Being used to riding carbon I wasn’t sure about moving to what is generally considered a step backward to aluminium. However, whilst carbon has it’s merits, lower-end frame sets do not necessarily possess all the structural and behavioural features that a high-end carbon setup demonstrates. For this reason I was interested to explore the Cervelo S1, an aluminium frame with a winning history and phenomenal reputation for speed, made by Canadian bike designer and manufacturer, Cervelo.

Many of the favourable write-ups talk of the stiffness, aero-dynamic properties and sheer power offered by the frame. All very appealing qualities for my specific purpose. The brand philosophy also seemed to focus very much on a combination of ideas to create faster bikes. The brand has successful presence within major pro riding teams and quite frankly there’s something very desirable about the brand. I was bought in and began hunting down a suitable used model.

I managed to find a great 2009 example in fantastic condition, so bought it and built it using the components from my Planet X. The results can be seen below.

I was keen to build it up ahead of the Barcelona Triathlon (October 2011), which I did. However, I didn’t have the opportunity to take the bike out for a full test ride ahead of the event, but instead needed to disassemble it, pack it and fly it to Spain then reassemble it, again. The first time I would ride it in anger would be during the race itself, so I made sure she was setup appropriately ahead of racking.

When it eventually came to the bike leg the first thing I noticed was the fit, the main reason for changing the setup in the first place. The bike felt immediately comfortable and the geometry and riding position suited to speed. I was surprised at how easily I was able to accelerate and maintain a fast pace right from the go. One of the unique features of the Barcelona Triathlon bike leg is that drafting is allowed, making for an interesting, if not slightly edgy race.

Riding through the field in search of suitably paced riders to work with was tricky. I was tagging onto the back of trains and finding the ride easy with plenty of speed to give. Leading out I would find myself riding ahead away from the train I had just joined. On lap 3 of 4 I found a group who I could work with. Taking turns to lead out we were able to maintain an average 40 kph on a course full of 90 and 180 turns. The straights were phenomenally fast and felt rock steady.

I was particularly impressed with the performance of the bike tracking around corners and more so on hills. One of the few sweeping gentle inclines on the course felt effortless as if an extra gear had been applied. The stiffness and sheer power transmission was felt on every pedal stroke, every bit of effort rewarded with more speed.

Final time on the 40 Km bike leg was 01:02:39, which by my standards is a PB by a long way and well up there with the elite field on the same race. I can’t recommend this frame set enough.

Looking forward to my next race.

I have for sale a Planet X Superlight Pro Carbon frame set with seat post, cranks and front mech. Selling to due recent purchase of time trial specific bike. This is a reluctant sale as this frame set has served me well. Ridden in the dry it has been well looked after and never crashed or dropped.

The sale includes:

• Planet X Superlight Pro Carbon frameset (size small)
• Planet X Superlight seat post
• planet X integrated headset
• Planet X seat clamp
• FSA Crankset
• FSA Bottom bracket
• Shimano 105 from mech
• Water bottle cage (lightweight Specialized alloy)

When I first read the news that Royal Mail bosses were actively encouraging their posties to use vans in a move to replace their trusty Pashley bikes, I was less than happy, but more saddened. It’ll be a sad day when the postal service are exclusively dependent on big red vans chucking out copious amounts of extra emission.

Bizarrely, a Cambridge delivery representative said, ”A briefing came into our possession saying that Royal Mail wanted to save money and that one of the ways they are thinking of doing so is to switch deliveries from bikes to vans.”

Now I realise some bikes have a hefty price tag on them, but do the traditional postie Pahley’s really cost anywhere near as much as a van. Hmmm. In any case, local authority figureheads were quite adamantly against the idea, due mainly to the obvious traffic problems that already exist in the City centre.

Read the source of this story at Bikeradar, Royal Mail ‘trying to replace posties’ bikes with vans’

The new On One website

Whilst visiting the On One website to find out more about the upcoming 456 Carbon frame-set, I was pleasantly surprised to find a striking and significantly improved website redesign at www.on-one.co.uk.

The first thing to notice was the new approach to the organisation of content, which on the old site was clunky and muddled making content difficult to find and often left valuable items hidden beneath layers of unrelated content. The new site on the other hand provides very clear signposting in the horizontal navigation, defining channels of content, bikes, frames, news, shop, contact us. There’s no mistaking where on the site you are reinforced by the breadcrumb trail at the top and bottom of the site which allows you to easily reverse back or jump to a previous point in your journey.

On the left is a highly organised category tree of products which then drill down in a very logical and usable way. Having clicked onto one of the main category items on the left, a secondary navigation list appears to guide you through the next available options.

The layout of products is much improved with higher quality images and a decent description of the item where appropriate. Pricing and “Buy” call to actions are very clear and the shopping basket is evident throughout the site in the top right. When looking at complete bikes, you’re also able to view the entire specification and further detail on individual components quickly and easily.

All subsidiary navigation items such as price policy, frame sizing, and refunds can be clearly found in the footer.

The design itself is fresh and airy with attractive graphics in the header and footer reflecting quite aptly the nature of business on the site. The Orange and grey work well as key colours whilst the content speaks for itself. All in all a really nice implementation of a site restructure and redesign.

On One’s sister company, Planet X, also appear to have undergone a similar treatment with the same principles applied. Have a look at www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk

Crossing the line at the Roding Valley Half Marathon

Almost an entire month after completing my first ever official half marathon event I’ve summoned the energy to write about the painful memories of the 2 hours and 9 minutes it took me to complete the Roding Valley Half Marathon.

The preparation for this event was fairly limited, a handful of weekend 10 km runs, numerous weekday lunchtime 6 km runs, and the one full distance “see if I can last the distance” run home a couple of weeks before the actual event. Thankfully I made the distance in both the practice and the real thing.

The day itself came around pretty quickly. I felt unprepared yet ready to just run. Conditions on the day were completely atrocious having rained for the entirety of the previous night and failing to subside. On arrival at the venue, The Ashton Playing Fields in Chingford, I was driving the last car allowed into the car park, which by this point was full apart from the water-logged section which was under a foot and a half of water. I managed to squeeze into a more sensible space thankfully.

Having already registered for the event all I needed to do was turn up at the starting line and wait for the starting gun. Despite this I was not alone and fortunate enough to have a running buddy, Sharon, to accompany me. Whilst Sharon went off to register I thought I’d take the time to prepare and visit the little boys room only to find a queue of approximately 60 men winding its way around an entire changing room and through a corridor. Suffice to say with 8 minutes remaining to the off I casually walked to the back of the building and watered a tree instead.

Having prepared and reunited myself with running buddy we made our way to the starting point. Realising I hadn’t yet stretched I quickly and completely inadequately performed a series of lunges and stretch-like movements to convince myself I was ready. The gun fired and we were off in what could only be described as a shambolic display of disorganised chaos. One lap of the track and then the pack of 800 or so runners splintered into about 6 separate streams towards the exit and the rest of the course.

We were on our way. The rain was relentless, insisting on keeping us company throughout. Glad of my decision to wear a lightweight running waterproof I continues in the knowledge I would in theory be more comfortable than if I’d not worn it, as well as the GoreTex running shoes. Well, that was until half way through I realised I was soaked through to the skin, everywhere. The driving rain and wind on the exposed parts of the course were particularly interesting, or should I say painful.

The run took place on public pavements requiring us to cross the road from time to time. Whilst the course was fully marshaled (thanks marshalls – great job) we had to be mindful of the traffic which in some cases were not overly appreciative of the runners, some deciding we were not wet enough already, so took the initiative to quite deliberately drive at speed through large roadside puddles consequently sending a tsunami of muddy water over the unfortunate Lycra-clad victim. I believe the organisers are taking action to prosecute some of those car drivers.

I’m quite deliberately avoiding talk of the run itself because it was just a painful memory, especially past the 9 mile marker. Thighs, knees and ankles hurting, not to mention the onset of nipple rub. I recall at the 10 mile mark ramping up the pace to get myself motivated which was tough in those conditions. The pace lasted about 200 meters before realising what a mistake that had been. From there I just slowed further and the pain worsened. Struggling on the final mile in particular I was so glad to be on the final home straight, a long stretch of road on Snakes Lane from Woodford tube station. Whilst happy to be nearing the end I remember being conscious of attempting to attain a certain time, originally aiming for what I considered to be an ambitious 2 hours flat. At this point I had already exceeded that time and was aiming for under 2 hours 10 minutes. It was going to be close, very close. Mustering up every last atom of energy I possibly could, I approached the finish line with a burst of adrenalin induced energy, 3 seconds under the revised target time.

Retrieving my medal and goody bag I stopped running after 2 hours 9 minutes and 57 seconds. My knees buckled and I wasn’t far off collapsing. Whilst I kept thinking it was enjoyable experience in retrospect, I’m not yet convinced I’ll do another such event. I’m not particularly suited to distance running and feel much more comfortable with a mere 10 km.

A full marathon, forget about it.

If you can bear to watch it, here’s some video of the finishers in my time bracket, I’m right at the very end.

Two weeks and counting until the I “compete” in the Roding Valley Half Marathon. Nervous about never before having covered the full distance for this event (21km or 13 and a bit miles) I took it upon myself to give it a go in advance. My worst fear on the day is not being able to complete the distance, a similar feeling I’ve experienced in the past prior to participating in the 1,500 meter swim on my first olympic distance triathlon. On this occasion a visit to the local pool to kick out the 64 lengths required soon reignited the confidence in my abilities to achieve the task in hand.

Like the swim I felt it necessary to boost my confidence pre-event in an attempt to help me deal with the psychology of it all during the half marathon itself. Rather than constantly wondering during the event whether or not I’ll actually be able to complete it, I thought it best to dispel this so my mind can focus on a specific goal. So, all I needed to do was set a date and time to get the job done.

As it would happen, quite coincidentally, my cycle commute to work is approx 22 km, a little over the half marathon distance. The route starts at Loughton, Essex and finishes on Blackfriars Bridge. Perfect I thought, I’ll run home one evening. With the distance sorted I extended the “home run” invite to my running/commuting buddy, Steve. His reasons for accepting the challenging were identical to mine, so we were on. The date was set and we decided to go for it on Friday 12 Feb.

I didn’t think about it too much apart from the practicalities of what to wear to work and what I’d be carrying back. I wore my running shoes in and jettisoned what I could from my bag for the home journey, carrying only jeans, shirt and jumper, the only other addition was a 3 litre Camelbak bladder that I planned to use to fuel me up for the run.

End of the working day arrived and it was time to set off to meet Steve at the rendezvous point 3 km from work. I tanked up with water, got dressed, packed the back, acquired my GPS signal on the Garmin and off I went. The route we decided to take didn’t deviate at all from our normal cycle commute so all familiar ground.

Keen to get to the rendezvous point I realised I hadn’t stretched prior to setting off, so I took it fairly easy. Thankfully I was first to arrive so took the opportunity to stretch at that point. With the first three km in the bag, only 19 km to go, Steve arrived shortly after and we set off. Between us we had slightly different ideas of the pace we should adopt, Steve thinking 12 km/h whereas I was thinking more along the lines of 10.5, maybe 11 km/h. We agreed that as neither of us had covered the distance before we’d try for a slightly slower consistent pace throughout, as long as we could sustain it.

By the time 8 km had been covered we were both surprised at how quickly we appeared to have done it, still feeling completely comfortable. At this distance we certainly weren’t  anticipating any problems having been used to running 12km at weekends on a regular basis. We soon established a very consistent pace at which the legs were just working automatically.

Approaching the halfway mark on the Lee Bridge Road we both started to tighten up a little and began to feel the effects. Whilst I took the opportunity to water a tree, Steve stretched out a little easing the tightness that had come on especially since the temperature dropped. We continued and whilst chatting comfortably decided to set some landmarks for us to aim which we hoped would keep us motivated. The first big one was the North Circular junction about 4km away. Running through the busiest section in the Walthamstow area, we were weaving in and out of pedestrians and stopping and starting for the many traffic junctions in the area. Glad to pass the bustle we were that much closer to our first checkpoint.

Arriving at our first landmark we’d covered around 14km, more than either of us had run in a single session previously. I needed to stretch as the calves were feeling tight and the knees a little sore. Continuing, the next landmark was only another few kilometres away, Woodford Green. From here we knew there was one more major difficulty to overcome, a long 2.5km steady incline towards Buckhurst Hill. On the bike this was a quick section and despite the steady slope it wasn’t too slow whilst running either. However, I could really start to feel the joints when hopping up and down the kerbs to cross roads, it was all starting to hurt, but so far in a manageable way.

Reaching the top at Buckhurst Hill we were well on our way with only the home stretch to complete. We had another 2 or 3 km left to run before we arrived in Loughton and whilst Steve tried to keep to the grass verge to minimise the impact of the pavement, I had found my stride on the tarmac and continued there rather than feel the slight resistance of softer ground.

By the time we started our decline down the steep High Road through the forest we were very much feeling the pain, and to the casual observer no doubt looked like a pair of geriatric hobbling our way down the hill at a pace we attempted as much as possible to keep constant to avoid the variance and accompanying pain. By this point the knees were taking the brunt of the impact. We could also feel the cold much more now that we were in the sticks and despite the merino wool base layers, were feeling the cold sweat on our backs. My back was being constantly battered by the loosely fitted backpack which was slowly put persistently bouncing off the same part of my lower back for the entire journey. It was only now that I started to feel the tenderness it was causing.

By this time we were both constantly looking at our watches to gauge distance. Surely that was it? but no, metre by metre we closed it down each time thinking it couldn’t be much further. Arriving in the high street my watch beeped to indicate 21km completed so we decided to call it. The moment we stopped running and slowed to a walk I experienced a sensation I’d never before encountered, my legs suddenly felt weightless as if they were levitating with every step I walked. Very strange.

Relieved, we congratulated each other and despite the fairly slow time were happy we’d achieved the half marathon distance. Then we began making our excuses for the time, traffic lights, running after a full day’s work, carrying backpacks, etc. All good reason why we might not have gone faster, but in reality we were both pretty content and also confident we couldn’t have gone much faster even if we’d tried. I’m just glad we went off at the pace we did instead of the more ambitious speed suggested at the start.

Overall we managed to run 22.03km in a time of 2 hours 21 minutes, averaging a slower than expected 9.4 km/h. You can see the entire route play out with split stats for each kilometre at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/24519443

If this has helped me in any way, it’ll be in the knowledge that I have achieved the distance, something I won’t necessarily have to worry about whilst competing in the real thing in two weeks time. Hope fully I can focus on a pace that is constant whilst aiming for around the two hour mark. If I hit that I’ll be very happy indeed.

The London Triathlon

Having already entered this year’s London Triathlon I’m now used to receiving a fair few emails from IMG, organisers of the event, inviting me to sign up to some of their other events which I’m tempted to do and no doubt will at some point in the future. IMG’s latest communication however took be aback a little, this part in particular:

“… As someone who has entered the Olympic Distance we wanted to let you know about some exciting options available:

1. Olympic Plus
We have created a new distance at the London Triathlon. This year for the first time you will be able to take part in the Olympic Plus category. This distance is 1.5km swim, 80km bike (usually 40km), 10km run and you are guaranteed to be going to Westminster and back three times! It will start at 6:30am on Sunday morning and will be £40 on top of your existing entry to take part. Initially we have a limit of 150 places available, limited to those who have already entered the London Triathlon…”

Wow, they’ve created a new distance for the already very over-subscribed London event. More like, they’ve created a new way of screwing £40 out of 150 suckers. Now I’m not sure if this new distance is in any way official, but the reason I enter this event year after year is amongst other things to see if I can better my previous time to achieve a PB. I racked my brain to think of a single reason why I would want to part with another 40 quid so that I can be one of the privileged minority who can double the distance of an already testing bike leg. I couldn’t think of a single reason.

Of all the ways to generate a little extra revenue, this really starts to compromise the sport. The Olympic distance is already a well proportioned event, and at London even more so because it’s a fast, flat course. To then have to ride an additional 40 km would surely compromise the run leg in some way or another. The event becomes neither Olympic or half Ironman, it’s some random hybrid in the middle designed to cream that little extra off the top. At £1/km it’s also somewhat steep for an event you’ve already paid to participate in.

I’ve nothing against IMG increasing their revenue streams, but not at the cost of the sport. The London event in particular is already busting at the seems, please don’t make it worse. Unless of course you’re consciously designing ways to reduce the number of participants through ideas like this. As nan from the Catherine Tate Show would say, “…what a fucking liberty.”

I don’t know what you other participants think, but I’d be interested to know…

Roding Valley Half Marathon course map

The Roding Valley Half Marathon, my first “competitive” event of 2010 looms closer taking place on 28 February. I’ve never run further than 10km previously, and to this day still haven’t run past the 12.5km mark, so yet to know if I’m able to last the extra 9.5km that I’ve not run previously.

I do keep asking myself why? Why? Why am I doing this? A discipline which I’m least equipped to participate in yet entering distance events. Apart from the usual peer pressure, I honestly think it will go some way to improving fitness for the tri season ahead. A bit of early year stimulus can’t hurt, can it?

Whilst I’m reasonably confident I can complete the distance, I’m not sure my knees will feel the same level of elation as the rest of me having crossed the line. Currently, both require the added comfort and support of elasticised Tubigrip style knee supports, which whilst running feel OK, but without them the vulnerability kicks in.

On the occasion that the pain kicks in, it feels like the knee follows through so to speak and continues to bend against the joint. In fact that’s what may be happening. It happens most when I’m swimming and I realise that I’ve kicked too hard at the knee joint, a bad sign in itself because good technique suggests the leg should be straight from the thigh down to the ankle, I’ll have to work on that. It also happened when I’m running. Nonetheless, the thought of it alone makes me cringe. If anyone knows the technical name for that condition, let me know…

In any case, I’ll press on with the training. Aiming for a sub 2 hour time, which according to my calculations should be attainable if I manage a constant slow pace of around 10.5km/h. Training currently consists of a couple of lunchtime runs each at around 7.5km and averaging 12km/h and a longer weekend run where I’m looking to increase the distance each week until the event, current distance 12.5 km at a steady pace.

If anyone has any good tips for quickly building up to half marathon distance in 4-5 weeks, feel free to comment below and share the advice. Gawd knows I could do with it.

For now, happy training…

Blenheim Tri Sprint course map

Quite unexpectedly I recently signed myself up for this year’s Blenheim Triathlon. It wasn’t an event I was planning to participate in as I’d already signed up for the Windsor Triathlon olympic distance taking place the following weekend on 13 June, but I caved under the peer pressure not wanting to miss out on an event that all my mates were going to be talking about.

Now, I’m not entirely sure what this is going to do to the training regime as I certainly hadn’t planned on two triathlons on two consecutive weekends. The other guys are treating this as a “training” tri, which is fine for them as long as they realise what they’ve let themselves in for. I suppose the Blenheim is a sprint distance event, although I don’t for one minute think that because it’s a shorter event it should be regarded or treated with any less respect or importance as a longer distance event.

Saying that I believe that I am more suited to the standard distance (olympic) as I typically take a fair while to get into the swing of an event, normally taking half the swim distance to effectively warm up. By then I find my breathing is a little more under control (I can actually breath) and I’m thinking about the next leg, the cycle where I am more capable of making up some time.

One thing about Blenheim however is the bike route is quite technical in that it’s fairly undulating to say the least. My riding style is suited to terrain where I can gradually build up a steady and fast pace and maintain for as long as I can bare to, not too dissimilar to a big heavy steam train. I find Blenheim way too disruptive, too many ups and downs, although last years’ wet course didn’t help the cornering which was lethal, and interesting over cattle grids. Another reason I wasn’t intending to sign-up.

The London olympic distance I have to say is one I am very comfortable with. The course is flat and fast despite the strong head wind that tends to beat you down on the bike leg heading towards central London.

Windsor Triathlon on the other hand is making me a little nervous. It’s completely new to me and from what I understand is reasonably technical. Participating in the olympic distance, the swim sounds horrendous, having to fight against the current of the River Thames one way, but hopefully being pushed along a little the other way, I’m hoping. And the run is another of those “undulating” course. sounds pretty knackering to me.

Anyway, this year is a tri of tri’s for me. I’m kicking off with a half marathon towards the end of February, again an event or distance that is new to me. My training hasn’t even really started and I’m still carrying the joys of Christmas on my belly.

I’m thinking I better get cracking with both training and diet. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2010. More later.

The Bad Boy adorned with 3M reflective Scotchlite

To be honest I haven’t taken this subject as serious as I should have done in the past, thinking it was OK just to have a light on the front and one on the back. It then occured to me that I habitually wear black/dark clothes, and now I even ride a stealthy black commuting machine, my Cannondale Bad Boy 8. I’m not giving myself much chance here am I.

Lighting up in public

Since then I’ve been conscious about making myself seen on the roads. I’m now doubling up on lights, using two 3 LED lights at the back, one static, the other flashing. One has been replaced by a super bright Smart Superflash 1/2 watt light, which is incredibly bright and can apparently be seen up to a mile away. The Fizik saddle also has a small integrated light, which isn’t very effective at all but OK as a backup.

On the front I’ve now got two Smart LED lights, one has 3 LEDs the other 5. These are complimented by a Knog Beetle 2 LED light which is set to flashing mode. Conscious not to dazzle oncoming traffic, I dip the two brighter beams to avoid being ploughed down by dazed and dazzled drivers.

Another hi-viz addition includes the application of 3M reflective Scotchlite stickers (as seen in the picture above). This stuff is absolutely great as in the daylight it appears black and is invisible on my black framed bike. Once in the headlights of a car it lights up like a Christmas tree, bright and reflective. Even better is that it comes in the form of an A4 sheet which can be cut and shaped as required. It’s very easy to apply and stays put. Another stealth weapon for night riding.

The Rapha large Fixed Backpack with reflective detailing

Finally, I decided to treat myself to a new cycle specific rucksack that could comfortably accommodate a change of work clothes, shower gear and a laptop as well as a few bits and bobs for work. Another criteria was style, I wanted the bag to also look good as I travelled in on the tube. Several bags met the criteria but the one that stood out by far was the Rapha Fixed Backpack (Large). It’s completely waterproof, has plenty of compartments and is finished with a sleek and slim design. It’s also very expensive though.

This is a very well thought out bag with every feature considered to the highest degree. The reason I mention this particular piece of kit is that it features reflective pin-dots beautifully integrated into it’s design on the top, back and side panels as well as on the front of the harness straps. Beautiful!

Anyway, with all this added illumination and reflective material I’m hoping now to be seen a little sooner that I would normally if I wasn’t adorned in such brightness. I’ll let you know if I notice a difference. In the meantime it still amazes me that some people think they’ll be alright riding in the dark without lights and any kind of protection.

Be safe. Keep riding.

IslaBike CNOC 16

Following the success of my eldest son’s first bike, a LikeAbike Mountain Classic purchased for his second birthday, the time came to consider a successor as his size and skill approaching the age of four, meant he had graduated to the next stage, a real bike with pedals.

After a reasonable amount of research and having gathered a consensus of opinion on various forums I came to the conclusion the next steed my eldest would use to develop his skills and allow me to start riding with him in a more meaningful way would be an IslaBike CNOC 16.

I ordered the bike over the phone with the help of a friendly and helpful member of theIslaBike’s team who guided me through the options. I decided on upgrading the tyres to off-road knobbly’s and didn’t bother with stabilisers or the mudguards as it was unlikely I’d take my son riding in the rain. When the bike arrived a week later it was delivered in a suitably protected cardboard housing. All I needed to do to get the bike up and running was turn the stem and tighten a bolt, and attach the pedals.

You get what you pay for…

At £149 plus extras this is certainly not a cheap first bike. In the flesh though, the first thing that struck me about the bike was the quality of the components as well as the metallic paintwork. It felt like a miniaturised quality adult bike. The 9″ frame is constructed from 7005 T6 heat treated aluminium, complimented by lightweight cro-moly blade forks, Ahead aluminium stem, Tektro aluminium ‘V’ brakes, which incidentally are nice and powerful comparable to adult equivalent brakes, and 16″ Alloy wheels with Continental tyres. Nice specification (Full spec available here).

On the quality front, despite being a kids bike there are no short-cuts. All the rotating parts run very smoothly thanks to ball bearings most of which are sealed. The scaling and geometry is also very well considered, for example the brake lever reach is adjustable and built to fit the smaller hands of a 4+ year old. The same detailing on the pedals, saddle etc make it a comfortable and easy to use ride.

Build quality is superb, so much so that it can easily take my 90 kilos on the several occasions I’ve had a go. It feels solid and positive. The brakes stopped me surprisingly quickly, amazing brakes! No rattling or need to keep tightening nuts and bolts up, it’s solid and reliable.

Despite the plentiful aluminium and the claims of being lightweight I was actually a little surprised at how heavy it is for it’s size and spec, listed as “approx weight 7.7kgs (16.9 lbs)” that makes it around the same weight as my Planet X carbon road bike. Still on the light side I was expecting it to be lighter. Despite this, from picking up similarly sized bikes in my local bike shop, it is comparably lighter. I do however notice my son struggling to lift the front when walking up to and over a kerb for example, but then technique and strength do play a factor which I as an adult probably take for granted.

Having ridden a balance bike for two years, my son almost instantly was able to ride this bike unaided, a real proud dad moment. As a keen cyclist on and off-road I can’t recommend this bike enough.

Here are a load of pictures…

Taken on my Oregon Scientific ATC5K, handlebar mounted.

See video of the “Black Run” at Afan’s Whites Level trail.

Arriving a little later than planned due mainly to an unfortunate alarm malfunction, we decided to start off at the old Argoed trail centre starting off with the Penhydd trail, a 17 km Red graded trail (difficult) combining forest road climbs with tight, technical, switchback trails through mixed woodland, a great trail in the dry. We dusted it off in a reasonably swift 1 hour 26 minutes, video of this to follow.

Thankfully, the lack of mechanicals meant we made good time, enough to ride the 7 km picturesque pathway to the new trail centre in Glyncorrwg which hosts the Whites Level trail head. Whites Level is my favourite trail featuring a huge range of absolutely awesome man-made technical riding. Another 17 km, red grade trail featuring some very technical climbing, board walk, slabbed rocky descents, and a Black graded (severe) descent, the relatively new addition named the “Black Run”. I love it. The 7 hour round trip car journey was definitely worth it for the amazing 4 hours in the saddle!

The short video below shows the black run from a helmet camera mounted onto my handlebars. Forgive the shaky picture. Although it doesn’t do the Black Run justice it should give you an idea of it’s challenging technical riding. Hope you like it.

Taken on my Oregon Scientific ATC5K, handlebar mounted.

Look at video from “The Hidden Valley” at Afan’s Penhydd trail.

LIKEaBIKE Mountain Classic

When the time came to buy my eldest son his first bike – at the grand age of two – it wasn’t a decision I could take lightly. Well, his entire future as an Olympic track rider/Triathlete/or Tour de France legend could hinge on this very fundamental choice.

I needed to make sure that this first bike was usable right from the start and able to provide a platform for my littl’un to develop his riding skills, well his balance at least, and not be outgrown too quickly. I wanted the transition from this first bike to his next to be seamless, ideally avoiding the need for stabilisers on his second bike. Following a little research I decided on a LIKEaBIKE Mountain Classic. I bought it for his second birthday and it’s lasted him beyond two years, and he still likes to ride it from time to time despite his new steed which I upgraded to an IslaBike Cnoc 16 for his fourth birthday.

Being a keen cyclist in multiple disciplines I was naturally eager for my son to eventually come out and ride with me on a Sunday morning, whether in the forest on off-road bikes, or through the Essex countryside on road bikes. So to see him take to riding the LIKEaBIKE like a fish to water was a real joy not to mention a relief, and I could start imagining the reality of future bike outings.

Out of the box, the bike simply needs the handlebars to be fitted as well as the grips and seat cover, a ten minute job. Once on the bike the riding position is very natural and the new riders seem to know exactly what to do as soon as they get on and start pushing themselves along the ground with their feet, eventually building up a pretty good pace and momentum. Before long they’re zooming off and riding with feet in the air, balancing and controlling the bike as they ride. Great to watch.

Because there are no brakes, stopping is carried out using feet, which at first is a little disconcerting, but as they get used to slowing down and stopping, any worries quickly disappear.

When my eldest moved on to his second bike, the beauty was he didn’t need to use stabilisers at all, and despite not having used a pedal bike with brakes, he instinctively new what to do and began pedalling off unassisted straight away, as hoped. Quite impressive. Take a look at a quick video clip of my son riding his first pedal bike on the first day.

Build quality

The build quality is second to none as you’d imagine from German engineering. The wood is birch marine plywood, which is incredibly strong and won’t warp. The LIKEaBIKE is held together with high-grade steel, felt, textiles and rubber. To date the bike hasn’t required any mechanical servicing besides adjusting the height of the seat. The pneumatic tyres provide great ride comfort and added bumper like protection.

These bikes are not cheap, far from it infact, but the quality is unmatched. From my point of view, worth every penny. And now that my youngest son is showing an interest in riding, the LIKEaBIKE which is still in mint condition will be passed on to him so that he can start learning to ride.

Here are some close-up pictures of the LIKEaBIKE Mountain Classic…

Meet my off-road full suspension pride and joy, the Specialized Enduro SL Expert, 2007 model.

From reviews I’d read at the time it was clear the engineering and ride-ability of the bike wasn’t in question, having evolved from a trusted and proven design. On the looks front however, it was very much a Marmite experience, you either loved it, or hated it. When I first clapped eyes on one of these back in 2006 I fell in love with the lines and the burly yet light-footed appearance of this updated classic.

The first thing you notice about the bike is the Future Shock E150 fork, a dual crown affair typically seen on downhill rigs, or motorbikes. This was complimented by the AFR Shock at the rear. The second more unusual aspect was the origin of the suspension setups, each Specialized own brand designs for both front and back. Specialized invested in the expertise of Mike McAndrews, who served six years as head of R&D at SockShox, later moving on to Fox Racing then Maverick. His vision was to create a completely integrated system designed from the ground up.

The idea was to create a suspension ride that allowed a balanced and controlled experience for the rider, and in my opionion it all works very nicely thank you very much.

What surprises me most about this bike is it’s ability to climb. Despite the slack angles and long fork, once the E150 altitude adjustment (the black dial) is turned on the fork compresses 40mm to lower the front and change the geometry for easier climbing. The difference is noticeable and the result is a bike capable of fast, comfortable ascending.

The machine descends just as convincingly and confidently as it climbs. With 2.3 inch tyres and wide riser bars the feel is one of full control and positive feedback when descending trails at speed. The suspension carries out it’s duties effortlessly leaving you to focus on the steering.

I’ll be updating this post with a more indepth review over time. For now enjoy some of the close-up images of the Specialized Enduro SL Expert below.

Right blade of fork

I’ve owned my Planet X SL Pro Carbon road bike for two years now. Originally purchased directly from Planet X via the Halfords cycle to work scheme I can honestly say that I’m very happy with this purchase, one of my best bike buys to date.

Value and service?

In terms of value, it can’t really be knocked. There are (or at least were) several comparative deals on other brands which I considered at the time, including Focus, Wilier, Ribble, and Orbea bikes. I paid £999 for my Planet X back in the summer of 2007, at the time specified with Shimano 105 brakes and transmission, and a Full Speed Ahead chainset. Since then, the bike has been offered at different price points between £999 and £1,600 plus, in a variety of flavours including Ultegra, Dura Ace and and now SRAM Red. Every now and then I see it available for under the £1K mark with Ultegra, a great deal!

When I first bought it, I spec’d the bike over the phone during an in-depth conversation with the guys at Planet X, who incidentally are very helpful. Great service!

They asked what style of riding I do, the typical terrain I ride, my weight, body measurements etc. On that basis they built the appropriate bike for me (frame size (Small), crank lengths (170 mm), stem lengths (100 mm), number of front chainrings (2), etc). As a result the bike is perfectly fitted and rides beautifully. It’s geometry is not at all aggressive, so provides a comfortable ride experience without having to be to far over the front of the bike with your arse in the air.

The combination of geometry and materials makes for a positive ride experience allowing quick and powerful acceleration. The bike climbs well and is very stable under pedal.

How does it ride?

I’ve ridden it mostly on a range of undulating Essex and Hertfordshire country roads. It’s also gone multi-purpose and served as my weapon of choice in several triathlons, hence the aero bars in the image gallery below.

In no uncertain terms I’m extremely surprised at how comfortable it is. I’ve never experienced back ache after riding the bike, and have always felt it to be setup in a very natural position for riding, so comfortable on longer rides, perfect for sportive.

Thinking about when I first picked it up and took her out for a spin I was shocked at the power transfer to the rear wheel from the pedal, blistering. It felt really twitchy and I was genuinely scared when taking it for a full speed straight road blast. The speed pick-up was quick, great acceleration throughout and the responsiveness, tracking and feedback was incredible. Bear in mind back then I hadn’t ridden a road bike for 16 years and was only used to comparatively bouncy MTBs, so the difference was immense.

When I ride the bike now I love the precision of it as well as the highly engineered feel. I adore the clean, snappy gear changes, and having picked up speed I’m really liking the noise of the whirring wheels and efficiently sharp transmission.

Having upgraded my old SPD pedals to Ultegra SPD SLs I can feel even more positivity through the drive.

I love it to bits.

What does it look like?

Check out the images below. Click on the first image to view a gallery of larger images.

The frame set you see in the pictures below is now FOR SALE. Click here for details

Do you own/ride a carbon road bike, or want to ride one. What are your experiences? Let us know below…

Front side view

It’s been over a week now since I’ve had the pleasure of owning a Cannondale Bad Boy 8 in which time I’ve managed four in/out commutes to work, so 120 miles so far. I’d like to offer this brief short term review of the bike and follow it up with a longer term review, maybe in four months time once the bike has fully bedded in.

Compared to my previous commuter hack bike, a Kona Cinder Cone with skinny tyres, the Cannondale Bad Boy 8 was certainly a pleasant although not entirely unexpected change for the better.

First off the riding position is less slack than a traditional mountain bike yet a little more so than a road bike, so at first felt much more aggressive than I thought it would. I’m totally used to the new riding position now and find it very comfortable. The initial lack of any suspension made the Bad Boy feel a little twitchy at first, however it very quickly became evident just how stiff it is, all round. The power transfer to the rear wheel is phenomenal, allowing me to accelerate from traffic lights fast.

I still haven’t worked out how to remove the back wheel and disconnect the hub gear cable in case of rear p*. I’ll have to play with this a little. The front wheel is also a little awkward to remove as the front disk brake need to be partially removed to allow the unbolted wheel to slide off the Lefty spindle. This isn’t really a problem unless you need to regularly remove the wheel to transport the bike. In the case of punctures the wheel can stay on as is due to the lack of right fork blade.

The Shimano Alfine rear hub containing the gearing has worked without fail so far. It really does shift quickly, much more so than traditional gearing, almost instantaneously. The grinding and clanking noises coming from the hub are a little different and I think just need a little getting used to. From what I understand this eases off as the hub becomes ridden in. So far so good.

The only other comment I have at this point is about the handlebar grips, which look good but have already fallen apart. Despite being lock-on grips the grippy part is made from a tape, a little like tennis racket grip and has effectively come unravelled. I remedied this with a little glue, but we’ll see how long that lasts.

Finally, the tyres, Schwalbe Kojak Bad Boy Edition 622 x 28, are nice and fast with low rolling resistance. Awesome in the dry, OK in the wet, despite being completely slick. I’m still a little apprehensive about them in the wet.

I’ll follow up with a more detailed review at a later point. In the meantime here are a load of pictures of my Cannondale Bad Boy 8, 2009 model. Click the image for a larger version.

Do you ride a hub geared bike? If so I’d be interested in your thoughts on the pros and cons. Feedback below…