tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20546488122489931272024-02-02T10:22:47.953+00:00Manchester: area of outstanding natural cyclingA blog about cycling in Manchester, the North West of England and anywhere else in the worldAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.comBlogger257125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-36475633529690541142014-07-10T11:38:00.001+01:002014-07-10T11:38:32.952+01:00Hiatus. Hello Cycling in Liverpool<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Well, it's been a while but I'm now in a position to start banging on about bikes again. We've had le tour pass through the North of England, the Giro in Belfast and all sorts of other bits and bobs that I've missed blogging about.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Being based in Liverpool now means I have different roads to ride on and a wholly different situation to ride in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Incase you didn't know, the Mayor of this city - chap called Jo Anderson - is currently experimenting with abandoning bus lanes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The experiment - which has lasted a year I think - comes to an end later this month.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The tarffic seems to move around the city just fine but it obviously makes things more difficult for cyclists. Be interesting to see what happend from August.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Liverpool has recently started a hire bike scheme. According to a piece in the Echo yesterday, 3000 joureneys have taken place. The bikes look good but I have only once seen anybody riding them - two lasses at the Pier Head.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cycling has got a long long way to go in this city...</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-20665548709699086372014-02-18T15:37:00.001+00:002014-02-18T15:37:28.358+00:00Best Paris-Roubaix ever - 1998<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is superb</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-82273924740543616362014-02-06T10:39:00.000+00:002014-02-06T10:39:19.755+00:00In search of @MalcCowle<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s amazing where bikes can take you isn’t it? So there I
am sitting on the 07.40 boneshaker to Greenfield and being a cyclist proves
to be an icebreaker with a fellow rider sharing the bike dump compartment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The lovely chap, who I later find out is splendidly named
Ivor, tells me about his hand-built pride and joy. ‘Ah, a Harry Hall is it’ I
offer, smug in my encyclopaedic knowledge of Manchester frame builders, ‘No, no
it’s a macowwww.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hmmmm? Didn’t quite catch that but I went through a
pantomime of recognition as you do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fortunately my train buddy persevered: ‘He was a draftsman
and a trade union activist who became a bike builder. Lives in Dentdale these
days and has written a number of books. Malc Cowle.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4CHdpYpyudT8jm0ucvLFAnkX3j2dob-LQ5E9W0JGZAsERAduZjlPhBipNYVXG1Rs2XLXdCM3YAVWut8JOH3bxMaDGUzo575on6iHMAinT3Xt04PcMRq7FW_KLCpNon-44y8XGu2dAETi/s1600/Malc+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4CHdpYpyudT8jm0ucvLFAnkX3j2dob-LQ5E9W0JGZAsERAduZjlPhBipNYVXG1Rs2XLXdCM3YAVWut8JOH3bxMaDGUzo575on6iHMAinT3Xt04PcMRq7FW_KLCpNon-44y8XGu2dAETi/s1600/Malc+6.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Malc reading the Grauniad by the looks</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, that was enough for me really, I thought I have to track this guy
down and find out a bit more. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This blog has always been about shining lights
into the dimly-lit corners of cycling culture and this was a stone I felt
compelled to turn over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, the starting point was… well, the t’interweb obviously
and there he was, well, his twitter feed and <a href="http://www.malcsbooks.com/" target="_blank">website</a> which I urge you to check
out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ll drop him a line and ask him if he’ll answer a few
questions for the blog. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What follows is the result. Happy reading.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What was the first
bike you owned? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was given a loop framed woman’s bike when I was ten years
of age and when I passed my eleven plus my Dad’s sisters, who brought me up,
bought me a brand new Raleigh Trent Tourist. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When did you start
making bikes and when did you finish? You worked out of Withington is that
right? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I first started building made to measure bike frames in
1980. I was an engineering draughtsman by trade but I was blacklisted by the
Engineering Employer’s Federation. My wife was pregnant and I wasn’t prepared
for a life on the dole, so I started building frames. I built my first one in
an air-raid shelter in the backyard of our house at Levenshulme and then in a
workshop in Stockport. In late 1981 I opened Medlock Cycles on Upper brook
Street. That went bust as a result of the mass unemployment resulting from the
closure of Manchester’s manufacturing industries in the early Thatcher years.
Then I shared a workshop in Ancoats with a stove enameller and later opened
Campus Cycles in Fallowfield (1997) and took over Withington Cycles in 2003. I
stopped building frames shortly after. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you get out and
ride much these days? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I did until about three years ago. I’m hoping to get fit
again for my 70th birthday in July this year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What attracted you to
building bikes? Can you remember your first build? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Necessity is the mother of invention they say and I had to
re-invent myself as a result of my being prevented from working at the job I
was trained to do and loved to do. My first build was for myself, but then a
friend insisted I sold it to him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You must have seen
bike design change dramatically over the years (materials etc) what do you
think of today's bikes?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Basic design hasn’t changed in its essentials, ie the
rider’s position in relation to the bike frame, because the best ergonomic
position had been realised before the latest materials were developed.
Materials have changed dramatically, particularly in the use of carbon fibre. I
must admit I have never rode a carbon fibre frame for any length, but in most
cases they certainly look beautiful. Titanium and aluminium frames leave a lot
to be desired in my opinion. Generally speaking I see a lot of bikes to be
admired. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Are today's bikes a
bit souless or is that sentimental nonsense? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don’t think they are. The essential difference between a
bike and other modes of transport is that rider and bike become one, and the
thing that determines whether the bike has “soul” is the individual rider’s
relationship with his or her bike. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, as a rough
estimate, how many bikes have you welded together? Any particular bikes stand
out to you as memorable for whatever reason? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I haven’t welded any together. They were all brazed or
silversoldered. I don’t know how many I built, although I made many friends as
a result. The most memorable bike is the tandem I brought my son up on. I ended
up as a single parent when Tom was 22 months of age. He rode around in a child
seat at first but he went on the back of a tandem I built to celebrate his
fourth birthday and we had many adventures together on it, and cycled thousands
of miles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cycling has a
long-established link to socialism most notably through the clarion movement.
Any thoughts on the relationship of cycling and the left? And, has cycling lost
some of that link during its latest flowering of popularity? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think it’s brilliant that cycling is becoming more main
stream in Britain. It’s long overdue and we still have a long way to go before
we catch up with other countries. As for cycling’s connection with socialism I
think what it needs is for socialists to start cycling again! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aficionados often
cite Italian bikes as the most beautiful. Any thoughts on this? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was always impressed with Italian bikes, but I think
British frame builders could and can hold their own with anybody. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How many bikes do you
now own? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One and yes – it’s a Malc Cowle <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The greatest cyclist
of all time is? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I haven’t a clue. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What would your
cycling utopia look like? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A world where production was for human need, not human
greed, and people finally realised they worked to live, rather than lived for
work. In such a situation people would have plenty of time for leisure, to
cycle and to walk, and not be reliant on enclosed boxes on wheels to get them
from A to B as fast as possible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've not yet read
your biography but I will, is there any cycling related anecdote you have a
bursting urge to share? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes – but I’m going to have to think about it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you know of any
epic journeys the bikes you made went on?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One guy set out for Australia overland with two others.
Unfortunately all disappeared into a deep hole when cycling through an unlit
tunnel in Yugoslavia and all three wrecked their frames. Tom and myself cycled
from Manchester to London, camping on the way when he was four, and to the Isle
of Skye and back when he was six. We cycled round Ireland when he was ten and
from Cherbourg to Bilbao over the Pyrenees when he was 13. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One piece of cycling
related advice you inherited and one you'd like to pass on. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Always carry a roll of insulation tape with you as well as a
spare inner tube. If you have a puncture because of a split in your tyre, you
replace the inner tube, inflate it to the point where it rounds out, wrap the insulation
tape around that part of the inner tube where the split in the tyre is. Then,
when you inflate it to full pressure the tube can’t come through the split and
burst.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-61015298075105048462014-02-05T08:54:00.003+00:002014-02-05T08:54:54.849+00:00Gone Dutch<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've taken an unenforced break from the blog lately owing to the fact that it was in danger of becoming a blog about precipitation rather than cycling.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, as you know, the correct number of bicycles to own is n+1 where n is the current number owned. Following this ethos of the Velominati's <a href="http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/" target="_blank">rule 12</a>, allow me to introduce my new beautiful Dutch model.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilubAH6AWDdQGkWqgFmoQASpuNuX-aAtzD-giNZ9WMcxSa7FRtPmIWmMVzVUsuBNSkOZxKgvOkgQUppln1DeacW7TU2Ax9-X4jEJ_goAnJNP9qwtnt84LUXlaozyWJr99tbrgEV-2pbUUB/s1600/Hollandia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilubAH6AWDdQGkWqgFmoQASpuNuX-aAtzD-giNZ9WMcxSa7FRtPmIWmMVzVUsuBNSkOZxKgvOkgQUppln1DeacW7TU2Ax9-X4jEJ_goAnJNP9qwtnt84LUXlaozyWJr99tbrgEV-2pbUUB/s1600/Hollandia.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Saddle adjustment required</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-62321372678460162262014-01-14T11:32:00.000+00:002014-01-14T11:32:13.693+00:00Oxford Road works to start on Jan 20th<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Infrastructure works to make Oxford Road, Portland Street and Piccadilly Gardens more bus, and bike, friendly are due to start this month according to TfGM. Coupled with the work to put new tram lines along Cross Street, it looks like it'll be a busy, and tricky few months of riding around Manchester City Centre.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can read the press release <a href="http://www.tfgm.com/Corporate/media_centre/Pages/News.aspx?articleId=375" target="_blank">here</a> if you're so inclined or you can watch the video thingamabob below.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whether this is <i>the</i> change to cycling infrastructure Manchester needs, I suppose only time will tell but what is for sure is that it's the best the city is going to get for years to come.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/j7jTT3bjZJ0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Does it have the feel of something truly significant for cycling? Well, not really, its some segregated lanes and some coloured tarmac. Some lanes are routed behind bus stops, others not. And, of course, you have got to get to these facilities first of all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But, it's something and as a glass-half-full person, it is better than nowt. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">oven that these cycling improvements are being delivered as part of a bus improvement scheme tells its own story...</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-84571055406848969672014-01-11T12:00:00.001+00:002014-01-11T12:00:04.311+00:00What's the best way to dry your bike post-wash?<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Hang it on the washing line? </span></div><div><br><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwE3fdY2xQLYOQcgmRB1A61JRBBdAfC17JlNDQwfvKldA0O5hpyvW4_DuKFy5dJFt36AfBWMKiuCWRv5QhGE9NA5XuaMfBCeZ0VCkf6VxfZIho8PvuMT0f3TQC6WEVGdwAJIEuLhh2KVR/s640/blogger-image--1306742644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwE3fdY2xQLYOQcgmRB1A61JRBBdAfC17JlNDQwfvKldA0O5hpyvW4_DuKFy5dJFt36AfBWMKiuCWRv5QhGE9NA5XuaMfBCeZ0VCkf6VxfZIho8PvuMT0f3TQC6WEVGdwAJIEuLhh2KVR/s640/blogger-image--1306742644.jpg"></a></div><br><div><br></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-20194627365015978802014-01-09T14:03:00.002+00:002014-01-09T14:03:38.377+00:00Mudguard destruction <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This week was probably the worst possible week to destroy your mudguards on your bike. The incessant rain and huge puddles of standing water have left my bike - which was gleaming on Monday morning - looking like its been cyclocrossing for ten days.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I managed to completely destroy my Crud Roadracer mudguards by taking the outdoor cover off my bike - absurdly, the cover was stuck under the front one and as I pulled it up, a loud crack signaled the end of its useful life.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jJ-knNuQneOf89jPnn1dTFJvGGnv3JYgK1uUrgnORTa2vlRJRElG5ufcF1KM2IhXl_P9oWjWErx9xwagEXvhGCeW4xgnYSs4GPGjRPNOeaXtIwqW4Ws7a68dvzJ6OcRjFCnGw7V4Zy-n/s1600/rain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jJ-knNuQneOf89jPnn1dTFJvGGnv3JYgK1uUrgnORTa2vlRJRElG5ufcF1KM2IhXl_P9oWjWErx9xwagEXvhGCeW4xgnYSs4GPGjRPNOeaXtIwqW4Ws7a68dvzJ6OcRjFCnGw7V4Zy-n/s1600/rain.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That the rear one suffered a similar fate only moments later left me in a magnificent mood as I grappled around in the dark under sheets of rain.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, five soaking rides later, my replacement Crud Roadracer guards arrived today and have been fitted post haste as it's still lashing down in Uppermill.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These guards are the only choice for winter road bikes in my view - dead easy to fit, light and great coverage - what's not to like?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hey ho, things should get better now - well when my shoes dry out from Monday they will.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-42546813393996344232014-01-08T14:44:00.001+00:002014-01-08T14:44:48.318+00:00@VeloViewer : making Strava loads more interesting<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If, like me , you use the Strava to clock your miles and review how badly you're going but want a bit more info, then I can highly recommend the superb <a href="http://veloviewer.com/" target="_blank">VeloViewer </a>website.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've not delved fully into it yet but essentially it takes all the info that the bog standard version of Strava produces and collates it all in one place for your surgical dissection at a later date - good eh?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, yes, it is good, very good in fact.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxpQI_On9lsRc4PT1EZ1L5DIv6ub-9DlZBlbnRUsitUMXhYFfM10aImc_Fff4NsOT1LIuk67ILXHCT9xgd45Bg8HQXp6AQeVsOEcdUELHtkc_-tmB7_OMHZFg3MnKISnYzf1EsA-0H1lwj/s1600/Clipboard01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxpQI_On9lsRc4PT1EZ1L5DIv6ub-9DlZBlbnRUsitUMXhYFfM10aImc_Fff4NsOT1LIuk67ILXHCT9xgd45Bg8HQXp6AQeVsOEcdUELHtkc_-tmB7_OMHZFg3MnKISnYzf1EsA-0H1lwj/s1600/Clipboard01.jpg" height="296" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All you need for a quiet night in...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's more it is priced very keenly at £0 and 0p - but there is an option of making a donation so the guy who's put it all together and given you access to it out of the goodness of his heart, can buy a pint or whatever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once you've logged in with strava deets and uploaded your routes, a whole new world of data fixation awaits you - dive in and see what you can find!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-21105071257643518992014-01-06T13:41:00.003+00:002014-01-06T13:41:52.676+00:00New year, same rain<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's amazing how quickly your fitness evaporates when you don't do much riding isn't it? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having not ridden my bike since before Christmas - happy new year by the way dear reader - I was back on my trusty steed this morning fresh after a winter overhaul.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">New chain, cassette and wheels in place, it was great to be back on two wheels but far too hard for my liking!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLvI6HmRtOxfXqDyh9Vi6M3cFqChWJFIzVK9U3yE3KI_WWqelCriOHvMT7dfVge0fYai0vafYJBKPYBQJPSGpJa1l5yaxht5zH9Yuccr3GxVCanbtx43v_UX1yCha7bT8LCOgKi8I8alAm/s1600/cape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLvI6HmRtOxfXqDyh9Vi6M3cFqChWJFIzVK9U3yE3KI_WWqelCriOHvMT7dfVge0fYai0vafYJBKPYBQJPSGpJa1l5yaxht5zH9Yuccr3GxVCanbtx43v_UX1yCha7bT8LCOgKi8I8alAm/s1600/cape.jpg" height="320" width="314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Get cape, wear cape, ride</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's lashing down now too - welcome back to the world of cycling in the UK's north west in January...</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-23635553798711191362013-12-24T10:13:00.000+00:002013-12-24T10:13:21.968+00:00I were right about that saddle though<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Its the time of year to roll out the yellow pages ad from the early 80s and keep my fingers crossed for the unlikely gift of a new bike tomorrow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/RnJk6bkjgko?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-21073190141770582262013-12-23T13:25:00.006+00:002013-12-23T13:25:59.631+00:00How many miles cycled in the last year?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think I've ridden more miles this year than any other. My trusty Strava app tells me I've clocked over 3,500 miles which aint bad.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqI7xuZb11n6nY7VrrvFmnH1bvVrl42Js4kqYVtu4WgEwLNZjialQJMPhWcxdYEN23j6WzxK5d_LUKQ697abfePi-3FfOouyIiRKMsMjCYi2ebhPCsbBx35Y1rqBUC-PsU9qiFotHMslN/s1600/2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqI7xuZb11n6nY7VrrvFmnH1bvVrl42Js4kqYVtu4WgEwLNZjialQJMPhWcxdYEN23j6WzxK5d_LUKQ697abfePi-3FfOouyIiRKMsMjCYi2ebhPCsbBx35Y1rqBUC-PsU9qiFotHMslN/s400/2013.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I reckon I've done over 4,000 adding in all the little pootles to the shops and that. Happy days.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ride safe</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-90171310044094112342013-12-16T12:18:00.000+00:002013-12-16T12:18:02.237+00:00Hardknott pass descent...on front wheel only...backwards...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/HhabgvIIXik?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is really impressive and fun stuff. I think its Hardknott at 3mins 44 - but then the lake in the distance doesn't look quite right... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whatever, it is mental really. If I was from the America, I'd probably say 'Awsome' (aarrrr-somme) then whoop a bit...</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-47543671350111578312013-12-11T10:59:00.001+00:002013-12-11T10:59:42.110+00:00@gmcycling goes for membership growth in 2014<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The lovely people over at <a href="http://www.gmcc.org.uk/" target="_blank">Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign</a> have just issued the winter edition of its member's newsletter - your truly has even delivered a few - by bike of course.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As part of the ramping up of activity for next year, the campaign wants you - want's you to become a member that is.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And, being the generous souls, new members are being offered the first year's membership for nowt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The campaign exists to champion the cause of cyclists in Greater Manchester and act as an independent voice on matters effecting the two-wheeled brethren.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EH-KkUOlJPq7-TqsMjxq76FGq19ryB8vJjAxxr0hhJqc2lU0lH9set9qEPAc3PBLQBZsVujz-lLyCcL7TtQK00QeNE11SXhKbDcQK00YXXWwP8Bv2P0ibkNLZ9QA4OODfZjKXppCc78A/s1600/gmcc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="57" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EH-KkUOlJPq7-TqsMjxq76FGq19ryB8vJjAxxr0hhJqc2lU0lH9set9qEPAc3PBLQBZsVujz-lLyCcL7TtQK00QeNE11SXhKbDcQK00YXXWwP8Bv2P0ibkNLZ9QA4OODfZjKXppCc78A/s400/gmcc.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The more members GMCC has, the greater weight the voice carries - so if you care one jot about riding, infrastructure, safety, traffic etc in Greater Manchester, you should join.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It costs a tenner to be a member - the cost of a couple of inner tubes - so, what ya waiting for?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Click <a href="http://www.gmcc.org.uk/support-gmcc/join-gmcc/" target="_blank">here </a>for deets.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-16929770567806474822013-12-05T08:44:00.002+00:002013-12-05T08:44:24.601+00:00Posties on Pashleys<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you, like me, keep your eyes peeled for cycling related stuff going on around you, you'll have noticed some new additions to the streets of suburban Manchester in recent months.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">TNT, the Dutch based courier service, has rolled out a fleet - not sure how many you actually need to constitute a fleet but they have more than two so a fleet it is - of postal delivery bikes as they continue to undercut Royal Mail.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the first time - to my knowledge - that a company other than Royal Mail has delivered to the door in the UK - the 'final mile' as it's known.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You may recall that Royal Mail dropped its own bike fleet a few years ago which was very bad news for Brompton which was its exclusive supplier. I seem to recall than heath & safety was spuriously trotted out as the reason to ditch the bikes in favour of those idiotic red chariot things the posties push around these days.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyhoo, the TNT bikes are orange - as you would expect - <a href="http://www.pashley.co.uk/products/pronto.html" target="_blank">Pashley Pronto</a> cargo bikes and very nice they are too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHsMyxuefo6TwMRhedRmxyiuoJekkBUbO0-p_ppuP1OnRgb2qx9H91gDezKoUHlMhJ7d_lVY6qoxXeAs_uebj6hjGkXEMGTzrPIBQ5rduW2vInwpJfJ7PeKXrFXs7jCjlGWBdxx5EksV2/s1600/TNT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHsMyxuefo6TwMRhedRmxyiuoJekkBUbO0-p_ppuP1OnRgb2qx9H91gDezKoUHlMhJ7d_lVY6qoxXeAs_uebj6hjGkXEMGTzrPIBQ5rduW2vInwpJfJ7PeKXrFXs7jCjlGWBdxx5EksV2/s400/TNT.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is that a 7 or a 9?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If there is a more suitable vehicle for the delivery of those 'sorry it wouldn't fit through your letterbox' notices than the bicycle, then I'll eat one of the 300 punctured tubes I have knocking around.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Good to see.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-63485917786413180602013-11-22T12:12:00.001+00:002013-11-22T12:12:42.238+00:00The best cycling film ever is...<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ive just watched <i>A Sunday in Hell</i> again and it is superb.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The full film used to be on youtube but it's now been removed - there are a few tantalising bits there though like the opening credits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3ktTXjSqvJc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As well as being a great insight into the world of Merckx at the top of his powers, it reveals the pain and commitment required to take on the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I first saw this film about 30 years ago as a young whipper-snapper and certain images have stayed with me for all these years: Merckx, the cobbles and - as a premonition of my future riding capability - the broom wagon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you've never had a look at this then do so - it's well worth it.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-48713930155099442152013-11-21T12:37:00.000+00:002013-11-21T12:37:48.803+00:00Which are the best cycling books?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As is often my want, I'm starting with a caveat: I haven't read every single book on cycling so you can read this guide with a pinch of salt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have however, knocked off a good few of the books on cycling and have a hit list of others.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm not really a fan of the 'authorised biography' genre documenting the highs and dramatic lows of [insert name]'s career.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I always feel they're a bit self-serving and I just shy away from them. That said, I do have the Obree <i>Flying Scotsman</i> on my 'to read' list and thought Tyler Hamilton's <i>The Secret Race</i> was insightful enough to elevate it over the usual standards.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSydFvny3C3Ysf-XNfZBkthwRJ5pDRGTE9pnLfoVGTFWYbPnR2CSzyidG3xc30j78QJ5NcwFbKBJI6TqKfwj01OjIvIRgIoJ_H_woD9o1WsmjVE8qdx6iHfHd_ppje0w_T-dx5xni4dKh5/s1600/A-Dog-in-a-Hat-Book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSydFvny3C3Ysf-XNfZBkthwRJ5pDRGTE9pnLfoVGTFWYbPnR2CSzyidG3xc30j78QJ5NcwFbKBJI6TqKfwj01OjIvIRgIoJ_H_woD9o1WsmjVE8qdx6iHfHd_ppje0w_T-dx5xni4dKh5/s320/A-Dog-in-a-Hat-Book.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you can find a copy of Paul Kimmage's <i>Rough Ride</i>, it provides an excellent warts and all view from inside the Peleton in the 80s and 90s which, coincided when I first took an interest in the sport so is especially vivid.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Perhaps less well known is the rather bitter polemic from the likeable former Festina soigneur, Willy Voet <i>Breaking the Chain</i>. Although short - you can knock this off in an afternoon - it shares the first hand realism of Rough Ride and is stark and uncomfortable as a result.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course, three of these books are essentially about the recent doping era a category which is not complete without reading David Walsh's <i>From Lance to Landis</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I understand it this is pretty much the USADA case against Lance minus the testimony of peers. It all the stuff you've read about in the media: the back-dated scripts, make up over needle marks, shady meetings in car parks - all that stuff. If you've read this one don't bother with Walsh's <i>Seven Deadly Sins</i> as it's the same material.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>A Dog in a Hat</i> by former US pro Joe Parkin shares much of the same feelings as Kimmage's <i>Rough Ride</i> but has a much better title. Parkin comes across as a wholesome American kid struggling on in a blue collar Springsteen way. But its more than the cliche suggests. What really comes through is that the excitement and hope drawn from being part of a pro cycling team quickly evaporates into the drudgery of doing a job. A job which happens to involve riding a bike for much of the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rather than the doping culture, this is the really sad theme that comes through for my as my romantic notions are cut off at the knees. Well worth a read.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the opposite end of the scale is the <i>Death of Marco Pantani</i> by Matt Rendell. I whet my lips when i first picked a copy up in a second hand book shop in town for about 50p. However, trying to read it is as difficult as it would be for me to hold Pantani's wheel up Alpe d'Huez in his pomp. I just found it to be impenetrable and gave up after about four goes and 50 pages. I will try again one day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">William Fotheringham's biog of Merckx <i>Half Man Half Bike</i> is a very nice holiday type book with loads of great stories. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Other than assorted histories of Le Tour and a few other bits and bobs, that's pretty much my library covered - I know there are many gaps - but as i said earlier, much of the output doesn't really interest me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But anyway, here's my 'to read' list:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tomorrow we ride - Louison Bobet</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">European Cycling - the 20 greatest races</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fallen Angel - Coppi (Fotheringham)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Hour - Michael Hutchinson</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Flying Scotsman - Obree</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Escape Artist - Matt Seaton</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-76944452146183922222013-11-17T13:26:00.001+00:002013-11-17T13:26:13.958+00:00What Sunday is for<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPlqvPrOJ8phv_cdSviMLqhenhOS3P9LGgOrfe6fhI5VkSBb5fkZ9BJCGDBAqo36OS_vdsb8VYENaWxQ0Fl5LYJZj1QSqIfBPZRJA0FBgVFOpKqiJjs5eXKcHZWPJFvEOxmREr4uZAdC_g/s640/blogger-image-868151599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPlqvPrOJ8phv_cdSviMLqhenhOS3P9LGgOrfe6fhI5VkSBb5fkZ9BJCGDBAqo36OS_vdsb8VYENaWxQ0Fl5LYJZj1QSqIfBPZRJA0FBgVFOpKqiJjs5eXKcHZWPJFvEOxmREr4uZAdC_g/s640/blogger-image-868151599.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-60781442005927682662013-11-16T18:41:00.001+00:002013-11-16T18:41:08.645+00:00Stolen bike alertGiven everything that's happened in London over the last two weeks, it seems in rather poor taste that I say the worst thing that can happen to a cyclist is to have your bike nicked.<div>But when it happens, it's grim. Scrotes! In the words of Alan Partridge: scum, sub-human scum. </div><div>So, keep your eyes peeled for this machine stolen yesterday from a Chorlton Velo member - it's only a week old too...<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2WSFa4pbEH0Dx7sQVKVzXXaElL_NPBxdMb4WzaA3sg7XHX8xuU6e_rBR_PbuvK1j6PiCqMfiWxCuyI9Up3w9DkrE4urWaO7Y61O3UIIRswcKdqUmkAIq0ioR-5VeB3UVbX_oJiBG_1Pwi/s640/blogger-image-1573724846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2WSFa4pbEH0Dx7sQVKVzXXaElL_NPBxdMb4WzaA3sg7XHX8xuU6e_rBR_PbuvK1j6PiCqMfiWxCuyI9Up3w9DkrE4urWaO7Y61O3UIIRswcKdqUmkAIq0ioR-5VeB3UVbX_oJiBG_1Pwi/s640/blogger-image-1573724846.jpg"></a></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-74445518940379384422013-11-13T13:30:00.001+00:002013-11-13T13:30:27.815+00:00How to build bike wheels<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wheel building has always been a mystery to me. In fact, one of the most dangerous sights for any bike wheel is me with a spoke key in my hand.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, I've recently become obsessed with the art of building wheels to the extent where I think i'm going to buy myself a jig, some lovely Hope hubs, Mavic rims and some spokes; put the kettle on and see what happens.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There's something quite cathartic about building and truing wheels - at least watching other people do it - something calming about the fact that putting the spokes in is called lacing and making it straight is called truing - it's just nice!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course, there is only one place to start with this challenge - youtube. The series of films from this chap from the US of A is really good and makes it look dead easy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/AOI3uBztvHc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are loads of others out there too, so spoke key in hand, I'm going to give it a whirl. It can't be that difficult can it?</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-48818519833033909892013-11-05T09:14:00.001+00:002013-11-05T09:14:09.115+00:00How to ruin a lithium ion battery<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My trusty <a href="http://www.moon-sport.com/" target="_blank">Moon</a> 500 XP lamp has given up the ghost following three years of faultless service and the worst thing is, I'm entirely to blame for its demise - allow me to explain and it may save you suffering the same fate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Moon lamp relies on a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium-ion_battery" target="_blank">lithium ion</a> battery to kick out its 500 lumens and these batteries require a few specific handling techniques to keep them in top order.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lithium Ion batteries apparently begin degrading from the moment they are manufactured. They are good for a few thousand charges but they, like us all, have the terrible certainty of terminal demise looming on the horizon.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGaR8QPnKHWELXZY3vqQ9-2k_VMcJ5SnS288Pk_BX52Xw_vqAtQRhzQNKja4gVeirItjIxgEl00z0J7FDE9LiOz4nCyjVV_uqEvT12q98Ck4B8_Qx6NUQndyRA4V41-xKOP6Fz5vBZGma/s1600/moon-xp500-light-zoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGaR8QPnKHWELXZY3vqQ9-2k_VMcJ5SnS288Pk_BX52Xw_vqAtQRhzQNKja4gVeirItjIxgEl00z0J7FDE9LiOz4nCyjVV_uqEvT12q98Ck4B8_Qx6NUQndyRA4V41-xKOP6Fz5vBZGma/s320/moon-xp500-light-zoom.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unlike Nikel Cadmium (NiCad) batteries, lithum ion batteries don't suffer from the phenomenon of battery memory where if a battery is continually recharged when it's at 50% power, the battery will end up with only 50% of its run time. To combat this, it's wise to run the battery flat and then fully recharge it to maintain it's 100% capacity. Easy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, when I thought: 'I think I'll run the battery completely flat and give it a full charge' little did I know that it was an unnecessary exercise.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not only was it unnecessary, running a lithium ion battery completely flat can result in the cells being damaged rendering the battery un-chargeable. And that's the situation I'm now in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, with new battery on order and £20 lighter, heed the warning!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-37809080367628969022013-10-28T11:17:00.000+00:002013-10-28T11:17:50.153+00:00Would a celebrity endorsed bike be your first pick?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A few years ago I met a bloke from Halfords who was involved in the marketing of their bike range. We were chatting away and got on to the subject of their offer. He asked me what my view was of Halfords and what they should do to improve their lot. They'd clearly seen the growth in Bike sales happening but were lumbered with the association of being a car accessories store which sold bikes on the side. At the time I think I muttered something about 'improve the product cos people think it's shit'.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's interesting to look back at that time and see what they did do: got celeb endorsement to drive sales.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And so was born the Boardman bike range.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now I'm sure Halfords and Chris Boardman would stress that Chris had a huge hand in the design and development of these bikes and he probably had some to the extent of saying 'I'm not putting my name to any old rubbish'.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's clearly worked for them both: the bikes are very nice indeed and they sell like hot cakes. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9oOhnAB9KJTiMVdCLchtBgEvy5iTWotUENUvoPkns0HCxs63Z2iRNVjHeAQ7NHwXa527qLefb4kKCPODDt9_lvnRXhLbrP7fqYtAIhn8-kzzMJI7RiNtaWFYMPFLh04eL_rNxv96lH6V/s1600/lemond_alpdehuez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9oOhnAB9KJTiMVdCLchtBgEvy5iTWotUENUvoPkns0HCxs63Z2iRNVjHeAQ7NHwXa527qLefb4kKCPODDt9_lvnRXhLbrP7fqYtAIhn8-kzzMJI7RiNtaWFYMPFLh04eL_rNxv96lH6V/s400/lemond_alpdehuez.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More recently, Evans Cycles has taken the same approach and reeled in Chris Hoy to back up their range. Looking a bit further back, Greg's Trek-made Lemond range came a cropper when he slagged off Lance and there are of course the Merckx bikes which have been doing the</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> rounds for a good few years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, do the moves by Halfords and Evans signal a significant change in the approach of big retail?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, yeah, but as the two other examples show it's nothing new. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There's something about celeb endorsement which just fails to excite me. I guess the idea is that, if Chris Boardman is willing to put his name to something then it must be OK</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> for me to buy and ride.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And, for me, that's at the heart of everything that's wrong with the approach. If you are unwilling to spend a bit of time looking around two or three bike shops, asking a few questions or using the web for research, then you're probably not really that interested in bikes and cycling. So, in my view, the celeb approach puts off as many as it attracts. But I'm probably wrong, it probably puts off far fewer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There probably is a bit of snobbery on my part here and I would undoubtedly ride any of the bikes mentioned above, they just wouldn't be my first pick.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-67926525303274142512013-10-22T11:34:00.003+01:002013-10-22T11:34:20.586+01:00Strava killed the bike computer<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 1979 Buggles told the world that video had killed the radio star. In fact, they were wrong as they'd failed to consider the fact that it wasn't then, and still isn't now, possible to drive a car and watch telly at the same time. So the radio survives to this day mainly in cars and kitchens.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Technological advancement is not lost on the average cyclist of course: the excitement when you first switched to clipless pedals the game-changing STI gearing and LED lights. Huge steps forward that many riders can't now do without.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It seems to me that bike computers will soon go the same way as the pre-hyperglide pressed steel sprockets and be sacrificed at the alter of advancement by the most powerful cycling superhero: Strava.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just consider this: if you had the option of spending £500+ on a GPS for your bike today, would you bother? Or would you just think: well, my phone does that so I'll do without and buy those wheels instead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think we know the answer.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGM8scyn73YzPhmHqNWEYojrY1uYZ7XpGNVc-tmOJkNOK939_4hSNvhJ2n3jd0gv6LPGoaxQ7oTkd8tCA38UkzUPJG51A_iqMPzF6TIx5-jvVgRuCp_td8_frbGnJfRlA_PlRNlp8k9nlT/s1600/garmin-800edge-perf-med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGM8scyn73YzPhmHqNWEYojrY1uYZ7XpGNVc-tmOJkNOK939_4hSNvhJ2n3jd0gv6LPGoaxQ7oTkd8tCA38UkzUPJG51A_iqMPzF6TIx5-jvVgRuCp_td8_frbGnJfRlA_PlRNlp8k9nlT/s320/garmin-800edge-perf-med.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, I used to have one of those on my bike in 2010</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been searching online for some details of the sales figures for GPS systems but cant find much data out there. Last year Bryton were predicting <a href="http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/bryton-expect-major-growth-in-sports-gps/013304" target="_blank">strong growth</a> on Bike Biz but there's been little follow up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While the cheaper end of bike speedos might survive, I reckon the expensive end has been sewn up by the Stravas of this world. How they change the free users into paid for subscribers is another matter for another time.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-44215059237335386192013-10-15T14:30:00.000+01:002013-10-15T14:30:20.452+01:00Are very bright LED lights dividing cyclists?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the night's drawing in, lights are being dusted off and re-strapped to bikes around the country. It's funny but bike lights can and are causing issues between cyclists - as I discovered yesterday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While riding home in the pissing rain some guy riding the opposite direction shouted something like 'disco bike' at me. He seemed pretty hostile and was a bit flustered that I had my front lamp set to flash - I wasn't bothered by his light at all. Apart from what the fu*k it had to do with him, I've noticed a few times lately that riders are having a go at one another due to the brightness of lamps.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgixuyozs-ghxzAJQ6y6LK1LDVZXs3KUcoGowOfeH4uQtzV7T14h91e_s5D0pIApYTaSrHq9xH7XrDFJYmtJgxm_la97IUEM_AG1317vDvP_SpP3USANC1Rm_ZKQQQO9zVyAn8XElbaNT/s1600/bike-light-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgixuyozs-ghxzAJQ6y6LK1LDVZXs3KUcoGowOfeH4uQtzV7T14h91e_s5D0pIApYTaSrHq9xH7XrDFJYmtJgxm_la97IUEM_AG1317vDvP_SpP3USANC1Rm_ZKQQQO9zVyAn8XElbaNT/s400/bike-light-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The new Cateye Hiroshima</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've only had this one I hasten to add but I've heard people complaining that others are riding with lights. No matter how good bike lights have become since the development of LEDs, they are not as bright as car headlamps and cyclists never, usually, complain about car's lamps. Bike lights are admittedly higher and are not dipped but you'd think a cyclists having a go at another cyclist for using lights would be a rare thing - apparently not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Later on the same ride I had to have an argument with some car knob who, after pulling out on me, had his fat wife tell me I didn't have my lights on! Cant win! I've reported him to plod anyway - yes I can remember a number plate the length of time it takes me to get my phone out of my pocket to make a note of it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, cyclists, what do you think? Are uber bright LED lights a problem?</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-29028918601594043422013-10-14T15:00:00.002+01:002013-10-14T15:00:28.701+01:00Cycle? Live in Greater Manchester? Want to win £100?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Faced with questions like these there's only really one answer isn't there? Yes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So when the offer to take part in a survey about cycling and by doing so I could trouser 100 of your earth pounds, I was hooked immediately.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Something called the Salford Housing and Urban Studies Unit in association with BikeRight, is entering all the people who take the survey into a draw to win the hundred notes. I'd imagine the usual data protection rules apply.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJPxbuoWDdsPVmcEPnElrE0vikShjNH7-8AXf5Ili8OUi9ICwTaj2z_6xkEQUz53ur9a8FeOGvCLWX95S_dYko_ZsqvcVI_Gbb_BUwU8ifPQQGL0jI0vp8VTnUyTselY_k2k0seO1_jLSW/s1600/Hands-Up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJPxbuoWDdsPVmcEPnElrE0vikShjNH7-8AXf5Ili8OUi9ICwTaj2z_6xkEQUz53ur9a8FeOGvCLWX95S_dYko_ZsqvcVI_Gbb_BUwU8ifPQQGL0jI0vp8VTnUyTselY_k2k0seO1_jLSW/s400/Hands-Up.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Who's in? *not really</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15.859375px;">The study 'aims to improve understanding of the barriers to utility cycling and to find ways to improve the uptake of cycle training by adults' and</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.22em; outline: none;"> 'should take you between 10 and 15 minutes to complete. At the end of the questionnaire, you are given the opportunity to volunteer to take part in a focus group to discu</span><a href="" name="141b6493644b22fc_141b640a21605efd_141b63081162de64__GoBack" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.22em; outline: none;"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.22em; outline: none;">ss adult cycle training further, but this is entirely optional.'</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 1.22em; outline: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.859375px; margin-bottom: 1em; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.22em; outline: none;">Here's the link to the questionnaire </span><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/cyclesurvey2013" rel="nofollow" style="color: black; line-height: 1.22em; outline: none;" target="_blank">https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/cyclesurvey2013</a> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.859375px; margin-bottom: 1em; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">you have until October 27th to enter. Good luck*</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2054648812248993127.post-60490257383835385512013-10-08T14:30:00.000+01:002013-10-08T14:30:35.190+01:0023mm or 25mm tyres?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've just ordered another pair of <a href="http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle/" target="_blank">Continental</a> 4 Seasons - to get me through the winter. Having punctured twice in three days - on different tyres mind - I thought it was about time I got some new boots.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was chatting to the Continental guys at the bike show the other week who confirmed that the pros all now prefer 25mm tyres over 23mm or smaller. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm old enough to remember having 18mm tyres the thought of which at 120 PSI just fill me with dread now!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So 25mm are the tyres of choice for 'a better roll' apparently.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These things tend to go around - no pun intended - and I'm sure a few years from now we'll all be told that 24mm is the optimum tyre gauge. For now its 25mm unless you, like me, refuse to conform and it's 23mm! How much difference can 2mm really make?</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639105933637400624noreply@blogger.com0