Bikes of Paris Roubaix

Having recently had discussions about which tyres to use in June's P-R sportive, the question of the rest of the bike came up. If you buy your kit like me using your best carbon machine is out of the question. I've ridden P-R three times now, once as a racer and more recently twice in the sportive.

Ride one was in 1984, kit was pretty standard; Reynolds 531 frame, by Bill Philbrook of Gillingham, Campagnolo Super Record Group Set, 32 spoke wheels Mavic GP4 rims, Clement Paris Roubaix tubs. So how did it perform? Frame held up well, but there were problems; shortly before the first sector at Troisvilles I punctured the front tub, a quick change from the team car saw me racing back through the convoy, sporting a skinny Barum PBW, rejoining the back of the peloton within 100m of the first cobbles, unfortunately my arrival coincided with a huge crash which I managed to leap into, puncturing my new front tyre, service here was impossible, so I rode the flat tyre to the end of the sector before grabbing a second replacement. Now in the laughing group I ploughed on through a continuous drizzle, desperately avoiding the inevitable crashes as the pave took it's toll. My bike continued to suffer, the single bolt holding the saddle stripped from the cradle, leaving the saddle pointing up at a rather uncomfortable angle. The final problem was that my shoelaces undid themselves, a problem which could have been prevented by a little Duck Tape.

So lesson learned, fast forward 20 years or so, to the P-R Sportive 2006, I had a choice of two rides; My Klein Quantum or Trek XO1 cross bike. The Trek won, with a full alloy frame, including forks, it was not the most forgiving, however it did have huge clearances and a generous wheelbase. Mavic Cosmos wheels, 28mm Conti 4 Seasons tyres, latex tubes, gel bar tape, Blackburn Ti bottle cages and 39x53 rings and 12-21 cassette made for a satisfactory mount. My only issue being a puncture when I hit a culvert hidden in the verge as I tried to dodge the cobbles.

By the time the biannual event returned in 2008 I'd upgraded my best bike to a Scott Addict, not wishing to wreck it I decided on the Klein, fat alloy tubes, carbon forks, 1inch alloy steerer, it seemed a good choice, I replaced my race wheels with a 32 spoke pair of Pro wheels, again using 28mm Conti's. It performed admirably with the only problem being a broken spoke in the front wheel, fortunately it remained pretty true.

So what will I be riding this June? In all liklihood it'll be a Scott CR1 with the new for 2010 SDS (Shock Damping System), or the trusty Klein. One thing is certain I'll be using a pair of handbuilt 36 spoke wheels, Ultrgra hubs, and Mavic Open Pro rims, courtesy of my brother Richard at Victorycycles.co.uk. Tyres are still to be decided, probably Panaracer Extreme Duro 25s.

As I was saying yesterday...

As you can see there's still quite a bit of snow hanging around here in Kent. These pictures were taken this afternoon during my training ride. Needless to say I did have to retrace my tracks a bit. Still managed some quality miles on treated roads between the snowdrifts. Incidentally the pictures were taken at the top of the North Downs between Doddington and Lenham.

Details of the ride; www.garmin.com/activity/24752292

Whinging about the cold

I've finally had enough of everyone whinging about not being able to train! True we've had the coldest winter I can remember, but an excuse not to train? No.
So, here's the rub; First, what's wrong with the turbo? "Boring" I agree but it's a means to an end, do swimmers moan about lengths of the same pool being boring? No they get on with it, THEY ARE TRAINING!
Anyway what stops you from riding on the road? Too cold? Get real, mountaineering in tweed jackets in the 20's was cold. With today's high tech fabrics there's no need to freeze, X-C skiers manage to survive when it's well below zero.
Ice on the roads? Back in the 80's I arrived in Brittany from a Majorcan training camp. Having put in the hard miles for three weeks I was alarmed to find the roads around our village locked in perma ice! The solution? Wellies, ski jacket and a 4 Km walk to the nearest treated road, boots and coat left in cafe whilst I rode laps of the main road. Bonus was a coffee when I finished training and nice warm boots for the walk home.
All this got me thinking, what are we out training for? does it matter where we train (So long as it's safe)? Do we need to ride a circular route? I don't believe we do. You're training for races, not cycle touring.
So when its icy I get onto the nearest treated road and ride up and down it, and if it's really too bad I hit the garage and the turbo.

Cobbleshock

In response to Cobbleshock's recant Blog regarding the importance of quality rest in your training programme;
It hasn't always been this way; Way back in the winter of 1984 Cobbleshock, Retrophoenix and I were students in Eastbourne. Cobbleshock was a fresher and RP and I were third and second years respectively. It might be an understatement to say that RP and myself were somewhat competitive; We were both First Cat racers and our competition often continued over into training.
On this particularly miserable January day the three of us set off in bitter conditions to do a "long one", RP and I set the tempo on the front as we braved the biting wind and occasional sleet and hail storms. Up and over Beachy Head we pushed, each turning the screw a bit tighter as we tried to half wheel each other into submission. This punishment continued for an hour or so, neither of us prepared to submit to the will of the other. Finally having turned into the wind to head North through Piddinghoe RP turned to me and spoke his first words for an hour "Matt's gone"
I looked around, Cobbleshock had indeed "gone" he was nowhere in sight. We pottered on for a mile or so to give him the chance to catch up, nothing. We turned around and retraced our tracks for a mile or so, still nothing.
We decided he'd had enough of the cold and wet and binned it, feeling slightly guilty we pressed on, our ride truly becoming a "big one" of five hours or so.
Returning to Eastbourne, we thought that it would be nice to check that CS was OK so we pulled by the halls of residence and popped up to his apartment. His roomie was in; "Hi Brad, seen Matt?"
"Er, no wasn't he out with you two?"
We explained how we'd lost him, but assured Brad he'd be back shortly, (it was getting dark after all), and we were feeling genuinely guilty, remember?
RP and I rode down to our flat for showers, and dinner before deciding that we really ought to check on CS again. So off we went back across town to his halls. Here we found the shell of the man formerly known as "Cobbleshock" Still kitted out in the full 80's winter regailia from the tip of his Duegi overeshoes to the top of his peaked winter hat, he was crashed out on his bed, fast asleep just the way he'd stumbled incoherently into the room.
Brad elaborated, "He wobbled in here, fished an old Mars bar from the bin, scoffed it and passed out"
Eventually we roused him and over a cuppa he recounted his tale of woe. " Lads, I was so tired. We've done so much training this month and it was so cold, when we turned at Newhaven I'd had it, I shouted but with the wind must have been deafened you both. I stopped and went onto a pub to try and buy chocolate. Then I decided to shelter from the weather in a bus shelter, I must have dozed off for a moment or two. When I woke up I was really concerned I'd still not have the energy to get home when, by pure chance Robin's mum drove by and gave me a lift."
Clearly Cobbleshock's learned from our mistakes!
Cobbleshock, is this how it was?