Commute inspiration.

Snaked from Duncan:



Really into motorbikes these days, hopefully going to see TT3D tomorrow night too - can't wait. I really admire Guy Martin's approach to life:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/12577835

Go to around 13 minutes in,
"9 times out of 10 you get it wrong around the TT and you're dead, and that's what I like."

We have to ride, yeah.

I read about this guy in Joe Parkin's first book "..Dog in a Hat". He looks exactly as I imagined he would do;
Patrick Cocquyt


Had a great weekend so far. A solo ride round Harrogate, stopping in Knaresborough on Saturday afternoon followed by a meal out at night with my Parents. Yesterday I showed Rich the secret lanes and tried not to get eaten alive by horse flies. Got back in plenty of time to see Phillip Gilbert do the triple and end the spring classics on a massive high.

Also had enough time to organise a few things to get on ebay soon. I hang on to certain pocessions far too much and one of my pet hates is having stuff for cycling and not using it, unless the sentimental value is too much.
I'm at a level now with my bikes where I don't really need anything else. Sure parts will wear out and have to be replaced, and if a set of carbon wheels tough enough to race 'cross on landed in my lap I wouldn't mind but overall I don't want anything.
The Bob Jackson is as good as it gets, my CX bike is going great and the winter bike just keeps crunching out the miles.


"It's not just hitting it with a hammer but knowing where to hit it and how hard."
Dave Yates.

The next level

Click on the video once playing to watch on Red Bull website and full screen. Amazing riding and film making.

Too much talk.

If a job's worth doing it's worth doing right, in my book it also helps if things turn out looking exactly how I pictured them at the start. It's not necessary looking good just right in my mind.

Also on a daily basis I encounter the driving force of the bike industry - the middle age man with money. Carbon road bikes are great tools in the right hands and they are incredibly easy to sell because the person who buys one will enter the shop believing there is no other option. There are very few unique carbon race frames out there, the real progression in frames I think will come in steel, inspired by the old and pushed by functionality and adaptability, not lightness.

It's often the small details that make a bike feel right. Never underestimate the power of fresh bar tape - correctly fitted. Even wrap and NO GAPS around the levers, never use the finishing tape - it never sticks etc. I have a few trade secrets too, in fact if I went on Mastermind my specialist subject would be Bar Tape and it's application.

This site covers an area I have previously stated my views about; the key to having rules though is knowing when it's ok to break them.

http://slamthatstem.com/

Tomorrow I get to forget everything and ride solo, hopefully enjoy some quiet roads, the sun on my skin and a smooth Campagnolo drivechain.

I'll put you in Hell.

MASH-SF 2007: Garrett Chow from MASH TRANSIT PRODUCTIONS on Vimeo.

All I seem to be posting is videos recently. This one reminds of walking round SF, just trying to take it all in.
Life is going on around me while I feel all I do is work, eat and sleep. A long weekend coming up hopefully means a mix of riding and home-organisation, which means I might feel a bit more grounded.

Another dream job.

Circle.

A good day.

Morning commute. Fresh air, thumping music in headphones.

Good customers all day. Problem solving on road bikes too. Everything works, everyone's happy.

Strong coffee.

Evening Commute. Silence and secret off road way home including my own piece of 'strade bianchi', bike feels great for Sunday.

Homemade pizza for tea. Plenty of garlic.

This video.


Now to the shower and then chill with her indoors. Sweet.

A headwind is always honest.

This video makes me want to ride, and not ever get an ear ring.

I could go on about my need of coffee, hatred of headwinds on commutes and describe the abundance of cuts on my hands, but instead I'm going to bed.

Health and Happiness.

All that matters, when everything else has gone.


It's Paris-Roubaix today! Hopefully I'll get to watch it all on some hijacked Belgian feed with biased commentary I can't begin to understand. I'd love to be there in person but more for the days before when the teams do the recon rides, lie this;


Also could leave this one out,it's so euro it's almost painful: