With the constant rain that has become the norm here in the UK lately, it has become more important than ever to regularly clean your bike. This will not only reduce corrosion, but also limit the wear from those little bits of grit and muck that stick to the frame and components when cycling on wet roads.
The UK produced Purple Harry Bike Polish will not only leave your bike sparkling, it also leaves a protective layer of waxes and silicones, adding an extra barrier to your paintwork which will make it easier to clean in the future too!
Simply pour a small amount onto a clean soft cloth of your choice, apply to the bike in a circular motion and then wait for at least 5 minutes for the polish to dry, then buff off to reveal a gleaming silky smooth surface. Of course, as with any polish, avoid getting any on the braking surfaces and it’s not recommended for use on the saddle or brake levers!
In the past I have only used the same polish as I use on my car (Turtle Wax), and have been pleased with the results, but I was very impressed with the Purple Harry Polish.
The crown on my carbon forks had minute scratches that always caught my eye in the past, but now they are gone, to be replaced by a nice deep black mirror like shine!
I also got a good finish when applying the polish to the painted Aluminium frame, carbon forks, Aluminium chainset and even plastic mudguards, so it can be used on most bike surfaces (take extra care if polishing wheel rims not to make the braking surface super slippery!).
My bike has never looked so good, after using the Bike Floss sticks to clean the cassette and chain and now protecting every suitable surface with the Bike Polish, it is almost in ‘as new’ condition. This is impressive; when you consider that it is a 2008 bike that I bought secondhand, which gets used nearly every day, for either a weekend ride or my commute to work.
It is difficult to say how often you should apply the polish, I guess it depends on the weather conditions and how often the bike gets washed, and obviously you wouldn’t use it every time you clean the bike. Perhaps 3 to 4 times a year seems to me to be a sensible figure. The bottle should therefore last for years (Unless, because of the fantastic results, you go on to use it on your car, caravan, or boat too!).
I really can’t find any negatives; it just works better than anything else I have tried before.
So, a first from me, a score of 100% for Purple Harry Bike Polish!
I stumbled across this video last week, it appears to be a recently new idea and I have to say it looks a really promising design. It did get me wondering why it hadn’t been done before. It can be a pain fiddling around with the chain, not every wheel change is a quick and grease free process. It would certainly suit the leisure cyclist with little or no bike maintenance skills.
I’m sure the the frame and wheel builders amongst you will have an opinion – I’d love to hear all your thoughts.
Saturday saw the launch of a new women’s cycling team – Team Jadan, hoping to change the image and progression of how women are involved in road racing. Team Jadan had its official presentation in the historic East Yorkshire town of Beverley at the eponymously named Beverley Arms Hotel.
As you may or may not know the Cycling Shorts collective has taken it’s first foray into cycling team sponsorship. We are very proud to announce our Official sponsorship of the new women’s Cycling Team – Team Jadan.
When I met the women on the team I knew they had the right attitude and mindset that I like to see in sportswomen. Cycling Shorts had to be involved!
I’m really impressed with the team’s attitude towards promoting women’s racing to all levels of riders. They are a great group of strong focused women. The team are out to prove you can have a family, career and study but still be part of a structured cycling team. As we all know the cycling world is male dominated and it’s a place where women are still not given equal standing, it needs these ladies to shake it up a bit from the grassroots!
I should also point out we have a vested interest because our Sub-Editor (and women’s cycling game changer) Heather Bamforth will be one of the team’s key riders this season. So no pressure Heather!
Team Jadan is the brainchild of Victoria Hood who believes that the perception of what women of all levels can achieve in cycle road racing needs to be changed.
The concept behind the team is to provide a stepping stone for women to progress through the racing categories, keeping the experience friendly and supportive. The goal of the team is to break down the barriers for non-elite riders and to prove that road racing is accessible for women and that they have other options than just breeze rides and charity events if they want to gain more experience.
This year’s team is made up of a variety of levels of experience, all very strong cyclists in their own right, but the riders have also been selected for their attitude and because they are good ambassadors and role models for women’s road cycling. Team Jadan are here to prove you can have a full time job and family life as well as competing at a high level in what is a tough competitive sport.
The team will play a key role in the new Yorkshire Women’s Road Race Series (promoted by Victoria Hood) and the successful CDNW RR League (promoted by Team Jadan rider Heather Bamforth), both of which exist to provide a springboard for women’s cycling talent without the intimidating atmosphere of some of the traditional events on the race calendar.
When Victoria was looking for sponsors she chose the more continental style of sponsorship by including local businesses as well as international sports brands. The principal sponsor is Jadan Press, a Hull-based digital printers. The owner Pam Wainman was approached by Victoria and the two clicked immediately. Pam’s mother was a keen cyclist in the 1950’s and she sadly passed away just before Pam and Victoria met. When Pam heard Victoria’s plans for a women’s cycling team to encourage development of riders she decided she had to be part of it, “I know my mum would have been proud of the girls”.
The Sports brands on board are: Bioracer UK who provide the women’s team kit.
Cycling Shorts an online cycling magazine who are providing the team’s website and PR. Torq Fitness provides the team with performance nutrition products. Vankru Cycling have fitted the team’s bikes.
Cycling Photographer Chris Maher who is the team’s official photographer.
Yorkshire Sponsors: Jadan Press – Printers. Neil Thompson Strength & Fitness a personal Trainer – Neil wants to promote strength training for women as it helps fight off osteoporosis. Riley’s – a designer clothes retailer in Beverley. Prestige – an East Yorkshire company specialising in damp proofing, fire and flood restoration. Hugh Rice Jewellers – A Jewellery retailer with stores across the North of England.
The team aims to give back to its sponsors too. The team will all write about their training and racing experiences during the season. Through the www.TeamJadan.com website, sponsors are also encouraged to share their latest news.
The team is packed with personality, with different skills and backgrounds; A-level students, trainee teachers, mums and career women. They are out to prove that women can be involved in cycling with the same level of commitment and professionalism as their male counterparts, organising themselves as a dedicated competitive team with quality sponsors.
Meet the team: Victoria Hood – Team Captain – East Yorkshire
Victoria is a qualified ride leader and an NSI cycle instructor.
“The team I have is amazing they are all really strong riders but the important thing to me was that they had to be friendly and approachable, cycling is tough but it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun at the same time as racing. I want to promote women’s cycling, make it more accessible and help to bring more girls into the sport.”
Heather Bamforth – Manchester
Heather has over 20 years’ experience of cycling, and has raced at both national and international level on the road in the past. A qualified cycling coach, Heather has proved to be one of the key people in bringing about a change to women’s competitive cycling by making it appealing to all levels of female cyclist.
“Victoria asked me to join the team as she wanted to set up a similar level of racing in Yorkshire to what I helped to instigate in the North West. 2014 sees the inaugural Yorkshire Women’s Road Race Series which I hope will prove to be as successful as the North West races. I am looking forward to being part of the team and we have a beautiful kit from Bioracer, which definitely helps us look the part!”
Olivia Tomlinson – East Yorkshire
Olivia is the youngest member of the team and is in her first year as a senior rider. Olivia had some great results last season and is looking to build on her success last year.
“I have been riding since I was 14 – I took part in a local club’s time trials and joined in on their Sunday rides. When I was 16 I began to enter races and really enjoyed taking part in the events. For this year’s season I am looking forward to racing in a women s team, I’m hoping to progress and learn from the other more experienced team members”.
Annabel Sill – Hertfordshire
Annabel has been riding for 6 years. “Cycling and racing has been a big part of my life since university, and my current housemates put up with me having four bikes in the house and a turbo in the corner of the kitchen. I’ve been time trialling for five years, and started doing a mix of crits, road races and TTs in the 2013 season – and that’s how I met Victoria, she asked if I would like to join the team. I’m keen to promote women’s racing and I’m currently doing a British Cycling Level 2 Coaching course to help bring on youth and junior girls at my cycling club Welwyn Wheelers. I’m really looking forward to building on my strengths, and being able to race with and support the other girls on the team this year!”
Lauren Brown – Carlisle
Lauren is a feisty rider, who has a number of local victories under her belt over the last few seasons.
“Having raced for Abergavenny WCT last season, I’m looking forward to racing with the girls in National Series events and the CDNW women’s road race league and the new Yorkshire road race league. I’m from a sprint and track background then two years ago I switched to road. I’m a Level 2 British Cycling Coach and I help little kids improve their skills… well I certainly hope I do!”
Frankie White – Manchester
“I’m very much looking forward to racing in the UK and beyond with this lovely group of ladies. We have a great mix of characters on this team, each inspiring me to work hard and develop as a rider. I really enjoyed our first training camp in FebruaryI much prefer the long races, 3 hours is good for me, I’m the complete opposite to Lauren, she’s really good at 1 hour long crits. I find it’s not nearly enough for my style of racing, I love the endurance.”
Sam Thoy – Lincolnshire
Sam has been racing cyclocross through the winter, with 5 wins under her belt so far – a latecomer to cycling but with a fell running background she’s a very strong athlete.
Sam said “I am looking forward to this year, with our team doing some proper damage at the national team series events. I also fancy trying the round town circuit races and there is a race up Alpe d’Huez that I must do! I just love biking and racing, why did I not discover it earlier!”
With a history steeped in textile spinning, Sportful was founded in Italy in 1942 as an undergarments manufacturer, before developing its first cycling specific garments in 1985. Come 2002, Cipollini rode to become World Champion, one of the Italian cycling team members to be wearing Sportful kit in the professional peloton for the first time. It’s fair to say, the 60 years of working with professional athletes and distributors is testament to the quality of their products. And this year’s range looks to set the benchmark even higher.
I’ve heard raving reviews about Sportful from various different cyclists and when looking for new kit for the coming season their designs seemed to stand off the page with some pretty impressive supporting statements. With distinctive white, black and orange bursts of colour, I was excited by the idea that I may finally stand out on the Sunday club run. Plus, with a statement as bold as Developed by Women, for Women, I can’t possibly go wrong.
4mm layer of Poron – does my bum look big in this?
The first thing I noticed on unpacking the BodyFit Pro kit, was the attention to detail. Developed by Italian garments designer Linda Bellio, this year’s kit really is designed by a woman for women. Breaking the pieces down, Linda and Sportful have looked at every element and individual panel in a bid to make the ‘best performing kit’ for women on the market. Forget the ‘pink and shrink’ strategy, with insight from their sponsored Women’s team, ASD Top Girls, Sportful really have developed a kit to suit our womenly bodies.
The BodyFit Pro technology uses the same ergonomic lightweight materials as ridden by the Tinkoff Saxo team. The bibs have straps like no others I’ve seen before. With a flat no-seam design and elasticated flex, they mold perfectly to the body whether you’re on the bike or stopped for a coffee. Plus, a bonus to the flat-flex design means they fit perfectly around the bust for seamless aerodynamics (I could probably do with loosing the bust if we’re to really talk aero!)
The same BodyFit Pro technology is again bought into the leg with AeroFlow, to provide a tight compression fitting that supports the muscles.
Moving further down the body to an area I have the majority of my problems with when buying comfortable kit, I notice quite a thick padding on the sit bone area of the chamois (con), but a highly flexible middle section (pro). Although they felt rather tight, these proved extremely comfortable. According to Sportful, the Infinity Seat Pad features progressive damping with softer foam on the top surface, medium foam in the middle, and in the most important sitting area, a special 4mm layer of Poron that gives shock absorption and is lightweight, breathable, and avoids heat build-up. I didn’t feel as sweaty as I normally would at the end of a ride, but only warmer weather and a longer session will prove this.
AirMesh one piece shoulders with raw cut sleeves
Both the bibs and the jersey feature seamless, non-grip, raw-cut edge sleeves and legs. Every cyclist has a preference, but with a slightly bulkier thigh, there’s no chance of the horrible ‘sausage’ effect or irritation, yet enough natural grip in the fabric to stay in place for those crisp tan lines. Lovely!
Both the jersey and bibs have clearly been designed for the warmer weather, featuring a breathable AirMesh in the single-piece shoulders and underarm of the jersey and the sleeves of the bibs for maximum airflow . This not only helps keep the body temperature down, but also makes for an extremely soft feel on the skin, yet with holes small enough to not appear see-through (and hopefully protect from a”Froome-tan“).
The only silicone grippers you’ll find on the kit is on the base of jersey, helping keep three full back pockets in check whilst on the bike.
All over, this kit is comfortable, looks and feels great on, and it performs. Definitely not cheap, every bit of kit is designed for perfection and well worth the investment.
Cycling Shorts gives the Sportful BodyFit Pro range a Star Buy rating of 95%
Hayley Davies
Writer
Riding since Feb 2011 Hayley is a 30 year old female who loves adventures. If she’s not on one of her many bikes or in the water on a bodyboard/surfboard, then Hayley is probably out looking for something new to keep the adrenaline pumping! Website: www.hjdonline.co.uk
There’s a new race in town on 25 May 2014 and it promises to be something quite special.
If you were thinking about the Milk Race and are now worried that you might not get a ride, then do not fear, because help is here in the form of Shrewsbury Grand Prix.
But that doesn’t mean that it is any less worthy than the Milk Race – the Shrewsbury Grand Prix boasts equal prize money for men and women – and with a prize fund of £1,300 for the women’s race alone, it looks set to be a great event with equally great prizes! This is a fantastic opportunity for the women, as it is likely that the top riders will be at the Milk Race due to the potential TV coverage for their sponsors.
The event has a dedicated Facebook page and Twitter account and has also produced a promotional video
So what prizes are on offer? The British Cycling link to the event (where you can also enter) has the details, but to whet your appetite, I can confirm the details are as follows:
Pure Communications Women Only
£1300 Prize Fund
1st £500 + Set of Bontrager Race Wheels RRP £250 + Pair of Tifosi Podium Glasses RRP £60
For further information relating to the race schedule and the course layout, see below:
The event looks set to be a great afternoon, and there are plans to get the family involved, which will really make a great day. Keep up to date with the event on their Facebook and Twitter accounts and let’s hope the event gets the support that it most definitely deserves!
Following last season’s central London launch, Matrix Fitness – Vulpine headed to the home of British Cycling – Manchester – and specifically to Popup Bikes to introduce the 2014 team.
A new, individual and up-and-coming venue on the cycling scene, Popup provided everything needed to launch an exciting new line-up for the coming season, while the Manchester streets provided the perfect backdrop for amazing photography to document the occasion (courtesy of Andy Whitehouse), as the team once again looked to produce something out of the ordinary
The 2014 line-up brings together many different influences. Leading the team in a mentor role is European cyclocross champion, Helen Wyman. Having ridden three World Road Championships and won Jersey classifications in UCI ranked stage races, she offers the road experience required to step up to new challenges, including the Women’s Tour.
For the first time in several years, the team includes an overseas rider; Holland’s Sigrid Jochems. A leading sprinter on the European scene, Sigrid is returning to the sport after four years absence while she pursuing a gymnastics career.
The British Cycling Olympic Development Program is well represented with Mel Lowther, returning for a second year, and Bethany Hayward; a natural climber who will be looking to represent Team GB at the World Junior Championships in 2014. The team feels it has a solid future with these two emerging talents.
Returning riders Jessie Walker, Harriet Owen, and Jo Tindley are re-joined by Penny Rowson who briefly departed the team in 2013 but comes back with renewed determination to reach the highest heights of the sport. Louise Borthwich, last year’s stand out rider on the domestic scene also joins, and alongside Harriet – who is now a full-time cyclist – will make a formidable attacking line-up as the team targets the UK’s biggest races.
The final rider to come on board for the 2014 season is Para-cyclist, Lora Turnham, riding with her tandem pilot Corrine Hall, who in her own right is a current National Champion on the track. In 2013, this duo stormed to the World Title in the road Time Trial, and plan to take on three events in this year’s World Track Championships.
“We have a real mix; different skills, different personalities, even different disciplines, but we are very much one team. This group has so much talent it will be a real disappointment if we don’t make the step up to professional status in 2015. That’s the goal. We are already firmly working on 2015” commented Team Manager, Stefan Wyman. “This season we have a new set of sponsors, integrating with long-term partners like Matrix Fitness and Velocite, and everyone is motivated to make the step up. We want to be at the newly formed Tour de France event in 2015, along with other key events. However this year all of our focus is on the Women’s Tour. We need to step up, present ourselves in the best manner possible, and hopefully surprise a few people with our results.”
The launch event itself centered on a RollaPaluza competition; with participants battling it out on a pair of custom-built rollers connected to a huge dial, with split-second digital timing over a simulated 500m distance, at speeds in excess of 50mph. The action was accompanied by Rollapaluza’s own Caspar Hughes as DJ, music and cheering crowds. It was perhaps no surprise that Team sprinter, Harriet Owen, won the main event.
The team Q&A, introduced by Chris Garrison, Bontrager UK, was dominated by talk of the Women’s Tour, but it was clear from the 100+ crowd that there is a thirst for knowledge on the sport, with an ever increasing number of cycling fans prepared to come out and support women’s racing.
One question: “What will it be like to race against Vos?” was met with this response from Wyman: “Vos is amazing for the sport and she has been for about eight years now. She has really raised the level of women’s cycling, but there are others like Emma Johanson, Lizzie Armitstead, and Lucy Garner who will go very well in the Tour so I don’t think it will be a one woman show. She will try and get wins for her team as much as for herself. We won’t be going there to just make up the numbers. If I thought that I would have politely rejected the offer. We go there with real ambition, so it’s realistic for us to score a top ten in a stage, which will be incredible for a team of our size. We are not going to celebrate just finishing, we want to achieve, and at this level it’s all about one member of the team getting a result.”
The team now heads off to Limoux in the South of France, where they have just over two weeks together before returning to the UK for the Tour of Reservoir – the first team event of the season.
Riding since Feb 2011 Hayley is a 30 year old female who loves adventures. If she’s not on one of her many bikes or in the water on a bodyboard/surfboard, then Hayley is probably out looking for something new to keep the adrenaline pumping! Website: www.hjdonline.co.uk
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With the constant rain that has become the norm here in the UK lately, it has become more important than ever to regularly clean your bike. This will not only reduce corrosion, but also limit the wear from those little bits of grit and muck that stick to the frame and components when cycling on wet roads.
Simply pour a small amount onto a clean soft cloth of your choice, apply to the bike in a circular motion and then wait for at least 5 minutes for the polish to dry, then buff off to reveal a gleaming silky smooth surface. Of course, as with any polish, avoid getting any on the braking surfaces and it’s not recommended for use on the saddle or brake levers!
I really can’t find any negatives; it just works better than anything else I have tried before.
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