Cycling in New Zealand

After copious number of enquiries about cycling in New Zealand,I have asked our friend Daniel Carruthers to tell us about riding in NZ.After a long spell in Asia, Daniel has returned to his motherland.Therefore with great honour I leave to Dan to tell us about that.

In recent years, New Zealand has been heavily promoting their NZ Cycle Trails to attract more overseas cyclists to visit and discover NZ by bicycle. If you have been considering New Zealand as a possible destination for your next cycling holiday, then make it happen: it will be an experience that you will never forget. Depending on what type of cyclist you are, there is something here for all levels of ability. If you are a road cyclist or mountain biker, there are a multitude of events to choose from!

Since re-locating to New Zealand last month after living in China for six years, I have taken part in the REV Cycle Race and also New Zealand’s longest standing MTB race, the Karapoti Classic  50km of rugged old school mountain biking through native NZ bush. In a couple of weeks I will take part in events here in Rotorua: The famous 24hr MOONRIDE, and the Rotorua to Taupo 100k Flyer.  Pretty much all year round you can find good cycling events to enter if that is what you would like to add on to your cycling holiday.

The REV 100

This was an event I had been wishing to take part in for a while. It’s not an easy one with 1500m of climbing packed into the 100km, with most climbs only going for 2-3 minutes so its an intense ride up and down on the NZ chip sealed roads, but the amazing countryside scenery and the numerous quiet narrow twisting roads make up for the demanding course. We even zoom by the world famous Hobbiton Tour site - The Shire! Definitely does look like scenes straight out of the Lord of the Rings. In fact, there are numerous Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movie scene locations dotted all over New Zealand - you could really turn it into a Lord of the Rings cycling tour if you have the time. This event also has UCI 1.2 status, which is for the professional or elite riders and is a separate event to the 100km event I did.  I did not have a current UCI license, nor was I in shape to compete with the best cyclists in New Zealand! This event is always held in late February each year and there are a number of other events on at around the same time frame so multiple events could be done if racing is a priority of yours.  However, if you are here for cycle touring then discovering the seldom travelled on trails and roads can be researched on the New Zealand Cycle Trails website.  

Karapoti Classic

This is New Zealand’s most iconic, toughest and gnarliest race. Canadian mountain biker Cory Wallace, who races all over the world, remarked that it was a proper old school style track! If you ride mountain bikes and are up for a serious challenge, I recommend signing up for this 50km event. It traverses through the rugged Akatarawa Ranges (close to Wellington). This event was established in 1986 by the Kennett Brothers and is the longest standing MTB event in the Southern Hemisphere!  The course begins with a Le Man’s style start with hundreds of riders splashing their way across the river to begin the 6km ride up the Karapoti valley.  It is a fantastic course that challenges the very best of mountain bikers yet is still achievable for weekend warriors. The climbing in this race is so steep that you will need to grovel in the granny gear to get up and over. However, many riders got off to push as it was not any slower that way. I noticed on one of the steep climbs that there was a long unbroken line of riders, half of them pushing yet keeping the same pace as the ones riding!  I first did the Karapoti way back in 1994 as a fresh faced 19-year-old university student and was too chicken to race the 50k event so I downgraded to the 20k recreational event. It’s always been on the back of my mind to nail this 50km event: perhaps it was a 21-year-old dream of mine that was finally realized upon my return to NZ. Since I was coming back with some great fitness after some big training months in Chiang Mai, Thailand, I had high expectations that I would do well in the race by going under three hours and would glory in my name being added to the coveted SUB 3hr club. If you can achieve a time below 3hrs, it is a highly respectable achievement as more than 15,000 riders have raced the 50k but only 600 riders have ever gone below 3hrs over the 30 odd years since inception. 

However, despite a good first half where I was riding in the top 30 in the expert/pro-elite category and on target for a great sub-3hr time, my legs just cramped up at the base of Dopers Climb and I had to stop for 10 minutes. I could not even walk. I finally did get going again, but had to stop an additional four times as I struggled to survive. It was a big mistake to ride with a Camelbak full of water and just relying on GU and bananas. I finally made the last river crossing just before the finish and rode straight into waist high water, my bike being completely submerged. I stumbled across and then road the final 200 meters, crossing the finish line with a time of 3hrs and 15mins. The GPS moving time was 2hrs 43. I will come back next year to chase the elusive sub 3hr time!  The winner did 2hrs 10 mins, which was one of the fastest times ever recorded. Anton Cooper from New Zealand (U23 MTB World Champion) holds the record time of 2hrs 7mins.

The Karapoti is definitely a bucket event to do should you plan to visit NZ with your mountain bike. 

If you do wish to plan for a MTB holiday in New Zealand, then check out www.ridenz.co,   an awesome website to  create your own itinerary for mountain bike riding in Central North Island. Rides can be filtered according to your ability level.

MTB photos credit :  marathon-photos.com

Thank you Daniel,for the great article.We all looking forward to receive more info from down under.

Happy Easter for the SD TEAM.

London 2 Paris 24 hours Challenge Kit review

Stuart has volunteered to provide us as with a review from various kit given by our sponsors.

Achille's Draw of the event

Lezyne Lights SuperDrive XL:

When putting kit together and upgrading/ buying various parts for your bike,  lights are something of an after thought. We would much rather have better gears,  wheels and frame then to spend money on a decent set of lights.  This was my view before I was given a set of Lezyne lights for our trip, I must say they have changed my opinion.
It wasn't until the night slowly crept in on us that we benefitted from the most powerful lights I have seen on a bike.  With three of us cycling tightly together on long , dark winding roads our bodies and minds began to feel tired. Our decision making and cycling technique began to waver and I believe our safety would of been compromised had it not been for the illumination that these lights provided us.  
At one point I was leading the group and had slowed down to let the other two catch up,  as they approached from around a corner I found it hard to distinguish if it was a car or my team coming towards me such was the brightness from the lights.  The back light also gave drivers approaching considerable warning of our presence and this safety bubble of light that Lezyne had created kept us peddling in confidence all the way to Newhaven.  
If you're planning an endurance trip or commute on busy roads then I would recommend switching your old lights off and upgrading to Lezyne.  Think about your safety. Thanks to Rory from Upgrade Bikes UK distributor for Lezyne.

WTB Volt  Pro Saddle :

I switched my saddle to a WTB for our trip.  This saddle gave me ultimate comfort and support and wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone looking to replace or upgrade their current saddle.  I was riding a Boardman mountain bike my team mates were on a road bike and Dahon foldable and all used the same WTB saddle.  We were all comfortable and we're able to cover some serious mileage over two days without feeling the dreaded saddle sore setting in. 
Very good saddle. Very good value.

WTB Volt Pro Saddle

WTB Saddle Tech

Biotex High Performance Underwear:

The Italian company BIOTEX provided us our clothing for the ride  and I cannot fault the products. I wore a sleeveless base layer top which prevented wind at the front and the vents at back allowed body heat to escape.  This prevented me from overheating as the ride progressed.  The start of the day was cold and chilly and by the end our ride the sun was beating down.  At no point did I feel too hot or too cold and this speaks volumes for the craft and attention to detail that BIOTEX put into their products. I also used arm and leg warmers which gave me the flexibility during the ride as to when to use them. As soon as the sun came up I could remove them in under a minute without the need to change bib completely. 
Other products of theirs I used was the neoprene overshoes and a wind/rain protection jacket. As someone who feels the cold in the toes the covers offered extreme protection from the wind and my feet were kept warm.  The Jacket went on as day turned into night and kept the cold night chill away from our bodies perfectly.  Another really good point about this top is how tightly it packs down into your kit bag.  For something that can be folded up into the size of your hand and is light as a feather it offers really good protection against wind and rain.  Anyone thinking of buying  lightweight, stylish jacket need to look at BIOTEX via the SaddleDrunk online store.

Biotex Vest

Thickslick Tyres by Freedom Bicycle:

Free from puncture

Freedom provided some great tyres. The thick slick compound it has great rolling capabilities make any road condition smoother, any holes like a flat oil sea and mainly free from puncture.

I definitely recommend to any of you riding across damaged road, or surfaces.They have an amazing grip on wet also.

Nonno Pippo:

When Stef informed me that his father in law was joining us on the ride I was a little intrigued to say the least.  'Would a sixty two year old slow us down in some way?' Was my initial ignorant view.  
Firstly after meeting this quiet unassuming man I realised it would be a pleasure to ride with him and was excited to see how he would cope with the demands of the trip. 
I cursed myself time and time again during the ride that I even doubted his fitness and ability.  As the night set in on our way to Newhaven it was then I began to fully admire the technique and level that Nonno could deliver.  
His cadence was constant and he gently pulled away time and time again.  
At one point I was struggling to keep up, with one turn of the head Nonno realised  my breathing and posture was in decline so gently eased off the throttle to accommodate my needs.  
He could of gone on several times in the trip and probably enjoyed the speed more but he put the needs of the team first and I feel honoured to have been able to peddle alongside him for a couple of days.  
Top man.

Stewart Ramsay from W5 Physio:

Not enough words to describe the great, astonishing and efficient post ride massage.

He came out in the morning from London. He waited for us at the Eiffel Tower. Then he came to the hotel to give all of us the massage. Just speechless. Flabbergasted by his great character. 

Then he whisked away back to London. Thank you very much.

All SaddleDrunk team and riders are really thankful to those who supported us and sponsored us for this epic ride.

Many Thanks

London 2 Paris 24 hours Challenge on a Fold Up Bike

Last year, my friend Raffa donate his Dahon Vitesse to me. He had it because it was given to him by a lovely Spanish girl moving back to Madrid. Obviously he does not like riding through the roads of London.

Afterwards, I started riding this bike on a daily basis as part of my routine. One night at home during dinner with a glass of wine, I came out with this brilliant idea to ride with it to Paris.

I know, initially it sound like a crazy idea but slowly with focused training in performing high cadence intervals and spending hours on a spinning bike it became more feasible.

Then, one day I spoke with my friend, Stuart Carpenter, if he fancied to join me, with a beautiful straight answer which was  "YES". It did look like a yes of man getting married to his wife!. So he was on board, then I needed somebody else. Someone with great cycling skills, with speed, great mechanical knowledge of bikes, a strong mind and especially thousands of miles on his legs. There is only one person to fulfill this, Nonno Pippo. When I asked him, I received a nodding like Geppetto from Pinocchio. There it is, the team, the 3 Amigos was formed.

The team at SaddleDrunk HQ - PaperBack Coffee, Ealing, London

Next step, it was to map out a route, book a hotel in Paris, book the ferry for the crossing and try to find sponsors willing to support us in our adventure. My attempt was to travel the furthest on a fold-able bike and to get to Paris within 24hours.

We had a lot of response from companies willing to support us including 2 charities, Prostate Cancer UK & The Oakley Waterman Caravan Foundation , giving us an extra motives to ride.

WTB & Freedom Bicycle provided us with great Thickslick tyres and Volt Saddles. Biotex provided some clothing like yellow fluo socks and wind resistant vest. Upgrade Bikes, UK distributor for Lezyne provided us with powerful strong lights and various accessories. A more detailed review of the products will be done in a different blog.

Lezyne powerful strong lights

We decided to start our journey at 5pm on Friday 12th of September 2014 from Big Ben but for a safety point we moved the starting point at the Westminster Abbey Square by the main entrance.

At the sound of the Big Ben at 5pm we departed, after having a goodbye party from friends and supporters with photos taken and decided to hit hard on the road to get out of London as fast as possible. There was plenty of traffic, in fact the first 23km was a continuous slalom within cars and buses.

We whisked away like bullets through the roads of London, and making a fast approach to our destination in comparison to our preset time schedule. The speed was also rising  thanks to our powerful Lezyne SuperDrive XL Lights beaming out throughout the country lanes.

Stuart enjoying a Paperback Coffee Ealing sandwich

We arrived at Newhaven port for our ferry 6 minutes to 9pm, which included a collective P... stop and refill water bottles stop. We rode 95km in 3hours and 24minutes giving us an average speed of 26.7km/h, not really bad for a Dahon 20 inches wheel bike.

You can check the Strava file here.

trying to keep worm

The first stage was complete, but the hardest part was having to wait for the ferry in cold and windy conditions for more than 4 hours in sweaty & smelly bodies.

trying to keep warm

1am and still not in the ferry.

Different way of sleeping in the ferry

We finally landed in Normandy, Dieppe. It was an early, cold, windy, dark, foggy September morning. After passport control we just start riveting hard, we wanted to keep warm and get to the first stop 55km away from the port, therefore, we adventured out at full throttle through the Avenue Verte. We did meet other cyclists along the route but without knowing we reached our stop quicker then expected.

Espressos all the way.

The temperature was rising but for me I still needed to ask the " garçon " for some hot water to stick in my water bottle. The scenery was spectacular from open fields, various animals crossing our path, the smell of  bread from the boulangeries, we were  just speechless. Chateaux and Farms were along the route. We were getting closer to Paris quicker than expected, therefore, after consulting my team mate to stop ahead for a nice lunch. Obviously they agreed.

Nonno Pippo

The concentration on my behalf dropped down due to the proximity of Paris and without noticing it I was on the deck, cuddling the concrete of the road. No injuries sustained, just few bruises.

In the approach of Paris, in the Peripherique Areas various cultures could be spotted, we decided to stop at a Portuguese bar. 

It seemed to be in Portugal

A deserved lunch

We were early in our schedule therefore the lunch was tasty for various reasons. Healthy, lengthy, juicy and friendly. The sun was shining in our sweaty bodies. The camaraderie was there, it did run smoothly all the way.

The last 15 miles there were the most interesting part because we got lost, the map was throwing us onto a motorway, so we had to act like a lookout man in a ship. Trying to look for the Eiffel Tower.

The 3 Amigos in Paris

Luckily, Paris sits below compared to the outskirts, therefore, the Tower could be spotted. It was a great help for us to follow.

We finally arrived at the tower just after 3pm local time (2pm British Time) making our total trip of 21 hours. Rode 270km in 10 hours and 54 minutes. Great pace, total ascent short of 2000 metres.

There was the entire entourage of people waiting for us the predetermined location, it was beautiful to see familiar faces. We then took a copious number of photos then headed to the hotel, where Stewart Ramsay from W5 Physio gave us a flabbergasting massage to recovery from the various pains.

The SaddleDrunk Team wish to say thanks to all supporters, sponsors, friends and family for helping us in achieving this epic ride. 

The Dieppe to Paris file can be found in here. 

A detailed review of products and a gallery of the photos  will follow shortly.

Remember to get SaddleDrunk, everything is possible. Make sure you to bring cycling into your culture. Do Stop at red lights, share the road with others users. Do not feel under pressure if you don't wear Lycra or have the most expensive bike in the peloton.

Just enjoy cycling and Intoxicate yourself with the freedom of Cycling.

SDx

Latest media release from WTB.

As UK and Italy ambassador for WTB and Freedom, SaddleDrunk is please to announce the following:

WTB and Freedom Merge to Form Wilderness Trail & Freedom

MILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA – April 1, 2014 – Long standing mountain bike brand Wilderness Trail Bikes, known throughout the industry as WTB, announced today that it will be merging with its urban counterpart, Freedom.  Effective immediately, the two separate brands will form one, Wilderness Trail & Freedom, rebranded as WTF.

“We’ve asked for WTF for quite some time now,” elaborated Justin Kirkwood, WTF’s creative director.  “The ThickSlick tire’s overwhelming success is irrefutable.  Now under one roof, WTF will offer a staggering portfolio.  From 16 versions of the WTF ThickSlick to 11 different WTF Vigilantes spanning 26, 27.5, and 29”, WTF has augmented its reach.  The future is bright for WTF.”

All existing WTB and Freedom products will immediately transition to WTF products.  Tires will clearly display WTF lettering on sidewalls and saddles will also broadcast the new WTF acronym.  The wolf head logo will stay while the lettering will change to appropriately display the new brand, WTF.

About WTF

Founded in 1982, WTF was formed in the birthplace of mountain biking to design better bicycle products.  Through durable, affordable, and effective bicycle products as well as countless hours spent advocating on cycling’s behalf, WTF continues to promote bicycle usage as the way of the future.

Have a good day and Let's get SaddleDrunk.

SD

Yak Attack Nepal 2014 report from Cory Wallace

Hi all, I have managed to get in touch briefly with Cory Wallace from Nepal, reporting from Day 1 at the Yak Attack North Face 2014.A multi stage MTB event held in the beauty of the Himalayas.

Cory and I in Taiwan for the KOM 2013 last November.

This is what Cory had to say:

Day 1 we road across some terraces overlooking the Kathmandu valley. Later on we descended into a valley of chaos with Lose dogs, farm animals, people and cars everywhere. It was half bike race, half dodging the chaos. It is beautiful here racing below 7000 Meter mountains

A view of the track.

Scenery form the top.

Here at SaddleDrunk wish Cory a good luck during this amazing challenge.

I will keep you posted with more photos.