Category: Featured

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Cycling Christmas Presents 2013

Andy Scullion

Time then to fill your Christmas stocking with all things two-wheel themed and with Cyclo’s guide to Cycling Christmas Presents 2013 we think we’ve included something for everyone – even for those who think they already have everything…

 

Andy ScullionAndy Scullion Prints

 

Andy Scullion is a graphic designer who graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2009 with a degree in product design – he combines his passion for cycling (his current bike is a Specialized Allez, since you ask) with a talent for creating beautiful bike-related products. Amongst his numerous print works our favourite is simply entitled ‘Bikes’ and features over 100 miniature masterpieces of two-wheeled wonders. Handmade and available in a variety of sizes (A2, A3, A4) and with prices starting at around £13.50 there’s plenty for all budgets and there’s nothing that says ‘I love bikes’ like hanging some pictures around the house, right? You can contact Andy and view and purchase his work at etsy.com

 

 

Andy ScullionTour de France T-Shirt

 

Also on offer from Andy (we featured his Ts extensively during this year’s TdF) is this pretty stylish Tour de France non-technical T-Shirt. A great piece of graphic design that will either remind you of this year’s stunning event or set you up nicely in anticipation of the 2014 Grand Départ. Handmade to order and available in S, M, L, XL and XXL at £15 the TdF T-shirt is just one of a dozen designs, which also include a version of the ‘Bikes’ print featured above and several Brompton-based ones for lovers of the classic folding bike. Again, you can contact Andy and view and purchase his work at etsy.com

 

 

seventyfour degreesSignature Series T-Shirts

 

On the subject of both non-tech T-shirts and the Tour de France, Cyclo has also enjoyed the Signature Series Ts from 74°. Made using soft, comfortable 100% fairtrade organic heavyweight cotton jersey with seamless set-in rib knit collar and taped shoulder and neck for comfort, these Ts are available in a range of designs each featuring a classic TdF climb – Col du Galibier, Alpe d’Huez, Mont Ventoux, etc. – with a stylised representation and associated quote for each. Not only do they look and feel good, they have that slight ‘I know what I’m talking about’ quality that serious bike and Grand Tour aficionados will revel in.  Available in S, M, L, XL and XXL at £20, details and online purchase at seventyfourdegrees.com

 

 

swiss sideSwiss Side Carbon Cage & QR Skewers

 

Swiss Side only fired up back in 2011 but their mission to produce quality additions that compliment their growing wheel options whilst helping to minimise weight has already impressed. As founder Jean-Paul Ballard puts it: ‘Reducing weight is always important on a road bike as less weight ultimately means more power to the ground… We’ve chosen titanium and carbon fibre materials to achieve the lightest possible weight.’ Their ultra-light titanium & carbon fibre quick release skewers weigh in at just 43g, whilst their carbon bottle cage is just 26g – both well worth considering for the cyclist that really likes to tot up the overall weight.  £36.50 for the QR skewers and £28 for the cage – further details at swissside.com

 

 

TiddsTidds

 

Is this taking weight-saving too far? Maybe, but for carbon fetishists out there Tidds are dinky little silicone plugs that replace standard metal bottle cage bolts, shaving a reported 90% of the weight in the process. Coming in at just 0.5g for a pair (£3.99), you just lube them and push and twist to fit. Even if you don’t think the minimalist weight alone is worth it, they do clean up the line and look of te bike (choose from black, white or pink) and next time someone is boasting about their carbon creature you can nod wisely and say, ‘yes, but do you have Tidds?’ A nice stocking-filler for the cyclist that really, really does have everything (else). More at siliconetidds.com

 

 

Ultimate Bike SolutionUltimate Bike Solution

 

Okay, this is definitely not the sexiest Christmas present you could buy someone; so perhaps just treat yourself. We love anything that makes our life easier so the one-stop Ultimate Bike Solution really appealed – it’s basically an all-in-one oil/lube/protector/degreaser/cleaner. Wash down the bike after use, spray all over with Ultimate Bike Solution (being careful not to spray brake pads or discs) and you get a shiny bike that’s lubed and ready to go next time you are. Ultimate Bike Solution retails at £9.99 with further details at ultimatebikesolution.com and online purchase at scottoiler.com

 

 

Mountain HigherMountain Higher

 

Cyclo’s favourite book of the year is (probably) Domestique by Charly Wegelius but if your looking for a present to inspire the cyclist in your life – or get them to go on holiday without you – we would highly recommend Mountain Higher: Europe’s Extreme, Undiscovered and Unforgettable Cycle Climbs by Daniel Friebe and Pete Goding. Covering the continent’s lesser-known, but still challenging and spectacular mountain roads and passes, this is a sumptuous large-format book (no cycling jersey pocket potential unfortunately) that gives both lucid and narrative accounts of each detailed climb along with all the stats and stunning photographs to boot. Want more? The free QuercusEye app allows you to hover over a selection of the photos and have them augmented with video and additional detail. Published by Quercus and with an RRP of £25.00 – Available from, amongst others, Amazon.co.uk

 

 

Looking for more cycling books? See Cyclo’s guide to the Best Cycling Books 2013 here.

 

wheel writerFuze Wheel Writer

 

Excellent side-on visibility, arguably for kids (or the big kids in all of us), comes in the form of the Fuze Wheel Writer. It looks initially daunting when it comes to fitting the individual parts to the bike’s spokes, but is far easier than we first feared. Once in place and switched on the Wheel Writer’s ultra-bright LEDs can be set to display a range of images and animations as the wheel spins – aliens, skulls, flames, an old-fashioned ‘space invader’… There’s even an option to display the bike’s speed if you’re really looking to impress. It’s not the most robust or weather-proof piece of kit, but might just provide the fun needed to encourage reluctant children to take cycling safety into consideration. Helps make cycling fun too (but of course it already is…) RRP £19.99 and widely available online. Including from Argos.

 

 

egg helmetsEGG Helmet

Also for the younger cyclist and definitely the cutest product we’ve see this year is the EGG helmet. Suitable not only for cycle and skate but also snow and water sports, the EGG is an incredibly solid piece of kit that allows for almost infinite configuration and personalisation. Pick a helmet – small at 48-52cm or medium 52-56cm, add a ‘skin’ – anything from union jacks (or union flags for the pedants amongst you) to daredevil ‘Dante’ flames or Cath Kidston-style flowers then add 3D adornments such as horns, fruit stalks or mini-mohawks, which can be snapped onto the helmet even once on. With an ABS outer shell, a flexible EPP safety core, and an EVA comfort core the sandwich design offers maximum protection, whilst an integrated finger-press air pump adjusts everything for ultimate comfort. The basic EGG helmet costs £59.95 with skins and adornments ranging upwards of £7.95 – available from John Lewis.

 

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Featured Features

Best Cycling Books 2013

No arguing that’s it’s been another great year for cycling and an equally good one for books on the subject. With Cyclo’s Best Cycling Books 2013 guide  you can flesh out your Christmas list or get some inspiration for 2014. We’ve picked out our top 5 for your reading pleasure (and thrown in a couple of close contenders too), but if you think there’s something we’ve missed let us know at editor@cyclo.co.uk

 

 

domestiqueDomestique, The True Life Ups and Downs of a Tour Pro

 

A pro rider for more than a decade with some 14 Grand Tours to his credit, Charly Wegelius sets bare the true struggle of life on the circuit and demystifies much of cycling’s inner machinations but his book is also one of humbling simplicity in many ways and his modesty shines. In his opening chapter, ‘Prologue’ (Cav went for this ‘gag’ in At Speed too), Wegelius says: ‘What is it to be a great cycling champion, I will never know. What I can tell you is what it is to race bicycles for a living’. And if you want to know what it’s like to be the man who works day in, day out for the glory of others this lays it on the line.

 

Wegelius and co-author Tom Southam, once a pro himself, now known for his journalism in the sport, balance humour with brutal reality (‘forget the glamour, welcome to the shitty, true life ups and downs of a tour cyclist’) and the decision to avoid salacious gossip and exposé in favour of straight talk is to be applauded heartily. Easily our favourite cycling book of the year.

 

The True Life Ups and Downs of a Tour Pro, Ebury Press (ISBN-10: 0091950937) is currently out in hardback at £16.99 (Kindle £9.49) with the paperback edition due February 2014. Available from, amongst others, Amazon.co.uk

 

 

mountain_higherMountain Higher

 

Subtitled Europe’s Extreme, Undiscovered and Unforgettable Cycle Climbs, Mountain Higher is the sequel (of sorts) to Daniel Friebe and Pete Goding’s beautiful Mountain High: Europe’s 50 Greatest Cycle Climbs. Concentrating here on the continent’s lesser-known, but still challenging and spectacular mountain roads and passes this is a sumptuous large-format book (no cycling jersey pocket potential unfortunately) that gives both lucid and narrative accounts of each detailed climb along with all the stats and stunning photographs to boot.

 

The spread through Europe is good – even Belgium gets something of a surprise entry with the 111m climb over 2.2km of the Oude Kwaremont – and those of a techie nature will enjoy the free QuercusEye app which allows you to hover over a selection of the photos and have them augmented with video and other detail. Mountain Higher is certainly amongst our favourite coffee-table books of the year regardless if you are planning to use it for adventure prep or fantasy musings.

 

Mountain Higher: Europe’s Extreme, Undiscovered and Unforgettable Cycle Climbs (ISBN-10: 1780879121) by Daniel Friebe and Pete Goding is published by Quercus, RRP £25.00 – Available from, amongst others, Amazon.co.uk

 

 

tdf2013_book_largeTour de France 100th Race Anniversary Edition

 

Those sunny days of summer may be far behind but relive them (and a hundred more) in this beautifully produced commemorative book. Of course there are no end of volumes on various aspects of the Tour de France and numerous biographies of those you have ridden it to fill in the more personal (often painful) minutiae. But now, thanks to publishers Quercus, comes one as rich and beguiling as the race itself.

 

Covering the birth of the TdF before dedicating a page per race through the subsequent one hundred editions, it includes overviews that capture the agony and ecstasy along with brief stats, such as final standings, total distances, average winner speed and map, all of which helps contextualise things. More importantly it is also a stunningly illustrated visual history with more than 250 photographs and illustrations, many previously unpublished. As a written history, with substantial sidebars, this book is near perfect; as a collectable coffee table picture book it is unsurpassed.

 

Tour de France 100th Race Anniversary Edition is published by Quercus (ISBN-10: 1782064141) and worth every penny of the £30 cover price. Available from, amongst others, Amazon.co.uk

 

 

at_speedAt Speed

 

At Speed is, in essence, volume two of Mark Cavendish’s autobiography. Boy Racer was published back in 2010, but more than enough has happened to the ‘Manx Missile’ in the intervening years to justify another slice – multiple jerseys from all three Grand Tours, the Olympics, the World Road Race title… You get the idea.

 

Opening with a thrillingly recounted chapter on the World Championship road race in Copenhagen At Speed takes an occasionally non-linear journey through the other ups and (occasional) downs of Cav’s recent career across three teams in as many years. As befits a cyclist who places equal emphasis on mental as physical prowess – he’s an avid Sudoku solver – he never presents excuses for his failures, just highly analytical and insightful reasons. Although co-written by ghost Daniel Friebe, who, as co-author of Mountain Higher gets two of our top five slots for 2013, At Speed manages to retain a real ‘first hand’ feel through which Cav’s voice and ambitions are clearly heard.

 

At Speed (ISBN-10: 0091933404) by Mark Cavendish and Daniel Friebe is published by Ebury Press. RRP £20 hardback and £9.49 on Kindle. Available from, amongst others, Amazon.co.uk

 

 

racing_hardRacing Hard

 

Few cycling journalists have enjoyed a career as long and esteemed as that of William Fotheringham; since joining the Guardian in 1989 he has established himself as a writer respected not only by the lay-reader but by the Grand Tour participants – he is undoubtedly as ‘riders’ journalist’.  Racing Hard, published by Faber and Faber, brings together what might be considered the definitive collection of tales from the front line of pro-racing, which, taken together, becomes something of a meditation on the changing face of the sport over the last two decades.

 

The forward by David Millar not only sets out the regard with which Fotheringham is held, but encapsulates the span of his work; Millar writes: ‘William has put my career into words, from an ambitious teenager to a fallen world champion to a fervent anti-doping campaigner, team owner and father.’ Those that know and love Fotheringham’s work as a journalist or author (read the review of his book Merckx: Half Man, Half Bike here) will naturally gravitate towards Racing Hard; but hopefully it will also bring his words to those unfamiliar with his prolific output and earn him yet more dedicated followers. He’s worked long and hard for them…

 

Racing Hard (ISBN-10: 0571303625) is published by Faber and Faber, RRP £12.99 paperback and Kindle £4.79. Available from, amongst others, Amazon.co.uk

 

Also Rode:

They may not have made our Top Five, but treating yourself to one of our ‘Also Rode’ picks is more than recommended…

 

It’s All About the Bike: My Autobiography – Sean Yates

One of our greatest pro cyclists and also the mind behind the rise and rise of Team Sky; an extraordinary career and a book well deserving of your time. RRP £18.99 Kindle £9.49. Available from, amongst others, Amazon.co.uk

 

The Race Against Time – Edward Pickering

Analysis of the rivalry between living-legends Graeme Obree and Chris Boardman at a time which could be argued was the birth of modern British cycling dominance. RRP £16.99, Kindle £9.49. Available from, amongst others, Amazon.co.uk

 

On the Road Bike: The Search For a Nation’s Cycling Soul – Ned Boulting

Boulting, the author of How I Won The Yellow Jumper, takes an odd-ways glance at out nation’s often eccentric approach to cycling.  RRP £14.99, Kindle £8.54. Available from, amongst others, Amazon.co.uk

 

Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong – David Walsh

Certainly not the final word on the scandal that is Armstrong, but Walsh remains so inextricably linked to the sordid tale that his book brings a truly unique perspective.  RRP £8.99, Kindle £4.49. Available from, amongst others, Amazon.co.uk 

 

Read more Cyclo book reviews here

 

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Books Featured Reviews

At Speed

At Speed

At SpeedThere’s really no arguing with the fact that Mark Cavendish has achieved incredible things for a 28-year-old – so much that it more than justifies the publication of At Speed, a book that amounts to volume two of his autobiography. Boy Racer was published back in 2010 and, to be slightly reductive, whilst it dealt with the ‘getting there’, At Speed covers the ‘being there/staying there’.

 

Of course much has happened in the intervening years both personally (marriage, the birth of his daughter to whom he dedicates the book) and professionally – the small matter of a World Road Race title, the London Games, jerseys at all three Grand Tour events –and At Speed recounts what this period has meant to and for him. Cavendish opens with a thrillingly recounted ‘Prologue’ chapter on the World Championship road race in Copenhagen before taking an occasionally non-linear journey through the other ups and (occasional) downs of his recent career across three teams. As befits a cyclist who places equal emphasis on mental as physical prowess – he’s an avid Sudoku solver – he never presents excuses for his failures, just highly analytical and insightful reasons, this alone raises the book above many in the genre.

 

At Speed is co-written by Daniel Friebe, author of Eddy Merckx: The Cannibal and Mountain Higher (see Cyclo review here) but there is a real sense of Cav’s own voice throughout. His fastidious and sometimes foul-mouthed approach and take doesn’t feel tempered by Friebe, though this of course is the art of a good ghost-writer and having worked together on Boy Racer a symbiosis is inevitable. There is perhaps a lack of insight into some aspects of Cav’s personality which we would have expect to be explored further – particularly his bad-boy image, which was hinted at in the title of Boy Racer. But regardless At Speed is a credible and highly readable second instalment and with no sign of tailing off in performance there’s bound to be room for this in volume three…

 

At Speed (ISBN-10: 0091933404) by Mark Cavendish and Daniel Friebe is published by Ebury Press. RRP £20 hardback and £9.49 on Kindle – available from, amongst other paces, Amazon.co.uk

 

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Apparel Featured Reviews

Funkier Winter Thermal TPU Tights

Funkier Winter Thermal TPU Tights

Funkier Winter Thermal TPU TightsCome on people it’s time to get those legs under wraps, it’s no longer the weather to have those beet-red thighs on show. Cyclo certainly welcomed the arrival of the Funkier Winter Thermal TPU Tights and the opportunity to put this fine looking apparel through its paces…

 

First up some tech spec: the ‘TPU’ in the Funkier Winter Thermal TPU Tights refers to thermoplastic polyurethane which is effectively laminated on to other technical fabrics to produce a membrane that is both extremely breathable, yet 100% waterproof. The result is a fabric that has microscopic pores 1000 times smaller than a drop of water but, crucially 100 times bigger than a molecule of moisture vapour. That and – we suspect – some magic because the result is spectacularly good at its job.

 

Riding both road commute and mountain bike trail (sans-mudguards) through deep puddles and more than one torrential rainstorm the Funkiers performed admirably when it came to keeping us bone-dry; but more importantly there isn’t a feeling of being cocooned in thick tyre-rubber. The zoned panels put protection where it’s most needed and give way to greater flex where it’s not, so there’s almost a second-skin feeling to wearing them with no restriction of movement.

 

Thermal properties have impressed too. Having used them near zero – a two or three degree average – we’re more than confident that they’ll see us through some harsh winter sub temperature rides. The soft flock-like lining keeps things just toasty enough and adds greatly to the comfort and, because the TPU breathes so well, there was no sweaty build-up. The saddle pad is more than adequate without unnecessary bulk and the ergonomic design very comfortable even on longer rides.

 

Funkier Winter Thermal TPU Tights retail at £69.95 absolutely on the money for quality and whilst something like the Altura Night Vision Tights could be yours for around £20 less the Funkier option undoubtedly out-performs them for both thermal property and weather-proofing. In fact you would need to go a long way up the price points (into Castelli land) for anything near comparable.

 

Funkier Winter Thermal TPU Tights are available in sizes S to XXXL from, amongst others, globalbike.co.uk

 

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Featured Features

Mel Simmonds and the Halow250

Halow250

Mel SimmondsIn the first of a series of features on cyclists taking on challenges against the odds, Cyclo looks at the Halow250 and how one woman defied medical expectations to help raise essential funds for her charity.

 

On May 6, after 250miles of riding and 11000ft of climbing, Mel Simmonds was one of a team of 75 people who cycled into Guildford Rugby Club as part of the Halow250 charity ride. Now in its second year and organised by 2Boats Events the test of legs, lungs and spirits had raised an impressive £60k but for Mel the ride and challenge was even more personal.

 

In July 2010 Mel was on holiday with her boyfriend Jay on the Ionian island of Kefalonia when the steering on the quad bike they had hired locked. Both Mel and Jay were thrown from the bike and both suffered horrific injuries with Mel left with legs badly broken in several places. Back in the UK she spent six months in a wheelchair and underwent several operations – it was thought she would struggle to walk, let alone tackle anything more physically exerting. But determined not to let the accident control or define her she started work at Surrey charity the halow project, which supports young people with learning disabilities. Having been involved with several fundraising events at the charity she took the ultimate leap and entered the Halow250 ride…

 

But the first obstacle was bike selection; Mel’s network of friends came to her aid and with their help and some back up advice from George and Mark from the 2Boats team, she settled on the Cube Peloton Pro Triple 2013 road bike. Having got the bike, Mel set up her training plan that took place across what turned out to be a harsh winter, but this didn’t stop her. The ride organisers were again on hand to help with advice putting together a programme with Mel carefully building up her road mileage and helping her to gain in confidence on the busy roads of Surrey.

 

The event day saw halow patron Damon Hill launch the ride with the first stage of 75miles through Surrey, Hampshire and Sussex finishing at Portsmouth Dockyard with a welcome drinks reception on HMS Warrior. After an overnight ferry crossing to the Continent the weather was again perfect for day two; with good support and regular feed stations and lots of encouragement, Mel cycled the 110miles into Caen in good time for a meal and a celebratory drink having comfortably broken the land mark of 100miles in a day. It was then back on the overnight ferry for a good night’s sleep in preparation for the last leg of the ride back to Guildford. The final leg was 50miles up through the beautiful Sussex country, a more leisurely ride for all the cyclists to savour their achievements, with a mass ride into Guildford Rugby club and an emotional welcome home party.

 

Speaking about her experience Mel says: ‘The Halow250 event helped me enormously – I had no idea just how much it would mean. Physically, the on-going pain I suffer stopped when I began training and getting fitter ahead of the challenge. I felt great during the challenge and never felt fitter health wise. But more than that, my job and work with halow has helped me both physically and mentally to come to terms with what happened and overcome my injuries.’

 

‘I absolutely love my job with halow and find the work very rewarding,’ she continues, ‘My new found love of cycling would never have happened had it not been for my accident and working with halow. I can’t wait to ride again in the 2014 event in May and I am already trying to get friends and family to sign up and take part. It’s an inspiring ride through beautiful English and French country side with incredible people and is suitable for novice and more experienced riders… I suppose my accident taught me to never give up and live life to the full.’

 

On May 2-4, 2014, 2Boats will once again be organising the Halow250 to raise essential funding for the halow project – for details on how to get involved visit halow250.org.uk

 

Do you have an inspirational cycling story for Cyclo? Get in touch – email editor@cyclo.co.uk

 

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Featured News

Cyclo Seeks Investors

dunrun_1Cyclo Publishing Limited is currently seeing investment via crowdcube.com – the company behind Cyclo.co.uk (plus RunningMonkey.co.uk and a number of other sports-related titles) is looking to expand both content and functionality on its various websites and apps and to grow the range of titles. In development since 2009, Cyclo Publishing Limited, which uses a mixture of open source and bespoke development, has published a series of specialist digital magazine titles focused on niche, sports sectors – cycling, triathlon, running, rugby and more. Cyclo, was launched in September 2011.

 

Funding is required for marketing existing titles, to launch new titles, provide contract publishing services to existing publishers and for on-going working capital. For full details of investment opportunities see crowdcube.com or email editor@cyclo.co.uk

 

Cyclo – Two Wheels Good

 

 

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Featured Features

Riding the Pyrenees

Tim Friend

Tim FriendAs a relative newcomer to cycling Tim Friend decided not to do things by halves and took on 400 miles from Perpignan to Lourdes for his first serious ride; through the foothills of the Pyrenees and taking in Andora, he tackled several summits of Tour de France fame, including Tormelet, Aspin, and Aubisque and did it all on a decidedly old-fashioned bike. Cyclo spoke to him on his return to talk through the highs and lows of a ride in the mountains…

 

 

Cyclo: By your own admission you were not much of a cyclist before this challenge. What made you take it up?

 

Tim Friend: That’s right, I’ve been playing amateur rugby and enjoy a bit of running. Once a week, I’d cycling to work (20 miles round trip). I often romanticised about a cycling adventure and on holiday in Majorca, surrounded by children and sand castles, I looked enviously at the cyclists returning each day from the mountains. Their bikes and kit looked so cool and the challenge of mountains felt enticing. From the outside, it appeared so exclusive. I wanted to break in.

 

Cyclo: And you were raising funds for charity too?

 

Tim Friend: Yes, we’d just had a guest staying with us from an African slum, which literally brought home the reality of poverty. I used the opportunity to raise funds for a Malaria appeal by Christian Aid to help provide community workers in Sierra Leone to educate people in protecting their children from the disease.

 

Cyclo: You were with a team of other cyclists – was it competitive?

 

Tim Friend: There was an element of competition. We were a group of 14 cyclists and two drivers. From the start, we were sizing each other up, working out who we might stick with for the first couple of rides, who we’d let steam off on their own etc. We agreed that we’d race up the Tormelet on the penultimate day. Most of the guys had done it the previous year so knew what to expect. I was nervous, even abstaining from a glass of wine the night before! I did it in 1 hour 40 minutes, coming 8th, pleased but feeling I had much more in the tank. The final four kilometre markers had been destroyed by melting snow (which also took out some of the road) and the summit is not visible until the final corner. I’d love to do it again setting a faster pace, aiming to take off at least 10 minutes…

 

Cyclo: How did you train for such mountainous terrain? 

 

Tim Friend: My main concern was to dramatically increase my weekly mileage. Over eight weeks, I averaged 125 miles-per-week, not knowing if that was sufficient but aware it was all I could fit in around work and family. Sometimes, I’d head out for a two-hour circuit of the local climbs, though there’s nothing more than 1.5 miles long nearby, but some are pretty steep. I joined a welcoming club and cycled occasionally with a very able cyclist who taught me a couple of techniques – primarily to do with riding on the horns (to open the chest for breathing) and peddling more efficiently uphill.

 

Cyclo: Any cross-training or all on the bike?

 

Tim Friend: All on the bike for the eight weeks leading up to the trip, including plenty of stretching and 10 days rest before I hit the Pyrenees. I was relatively fit from running and rugby before I began focusing on the bike.

 

Cyclo: Your choice of bike was fairly unconventional – what was it and why did you choose it for this ride?

 

Tim Friend: I’d been given an ‘old-school’ Dawes Galaxy steel-framed touring bike a number of years ago by a retired cyclist. With some modern components and a re-spray, this solid machine from the 1970’s became my closest ally for two months. I’d intended to buy something more flash (not to mention lighter) but as the trip neared, I realised I couldn’t leave the old boy behind. His reliability in training had earned him a place in the team. I wanted to see if I could complete this challenge on a shoe-string, especially as I was raising money for charity. Added to that, I didn’t know if this trip would make or break my interest in the sport!

 

Cyclo: Any specialist kit or gear with/on the bike?

 

Tim Friend: I’m glad I swapped the tyres I’d been training on for some slicks. That helped me to keep up with the faster carbon bikes.

 

Cyclo: What was the most essential thing you took?

 

Tim Friend: When I started training, I wore baggy shorts and a rugby shirt. By the time I’d landed in France, I had a quality, lightweight gilet plus some basic arm-warmers (both items fantastic for the chilly descents and packed into a pocket) and some mid-range bib-shorts, which were comfortable and didn’t fill up like sails.

 

Cyclo: Anything you wish you’d ditched or not taken?

 

Tim Friend: Not really – I’d done my research and packed fairly minimally. However, on the first couple of rides, I took too much clothing and too much food. As my confidence grew (and as the weather seemed to be consistently dry and warm), I was able pack lighter for each day.

 

Cyclo: How about fuel? What were you eating to power your ride?

 

Tim Friend: Each night, I’d fuel up on whatever was going in the local restaurant, ordering pasta and emptying several complimentary bread baskets. Porridge for breakfasts. The best tip I picked out of a book on nutrition for endurance cycling was to break up an energy bar into small pieces, stuff them into a pocket and set an alarm for 15 minute alerts indicating when to have a piece. This worked perfectly for me. I didn’t waste energy digesting large quantities at once and didn’t get low on sugar.

 

Cyclo: Which was the toughest day?

 

tim_friend02Tim Friend: The first day – it was terrible! We set off through the foothills for the Pyrenees having no idea what the 50 miles ahead of us entailed (our French maps didn’t have gradients). The first hill turned out to be the longest climb of the entire week – 30 miles! After each turn, I thought ‘This has got to be the last corner’, but it just kept going. I didn’t sleep well that night worried that the mountains would be far worse. It wasn’t the case – each mountain climb was relatively short and sweet with rewarding views.

 

Cyclo: And your favourite moment?

 

Tim Friend: An omelette on top of l’Aubisque outside a cafe above the clouds of the Pyrenees. We had just cycled around ‘the cauldron’ before the final section of the climb, which was stunning. The omelette tasted better than any I’d ever had. And with Lourdes almost in sight, we were in buoyant mood.

 

Cyclo: What top tip would you give anyone taking on their first big cycling challenge?

 

Tim Friend: As a friend from Sherwood CC said to me, ‘Put all the hard work into the training so you can enjoy the adventure when you’re out there.’ (And don’t be sucked into thinking you have to buy all the expensive kit – it’s the pedalling that counts!)

 

Cyclo: Are you planning anything else to follow this up?

 

Tim Friend: Yes, hoping to return to the mountains next summer to cycle from Nice to Lyon, to include Alp d’Huez, with the same motley crew… Same bike though? I’m weighing that up. I’d like to build a bike from scratch to learn more about it and like the sound of a titanium frame. But that’s another chapter.

 

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Apparel Featured Reviews

No Nonsense Merino Base Layer

No Nonsense Merino Base Layer

No Nonsense Merino Base LayerMerino wool has been prized for its luxurious qualities for more than 1000 years; Cyclo’s no Simon Schama, but we’re almost certain this predates both the bicycle and man’s need for technical base layers. Sooner or later these things were going to converge though, and they do so beautifully in the No Nonsense Merion tops from 74 Degrees.

 

Made in New Zealand the cut and style of the No Nonsense is commendably simple, elegant and unadorned (no nonsense, you might say) with a black-on-black logo so discreet it’s like a mini-game trying to spot it. Using only 100% fine merino wool – ecological, sustainable and biodegradable – the 215gsm knit is heavier than many base layers that use the same material; whilst others skimp on the costly fabric, 74 Degrees indulge to create a layer that not only works well across a broader range of temperatures but should prove longer-lasting and retain shape far better. Because the wool is naturally antibacterial, keeping ‘bike stink’ in check and (relatively) strain resistant this is one piece of apparel that should serve you for many years.

 

Comfort is superb and if you think wool is itchy, think again. Merino is almost silky soft and although the side seams look slightly bulky they sit perfectly flat on the ride and apart from the noticeable temperature regulation (merino helps retain heat in the cold, but keeps you cool as things heat up) we hardly noticed we were wearing the No Nonsense.

 

Yes, there are cheaper base layers to be had – there are even cheaper, if lighter, merino bases out there (Altura and Endura both around the £40 mark for example) – but the 74 Degrees No Nonsense Merino Base Layer is demonstrably a superior beast. The men’s long-sleeve retails at £54.00, the women’s equivalent and men’s short-sleeve option at £49.00

 

For further details on the No Nonsense Merino Base Layer and other products from 74 Degrees see seventyfourdegrees.com