A 10 year cycling love affair

Today I would like to take a moment to celebrate and reflect upon a special relationship in my life.

It's been exciting but also stable, there have been ups and downs in the physical and emotional senses, and at times I have been tempted by the attentions of others. But right here, right now, I want to say loud and proud: "I love my Ribble".

My Ribble Winter Training Frame wasn't even new when it came to me and had suffered from being a wallflower as the previous owner has rapidly moved on to a younger, sleeker model. But in 2007 it became mine just in time for the Blenheim Triathlon.

We've done all sorts together. We've been slow together, we've been fast together, and we've had others question our love for each other.

"Good speed on that bike, mate," yelled an overweight and clearly overpaid muppet on a £3,000 TT bike as I scorched by him at Blenheim two years ago.

The thing is, I have never wanted to replace my Ribble; not really. I know that as a triathlete I have never reached my potential That is not down to the fact I have an 11-year-old aluminium bike, it is down to the fact that I have never trained properly for an event.

This bike has never let me down, although I can't say that I have reciprocated that reliability and loyalty. Why would I waste money and resources when I can't commit my time to improving myself?

I've heard Ribble be a bit dismissed as a brand by fellow triathletes; a bargain brand only suitable for beginners, not serious triathletes.

I can tell you that such has been the positive experience I have had that I would not hesitate to buy another, however tempting the high-end brands may be to the fashion-conscious triathlete.

Top triathlon tips

No wetsuit in transition for me

I was asked for a few tips for a colleague who was about to do his first triathlon at Blenheim tomorrow so I thought I'd share wider for anyone who's interested. These are true for sprint triathlon and may need adjusting for others.

Get there early

The closer you can rack your bike to the ‘Bike Out’ out point of transition the better. This is because it is easier to run while not pushing a bike – especially in a busy transition.

Look for a transition landmark

It is incredibly easy to lose your bike.

Get your wetsuit comfy

Ruck it up around chest and thigh to give you maximum movement. When in the water, pull the neck out a bit to let a (very) small amount of water in.

Stay out of trouble in the swim 

Go to the far side or even the back unless you are likely to be leading. It's much easier to overtake a few folk than get hammered in the washing machine at the start. Look for a good sighting point as the buoys can be hard to spot.Tall trees are a godsend.

Take your wetsuit off immediately

Do it on the run to T1. It is much easier to get off when dripping wet and much easier to run without it on.

Get into your cycling quickly. 

It’s tempting to conserve energy but it’s only a sprint so go for it.

Ditch the water bottle

Don’t take a water bottle on the bike (or if you do, only put in 200ml or so). You won’t need it for a 35min cycle and you can get water on the run if desperate. Also you can laugh about the rich bankers who spend £4,000 on a bike and load it with 4 litres of water

‘Spin’ the last 1km of the bike. 

Go into a high gear and spin your legs quickly. This will get the muscles ready for the run.

High step for the first 30s of the run 

It helps get technique going when your legs are objecting after the bike.

Focus on breathing and rhythm 

Get that right in the first 1 or 2km and you'll be set. If you go too fast you’ll pay. Then smash the last 3km!

Above all - enjoy it. Triathlon is great.

My legs making my brain shut up

Anyone who is into cycling has heard of Jens Voigt. The legendary tough guy of Grand Tours who thrills fans with his breaks and his willingness to turn himself inside out in an effort to win a stage.

Probably his most famous quote is “Shut up legs” which is what he says to himself when his body tried to ease up in a race.

 

But when running I think I must be the anti-Jens Voigt because my legs aren’t the problem - it’s my stupid wimpy brain. Here’s a recent internal battle I had during an interval session on a treadmill.

--

Legs: Well this is going well. I feel like I’m flying. I might actually be faster than Quicksilver at this moment in time.
 

Brain: I need to look at the stopwatch.
 

Legs: Back off. You know it’s not over yet.

Brain: Need to. *checks stopwatch* Oh noes! There’s still 40 seconds left.

Legs: So what? We are Kool and the Gang right now.
 

Brain: Negatory. Ribs hurt - I think he’s getting a stitch
 

Ribs: He’s right. I defo hurt right now. So bad.
 

Legs: Brain’s fooling you Ribs. He’s trying to make you make me stop.

Brain: Ooo I am not. You take that back
 

Legs: Brain! Make Torso stand up straight!

Brain: *mumbles*
 

Ribs: Woah. That is loads better.
 

Brain: 20 seconds left. I can’t take it - I’m going to make Stomach throw up.
 

Legs: Do it then.
 

Stomach: Don’t bring me into this. I’m always on a light trigger anyway.
 

Brain: But there’s people watching. It’ll be embarrassing - you can’t really want me to throw up?
 

Legs: Look you fun-loving money-crusher. Throw up or shut up - we are doing this.

(nb: this was written before the watershed)
 

Brain: Aaargh. Arms have started to feel funny.
 

Arms: We don’t mind. It never lasts long.
 

Brain: I have spots in front of my eyes
 

Legs: No you don’t that’s a fly. We are doing this.
 

Brain: Woah. Only 5 seconds to go - may as well stop now.
 

Legs: I will come up there and kick you in the frontal lobe if you make Hands touch that dial.
 

Brain: I’m so thirsty.
 

Legs: *growls*
 

Brain: Wait a second. Wahey - we made it. I feel so alive
 

--- As the treadmill slows from 21 kph to 6kph, Nirvana’s Jesus Don’t Want Me For a Sunbeam comes on my headphones ---
 

Legs: See. Work hard, get your reward.
 

Brain: No way! You did not make that happen.
 

Legs. It’s Karma dude, it’s fucking Karma (nb: that sentence was written after 9pm)
 

Brain: I love you man.

Being a cycle commuter: my truth

For four years I was stuck in a car for just over two hours a day as I chugged backwards and forwards to Cheltenham to Oxford.

Freed of that commute in my new job in the swanky area of Summertown, I have been cycling to work from my home in Appleton for the last three weeks qnd it has been a joy.

It’s a round-trip of just under 16 miles, so great training for the triathlon and just general good fitness. I also arrive at work feeling wide awake and don’t have the same sluggish start I often experienced in my previous job.

But I was concerned before I started. Being a keen cyclist, I have seen some of the stuff on YouTube from various cycling commuters who post updates from their daily lives. I am thinking about Cyclegaz, CyclingMikey, Magnatom and a few others and their commute looked like a daily hell on wheels, a continual battle against motorists who course with murderous intent.

Their channels are full of close calls and road rage. It didn’t even begin to resemble my experience of being a cycle commuter four years ago when I worked at the Oxford Mail but, thought I, perhaps things have changed. Perhaps Clarkson and his foolish tirades had bought out a criminal anarchy among car drivers that wasn’t there in the noughties?

But no. My commute has thus far been pretty pleasant. There has been the odd car come closer than I would like and more than the odd silly cyclist taking no care over their own road skills but I have to say that overall my impression has been pretty good.

I have enjoyed the healthy rivalry with a few other speedy commuters who hate the thought of being bested by a bloke on a one-tonne steel mountain bike and many car drivers in Oxford are careful to give a cyclist enough room.

There’s a few who try the old left hook – overtake only to slam on the indicator and brake and cut across you but not too many so far.

The thing that has annoyed me most so far is the amount of cyclists willing to jump red lights. There are some red lights that beg to be ‘jumped’ and I understand that, but seeing cyclist hammer through pedestrian crossings at high speed or totter through a dangerous busy junction without a care for others makes my blood boil.

Red Light Jumpers (even those in lycra) nearly all have one thing in common – I can catch then within about 400m. My suggestion to them would be to get some muscles to cut that commute time rather than endanger other people on the road.

But back to my point. It seems social media is just good as the mainstream media about scaremongering – always best to find out something for yourself.