Well done Kris Murrin!
As promised, our review of the Giant Trance X1. The Trance X range of bikes is Giant's 'ultiamte trail bike series', designed to go up and downhill equally well.
We rode it during our extensive training period, in which a whole range or riders (from singletrack experts to fish out of water roadies), took our range of test bikes out to Afan.
British pro cyclist David Millar has come second in the tour of California, losing out to Levi Leipheimer who eventually won with an impressive 49 second lead. Millar was joined on the podium by Christian Vandevelde, a fellow team member from 'Slipstream Chipotle', the whiter than white pro team.
A very impressive start for Slipstream, who are helping show the world that it's possible to win without cheating. Helping make the world a better place etcetc, but more importantly, David Millar coming second gives us an excuse to say we had his bike in our store recently! Well, his old Scott Addict LTD bike when he was with Saunier Duval. I took it out it for a spin to the local supermarket when the Scott people had their backs turned, expect a full review soon!*
*All lies
In another example of how cycling is becoming a more urgent issue comes the news that Cycling England are looking for ten towns and one city to become 'cycling demonstration towns.' Any interested local authorities (and their are at least 60 at the time of writing), need to show proof of being 'keen to revolutionise cycling in their areas.'
If the image of a green, bike friendly city isn't enough of a reason to enter this competition, maybe the share of the £47 million that's on offer should help...
Not only did we have a great time up in Afan during a week of staff training, we also came away with the opinions of over twenty different riders (with very different experiences), concerning the demo bikes we took. Not being the types to keep our opinions to ourselves, we thought we’d share a few of em…
First up, a massively popular 5inch XC mountain bike is weighed up in the Afan Argoed center café over a post ride cup of tea: the Specialized Stumpjumper Expert
Continue reading "Specialized Stumpjumper Expert 2008 Review" »
Gather ten to sixteen of your friends and let the good times roll (sic), on the Party Bike. A German invention that brings together beer, food and cycling in a way I'd never considered possible (well, I have but it usually ends in a hedge).
'Biking on the bar' is how the Party Bike website describes it and since you're going to be partying, they even provide a designated driver. The surreal Party Bike is available for just 20 euros, more if you want them to provide the DJ...
The ban on cycling on Cardiff's busiest shopping street is being lifted, except between 10am and 4pm. This makes the 500 odd cyclists who use it anyway on a daily basis law abiding citizens again - for an eighteen month trial period at least. So my younger sister is no longer a hardened criminal, which is good news.
The reopening of Queen Street will provide a quicker route to work for many and hopefully encourage riders who would prefer to share space with pedestrians than cars.
The ongoing argument between whether cyclists belong next to cars or peds won't be solved here, but it's nice to see that Cardiff Council is thinking of cyclists at all. Hopefully local riders will repay the favour and not use the space as a daily drag spot.
Although we prefer writing our own bike guides, we aren't going to shy away from pointing you in the direction of great advice on other sites. Quickrelease.tv has a fantastic article about bicycle safety, written by Brit cycling guru Carlton Reid. Honest, well written guidance on bike locks and not likely to be bettered by us, or anyone.
We've brazenly robbed some of the article below, but it's well worth reading in it's entirity for the whole picture.
Our first test bike day of the year in Afan was on Sunday. A very good turnout, brilliant weather and a fine selection of bikes all contributed towards a great day. Thanks to everyone that showed their face, thanks for bringing back the bikes in one piece and we'll see you next time in Cwm Carn on the 16th of March. For more photos check out our Flickr collection of the day.
The sun last week was too much for us. Our lovely boss (a kind and intelligent man) let us take up some of our test bikes for some staff training.
A great day at the office all round. Learnt a lot about the bikes and how much concern to expect from our colleagues when we come off:
You can find more pictures of us riding in Afan at our Flickr page.
Deity components have started a cool new competition on their website. The prizes are pretty special too, a nice custom built bike and the chance of a place on their team roster. To win you need to film yourself on your bike "...defining yourself immediately." Does falling off count?
It lasts till July the 1st and is open to everyone, regardless of location, discipline or age. So get practising!
Have you heard about the recent $1 billion cycling programme unveiled by the Transport for London and Ken Livingstone yet? Pretty exciting reading... Here's a little taster:
The five new programmes are:
· A Central London bike hire scheme, similar to the recently launched Paris scheme, with up to 6,000 bikes located across docking stations every 300m so Londoners and visitors have quick and easy access to a bike. This will be supported by a series of easily navigable routes so that people can enjoy London’s sights by bike.
· Around a dozen radial Cycling Corridors for commuters to provide high-profile, easy to follow cycling streams into central London.
· The creation of a series of Bike Zones for shoppers and the school run in Inner and Outer London, with cycle priority streets, 20mph speed limits and quick, clear and simple routes that link key local destinations and open parks and waterways for cyclists.
· The expansion of the Legible London signage system to help people make short trips around the capital on foot, rather than driving, or taking the bus and tube
The 'dozen radial cycling corridors' might sound like corporate speak for 'cycling path', but apprently they will cut through high density traffic areas. Although we'll wait to see how it progresses this sounds like the most radical shake up of inner city transportation in ages. Just imagaine, a safe way to cycle to work in London...
The ‘El Gallo' range (that’s ‘The Rooster’ to you and I). All clean colours, lines and barbed graphics - they look good, but you can see that for yourselves. What you can’t tell so easily is how they perform. Since we’ve been able to get a hold of them we’ve been putting them through the most rigorous testing we could. We call it the Julian Poffley test. Jules is an elite downhiller, one of our sponsored riders and a local legend. He rides hard. 
He hasn’t broken it.
The only way to you can get your hands on this swanky, stand out range of bike components at the moment is through Tredz.
The mountain (or gentle incline) bike course for the London Olympics is "too flat to challenge the riders." Acording to the BBC cycling website, the International Cycling Union has asked for the the course, at Weald Country Park in the craggy heartland of Essex, to be moved.
Who knows who far they'll have to travel out of London, maybe it's time for an "Englishman who went up a hill and came down a mountain" type of scenario. Or they could always just pop up the M4 corridor to South Wales.
We received these messages recently:
Simon,
I just wanted to say thanks for the excellent service. The bike is excellent (couldn't find it cheaper anywhere else) and the rack is well designed and surprisingly easy to fit.
I will definitely be using Tredz again and will be recommending you to my friends.
Regards,
Nick lewis.And
I just wanted to thank you ever so much for the brilliant quality and service I had. I ordered my bike yesterday and it came this morning even though I live in Norfolk (Ed: it's not that far off the beaten track!). Also it is such a beautiful bike for an amazing price. Thanks again, you have a very very happy customer and I shall definitely be recommending you! Lauren Barwis =]
My two new favourite customers!
I should’ve been writing about something else today. But to be honest I can’t bring myself to concentrate on anything other than the fact I was hit by a hackney cab last night, who overtook me on the inside at a roundabout then tried to swerve in front of me, knocking me clean off my bike in the process. Having decided that nothing was broken, or that there wasn’t any following traffic, I picked myself and the bike up, threw my bike off the road (causing more damage than the crash itself) and ran after the cab swinging my helmet round my head and roaring incomprehensibly. I’d gone, in a word, caveman.
After he’d hit me he accelerated as if to pull away, then stopped and I caught up with him. My adrenaline was pretty much spent by now, just cold, wet and bleeding. He pathetically told me that he “…had swerved mind.” Implying that I should be grateful to him running me over after he'd hit me. Words, or at least words that I wouldn’t get the sack for, cannot suffice.
I’m very grateful for no further damage to me or my hardy Allez and especially happy, remembering how hard my head had hit the tarmac, that I was wearing a helmet. If you do read this and don’t wear a helmet, think! It doesn’t matter how aware you are on the road, there’s no accounting for the rank thoughtlessness of some road users.
A new year, a new venue for our test bike days. Not that we’re forgetting about Afan, who could? But it’s just we couldn’t really afford to overlook Cwm Carn either. So close to our Cardiff store, so accessible from the M4 and such a stonking good trail, we just had to have some dates up there.
So now we have two world class locations where you, you lucky people, can come and test one of our top of the range full suspension bikes. Gratis. That’s right, just bring some proof that you won’t try and go too far off piste with our Scott Gambler and we’ll let you take it for a spin for free. Don’t like the sound of the Scott Gambler? What's the matter with you?! Well how about the Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Pro or the Giant Trance 2? There’s plenty more bikes to choose from and a whole range of dates to pick from too, check out our test bikes website for this and more information.
Our first date is in Afan on the 17th of February. Give us a phone on 01792 702555 and we’ll make sure that your dream bike is available on the day.
The only major British awards that are chosen entirely by that great sordid mob, the MTB community, has picked out the super light, super fast Giant Anthem as the best new bike of 2007. Can't say we disagree. One of the fastest full suspension bikes we've ever ridden. Well done Giant!
If we were in California not Cardiff you’d probably see as many 29” wheeled bikes on our shop floor as 26”. Okay maybe not quite 50/50 but they’d definitely have more of a presence. I don’t think 29ers will ever really take off in this country.
If you’ve been to the
states you’ll know that everything out there makes you feel like a
midget. The cars, the motorhighway the food, the milk cartons,
everything. They don’t do small. Petite isn’t on the agenda. So, bigger
bike wheels? What else would expect from country that turned the Hummer into a road car.
Being a more pragmatic, retiring type of country (one that enjoys tea,
apologising and floppy hair) we say that 26” is fine thanks, unless you're over 6’2” a 29er is gonna handle like a boat.
Well here comes a compromise between the greater control of the 26” and the more comfortable ride and better obstacle rollover of the 29”. A friend of ours from Panaracer showed us their 650b MTB tyre (up until now an obscure road tyre size) last week.
Just as we were starting to worry about Jody, our resident world champ, he gets in touch to tell us what he's been up to in the 'off' season:
Gareth (one of our downhill specialists) had a go on the Specialized Pitch Pro recently. An all mountain bike that, without the need for a second mortgage, would let you ride with confidence wherever.
Sounds good no?
Well, if there are any weaknesses with the Pitch it’s a safe bet that the dangerous combination of Ga and Penhydd would smoke em out…
You remember Gus right? He came within inches (or 2 belt sizes) of achieving his cycling for weight loss program recently. Well the 3 stone he lost might not have won him his iPod, but it has made him a demon on the dancefloor. For proof check out the guy with the green napkin tied round his head. Trust me, this photo just doesn’t do justice to Gus’ balletic display…
That was at the recent Zyro trade show, where as you can tell we had a great time. And as for the yellow bandanna clad Panaracer chap – you’re just lucky you caught Gus on an off day.
