‘I’m going to win this stage’ Henry Ford once said ‘if you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re probably right’ Jean deGribaldy told Sean Kelly ‘of course it’s possible to race the Tour of Flanders, then go straight to the 5 day Tour de Basque and come back up to ride Paris…
The beauty of cycling is that you get to watch epic battles of the elite, the best of the best as they fight it out on the mythical mountains, and then you get to ride up and down those very mountains as a normal everyday cyclist. Scenery so spectacular that it literally takes your breath away is best viewed from the saddle behind a set of handlebars. You can feel the pain of the savage gradients of the mountains throughout your body. You can taste the salty sweat that drips down along your face. You can hear the marmottes calling to each other along with the deep breathing of those other cyclists fighting the mountain beside you.
At lunchtime today I was out for a quick spin on my bike. As I was coming back towards Clonmel on the Wood road a large truck overtook me. It did the entire process to perfection. The driver indicated and with no oncoming traffic smoothly went right over to the other side of the road…
The race begins the day before. It actually began weeks, months and perhaps years before but that longer timeframe is more about the training involved to get there and best left to your coach, training programme or club. Here we are concerned with just the race itself. The day before you will wash and clean…
One year in the Kiely Cup in Carrick on Suir a certain unnamed local rider chased another local rider when he attacked with 8km to go. I know this because they both told me all about it. One guy sees it as what would have been potentially the biggest win of his career lost due…
Cycling is more than a sport, more than a hobby or pass-time. Cycling for those who are consumed by its freedom, and the feeling of being alive that it provides, is a way of life. At times it can feel as important as breathing.
Gently pedalling down along the blueway I watched a small branch floating along with the current of the river. It moved at pretty much the same speed as I did and it felt as though I too was floating along the river in harmony with the current and nature itself. A commotion to my left…
Cycling is meant to be enjoyable. Remember that ! Riding a bike can bring you to places in your locality that you would never normally visit. It can take you back in time to places where you grew up and because you are on a bike and not in a car you can stop and…
Before heading to the airport today I decided to squeeze in a quick spin on the bike. The weather wasn't ideal but I need the training. It's now less than 3 weeks to the Munster 4 Airports Challenge in aid of Touching Hearts and looking at how much training the lads in the Portlaw Village Wheelers…
This morning was a great morning to be out with the Carrick Dole gang. The Dole gang gained their title during the recession when jobs were scarce in Carrick, but whilst the name remains, most members are now gainfully employed once again. Some now work shifts whilst others work Saturdays in order to have their…
Those who do not cycle or take part in any form of challenging exercise often wonder what the appeal is. Why would anyone want to cycle around crappy back roads or busy main roads for hours at a time on a bicycle they ask. The answer is twofold and is both external and internal. Externally…
Your first port of call at any coffee stop should be the bathroom to change your base layer.
The appeal of the bike for me and many others is not just to get fit, or to go and do specific training. It is to get headspace out in the fresh air. It also offers the opportunity to see parts of life that surround you that become lost in the noise of everyday living. Why would you go out in the rain? why would you leave home in a freezing fog?
My friend Ger is a recreational cyclist who cycles regularly when not climbing mountains, but has not yet made the step up to clipless pedals and shoes. Here he gives an interesting and entertaining glimpse into one of his average solo spins : You roll out the driveway onto your first bit of road and…
Out cycling on the road it is important to be aware of your surroundings and what obstacles might lay ahead. 95% of cyclists wear sports glasses whilst out on the road, and they help to improve your vision whilst also keeping flies, dust and midgets out of your eyes. They also help your eyes to…
I opened my email today to find this very thought provoking piece sent on by a cycling club in response to yesterdays blog post about safer cycling on our roads. This is well worth a read, and especially well worth showing to any motorists you know. Every cyclist and motorist has some kind of a family and people…
Yesterday as I made my way home from a spin I began to consciously watch what the motorists around me were doing whilst driving their vehicles. One after another the majority were nodding their heads up and down like those nodding dogs that used to adorn the rear shelf of many an Opel Kadett. They…
There are days when the sun shines. Days when the air feels warm. Days when the wind is calm. These days are rare in Ireland, but when they arrive you must get out there and grab them. On these days I like to head off out on the bike without any computer or electronic device.…
It's Friday and as we all get set for another weekend out on our bikes here are a few tips to help you along your way. Eating Off the bike Eat a good breakfast, preferably porridge and some form of brown unburnt toast with tea or coffee. Stay away form the greasy full Irish.…
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…
