Bianchista

Endo Kits

2012-02-10T11:09:00.000Z

Stumbled across an outfit called Endo Customs from California that are pumping out some amazing custom designed kits. Love the panel designs and the fabrics look tech-as! Very PRO indeed....

Gilbert BMC

2012-01-28T15:15:00.002Z

New Spesh Shoes?

2012-01-28T15:11:00.000Z

Apple Of My Eye

2012-01-26T08:30:00.000Z

Condor just keep coming up with the goods! Spotted this little number in the basement of Grays Inn rd, and i haven't stopped thinking about the lovely little carbon-tailed beaut, the Italia RC. Thinking of a crap weather trainer/super commuter build now that the ratty colnago is lying in bits abandoned in the corner of my room. A simple cost friendly economy 105 5700 build with some handmade open pro's. Food for thought!

Bespoked Bristol

2012-01-25T11:25:00.001Z

Iv just booked the tickets to head down and check out the very promising 'Bespoked Bristol' show in March. After a superbly received 2011 edition the exhibition is back with a bang for 2012, with a bumper list of two wheeled ephemera on offer to drool over, from Pegorettis, to Condors, to boutique builders like Feather Cycles, Paulos Quiros and Donhues.

Expect a whole raft of accessories and hardware companies to be displaying their wares as well as the bike makers, ensuring the event is a hit with lovers of all things bicycle. Tickets are currently available over at the Bespoked website, with a cracking 2 passes for £10 on offer at the moment, a deal id advise the early birds to snap up. The venue is located right next to Bristol Temple Meads train station, making it easy for us out-of-towners. Us lucky London residents will be able to recognise the friendly faces of 'Look Mum No Hands!', who will be onsite providing all your caffeinated needs in their pop-up cafe.

This year sees the inclusion of a test track to put some unique bikes through their paces, and also a framebuilders section, aiming to showcase amateur artisanal framebuilding.

Hot!

2012-01-24T09:09:00.000Z

Bike Lust

2012-01-23T09:00:00.001Z

Tenspeed Hero

2012-01-22T09:34:00.000Z

Im not sure why its taken me so long to stumble across the very excellent 'Tenspeed Hero' website. Billed as an online cycling journal, featuring some fantastic photography and witty prose, Tenspeed Hero aims to, in their own words, "revel in the non sequiter and things often related to cycling", and they really hit the mark for cool little snippets that may or may not be related to a love of all things two-wheeled. Head on over to their site and have an explore, im very glad I did.

RCS Super Acciaio

2012-01-21T07:22:00.000Z

Condor are absolutely killing it with these special edition Super Acciaios. Rumour has it Deano & Jimmy will be racing them in the summer crit series.... top notch detailing from the crew at Grays Inn Road, check out the condor emblem on the top tube!

National Trophy Round 6 - Shrewsbury

2012-01-20T10:06:00.000Z

Richard Dawson captured the full on muddy action of round 6 of the Cyclocross National Trophy in the most incredible light. Head on over to flickr for his full set, and check out more of his work at his website.

PRO!

2012-01-18T15:40:00.000Z

J-Pow

2012-01-17T12:29:00.000Z

via ewwhite

Cav

2012-01-17T11:02:00.000Z

Yo, SKY - you blates need a pro photo editors services... drop me a line ;)

Winter Rider

2012-01-16T12:39:00.001Z

On a quick blast to Richmond Park a couple of weeks ago I caught the wheel of Dr J > I thoroughly enjoyed the chilly but brisk lap we shared, catching up as we turned the pedals. Winter Jerseys at the ready (in 2010 navy obv), the icy air and sparsely decorated trees provided a beautiful backdrop to some hazily lit steady winter riding. Beats the turbo anyday!

Bike Lust

2012-01-14T16:12:00.002Z

Winter Miles

2012-01-12T11:00:00.000Z

Iv been pretty spoilt for weather and riding this past few weeks, with some really mild winter days making for some fabulous base mileage, pootling about before the intensity work begins in Feb! I had the pleasure of riding with Portland's finest, mister Jeremy Dunn himself, as well as joining some cool people to rack up those important conversational paced rides.... long may the mildness continue, if I ever thought to myself id be riding in mitts in January id have thought that was barmy! Hope everyone is enjoying their January...

Nothing nicer than riding with a cycling newbie, biggup Jezza!

Loving Prendas white oversocks, so PRO

Suited, booted and not a cloud in the sky. Glorious!

Portlands daddio of cool, J-Dunn himself. Was a pleasure to chase the tarmac with you man!

Putting in the base miles, couldn't be happier right now!

A Few Of Our Favourite Things

2012-01-11T18:14:00.000Z

Flouro Overshoes - A nice flash of hi-vis and hi-style

Turbo all set up for the pain to begin at the end of Jan (easy miles/smiles for now)

Castelli Pioggia booties & Condor Acciaio, perfect wet weather ride beaters

Mild temps means iv cracked this out twice in the past 2 months. On my toes as well!

Fisher Space Pen - gnarliest writing pen ever!

New year reading material courtesy of Brian! Celeste is the colour.....

U.S. National Cyclocross Championship 2012

2012-01-11T17:54:00.002Z

Coffee Field Guide

2012-01-11T16:58:00.000Z

2011... Thats A Wrap

2011-12-31T23:59:00.000Z

What a year. We saw Gilbert dominate the spring classics in a way that was just off the dial, witnessed a very deserved and honourable tour de France victory (well every fibre of being believes it was a true performance... I hope dearly it was). One of my fave moments personally, being the soppy romantic I am, was seeing the reunion of Van Summeren and his lady at the finish line where he proposed in true style (and with a massive rock too!).

2011 pro cycling had it all - the textbook perfect year for the Manx Missile - a WC title, TDF sprint domination & even a little nipper on the way. It was a great year for British cycling with some heavyweight performances, such as Froomey at the Vuelta and Brads Dauphiné victory.

So 2011 was a cool year for cycling. Personally.... I spent a good portion of 2011 travelling and living on the road due to being posted out to the field to work as a photo editor for the year.

I saw some amazing thinngs, including the Tour Finale, I spent 2 months posted out to New Zealand where I indulged in some pretty epic riding, and of course I took part in a wicked 24 hour race challenge with an awesome bunch of lads deep in the forest-laden hinterland of Germany.

The year also saw challenges for me, in that I put on a little weight and lost fitnss due to an erratic work schedule that negated any chance whatsoever of regular and structured riding... It became a little bit of a case of 'grab the bike' whenever I had the chance. This past month has seen me rectify this with a work diary that's given me back a daily 75 minute commute, and im no longer eating out on the road 3 times a day.

Diet and riding structure has been nailed down and im seeing results already. Not to mention I took up running. Fear not as I hear you gasp aloud in shock! with a charity half-marathon on the way in March its just a nice excuse to supplement the riding and fitness with a little bit of cross training over the winter that's going to pay some well deserved benefits (or at least I hope it will - otherwise I may cry!).
Im really digging the social side of riding this past year, with a mention got to be thrown the way of instagram. If you have an iphone I implore you to get the free app downloaded, its a wicked way to connect to some really cool people and share an insight into their daily life. Look me up, username gematkinson. I also dipped my feet into the world of Tumblr, and found some really cool blogs out there.

Late April I took delivery of my lovely Acciaio from Condor. It has become my go-to bike for pretty much everything. I had a go at racing a crit on it (which I hated - im def not a racer!), I took it to 60mph on a decent and have never felt so secure! Im really looking forwrad to putting some special miles on it for the forthcoming year, its made a big difference to how much I enjoy my riding these days.

I decided that racing wasnt for me - maybe thats because I was a tad out of shape in 2011 (indulgence on the road is a killer! and no regular base mileage is hard to compensate for some the summer when everyone is flying). I also tried a hillclimb, but didnt do too great. My sensei Konrad has urged me to bother to warm uop for more than 40 seconds next time!

Iv met some super-cool people this year too, have to throw out a big shout to some really awesome people doing some cool things, these guys are worth following > Fabrica Della Bici, I Get Cross, Out of Leftfield, Vicious Velo, In The Saddle, Gage & DeSoto, WMP, Tracko Rex, Bike Tart, and so many more I have forgot to mention... Theres a wicked online cycling community growing and spreading ideas and events, and its been cool to be a part of this last year. Hopefully 2012 will see me being able to dedicate a bit more time and put something back into the scene thats helped me roll along nicely the past few years.

So for 2012, make some big goals and work hard towards them.... I have a good feeling about it! All the best & big love to all! Gemx

Steelman

2011-12-30T17:48:00.000Z

Beautiful steel frames - spied over at Keith Anderson Cycles flickr

Hackney GT

2011-12-29T16:57:00.000Z

At the recent Vicious Cross Race, I had the pleasure to meet Russ Jones, godfather of 'Hackney GT'. Hackney Globe Trotter is a collection of really cool ideas, manifesting themselves in fashion, design, cyclewear, and sick musical events, with the emphasis on style and fun. Head on over to his website for some fresh mixes and links to radio shows, events and the shop where you can cop some sick jerseys. Below is Russ's natty looking CX bike. HOT!

A Couple of Reads

2011-12-27T20:43:00.000Z

I recently picked up a couple of real nice books to enjoy over the festive period. First up is a wicked photo book chronicling the UCI World Cup Cyclocross season of 2009/2010 by a really awesome snapper, Balint Hamvas.

The format of the book is a great introduction to the world cup racing scene, with each round of racing summarised nicely in prose, with a bit of pre race background about the riders and their standings, before launching into a succint edit of great photos from that leg of the competition.

The photos capture the real essence of the race, with some cool key moments. I also love that Balint shoots the ladies equally too, and he has some truly cracking pics of girls shredding it on the circuit.

This is a great little reference book, useful and enjoyable for both hardened mud fans and newbs like myself. I really hope Balint plans to produce one for this season which has been so far really cool to watch (its probably the first year iv bothered to follow the races and riders that much, being a self-confessed die-hard roadie). The book can be ordered from Balint directly, shoot him an email through his website.

Next up is the unique offering from British bike stalwart, Condor Cycles, a beautifully curated collection of stories, history and ideology of the brand and their racing heritage. Entitled "Past, Present and Future", the book serves up delicious anecdotes from such names as Eric Clapton, Jon Snow, Monty Young and Kristian House. Delving deep into the brands history as well as referencing the current rise in cycling popularity and exposure, the book serves as a perfect anchor point for all things Grays Inn Road.

The range of articles is great, and I was honoured to be asked to submit a short personal story for the book, and there are some other awesome personal customer stories, all unique and interesting, bound with the common thread of riding condors.

I love the inclusion of stories from all sphere of the brand, from racers, staff members, old school heroes , Mr J Herety himself, and a piece on the new-school resurgence of the steel frame (something condor have truly mastered in the acciaio IMO). Its a truly really interesting read, having dipped into it a dozen times since receiving a copy, I find myself going back to it for more stories again and again...

The book is priced at £15 and available instor or via telephone from condor or online at rapha.

Girls

2011-12-23T07:31:00.000Z

A Vicious Introduction To Cross

2011-12-18T22:39:00.000Z

Firstly apologies for the seemingly baron virtual space that is bianchista, I concede the updates have been thoroughly lacking these days, and can only offer the excuse that life seems to have ramped up to around 200% on the busyness scale, well that and im actually riding my bike/attending bike type things!
So without further ado, let me launch into today's blogpost which will be a hearty congratulations to all the Vicious Velo crew for organising such a fantastic day of gnarly cross racing down at Herne Hill Velodrome. I had my first practical introduction a few weeks ago to the muddy & intense world of cross via the lovely Konrad Manning (more on my virgin knobby-tyred outing to come this week on the blog), but was yet to head down and actually watch a race... I mean, sure, iv streamed my fair share of begian uber-cross fests when the office is quiet, and im pretty au-fait with the riders and courses on the world cup (thanks in no part to an excellent cyclocross photobook by balint hamvas, in which you can read a review this week), but a rare Sunday off work meant a perfect opportunity to taste all things vicious at Herne Hill.

Boom was in residence on the airwaves, utilising the 'Megamouth' for epic heckles and commentary, the like of which may be shunned by the cycling establishment as it was literally 200% HILAR. Goading riders into grabbing curly wurlys and passing seat height judgements were amongst the best. Respect!

Ben did a fab job designing the course, with crazy turns, a pretty gnarly looking wallride (I think I saw 3 people attempt it, of which two crashed and burned!). The technical sandpits became real leg-crampers towards the end of the race, and the section outside of the velodrome proved tight and pretty unforgiving.

Massive congrats to all who raced today, I was so impressed by the amount and variety of riders out on what was honestly a brutally cold day. You have so much respect in bianchistas book, I feel shattered after just turning up and shooting a few pics.

I managed to fire off pretty much a frame or two of every rider, but as you can imagine its a pretty mammoth job to get them all edited and uploaded. But keep an eye on my flickr towards the end of the week and il be adding them all into the Vicious Cross set.

Nice to meet Geoff too, who kept everyone going through the corners with his awesome drum skills, got to hand it to a man that's willing to come out and play a session (gloveless) on a freezing December morning! Anyway, if you missed it, there's always next year, this is Ben's annual event, and it really is such a wicked atmosphere. I implore you to dig your wellies out, grab a camera, maybe a flask of tea and head down to your local cross race. It needs everyones support, and I don't mean financially, just get down and cheers a few of the guys on, I know they will appreciate it...

WC Laces

2011-12-06T07:22:00.000Z

Hot

2011-12-03T13:50:00.000Z

Vicious Race!

2011-12-03T09:30:00.000Z

The very ViCiOUS crew are holding a mega cross-fest on the 18th December at Herne Hill in London. Bianchista & JR will be donning out wellies and getting amongst it with some brewski's and grabbing some snaps. All bikes are welcome and there are a variety of categories to enter. Just turn up & have a go!

Bike Lust

2011-11-27T21:52:00.000Z

Incense

2011-11-22T20:07:00.001Z

Keegan to Sky?

2011-11-22T17:59:00.001Z

Ooops

2011-11-22T15:19:00.000Z

Oi Fatty!

2011-11-22T11:16:00.000Z

Rapha have laid the gauntlet down, 9000 cals from 23-27 November. Sadly iv screwed myself by heading back (sans bike) to Sheffield HQ for mama bianchista's 50th party! Get registered at www.strava.com/rapha/turkey, more info here

Servizio Corse Eternal Sunshine - Chapter III

2011-11-21T20:47:00.000Z

Condor Tennant & Clancy Specials

2011-11-21T19:38:00.000Z

Condor have produced these amazing one off custom bikes for their star track riders and olympic hopefuls, Andy Tennant and Ed Clancy. Claire has very kindly hooked me up with some images to share of the beautifully painted frames, with Andy opting for the stealth bomber number, and Ed riding the dream (or nightmare) inspiring 'Scream' by Edvard Munch!

The lush paint-work is the handicraft of the talented Chris Grove, of Performance Race Art, who has undertaken two very diofferent design briefs and delivered truly unique bikes for top-class riders. Check out their website for the insane custom designs they produce. I have to say im a fan of the Clancy's 'Munch' bike, just because its so unique and off the wall, but also its executed really well!

Save The Date

2011-11-14T15:53:00.000Z

Ladies Ride!

December 17th > 9:30am

Meeting Hampton Court Palace Gates

Riding to Windsor

Pub Lunch

* * *

Be There!

Venturing North

2011-11-09T09:56:00.000Z

This past weekend I had the pleasure of linking with Paul of one of my favourite cycling blogs... "still searching". As a York inhabitant, Paul promised a great route in and around the York/Harrogate area, and goodness did he deliver. The ride was a gentle 78km affair, peppered with silent country lanes looking beautiful dressed in burnt leaves, radiating in the chilly sunshine. I haven't had a sunstancial ride in the UK since the start of august due to being on the road with work, so this route was extra special in that it felt somewhat of a homecoming for me. I tested myself a little on the climbs, each time having chris dish out some punishment on the primes.

The cafe stops were incredible, Home Farm was an absolute treat, and not to forget arriving at the stunning bridge in Knaresborough ready for a caffeine hit.

Chris, Julia and Paul provided some great company, showing me what northern road cycling (and a little bit of cross thinking back to those bridleways) has to offer. It was the kind of ride that I had in mind when getting the Acciaio - those long leisurely days exploring in the saddle, with good banter amongst mates and long winding deserted (wind-free) roads!

I would thoroughly recommend trying out the route on a nice clear day, the scenery was breathtaking. York is pretty accessible from Kings Cross via East Coast trains (remember to book a bike space on their website). Feel free to download the course data from the garmin information below, pop in some course points and head off into this lovely lush northern hinterland.

The Japanese 'Crunky Popjoy' sweets did not fare too well at the cafe stop

Sunshine & deserted lanes made for some great miles

Paul & his awesome flouro booties

(L-R) Julia, Chris & Paul lead the way home as the sun sets

Rapha Supercross

2011-11-04T08:37:00.000Z

Multipower Nutrition

2011-11-03T23:58:00.006Z

I reviewed some products from sports nutrition company multipower before (here), and have recently taken delivery of some new products aimed at cyclists, ideal for the sportive rider and those looking to fuel long rides and training sessions. Up this time were a selection of pre, during and post workout bars, in addition to a refuel powder to aid training session recovery.

Hi-energy Bar

First up is the 'does what it says on the tin' Multicarbo Hi-Energy Bar, tested in both lemon and chocolate varieties. Im often shocked at how I stuff various energy bars into my mouth during long efforts, only to take a cursory glance at the ingredients tab after. So many times these bars are laden with fat, whereas these bars contain only a mere 1.9g of fat, making them ideal for cyclists looking to curtail their fat intake. Second on the shock factor what not only the bars had a nice low fat content, but that they managed to pack in 30 grams of carbohydrates and 6.8 grams of protein (perfect for the start of the muscle repair process). The bars are quite thin in composition, and a regular size, comparable to say a small mars bar, so for them to be able to pack this nutritional content in seems pretty impressive.

The lemon flavor tasted zingy, but not in an unpleasant way. It was palatable and chewy, but I suspect might be a little tougher to the bite on freezing days. The lemon bar also boasted a dose of caffeine, enough to provide a little emergency zip when the tank is running dry. The chocolate bar is also about an 8 out of t10 on the chewiness scale, and boasts the rather exotic guarana in place of the caffeine kick. I plan to carry a lemon bar for the start of a half marathon.
The bars are fairly economic at 25 bars for £30, and considering the ratio of carbs/fat and added kick factors I think this is a pretty decent price that I would be inclined to pay. I teamed one of these bars with an energy gel on rides of around 100km.

Energy+Fruit Bar

Next up is a similar looking bar to the above in packaging, but placing itself as a fruit bar alternative. The flavors I tested were apple and banana. I must confess to hating the banana bar, but then I hate bananas in general, so I wouldn't read much into that. Needless to say the banana bars were swiftly dispatched to the Rowland brothers, where they were consumed happily. The Apple bar was a sticky and chewy type fructose laden treat, tasting quite sweet and sugary, perfect when I needed a quick energy spike. With slightly more carbs per bar than above at 34 grams, the only tradeoff is a slightly higher fat content (still relatively low at 2.1grams).

The consistency was chewy to the extent that I wouldn't want a frozen bar of this on a cold december ride, but I suppose stashing a jersey pocket might keep it edible due to the bodyheat factor.

Recovery Bar

Im not so keen on recovery bars as a general rule. I guess because I found what works for me, that being a particular brand of whey protein mixed with skimmed milk. I usually only consume this after 2 or more hard hours in the saddle, if I happen to be riding or running the next day.

However I tested these bars on three occasions, after a long run and twice after some hard turbo sessions prior to leaving for New Zealand. With only 13 grams of protein available per bar to aid in muscle recovery and body recuperation, I presume that the addition of 18 grams of carbohydrates is a conscious decision by multipower, believing this provides an optimum ratio of nutrition for recovery. Now I am no expert in this field (far, far from it dear readers), but I have to admit they did stave off a significant amount of soreness when training the next day. I took the bar around 15 minutes after finishing a session, along with a large glass of 0.1% milk.
The bar is coated in chocolate, but inside the chocolate flavor filling is quite malty tasting, and upon chewing for a long time doesn't exactly break down in the most pleasant way. Thats not unique though, as Im yet to find a protein bar that didn't break down in the manner, hence why I consumed mine along with the milk, in order to aid actually getting it eaten!

Re-Charge Drink

Lastly is the thrifty-ly priced re-charge drink, coming in at £12.50 per tub (around 14 servings). The re-charge drink is a post workout recovery drink shying away from the traditional chocolate-type milkshake whey based drinks of other brands. The drink comes in orange flavor, and tasted a bit like a malty robinsons orange when mixed with a pint of water. Although slightly chalky and malty, the drink goes down easy enough, and isn't the most unpleasant taste around.

Again Multipower impressed me with the inclusion of a plethora of BCAA as they do in their energy drink I tested last time around. Branch Chain Amino Acids help aid body tissue growth and cell regeneration, in lamens terms, promoting growth and repair of the body. Pepto-pro protein is included to aid muscle recovery after strenuous strength sessions, with 8.3 grams of protein yielded per serve. I have incorporated this into my recovery regime after gym sessions midweek, and was impressed at a calorie value of just 169kcal per drink (my milk based protein drink is around 3 times this!). This makes an ideal drink for those looking to aid recovery whilst watching their calorie intake (hey its the off-season and we all need a little help in that area come christmas indulgence time!)

All products tested (and more) are available to purchase at Multipower

Candlestick Cyclocross Race

2011-10-30T12:32:00.000Z

Balint Hamvas - CX Photographer

2011-10-29T12:16:00.002+01:00

Recently the amazing cyclocross photos of Balint Hamvas caught the eye of Bianchista. Balant's work is presented on the website http://cyclephotos.co.uk. An extremely talented freelance photographer based in London, Balint has documented the world cup series from 2008 in an impressive and punchy fashion. It was my pleasure to pick the brains of the man, and he kindly answered some questions and let me share some of his images (Click for full size).

Hey Balint, thanks for taking the time to talk to bianchista... so how did you stumble across cross and how long have you been shooting Cyclocross?

It all started in 2008. I had been an avid cyclist since my teenage years and I followed most disciplines of cycling quite closely, but somehow cyclo-cross had always eluded me, flying under the radar somewhat. But there was this World Cup race in Tabor, fairly close to where I lived at the time, and I thought that I should head out and take a look at it. And you know what? it was love at first sight! The kind of event when you enter the room and lay eyes upon a beautiful woman at the other end of the room. You start talking to her and it turns out that she is not only a vision of beauty but also intelligent and funny. Well cyclo-cross was that lady at the end of the room for me! I think the reason I love 'cross the most is its intensity. The luxury of stealing a second to relax just doesn’t exist in cross – take your eye off the ball and you will be punished. Not just for the riders, but also us as photographers.

Do you cycle yourself?

I started as a mountain biker, but the inevitable happened when I relocated to London - I became a roadie, starting to even shave my legs, which is always fun! I dabbled in the world of mud and sweat myself and raced 'cross last year in the London League. I always loved racing but it's always been just fun for me, not too competitive. I'm too tall and fat for proper racing. I just enjoy turning the pedals immensely. (I can relate to that! - bianchista)

What has been your favourite moment so far in shooting cycling?

I can get very emotional when a rider I really like wins or rides very well. I have a good relationship with a few riders and sometimes I get to catch a glimpse of how hard they work to get where they are and when all those efforts come to fruition, well, that's always a great moment.

Balint, im always interested in what a snapper thinks are his best images. What is your favourite picture of your back catalogue and why?

It's probably the photo below that features on the cover of my book: Its Zdenek Stybar in the second lap during the Igorre round of the World Cup in 2009. I didn't have much time to set up the lights and I wasn't sure they were even pointing at the right directions, but I knelt down regardless and started to shoot, and that was when Stybar ran past me. I like the photo because it perfectly demonstrates the essence of 'cross: the mud, the intensity, the atmosphere. It's all there to read on Styby's face.

What event has you the most excited to shoot this season?

Koppenbergcross - I've never been there before. The crowds at races in Belgium never fail to create a special atmosphere, and it is said that Koppenberg is even more special than the other races. I guess I'll see for myself soon enough!

To contact Balint or view his upcoming race schedule please click here

Balints Flickr

Balints Twitter
Bianchista will be reviewing Balints CX book in the next few weeks

Clean

2011-10-23T07:28:00.000+01:00

Moots Oil

2011-10-15T08:22:00.002+01:00

La retardo vuelta de Puente Nuevo – Teaser

2011-10-15T06:07:00.002+01:00

Past, Present, Future

2011-10-14T01:18:00.001+01:00

Condor cycles have launched a book chronicling the stories and faces behind the legendary brand, covering the heritage and the ever-changing design shaping the future of the forward thinking bike shop. With stories from the likes of John Herety (DS of Rapha Condor Sharp), Neil Manning (Condor Production Director), Monty Young (Condor Cycles founder), various Condor cycles staff and riders of their bikes.

Produced in collaboration with the fellows behind The Ride Journal, Philip & Andrew Diprose, The book is a feast of cycling related stories, studio portraits and street style photos. I had my photo taken for the book and submitted a short story, so obviously im super excited to see the finished product.

The book is priced at a very reasonable £14.99, with 146 pages (complete with a section estolling the virtues of steel as a frambuilding material that im particualrly stoked to read). The book can be purchased in store at Condor Cycles, but for those not lucky enough to call it their LBS, do give them a call or email and im sure they will be more than happy to assist in the mail ordering of an edition.

Autumn Breath

2011-10-11T00:08:00.000+01:00

Helen Wyman

2011-10-08T04:48:00.001+01:00

Cyclocross At White Park

2011-10-08T04:46:00.002+01:00

Supercross

2011-10-04T21:38:00.000+01:00

Rapha Lookbook

2011-09-30T23:50:00.000+01:00

Rapha have launched their AW11 lookbook online for all to enjoy. Featuring luscious photo and video craftings from Ben Ingham, each of their ranges is presented in the stunning backdrop of the Alps, managing the impossible and further glamourising their products and eking out every last bit of desirability. Think of it as a kind of online carharrt brand book, something I used to absolutely love picking up a copy of. Head on over to http://lookbook.rapha.cc/ to watch the films and see their newly launched products. Lots of new colourways too (a rather cute berry seems to feature this year, complimenting their nice blue teal-coloured material from last year.
I particularly love the new womens range film featuring their new ladies rider Julie Krasniak. A name to watch for this cross season!

Le Coq Sportif x L’Eroica 2011 Capsule Collection

2011-09-30T11:45:00.001+01:00

Acciaio 2012

2011-09-30T03:14:00.000+01:00

H-O-T!

Darkstar

2011-09-30T02:52:00.000+01:00

NZ Via Prop Plane

2011-09-25T00:35:00.001+01:00

Dunedin > Christchurch > Nelson via prop plane, New Zealand, 25/09/11

Roots

2011-09-24T04:01:00.001+01:00

Bianchista, aged 7, about to drill a session on a Raleigh Mag Burner, resplendent in terry towelling pyjama ensemble. Complete with bidon-sock matching style.

Getting High Part II

2011-09-22T22:13:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I ran off a mountain slope and enjoyed a 20 minute descent into Queenstown, NZ.

Cahors Challenge

2011-09-22T13:05:00.000+01:00

Some good friends of bianchista are undertaking an amazing charity ride, a 500-mile team ride Starting under the historic walls of the maritime city of St Malo, the route will travel Brittany into Normandy and head south over the Loire. Then, following river valleys that climb into the foothills of the Massif Central, , Riding on south towards the headwaters of the Dordogne on day three. The final day of the Challenge is where riders will see the finish line at the 14^th century medieval bridge over the river Lot at Cahors, home to the “black wine” revered by Tzars, Popes and Princes.

Laura, Claire, Lisa and Blandine are raising funds for the highly noble cause of research for the Alzheimers Society charity. Swing by the girls' justgiving page, and donate to help them reach their target of £1000. Allez Allez ladies, may there be an eternal tailwind at your disposal

Getting High

2011-09-21T21:54:00.002+01:00

Crossvegas 2011

2011-09-18T06:20:00.001+01:00

The Hidden Alps

2011-09-16T22:25:00.002+01:00

How To Break A Track Record Night

2011-09-16T11:33:00.000+01:00

The wonderful legend of cycling that is Graeme Obree is taking part in a special discussion night on 22nd September, discussion the mechanics of bike and body, and what it truly takes to ride fast on the track. Full details of the event and the free booking link can be found here

"Join us for the first in the new season of Engineering Club talks to hear Graeme Obree'The Flying Scotsman', bicycle innovator and twice holder of the 1 hour world record explain what it takes for both bodies and bikes. Mike Taylor of Hopkins Architects, designers of the 2012 Velodrome, will look at the history of cycling tracks and how they have influenced world records. Klaus Bode of BDSP, also part of the Velodrome design team will explain how they are creating the optimum track environment for record-breaking." - http://www.engineeringclub.org.uk/talks.asp

Rapha Ladies Cross Skills Evening

2011-09-10T08:36:00.000+01:00

The very awesome and very fast lady of cross Claire 'boom' Beaumont is dishing out two skills classes for ladies looking to improve upon their skills or simply dip their toe into the knobbly-tyred racing scene. Rapha are holding two evenings in London where Claire will guide groups on techniques such as mounting/dismounting, running with the bike and cornering, with attendees getting to test out their skills on a mini cross course.

Each session will end in the pub for a drink and a chance to chat all things cross. For more information and to register for a place on the mini clinics, visit the event sites for 15 September and 22 September. The classes are free and informal, and guaranteed fun. A perfect cross appetizer in anticipation of the upcoming Rapha Supercross events.

Neon

2011-09-08T09:33:00.000+01:00

Noticing a trend for lairy neon bike stuff at the moment, I wholeheartedly approve. Making hi-vis cool is no small task, below are some nice examples!

More Dunedin Riding

2011-09-08T08:09:00.000+01:00

Iv been braving the chilly mornings and heading out everyday to what can only be described as an amazing head-clearing session, smattered with scenery that takes my breath away constantly. The traffic volume is low, with secluded climbs leading away from a coastline boasting crystal clear waters. Below are a few ride snapshots, il pen something up later this week.

Signal Hill Road

Otaga Peninsula

I live at the top of this. Not ideal for post-session spin

Climbing up Mount Cargill

PBP 2011

2011-09-02T08:44:00.002+01:00

Story over at Rapha. Epic seems such an understatement... so il go for 'Hard as NAILS'

Otago, NZ

2011-09-02T08:23:00.000+01:00

Simply stunning scenery to ride in. Massive climbs and breathtaking scenes lay around every corner... click the pics for full size.

Nürburgring Race

2011-08-28T15:13:00.000+01:00

I recently had the privilege of riding the crazy 'Rad Am Ring' event for Rapha. Kieran had asked if i would be up for it during my visit the the cycle club Mallorca earlier in the year, and to be honest I thought he might of forgot. How wrong I was when the email came through with the details in July... no backing out now! The racing format was simply an 8 man relay around the Nürburgring race circuit... for 24 hours! We managed to come 4th out of 49 teams, not a bad feat when riding the bulk of it with only 6 bodies.

The vibe was amazing, haning out at the mobile cycle club and slowly poisoning my insides with an unhealthy amount of their nudie espresso's and generally enjoying some epic banter. Come 2 am those coffees were sorely needed. You can read a blog on the team and how we fared over at Rapha. I rode the acciaio as I couldnt bear to leave it at home and it miss such a special event, and im so glad I did. The thing truly excelled at cornering and descending.

A huge shout out to Ben, Jack, Strefan, Florian and Michael for what was one of the most fun days/nights I have ever had. And so many thanks to Kieran for organizing such an amazing experience....(and the extra photos) alles klar! ;)

Kieran leads us out on a reccy

Pit Lane

Jack brews up

Ben

Ben awaits the transponder

The relaxed handover

Keeping warm

Nightfall

attempts at sleep

Chillin'

Banana boy

Stefan of 8bar bikes

Kierans recovery program

The mist over Nurburg

Jack does his best cheeky barista pose

Ben makes a new friend

Flag

The boss fires up the bbq

Stefan waits for his lap

Lost in Germany thanks to minimal trainline understanding

Yum

Michael warms up

Chillin

Some race number adjustments

Clocking up on the descent

The rain starts

The ring. Beautiful

Slam

2011-08-25T13:10:00.002+01:00

Rollapaluza Hill Climb Vid

2011-08-23T19:48:00.000+01:00

Rich kindly pointed me in the direction of this, a video of the hillclimb I rode in. I can be found muscling up like a beached whale at 59 secs and boom smashes on up at 1min 22. Check it out...

Jersey Pocket

2011-08-17T09:27:00.001+01:00

Below is my entry into Raphas Jersey Pocket project. Kind of like the Everday Carry/Burning House blogs, but... cycling related! Be sure to upload your entry onto their facebook page for a chance to win some sweet little treats.

Ride:

Solo 70k out to Bushey/Stanmore then home to Castelnau.

Jersey:

Womens cream longsleeve

Contents:

* Spare clear Jawbone lenses for changeable conditions

* £5 coffee stop kitty

* Commemorative royal wedding oyster travelcard. In case of emergency il be basking in levels of untold patriotism as I shamefully take public transport

* Getty Press Card, should I find myself ensconced in (another) riot

* One solitary manky tasting gel, quickly substituted for a Cadburys Crunchie upon arrival at corner shop in Harrow

* Rapha Condor Club RR patch

* Nail polish for the cafe stop (girl has to multitask)

* Joker 'bike' card, found on the floor & given to me by a dear colleague on a trip to the township of Soweto in South Africa in 2010.

Moots

2011-08-13T16:28:00.002+01:00

DARKSTAR - Redux

2011-08-12T15:36:00.001+01:00

Spotted this beaut of a handbuilt steed over at Justin Spinelli's Luxe Wheelworks. I love everything about this bike, its understated aggression and the stealthy finish to it. A belter...

Endurance

2011-08-12T15:12:00.000+01:00

Dunedin, NZ Bound

2011-08-11T16:53:00.002+01:00

At the end of the month, bianchista is being posted for a 2 month working trip to New Zealand to cover the Rugby World Cup 2011. Il be situated in Dunedin on the south island for a month, before heading up to Auckland to rendezvous with the remainder of the editing team to work the last 4 weeks.

I will be taking my bike (although which one is still to be decided!) and il be looking to ride on most days, bar the big game days. Should you be local to the area and fancy showing me the very best of your treasured local routes, please do drop me a line at the email address above. Also feel free to ping any garmin route files that may be of interest. Im currently digging out a plethora of warm fleece-backed lycra in anticipation of temps in the 4 degree range eek!

Driveway Time Trial

2011-08-11T16:42:00.000+01:00

Disc Braked Condor CX Prototype

2011-08-11T14:12:00.000+01:00

Modfather Socks

2011-08-07T17:34:00.001+01:00

Prendas have dropped these little cheeky numbers, a brit-pack inspired sock in homage to Wiggos' recent victory at the British National Road Race. Brad is a bit of a mod-cycling hero and these socks look a treat. Scoop here for the bargain price of £6.50.

Pillars Of Italian Cycling

2011-08-06T21:29:00.002+01:00

Espresso?

2011-07-27T17:47:00.001+01:00

Cycling & coffee - never have there been better suited bedfellows. Its just something about a lovely silky brew during the hallowed cafe stop that tradition has not changed in all its years passed. For many a year, cyclists have rewarded and fuelled the hours of arduous training (or even those relaxed recovery rides) a coffee, be it espresso, machiato, americano etc etc, and often accompanied by a sweet treat (rumour has it Dean Downing of Rapha Condor Sharp fame loves a caramel slice). To celebrate this relationship between rider and bean, Rocket Espresso have launched a very limited edition (only 200) Rapha marque of their famous 'Giotto' machine.

A plate on the front features the words of Fausto Coppi and the machine’s limited edition number, the quote translating to "We'll give ourselves a kick up the backside today"....

The infamous rapha pink coloured pressure gauge adds a a splash of colour and style to the machine. Bellissimo! Perhaps even think about adding a Chris King tamper or a Rapha livery Keepcup to your caffeine arsenal....

http://www.rapha.cc/rocket-espresso-for-rapha

Rollapaluza Urban Hill Climb 2011

2011-07-27T16:36:00.001+01:00

Last week saw the 2011 installment of the Rollapaluza Urban Hillclimb race. A standing start hillclimb race ascending the famous Swains Lane in Highgate, the events attracted some amazing climbing talent this year, as everyone seemed keen to smash it to the finish line. The climb is an 800m steep little bugger of a climb, rising through Highgate cemetery, resting place of people like Patrick Caulfield and Karl Marx. With gradients of up to 20%, it proved a real legburner as the finish line approached....

I managed 11th place in the senior womens category riding for the Rapha Condor Club, with a time of 2 mins 36 , which was a bit lame as I have gone faster than that up Swains previously. However, I failed to warm up and im not really firing on all cylinders currently due to work eating into training time, so I gave it my best, alas coming up a little short this time. It did however feel quite exhilarating to be climbing and having people cheer me on all the way up the hill. Rollapaluza printed every riders name and number in a programme, so lots of people including some excited kids were shouting out each rider by name, giving a nice little feeling of being a famous rider for about a nano second! I also decided to ride my bianchi and not the condor, mainly due to it being a shade over 7kg, and I needed all the help I could get!

I saw some truly epic powering up that hill, it seems like all the competitors bought their A-game to the night, and sure enough registration sold out in the blistering time of 4 minutes this year. Iv decided im totes entering again next year to better my time! Claire put in a strong performance for 5th in the ladies category which was smashed by those whippets from Look Mum No Hands team, those girls are F-A-S-T.

Pre-climb stretch, i think my warm up needs to be more comprehensive than this in the future!

Ben powers on up!

Thanks to the guys at Rollapaluza for organizing such a great event. Free to enter, it really was cool to get timing chips etc, and the running of the event was super slick. Bravo!

http://www.urbanhillclimb.com/

Stage 12 Fame

2011-07-15T13:18:00.002+01:00

Cadel Sprays Cav

2011-07-15T12:05:00.000+01:00

Spesh Cross

2011-07-13T22:43:00.000+01:00

Yikes!

2011-07-13T18:23:00.000+01:00

info here

Pimp My Canon - Condor Edition

2011-07-13T17:04:00.002+01:00

Bravery

2011-07-11T11:01:00.000+01:00

Wow. Im sure everyone felt as awful as I did watching yesterdays events unfold at the tour. To see Flecha and Hoogerland cast across the road like ragdolls left me with an awful lurching feeling in my stomach. These guys turn themselves inside out for the love of the sport - day in, day out.
The men, whether they like it or not, through their brave actions become heroes to everyone who consumes the races - the fan that emulates them on every backyard climb, or the daydreaming office worker, lost in though of battling one of these giants of the road for the finish line.
We care and we love these strongmen, applauding their most courageous acts and appreciating the style and panache they execute their craft with.
Watching the below video of Hoogerland really resonated with me, I saw a vulnerable young and BRAVE man, and what a man he is. Awarded the combativity prize after Flecha refused it as a gesture, and also the KOM jersey, he can take a small amount of comfort in the fact he was amazing. To remount and finish the stage after that crash was spectacular. Well done Johnny, and rest up today.

Rabobrake

2011-07-10T22:58:00.001+01:00

Wearing It Well....

2011-07-07T18:24:00.000+01:00

Some very nice t-shirts kicking about recently, show your true cycling colours and cop one for the summer. Click the pix for the links...

Howies 'First or Last'

Howies, the small but mighty clothing company from Cardigan Bay has come up with a very nice 80's inspired tour t-shirt, available in mens or ladies fit...

Condor 'Crank'

Condor offer an old school crank diagram tee, for a shade under £15.... bargainous!

Gage+DeSoto 'Dead Flowers'

American super designers Gage & DeSoto have teamed up with NYC brand Dead Flower to create this gnarly artwork of Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor duking it out in 1964 up the Puy de Dôme. Fresh as hell!

Rapha T-shirts

Like Howies, Rapha offer a ladies and mens cotton t-shirt. Slim fitting with the usual heavyweight quality factor of a rapha jersey. Very nice indeed...

Apologies...

2011-07-05T19:57:00.000+01:00

Bianchista has disappeared underground so apologies for the serious lack of updates. This past week saw me assigned to cover the royal wedding in Monaco which was hard work but rather fun. I hung out and fired some remotes and put in a hefty editing shift, so im just about back in the land of living after a mammoth 13 hour drive back from the millionaires playground. I saw a handful of cyclists, looks like a damn fine place to ride! Anyway, hang tight for some updates, il be back in the swing of things from now I promise.....

Should you be interested, check out the images from Getty of the marriage here

Parlee Aero Prototype

2011-06-26T17:57:00.000+01:00

Condor Acciaio - Gran Corsa Special Edition

2011-06-24T10:50:00.002+01:00

What a triumph, probably the loveliest paintjob on a bike iv seen in donkeys. Condor produced a super small limited run of these special steel Acciaio's for the Gran Corsa challenge. They currently have a couple on display in their shop for us mere mortals to admire. I particularly love the brazed Italian dot on the top tube and the incorporation of their 'wave' fork, not to mention them trying something different with an etched headtube design. Bravo ladies & gents of Grays Inn Road, you have pushed the boat out yet again and produced a stunning frame..... Without a doubt my bike of the year.

Cappy

2011-06-24T10:08:00.000+01:00

In more 'cycling paraphernalia recycled' - check out this beauty from Bluelug....

Saddle Pack

2011-06-23T08:31:00.000+01:00

Paul from the excellent 'Still Searching' blog has come up with an ingenious use for those Rapha gear envelopes that orders come in... now that's a nice way to recycle ;-)

Tour Series - Canary Wharf

2011-06-20T12:43:00.001+01:00

On Thursday I had the pleasure of heading down to see the finale of the Halfords Tour Series held at the prestigious Canary Wharf area in London. Rapha Condor Sharp took home the coveted title of Best Team Overall, managing to edge away and finish up 5 point in front of second placed Endura Racing. It was an action packed tight 1km course, around the central area of London's famous financial district, with rain further complication the nights racing by adding that element of danger into the mix. Last years champions Team Motorpoint had the honour of the race winning move, with their strong-legged talent Johnny McEvoy surging ahead in the final moments to power on across the line of second placed finisher Dean Downing, who had worked relentlessly in a break also driven by the absolute monster of power, former roubaix winner Maggy Bagstedt. He literally dieseled away on the front in a scary fashion, and judging by the poor blokes reaction when he crossed the line in fourth place, it was plain for all to see he had literally turned himself inside out for the duration of the race. Such an impressively aggressive performance was truly wicked and exciting to see, and did nothing but endear me even more to the gentle giant of PR. Well done Magnus!

Tour spokesperson Peter Hodges gave us a walk around the sight and a little insight into the background workings of their event. This was really interesting, for example I learnt that Canary Wharf area is actually privately owned and managed, so learned from Peter how this impacted upon the organisation and permits for the race. Peter and the Tour Series team are also the same guys who put on the annual British extravaganza that is the Tour of Britain.

I was allowed to wander into the team area and chat with some riders and take some snaps courtesy of the media pass (many thanks Ryan) so I went and wished good luck to Deano, I knew the guys had had a frustrating latter build up to today with some serious crashed marring their assault on the team points to take the title. It would be very close and I believe they were a mere 5 points in front of close runners Endura prior to the Wharf leg. Deano horsed around with Magnus and posed for some comedy pics, its pretty amazing when the riders are so approachable and good with their fans... I saw numerous riders happily taking the time to pose for photos and just generally chew the fat with racegoers, which gave a nice chilled vibe to the evening.

I had another little poke back in the race HQ whilst waiting for things to kick off, and even had a wee hold of the trophy. I can report that a) its the nearest il ever get to a cycling award and b) it weighs as much as a large dog! I think its made out of cast iron the things is that heavy.

The racing began and was pretty gung-ho from the oputset. A nice break with McEvoy, Maggy and Deano soon managed to build up a pretty decent gap, and as time went on this was held. What impressed me was a Le Col rider who had some trouble (maybe a mechanical) and was spat out the back, only to keep hammering to eventually join on. It was impressive the intensity he maintained to jump on and regroup. There were a couple of riders with mechanicals who took a lap out then bolted straight back into the pack. The speed really was ferocious, and I was unable to get a sharp picture even flashed in sports mode...

Team UK Youth in the drops. Loving the overshoes...

Riders beginning to string out

A Wilier rider tries to motor back on after a mechanical

'Motor'point seems such a fitting name. Gunning it on the straight

Endura keeping an eye on things

The peloton approaches the second corner

A Felt rider assesses jumping back on after a mechanical

Dean Downing of Rapha pushes through the first bend on course

Rich keeps his 'eyes off the prize'... sorry R, had to ;)

All sorts of spectators came out to enjoy the event, even the YMCA

Magnus looked completely screwed after the race - what a legend!

The Rapha boys sit backstage awaiting their podium ceremony

Rapha Condor Sharp take the overall win and trophy home

Podium champers antics

DS Jon Herety hands out goodies to kids in the crowd. Very sweet

Backstage horseplay as Dean chats to Ned Boulting

Many thanks to Ryan & Peter and everyone helping and assisting to run a great nights racing. If you get the chance to visit one of these crits id highly recommend it, the racing and atmosphere is super, and the guys turning themselves inside out appreciate all the support they can get. Keep your eyes peeled for a Tour of Britain stage coming to a city near you soon!

Smithfield Nocturne 2011

2011-06-16T22:42:00.000+01:00

So I guess by now everyone knows about Alex Dowsett lapp[ing the field in epic full on attack-from-the-gun mode yeah? Well due to being buisy this week I guess I kind of missed the boat on that one :) Once again Smithfields was swarmed by all manner of London based racefans - be they there for the folding bike race, the penny farthing sprint or the host of crits running that day. The place buzzed with excitement and people of all ages hammed it up on the street during a great sunny afternoon, perfect to watch the wheeled go by. Anyway, enjoy some pictures from this years annual instalment of all things twiglight racing (and please ignore the fact I escorted my drunken homeboy home before any actual nightime racing took place!)

vintage penny farthings killing it on a twisty course

Rapha served up many a fine espresso from their mobile cycle club

Those fine looking bikes you may have seen ;)

Fastman Steve smashing the folding bike race

allsorts enjoyed the day!

biggup Dirk!

the men's support race went off ridiculously fast from the gun

Dynamo Stu works the painface

ViCiOUS Velo - in B&W because colour is too VICIOUS!

James hitting up another 'fursty

Rouleur cowbell - officially best product of the nocturne!

diggin in during the men's race

Condor's Ben looking fast

Young Tao rode a ridiculously strong race. One uber-talented kid

The ladies race was also a toughy

The dynamettes in action

Hannah Barnes & Helen Wyman were a class apart

Hangin out with Sir Brian of Palmer (blog royalty)

Unofficial highlight was a girl appearing next to me and James commenting on the racing - she was in her pyjamas and had popped out for milk, but totes watched on! Amazing.... anyway, hope to see you all there in 2012! (or did I hear they were flattening the area for some trainline? hmm hopefully just a rubbish rumour)

Over The Rainbow

2011-06-10T15:56:00.000+01:00

RockShox @ Roubaix

2011-06-09T18:45:00.000+01:00

Rapha Etape Evening

2011-06-09T17:15:00.002+01:00

For those readers who are investing their blood, sweat and tears and taking part in this years installment of the Etape, Rapha are once again running their annual presentation to help prepare riders for a brutal but beautiful cycling experience.
On the 22nd June, Rapha will make available 80 places for each seminar, 2 are available for the two differing routes. After a full reconnaissance of Alpe d’Huez and the Massif Centrale, detailed advice on appropriate tactics, gearing and fuelling for the race will be given by both Rapha staff and also staff from Cyclefit.
Held at the stylish Charlotte Street hotel, the two sessions will be available together for a bargain price of £20, or each route briefing can be purchased separately for a meager £15. Drinks will be served during the interval and I should imagine it would be a great session to meet other folk to form some useful alliances. Here's the deets >

The venue is the Charlotte Street Hotel, 15 – 17 Charlotte Street, London, W1T 1RJ [ map ]
Pre-presentation drinks and canapes will be served at 6.30pm.
The presentation for Etape I begins at 7.00pm.
The presentation for Etape II begins at 8.30pm and finishes at 9.30pm.
There will be an interval with drinks at 8pm.
Price per session is £15 or £20 for both.

Im advised that this event sells out pretty quick so be sure to head on over to Rapha to purchase aticket post haste should you be interested.

Obree.....

2011-06-05T20:22:00.000+01:00

Condor Acciaio

2011-06-02T13:14:00.001+01:00

As I'm sure many of you know, I recently purchased a new bike. It was a decision iv ummed and ahhed over for quite some time, and I looked at quite a few different bikes. I wanted something a bit unique, I did actually look seriously at a Canyon CF, and whilst is represents amazing value for a super specced off the peg bike, it wasn't actually suited to the main kind of riding I do, which is long days in the saddle.
I decided I would like to try a material other than carbon for my next bike, so many carbon bikes these days have a super aggressive riding position, and to be honest I'm really not overly keen on the looks of certain 'relaxed geometry' carbon bikes. I have had a steel fixed pista for a good few years now which I originally bought for commuting but is n ow relegated to pootling about to the shops. I always loved the feel of the ride on the pista, and used to commute 16 miles a day on it more than happily. So that got me thinking about steel as a material that might yield the right kind of ride quality I was looking for in this next build.

I looked around at various steel frames, and decided I needed to look at a modern tubed frame that wouldnt be akin to riding something made out of cast iro, and would allow me to at least make a build of around 8kg - I must confess iv not been much of a weight weenie before, in fact my carbon bianchi punched in at 8kg exactly, so that was my target weight. I knew maybe psychologically id always expect a steel bike to be heavy and maybe talk myself into feeling it more on climbs, so mny reasoning was to get a bike lighter than the bianchi, then I would have no excuse to ever think i was riding a 'heavy steel bike'.

And so I found the perfect frame to fit my needs...... step forward the Condor Acciaio! A few years ago, I must confess to being very blasé about condor bikes. I found that while they were nice bikes... they were just 'nice' bikes. The decals and paintjobs were a bit on the bland side, and to be honest they didnt have the 'oooooh' factor. But that was a few years ago, and in my very humble opinion, the brand has seriously come on leaps and bounds in that time. I had a good neb at all the bikes in August of 2010 at the Earls Court Cycle Show. Having a good natter with brand manager Claire I became super impressed at the variety of bikes and also the many special editions they were upto (such as the mavic bike and the beautifully crafted Paris frameset). Designer Ben has taken the bikes in a wicked new direction, and as I stood gawping at the amazing 'Steely Dan' prototype frameset made especially for Dan Craven I couldn't help thinking how fresh and exciting they were compared with just a few years earlier.
Upon seeing pictures of Phipsy's completes Acciaio build (he had his custom finished in Italy at the Condor factory) I began thinking it would be really cool to take this frame as the heart of the bike and build a kind of modern looking ride using modern components, but with this lovely rear lugged steel frame at the centre. So Condor very kindly let me take their showroom bike in 52cm (what are the chances) out for a good long test ride. I hammered it directly to regents park, and upon the first pedal stroke I knew I liked the bike, but by the last pedal stroke i knew i loved this bike! The bike felt so responsive, my bianchi felt sluggish in comparison. Every pedal stroke translated through the bike incredibly well, and the roll across to Regents felt smooth and fast. After a few fast laps around the park I swung off and proceeded to take the bike up Haverstock Hill starting from Chalk Farm. I was initially worried I would be aware of the weight penalty of riding a steel bike up a hill but i was again pleasantly surprised as the bike performed admirably, and in fact I felt noticeably more comfortable climbing in the saddle when opposed to my carbon bike.

Upon heading back to the store, I spoke with Sammy about colours and decided that I actually loved the stock option he showed me, and thought it was a nice nod to the celeste colour that graced my beloved bike brand for many a year.
I then had a fitting on Condors fitting jig, with poor old sammy having to adjust between a 52 & 49cm bike constantly as I fettled over which size to plump for. I went for the 52 in the end, as there was minimal difference in top tube but I was able to get a slightly higher headtube with this size, again perfect for comfort over long distances.

I then gathered up different components for the build and dropped them off with Condor who did an amazing job with the final build. I tried to choose componentry that was fairly lightweight but also within my budget. The final weight currently is 7.8kg, but with a few upgrades over the summer the weight should be down to about 7.5kg.

Planet X ultra-light CNC brakes grace the front and rear. So far they have performed quite well, and were super cheap for a feathery 200g.

Deda finishing kit was selected to keep the weight down and to match those all important cuffs & collars. Rather than match the ultegra gunmetal to the similar coloured deda kit I chose to go with the black for a bit more subtle look.

Iv been a diehard Fizik aliante rider for quite some time now, its the perfect saddle for me, offering a comfy hammock style effect, but I thought it was time to give the antares a try. The saddle is actually pretty comfy, certainly a marked improvement on the arione, which as a girl iv got to say i hated! So yeah, got a good deal on an antares, saved a handful of grams so all good. I had the bars doiuble wrapped for comfort, which feels nice in small hands have to say.

FSA compact bars sit up front, and at some point will be upgraded to a lighter model, but I cant seem to get as comfy in any other shape than these...

Cute little lugs sit at the rear of the frame, and look very smart indeed.

The finishing touches on the frame are very nice, I parictularly love the simple decals and the colour.

I upgraded the fork to Condors more relaxed wave fork, great for climbing and long kilometeres. I found this combined with the steel frame has made it a very comfortable ride indeed. Im still tweaking a few things like position, but overall I'm super happy with the results, and my poor old bianchi b4p is sitting in the corner just not getting a look in as a weekend bike anymore.

Many thanks to all at Condor and especially Claire for the super slick bike build and for putting up with my fettling!