There was a time when a boy approaching manhood would be sat down for a chat with his Father to be told a tale about birds and bees. The internet has pretty much done away with the need for those conversations, although some may say that they are needed now more than ever. There may…
Irish Cycling Review had a real cult following for its short lifespan. Recently I came across the edition dedicated to Sean Kelly at the time of his retirement from professional racing. Kevin Kimmage did a great job of encapsulating the mood of the Irish Cycling public in the article below Barry www.thecyclingblog.com www.seankellycycling.com
8am on Sunday morning. The rain lashes against the bedroom window as an alarm clock bleats nearby. The kids are already up and about. It is the weekend after all and they have probably been mooching around the house since 7am. Tomorrow is a school day and the normal routine of dragging them out of…
This morning I was out on the bike and passed a fellow cyclist coming against me on the road. No cars were passing and as our paths crossed I gave him the cyclists wave. A quick flick of the wrist whilst raising the index finger slightly higher than the rest. I also gave him the…
When I think of the phrase 'following your dream' my first thought is of a struggling Waffle House waitress from Alabama who once played the lead role in a High School musical landing in Los Angeles with the dream of making it as a big ticket movie star, along with tens of thousands of others.…
Autumn for some can be a time of renewal, a chance to unwind after a long season and recharge the batteries before the wild, wet and windy winter arrives. One of the best ways for any cyclist to recharge the batteries and have a lot of fun along the way is to head off road…
When Sean Kelly first began cycling he trained with the local cycling group in Carrick on Suir. Throughout his career and multiple years as the Worlds Number One cyclist he continued to train with the local group whenever he was at home. Now that he is retired from competition, in between Eurosport commentating duties he…
How do you become a good cyclist? It's a question that is often asked at Q & A sessions. The simple answer is to first become a bad cyclist. Until you start something you can never become good at it. It is very important to do something badly in order to become good at it…
On a cold and damp January morning, in a windswept farmyard in the shadow of the Comeragh Mountains a wooden door opened just as the first brightness of dawn arrived. Looking accross the yard at a blue Ford 5000 tractor with its white cab, and a perspex rear window slightly ajar, the young man now…
What's it like to visit a cycle show? and what is it like to work at a cycle show? Hopefully these images will give you a glimpse of what it's like from both sides of the Trade Stand. …
Dawn was awakening over the Bulmers factory as I left Clonmel this morning. My destination of choice was the NEC in Birmingham for Cycle Show UK which opens with a trade day tomorrow and runs until Sunday. I'll be spending most of my time on the Onda stand, G21 (clothing not motorbikes) so be…
Here is a glimpse of what you can expect to find at the this weeks Cycle Show UK Barry www.thecyclingblog.com
One of the things that I enjoy about modern technology is the photographic capabilities of the iPhone in the back pocket of my cycling jersey. Taking photos whilst out on the bike adds a different dimension to each spin. Whilst the abundance of phones and camera phones has the effect of disassociating spectators from the…
This short video is just 2 1/2 minutes long but might just add a little bit extra to your weekend. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDmt_t6umoY Barry www.thecyclingblog.com
One day I was chatting to the volunteer crew on a charity cycle from Cork to Carlow. They mentioned that almost everyone was accounted for aside from one lady who they presumed had gone straight on in Cahir in the direction of Cashel. At least she would be able to make her way from Cashel into…
Conor Dunne and Ryan Mullen were among 13 riders selected by Cycling Ireland for the upcoming UCI World Road Championships later this month in Virginia, USA. An Post star Mullen, who will join WorldTour team, Cannondale-Garmin, next season will be first in action, lining out for the men’s Under 23 World Time Trial on…
One of the greatest pleasures of taking part in any cycling sportive, along with experiencing different roads and scenery is meeting new cyclists and listening to their stories. Last Sunday as we rode along in the Bobby Power Commerative Cycle I began chatting to a former GAA man from Kilmacow who has swapped the hurley…
Like many aspects of life in general there are nuances of riding a bike that are passed down by word of mouth or that some times will be demonstrated . Many are simple things, but if you are never informed, how will you ever know ? Here are my top 10 : 10 : The rear…
One day in Calpe at the An Post ChainReactionCycles early season training camp I was one of a group of five guests who managed to crest the Col De Rates alongside Sean Kelly and face the steep twisting descent on his wheel. Adrian Hedderman, Alastair Irvine, Paul Butler, Johnny Carroll and I were about to…
Getting to work twenty seconds earlier. Running the red light just to have to stop at another a hundred yards up the road. Weaving from lane to lane trying to get ahead of everybody else on the road. Shouting and screaming at anyone who you deem to be in your way or not moving fast…