Long time riding

Have just rewired the bike computer back onto my road bike (Lidia's dad, Vincenzo's old bike) no big deal in it's self . But, seeing as I put the computer on the bike, which for those that don't know just measures the peadalling rate (rpm) and speed I cycle at, I thought I would keep a geeky record of my stats etc. Check out this for an idea of how involved stat taking can get. Vincenzo is worse, hehe.

Anyways, I digress. The thing is my inherited bike computer has covered over 80,000 km according to its odometer. Holey fucking shit, that is fucking far. Lets assume the bike computer has been on that bike for most of it's life, unreasonable assumption? Well, that means the bike has covered that distance. I recently rebuilt the front wheel as the spokes would regularly break, which was getting a little irritating. I though I would leave the back wheel as it is, as if it aint broke and so on.

But, I think the wheels have been with the bike since it was bought, and I recently looked over the back wheel again, and the spokes are well worn where they cross and at the hub. No wonder though, eighty thousand kilometers of use. I hope it holds out for 100 more this weekend, otherwise I will be walking far in cycling shoes, and that wont make me happy.

80,000, I hope I can take it to 100,000.

Wheel Building

There is just something about my bicycle wheels that I have built my self. They look like any other bike wheel, but they are all mine. I trued them, laced them with my own bare hands.

If a bike shop man tells you "ooh, don't recommend building your own wheels, it is a real art you know." Tell them to fuck off, and go to another bike shop and get all the bits you need.

Then you too could love your wheels like I do :)

Here is my fixie sporting wheels I built (with some help of my friend Hedley)

Good old Ryan

Found these effusive remarks about some guy and Ryan, my former captain. They were said by Alex de Frondeville:

" Playing with Tyler Grant. The guy is a stud. He would be a starting receiver on DoG's O and a shutdown defender on DoG D (or any other open nationals level team out there). Only slightly behind was Ryan Reynolds. Definitely a pleasure to play with people where if you put it up deep to them, you're 90% sure they are going to come down with it, regardless of who is covering them. This is definitely something that has been missing from DoG for the last few years. "

Interesting stuff. Makes me quite proud of tall Ryan. I wonder if I would make it into Condors, or I am just too average. Apparently Ryan is just an average rooky for them (according to some Condors players Em and Lou were chatting up at Paganello). Maybe I will stick to cycling, no requirements on how good I need to be. I just need to stay on my bike, which with my new fixie may be easier said than done. It is weird to be unable to free wheel.

More Fixie

...and I hope I don't lose my teath like that guy. Need to remember, no free wheel and no free wheeling.

Fixie

Am going to switch my single speed into a fixie this weekend. To get an idea of what I mean check out this video,

"Macaframa SF Track Bike Promo"

Mini ultimate and bike rides

Wanted to ride my bike today, but it is raining, so instead limped to Asda in the rain. Stupid ankles, played some mini ultimate yesturday on Clapham Common, great fun but my achilies do not like the hard ground. They will just have to get used to it though, cos I don't think the ground will get softer, despite the rain right now.

Oh yeah, and we made the quarter finals in the mini losing to the eventual winners.

Cycle lanes

Read this and sign up to the petition.

Interactive Interweb

So joined this internet radio station last.fm and it rocks. My sister is on it too. And so I have added a list of my top played tracks on the right. Might be interesting, maybe, maybe not.

Was at student nationals last weekend, it rocked. My uni team Skunks came third in the 2nd Division. Which whilst not being the top division of student ultimate, was still an awesome result as the level of ultimate in the eight years I have been a student has risen considerably. We had a small squad of ten players, of mixed abilities but equal enthusiasim. Rock.

The only downside was a cricket player (from Southampton Uni) called it "ultimate gay", cos ultimate frisbee is a gay sport. I am not fussed about the use of gay to mean rubbish, loser etc, but why do people react in this way to frisbee being played as seven a side team sport. Are they afraid of it as it is something different? It is a childish playground insult to a un-offenisve sport. I don't go around calling cricket gay, football gay, rugby gay.

Anyways, Southampton lost the cricket to Cardiff Uni I think (it is not up on their website yet) this made me happy too.

The finest sports club in Wessex, fuck off.