The real BBC Awards

The BBC Sports personality of the year awards took place recently, there were some amazing candidates this year including Jessica Ennis, (my vote outside of cycling) and Phil Taylor in the SPORT of darts as runners up. The winner though was Ap McCoy following his win at the Grand National on his 15th attempt and over 3000 career wins. A good effort but I'm not a fan of horse racing so I decided to start my own BBC awards (Bradbury's (That's me) best cyclist awards).

There were many contenders including Bradley Wiggins but I have to say Mark Cavendish will take it for me.





After a slow start to the season which was hindered by injury the 'Manx Missile' found his form when it counted with five stage wins in the Tour de France including the win on the final day in Paris. Cavendish followed that up by winning the points jersey at the Tour of Spain in September, becoming the first Briton in 21 years to earn the sprinters' title at a Grand Tour. Once again Cavendish has proved he is the world's greatest sprinter on the road and while the Tour de France green jersey still eludes him, the 25-year-old looks primed for continued success. Cycling is right up there when it comes to commitment, effort and overcoming adversity in the world of sport. I haven't mentioned his Olympic efforts because they didn't take place this year but for me he has been this years superstar. So Mark, please accept this trophy from the BBC awards.... Ade you are the runner up but only because Cavendish stole the win in Paris maybe next year.

Is it Ok to be cruel as long as its funny?

Probably not is the answer we should all give! Unless of course it is only close to cruelty then it may just be OK. Meet Alex. He has watched me on my virtual reality trainer for weeks now and like all youngsters loves the idea of playing on video games, add to that his ability as a cyclist and it has been torture for him being banned from the toy in the garage. Well as the ice continues to make cycling an extreme sport and his break dancing and football conversations driving me nuts I relented. I set him up on a mostly downhill section of the Alps, dropped the saddle on the carbon defy as low as it would go (yes I really do use a carbon on the turbo). Alex put on his cycling shorts and Everton top and.... still couldn't fit, so with a cushion on the cross bar of he went. He complained the whole way of a pain in a specific area but kept going.. just like a real rider in the Tour. Maybe he can give up his football and make me proud. Anyway 22 minutes later he covered 8 miles at a max speed of 33mph and while pushing 241 watts he declared he loved it couldn't wait to go again but boy did it hurt and could I put his bike on the machine. Me... well I watched every painful minute sat on my time trial bike next to him before declaring myself the winner... of course.

Just the thing on a winter evening

Track racing is similar to the sprinting world of runners. The difference for me is its purity and variety. Pure because the riders storm around the track on a bike with one gear and no brakes. The gear is fixed so the speed comes from the riders strength and ability to spin the pedals. The variety comes from the different events put on throughout the session, from the sprint, a combination of speed and tactics to the Australian pursuit, a new event in the revolution series. http://www.cyclingrevolution.com/content/en/default_gb.aspx In this event riders are spaced evenly round the track and sprint for the finish. If you are overtaken you are out. The effort in this event and the future star racing make the revolution series well worth the £14 for the four hours entertainment. Just the thing on a cold evening.
While I was there I bought Roule Britannia by William Fotheringham (He was signing books at the event). William has written a number of cycling books but this was the first one of his I have read. It is a history of Brits competing in the Tour D'France. Really worth the read, just to know what the early pioneers did and put up with to compete in the hardest sporting event in the world. Another past time for the winter days perhaps.

Finally, if you prefer to participate than watch have a look at the velodrome timetable. Friday nights are good with a family session for adults and kids with an improvement hour straight after. Well worth a play if nothing else. Everyone should try this at least once in their cycling career. Have a look on http://www.nationalcyclingcentre.com/

Have you ever drowned a puppy?

I hope your answer like mine, is no. My real question is how do you occupy your time when you ride your bike? In a race there is enough going on to occupy your mind, training in a group can be social and the conversation helps the miles go by. Pick a good route and the scenery helps the hours. This is a favourite of mine, but even when it is stunning scenery when you ride the same route sometimes you want a bit more to occupy the time.
Personally I love to think and remember. It is a great time to solve problems and perhaps come up with new ideas for work. The other thing I love to do is think about some of my favourite memories. My Father had a competitive nature, from his days a cross country runner and hockey player to his darts, snooker  and particularly his love of crown green bowls. When I am struggling on a ride I often think about how he would never give up.
My Mother on the other hand is a story teller. There is no better story than reality. Mum was evacuated to Shropshire in the war and lived on a farm with farmer Jones. My favourite stories include the bull that got into the kitchen and the Rooster that chased the children so good old Farmer Jones chopped off its head and, after it finished running around, threw it into the cooking pot.
The other thing all farmers did in those days was breed sheep dogs. This was a commercial venture, they were there to round up the sheep or sell to other farmers and the public. If a puppy didn't look like it was going to be up to task it was often tied in a bag and thrown in the river to drown. They were  known as the runt of the litter, and as much as I hate that this happened it was life on a farm sixty years ago.
Here is my link to the bike. I was riding my new Talon along the promenade at the weekend. As I was riding along and my mind drifted away from Mum and Dad I realised that the bike is noisy, has high resistance in the tyres and is slow compared to the pedigrees I left back in the stable. It wasn't up to the task I want from my bikes. It is my runt of the litter. But then, I'm not a farmer and I wasn't using it for the purpose it was made for (it was mostly tarmac). The other thing about the runts of the litter is they can be tremendous fun, look good and are extremely loyal. They don't mind going out in the rain or cold weather and they recover well from any damage making them much cheaper to look after. Yes,I have a runt of the litter, but I think we are going to be good friends and enjoy our wanderings along the beach without a thought of throwing it in. Can't wait to go for a run through the fields.

The end of my road. I can ride for thirty miles or more along this, I know how lucky I am!

Wirral Mamils round the globe

Pageviews by Countries

United Kingdom 213 United States 185 India 11 New Zealand 5 Singapore 3 Denmark 2 Ireland 2 Argentina 1 Germany 1 Croatia 1 Thought I would show who is looking at the site. Nearly as many from the USA, in fact more this week. Not sure how I feel about that, quite good I suppose. It will be good when the USA has shown more interest!!!

Can you bonk on a turbo trainer?

For those of you that are wondering, and if you aren't a cyclist you probably are, bonking on a bike is the sudden depletion of the riders energy. Runners call it 'hitting the wall', footballers despite their extensive education tend to use a four letter word to describe their physical condition with a similar colloquial meaning to the cyclist's phrase.

I've had a good week end on the bike. Two outdoor rides, just twenty miles each along the river and a session on the turbo trainer on Saturday. I had to get what I could outdoors before the cold weather comes back.  Tonight though was a twenty mile session on my Tacx trainer. I chose a section of the Amstel Gold Classic. Stunning scenery and mountains hitting a 10% gradient. That is the sort of incline that many family cars hit second gear to get up with the engine screaming in protest. As you push the pedals sweating more and the cadence dropping, looking down in disbelief at the one remaining cog you have left to shift into, then, just when you think you have got over the worst of it bang...another incline hits you. This goes on and on for the whole twenty..so much for taking it easy over the winter.
Tonight, I got half way through the session, which fortunately took place at the back of my garage and not on the real course. Suddenly I just ran out of energy. I was drinking water not an energy drink, not a good decision, I was on my carbon bike for minimum weight up the hill, didn't help!!! Suddenly -nothing, not exhausted, not a heart rate over 220, not even bored I was loving it. Just nothing. The good thing about a turbo trainer though was I could step off half way up the hill, step through two doors into the kitchen, then gorge myself like Belushi in animal house stuffing four Cinnamon cakes, a yogurt and an oatmeal bar into me as I climbed back onto the bike and about five inches of a bottle of coke went down my throat as I climbed the next monster rise on the trip. Energy restored I completed a fantastic session on my machine. Now...this was hardly an athletes diet but it put the carbs I needed back into me in seconds and let me finish my planned session. It just shows the importance of diet and stuffing the back pockets with all the food you need.... a good tip when you can't take the mountain to the kitchen. So to answer my question- you can bonk on a turbo trainer, and its safe bonking if your kitchen is stocked up....

Never trust a doctor

My friends sent this story from the BBC to me about a doctor testing his new carbon bike costing £1000 against his £50 bike and finding the £50 bike was quicker. Well research can be easily distorted. First of all what kind of a carbon bike do you get for £1000? Secondly if you have a nice bike you tend to be a bit more careful with it. That slows you down. Third, and most important, I have timed my carbon compared to my steel and it is faster!!! Those of you that have read my other blogs will be aware that a couple of us are planning to test our time trial bikes against the normal bike and if we need to test carbon v steel more formally we will. Ultimately though you don't buy a Ferrari to do 180mph on the motorway - you will soon get caught- you buy it because it looks good and makes you feel good. A carbon bike is the same just costs a lot less, so the Doctor is wrong and if you want carbon get carbon

 

It's not about the bike

By Philippa Roxby Health reporter, BBC News

More people than ever are cycling to work

It's a no-brainer. Cycling is good for you. It keeps you fit, gets you out in the fresh air and is kind to the environment.

Cycling to work is more popular than ever, because it's an easy way of fitting exercise into the daily routine and it doubles as transport.
According to the government, "regular exercise like cycling halves your chances of suffering from heart disease, and helps to prevent strokes, diabetes, and some kinds of cancer.
"Your blood pressure and resting heart rate will be lower, and you'll feel more awake and less stressed."It's not always about getting there first.”And it can save a fortune. Or can it?
Dr Jeremy Groves, a consultant anaesthetist at Chesterfield Royal Hospital and self-confessed cycling fan, discovered that, "spending a lot of money on a bicycle for commuting is not necessarily going to get you to work more quickly".Dr Groves' set up a trial to test whether his new, lightweight carbon-framed bicycle (which cost £1000) was any faster than his second-hand steel-framed bike bought for £50.
Heavy or light? For six months he tossed a coin each morning to decide which bike to use - and then timed the journey.

Dr Groves compared his commuting times on a heavy and a light bicycle

His study, published in the British Medical Journal, found that there was no measurable difference in commuting time over the 27 miles from Sheffield to his place of work and back.
The average journey time using his heavy, old bike was 1 hour 47 minutes and the average journey for the new, lighter new bike was 1 hour 48 minutes.
"A reduction in the weight of the cyclist rather than that of the bicycle may deliver great benefit at reduced cost," the study says.
Dr Groves declares himself "disappointed" to find out that his financial investment was giving him no extra time in bed and no less time on the road.We are tempted by the fact it's new, so it must be better...”

End Quote Dr Jeremy Groves

"I could have invested that money in better cycle clothing and in tarting up the lights on my bike instead," he said.

Tax break
His findings are also disappointing for those who have used the government's Cycle to Work scheme to buy the bike of their dreams at a discounted price, thanks to tax exemption.
Why invest in a Chris Boardman streamlined two-wheeler and turn into a MAMIL (middle aged man in lycra) - we all know one - if it's not going to save a bit of time and energy?
"It's not always about getting there first," says Philip Ingham from British Cycling.
"Although lighter bikes can go more quickly, their thinner tyres make them more fragile and more vulnerable to punctures. Mountain bikes, in contrast, have big tyres, strong brakes and often feel safer to ride."
If given the choice between riding the heavy or light bike, Dr Groves says he would choose the former.
"I get there just as quickly, and it is more comfortable, better value, and has more character," he confesses.
Sir Chris Hoy would undoubtedly take issue with his choice, but Dr Groves has a theory.
"Evidence-based medicine shows us that brand new medication is often not much different from generic medicine - but we are tempted by the fact it's new, so it must be better.
"The same is true of bicycles," he says.
Dr Groves isn't entirely downcast though.
"Cycling for me is a great hobby. It gets me out in the fresh air, keeps me healthy, is carbon neutral and, provided I don't buy any more bikes, is a cost effective way to travel."

It's kind of like adoption

Have you had a look at the ride to work scheme? They come under all sorts of different names, cycle plus and ride to work being just two of them. The way it works is that your work place buys a bike for you through one of the suppliers. You can also buy clothing or safety equipment. Some of the schemes have a maximum amount of £1000 others its up to you. You then pay it back over twelve months interest free and minus your tax and national insurance. For the higher rate tax payer that means you are paying less than half price for everything! Any company can do it, even if it is your, as long as you pay yourself a salary...So it's kind of like adoption, most of the fun, half the cost and half the pain. Give it a go you have nothing to lose.

This is my one, a talon 2 from Moreton Cycles, picked it up on Thursday for just £375 instead of £750 along with £250 worth of kit for £125 What a bargain!

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/talon.2/7877/45530/



Features

Key Upgrades (from Talon 3):
- RockShox Dart 2 TK, 100mm travel fork
- Shimano Deore 27 speed shifters and SLX rear derailleur
- Shimano Alivio Octalink chainset
- Giant Connect handlebar, stem and seat post
- Sizes: S (16”), M (18”), L (20”), XL (21”)
- Colour: White/Blue/Black



What is the difference between bikes and kids?

I once told my son he made it easy for me to pick my favourite child, now before you tell me what a bad Dad I am, I didn't tell him which end of the scale he was at. He told me I wasn't allowed to do that, I had to love them all the same, and he's right I do and ... I do. Bikes are different. They know that you love them, they know that you love them different though. It depends what you are doing, how well you are doing it and what your favourite cycling sport is. Take the winter hack, we love them a little less than our new carbon even though they were our first arrival. It's a funny thing emotion and out of our control. So don't worry if you miss your bike as much as you miss the kids when you go away it really is natural.

 Just don't tell your partner you have worked out your emotions thanks to my blog, I am not qualified to give this sort of advice

In the picture is my new arrival, the Giant trinity.It's been here a while now but it has been too cold to do the usual male thing with a new arrival. Strip them naked and hold them up to take a picture you can embarrass them with at their 18th birthday party. Well, I'm happy to do that with a child but not with Trinity, (what a name, just like the lady in Matrix, I have my own Trinity - wow). She has stayed in until it was warm enough for me to clean her up and put her together. So, she's now ready, just need the ice to go and more importantly the salt. Still its all set up ready to be unleashed, just need the weather. Meanwhile it is back to the VR turbo, indoor 20 mile ride and some track today. Luxury.

Just one other thought, for those of you who don't think the bikes come from somewhere special take a look at the family resemblance between trinity and my first born 'defy' and tell me they arn't from the same genetic strain.

Cold Case Detectives

I'm told there is a series on TV based on real life 'cold case detectives'. This is a relatively new field of crime detection made possible by advances in DNA technology and a new detective process I will call 'go back and ask them again'. The way it works is like this. Detectives go back to the files and evidence for crimes like murder and rape and work their way through the evidence again. They go to speak to witnesses and ask them again 'do you know who did it'. People move on, relationships end and people fall out. They now take the opportunity to get revenge  on their former loves and tell the police who dunnit. There is a danger here of course. People who are jealous, angry or spurned take the opportunity to name someone who didn't do it just for kicks. So how many people are in gaol having been wrongly accused. Well hopefully none. This is where the DNA kicks in. Having been given a new suspect the police use new DNA technology to link the suspect to the crime. If they can't or the offender doesn't confess all then the crime remains unsolved.
It is an expensive and time consuming method of investigating crime which is why it is reserved for the most serious of offences- murder, rape, torture. The police don't tend to investigate ten year old burglaries. Nor, if I went to tell them about the 18 year old girl that broke my heart 29 years ago smoking cannabis, would they track her down and bust her. Of course not, we wouldn't want our police spending our money like this, it just isn't worth it.
It's different if you are a member of the food and drug administration. You are happy to spend Americans dollars investigating crimes that took place (allegedly) in Europe. I am of course back on the subject of Lance Armstrong. The most tested man on the planet has always come back negative. Technology hasn't changed that much and all they have is Floyd Landis's confession that he used them so Lance must have. Hey - listen- people in my office may have used drugs but I haven't. Is Floyd another jealous, angry individual feeling more of that gravy should have spilled of Lance's plate onto his. There was no evidence then and is there any reason to look for it now. No.. there are better things to spend money on than someone who showed everyone what people are physically capable of. Is it so hard to believe this could have been achieved without the help of illegal substances? Mankind regularly turns out individuals that amaze us all, Gandhi, Churchill, Lincoln, scientists, explorers and - of course - athletes, How many times was Schumacher world champion. Were they all on drugs? Not for a minute do I think so. Well carry on food and drink administration, keep tarnishing the reputation of the greatest athlete your country has ever produced and, perhaps, at the same time you could bring the Livestrong trust crashing down. Shame on you and, my message, let it go; there is nothing to find. And America... stop letting them waste your dollars... It could be they are just enjoying the opportunity to do a tour of Europe at your expense.

Sydney body art Ride -We have to do this in the UK

I came across this site while whittling away the non-cycling hours. Started by Freddy Mercury some decades ago, naked or semi-naked cycling appears to be on the rise. The people in the picture have a small amount of cloth to cover their modesty then turn their bodies into works of art. Inspired by the Tate Art such as a dead cow I can now see how my body could be transformed into a thing of beauty with my wife's left over lipstick and mascara saving valuable pounds to invest in Wiggles on-line cycling shop. So-come on Britain, are we going to let the Aussies beat us. As I write this the Ashes could go either way, they are coming for us on the track and their road racers are held back only by the incredible Cav. So if you are up for it let's prove we can be the most repulsive naked cyclists in the world. E-mail me if you are up for it and I will organise it along with the disguises especially if we go for it in the cold.

Its Winter so it has to be OK



I was thinking about my thoughts on street lighting in yesterdays posting and it got me to thinking about the weather of course..For those of you who are waking from a one week drunken stupor or living abroad in Sunnier climates - I have noticed India, Singapore, Argentina and the USA on the blog- we in England are suffering from our earliest winter in living memory. Temperatures are falling-minus 10 tomorrow I am told and snow is shutting down many of our roads and airports. It amazes me that we just can't clear the stuff or we grind to a halt simply because of the wicked white stuff.

So what do we people whose lives revolve around the two wheeled machines do when riding is impossible? Well first of all respect to those of you out there still riding through the snow (are you sure you should be doing that?). I hope you are keeping upright and I hope you find a way to warm up quickly. There are other options though. First of all the indoor trainer - traditional rollers are fantastic if you love the stress brought about with the fear of flying forward as you come of the edge of the things. Then there is the turbo trainer. The ultimate version being the Tacx virtual reality I have talked about in previous blogs. It's social too you know. You can link over the Internet and even chat with someone in New York while riding through Germany. Or bring your mates round for an evening of track racing in the lounge, You may need to move the furniture into the garage though so the kids can watch TV. Then there are other activities, swimming is great for core strength,the gym for specific muscle development, think about squash, 5 a side football or Morris dancing, after all the competition for the most ridiculous clothing must be won by them or us.

Ultimately though, to beat those winter blues try to fit a few rides in outside, on holiday if you can, wrapped up nice and warm if you can't. Remember the timings will drop. Book your next race or sportive as a goal for early next year and ......do you know something....like the happy chappy in the picture...it's OK to put a few pounds on over the winter. It keeps the cold away and makes you very attractive to ....well possibly just yourself but who cares. Stay safe and be sensible.

Bumping about in the Dark

Now winter is upon us and our day goes dark around 5pm, the subject of daylight and safety are often found in the same sentences uttered by cyclists. Let me start by asking a question. When you get home and it goes dark do you turn off all the lights? If you answered no think again. At some point you must go to bed. Most of us at this point turn off our lights, unless we are a bit scared of the dark. Now my next question- have you ever got up in the middle of the night to go the toilet or get a drink? Have you ever decided not to disturb every one so you leave the lights off? If so I would bet the mortgage (yours not mine) that you have stubbed a toe, walked into a wall or dropped something on the floor with a clatter that wakes every one anyway. Where am I going with this and what does it have to do with cycling? Here we go then. Many councils are thinking of switching street lights off to save money. Many cycling organisations are concerned about the safety of cyclists if this happened. Well, although I love cycling I have to say I think it will risk the safety of everyone.

So what to do.... My opinion..... stick with me again I am going somewhere... when you drive home in the dark at 5pm how many people do you see? 100's? If you drive home at 10pm how many people do you see and how many cars are on the road, down to about 25% of the 5pm rush? What about midnight, or 2am hardly anyone and here is a question, unless you are doing a 24 hour event who rides past midnight? I know some will particularly if you use it for work so feel free to tell me how committed you are or should be!

My point: councils need to save money,so, perhaps they should think about how they can reduce the risk over gain, my suggestion - switch the lights off at midnight and settle on saving half the money and let people get home safely especially with the ice and snow out there.... Take care and cover yourself with lights.

Cyclo Cross- What's that all about?

Now many years ago through the winter I was often asked to join in the cyclocross circuit. With mountain bikes some years away I always took the fun option of skiing, running or putting some weight back on rather than try to propel a road bike with fat tyres round a dirt track..  Now a mountain bike, a machine built for going off road, through mud and no need to step off in the difficult bits, that's worth going off road on. Apparently though Cyclocross is making a come back...more and more people are giving it a go.
A quick summary of what it is for those of you clever enough to avoid it. It's a type of cycling that involves getting on and off your bike and riding a circuit that is a mixture of mud and pavement. The races are short and over quickly' before anyone sees you perhaps. So if you love wallowing in mud, struggling to remove the filth from every tiny part of your bike and perhaps even the joy of walking around in rubber boots before the event, cyclocross is for you. Personally I think people just watched Lance go off road and across the field and think that was cyclocross.  Sorry it isn't he was just showing off to boost the ratings and he mountain bikes through the winter so I suggest you find another hobby for the winter, unless of course I'm wrong... in which case I would love to hear why.

Well Done Wiggle - A straight forward Delivery

The trinity arrived safely on Thursday night. I waited all day for her putting off a trip to London to show what a good Dad I could be. That of course left me stuck in a traffic jam at 9pm for two hours but worth it. And what a delivery. A huge box arrived with Wiggle and a picture of a bike on it. The delivery guy, stating the bleeding obvious, saying 'got a new bike then?' Putting aside the many things I wanted to say, I asked him to help me through to the garage with the box. I have to say, this was the first time I have gone for an alternative delivery. As mentioned in my previous blog the price was too good to pass up on. I have always loved the experience of picking bikes up from the shop. This though, so far, was as smooth as it comes. I opened one end of the box, slid the bike out and there it is as you see in the picture. Handlebars folded flat and lots of wrappers to clear off.  So.... my task this week cut the packaging off, and fit the bits and pieces. A quick confession... like many cyclists I'm not a fan of getting the spanners out so I'm hoping it goes well. Mind you....looking at the forecast it could be a while before I get out on it.  So the plan is a scientific test on time trial bikes, with a sample base of two (yes it will be you Ade).... we will time ourselves on normal bikes then time ourselves on the time trial bikes. Stand by for the results, we wonder if TT bikes are a conspiracy between the professional cyclist and the bike manufacturers to persuade us to part with our dough but stand by for the most in depth cycling study Wirral Mamils have ever completed[yes i will be the first]. So brandy and cigars on hold..I'm of to the VR world, avoiding the ice and cold, for a twenty mile ride through the Alps, Life doesn't get any better.

Waiting for a new arrival

Have you looked at the bargains available in your bike shops or on the Internet at the moment? It's clearance time. The 2011 models are out and the 2010 stock is now useless and no fun to ride. Or is it? I have always wanted to try a time trial bike. In my racing days I had the pleasure of watching Greg Lemond snatch victory in the Tour D'France with tri bars borrowed from the triathlon world. We all clamoured to buy some of the clip on pieces and expected to drop minutes from our times in the race of truth. In fact we weren't disappointed. In an age before carbon, deep wheel rims and clip on rear discs we were starved of technology and innovation. Tri bars were the cycling worlds equivalent of landing on the moon. Next came clipless pedals and we all had a re-think about titanium. People began to think about how to get more speed from their bikes. Anyway after an absence of some fifteen years I can't believe the difference in the technology of bikes. It is like part exchanging a mark two cortina for the latest 5 series. Incomparable. Anyway back to my story, I have the road bikes I want and an upgraded mountain bike arrives next week. I had something of a lust for a time trial bike. Looking on the Wiggle site they had the giant trinity 0 for £899 the list price is £1400. So a swift saving of £500. To good to pass up on. But wait a minute.... what about the 2011 model .. what new wonders could I get for full price? Well the blue, white and black colours have been swapped around on the frame and saddle and the wheels have white logos not the blue found on the old rims. Other than that everything is virtually the same except the price. It is now £1500. So I reckon I am saving £600. What can I say? I am plotting the ten mile time trial courses to see how much time they really save and of course for those who have read my previous blogs the cigars and brandy will be out to celebrate the new arrival. I will wait for your congratulations during the wetting of her head. Love her already and will spend the day on the door step waiting for the Post office stork...... More after the first ride.

Who has been reading my blog?

Having asked the question everyone wanted to know the answer to ' What is happening to Contodor' the World Anti-doping organisation have rushed forward to answer me. They refute Contador's claim that he was contaminated by clenbuterol saying that minute traces are only found in 1 in 300,000 cattle when rogue farmers inject them to accelerate growth. Apparently this makes his claim impossible! But wait a minute could it have been the 300,000th cow? If so Contodor is innocent, should I change my blog? No not at the moment, the WADO tested the meat at the butchers that supplied the steak and found it was negative - sorry Alberto I think you did it!!!

What do we think about the cyclist being awarded £280,000 for crushed legs, multiple fractures and a life on crutches? I don't think many people would turn down that amount of money but think for a moment. Unable to work is bad enough but what if your triathlon career was cut short and you could never compete again. Would you take the money? Would you live with the pain? I wouldn't, it's hardly enough to buy a house never mind compensate for the loss of an activity you love. The cyclists solicitors Russel Jones and Walker appear quite proud of the out of court settlement - personally I don't think it came close to compensating an athlete for their loss.

Ride with the Schleck's

Did you know the Schleck brothers are available to guide you through the countryside of Luxembourg?  I didn't until tonight. I went for a spin through the French Alps before, wanting a bit more time in the saddle, I picked training with the Schlecks from my tacx menu and set off through the countryside with them. Don't expect any tips from them though, any insights to put you up at the front of the pack. All I saw was their backsides for the whole journey. Perhaps I shouldn't have asked if he had his chain retainer fitted because in my words 'this was going to get tough'. No sense of humour the Teutonic types. He should remember my previous blog in which I raised the issue of his win in France. Perhaps I am getting too immersed in this virtual world - its time for an outdoor run soon..

Naked sexy Italian lady

Now far be it from me to gather the masses around my blog with the promise of young Mediterranean ladies when the reality is far sexier. Let me explain.. The work of art pictured above is Adrian's new, slimmer and curvaceous lady in his life. Notice the way the make up flows around the frame with the airbrush skill of Hollywood's finest make up artists. It is like an eye Shadow lady GaGa would die for and flaunt around the globe harassed by the paparazzi.
So having thrown his leg over this slim Italian babe what happens to Ade? Well we don't know yet but I am going to make a prediction based on two pieces of evidence. The first is there for all to see, notice the white pedals attached to the bike designed to merge with the artists covering of the frame. They are 'look' pedals. He does not consider this a make of pedal more a demand on your attention- 'you will stare as I go by'. Secondly, to caress the pedals, carbon shoes were essential. Having changed the traditional foot attire for featherweight moulded cycling essentials Ade has dropped his travelling weight by about the same as a steak dinner. This actually means he can have an extra steak dinner before he cycles. What a great idea, if he could still afford one.

What next. Well I predict he will build on this new image convincing himself he is 'more than mortal woman deserves', a Roman god, a deification on earth. Watch the brylcream slick the hair back. The sideburns start to point and the clothing get more expensive. Words like bambio, bellissimo and chow will drawl from his lips at every occasion when he is sure he will be overheard. My view - enjoy yourself ... if you find yourself as a piece of eye candy for something as beautiful as a Willier you need to raise your game or people will only think the bike is only with you for your your money. (Yes I know they are but we can fantasise can't we?) Keep spinning soon be summer!!!

Contador the legend?

I was wondering today as the rain blew in over the Irish sea and I contemplated a cold ride or a warm virtual reality one,  when will we find out what is to happen to Contador. Sure he has been discovered doping which he accepted with the grace of a five year old caught writing on the walls in crayon - 'It wasn't me' 'It must have been someone else'. It occurred to me that across the great pond another athlete is on trial because someone else has claimed that doping took place. Now I am no expert but I am entitled to an opinion. Here is my question - If Contodor is caught after winning just three (is it) Tour D'France's surely Lance Armstrong would have been caught during his seven wins plus other entries prior to his re-birth. Isn't it time we just accepted that Lance is probably the greatest athlete since, if not including, Hercules and enjoy the pleasure that was Armstrong taking seven tours. People always want a piece of the victor and yet we appear to take forever to deal with the real dopers. Let's not forget the epic battle that took place between him and Schleck and how this contaminated steak and a missing piece of carbon robbed the true champion of his glory in Paris. So...in my humble opinion well done to Schleck and back off the legend, long may he continue all that he does (Armstrong that is). Thank God for the track team,

The loss of a loved one.

"http://wirral-mamils.blogspot.com/"
Have you ever had the pleasure of picking up a brand new bike from the bike shop? It is something special. You are taken through to meet the new addition to the family all shiny and innocent. You don't want to subject it to any risk so it is a long time before it goes out in adverse weather, heaven forbid it could end up dirty. Then there is the showing off. You may invite a few select friends to join you in the maternity ward while discussing the oddest of names for the new arrival, Willier, Giant, Colnago, choose carefully we don't want any bullying because we choose the wrong name. What about our ambitions for them. will we let them plod through life, or do we want them to become the best in the world, with us alongside every step of the way. Yes the arrival of a new bike is a special occasion worthy of a cigar and brandy with friends. It is second only to the birth of a child if your wives or partners are reading this, we all know it's way above that if they aren't. Yes life will be good. We remember the special rides, our personal bests or a ride with a special friend just enjoying their company. It is all linked to the new bike.

Imagine then when one of societies parasites helps themselves to your pride and joy to sell for a few pounds. Statistically there is a good chance you will have your bike stolen at some point in your life. A friend of mine has just had three stolen from his garage, a t-mobile giant, an orange mountain bike, and a specialised fixed wheel that only went home with him a week ago. The police actually stopped one of the thieves riding away on it but couldn't prove it was stolen and had to let him go. When he was later arrested he refused to say where the bikes were. He is now mourning the loss of his loved ones. A bit of therapy helped in the form of a new Willier and thanks go to cycle surgery for their sympathetic pricing. Even so he is without he bike that gave him those memories and some irritating individuals are bragging about their new acquisitions. If we caught them I would love to ensure they never suffered any further genital pain when riding a bike, or help them down the horseshoe pass with the brakes disconnected.
In the meantime when you are riding your bike, is anyone following you? Do you look round before turning into the house, is it locked away in an alarmed room? Look after your precious ones, you can get a new addition to the family but you can't replace the ones that go missing

Eighty Mile per hour winds, torrential rain. How I found sun and blue skies.

 It was eighty mile per hour winds and driving rain over the Wirral today. Hardly my favourite cycling weather. Why then did I feel like Grandad from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at eight O'Clock this evening? Well, as I walked through the house in my cycling gear clutching a water bottle the children asked me where I was going. Just like Grandad from the movie I told them I was off to sunny France to climb Alp D'Huez in glorious Sunny weather without wind or rain. I walked into my wooden box- the back of my garage and mounted my trusty steed. A carbon fiber giant racing bike hooked up to a virtual reality Tracx trainer. The screen is six feet wide and the views stunning. I then proceeded to climb 10 miles in an hour with the hill as steep as 12%. Thank goodness I picked the carbon its much lighter than a steel bike for climbing. (It works in my virtual world). Here's where it starts to gets strange. (just now you ask) I set the effort to 50% of the required effort and the machine did the rest. So at half the real effort I am climbing the most famous mountain in the Tour De France while outside the gales rip the branches from the trees. I found myself gloating as I passed other cyclists in the movie even chuckling at one poor cyclist reduced to walking and immortalised in Tacxs video footage.

The point of it all? I got to exercise on a sunny day in France rather than a miserable day in Northern England. There's nothing wrong in hiding in a virtual world to escape from reality. I climbed the Alps, didn't pay any travel fees and shut myself away from the world while keeping myself fit.

Clear skies and sunshine on demand

Sorry not me