Oli Pepper

May 14, 2012

The Hunt - View from the pack

To be honest I wasn't planning on racing this one. Tokyo Fixed is one our latest stockists and one where, during lengthy chats about bikes, riding and racing, it was very apparent we had the same point of view. Which is why Morvélo stepped in to sponsor The Hunt {A Fixed gear Crit}. For both Morvélo and Tokyo Fixed, racing and events should be about fun, speed, enthusiasm and throwing something different into the mix. So a fixed gear crit seemed like a great choice to us and one that hasn't happened over in the UK before, but has in some lively races in different parts of the world. I'm a sucker for novelty and change so I signed up along with fellow KMP rider and friend Phil Moore.

Now, the three words Fixed Gear Crit would normally conjure images of a crash fest. A mixed ability of riders thrashing around a circuit with no brakes would probably be many peoples idea of hell and one to avoid. But it would be their loss. Sure, there will be crashes, and there were, but no more so than the road racing I've taken part in. It's a fact of life. If you race road or track bikes chances are you'll be in a crash. So the key is to not think 'If' but to make appropriate plans. You see it and hear it all the time whether it's a 3rd Cat race at Hillingdon or in the Giro, stay near the front. Do that and you'll have a great race and stay safe. Unless you have Roberto Ferrarisprinting in front of you.

So that's what I did. Making the choice that I'd rather lose energy than lose skin. Which is why it looks like I'm giving everyone a race long leadout in this video. Just look for the flash of white in amoungst the sea of black. Oh and some bad ass deep Reynolds Pista wheels! Hear the rumble.

There were two heats and then a final. I was in Heat one. The pace was good, the racing close and The Hunt undoubtedly had the best atmosphere of any road or track race I've taken part in. Large amounts of cheering and heckling (Phil bought his megaphone :-) and a good passionate crowd.

It reminded me a lot of the Singlespeed World Champs (MTB) races and events I've been too. A smallish group of enthusiastic riders, a wide range of abilities, a desire for some fast and fun racing and some great looking and sweetly specced out bikes mixed with some beaters that look like they could tell some good stories. No attitudes and an international flavour with riders from the USA, Holland, Greece and Italy making it over.

So Heat 1 and keeping my nose in the wind I played it safe. Which is more than can be said for a few riders. Hearing the mash of metal and tarmac a crash came down mid-pack and sent one rider down and several swerved off into the car park - but into a fence.Thanks must be given to them for narrowly missing my parked car too although I'm not sure you'd notice another dent in it.

The heat was lively with attacks going off every other lap. I tried a few times but the quality of the riders at the business end was high and I was always brought back. I gave it one last big dig on the last pinch but went too soon and was passed to take 2nd in my heat. Happy with that though!

Phil saddled up for Heat 2 and spent most of the race sitting pretty near the front. As misfortune would have it though, the one time he slipped back a bit the bunch got squeezed a Phil took it upon himself to tear some extra ventilation holes in his knee warmers - and knees:

Game over.

Patched up he returned finely to heckling duties as I lined up for the final. Once again the plan was to stick near the front. Everyone was a bit more cagey in this one, with one big attack going by the eventual winner but he was bought back a few laps later just as we heard that tell tale noise of clashing pedals once more. I looked over to see that it had happened fairly close to the front. Chas from MASH SF signaled to GO GO GO! So the 8 of us just buried it to make sure the split stayed. Now we were in a smaller group and working well to stay away with everyone doing their turn. Last lap and the guy who beat me in the first heat went for a flyer. I'd seen how strong he was so thought this was THE move.

Trouble was, it wasn't. I caught him just before the last rise but had pulled with me two super fast Italians who promptly dispatched me in the last 200 metres. The others were closing fast and I still had a slim gap. With nose on the handlebars pedalling full tilt around the final bend I crossed the line 3rd! Hell yeah!

All in all one of the most entertaining races and events I've been to and plans are already a foot to hold another. You can be sure that I'll be there again and Morvélo will be supporting.

Check out the full gallery over at Imagehunters

Filed under // Events Road Track

Posted by Oli Pepper

May 11, 2012

Boating on a cross bike

I couldn't face not going out although checking through the window at the lashing rain, it was going to be an easy option to cry off. It was one of the days though that I just couldn't be dissuaded. Kitting up in everything waterproof I owned I had a momentary pause as I opened the shed an pulled out the road bike. It was properly hammering down. Like standing in a power shower. Back went the road bike and out came the cross bike. For some reason I thought it would come in handy.

Which was correct. As well as the buckets of rain it was also howling winds so the roads were littered with leaves, branches, bit of fences, smashed cars, stray cats, litter, rocks and very few people and cars. The picture I've attached is pretty much typical of what the whole ride was like. The waterproofs did a valiant job but crumbled under the relentless strain after about 50 minutes. So in order to keep off the chill all climbs were done as fast as I could. Each downhill I tried to tuck into a ball to avoid windchill. My route never took my far from home but I couldn't resist throwing in some more hills just to keep the cold off.

Got home full of the smugness that comes from heading out when you know everyone else is indoors. Next thing I know the suns come out and the rest of the day was clear blue sky. Bastards.

Filed under // Cyclocross Road

Posted by Oli Pepper

May 2, 2012

I would have won . . .

If there hadn't been 7 other faster riders than me.

If I hadn't spent 2 weeks sat at a desk rather than sat in the saddle.

If I had manned up and braved the rain more.

If I actually trained properly.

If I would stop being so stubborn and embrace rollers, turbo trainers, heart rate monitors, proper diet.

If my legs didn't feel like unset jelly.

If they put more 90 degree corners in the circuit.

If I'd stop being so polite and fight for position more.

If only I'd ridden harder and smarter.

This is just some of the ever growing list of excuses I can come up with after a road race, barring an event as rare as the second coming of the Messiah - me winning one. It's an skill that every bike racer has and develops no matter what the ability. So despite these thoughts running through my head after last Fridays Hove Park Crit, I doubt I'll do anything differently come next time. I'll go out and ride my bike, find some climbs to test the legs and some descents to test the skills. Do a bit of road, bit of MTB, bit of track, bit of 'cross. Mix it up a touch. A race will come round. I'll turn up and have a damn good crack at doing something fun, hard, testing and, no matter what, rewarding. Where I finish who knows.

Next up is The Hunt {A Fixed Gear Crit} this Sunday at Hillingdon. Can't wait...

Filed under // Road

Posted by Oli Pepper

April 18, 2012

Still learning

Easter weekend. The familiar family gathering and a worrying lack of potential for some bike riding, although I had got an entry into a Surrey League race on the Saturday. This was on a recommendation of a friend who, knowing my love of steep sharp punchy climbs, suggested Milland Hill. I blindly took the advice and signed up. This time I did no streetview reconnaissance preferring the element of surprise.

Before that though I had to get myself from Brighton to Basingstoke to meet up with the family. Luckily blessed with sunny weather I opted to ride.

It's very rare that I do a ride that doesn't finish where it started. So the 70 miles or so was a welcome change with the pedals seemingly turning by themselves and happily tapping out a decent rhythm. As is becoming more and more customary I did a little bit of off-piste, spotting a great farm track that just had to be explored.

It didn't exactly lead nicely back on to my route but I love the drift of road tyres on dry and loose dirt. Thankfully no punctures! There were a few sharp pinches on the route that I seemed to just skip up in the big ring (shhh, don't tell anyone it's a compact) so I was looking forward to seeing how the race the next day would pan out.

Saturday and the lovely clear blue skies were replaced by a damp and overcast morning. The legs were a little stiff from the previous days "commute" but nothing like a 60 mile race to loosen them up, right? My plan for today was not to race like a monkey, like last time. So from the off I made sure I was always sitting in about the top 10 or 15, keeping an eye on things and not to miss the break. What was that? The break has already gone? Shit. Two people had made a move right at the start and were nowhere to be seen!

The course was a cracker and lived up to expectations. Some long fast fast fast downhills, turn left into 'The Climb' which was a beauty. Starting off at about 6% it trundles up and gets progressively narrower, forcing you to keep near the front if you didn't want to be caught behind riders mashing the gears under full load. Which is what they, and I, did when we rounded the corner and saw the road ramp up to 25%! Awesome! It was still greasy so the peloton was wheelspinning it's way up. I opened up the taps keeping it in the Big Ring and mashing the pedals. It wasn't pretty but it did mean that I was first over the hill (excluding the two man break) on 4 of the 6 laps.

Legs were feeling good and I tried numerous times to get away, or at least split the bunch. First time was to set and good pace into the climb and then accelerate up. No effect. Next time was to sit in then sprint on the steep part. Good effect. In fact I got a good gap and looked behind and saw the whole peloton strung out behind. That was cool. In my mind I was giving it the Cancellera.

In reality I wasn't. See the picture above. Just behind me is the winner of the race and the second place guy. See the effort on my face versus the lack of effort on theirs? That says all you need to know and that's when I was feeling fresher. Come the last couple of laps I tried to get away on the downhill but no success. The penultimate climb my legs were paying the price of Big Ringing and I was slipping down the field. Now it was my turn to be strung out as the pace was forced at the front. After the climb the road joined a dual carriageway that just kept on slowly climbing. Deceivingly brutal, especially at full tilt. We caught the break just before the last ascent. I was gutted for them and unfortunately for me my legs were fading too. So the sprint for glory at the finish line atop of the climb, was more a switch into the small ring and grovel over the top. No more "Cancellera" for me. One last ditch sprint past a couple of guys and I crossed the line 13th.

So still getting better but I learned that I shouldn't get carried away whenever I see I steep climb and that I should save some energy for the finish. But where's the fun in that.

Filed under // The DS

Posted by Oli Pepper

April 12, 2012

100 Miles 100 Shots

The annual spring 'Classics' ride, taking in the roads, the strade bianche, the iconic climbs and the pavé of Sussex's finest. Self-filmed with a super compact Canon IXUS, so about 30 miles of it done one handed through pot holes, gravel corners and avoiding speed wobble.

Only shame was that I missed the real off-road section at Ashdown Forest. Cresting the top of Kidds Hill we were greeted to a helicopter taking off and police stopping all traffic due to a forest fire. We didn't fancy the 10 mile detour back the way we came so we turned off and headed out onto the trails of the forest itself (avoiding the aforementioned fire). Singletrack on a road bike is a lot of fun. In the dry it must be added.

So this little film is intended as a welcome to the start of the season, the Classics, the rough, the smooth and to long rides in the sun with friends. Oh, and cake.

Filed under // Road

Posted by Morvélo

March 22, 2012

Old & New

Ever since last weeks exploratory trip to work through the city parks and hidden alleys of Brighton, I wanted to do it again. This time it included some old favourites and the dawn mist was burnt away.

Followed by some new trails I found running at the side of a city park, complete with a tasty selection of berms.

I can't say my 'knee down' was intentional but it was a lot of fun trying to get as low as I could on the cross bike. Also found a perfect little trail for some cross bike skills training. Mixture of steps going down, off camber, tricky little singletrack and flight of steps to run up. The whole path is probably no more than half a mile but you're on and off the bike the whole time. It's going to take quite a bit of time to truly nail it though and stay smooth through the whole section. It's not the cross season any more but with challenges like these, it my favourite bike at the moment.

Filed under // Cyclocross

Posted by Oli Pepper

March 21, 2012

Loosing the feeling in the legs

On the way home last night I lost the feeling in my legs. Of comment like this of course, generally would spark some concern, but not if you're a cyclist. As rare as a solar eclipse, for me at least, the time where you can push the pedals as hard as you like and you can't feel a thing. Not in a numb way. In a way that makes you feel turbo charged. I think two races back to back and a hillier route to work could be paying off. It could also be the late evening calm spring air or the first time the whole ride back was done just before the sun slipped beneath the horizon. Whatever it was, I want more of it. Just wish it would happen during a race.

I'm sure normal service will resume soon.

Filed under // Road

Posted by Oli Pepper

March 19, 2012

Classics

First classic of the season last weekend with Milan San Remo, so it was fitting that last Saturdays Road Race at Barcombe involved rain, hills and filth. I turned up typically close to the race start time and asked if their was a spare place going, hoping the thought of 60 miles in the wet would deter some racers. My luck was in and I'd just pinned my number on when we rolled out. It's quite strange going to a race, getting your kit and bike ready, but not actually knowing that your going to get a ride.

So my mind wasn't in full race mode, if ever indeed it is, but I heard from other riders about this course at last weekend's road race. Tough, hilly, a 2/3 cat race and only an hour earlier I was deciding what daytime TV I should what before Milan San Remo came on. That's before I took the last minute plunge, grabbed my kit and headed out. So my previous too road races I professed about 'race craft' and not holding back. This time was I definitely on the defensive and seemed happy to ignore my own "wisdom". I was a bit nervous about firstly the hilly course I hadn't ridden and secondly about having to go out and play with some 2nd cat riders. I'm not sure my legs could handle it.

The course was awesome and as it happened went straight past a close friends house so I started to recognize many parts. Lots of lumps, a few sharp corners, some balls out downhills and some typical Sussex bergs. My aim was low. Too low I think. I just didn't want to get dropped, so I foolishly never pushed myself up near the front. Now the first thing you ever learn in road racing is NOT to sit near the back. You're forever playing catch-up, sprinting out or corners to try and grab that last wheel, always at the mercy of someone else's pace. So the going was hard yet the pace was slower than last weekends 3rd cat race.

The rain added some seasonal glamour to the proceedings alongside plenty of road grime and roadkill. Their was one excellent section where the whole bunch flew down the hill in a big long paceline, stretching out around 2 or three corners ahead. I could see this great spectacle because, as I've mentioned before, I was sat at the back. Naughty boy. Then the hills hit which is the bit I loved, albeit still breathing out of my arse.

Come the closing part of the race, I saw the key move go and new that I should have been in it. Once they'd disappeared up the road the pace eased and I knew that was it. Game over. Still we had the last few climbs left and the excellent hill top finish. It felt like the whole race was up the road whereas one of us could still grab a top 10 spot. This needless to say, I didn't realise. All I knew was that I wanted to give it full beans on the last hill, for no other reason than it's fun. Once again I was at the back when everyone went for it. I made my move but as boxed in so actually had to brake mid climb! Not sure that has ever happened to me before, but then a gap opened and I gave it, as a downhilling MTB friend calls it, "the berries".

Finally after 60 miles I felt I was racing properly and being pro-active, as I climbed past rider after rider. If anything the finish line came too soon. 17th place was my reward, so a good better than last week but I know now it could have been so much more. So you know I say how I've learnt the 'race craft'? I have. And this fool I ignored it.

Still, was a great course, good competition and the organisers, marshalls and volunteers made the whole race one I'm already looking forward to doing again.

(download)

Filed under // Road

Posted by Oli Pepper

March 15, 2012

Roaming

Not in as in a 100 mile expedition but as in a 10 mile commute. I kept seeing off-road paths snaking their way between houses on my road ride to Morvelo HQ. So today on the way to work I roamed around Brighton, under the pretense of getting to the office. As it turned out it was perfect for the cyclocross bike. Small pathways, open city centre bridleways, steps, some cracking woodland trails with some great whoops, banks and drops. Don't know if it was the spring sunshine or not but I just couldn't help but hop up, over and around all the numerous obstacles that crossed my path. Like a spring lamb. But not quite so fluffy. More roaming on the way back.

Filed under // Cyclocross

Posted by Oli Pepper

March 14, 2012

The long way home

Filed under // Cyclocross

Posted by Oli Pepper