Post Bike Fitting: A Custom Bike? My first serious look at Titanium

Titanium framebuilding (via Google image search - probably a Moots frame)

In conjunction with my bike fitting at Cyclefit in early July, I initiated conversations with Julian Wall about having a full custom frame built. By this time, my investigations into carbon had come to a dead end, so my interest was now focused entirely on titanium as the frame material for any bike I might have built.

Isle of Wight Holiday - The Needles (Day 4)

Back to the series of posts about our cycling holiday -

On the Tuesday (27 August to clarify - a lifetime ago now!), we put the bikes away and set off in Liam's car to see the famous Needles at the far western tip of the Isle.

Thatched house - not at all unusual on the Isle of Wight

Coffeeneuring Challenge: Ride 1

Destination: Markyate Village Cafe, 71/73 High Street, Markyate, Hertfordshire AL3 8PJ
Date: Monday, 14 October 2013

Hot drink of choice: Cappuccino

Ride details/report: below, with photos

Total mileage: 14.92 km

Background

"Coffeeneuring" is the term given to a series of challenges set over the past few years by Mary G at Chasing Mailboxes in Washington, D.C. The basic premise is to ride your bike out somewhere to drink coffee. For most people this will be a leisurely ride, perhaps also social if they go with a friend or three! The "fun" though is in documenting your rides in accordance with The Rules and then submitting them for validation in typical French style. The Third Annual Chasing Mailboxes Coffeeneuring Challenge is currently running, with a full complement of 19 rules.

Full Bike Fitting #1: Start from the ground (and work your way up)

You may recall my frustrations back in the spring over the various problems causing me to bail out on longer rides. The excruciating saddle-area pain that kicked in just a few miles into Adam's 'unofficial Dunwich Dynamo' ride back in June was the (literal) kick in the butt I needed to send me back to the fitter to get to the bottom of what may have been causing all my problems. (Sorry about the puns. No, sorry, I'm not sorry.)

The problems weren't just from saddles. I was also having bouts of hand and wrist pain, including sharp shooting pains when I would lift my hands to shift them from one position on the handlebars to another, the 'trigger' being the easing of pressure, the pain being something like hitting the funny bone in your elbow. Except not at all funny.

And there were my everlasting blasted knees.

To Cut A Long Story Short...

I've been working on a series of posts about my bike fitting experiences and journey towards getting a custom-build bike. Included were experiments with new shoes and pedals and a dramatically different saddle. Also up for your perusal were insights I've gained during consultations and interviews with fitters, upmarket bike shops and framebuilders. A lot of those posts -- if not all -- are still in the pipeline and will see the light of day soon, as I do think I have some things to share that some (particularly any women with fit/pain issues) may find thought provoking if not definitely useless.

Meanwhile. After a nearly 3 month long wait, photos are coming in from the company I decided to go with, to build my custom frame and build it up into a complete bike. The company is Enigma Titanium in Hailsham, East Sussex.

Yes, this is a spoiler but I am too excited not to share IMMEDIATELY.

This is Max mitering the tubes.
In the background at the right is Joe, who will weld the tubes together...
before sending over to Jaco who will do magic with the finish!

Anyone curious about the details of my build, you can see most of the components on my Pinterest board.

Isle of Wight Holiday - The Light to the South (Day 3)

My first visit to the Isle of Wight was over the May Bank Holiday Weekend of 2011. I arrived on the Friday (the day of the Royal Wedding - in fact, I nearly missed my train in my delay turning off the television - well, I had to see the dress, didn't I?) and left on Monday. On the Sunday, I attempted the Round the Isle Randonnee, but I bailed due to (a) being tired from my cycling wanderings the day before, and (b) fear in the face of "mountains".

The wanderings the day before the Randonnee had led to my "discovery" of St Catherine's Point. It was so beautiful, it was high on my list of places to see again on our summer holiday this year. 

So after settling in on the Sunday, on Monday we set off from Bonchurch headed south. Whizzing high above Ventnor and through the forests until we broke out into the sunshine: 

St Catherine's Lighthouse

Isle of Wight Holiday - Arrival and Settling In (Days 1-2)

We enjoyed our weekend on the Isle of Wight in May so much that we decided to go back again for our summer holiday. We booked a house for one week, in Bonchurch near Ventnor. Adam and I travelled down by bicycle and train, while Adam's adult daughter Amiiee and her boyfriend Liam came down by car - with the bulk of our luggage!

We arrived mid-afternoon on Saturday and set about settling in.

The 100 Mile SMILE Ride (8 Sept 2013)

A few pics from yesterday's event. Adam and I went to the Hub for a group "off" at 8am. We cycled to Bedford, where we then caught the train to Leagrave, from which we had a straight dash (punctuated by a puncture) home. 75km for us.

(c) Alvina Farrow/Travel Choices

The 100 Mile SMILE Ride

I've been just a bit preoccupied the past few weeks planning this:

Not sure if this is work or play. Both really.

Sartorial Identity Crisis?

Sorry for the radio silence in the past few weeks - I've been working, cycling, bike fitting, new gear testing and continuing to investigate the world of custom bikes, all of which are grist to my mill and will feature here shortly.

Meanwhile, it occurred to me today that my jersey wardrobe has Jekyll & Hyde characteristics.

On the one hand, there are the classy merino jerseys by Vulpine, Ibex and Smartwool, which, to be honest are what I wear most often -

But then there are the 'novelty' jerseys, for which I have no credible excuse -

Any other ladies out there want to confess about their lycra?