Well , I felt that my motivation was lacking recently and decided that a new challenge was what was needed to get me back training more consistently . There were a few options available , go back racing next year , do a malin to mizen , blazing saddles or a Crumlin charity cycle ,…
Just what is it about Christmas that brings out the optical illusions of parents ? We always try to encourage parents to bring their kids into the shop to have them sized correctly for their santa bikes . A good excuse is to tell the kids that you are just getting the name and size…
Recently , a very well accomplished domestic cyclist spent a weekend in Dublin . On the Friday night he partook in a number of sociable beverages with a few esteemed acquaintances . Saturday was spent volunteering his valuable time in the service of the greater good of cycling in Ireland before he retired early after…
Take a look at this tv advert and remember that this guy is riding a fixed wheel bike with no brakes ! [youtube=http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=xh5Pr1k7I34]
Statistically cyclists suffer more back problems than the general population . Many people make the assumption that this is because of the bent over posture that we have when on the bike , especially road bikes . This , however is not the case . It is because we are putting all parts of our bodies to…
Lance Armstrong comes from Austin Texas . The proximity of Texas to the Mexican border means that many Texans have a good grasp of the Spanish language . Lance is no exception . Like many other celebrities when he checks into a hotel he often does so under an assumed name . I can now…
Ish bosh bish . Bosh balla bectallawah bangdankint ! Well , that's what it sounded like to me the other day when a guy walked in to the shop and came up to me at the counter and just started blabbering on in his native tongue as if it were the most natural thing in…
There has been a bit of confusion about how the new scheme will work . Todays' Irish times explains it well - How to claim and what it covers How much is this new incentive going to cost the taxpayer? The Department of Finance estimates it will only cost from €200,000-€400,000 annually depending on…
They're at it again this morning on the radio , recession , recession , recession , we're all doomed . I know that Halloween is next week but they really are getting carried away with all of the ghost stories . There'll be no medical care for the elderly , no teachers in the schools…
Once again we were on the road at 5.00 am last Thursday morning . The new motorway to Cork is speeding the journey up every time I'm on that road . Very soon Fitzy will not be the only person capable of making it to Cork airport in under an hour . Fog in Heathrow…
Good interview with Nicholas Roche here today : http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=6361
No two days are ever the same when you stand behind the counter of a bike shop . Some day's are filled with tales of the previous weekends epic feats whilst customers admire the latest offering from BMC , Pinarello or Kuota , other days are more general with kids picking out their Santa bikes and…
This summer has been written off to experience regarding time spent on the bike . However , now the winter is here and the chance to start afresh . I can now have a clean slate all over again and begin my training programme afresh . That's the beauty of this time of year ,…
After what has been a fantastic world championship week , yesterday Italys' Alessandro Ballan the UCI ranked number 10 in the world took home the Rainbow jersey . The win was all the more impressive for the way in which he rode through pain barriers to reach the line . On the final climb , having…
Most cyclists endure the affliction of smelly cycling shoes . After 3 hours in the rain if left to dry out themselves the shoes will retaliate with a full frontal nasal assault . Here's how to avoid the dreaded smelly shoe attack ; Firstly , stuff your shoes with rolled up newspaper after riding in…
In 1987 Stephen Roche wore the green Irish jersey and won the WorldCycling Championships . Twenty one years later his son Nicholas who has just completed a fantastic Tour of Spain will wear the green Irish Jersey at this years world championships in Varese Italy . Stephen Roche 1987 [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uCgkpVdt4U] Nicholas Roche 2008 [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaV7wbynAC8] Barry…
Have you ever heard a song on the radio and immediately been reminded of being in another place at another time . It happened to me yesterday in the shop . As I was fitting a new rear gear cable into a Pinarello prince Alanis Morrisette came on the radio proclaiming that she had one…
The summer is now over , or as some might say , the milder part of winter has passed . The mornings and evenings are getting shorter by the day and chances are you'll get wet whenever you throw your leg over the saddle . We are now entering the Irish cyclists peak time of…
We have the Garmin range of GPS systems coming into stock this week and always one for the gadgets I have set my sights on an Edge 705 with h/r and cadence (€399) for myself . The functions are similar to the edge 305 (€249) but with the addition of the colour mapping screen I had to go…
Today is the first of September . I'm looking out the window at a clear blue sky and the shadow of a beech tree being cast upon the ground by some glorious sunshine . Someone once said that the first two weeks in September is the best time to book your holidays as it is…