Archive for October, 2007

Celebrity cyclists

Posted: October 22, 2007 in aberdeenshire, Billy Connolly, brooklyn, candacraig house, Colin Farrell, donald trump, james bond, los angeles, Madonna, manhattan, mark kiely, marla maples, Pierce Brosnan, rachel quirke, s-works, sheryl crowe, toluca lake
1

Cycling is fast becoming  one of the most fashionable ways of keeping fit amongst the celebrity world .

Madonna has become a keen cyclist and incorporates a few spins into her fitness regime each week . Colin Farrell is regularly spotted out on his bike training around the Toluca lake area of Los Angeles. Another famous Irish actor , James Bond star  Pierce Brosnan rides a Specialized S-Works Epic to keep fit .

Sheryl Crowe , although no longer engaged to Lance Armstrong continues to do  a number of 100k plus spins each week . Donald Trump’s ex wife Marla Maples has also become a keen cyclist and is a regular on the roads of The Pacific Coast Highway .

Speaking of Marla Maples and Donald Trump , I remember hearing a number of years ago about an encounter a Taxi driver had with the couple on the Long Island Expressway .

The taxi driver was returning to Manhattan after dropping off a fare in Long Island when he spotted a stretch limo stopped at the side of the freeway . The driver complete with top hat was gesticulating frantically for someone to stop to help him . The taxi driver pulled over whilst thousands drove on by . As he got out the limo driver asked him for a loan of his Jack as the one in the limo had broken .

The taxi driver got out his jack and helped the limo driver to change the wheel which had punctured . As they were finishing up the rear window of the limo glided down to reveal Donald Trump and Marla Maples inside . ‘ The Donald’ thanked the taxi driver and had his cheque book out with a cheque drawn up for one thousand dollars . He asked the driver what his name was so that he could make the cheque out to him . But the driver said that there was no need for that and that he was just doing a good deed .

Trump then thanked him for his graciousness and asked if there was anything else that he could do for him . The driver mentioned that it would be his Wedding anniversary the following week and that if a bunch of flowers from Donald Trump and Marla Maples were to arrive at his house in Brooklyn that it would really make his wife very happy . Trump took down the address and said ‘consider it done ‘ , and they each went on their way .

A week or so later on the day of the Taxi drivers anniversary a huge bouquet of flowers arrived with a large card attached . Inside the card was a hand written note from Donald and Marla wishing the couple well and telling the wife how lucky she was to have such a fine husband . There was also another sheet of paper in the card . It was a note from their bank manager stating that their mortgage had been cleared , courtesy of Donald Trump and Marla Maples .

Sometimes it pays to be a good Samaritan .

Another help-full couple are husband and wife team , Mark Kiely and Rachel Quirke both level 3 cycling coaches of which there are only five in total in Ireland . Mark , Rachel and their three children were recently on holiday in Scotland when they had an unusual encounter .

They were travelling along an isolated mountain road in their Fiat Multipla , all loaded down with the full compliment of baggage for a family of five on holiday when they happened upon a cyclist standing at the side of the road flagging them down . Mark noticed the steel frame all decked out in old campag with down-tube shifters before he noticed the rider . The big tall hairy woolly legging-ed clad cyclist explained that he had punctured a tubular and as he had no spare asked if they could give him a lift home .

Never ones to see a cyclist in trouble Mark and Rachel hoisted the twenty year old bike up onto the roof and it was only when he sat in to the car that they took a good look at their new companion . It was none other than ‘The big yin’ himself , Billy Connolly .

As they headed off down the road with Mark and Billy having their arms out the windows holding onto the bike up on the roof Rachel’s only concern was that Mark , never one to be short of a quick one liner himself , would begin telling Billy Connolly some of his jokes .

However they were soon outside the doors of Candacraig House with Billy Connolly asking them in for tea . Graciously they declined the offer as they were already late for their Holiday booking . Although they did see him again a number of times during their stay when they received a big wave and a flash of the headlights from the comedian as he recognised the Irish registered Multipla which would have been an unusual sight on the roads of Abeerdeenshire .

So I guess the lesson is to stop whenever you see anybody in trouble at the side of the road as you never know just who you might meet .

 Barry

http://www.worldwidecycles.com

Where are they now ?

Posted: October 15, 2007 in America, anthony o gorman, atb, Cycling diary, cycling ireland, cycling shoes, declan lonergan, dick o gorman, ireland, irish cycling, national championships, racing cyclist, robert power, shane o meara, worldwidecycles
3

mountain-biking-14-10-07 048 mountain-biking-14-10-07 073
Yesterday afternoon whilst recovering from another fantastic spin off road we were having lunch  when a blast from the past appeared before us . Both Ray and myself had to do a double take when Shane O’Meara formerly of The Shannon Transport club in Limerick appeared before us . We had all raced together up through the underage and junior ranks but neither of us had seen Shane since then . It was good to catch up , and I began to wonder what happened to all of the different guys who we saw week in week out for a number of years until things other than cycling took over .

One of the most naturally gifted riders to ever sit on a bike in Ireland who never went pro was Robert Power form Dungarvan . When he was a first year junior I remember him winning the senior races in Limerick and Mitchelstown ahead of the likes of Bobby Power , Ray Keane and Ger Madden . The race in Mitchelstown was especially impressive as he passed through the start / finish line heading out on the final lap with a two minute lead over his pursuers and was smiling as he came thundering up towards the line . He went on to secure many international victories and represented Ireland at the Olympics in Barcelona in 1992 . Sadly this was to be the peak of his career and he turned to the more restfull pastime of fishing in his native Dungarvan and worked in a mens clothes shop . I bumped into him recently at the Sean Kelly Tour and he still had his trade mark easy smile . He is now an acomplished photographer and was the official photographer for the event . A genuinly nice guy he is back doing a few spins but with no intention to return to competition .

Declan Lonergan from Waterford won the Ras in 1994 and is one of the most prolific stage winners with seven under his belt . A blistering sprint made him an excellent crit rider and he went on to have a successfull career as a pro in America . He is now working for Oakley and is their International Watch brand manager .

We are often asked in the shop about The O’Gorman brothers from Clonmel . In 1988 Anthony was a triple National champion winning the road race along with the 25 and  50 mile time trial titles . This was also the year that he won the Shay Elliot Memorial and both himself and younger brother Dick went on to be members of the National team in the Nissan Classic . They both now run the family bakery and are both still on the bike . Anthony was out on the mountain yesterday and Dick is just back from Budapest where he ran a 2.56 Marathon , his third of the year .

 A number of years ago a newbie turned up for the Clonmel CC spins . He was a little older than most beginners of the time in his early thirties but was gritty nonetheless . His main difficulty was when it came to getting his shoes into the toe clip pedals , which were still in use at the time . To combat this he steered clear of the Duegi or Sidi shoes and preferred to wear his good black polished leather Sunday shoes . Thus earning the callsign ‘shoes’ .

One Sunday , at a race in Tipperary Town ‘Shoes’ was feeling a little aprehensive on the start line . Most riders had some difficulty clipping into the pedals but as it was his nemesis he wanted to ensure that it would not be the cause of him getting dropped in the first 100 metres . He positioned himself alongside a car at the start line and placed both feet into the pedals and pulled the straps tight . That was when he spotted the stick on the road in his path just as he would be taking off . Not being willing to leave anything to chance he unclipped from his pedals and walked forward to remove the stick and throw it into the ditch . However in a cruel twist of fate , just as he bent down to remove the stick the race organiser dropped the flag and the race began . Aside from trying to avoid being run over he had to mount his bike and in a panic pedalled off after the race on top of the pedals with the clips scraping off of the ground . Through sheer grit and determination he managed to get onto the tail of the bunch and even got his shoes into the clips . Then just as he began to settle into the race and catch his breath the bunch came upon a tractor and trailer . In an attempt to regain a few places in the bunch ‘Shoes’ decided not to follow the rest of the bunch around the outside of the machines but instead headed up the inside . The tractor driver , being aware of the race passing him had pulled in close to the ditch and unfortunatly for ‘Shoes’ there were gullys within . Before he knew it his front wheel shot down and he was jetisoned into the ditch . He emerged covered in blackberries and brambles and decided to call it a day . He still rode the bike for a number of years but his racing career was cut short . Now he is a busy Taxi driver in the town and the shoes have gone from black to brown .

Barry

www.worldwidecycles.com

Mountain Mayhem !

Posted: October 8, 2007 in cycling, cycling ireland, giant anthem 1, ireland, mountain biking, puncture, racing cyclist, shimano xt 2008, tyres, worldwidecycles, xt
0

atb_7-10-07 132 atb_7-10-07 084
The racing season is over and the ‘good bikes ‘ have been washed and hung up for the winter . The quest for an adrenaline rush and some fitness still remains so where else would we look than the adrenaline junkies paradise of off road riding , or mountain biking as we like to call it .

Yesterday was my first day out with the group off road this year and if this was any indication it is going to out number the road group this winter . Seventeen bikes left Kilsheelan at 9.30ish and this looks set to reach at least 25 for next Sunday if everyone turns up .

As we headed up the back road towards Clonmel before turning into the wood at Tickincor I  was already begining to feel the effects of twelve weeks inactivity and a bad dose of lazyitis . Very soon after entering the wood we turned left onto some serious singletrack , all following Paul Barry who did an excellent job as scout for the day . Even though it was pretty steep almost all of the first section was rideable . That was little consolation  to my lungs which were about to explode .

We continued on almost all singletrack until we crossed the tarmac road and used a fire road to reach the top of Boola wood . This section was where I was reminded of why I decided to leave the Polar Heart rate monitor at home .  It would surely have exploded at this point as I was pushing myself to the limit to stay with the group .

atb_7-10-07 045 atb_7-10-07 046
We crested the top and were soon back onto the singletrack , all following Paul and Hugh as they led the way . Each section lasted for 15 to 20 mins and we would all regroup at the end every time . During one of these regroupments Dick O’Gorman decided to give us all a fine display of his acrobatic skills as he tumbled down a steep decent . This too was where Ray Power got his first puncture of the day . The first of only two throughout the entire spin .

Anthem12008
This spin was also the first real test of my new mountain bike , a 2008 Giant Anthem 1 . I was very impressed with the bike . For a dual suspension bike it is pretty light at just 28 lbs . Being able to lock out both the front and rear shocks really made a difference when climbing . But when they were engaged for descending they worked flawlessly . The 2008 Shimano xt groupset worked really well and the xtr shadow rear mech stood up well to the test of a branch becoming entangled in it . The xt disc brakes also worked really well and seem to be a slight improvement on the previous model . The Michelin tyres were only suitable for dry weather though and I will change these for next week as they became clogged up pretty easily and turned themselves into slicks . Something like a pair of Specialized Chunder pros should sort this out . The gap between the rear wheel and the frame is also reasonably tight . This is an advantage when climbing or accelerating as the shorter wheelbase works well but it did become clogged with debris at one stage but again perhaps the tyres may sort this out . For €2799 it needed to be something special and overall I would give it 8 out of 10 , but the true indication is that I would not change it for any other bike .

Just over 3 hours after I had left home I stumbled in the door feeling completly drained and offering to feed the baby after I had my shower . This is a good way to get some serious couch time when kids are running around the house and other jobs need to be done . My method consists of liberal use of the bottle while she is in my arms whilst I have my feet up on the couch . Then when she falls asleep I say that I’m afraid of waking her thus gaining at least another hour of couch time . Then when she begins to wake up 30 mins of rocking and soothing should gain another 30 mins . This method should only be used occasionally as if it is over used it may become detected and this may lead to an end to  serious couch time for eighteen years or so .

Today I am a little stiff and sore but am really looking forward to next week already .

Barry

www.worldwidecycles.com

Rocky – The cyclist

Posted: October 2, 2007 in blackpool, carickbeg, cork, national championships, rocky, the tannery, trevor brennan
2

Trevor Brennan the former controversial rugby player and current T.V pundit was being interviewed the other night when he mentioned that the ‘Rocky ‘ films were a big inspiration to him growing up . This got me to thinking about the similarities between cycling and boxing , both considered among the toughest sports in the world . Then I began to wonder how Rocky would have been as a cyclist and here is what I came up with ;

‘Rocky’ Power grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in Carickbeg Co. Waterford . At age twelve his father lost his job in the Tannery in Portlaw and went to England looking for work , but was never heard from again . To help support his five brothers and six sisters Rocky being the eldest left school and got a job in a meat factory in Clonmel . His only means of transport was a high nelly bike which he pulled from a skip so he cycled the 26 mile round trip each day to and from work .

One evening on his way home from work a group of racing cyclists passed him off and he latched onto the back of the group . They were in a league race doing a lap of Glenbower ( a 22 mile circuit around Carrick ) but Rocky did not realise this . He felt nervous surrounded by the large group all traveling at speed so he went faster in order to get away from them and actually surged ahead of the race . He crossed the line first and was just continuing on home when a former schoolmate ,Lenny Butler caught up with him and suggested that he take up racing . He offered Rocky a loan of his fathers 10 speed peugeot 501 and told him to meet up with the group outside the ESB offices the following Sunday .

Rocky came along and was intorduced to Mickey Ryan a former top cyclist who was once a National Title contender and now a leading coach and trainer . Mickey told him to push back his saddle and to sit over the rear of the bike and to bend his elbows and not have them locked . That first time around the 60 mile loop of Ballymac it was obvious to all present that Rocky had something different , he didn’t know how to change gears and was stuck in a 52 x 12 all the way around . What made it even more exceptional was that he broke the saddle after 5 miles and did the remaining 55 miles standing over the bike . No matter how fast the pace got he hung on , always looking under pressure , but always there .

A sucessfull underage career followed with Rocky delighted with the chance of escape from the cramped 2 bedroom terraced home and the meat factory for exotic race locations throughout Munster such as Caherconlish , Kilworth , Riverstick and the like . A belt of a pump in an under sixteen race in Tramore broke his nose but also gave him a more recognisable appearance .

However from age eighteen to twenty four the bike was forgotten and Rocky worked most weekends as a bouncer on the door of Dannos nightclub . He had a dog called buttkiss and was a regular visitor to the local petshop where a shy bespectacled girl called Mary Ann caught his eye . 24 eight kilo bags of pedigree chum later he plucked up the courage to ask her out . Their first date was to the Mayfair grill where Rocky treated Mary Ann to Sparkeys special cheese-burger and a portion of onion rings .

A relationship grew from there which led to a desire within Rocky to better himself . He had to return to the one thing he knew that he was good at , the bike .

One wet and blustery evening Rocky walked into The foresters hall in Carrick where Ryaner was conducting his winter gym training for cyclists . He put his euro into the biscuit tin and took part in the tough circuit class .  After the class finished he approached his former coach and told him that he wanted to make a comeback , that he wanted to be a National title contender . The wise coach who had put many top cyclists through his hands  looked his former protege up and down . Then he spoke : ‘ when was the last time you looked in the mirror Rock ? look at ya , your all soft and flabby . Ya look like you haven’t sat on a bike in twenty years . O.K. you were good . you were tough but to be a contender you need to eat lightening and crap thunder . You have to eat , sleep and drink the bike twenty four seven and then some . If everyone else does one lap of Ballymac you need to do two ! If the others do Glenbower in 1.15 you need to do it in under the hour . If they do 6 x 200 metre sprints you need to do 12 x 400 metre sprints . That is what it takes to be a contender . So Rock do you think you have it ?

Rocky replied after just a little hesitation ‘ yea Mick I’m willing to do all that ‘

‘OK then I’ll see ya at 7.30 Saturday morning ‘ said the coach and of he went .

Saturday morning came and the pair of them , coach and contender set of to do Ballymac in under three hours . All along the way Ryaner was making Rocky sprint for yellow signs and ride up every drag in a 52 x 12 sitting in the saddle . About halfway around they passed Mulcahys egg farm where there were always a few hens on the road . Now Ryaner slowed and spoke softly as he nodded up ahead ,

‘ Do ya see those hens up ahead there Rock ?’

‘Yea tony , I mean Mick ‘

‘Well those hens are like grease lightening , as soon as they hear a bike come up behind them they twist and turn and run in all directions , it’s next to impossible to sprint fast enough to catch one before it turns but that is what you’re going to have to be able to do to be a contender Rock . ‘

Well Rocky sprinted off after the hens but they ran rings around him , twisting and turning before he got to within fifty yards of them . One darted in front of his front wheel and as he swerved into a pothole he flew over the bars . Instead of a sympathetic ‘are you OK ‘all he got was a lambasting of ‘ get up ya bum , are you going to sit there all day ?’

All of his training spins were finished off with the ascent up Seskin hill which usually was undertaken in his lowest gear a 42 x 21 and a simulated asthma attack at the summit . His diet consisted of twelve raw eggs each morning followed by 6 plates of spaghetti bolognese throughout the day .

The racing season came around and Rocky made a steady progression up the ranks from C to B and on up to A catagory two weeks before the National Championships . On his final hard spin around Ballymac on the Wednesday before the Championships he was approaching Mulcahys eggs when he spotted the Hens out on the road . He launched himself in their direction in a 52 x 12 and before they even had a chance to pause from pecking the grain off the road he was upon them and even managed to scoop one up into his right arm as he passed through them . Now he knew that he was going well . He finished the spin with one last climb up Seskin , this time in a 52 x 15 and was even able to take his hands off  the bars at the top in order to practice his victory salute for Sundays’ race .

Race day :

Rocky arrived in the 12 year old Izuzu trooper the rear of which simulated an Iraqi bomb site . He wrestled his steel framed Olmo from the carnage and wheeled over to the sign on . Parked right outside the sign on was his main competition for the title Apollo Fox . Looking resplendid in his silver BMW M5 estate with two blonds , one a masseuer the other a mechanic , Appolo adjusted his Oakley gas cans as he stepped towards the sign on . The journalists present all clamoured for a pre race qoute from the flamboyant ex professional whilst Rocky passed by un-noticed .

The race circuit consisted of twelve laps of the Dublin Hill circuit around Blackpool in Cork . The flag dropped and straight away Appolo attacked up the ferocious climb and dragged away a select group of fifteen . Rocky just about managed to get into the break but punctured after  five miles . He got a quick wheel change from neutral service but it took him almost two laps to regain his place in the break .Next time up the hill and Appolo attacked again bringing just three riders with him . Rocky was fifty metres off the back of this group going over the top and spent the next four miles chasing hard to make contact which he did just as Appolo attacked again . Even though his legs were screaming at him Rocky latched on and managed to stay with Appolo and the final selection was made .

With just three laps remaining Appolo’s team car drew up alongside . He asked his manager what he should do to drop this new guy before the finish as he did not know how good or bad Rockys’ sprint was . The manager told him to attack up the climb in the big ring as this would have the double benefit of moving faster but also the psychological  benefit of cracking his opponent . This went to plan but Rocky was not broken . With Mickey screaming at him from the car behind to get his ass moving if he didn’t want to have to walk home Rocky managed to summon all of his reserves and fought his way back up to Appolo again . Now the psychological ball was in Rockys’ court as Appolo had tried everything to drop him but just could not shake him off . It would all be down to the sprint to see who could take the title .

500 Metres to go and the wiley ex-pro Apollo manouvers Rocky into the lead out position . Rocky knows that he is in the wrong place but recognises that this is one of those life changing moments and does not wait for Apollo to come steaming by . He launches himself at the finish line with all of the strength and anger that his 24 years of lifes hardships can muster . Appolo is momentarily caught unawares but manages to react . With 200 metres to go Rocky has a lead of one bike length . With 100 to go they are side by side . 50 to go and Rocky moves slightly ahead . Then just as the line approaches at almost 40 mph Appolo throws his bike at the line and takes victory by the narrowest of margins . The crowd rush in all around the two riders in a huge throng of excitement . Everyone present feels that they have seen one of the hardest fought Championships in years and congratulate both riders .

Rocky stands tall above the crowd and searches for Mary Ann . He  sees her and calls out ‘MARY ANN , MARY ANN .’ She rushes over from the McDonalds drive through and they embrace .

To be continued !

Barry

www.worldwidecycles.com