The Beacon Message Board

Somewhat belatedly (having hardly done a tap in the last few weeks), I've been working on my winter bike, making sure it's nice and clean before I get it dirty. And there's no getting away from the fact that the frame is very shabby: paintwork chipped, scuffed and thoroughly grimy in a way that just...

I dread to think what any analyst would make of this, but last night I dreamt that I bumped in Lance in the lay-by at the top of our hill. He was charm itself, and I came away thinking I had misjudged him. We exchanged good-humoured banter: I told him that I had never taken any of this retirement ma...

Nevertheless, the glimpses one gets of LA don't endear him to me. He comes across as cold, arrogant and vindictive. I'm currently reading "A Century of Cycling" by William Fotheringham which profiles all of the most successful male cyclists over that period and it appears that this could be said ab...

Let's distinguish between LA being boring and the racing being boring. In any sport, if the outcome of a 'contest' is more or less a foregone conclusion, it ceases to be a compelling spectacle. And that's what we had at the Tour during the 90s. It wasn't LA's 'fault' that he was so much better than ...

In the previous two winters, I've used Conti Duraskins (tough and responsive but pricey and not much cop in the wet) and Michelin Pro Races (lovely light handling but cut too easily for winter use) I have also just switched to Rubinos too. However, I've got the slightly heavier (and hopefully more p...

Krabbe did 137km!?! That's a heck of a long way to go sideways.

Good for you, Neil. I hope you succeed. What was your time on the two hills this year? (My light-hearted suggestion for your time next year was based on pure guesswork.)

Thanks, Ruth.

Now for the next one ... Neil and Rod were each one second out with their estimates. But how close to 3.11 will either get when they ride up? I say Neil will be 2.09 adrift. Any alternative suggestions?

Talk about spinning it out! It was next year's event you were offering entries to, wasn't it, Ruth?

And George, you can't guess the same as Ed (2.57). What's your new bid? Ah, I hadn't noticed that clash ... I thought I was choosing a unique time. Now, if I go for any other time in the just-under-3-minutes range, I can only win if I'm absolutely spot on. But if I go up or down a few seconds, I co...

Yes, I've just come in search of the answer to the very same question ... which, incidentally, has also been posed as far afield as Australia.

So, spill the beans, Ruth: how swift was Swift?

I thought the bunch came up fairly steady (they certainly seemed to have time to call and wave to me), but the break were doing a fair lick. Hammond definitely looked as though he was hurting. And I'd guess that not only are these guys a notch or two above the likes of Soltys, but he was riding a TT...

Philip Whiteman wrote:rather turgid and descriptive style of writing

Sound right up my street.

I only read the first LA book, which I found fascinating and nauseating in equal measure. You can't help but marvel at his determination and dedication, but it's equally hard to resist casting the book aside with angry declamations of American arrogance when you read passages such as that recounting...

Yes, I read that too and loved it. Started off thinking 'Who is this twat?' but was quickly won over. Anchovy pizza, budgies on a perch and excuses for not climbing (?)the Aubisque will not be forgotten quickly.

1. Most rides I do don't actually need planning or subsequent analysis. Out of a mixture of choice and necessity, most rides start and finish at home and are relatively short. On such rides there's absolutely no chance of me going anywhere I don't already know or getting lost. 2. Opportunities to go...