Entries tagged with “bike” from TRI-ing harder

In case you haven't noticed, fixed and single-speed bikes are definitely in vogue at the moment.  And there were hundreds on show at Cycle 2008, with almost every manufacturer featuring a couple of fixies and plenty of fixed-speed frames, wheels and conversion kits available for those wanting to move from the comfort zone of their multi-speed bikes. 

Not all of fixies looked as beautiful as the Rapha Condor Recycling team colours bike pictured here...

Fixed speed bikes - which do not have a freewheel hub on the rear - started life on the velodrome track, where neither coasting nor brakes are required, and where the extra weight of cassette, freewheel, brakes, cable and levers are all destined to slow down a rider.   On a fixed speed bike if the wheels are moving then so are your legs, and you brake by slowing your legs (no mean feat if you're going fast!).  They have since become very popular with urban cycle couriers where their speed and reduced maintenance costs are beneficial, and where the simplicity and 'coolness' of the bikes plays an even bigger part.A fixed-speed bike is about as basic as you can get - like a child's trike only faster.

Single-speed bikes on the other hand are a hybrid: a single gear (no cassette) on the rear, no derailleur and only a single chain wheel on the front, but a rear hub with a freewheel so you can coast along without your legs having to keep pace with the back wheel.

I'm very excited today because I am off to London to visit the 2008 bicycle show at Earl's Court. I'm hoping to see tons of exciting new bike kit, snaffle a few goodie bags, grab a bargain and maybe even see a celebrity or two. And I definitely plan to rub myself up against the glorious clothes at the Rapha stand!

Windsor triathlon on June 15th is an Olympic distance (1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km ride), which is longer than the sprints I've done before, so I'm a bit nervous. I've also been told it's quite hilly but I'm ignoring that for now!  It's important to me that I know I can complete the distance, even if it's slowly, and doing a couple of 'trial' sprint triathlons before my first one in Newbury a couple of years ago was definitely a confidence booster.

So I've been working up to the full distance over the past few weeks, in the hope that I can do a couple of trial Olympic distance bike/runs before the event, and I'm almost there.  I've increased my run distances significantly since September last year, and can now run about 12km before I completely fall apart. But I've really neglected my cycling and swimming. Swimming will have to wait for now, as today I did a brick session (bike and run), which this time I did as a 40km bike ride and a 5km run.  The run was a bit slower than I hoped (27m), but after a 40km ride I can forgive myself.   Brick sessions are great practice for the day because they teach your body how to cope with the bike/run transition, which I think is far and away the hardest part of the triathlon.  So I'm pleased I completed the whole lot in about 1.5 hours, and probably could have run a bit further ifI hadn't gotten bored.

Next time:full bike and run distance, then the lake at Cassington opens up in a few weeks so I can get back into the swimming practice!

I wrote last week about how drivers and cyclists should all try to get along better.  One of the points was that cyclists need to respect red lights, in the same way we expect drivers to. 

At a recent unofficial Chicago bike race, a cyclist was killed whilst riding through a red light.  The unfortunate driver who killed him now has to live their life knowing they've ended someone else's.  This is a real tragedy and what annoys me more than anything is the stupidity of one of the organisers, who seems to think that it's the drivers, society's, the government's, or the fault of anyone other than the cyclist or the organisers.
"To blame the victim for dying such a tragic death I think is an injustice. And I think it's an injustice that our culture is so embedded into auto use and the convenience of autos that we are willing to let our friends and loved ones be killed," said Wilson, West Town Bikes.

Don't be a prick. Wear a helmet and respect red lights.  Here's the full story

Edit: Apologies that I forgot to say that this story came to me via The Fredcast (sorry, Dave). If you aren't tuning in every week (or so), you're missing out on some of the best cycling news, reviews and commentary there is.  Go and try it now.

.., please, take my blke

My bike is loverly really, so don't take it or I'll set the cats on you.   It's a trek 1200 (2004 model).  I bought it only because the man in BikeZone managed to talk me up from my starting point ("I have about £400 to spend"), to his finish point ("Oooh, can you see how shiny it is?!").  I spent about £600 on it in the end (minus 15% Oxford University Discount).

This wasn't my first "proper" bike. My first proper bike was a Lemond Nevada City bike from the same shop.  That was also a lovely bike. My first road bike, nice frame, lovely and light, good looking, bent to hell when someone ran over me.  Yep. Some twit (censored for small ears) ran over me on my way back home. Luckily, Mr Twit was concerned enough by my "You stupid twit you nearly killed me and you buckled my 4 day old bike" to buy me a new bike. Hence the lovely Trek 1200.  Nice bike, stupid driver.  I was very lucky, but this is so often not the way.

Anyway, my bike (etc.):

• Trek 1200
• Botranger wheels, seat & post
• Shimano Tiagra kit everywhere
• 2 Bottle Cages (this is why I'm slow uphill!)
• Shimano clipless pedals
• Cateye cycle computer (with speed and cadence - whcih is nice)
  
• Garmin Etrex Vista C GPS device (broken)
• Polar S625X watch/HRM/bike speed

Not the lightest bit of kit. Nor the fastest. But for a budget (£600) bike it's bloody brilliant. Buy one, then give me £50 as a "thankyou".