Well that was not great but not as bad as expected... Back on the bike yesterday, it was time, well I was getting bored and grumpy nothing earth shattering just a fifteen mile offroad pootle round Epping. I managed to stick to my plan of not getting out of breath at any point and not pushing at all, which I was pleased with, it's all too easy at times just to want to go that bit harder, so I was pretty please with my self discipline. The amazing thing was that turning over 32x16 on the Kona didn't feel hard really at any point, I slowed for hills and just ground over them, despit this I still managed to pass at least a couple of riders. I stopped for a chat with a couple of old Polish chaps at the top of Pole Hill. Once again I failed to find High Beach I suspect I was very close, but ended up chasing the light so I didn't want to have to retrace my way, I still got lost, resoring to sun navigation before I realised I had my GPS with me, reassuringly my sun navigation had been spot on, which was ace. Gentle commute ...  Read the rest of the entry...

Well it's been a reasonable race, although the Pyrenees were entirely wasted really with only one mountain finish, the second week was pointless, best stage was in the Vosges, properly good, although quite no proper GC attacks came I don't know. Alps were good. The final time trial was unbelievable really, well the outcome was, quite how a supposed pure climber manages to beat the acknowledged best triallist of a generation will probably remain a mystery for a while. Ventoux was too late to make a difference really all everybody had to do was survive, if it had come a day later with another mountainous stage it would have made a difference. Not a bad race although it's been reliant on Team Schleck for any proper combativity... Better than last years race but sadly not a patch on the races of the 80's and 90's when you'd have people just going hell for leather...   Read the rest of the entry...

Well the bearings on the fixie are about dead so I've been riding to work on the Condor this week. I can confirm that road bikes really are ace and rather quick as well, which is nice, certainly it gives me an extra ten minutes in the flat in the morning. Also that mudguards are fabulous in teh rain as well, I really need to fit them to teh fixie for this winter. I can't justify geared bike maintenance on a commuter long term, but for a few weeks in summer, just perfect.   Read the rest of the entry...

My favourite microbrewery Brodies at the Sweet William are online now which is ace, what's even better is that they're having a festival at the William in Leyton to celebrate a year of brewing on the 5th of September. If you're about come down, drink beer talk shit and have fun, oh and eat Thai food...   Read the rest of the entry...