January 2011
Sampling riding down under
Neil Manning, Production Director for Condor, headed to Australia for Christmas and New Year. He explains his experience in Oz.
After a busy year it was time for myself and Mrs M to head down to Australia and New Zealand for a long awaited holiday visiting family and friends. Three weeks before we set off a call came through from Rapha Condor Sharp Director Sportif, John Herety. New signing Casey Munro is in Australia and needs a bike for the Bay Crits in January, so would it be possible to ship one out? After a quick internet check and phone call to Emirates I came up with a cunning plan. Being the same height as Casey and with Emirates accepting bikes as part of the luggage allowance I thought it would be great to sample the local rides in Melbourne.
Legendary Rapha Condor Sharp rider, Tom Southam, regularly winters in Melbourne and he gave me some tips of where to find the local rides. "Just head out through St. Kilda on the coast road to Cafe Racer, you're bound to bump into some riders there," Tom told me. I set out at 8am after checking Casey's bike was set up. Cafe Racer was easy to spot with around 20 odd riders milling about outside and plenty more inside judging by the number of bikes hanging up on the purpose-made bike hooks outside.
As I rolled past a small group had just left so I tagged on the back. As we left St. Kilda, with the sea on our right, I noticed there were a few small groups riding back the other way. Chatting to one of the guys in the group I found out that riders set off from before 6 in the morning every day, all the way through till 9 and later on the weekends. There seemed to be a constant stream of cyclists heading back towards Melbourne so after further questioning I heard that a recent survey revealed that over 100,000 riders were logged on the Bay Coast Road over a one week period. After about 20km we went past Black Rock where there was another cafe with a good crowd outside. This was a turning point for shorter rides and a sprint point for those heading back from longer rides.
Another 10km or so further there was another cafe where I turned and had a swift ride back on the back of a larger group. I was told that Sunday would be a big day so was looking forward to it.
On Boxing Day there were certainly a lot more riders out so I hooked onto a larger group of around fifteen or so riders. The pace was much higher than I am used to at this time of year, but then it was the middle of the Australian summer so what else could I expect?
The warm weather certainly made a difference to how my legs felt so I dug in to stay with them. After a sprint at Black Rock it was a steady ride onto the turn, but once we started heading back to town the group settled into some classic through and off riding. This time I got involved and there was a good line out going at a steady 26mph. The pace picked up as we were getting closer to St. Kilda and if there was a sprint coming up I had no idea when it would be, but then as the road straightened up I thought it was time to keep an eye on the front. I followed the riders through and managed 3rd or 4th, not bad when sprinting for an imaginary line.
The day after I finally managed to meet up with Tom Southam at Cafe Racer for a coffee and one last ride before handing the bike over to Casey. Tom turned up with a few local racers and we had a gentle ride out to Mentone and back for another coffee. Unfortunately the wind had picked up a lot and we had a bit of a side wind, accompanied by rain coming in off the sea to contend with.
If anyone is ever down in Melbourne get yourself out on the Bay Road - you will never be short of company and you will get some great views.
Brooks 2011
Red Bull Hill Chasers
Entries are now closed for the Red Bull Hill Chasers event. Luckily for Claire (Rollapaluza Urban Hill Climb Champ) she got selected.
That said, we're going to Bristol to give the competitors a cheer and spur them on up the cobbles. It's looking like a pretty fun night so go check it out...
DATESaturday, January 29, 2011
TIME
From 7pm
LOCATION
Park Street, Bristol
THE PRIZES
Supplied by Charge Bikes
1st - gold bike frame
2nd - silver bike frame
3rd - bronze bike frame
Follow this link.
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Geoff Waugh: ThePixel Merch©nt
ThePixelMerch©nt is the alter ego of Geoff Waugh, who started painting light onto emulsion back in the late 80s.
Geoff's shots have cropped up in Rouleur and Privateer, but before these magazines he was at the front of the emerging mountain bike scene. Mr Waugh, or Warhead as he is known on Twitter, has been shooting for the last twenty years. He has captured images for The Sunday Times, Mountain Bike Rider, Cycling Weekly, Loaded, and FHM magazine, and he is a five times award winner in the highly prestigious Sports Photographer of the Year competition.
Geoff answered our questions while at the Leopard-Trek launch and training camp last week.
Short and Sweets
Sandwiches
Lemon curd // Marmite & cheese // Cheese & onion on white
Junk food
Wine Gums // Soft eating liqourice
Excuses to ride
I ride in between bouts of work // It releases my pent up frustrations // That's not an excuse - that's a necessity!
Places to visit
Tokyo // Sydney // Aldeburgh
Bikes
Charge Juicer // Yeti ARC-X // Cove Hummer
Spend £5 on
A box of caps for my Lone Star die cast metal spud gun
Movies
Animal House // Quadrophenia // Scrooge (Albert Finney) // Up the Junction // T2 Judgement Day // Taxi Driver // Jour du Fete - amongst others
Songs
Most of Bowie's catalogue // Dancing in Outer Space by Atmosfear // Could Heaven Ever Be Like This by Idris Muhammed // Another Girl, Another Planet // The Only Ones - this interview could never be long enough to handle my musical tastes!
Thing people don't know
Played drums for signed band that was aired every day for a week on Radio One // Have eight toes thanks to teenage accident // Got caught by my mum shoplifting a balloon from WHSmith.
Longer Ones
Why did you start photographing people on bikes?
I was a photographer/journalist first but the day I bought a nice wool jersey from the Italian shop that used to be in Great Pultney St and a bloke in my hometown shouted "oooh look at Eddie Merckx" I was caught up in cycling. Taking pictures of them was a natural progression. And I wish I still had that jersey.
What is you favourite image and why?
I have a picture by Norman Parkinson of ladies modelling hats taken over a great American city skyline. I like it for its amazing composition and grace and its use of colour. That is one. I cannot single out one in particular. I love pictures that make me stare at them for ages. I like Constable's paintings because they remind me of home.
Do you have any injuries from photographing things?
Dislocated shoulder shooting mountain biking. That hurt, various knee and elbow scars from coming off a bike with a camera pack on my back, but most of my injuries are from having a greater levels of imagination than skill, whether on a bike or off.
What project are you looking forward to most?
I'm shooting the Schlecks and Fabio next week. That's pretty cool. I have a nice mountain bike picture story in the pipeline that involves a new twist. Something to get my teeth into.
WANT SOME MORE....?
Have a look at www.waughphotos.com and his blog.
Wallpaper* Design Awards 2011
Last night we attended the hottest ticket in town, the Wallpaper* Design Awards, held at the Edison building, Marylebone Road.
Our strictly limited World Series range found its way into the pages of the magazine to sit alongside some of the smashing design work, from architecture to ice cream. The World Series frames were a concept and design created by Ben Spurrier, Condor's Head Designer, who said it was "a very proud moment".
Guests of the awards were treated to displays of some of the best products featured in the magazine (excuse photos...).
Best use of material - Tom Dixon, copper-plated Brompton
Best brighteners - Kuba table lamp
Made from three linked cubes and serves as both light therapy and reading light for the long winter nights
Best for well-being - Doshi Levien, Hammam
A personal hammam, a rather stylish modular unit allowing a top-notch spa to be integrated into ones everyday domestic setting
The February issue of Wallpaper is with stockists now, featuring a unique interactive cover. A gentle rub will reveal the winners of the most prestigious accolades.
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Condor Baracchi 2011 Frameset
Smooth and comfortable carbon, perfect for sportives
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