The festive season is very
much business as usual for me. I simply ease off and work in strategic blocks,
rather than assume standby. This method alleviates burn out on the one hand,
yet ensures creative juices flow seamlessly into January.
Christmas was spent in the
midlands, a region gripped by a sudden easterly front, bringing freezing
overnight temperatures. The significance being I was attending Coventry Road
Club’s annual Boxing Day Cyclo Cross meet on Kenilworth common.
Bitten by some mild, energy
sapping seasonal bug, I managed ninety minutes behind the lens before arctic
blasts and loathsome lurgi persuaded me back to base via the city’s infamous
ring road. Short, localised snow flurries followed that evening but disruption
was minimal.
Said weather front tailed me
south the following night, prompting fitment of those spiked Schwalbe winter
tyres to the Univega’s hoops. Prudent since the mercury staggered towards zero
and most local lanes were sheet ice. Nonetheless, we cantered along at 17-20mph
while drivers of automatic SUVs and smaller cars struggled with traction.
Two hardy but courteous
riders on pared- to- the- essentials road bikes warned of dicey bends looming
ahead. Naturally, I eased off, not wanting to tempt fate, though the gravelly
patter inspired confidence. Took the same route next morning and loved every
minute.
Minor limitations aside,
that Tenn kit performed particularly well in these contexts, which is
remarkable given their modest asking price. Keep your eyes peeled for a full
report on “Sevendaycyclist” www.sevendaycyclist.co.uk .
I haven’t upgraded the tubby
one’s headset yet, primarily because £17 worth of dedicated crown removal tool
has; you guessed it, failed to materialise in the postal malaise. Temptation
was to improvise using an engineer’s mallet and flat bladed screwdriver but
I’ll hold fire for now.
Along with snow and a family
bereavement on Boxing Day, came the news that City link had gone into
receivership. The logistics industry has been fiercely competitive for some
time and the role of multi drop driver set to become extinct courtesy of
technological change.
However, while there is no
room for sentiment in business (meeting deadlines and targets are imperative
for survival); even those with scant empathy can appreciate the dismay and
resentment expressed by employees and sub-contractors. Some of whom have
reportedly not been paid, or expect to receive remuneration for the past six
weeks’ service.
Pragmatically, the world is
tough and people adapt-as several “upmarket” tabloids would doubtless attest.
Fine and dandy in abstract but experience suggests successfully extrapolating
oneself from the wreckage without everything imploding is no mean feat.
Talking of technology, Ged
Holmyard at Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative www.edinburghbicycle.com popped their Revolution Velocity 20 function
cycle computer out to me. OK, so wireless units are pretty much ten a penny
these days and we’d be forgiven for thinking contemporary examples do
everything bar triggering the kettle five minutes from home/work.
However, minor overlap
aside, temperature recorder, thermometer, calorie count and fat burned
indicator are talking points. Well, they caught my attention-time will reveal
whether they’re genuinely useful, or gimmick. There’s nothing convoluted about calibration
and formative fettling suggests it’s among the most intuitive I’ve used to
date.
Right; now to
thrash out some frame angles while these brushes marinate in my makeshift parts
washer…
