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Memories of Mick Ives
Mick Ives was winner, in what was then a
record time, of the Mountain Time Trial in 1962 and he remains
a regular competitor in this event to this day.
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1959 - Winning Lichfield
C&AC25 in record 58-28 riding for Warwick CC
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1962 - Coventry CC HIll Climb
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1986 - Winning Redman
CC 2-up TT with Sean Yates
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2006 - Winning BCF/CTT
National TT Champs (65+)
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I remember the 1962 race clearly. I had joined
he Coventry C.C. that year, and was competing in all of the
top Road Races, and Track meetings around the UK. In time
Trials I stayed mainly in the Midlands, but already held several
couse and event records, either as a member of my fomer club
Warwick C.C. or Coventry C.C. I was also on the National Team
Pursuit and Ind. Pursuit squad.
I had ridden the event once before, enjoyed
it, as I was always a good climber - twice 2nd in National
Hill Climb Champs - of course it went over Clows Top and Clee
Hll as well in those days, making it the longest and toughest
Mt T.T. in the UK. In 1962 a party of us from Coventry CC,
under the guidance of Charly Viner, rode down to the event,
staying at a tiny lilttle house just before the river bridge
at Holt Fleet. The old lady who ran it was in her 80's at
least. It was cheap and clean. It was saddle bags then, race
wheels on sprint carriers - we rode everywhere - I even took
my prized Brass Dunlop Track Pump along on top of the saddle
bag.
I was riding my R.T.Shayler road bike - I was
the first rider to ride a Shayler Bike. Dick Shalyer, who
owned the bike shop in Park Street in Leamington Spa, gave
me the frameset. That was second home for us youngsters in
the Warwick C.C. in those days. I remember my Campag Large
lange flanged wheels were fitted with Dunlop No2 tublars -
they were great. Benelux gears, Brooks saddle, Maes bars and
stem.
I rode the whole of the event on the tops, using
my climbing skills to beat the great Ray Booty's record. Booty
was God at that time, he was national champion, at 100 mls
several times, BAR Champion, and held the course and event
record for the Isle of Mann Mt T.T. He was also Empire Games
Road Race Champion and of course the first rider to beat 4
hours for a 100 ml time trial - some rider! To beat the record
of a rider with his record, was just brillant, and it paved
the way for many more successes.
The following morning at work at Dunlop Rim
and Wheel Drawing Office, in Coventry, I received 2 very important
phone calls. One from Ernie Clemens, the owner and M.D. of
Falcon Cycles. Falcon had a top Professional Road Team at
the time and it was always my aim to try and get in such a
team. Ernie asked what bike I rode and then offered to provide
me with a full Pro Falcon road bike, a specially built pursuit
bike, and a cyclo cross bike, all on the strength of my Beacon
Mt T.T. victory and record ride. To keep my amateur status
clean I had to buy each bike for 2 shillings and sixpence
each. Ernie was a great friend and helped me many times after
that. I used to call on him before he passed away last year,
when he ran his bike shop at Ledbury - fond memories.
The other phone call was from Dunlop, Fort Dunlop
in fact in Birmingham, where they produced the Dunlop tubulars.
Again they asked what tyres I had used for the race, and were
very impresed that I had chosen Dunlop. I was then told that
I would never have to buy any more Dunlop tubulars as they
would supply me enough for training, road racing, time trials
and track. Of course working at Dunlop helped as well.
After the event of course we all rode home to
Coventry, joining the tea run somewhere on the way, stoppng
off at some pub nearer home and getting in at about 11-30pm
knackered. Only a few hours rest before riding to work in
Leamington the following morning. Oh how things have changed!
I am now starting my 51st racing season, non-stop,
summer and winter. No other rider has ever achieved that and
the good thing is I am still winning and still enjoying my
cycling, 5 World Championships and 57 British Championships
later. I look forward to this years event, and wish everyone
a safe and succesful ride.
Mick Ives (M.I.Race
Team--EAS--Thule-- Double Dutch Pancake Bar)
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