Barry
  • ‘ The Knock ‘

    The knock or the bonk or whatever you wish to call it is something almost every cyclist experiences at some stage or other . And whilst Knock may be a place of pilgrimage for many Irish people 'the knock' is another form of pennance altogether . The most common location around us to view someone…

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  • Tip of the week – bike washing

    One of the most important ways to keep your bike running smoothly is to wash it often . It will save both money and frustration as it will improve chain wear and show up most minor problems before they develop into major ones . Here's how to do it properly ! What you will need :…

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  • Cycling to work

    With the summer now officially upon us along with the longer evenings and brighter mornings more and more people are being tempted to leave the car at home and  cycle to work . The advantages are obvious , heatlthier , cheaper , faster if you live in a town or city , more enjoyable as…

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  • Tip of the week – cornering

    A lot of people have difficulty cornering or descending on a bike and here are a few tips to help you along the way ; 1 : Always look where you want to go , not where you don't want to go or down at your front wheel . 2 : Brake before the corner…

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  • The men of the Ras

    Each year during the third week in May several towns in Ireland reverberate to the sound of Paddy Fitzsimons voice encouraging the people of the town to ' Give a big Templemore ( or eight other town names each year ) welcome to the Men of The Ras '. ' The Ras ' holds a mythical…

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  • Tip of the week – position

    A few simple ways to check that you have the correct position on the bike ; 1 Knees . If the front of your knee is sore it may be that your saddle is too low , if the back of your knee is sore it may be too high and you may be overstretched…

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  • Tip of the week – punctures

    What to do if you get a puncture miles from home ! 1 : Always carry at least one spare tube along with a few patches and some solution (glue) . Most people will also need a set of two or three tyre levers and of course a pump . 2 : If it is a…

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  • Getting lost in Ireland

    Very often we have people come in to the shop who ask us for directions . Sometimes it will be a delivery driver looking for a particular street in the town or perhaps someone looking for the community partnership offices further down our block . We also get the odd tourist who may be looking…

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  • Le Tour

    Each year throughout the cycling world and beyond millions of fans tune in their televisions each afternoon to view live events at the Tour de France . On the continent sidewalk cafes  fill with enthusiastic supporters every day . Some people even plan their annual holidays in order to watch it live on T.V .…

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  • Visiting the Kingdom

    I have often been to Kerry . Sometimes on holidays or day-trips , other times whilst racing . Every time I go there I have a new experience of where Kerryman jokes come from like ; A Kerryman rang Aer Lingus and asked how long it took to fly from Dublin to London. "Just a…

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  • America’s most wanted teenager

    In a bikeshop , just like many  rural shops you often become a mixture of salesperson , confidante , tourist information officer and directory inquires operator . After seven years standing behind the counter there are now very few situations which would surprise me . This , however was not always the case . I…

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  • The day I had ‘ lunch on Kelly ‘

    A few years ago whilst doing my bit for international relations travelling across America, I spent a few months living in San Diego, California . I worked in that most noble of professions of telemarketing . At the time San Diego seemed to be the telemarketing capital of the world . The first company that I worked…

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