Just incredible! What more can I say…other than I MUST GO!

It has to go to make room for a cx bike. Simple as that really. My daily ride both here and in NYC (it went everywhere with me) is for sale.

Approx 56cm Condor Pista steel frame (powder coated black but chipped at drop outs and a few other places – just cosmetic).

Dedacciai Black Force Forks

Mavic Ellipse Track wheels

Miche chainset (powder coated white)

Phil BB

Specialites TA 44 tooth chainring

Vitorria Zaffiro white 700 x 23c tyres

Thomson bar and seatpost

BLB bar

Fizik Arione saddle (with wear)

Gran Compe Short Lever brake w/ Campag Veloce calliper

Pedals NOT included

This is no trailer queen but very, very cool nonetheless. Its chips are through use…but not abuse. This is a bombproof machine. It has been ridden daily both sides of the Atlantic. Wonderful, classy bike.

Buy it, respray it. Love it. Buy it, leave it as it is, love it.

£500 ONO

I’ll throw in track bars and various other bits and bobs too.

contact john@mcfaulstudio.com

Just lovely isn’t it. Want.

My dad used to race bikes too. He always brought Bobet up in conversation. Coppi was always his idol but Bobet just had the panache. Talent aside he was a sponsors dream in that he looked amazing. He looked a bit like my dad!

Bobet abandoned his final Tour de France on top of the Iséran after suffering throughout > “I’d never climbed the Col D’Iséran. It’s the highest road in Europe. I wanted to ride up there.”

Chapeau!

Its been a while since I posted. I’ve been busy. Mostly in NYC this second half of 2011 working as a Consultant Creative Director at Safari Sundays for Pepsi…and therefore not much time for cocking a leg over a bicycle. I still managed…but it was a case of squeezing in a ride here or there and actually it made me have to run much more (perhaps I should change the name of this blog??). Anyway…I’m back in the UK for a while and planning something wild for next year. Something which I’ve been wanting to do for quite some time and now that the kids are that little bit older I think I can give it some attention. More of this in another post but at the same time I’ve just been contacted by Sam Alison at Singular Cycles who wondered whether I’d want to race for him next year. Of course I said yes. Its a perfect fit and I’ve been flying the Singular flag anyway this year. So – I’m Singular for 2012 and beyond. I’m happy about that. Very happy!

NYC beckons with a new job…and with that I need to sort out jetset enabling vessels to hold my gear long haul and on a day-to-day basis > bike bag, luggage and a suitable backpack for the commute from Brooklyn into Soho daily.

Nanamica produce some wonderful stuff. I’m a big fan. This is their Cycle Bag >

I think I’d quite like one!

Sometimes…things don’t go to plan. Sometimes things happen beyond your control. Sometimes you just have to enjoy what the day throws at you and just be.

James Bowthorpe and I set out on a South Downs Double attempt on Wednesday 29th June. Flanked by photographer and all-round creative loveliness Nick Hand we had a job to do. There was a very tough 200 mile out and back to bag plus a photoshoot to accompany an article to be written by James for Privateer Mag.

We set off late. Well, not really but I’m a bit anal in that department. The King Alfred statue didn’t see our rears until 10am. It was on! Until Queen Elizabeth Country Park there isn’t and wasn’t much to note. Rolling countryside woke our bodies and the engines began to work. We’re were riding it ‘Alpine’ style which means we were to have no outside assistance and we were carrying all the food needed for the duration. We can fill up with water at several taps along the route but that is as far as outside assistance goes. A bag full of 9 Bars, High 5 gels, flapjack and Jelly Babies is heavy let me tell you!

We stopped for Nick at QE to grab some photos…probably staying there far too long but we had the rest of the day ahead. Off we went again…but not for long. James had a flat on the front. I won’t go into details here to protect those responsible (I would have been fucking livid!!) but it had us baffled as we were both running Stan’s No Tubes. Time was wasted as we tried to get to the bottom of the leaking air. You’d think it would be a simple thing…but no…not this. James had to drive into Chichester with Nick where Paul at Hargroves Cycles was a legend and sorted him out. I simply carried on. I was pissed off…not because of the wasted time…(well, a little bit) but more for James as I knew he had effectively disqualified himself. Anyone working up to an attempt like this knows that simple little problems can kill the morale. It did for us both I think…but I had to get back on and ride alone. The next 25 miles was trail I knew very well. Back door stuff really as I ride there week in week out. I wasn’t sure if James would return so I had set my mind to accept a solo attempt should things not turn out too well for James…so I kicked on upping the pace.

I hooked up with James again at Amberley. I had a little while to spare so I made a few adjustments to the bike and downed a few gels and a 9 bar or two. The climb out of Amberley was a rude awakening for someone who had been off the bike for a couple of hours. Its a tough little climb. Nick got some great shots on the way up and we were off once again. Nothing had changed in our outlook but I did, even then, feel like this wasn’t the day. I can’t put my finger on it but it just didn’t seem right. My urgency had gone and with it the need to reach Eastbourne within 10 hours (my goal). I can’t speak for James but I didn’t feel laboured and I was climbing really well so it must have been psychological.

It was a stunning day. The afternoon wore on and the skies were simply magnificent. As we were travelling West to East the sunset behind us had us stop on several occasions. Awesome! I skipped many many hours there but needless to say that both of us had firstly decided within that we’d abort the attempt at Eastbourne but it took well into the evening for me to ask James what he thought to which he replied…”I’m not riding back” (or words to that effect) which echoed my thoughts at that precise moment in time. Its tough. Very tough! Many underestimate the route; a relentless up and down for the duration. Its a killer. Add to that a bag with all your nutrition in and the constant thinking about consumption of the calories therein. I’ve ridden the route several times so I suppose, in hindsight, I should have turned around and ridden back…but we were late and I had no chance in making up the several hours I would have needed to as by the turn I’d argue that most attempts are reasonably in the ‘hurt locker’. We turned the Exposure MaXx D lights on which gave us momentary pleasure but nothing could really raise us out of the inevitable. I decided to stop…and try again very soon. At least that way I had merely done another great day of preparation.

Unfinished business.

We found a Best Western on the seafront and stayed the night there. I was disappointed of course and the morning wake up fuelled that further as I wasn’t stiff at all pointing the finger at me for not trying harder.

Thats where I am.

I have to say a huge thank you to Sam at Singular Cycles. Sam, mate, this bike is so dialled its untrue. The geometry is spot on especially with this Tower Pro upfront and it rides all day without any hint of hurt (well, a little bit after 10 hours but thats to be expected!!). I would say that the 32 x 34 smallest gear is a little too big so I need a 36 on the back just as a get-out-of-jail-card. For everyone reading this…I run a 1 x 10 on the Swift…if I add the 36 on to the rear its more than comfortable on every climb on the SDD. I rode the 34 and it was fine but I know the legs will be heavier on the return leg. You’ve got a killer bike there mate. I LOVE IT!

What is he doing now???

Pedalling non-stop for 24 hours in the window of Look Mum No Hands…thats what!!

Why??

To drum up a bit of publicity for his solo RAAM attempt in 2012…and various other things. Mainly though because he can…and its a bit of fun…and because of that I’ll be riding next to him through the night keeping him awake…and getting these post NY legs back in shape to boot.

A gentleman, a genius, a like-mind and always one to say…”yes, lets give it a go!” I have the hugest admiration for James. Join him this week and listen to what the man says straight after the 24hr stint. It should be interesting…or at least car-crash funny!!

Poster design by Ed @milltag

Macaframa visits Livery Design Gruppe, in Huntington Beach, Ca.