London to The Lakes

Day 1: 

It was a bit of a last minute panic getting the bike ready for the trip but it was sorted. Thank you as always to the legends at SBC Cycles for helping out. I opted to take my Quirk fully loaded now with Shimano Ultegra/ Dura Ace Hydro mix and a set of custom built carbon Parcours Wheels with a SON Dynamo hub. The bike has a huge range of gears with the 11-52 casette which works in conjunction with the Shimano Ultegra RX mech. The RX mech has a built in clutch system which keeps the chain tight. Perfect for off road! 

Anyway back to the riding. The goal was to get to Manchester, off road, by the evening. Using Komoot I planned a route mainly taking in gravel trails all the way up. 320 odd kilometres was going to be a big ask but a fun one. The first leg, London to Market Harborough for lunch. It seemed logical to me to stop around the 150km mark to re-fuel when riding fully loaded on a bike. Getting out of London can always be a bit tricky. But opting to take a path less travelled (so to speak) meant it was surprisingly quicker than I expected. Running along canal paths and footpaths in no time.

The Second Leg- Market Harborough to Manchester

Fed and watered, it was time to start part 2 of the day, Market Harborough to Manchester. This was going to be the tougher part of the day's ride, much more climbing plus the morning in the legs already. Hitting along old train lines, the route was pretty darn quiet with views left, right and centre. One of the parts that I loved was cycling through the old railway tunnels. These are completely pitch black so lights on, shades off going through these!

The route would climb over the Peak District, an area known for its natural beauty and also some incredible gravel trails. Climbing up the Peaks was slow and steady but once up high, the views were spectacular. Parts of the route I created followed the Eroica route which was taking place over the weekend. Doing some of those trails on vintage bikes.. Not too sure I would be wanting to do that one with skinny tyres and crazy gearings! Finally one last climb up and then with the sun setting the long descent into Manchester was coming. My legs needed the rest rolling into the city, some food and some well earned rest.

Day 2: Manchester to The Lakes

Up bright and early for a more casual day than yesterday. Mainly on roads but with a chunk of climbing. The lakes isn't flat after all. My aim was to get to Kirkby Lonsdale to then cycle around a loop to meet my friends who maybe took the more sensible idea of getting a train or driving up. For me avoiding the M6 was always the aim and trains are relatively dull after all. Today I mainly chose to keep to roads after yesterday's off road fun. Rolling through Blackburn I came across what looked like a good bike shop ti grab a bit more food and some supplies.

The chaps at Ewood cycles were incredibly welcoming. I was offered a cup of coffee and a cheese toastie befire I jumped back on the road, suddenly feeling refreshed and content by the kind hospitality I had been shown. I also managed to get some waterproof overshoes... Saturday was looking like it may be a wet one... Once again thanks so much to the chaps at Ewood! 

Leaving the Northern cities it started to feel all the more familiar, the Lakes were coming! I finally rolled into Kirkby Lonsdale, feeling pretty empty but also with a few hours to kill before my friends in 10000kmcc would be rolling around. I found a cafe and proceesed to eat my way through their menu. 

Finding Friends

I've been honoured to ride with the chaps from 10000kmcc for a fair few years now. What Richard has done with that is really create an amazing community of friends that are so special to everyone involved. I thoroughly look forward to our weekends away and the stories that come from it. This weekend in the Lakes we had 17 of us staying in a farm house and riding together. I chose to ride the Friday evening route the opposite way to everyone else to catch them. My tired legs definitely looking forward to seeing some familiar faces. We were then staying in a huge farm house for the rest of the weekend and the bags would be able to be removed from the bike. Chip shop dinner and laughs in the evening

Day 3: The Lakes (In torrential weather)

Theres two different sides to the Lake District, a bit like Jekyll and Hyde. The stunning summery days in contrast with the very cold and very wet days. Both are equally beautiful but also equally challenging. We all woke up in the morning ready to get going, rain already starting. The overshoes were on that I bought on the cycle up and all the layers were on.

My aim was simple. Survive to Lunch. Lunch was Chesters, a stunning little streamside cafe with amazing food options, locally roasted coffee and everything locally sourced. My legs were tired from the last few days. I knew riding in the cold rain was going to take it out on me and I also knew a few people would be stopping at lunch. That was my aim, then to Stay in Chesters for a while and warm up/ dry up and eat. From there I called it for the day. A few brave souls carried on hitting The Struggle. 

Day 4: Dales Day

Dales Day! Today we were heading further East to tackle some of the roads in the Yorkshire Dales. The Coal Road being one I've been really excited to cycle up for some time. I've heard such good things from it and I wasn't let down at all. Another long day in the saddle with great company meant for some tired legs and cattle hearding towards the latter end of the ride. Eventually rolling back into the farm house ready to devour all the ice cream we had. Time to pack and get the train back to London. What an amazing weekend of adventures. Now to rest the legs..

Thanks for an amazing weekend 10000kmcc and Cold Dark North. Photos by Ele Suggett, Richard Frazier, Ashley Bard and Toby Cummins 

The Dirty Reiver

The Dirty Reiver. An event that has long been on my radar of rides that I need to do sooner rather than later and when Ben and Erik Shimano offered me the opportunity to ride the event with them and I learnt that my pals from G!RO would be heading up. It was a no brainer. 

Firstly the name. What does Dirty Reiver mean? It's something I have been asked a few times and here is my take on it. In the UK, boarder reivers were raiders along the Anglo-Scottish boarder from the 13th century to the 17th century. They were both Scottish and English and raided the boarder without regard to victims. The dirty reiver is a ride that runs along this boarder basically. Sounds intense right? It was.

Our journey started on Friday morning. Bike packed and cycling across from my home in East London to G!RO to load up the van before we headed up to Kielder Lake, a real area of outstanding beauty. So a casual 35km fully loaded on the Quirk to warm up. Or something like that.

We finally arrived at our destination with 5 minutes to spare before sign on. Thankfully we were allowed to all sign on on the Friday evening, making for a bit less stressful start to Saturday. Then, we slept. 

What an idiot.

Shoes left in the wrong car...

An early stat on Saturday with the ride starting at 7:30 sharp. My morning plans had already been scuppered by leaving my shoes with the G!RO chaps I was meeting at the start. No signal and relying on hopefully catching them at the start meant the possibility of doing 200km in sliders, which became upgraded to a pair of trainers by Ben. Luckily I caught them at the start and managed to be the LAST person to start Dirty Reiver 2018. I'll take that as a small win. 

The first 50 odd KM were Rapid. Ben and I were on the hunt to catch back on to everyone who we had originally agreed to ride with. Technical sections, winding switchbacks, loose and compact gravel trails. To put it simply smashing about on gravel is crazy fun. You are kept on your toes, but there is nothing quite so exciting and rewarding! We got to the first stop and managed to catch the chaps from G!RO, fill up our water bottles and wait for the people we dropped. The sun was scorching and the atmosphere was electric. 

The next 50km were much of the same of the first. Fast paced, technical with sweeping trails switching through forests, across open hillsides and dropping into valleys. Many of the climbs were gravelled meaning you simply would keep the legs spinning and eventually, the top would be found. What I quickly learnt that descending on gravel, you have to hit it hard, fast and furious. That way you almost glide over it. Next food stop ticked off. Music glaring Good vibes all around.

Now we were about 100km deep on the route which was just short of 200km. Looking at the elevation most of the steeper more technical climbs were in this section, along with some interesting descends. Myself, Ben, Matt, Paolo and Jon opted to ride the last 100km together. Often spreading out a bit on the climbs and descends then re gathering on many of the flatter sections. Legs were starting to feel it by this point but the weather and continual views made it easy to continue. 

A sharp descent and one last drag up hill left Ben hitting a large stone and forcing his Di2 into crash mode. An easy solve to just simply reset the system. Just short of 130km we came to the point where you decide weather you go big or go home. Jon, unfortunately by this point was suffering with his knee and opted best to take the shorter route, along with Erik. We were welcomed by a chicken and a Banana Man jeering us on to try and persuade us to go a certain way. We teased both of them many times before finally committing to the 200km route. About 70km to go from here. We knew what was coming. More gravelled climbs and more descents. 

We reached the last feed stop. This was almost like heaven. Greeted by filter coffee, watermelon and potatoes in cheese. Perfect way to fuel up as the sun was starting to get ready for it's evening. Filling up here we realised we were now a party of three. Paolo, Matt and myself. Ben's bike unfortunately came off much worse than we first thought when it hit the large stone so he regretfully left. 

The cheesy potato king

He was our saviour.

Paolo, Matt and I ploughed on, munching the miles and admiring the continual views we were greeted by. At points it felt like we were in North America, sometimes Spain, sometimes Scotland. 

Finally the home stretch. Riding around the perimeter of the stunning Keilder Lake. Trails made it feel like a go kart circuit as we pumped over climbs rolled descends, pumped up over again. The legs definitely tired by this point but happy tired. Lastly you jump back onto the circuit where we had started what seemed like an age ago to start to hear cheers, jeers, whistles and clapping at the base of the hill up to the castle. We all sprinted up the climb and through the finish. Complete. Beer in hand, smiles all round. 

What an experience. I have to be honest I wasn't too sure on what to expect of this weekend. It is a long drive or train to get there but it is 107% worth it. I'll be back. Have a look below for the ride on my Komoot account. 

Bike Check

I've had a few people ask about my Quirk and what was the set up I used for Reiver. So here is is below:

My custom build Quirk Cycles

• Custom build Quirk CX bike, painted by the legends at Cole Coatings
• Shimano Ultegra Di2 Groupset
• Verve InfoCrank power meter with 36/48 Praxis Works chainrings
• Kogel ceramic Bottom Bracket and Jockey Wheels
• TRP Spyre cable brakes
• Hunt Aero Light Disc Wheels with Panaracer GravelKing 38C tyres
• Fizik stem and handlebars, Focus Concept CPX Plus seatpost with a Specialized Romin saddle
• USE Exposure front and rear lights with Wahoo ELEMNT computer
• Two water bottle cages
• Apidura Handlebar bag, toptube bag (mounted to seapost) and rear tool bag

What would I change on this set up?

There is, obviously a few things I have learnt and would consider changing on this set up and a few things to note:

• Flared bars I think are a definite if running a handlebar bag. You can't get to the drops easily otherwise
• Hydro brakes are a definite. TRPs are great but not quite as sparp as I would have liked.
• I didn't have any issues with comfort in my hands but I think I would probably put some gel pads under the bar tape
• The handlebar bag came loose a few times. Next time I would choose to run a small frame bag. 
• 700c wheels with 38 tyres felt fantastic
• My gearing also felt like more then enough
• Suspension in the seat post helped a lot with reducing vibrations
• Di2 works incredibly well for riding off road. The shifting is flawless
• BIKE WAS FUCKING IMMENSE

What a trip. Get it into your diary for 2019!

Bike fits for friends

Spending the day with Cyclefit’s Phil Cavell dialling in ambassador Fiona-May Aylward. Here I recounts on bike fitting and how Phil helped Fiona with her troublesome back.

I have always been a massive advocate of a bike fit. For me as some one who has experienced the pain of not having one and then seeing the difference it makes really had me sold on the idea of it. I used to suffer badly with knee and back pains until my first fit a few years back. Since then I have regularly been getting my fit tweaked and tested, just to make sure.

With that in mind step front and centre our ambassador Fiona. She has often struggled with back pain on the bike which has massively limited her functionality and ability to push as hard as she would like. Fiona, no stranger to racing and big miles has some serious goals for 2018 and we at Jam thought it would be appropriate to support her with these as best we can.

After some initial conversations with Fiona, we decided that Cyclefit and Phil Cavell, who has worked with Andy Schleck, Elinor Barker and Fabian Cancellara to name a few riders he has helped dial in. Sharing front-line Cyclefitting duties with Julian and Jimmy, Phil's significant other string is the developing and propagating the intelligence of fitting. Phil heads up the lecturing and teaching duties at Cyclefit. Phil suffered a life-changing spine injury in 2011 and has subsequently had two rounds of fusion surgery. As a consequence Phil is never happier than when he is helping a client who is suffering from back pain on the bike. We thought the perfect ‘fit’ for Fiona.

So we got to it. First of all Phil looked at Fiona’s existing position. For me as a non fitter, I could straight away see some problems. Fiona was very stretched out and slammed. A huge long stem on the bike (following the whole aesthetics that many of the pro teams have which usually isn’t good for most people.) and a saddle set right back on the rails. To me it looked as though she may have been trying to do a bit of a superman.

Flexibility was the next point that was addressed. As Fiona is a very active person, we knew she would be flexible with her previous background in running and currently taking up yoga and bouldering, Phil had no concerns that she would be able to ride a more aggressive position.

Contact points are super important on the bike. What I mean by contact points are the points where your bike touches you. So saddle, handlebars, shoes (cleats) Most people tend to have too wide handlebars and need some form of cleat alignment. Fiona was no stranger to this with her current bars 380 (centre to centre) and her fit proving she was much more comfortable on 360 (centre to centre). One of the things that Cyclefit spend a lot of time on is foot bed correction, providing Fiona with custom insoles and adding a wedge inside each shoe and 3mm of stack to her left shoe. All of this sounds like a lot of work but it helps with repositioning Fiona level on the bike, resulting in more stability and comfort. Kind of the key thing in a bike fit.

Being on the jig at Cyclefit means it was easy for Phil to test and try little tweaks to her position, so we played with her reach and saddle position in comparison to her current fit, finally settling on something efficient, comfortable and hopefully less back pain.

March Hare Spring Classic

My first race of the year post shingles, The March Hare Spring Classic. A firm favourite with the London Cycling scene held at Lee Valley VeloPark. 

50 mins of racing around the road circuit with 5 laps. A field of 60 (too many for the circuit in my opinion) with a mix of racers of varying backgrounds and skills. It was going to be a tricky one.. 

My tactic with racing has always been the same, leave it out on the road. Have fun and make it hard for everyone else. Results are great but it's more about me pushing myself as hard as I can. I have bigger and better goals than this.

On my new crit bike that I built up specifically for races like this I felt in a good place. The bike, a Cannondale CAAD10 equipped with a mix of Shimano Dura Ace and Ultegra Di2 with a Verve InfoCrank power meter was, in my mind, perfect for this kind of thing. So from the gun I positioned myself towards the front of the peloton and began making my way around attacking as to be expected. 

Attack after attack, eventually breaking away solo for a fair few laps. I decided to sit up and get caught to save some energy for a sprint. I don't have much of a sprint on me but for once, fancied my chances out there. 

The group all came back together in the last few laps and I was well placed for the sprint. As always, everyone gets a bit twitchy at these moments. I think a lot of that comes down to inexperience sadly.

The aftermath. I’m definitely not having the best luck the last few months... Last lap I’m in a great position and, for once I fancied my chance in the sprint so rolled back into the peloton. Last corner sitting in the top 5 wheels. Bang a huge pile up and all of us at the front were taken out unfortunately.. I think caused by a rider coming off the circuit and swerving back on.

A few taken away in ambulances. I only really remember getting up and lifting 3 or 4 bikes off me. Quite battered and bruised at the moment. But I managed to cycle home. Some weren’t so lucky. Times like this make me think there needs to be some race training for new racers. I’m more than happy to help anyone out there and I’m sure there’s many others who will help too. Thanks for the support from my mates and the people watching checking in that I was alright. Heal up fast everyone else involved. Live to fight another day. Now time for pizza.

Photos from Jimmi Nicholls

Strava link file below:

Cycling in the North Pennines: How to ride in the snow

After visiting the North Pennines with Attacus recently and refreshing my memory of how the hell to cycle in the snow. I thought it may be useful, considering current conditions in the UK to share some thoughts. 

Maximise your contact points with the road

It's pretty self explanatory this one. Fit the widest tyres on your bike that you possibly can and run a lower pressure. If you know you're going to be riding in snow, then a treaded tyre or even a lightly knobbed mountain bike or cyclocross tyre will give extra grip.  

Hook up with a stud

If you can, I would definitely recommend studded tyres. Even the best tyres out there won't grip on sheet ice so the extra spike does really help! If you think you're going to encounter proper black ice — which has a nasty habit of lurking at the bottoms of hills on minor lanes and anywhere water runs off fields, it is worth the investment. These tyres are often CX or MTB only so check your clearances. 

Go Tubeless

Not only is it great for racing on (lower rolling resistance as you have removed an element which causes it) tubeless is also brilliant for the winter. You are able to run super low tyre pressures comfortably I use Hunt Wheels for pretty much everything. Racing, CX, commuting. Another big bonus is the reduced risk of punctures which, honestly, are horrible to fix at the side of the road when you are freezing your tits off. 

Loosen the tension on your pedals or go MTB

You may be loosening some pedal efficiency here but it's much more of a safety thing. In the winter, I pretty much only run MTB pedals and shoes. You can still clip in but it's much easier to use that get out of jail free card if you start sliding all over the place. loosening the tension in your pedals (normally a little alan key which dictates how easy or hard it is to clip in or out) may also really help. 

Electronic gearing

Shimano's Di2 groupsets are absolutely fantastic in the winter months. They shift faultlessly and are much easier to maintain. We may all love using old school cable groupsets but I think electronic really is the way forward here.

Fixed Gear or Single Speed?

When the weather is bad, I often resort to my single speed CX bike. It is quite an old school way of thinking, to ride fixed in the winter months. You can also slow a fixed bike down on ice without using the brakes and while maintaining traction and power to the back wheel. That's a very good thing when it's slippery. Having less 'fuss' on the bike also helps. There is less to go wrong. Less to cause a problem on a ride and a much more simple set up, making it easier to maintain.

Lower your saddle

Now I am by NO means a bike fitter, so take this one carefully. Lowering your saddle slightly can help lower your centre of gravity and allow you to get more weight over the rear wheel. I drop mine VERY slightly and tend to sit further back to make sure I have a lot of weight on the rear of the bike. It means it can stop you sliding out. 

Layer up! 

Look, quite frankly it's jeffing freezing out there. Layer up and keep warm. Pay special attention to your extremities, hands and feet as these are the places that will really feel it. No one wants a finger to drop off after all. Attacus do some awesome winter bits and I am a big fan of the GripGrab gloves and shoe covers. 

Choose your roads

Now what I mean here is stay away from un-gritted country lanes. We love them in the summer but honestly in the winter months they can become incredibly dangerous. More heavy traffic roads that have been gritted should be your friend. I often do a ride from London to Windsor and back. The infamous 'cake run'. The roads are generally pretty quiet and are wide and always gritted. It's a solid 140km

Give yourself space

Make sure you are not too close to the curve. This is where there will be melted snow which turns into ice and a lot of crud left over which can easily puncture your tyres. Moving out a little bit also means you have some room to manoeuvre left and right should you so need to. Obviously be aware of other road users and ride safe. 

Leading on from this you need to allow yourself longer breaking times. It takes longer to stop safely or even to slow down on icy surfaces. You've probably experienced it a bit when it's wet, but that stoppage time will be even more delayed if it's icy.

Choose your line and be prepared to have to move about on the road. Keep alert and aware of icy patches. Point these out to other cyclists if you are in a group. 

DISC BRAKES FOR THE ABSOLUTE WIN

I don't need to say too much here other than they are bloody brilliant in winter months. If you're setting up a specific winter bike, then the extra stopping power and control of disc brakes makes them a no-brainer, and they're less affected by the wet than rim brakes. Wheels last longer, you only have to change the rotor when it wears out with is a hell of a lot cheaper. Hydraulic brakes are great but you can get some very good cable modulated disc brakes as well if you are on more of a budget. My Quirk is set up cable discs and honestly I think they are pretty close to hydraulic.

How to ride on ice

• Lay off the front brake, rely on the rear. If you find yourself on ice, simply pedal smoothly over it.If you do feel like you need to use your brake, use both of them at the same time slowly just to scrub off a little speed.
• Hold your line. I know I have already said it but be careful of your on road positioning and point out dangers to others.
• Keep it smooth, don't make any sudden movements or you will slide out
• Keep pedalling. Keep it smooth and simple
• Don't panic! Try not to stiffen up. Keep calm and relaxed. If you panic, you can often be twitchy which causes problems
• If it's really bad outside, stay in and ride on the turbo! I tend to do sessions of around an hour when time is short on my Wahoo Kickr using Zwift There's no point trying to be a hero.

Most important thing to say is that riding out in the snow can be great fun if you know what you are doing and how to prepare for it!

Enjoy it whilst we have it! 

(amazing photos courtisy of Attacus CC)

Métier: Rides with: Chris Hall

At Jam Cycling, we are working closely with a new technology clothing brand called Métier. 

Métier is: 

• The most technical, hydrophobic fabric available, constructed with longevity in mind.

• Dry and warm. Always.

• Increased personal visibility with zero compromise on style.

• Athletic fit, suitable for everything from commuting to racing.

• 70 hours of ultra-high brightness LEDs.

Métier want to light the way in cycling innovation and performance by developing revolutionary garments that ensure you are always prepared to ride. Their mission is to elevate personal visibility to make it an integral part of every ride. There are no compromises on quality, detail or design - only an unrelenting desire to celebrate and support the freedom of cycling and cyclists everywhere.

Many people live and train in the city, but their hearts and minds are in the mountains 

Métier, a British based company, has developed the world’s first high performance road cycling garments with integrated wearable technology. The Ultra High Brightness and Ultra High Intensity LEDs on the front and rear are seamlessly bonded into the ‘ProTech’, fully water repellent, breathable, aero-fit performance fabric, to provide true three season versatility. Taking advantage of rider BioMotion (the human ability to perceive object movement by connecting a few small, individual stimuli) the Beacon collection’s LEDs mean that you’re always more visible on your bike. 

Chunky zip pulls designed for ease of use, even when wearing gloves, and three rear cargo pockets and a zipped side pocket provide ample storage. Drill/laser-cut holes at the bottom of each pocket allow rainwater to roll straight out. Graphic detailing printed in special reflective ink not only looks good, but keeps you visible in low light. 

Métier rebalances the dynamic of visibility and style. The jacket and gilet offer a great look without compromising on safety. With a clean black silhouette, the garments are as at home in the Italian Alps as they are in Soho.

Designed to be seen, the products transcend environments with ground-breaking technology.

Paul, the co-founder of Métier and I went for a ride and recorded this

Creating the ultimate crit bike part 2

So time for part 2 of building up the ultimate crit bike. A massive thank you to the legends at SBC Cycles, as always for helping building the beast up. SBC Cycles, a shop based in East London are an independent (metal lovers) bike shop who offer some of the best custom builds and servicing I have ever received. They also happen to be right behind my flat.

I thought it would be right to run through the spec of the bike below. For the crit bike, I have opted to build up a Cannondale CAAD10 Black Inc frameset with some of the latest Shimano components. 

FRAME: Cannondale CAAD10 Black Inc

STEM: Fi'zi:k Cryano R1 110mm

HANDLEBARS: PRO Vibe Alloy Handlebar (with Di2 bar end junction box)

FRONT BRAKE: Shimano Ultegra R8000

REAR BRAKE: Shimano Ultegra R8000

FRONT DERAILLEUR: Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8050

REAR DERAILLEUR: Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8050

SHIFTERS: Shimano Dura Ace Di2 R9150 (with sprint shifters)

CASSETTE: Shimano Ultegra R8000 11/28

CRANKSET: Shimano Dura Ace R9100 53/39

FRONT WHEEL: Shimano Dura Ace R9100 C60

REAR WHEEL: Shimano Dura Ace R9100 C60

FRONT TYRE: Continental GP4000 25

REAR TYRE: Continental GP4000 25

SADDLE: fi'zi:k Antares R1 Carbon Rails

SEATPOST: Fi'zi:k Cyrano R1 

Looking forward to getting some races in on this! 

The BIG Cycle: 107km Sportive with The PACE Centre

The PACE Centre, a charity I support for children with motor disorders such as cerebral palsy host a sportive once a year. Dubbed the BIG cycle, Jimmi and Emily from clothing brand Attacus and myself went along to see what it was all about and ride the longer (107km) route. See what happened in the video below:

You can donate to The PACE Centre by clicking HERE

Racing Tips. Some things I have learnt

I thought I would write a few tips down for racing, riding and training I have learnt over the last year or so. So relax, enjoy and eat something or make a cuppa.

• For a long distance race or TT, break down the distance in your head. Racing for 50 miles. 100 miles, 12 hours or 24 hours or even further is as much a mental battle as it is a physical one. When I have done 24 hour races and time trials I break it down into manageable times. For example in my head I will think that every hour I need to drink a bottle. I swap from water to an energy drink, continually alternating so I don't end up having something really sugary. Every 20 minutes I need to eat something small. Same thing this will be mixed from sweet to savoury. I've found that roast potatoes in a bit of foil in your pocket not only keep you a bit warmer in winter months but are perfect as a savoury option. Then, for a 24 hour race I know that roughly every 5 hours I'm going to get something hot to eat and usually a coffee. That hot food is often what is available or easy to make with lots of calories. 

The National 24 hour TT

• Surround yourself with a fantastic support team and team mates. Now this is easier said than done, but I would say it's probably the most important. I have an amazing  group of friends who I always rely on to support. One happens to be a fantastic coach, Ken who I have worked with for years and he knows me inside out, another is a nutritionalist, Will who helps to advise on what I should be eating on certain challenges and races. You need people who can keep your spirits high and are there looking out for your best interest. People who can read when you are having a bad day but are ok or can see you are genuinely putting yourself into a world of pain and potentially risking your life. I had a situation last year where this was so important. I entered the National 24 hour time trial which is based close to Wales. On paper it should have been a perfect weekend, with good weather and fine roads but unfortunately it wasn't. The weather was absolutely torrential and along the A-Roads, spray was everywhere and it was progressively getting colder and colder. I got to a point I ran out of spare dry kit and was on the point of not making much sense. Jimmi who supported me could tell I was taking a real dip for the worse and refused to let me continue. My head may have wanted to continue, but my body was way past it's limits. Moments like that is where you need to have some one who can stand up to you and force you to stop. 

The end of Revolve24. The friendships forged with the G!RO cafe team made the challenge do-able. Photo by Paolo Mariani 

• Make sure you WARM UP and COOL DOWN properly. I am notorious for warming up properly and then being too pumped with adrenaline I ruin my cool down. To put it simply it means you will start better and will feel fresher the next day. Another massive no no is don't do races on consecutive days. This is another piece of advice I probably don't listen to especially in the winter when I've done a crit race on the Saturday and a cyclocross race on the Sunday. Normally the legs are ruined enough from one of them! Leading on from this make sure you recover with some food. A recovery shake or something like malt loaf or granola bars are my normal go to after race cravings.

The start from Revolve24. Photo by Paolo Mariani

• Train smart. It sounds simple but to get improvements in races doing 'junk' miles isn't going to help you. You need to practice sprinting, attacking, putting in big long solo efforts etc. I train using an infocrank power meter and heart rate monitor paired to my Wahoo Element. This means I can see all the data in front of me when I do certain efforts in a structured training plan. 

My Focus Izalco Max which is fitted with a Verve InfoCrank and a Wahoo ELEMNT

• Look after your bike and it will look after you. A clean well maintained bike is a happy bike. It will run more efficiently and has less chance of having any kind of mechanical during your race. Also who wants to turn up to a race with a dirty bike? It will do you wonders for your own confidence on the start line knowing that you have done everything possible to make sure your bike is working perfect. 

• In a race or crit its hyper important to make sure you are sharp and aware of what is going on around you, especially if it's you are new to it..A can of something caffine heavy makes you alert and keeps you sharp then a gel on the start line. Here in the UK crits tend to be an hour so the caffine and gel at the start makes sure you are switched on. Then it's worth having another gel towards the end of the race to make sure you are ready for the sprint. Sometimes it may just be a placebo effect but it works. You need to be so aware of what is going on around you and read the race. Who looks strong? Who looks like they are sandbagging? Which attack is worth following? Who looks a bit nervous on corners? Often enough a crash isn't your fault. So be alert and ready to take action.

Read a race correctly and you never know what may happen

• I think one of the most important pieces of advice I have been told is remember you are only human. You can't win everything, you will have days that you are unwell or don't feel like training. It's perfectly acceptable to have a bad day. When I was younger I used to suffer from getting depressed if I thought I was missing out on something I think I could do better. Depression in men, especially, is high. We like to play it strong but it's important to talk about your problems and how you are feeling. Use that support team to support you when you are having a tough time. I know I do.

Keep happy, positive and trust in the people around you. They will make you stronger

Creating the ultimate crit bike part 1

As I have started getting back into criterium racing towards the end of 2017 and going into 2018 I thought it would be a wise idea to build something up specifically for it. 

My criteria was simple. Lightweight aluminium frame, deep section wheelset, electronic groupset. The reasons for each of these I will explain below:

Lightweight aluminium frame

Take centre stage this:

A Cannondale CAAD10 Black Inc Di2 specific frameset

So I started hunting around online for something that I thought would work as a great frame. I instantly knew what I was after. The key component here being aluminium. I wanted to use an aluminium frame as the technology now days making these frame sets means that they are often as light and stiffer then carbon frames. Aluminium also dents, it doesn't tend to crack like carbon would, something which in London's criterium racing scene could be vital as crashes are a regular occurrence. 

I found this frame online for a steal of a price (thank you Howard). It is the Cannondale CAAD10 Black Inc edition which is specifically a Di2 frameset. Perfect. The CAAD10 is well known and highly regarded as one of the all time best aluminium frames you can buy, the Black Inc edition is black (obviously) and gold, a nod to the Cannondale black lightning released in 1989 (my birth year which made a nod to getting this frame)

Cannondale Black Lightning 1989

Deep section wheelset

To be honest, this is pretty simple. It's all to do with AERO GAINZZZZ. Deeper wheels are more aerodynamic meaning you can cut through the wind more efficiently. For me having an aluminium break surface was pretty important, it means that there is much better stopping during wet and rainy conditions. Step in the Shimano Dura Ace R9100 C60 Carbon Clincher Wheelset. 

These wheels feature a wider rim to increase ride stability, provide increased cornering ability, on wider tyres, and greater aerodynamic properties. The Shimano Dura-Ace C60 Carbon Clincher Wheelset's wider rim is 50 mm deep with an alloy braking surface to create an incredibly fast, straight line, wheelset with trusted braking power. 

The Shimano Dura-Ace C60 Carbon Clincher Wheelset uses stainless steel butted straight pull bladed spokes with aluminium hub shell and oversized 7075 alloy axle to improve the rigidity on previous years. The increased ridgity in the wheel makes for a more responsive ride. Combine the improved rigidity with the titanium freehub, which engages every 10 degrees, the Shimano Dura-Ace C60 Carbon Clincher Wheelset produces instant, explosive acceleration, and straight line speed. 

Electronic Groupset

In 2008, Dura-Ace 7900 was launched, which was a radical redesign and new aesthetic direction over the previous version, gunmetal grey replacing polished metal. A year later Shimano went electronic, introducing its first Di2 (Digital Integrated Intelligence) groupset with Dura- Ace 7970.

Met with initial scepticism by some more traditional cyclists, it nethertheless went on to mark a new chapter in the history of the groupset. Now, almost every pro team on Shimano uses Di2. 15 of the 18 World Tour teams use Shimano Di2 and every stage and every jersey of the 2017 TdF was won with Shimano (Dura Ace) Di2 components. Shimano's bold decision creating Di2 created much hype at it's launch and has simply dominated the cycling component market. 

Jump forward to the present day. Shimano has now created 3 generations of Di2, which the current and previous generations have been compatible with both rim brake and disc brake bikes meaning it has truly captured the market. 

Shimano bills the latest Dura-Ace as "the most advanced system of road cycling components in Shimano's 95-year history," which is certainly bold talk. 

It's still an 11-speed groupset but introduced a number of new features and refinements. Synchronised shifting is now available with Di2, which lets the system control both derailleurs.

For me electronic shifting is a no brainer for a crit bike. It shifts flawlessly, never missing a beat, plus the addition of sprint shifters means that you can keep racing on the drops and flick through the gears. 

So the line up of the bike is the following:

• Cannondale CAAD10 Black Inc Frameset
• Shimano Dura Ace C60 Carbon Clincher Wheelset
• Pro Vibe Aluminium bars
• Fizik stem, saddle and seatpost
• Shimano Dura Ace Di2 Shifters (with sprint shifters)
• Shimano Dura Ace Crankset (non power meter but when racing a power meter will be fitted to the bike)
• Shimano Ultegra Di2 Rear Derailleur 
• Shimano Ultegra Di2 Front Derailleur
• Shimano Ultegra Brake Calipers

Come back to see the progress on the build! 

Donald Trump: Cyclist Terror or Saviour of the sport?

Donald Trump is a person spoken highly in social media. The general consensus of the man in the UK is that he’s not the most popular of people. Simple things like his much younger wife mimicking Michelle Obama’s speech is a tiny thing in a long list of things that easily rub you the wrong (or right) way.

A personal favourite of mine is the Trump Donald website: http://trumpdonald.org/ a great way for us to remember his strange hairstyle and the way that it moves so elegantly in the wind (or from a full blown trumpet blow). One thing is for certain, you can’t deny that the man gets the press and publicity, continually in the public eye in both a good and bad way.

In the late 80s and early 90s Donald Trump became the main sponsor for what was called the Tour de Trump in the US. Something that was aimed to be of a similar elk to Le Tour De France, a discussion on a flight home from watching the Grand tour by CBS reporter John Tesh with the aim of producing something similar. It was won by the likes of Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong during its short iteration of the Tour de Trump before the name change and sponsor change to Tour DuPont.

With Trump, you gain money, with money comes power. Trump's lawyers sent a "cease and desist" letter to the organisers of a Tour de Rump bike race held in Aspen, Colorado. The letter stated: "You are using the name and mark Tour de Rump in connection with an 'inaugural' cycling event. Your use of that name and mark is likely to cause confusion and constitutes trademark infringement, unfair competition and false designation of origin, all in violation of applicable federal and state laws” The organiser Ron Krajian's lawyer responded by arguing that his race was a local and non-commercial event. No response was received from Trump's lawyers, and the Tour de Rump went ahead. Things like this show the power that he has to cause things to change and happen.

The total prize money on offer for the first event in 1989 was US$250,000, including $50,000 for the winner of the general classification. This, together with the race's place in the international calendar between the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France, made it attractive to high-profile riders and teams, but the event did not attract large crowds.

The question now raises; What if Donald Trump sponsored a big stage race today? Say for example the Tour of California. What would be the pros and cons? One of the major pros would be funding. At a time where money is tight enough in cycling with multi million dollar deals for teams needed to support them. We have seen that without Oleg Tinkov, we notice the demise of Tinkoff Saxo, a team with the current world champion, british champion and a multi tour de france winner in it no longer being able to spin the pedals without the funding of one man. Similarly to IAM Cycling, hanging up the helmets for the last time at the end of the season. You could argue that this option, may be something that would appeal to Donald Trump in a first occasion before sponsoring a full multi-stage event in its own, even with the ironic name of Trump as a cycling team.

A pro and a con would be press, Trump, in his own character would bring exposure in both a negative and positive way to cycling through his name, character and personality. It may or may not expose many new viewers to a world of cycling through TV deals, merchandise and the exposure that the man himself seems to gain so easily. Trump's personality and celebrity, as well as the scandals surrounding Trump's marriage and business affairs, could deter from the event and annoyed in its previous iteration it annoyed European riders in the race, something that could easily happen again considering some of the personalities and teams in the Pro Peloton.

Often enough concerns with sponsors can often deter teams from wanting to race and potentially cause some of the ‘big boys’ to not turn up and compete; when in reality it is these guys that the viewers want to see racing, time after time, day after day in a multi stage race. It seems that in the days of the Tour De Trump, when he stepped down as the main sponsor, it caused a greater interest from European riders and teams, these are the ones that the American fans want to see more than any other out there and are, after all the teams that make up a large proportion of the teams racing in Le Tour De France.

Back to the main question, is he just too offensive/ridiculous, or is it a case of all publicity is good publicity? As a cyclist I veer to the angle of him being too offensive/ ridiculous. Cycling is the best individual team sport and a beautiful sport in it’s own right. With all the issues tainted its blood so to speak in the past; bringing along additional offencive and extremist characters could, bring the sport spiraling back down as opposed to continually moving upwards in the positive direction it needs to.

The chaps at Attacus Cycling produced the F**K TRUMP socks, which you can see below.

Attacus F**K Trump Socks

Trump's crackdown on everything from refugees to health care is set to impact Americans, vulnerable people around the world, and the organisations that work to support them.

That's why they donated £4 from every pair of F*CK TRUMP socks to two important charities. Half to UNHCR - the UN Refugee Agency - and half to Planned Parenthood.

A fantastic initiative if you ask me. 

Attacus F**K Trump Socks

Racing Tips. Some things I have learnt

I thought I would write a few tips down for racing, riding and training I have learnt over the last year or so. So relax, enjoy and eat something or make a cuppa.

• For a long distance race or TT, break down the distance in your head. Racing for 50 miles. 100 miles, 12 hours or 24 hours or even further is as much a mental battle as it is a physical one. When I have done 24 hour races and time trials I break it down into manageable times. For example in my head I will think that every hour I need to drink a bottle. I swap from water to an energy drink, continually alternating so I don't end up having something really sugary. Every 20 minutes I need to eat something small. Same thing this will be mixed from sweet to savoury. I've found that roast potatoes in a bit of foil in your pocket not only keep you a bit warmer in winter months but are perfect as a savoury option. Then, for a 24 hour race I know that roughly every 5 hours I'm going to get something hot to eat and usually a coffee. That hot food is often what is available or easy to make with lots of calories. 

The National 24 hour TT

• Surround yourself with a fantastic support team and team mates. Now this is easier said than done, but I would say it's probably the most important. I have an amazing  group of friends who I always rely on to support. One happens to be a fantastic coach, Ken who I have worked with for years and he knows me inside out, another is a nutritionalist, Will who helps to advise on what I should be eating on certain challenges and races. You need people who can keep your spirits high and are there looking out for your best interest. People who can read when you are having a bad day but are ok or can see you are genuinely putting yourself into a world of pain and potentially risking your life. I had a situation last year where this was so important. I entered the National 24 hour time trial which is based close to Wales. On paper it should have been a perfect weekend, with good weather and fine roads but unfortunately it wasn't. The weather was absolutely torrential and along the A-Roads, spray was everywhere and it was progressively getting colder and colder. I got to a point I ran out of spare dry kit and was on the point of not making much sense. Jimmi who supported me could tell I was taking a real dip for the worse and refused to let me continue. My head may have wanted to continue, but my body was way past it's limits. Moments like that is where you need to have some one who can stand up to you and force you to stop. 

The end of Revolve24. The friendships forged with the G!RO cafe team made the challenge do-able. Photo by Paolo Mariani 

• Make sure you WARM UP and COOL DOWN properly. I am notorious for warming up properly and then being too pumped with adrenaline I ruin my cool down. To put it simply it means you will start better and will feel fresher the next day. Another massive no no is don't do races on consecutive days. This is another piece of advice I probably don't listen to especially in the winter when I've done a crit race on the Saturday and a cyclocross race on the Sunday. Normally the legs are ruined enough from one of them! Leading on from this make sure you recover with some food. A recovery shake or something like malt loaf or granola bars are my normal go to after race cravings.

The start from Revolve24. Photo by Paolo Mariani

• Train smart. It sounds simple but to get improvements in races doing 'junk' miles isn't going to help you. You need to practice sprinting, attacking, putting in big long solo efforts etc. I train using an infocrank power meter and heart rate monitor paired to my Wahoo Element. This means I can see all the data in front of me when I do certain efforts in a structured training plan. 

My Focus Izalco Max which is fitted with a Verve InfoCrank and a Wahoo ELEMNT

• Look after your bike and it will look after you. A clean well maintained bike is a happy bike. It will run more efficiently and has less chance of having any kind of mechanical during your race. Also who wants to turn up to a race with a dirty bike? It will do you wonders for your own confidence on the start line knowing that you have done everything possible to make sure your bike is working perfect. 

• In a race or crit its hyper important to make sure you are sharp and aware of what is going on around you, especially if it's you are new to it.. A can of something caffine heavy makes you alert and keeps you sharp then a gel on the start line. Here in the UK crits tend to be an hour so the caffine and gel at the start makes sure you are switched on. Then it's worth having another gel towards the end of the race to make sure you are ready for the sprint. Sometimes it may just be a placebo effect but it works. You need to be so aware of what is going on around you and read the race. Who looks strong? Who looks like they are sandbagging? Which attack is worth following? Who looks a bit nervous on corners? Often enough a crash isn't your fault. So be alert and ready to take action.

Read a race correctly and you never know what may happen

• I think one of the most important pieces of advice I have been told is remember you are only human. You can't win everything, you will have days that you are unwell or don't feel like training. It's perfectly acceptable to have a bad day. When I was younger I used to suffer from getting depressed if I thought I was missing out on something I think I could do better. Depression in men, especially, is high. We like to play it strong but it's important to talk about your problems and how you are feeling. Use that support team to support you when you are having a tough time. I know I do.

Keep happy, positive and trust in the people around you. They will make you stronger

Rebuilding from illness #ProjectShingles

The festive period is often a time where we relax, socialise and spend time with families. Unfortunately this wasn't quite the case for me. Having spent a big year on the bike (see below stats from veloviewer)

As you can see from the stats above it's been a big year. Lots of crazy challenges and experiences. Sadly towards the end of the year I started to feel unwell. The amount I was getting out on the bike started to drop off as well. After a visit to the doctors we found out I had a mild case of blood poisoning and more worryingly, a bad case of shingles. 

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is an infection of a nerve and the skin around it. It's caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox.

It's estimated around one in every four people will have at least one episode of shingles during their life. The main symptom of shingles is pain, followed by a rash that develops into itchy blisters, similar in appearance to chickenpox.

New blisters may appear for up to a week, but a few days after appearing they become yellowish in colour, flatten and dry out.

Scabs then form where the blisters were, which may leave some slight scarring and loss of skin pigment.

The pain may be a constant, dull or burning sensation, and its intensity can vary from mild to severe. 

You may have sharp stabbing pains from time to time, and the affected area of skin will usually be tender.

In some cases shingles may cause some early symptoms that develop a few days before the painful rash first appears.

These early symptoms can include:

• a headache
• burning, tingling, numbness or itchiness of the skin in the affected area
• a feeling of being generally unwell
• a high temperature (fever)

An episode of shingles typically lasts around two to four weeks. It usually affects a specific area on just one side of the body.

It doesn't cross over the midline of the body, an imaginary line running from between your eyes down past the belly button.

Any part of your body can be affected, including your face and eyes, but the chest and tummy (abdomen) are the most common areas.

Happy Friday everyone.#projectshingles update. I’m bloody tired. Probably had 2 hours sleep pic.twitter.com/VpbxIB7Lvb

— Chris Hall (@chrishallrides) December 22, 2017

It is an incredibly frustrating and painful virus that causes you to basically be bed bound. The thing I have found tough is the fatigue. The pain is bad but continually needing to sleep shows how it is tough. I have spoken with the likes of Dean Downing who has suffered from it before. Dean's advice was: 

'Don’t mess around with shingles. If you don’t rest and if you come back too soon. It will ruin you for a long long time.' 

Dean had it when he lived in Belgium. 2002 winter at the end of January. In his own words it was caused by too much training, too much stress and too much partying. He was with a doctor, 3 months off and on May 1st started riding and training from scratch. Later that year he won British Crit Champs in September.

Here is how my training has looked over the last few weeks. Very few rides just to keep the legs going. These are low zone rides and generally done inside. I have been very lucky to have the support of my coach, Ken and nutritionalist Will Girling to help try to aid recovery as quickly as possible. Will is the nutritionalist for Pro cycling team ONE PRO

It's amazing having support from people like Dean, a true British Cycling great looking out and keeping an eye out for me. The recovery will be slow and long but I'll get there! 

Here's to 2018!

Attacus Cycling

Being supported by a fantastic cycling clothing brand has always been important to me. I'm quire particular about the styling, aesthetics and quality of the kit that I wear. What started out as an agreement to wear the kit soon evolved into a firm friendship with Jimmi and Emily, founders of Attacus, who have been with me pretty much from the start of my adventures. 

Attacus have just recently released their winter collection

The Attacus thermal bib tights paired with the with the cold weather jacket

The collection consists of 3 major pieces and a redefined Dark Dagger Vest. 

The thermal winter tights have:

• Windproof, showerproof thermal stretch fabric that’s soft and comfortable. It’ll keep you warm on the coldest of days and dry in light showers

• Double-layered knee panels specially designed to move effortlessly with your natural riding motion and keep your joints extra toasty

• High-waisted bibs to keep your core warm

• High-performance endurance chamois provides lasting comfort over long rides

• Reflective 'Attacus' logo and chevron bands for visibility in the road

• Silicone leg grippers that’ll slide over even the biggest feet and keep your tights in place without the discomfortable of rigid ankle zips

• Tailor-cut for cyclists so you’re comfortable and have full protection against the elements when you’re in a riding position

The Attacus logo on the rear is reflective along with the chevrons on the legs.

I remember when Jimmi first showed me the Cold Weather Jacket. I think my first reaction was basically 'YES' I fell in love with the prototype before I had even seen the final design. The blue colour, is pretty much my favourite shade. The inside of the jacket has a bold peacock pattern to it and the jacket features rear pockets, reflective logos and a waterproof front pocket, perfect to keep your cards and cash in.

The jacket has: 

• Windproof, showerproof, stretch fabric that’ll keep you warm in strong wind and dry in light showers

• Insulated materials that can withstand the coldest days

• Soft, breathable lining for added warmth and comfort

• Waterproof zips

• 3 back pockets

• 100% waterproof, zipped chest pocket

• Two reflective logos, plus reflective pocket and wrist strips for extra visibility in the road

• Tailor-cut for cyclists so you’re comfortable and have full protection against the elements when you’re in a riding position

• Silicon gripper waist band - because the only thing riding up should be you

Jimmi knows how to pose

London to Paris in under 24 hours

I have always wanted to cycle from London to Paris in under 24 hours. I have done the challenge before over a few days and distinctly remember loving the route and the journey. It isn't a crazy distance that it is unachievable, but I decided to put a twist on it. Time trial bike and just see how fast I could go. No rules, just riding. 

So Friday night after work I jumped on my bike needing to be in Newhaven for the last ferry of the day.

Nick and Francis joined and you can see what happens in the first leg in the video below.

First leg complete. After a long ferry ride, we arrived in Dieppe in the early hours of the morning. The roads on the French side of London to Paris are exceptional. Wide, straight and perfect when on a TT bike. Route below:

I was incredibly lucky to have Nick and Francis there, supporting this leg again as well. You can see what happened on the second part of our trip below.

Completing the challenge in well under 24 hours was an incredible achievement. The moving time was about 9.5 hours, of which I am happy with, but there is definitely room for improvements. 

Thanks to Nick and Francis for the support for this one!

Custom Build Quirk Cycles CX

Having your friend build and design you a bike is pretty special; especially when it ends up in making what becomes not just any bike, but a total dream. Rob has been somewhat prolific this year and he shows no sign of slowing down in his production. 

With the backing of Jam Cycling, we went ahead to start to build up what would become my perfect cyclocross racer/ all road tourer. Firstly we started by working on the geometry of the bike. I have quite a unique position which allowed us to really make the bike appear quite aggressive (for a cyclocross bike) whilst still following traditions of a longer wheelbase, wide clearance and a higher bottom bracket. The ideal geometry was tried and tested from a bike fit with James Thomas at Sigma Sports. The beauty of a custom bike is you can literally do what you like. 

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The spec of the bike is as follows:

• Custom Quirk Cycles frame painted by Cole Coatings
• Kinesis Tripster fork
• Verve Infocrank powermeter with Praxis Works chainrings
• Kogel ceramic BB and Jockey Wheels
• Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset
• Zipp 303 Tubs fitted with Vittoria Terreno Mix G+ tyres 
• Fizik finishing kit
• Hope headset
• TRP Sypre cable brakes

The bike has been magestically painted by Cole Coatings (If you don't know them, check them out!) Wording from Cole Coatings: 

'Inspired by modern NJS style paint and a taking cues from some high-end cars, this design features a 'top-down' (or a 'bottom-up'!) fade arranged in such a way that almost every tube has it's own gradient or 'colour junction'.

We've taken the customer's colour suggestions and gone one step further by utilising House of Kolor 'Kandy Basecoats'; specialist pearls which offer much the of depth and dynamics associated with traditional candy products but are a little more straightforward to apply. The Quirk and Columbus branding has been picked out in a flat black (an essential groundcoat colour for this type of paint) which is crisp and clean against the playful metallic effects in the blue and purple.

One final point of note that we wouldn't tend to mention is the sheen; a crisp, clean and lustrous gloss is something we aim for on every project... but the candy base colours are brought to life once under a well polished clearcoat.'

I think we can all agree, what Rob and Cole Coatings have produced is a complete work of art which I can't wait to smash around on some proper winter miles and at local CX races. Keep an eye out for her, shes pretty special. 

Photos by the ever so talented  Nikoo Hamzavi

Red Bull Time Laps

The Red Bull Timelaps held at Windsor Great Park. The event itself was something a little different; a 25-hour race between teams comprised of 4 riders. I was in a team (Walrus) with YouTube vlogger, Francis Cade, British Land Speed Record holder, Ken Buckley and pro cyclist, Lawrence Carpenter. We knew this was a team with real potential, but in reality, we were going out there to have fun. Below

Lawrence was our first rider up. It seemed right to have someone who had the most recent racing experience starting, as the start of these events can be a bit messy. We were right to do this as 2 laps in there was a nasty crash and the race was suspended for an hour or so. With that in mind, when the race restarted, Lawrence was back out on the circuit.

Each lap was 6.8 km with about 50 meters of climbing. There were a couple of sharp turns and gravelly corners, but generally it was an OK course. I went into this thinking it would be more of a time trial, but in reality, this was a race.

As a team, we figured out a strategy; we aimed to do hour-and-a-half stints at what was supposed to be our threshold (it ended up much harder than that). I then did a big stint in the night to get Lawrence lined up to do the power hour. During the power hour, every lap of a different, shorter course counts for two. After this we all aimed for 2-hour stints until the race ended at 12:00 midday on Sunday.

Our team came 3rd in the Men’s category and 5th overall out of 150 teams! We managed 133 laps, with a fastest lap time of 9:25, averaging 11:18 per lap. During my three stints, I averaged 315, 268 and 246 watts. The pace was something I really hadn't quite expected and each of us going so hard on our first stints helped secure a strong position during the night hours and whilst it rained the next morning'.

You can see what happened by watching Francis Cade's and Lawrence Carpenter's  vlogs:

Filming with Francis Cade: How to Ride in the Snow

Laura Scott  organised a ride for British Cycling on one of her training routes around Kent. She Invited myself, Francis, Jimmi, Emily and a few others along. Here's what happened:

19,608 Miles

19,608 miles. That's how far I have flown over the last few weeks in going to Perth, Australia and returning, then heading to Bormio, Italy and returning. All in the name of cycling.

Lets start at the beginning:

Perth.

The Scicion AeroComfort 2.0 bag was used to transport the bike for both journeys

A Bank Holiday Monday involved last minute checks, making sure everything was ready to travel to the other side of the world to race in the UCI Gran Fondo World Tour Series Final. A massive achievement for me and Ripcor and an opportunity to don the Great Britain kit (made by Paria) Finally off to Heathrow.

The flight was a long one, with a transfer in Dubai, finally arriving in Perth on Tuesday evening (in their coldest winter in 35 years) to the apartment we were staying at for a few days on the short visit.

Wednesday: Wake up legs:

A short spin along the coastline in Perth to start to try and blow out the cobwebs. Perth has a great network of cycle lanes along the seafront which allow you to ride relatively undisturbed. 

The views along the cycle path looked out across Perth's Harbour.

Today was about resting and stretching out the legs, being on a flight for about 18 hours definitely does take its toll on these parts. So visiting a local food joint for a local beer and some food meant in the clear skies an afternoon could be spent resting and thinking about what lay ahead.

A light lunch.

Thursday: Rest: 

A real rest day was in order, visiting Perth Zoo to see the local wildlife that we didn't think we would see elsewhere and exploring the City. A short walk to the promenade and a boat across the estuary lead to the start of our journey. 

As a city, Perth has a mix of many high rises around Murray Street and Hay Street which contrast with more of the old warehouses and factories if you head towards Fremantle (Or 'Freeo' to the locals.)

The contrast of Perth's old and new, the City Library, Government Town Hall and one of the new office blocks.

Friday: Race Reccy:

A race reccy. The total length of the race is 155km with just short of 2000 meters of climbing. The route took the freeway out to the hills on the outskirts of Perth, a location where the race would be won and lost on climbs such as the Zig Zag. Our age category undertook two laps of the hilly stage with an uphill finish at the crest of the Zig Zag.

Descending the Zig Zag

The Reccy helped to settle a few nerves and allowed us to realise that it was achievable to compete with the rest of the world.

Saturday: Friendships:

There is something incredibly special about the cycling community. No matter where you are in the world there is always some one who will want to go for a ride and show you around. A special thank you goes to Shelby, our Australian friend who acted as our tour guide for much of our experience. Casual rides and cafe hunting during the day with an attempt of an early night before the big day itself.

Our tourguide, Shelby

We were guided around the seafront, taking in beaches, Gelato, Coffee, great chat and food. A perfect resting day in preparation for the big day...

The bike of choice is the Focus Izalco Max Disc, equipped with the Hunt Aero Light Disc wheels, Fizik Antares saddle and Shimano Dura Ace and an FSA SLK Lightweight crankset

Race numbers pinned to the bike and the kit.

Sunday: Race Day

The day was upon us, a night of little sleep and an early start, rolling down to the docks for a 7am start. We were kitted up and out in our GB Paria kit ready to rock. There was obviously a heavy Australian dominance in the race but it was an incredibly proud moment to see so many Great Britain kits on the roads. 

The start for the Race, a heavy Australian consortium of racers.

The Ripcor X Paria GB team.

The race was a tough one, designed for climbers with it's undulating terrain. Sadly my race was over 80km in, with a puncture. I sat by the side of the road, and after some moaning and swearing, it was fixed and back on the road I went with the aim of just setting the best possible time. 

Monday: The Return

Packing up the Focus Izalco Max Disc.

After the race, the bike was packed up and prepared for the long return journey. The bonus of the Scicion AeroComfort 2.0 is how easy it is to pack the bike away. Simply you clip the frame into the supported shock absorbent base and slide the wheels in the pockets. You then just need to strap up the bike to hold it in place. The simplest bike packing bag I have used and means you can pack in roughly 5-10 mins, leaving you more time to get on with more important things. 

Ant could always find a way to get a bit of sleep...

Finally I landed back in the UK on Monday night...

Tuesday & Wednesday: A day back in London. Pizza

Feeling jet lagged but alive meant that the two days back in London were filled with catching up with people, cycling and eating Pizza before the next adventure...

Sunsets in Richmond Park.

Coffee at the usual spot. Workshop Coffee Clerkenwell

The Focus Izalco Max Disc was taken for a quick once over and spin before the next adventure.