MMPhoto: Cycling

Mar 20, 2013

Cycling

Right now cyclists have not got a good reputation. Competitively drugs have become the scourge of professional cycling with many of our most elite heroes (Tour de France etc) being discovered as participants in performance enhancing drug programs. A lot of shame has come down on the sport from the illegal behavior of many of the top teams and individuals. The other current issue for cyclists and road users is the problem of being able to share the roads safely. There is a lot of negative press right now about how cyclists are a nuisance on our roads. True in some cases but not all and lets face it many of our kids cycle to and from school at the busy time of the day. We have to be more aware that cycling is here to stay, is great for the environment, our health and is an important means of transportation.
Meanwhile at local cycling club and National levels the sport thrives. I have been really fortunate to have spent over 33 years on my road and mountain bikes including racing at club level. For many years cycling was a family sport for us with all four of us involved at one level or another. I am still passionate about road cycling be it within my current capacity as an aging citizen! The pictures below are a few we found in the photo album.
Whats the attraction? For me now it is about exercise, speed...if you can call it that, technology and shear joy of being alive and doing it! Some years back it also included weekly competition and with that came the "training". This means hours on the bike each week and 400km weeks were the norm. The on top mid week and weekend racing. Training rides could be done on all the local roads and the longer ones included riding from Tauranga to Whakatane or Whangamata or Hamilton or Rotorua or often across the Kaimai to Matamata and back. Then in between there were the so called fun rides. These came in all shapes and sizes. But the club guys and girls would still turn up and make it a race. These happened often in remote locations that till this day I have never revisited.

2013 vintage. Bit of a gut there Mike!

A new Colnago frame arrives from Italy. 1997

The new Saeco top 2005

Specialized Stump Jumper mountain bike. If you want a thrill try mountain biking. More fun and energy than you may imagine. Is that a water melon in my back pocket?

1990 My Giant 980 early carbon fiber machine with rear wheel dics for that extra racing edge (Yeah right!)

1998 with Rob, cool 14 year old dude. If you check out my face I was recovering from a face plant on to the tarmac! One of the more nasty things you can do to yourself on a bike.