“It’s just you on that track with 6,000 people who have come to see you succeed or fail.” The Hour Record, dating back to 1893. 60 minutes of individual, lonely effort around a velodrome, lap after lap, counting down each minute until the end, in the vainglorious attempt that you’ve travelled further than anyone else at the end of it all. Just you and a bike. A massive risk. No second place. Simply failure or a place in the record books while the world watches you. The hour record has to be the ultimate do or die sporting event. “My Hour” is Bradley Wiggins’ story of his successful bid to be the fastest cyclist over the course of one hour.
Read More2015 Ride Velo Pro Peloton Awards
As it’s the last day of the year we thought that this would be a good opportunity to have a look back at some of the great moments from the 2015 racing season and launch the inaugural Ride Velo Pro Peloton Awards. Who had the greatest stage victory from the Grand Tours, which commentator came up with most double entendres, and which rider relentlessly chased down the most lost causes in kamikaze attacks?
Read MorePure Passoni
Think of all the great Italian bike brands and their heritage goes back many generations: Bianchi started at the end of the 19th century, Wilier in 1906, Cinelli in 1948 and Colnago in 1952. Passoni only began manufacturing frames in 1989, but its name, amongst those in the know, is spoken in hushed reverent tones, along with tales and rumours of how the likes of Pantani, Chiappucci, Bugno and many others of the late 80’s and early 90’s were in fact winning Alpine stages of Grand Tours on disguised titanium Passonis some 2kg lighter than the steel bikes of their counterparts.
Read MoreWhat Santa Brought Ride Velo...
We wrote several posts about what we wanted for Christmas - but what was actually waiting for us under the Ride Velo Christmas tree? We thought we'd share our new goodies with our lovely readers.
Read MoreChristmas Cycling Around Copenhagen
What better place to be in over Christmas than the cycling capital of the world, Copenhagen. This was Ride Velo's first visit to the Danish capital and we were eager to see why and how Copenhagen has earned its place as the most successful cycling city. So armed with Rapha's City Cycling Copenhagen guide, we hired bikes, donned our warmest clothes and set out on our latest European adventure.
Read MoreLook Mum No Hands! - the cycle cafe that wrote the rulebook
Look Mum No Hands! - an unusual name for a cafe - but, as it turned out, weirdly prophetic. In 2010, three friends who were into cycling, launched LMNH and, unwisely for a new business, had no plan for failure or running at a loss. Just like a small child learning to ride a bike, full of confidence and knowing no fear, the trio "opened the doors, and in they came!" Huge acclaim followed. Ride Velo met with co-founder Lewin Chalkley to discover their recipe for success.
Read MoreVélochef - Food for Training and Competition
Ever wondered what Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and their fellow star riders at Team Sky eat on the Tour de France? Vélochef, by Henrik Orre, provides some of those answers, as well as giving a fascinating insight into the workings of a top racing team, while offering no less than 80 nutritious recipes for you to recreate at home.
Read MoreSean Kelly at Look Mum No Hands
If you’re still stuck for some Christmas prezzies for your cycling friends and family at this late stage, you could do worse than popping down to uber cool Cycling Café, Look Mum No Hands in Old Street, London, and earn some Bonification with their new Sean Kelly mug.
Read MoreWarm Showers
Ride Velo always suspected that cyclists were very lovely people but now we have the evidence to prove it. Did you know that there is a worldwide network of cyclists offering showers, a bed for the night, laundry, food and more to their cycling sisters and brothers - and all for free?
Read MoreComic Cycle Crashes
I had a comic cycle crash this week. Yes it hurt and it still hurts but it was a classic comedy wipe out - face first over the handlebars in front of loads of Christmas shoppers on our local high street. And I only had myself to blame - I had casually slung my handbag over the handlebars rather than stow it away safely in my pannier. Well I was only going round the corner? I literally got 15 metres up the road when my bag got caught between the spokes and stopped us in our tracks.
Read MoreFantasy Bike Shed
While we all know from our Velominati rules that the minimum number of bikes one should own is 3, the ideal is number is, in fact, n+1, where n is the number of bikes currently owned. Yes, we’re always on the lookout for a newer, older, better, sexier, lighter, different bike to add to the collection. But, as Velominati warns, there is a maximum number of bikes one can have, as defined by the equation s-1, “where s is the number of bikes owned that would result in separation from your partner.” Yup, we know you love your bikes, but don’t forget, you love your partner as well.
Read MoreThe Highs and Lows of Spinning
Why would any cyclist want to cycle indoors in a darkened room full of sweaty strangers? Spinning classes are a weird concept if you're not a gym-junkie. But with large swathes of the country currently under water and unrideable, Ride Velo thought it might be an opportune moment to examine this apparently addictive phenomenon.
Read MoreAttack the Pack Launch Party
Ever wondered what pro cyclists get up to on Tour when they're not actually riding? No, nothing smuttier than massages - the hours they spend travelling in between stages on tour buses are actually pretty dull. No booze, no partying obviously, and away from their families, until now all the cycling celebs could do was dream of making it to the off-season. That was until two Bens decided to find a way to relieve the boredom of cycling pal Nathan Haas from team Cannondale-Garmin...
Read MoreSuper Cycling Man Rides the World!
Ever done a sportive to raise money for charity? Sure, most of us have, I expect. If not, I’m sure you’re constantly bombarded by emails from friends and colleagues asking you for money for their cause, and it can be tricky to support them all.
Spare a thought then for Will Hodson, who set off on a 5 year long adventure this April to cycle across all 7 continents of the world (including Antarctica!), a feat never achieved before. This a journey of some 100,000 km and, in the process, he will raise money for The World Cancer Research Fund, Parkinson’s UK, World Bicycle Relief and Sustrans. And all in a Superman costume, and over 5 years!
Read MoreThe Best Christmas Cycling Gifts for the Home
There are times when we're not cycling, strange I know, but we all need some R 'n R (no not rock 'n roll) occasionally. But those of us obsessed with cycling like being surrounded by reminders of it even when we're not cycling! The Ride Velo home is crammed full of bicycle accoutrements that we'd like to share with you, as they'd make great Christmas gifts for your cycling family and friends.
Read MoreHow Not to get Blown off Your Bike!
My gosh it's been windy! Typical autumnal weather I know but very frustrating when you're itching for a weekend ride. Ride Velo braved the elements yesterday with mixed results - Robbie had a great time chasing down the wind while I wimped out after nearly being blown off my bike on the South Circular road!
Read MoreLondon's Hottest New Cycle Cafe
My search to find the perfect cycling cafe continues, as Alan Sugar would say, and this weekend Ride Velo discovered London's hottest new contender for the title at the appropriately named London Velo. Not, as some might expect, in Hoxton, Shoreditch or even Old Street, but in south-east London's Deptford.
Read MoreRaising the Handlebars
Ted Baker’s Raising The Handlebars brand is a great range of menswear designed specifically for the urban cyclist. In their own words they fuse “dapper design details with innovative accents,” and, while I’m not quite sure what that means, I would say that they’re very nice clothes that look good, and work very well on a bike.
Read MoreThe Most Desirable Christmas Gifts for Cyclists
I'm going to start with the most awesome cycling products I've ever seen although some of you Generation X musos will already know about these. Kraftwerk are, of course, a German electronic pop group who are also keen cyclists. They released "Tour de France" back in 1983 and actually performed at the Grand Depart in Utrecht this summer, having done lots of cycling in between. What better credentials to release their own brand of cycling gear (from €30 for a T-shirt)? I should warn you that their online shop is paused until December 14th as the band are on tour. How rock and roll is that?? Just look at these and feel the love:
Read MoreDesign Museum's Homage to Cycling
I think it's fair to say that all of us who cycle get the same pleasures from the experience (and some of the pains too!) That feeling of freedom, the wind in our hair, being masters of our own destiny - to mention just a few of the positives. Bicycles can be beautiful, sleek and streamlined, or practical utility vehicles, but there is something about their geometry that makes us go weak at the knees and fosters an illogical passion for metal and rubber.
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