Thursday night saw Vinopolis open its doors for the Rouleur Classic event and the suited and booted cognoscenti of the affluent London cycling community, most of whom appeared to have come straight from their desks across the river in the Square Mile, or wherever it is that hedge fund managers, bankers and corporate lawyers park their tailored but trim derrieres on weekdays. Eager to get their cycling fix before donning the Rapha and deserting their loved ones for their Sunday morning rides with their top-of-the-range carbon machines, this well-to-do crowd queued round the block before the 6pm start.
Read MoreImproving the Lives of Refugees, One Bike at a Time
One of the great things about cycling is the sense of community it engenders. Cyclists naturally congregate and are mutually supportive, united in their shared passion. There are also many unsung heroes, who work quietly away in co-ops fixing up bikes and generally making the world a better place, for love and not money.
Read MoreThe Best Christmas Cycling Presents part 1
At Ride Velo, we've been desperately trying to ignore Christmas since late August when we spotted our first display of mince pies and gift-wrap in a midlands service station. But we can by-pass the inevitable no longer! So to take the pain out of present shopping for you, we have put together the definitive gift-guide for cyclists (aka Ride Velo's 2015 Christmas wish list).
Read MoreThe World According to G
Geraint Thomas has always seemed to be one of the more colourful individuals of the pro scene, with his witty ripostes to reporters and tongue in cheek comments after hard fought battles in the Tour or the Vuelta. Along with Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish, he brings a bit of British dry humour to the continental scene, in stark contrast to the deadly serious Contadors of this world, so it was with eager anticipation that I delved into the newly delivered, The World of Cycling According to G.
Read MoreRapha Super Cross
It had all the essential elements of a super cyclo-cross Saturday - including free cowbells and a selection of complimentary craft beers. The trouble was, the event kicked off four hours late and was abandoned not long after, which left some riders super cross!
Read MoreWinter Training in the sun
As darkness, cold and rain are with us for the next few months, now's the perfect time to start planning your fitness programme for next season in a warm climate. Whether your aim is to improve your technique, or put in some serious milage pre-sportive season, winter training camps in the sun are the tried and tested option favoured by pro teams. So take a leaf out of their book - you know you want to! Luckily we've done the leg-work for you and produced a guide to some of the best cycling holidays to help you beat those UK winter blues.
Read MoreAmazing Cycling Deals This Week!
Lots of retailers are slashing prices this week in the run-up to Black Friday. Here's our pick of the crop.
Read MoreKnight Riders
“Got any lights for these, Tony?”
“Hey, don’t worry – you come with us, you’ll be fine!”
“…um, ok…and where will be going?”
“The airport, of course!”
Stand Out from the Crowd
Now that the clocks have gone back and the hours of darkness outweigh the daylight, riders need to see and be seen. But that doesn't mean you need to get dressed up like a builder, donning the day-glo! Away with your nasty hi-vis yellow and, even more unforgivable, pink fluorescent overshoes! New technology thankfully means there are far more stylish ways to stand out in the dark - Ride Velo brings you the creme of the crop...
Read MoreCycling On Water? Great Idea or Driving Cyclists from City Streets?
Imagine if your daily commute was traffic free and totally safe, with beautiful river views, running through the heart of the city... if only. Londoners could be lucky enough to have such an opportunity if the Thames Deckway project gets the estimated £600m needed to make this dream a reality. But is the scheme merely another way of pushing cyclists from the city's streets?
Read MoreCycle Cafe Society
Coffee and cycling go together like cleats and pedals - but why is coffee such an important part of cycling culture? There is some scientific evidence for improved performance in cyclists taking caffeine before a race. But apart from that, my view is that cyclists just like coffee, and guilt-free cake, of course.Coffee and cycling go together like cleats and pedals - but why is coffee such an important part of cycling culture? There is some scientific evidence for improved performance in cyclists taking caffeine before a race. But apart from that, my view is that cyclists just like coffee, and guilt-free cake, of course.
Read MoreBeautiful Helmets - for Looking Chic in the City
I’d always been reluctant to wear a helmet when jumping onto my single speed and riding about town. But one too many crashes, the last of which left me sprawled across a bus lane in Charing Cross Road, persuaded me to compromise my vanity over my safety and wear a lid.
Read MoreGood Vibrations from Pavé, Culture Cycliste
Firstly, a little bit of advice before you go, and you must go to this shop if you're ever in Barcelona: fork out the 20 odd Euros to get there by taxi. If you have a hire car, even better. We took a metro, a train and then a bus to get to El Prat de Llobregat which, it turns out, is not on any tourist guide to Barcelona, the reason being that this is part of the industrial heartland of the city surrounding the airport, its main features being large warehouses, factories and lorry depots. Plaça Reial, this ain't.
Read MoreRide Velo on tour: Barcelona
Barceloneta Bikes has one of the most enviable locations in the world: not only is it in one of the greatest cities on the planet: (Barcelona) but, as its name suggests, it’s also positioned in the heart of Barceloneta, one of the cooler, trendier and edgier barrios of this wonderful, vibrant and bustling metropolis.
Fixie heaven...
First impressions are that this is fixie heaven, with brightly coloured wheels hanging from the ceiling; chain and crank sets displayed against pine-clad walls. You can tell these guys know their stuff when you admire their display of customised bikes with Cinelli, Bianchi and Langster frames, to name but a few, that hark back to the fixie bike roots of the track. No knocked off cheap frames imported in bulk from Taiwan here.
Barceloneta Bikes' Club jersey: cool!
The apparel is quality too: T-shirts with great designs including Barceloneta Bikes’ own logo, natty socks and beautiful Eroica wool jerseys. There are sharp cycling shoes as well as retro leather ones, and some stylish urban helmets.
Crank it up Spanish Stlyleee
El Jefe, Tony (courtesy of A&E TV)
But Tony Valcarel, who set the shop up four years ago, says there’s more to BBikes than just fixies or single speeds. He got into cycling as a mountain biker originally, then moved into road then track racing. What he loves best is to customize any bike to your needs; whether it’s an urban, mountain or road bike. He even works with frame builders in the city to help you achieve the perfect geometry, fit and feel for you. No wonder then that the shop is now the subject of a real life documentary called ‘Be-Bike’, produced by A&E productions in the USA.
Demon wheels
Ok, so you’re probably not going to order your bike from here while on your summer holiday, but if you want something a little sharper to spin round the streets of the city on your visit than the rather heavy city bikes on offer elsewhere, you could do worse than heading down to Barceloneta Bikes to rent one for the day or longer. You’ll be sure of a warm and friendly welcome, and all the guys speak excellent English.
Does my bum look big on this?
They even invited us out on one of their weekly night-time rides out to the airport and back. And if you’re like us, and just love to drool over some great bikes and kit, this offers an alternative to Barcelona’s other attractions.
Saint Crispin's Day Nightride
"This day is called the feast of Crispin: He that outlives this day and comes safe home will stand a-tiptoe when this day is named," Henry V.
Commemorating the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt, the St Crispin’s Day Night Ride set off from Chiswick in the early hours of Sunday morning, 24th October. This is the third year that this event has been run, and is a jolly 100 mile jaunt out of West London to one of England’s leading vineyards, Stanlake Park, whereupon every rider is presented with an exclusive bottle of St Crispin’s Day wine.
Read MoreVeteran-Cycle Club Strut their Stuff for Design Show
The Veteran-Cycle Club set off from the historic Herne Hill Velodrome for the Design Museum on Saturday to launch their Cycle Revolution exhibition which opens on November 18th. Over 60 riders braved the damp weather and brought along their much loved and cared for steeds.
Read MoreSave Our Cycle Shop!
Last night saw the launch of a critical campaign to save London's most iconic cycle shop - Brixton Cycles. Hundreds of aficionados packed into Brixton East club in South-West London to join in the fund-raising fun. The campaign aims to raise money to save the community shop and help it remain where it belongs - in Brixton.
Read MoreKids Making Tracks - Half-Term Fun
The kids have broken up for half-term! They're excited but how are we going to keep them entertained next week? Ride Velo took 10 year-old Zac for a few spins around the Lee Valley Velo Park to burn off some excess energy - and have an adult workout in the process!
Read MoreDavid Millar's The Racer - Life on the Road as a Pro Cyclist - Review
I’d just done the Etape du Tour 2014 in the Pyrenees and had nearly dropped out after a freezing and wet descent of the Tourmalet, but somehow managed to keep it together to finish the bloody thing. My girlfriend and I crossed the border out of France and into Spain in pursuit of sunshine, warmth and being able to get a meal after 2 O’clock so ended up in Girona, a beautiful and ancient Cathedral City in Catalonia. Walking across the Plaza de Independencia one day I couldn’t help admiring a couple of beautiful Cervelo road bikes propped up against a pillar. And there, enjoying a post ride beer, was David Millar with his teammate, Dan Martin, in full Garmin team kit.
Read MoreGet out your Cowbells, it's Cyclo-Cross Season!
The 2015/16 Cyclo-cross season is well under way - but what is cyclo-cross, where did it come from, what do you need to get started, where do you go to watch races and, above all, why is it so fun? Ride Velo investigates.
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