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Volume 6 Issue 7
KARENG / 2016 / 68421
JUNE 2018
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Fast & Curious : Ridley Cordis 2 Anniversary on wheels Pedal of Life Ironman Diary
Official a n
Inside
Cycling Federation of India
InThisIssue IndustryNews Hero MTB Shimla Tandem M2K -2018
ProCycling Anniversary on wheels When all roads led to Salem Are you a breakfast Champion ?
Profiled Pedal of Life
UltraCycling Crew the heart of Ultracycling
BikeReview Ridley Cordis 2
CrankActive Hennur Bamboo Ultra
Events ITU world triathlon series, Abu Dhabi
TriathlonCorner Ironman Diary
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Editor’sNote
The CRANK with ProCycle Team Dear Readers Managing Editor and Publisher Vikram K Limsay Invitee editor Onkar Singh, Secretary General CFI and ACC Edit Desk Dr. Meera Velankar Trackside Editor - Triathlon - Deepak Raj Track side editor Ultra-cycling Dr. Srinivas Gokulnath
This month as the mercury tops we take you on a journey to meet some interesting people and their bikes. We know that cycling expresses a multitude of emotions. In this issue meet riders who have used their bike to express emotions of sheer determination after a debilitating injury, a sense of achievement through sheer hard-work and a couple who have wheeled off to celebrate their wedding anniversary. How wonderful is that. We have decided to review some entry level bikes to encourage more people to get on the saddle. This month we review the Ridley Cordis 2. A good option if you want to begin casual everyday riding. We promise to bring you more. We have been following several government agencies and their efforts on cycling
Contributors Aniruddha, Milli Sharma Creative and Design N. Chandru
related infrastructure. You will be happy to note that some serious plans are underway in every city. We will keep you updated on the specifics in future issues. Enjoy the ride and at the cost of repeating myself, keep adequately hydrated Ciao
Contact editdeskcrank@procycle.in subscribecrank@procycle.in
Vikram K Limsay
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Managing Editor and Publisher
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IndustryNews
Hero MTB Shimla
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he Annual Hero MTB Himalaya, Shimla Edition, more popularly known as Hero MTB Shimla, is a 2-day MTB XC race that is held every year in the month of April. The host City, as the name suggests, is Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, and the race takes its participants through some of the most pristine parts of the Shivalik Mountains. The 7th Edition of Hero MTB Shimla, which is the Asia’s most loved mountain biking race, was held from 13th-15th April, 2018. The mountain biking race that started from Heritage property - Woodville Palace, saw 83 riders, including 8 women, battling against each other. Hero MTB Shimla is a part of Hero MTB Himalaya, which is one of the toughest MTB stage races in the world. The Hero MTB Himalaya is an annual mountain bike race, which started in 2005. The race, which covers approximately 650km in 8 days, is sponsored by Hero Cycles India. During the 2-day MTB XC race, the participants rode around 106 KM with an elevation gain of 3621 M and highest elevation of 2313 M across the brand new route. The race started from Shimla and took the riders through Kufri and concluded at Mashobra on Day 1 after riding a total distance of 55.2km. Day 2 consisted of a total distance of 50.9km and was flagged in at Craigneno, which is situated on the Shimla-Naldehra Highway. A new and tougher route was planned for this year’s edition to make the race more challenging for the riders. Owing to superior quality of riders joining the race year after year, the team has thoroughly researched on these new trails that traverse through dense forests and tricky single-track sections to make riders savor real mountain biking experience. The route saw the cyclists make their way through broken tarmac, rocks, stones and plenty of off
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road single trails. Due to the tough route, the race saw as many as 15 riders drop out of the event. While some riders needed medical attention, a few of the riders got stung by bees and pricked by thorns. The race route covered the old kingdom of Kyarkoti and Mashobra, which was once inhabited by a Nepali King. The route also featured a climb from Kyarkoti to Craigneno, which was no mean feat for even the most seasoned riders. The event has grown exponentially over the years and receives participation from across the globe. The 7th edition of the race witnessed participation from 8 countries and 23 cities, ages from 14-51, racing across the Shivalik Hills. This year, the race has received participation from countries like Nepal, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and Czech Republic. From India, the race has received participation from the northern as well as from the southern cities. For the first time, this year the race participants stayed at a campsite near Mashobra. This year, Hero Action Team, India’s first-ever professional mountain biking team, has added two fresh faces to the team – David Kumar and Ashish Sherpa. This induction, based on riders’ performance in the past races, is aimed at building a strong team and motivating local talent to take up the sport. Hailing from Kinnaur, David Kumar has emerged as the rising star of the premier MTB race. He was crowned as the ‘King of Shivaliks’ in the last season and has been winning podiums across the country. He is the first human to take his bike to the Holy rock in Kinner Kailash. Meanwhile, coming from a humble background, 16-year-old Ashish has won podiums
in the 14th MTB National Championship, MTB Nainital, Ciclista a la Shivalik Race, to name a few. At the 7th Edition of MTB Shimla, Ashish took pole position in the students’ category (05:43) and also finished second overall. Other professional cycling teams to participate in the race included - Steadfast Nutrition, Merida Cycling team. Riders from Armed Border Forces - Seema Shastri Bal, Pedalyatri, Aravali Trail Hunters and Walk to Himalayas were among other teams to participate in the event. The defending champion, David Kumar, from the Hero Action Team emerged as the ‘King of Shivaliks’. On day 1 he took an early lead in the Open Men Solo category and clinched the first place in the same category in 05:27 (cumulative). In the Open Women Solo category, Germany’s Sarah Appelt, also from the Hero Action Team, came in first with a cumulative time of 07:20. The German biker, who is another familiar face in MTB Shimla, was crowned as the ‘Queen of Shivaliks’ for third time in a row. Alongside MTB Shimla, HASTPA organized a Heritage Ride on April 13th to encourage locals to adopt a greener and healthier lifestyle. Sh. Suresh Bhardwaj, Hon’ble Education, Parliamentary Affairs, Law and Legal Affairs Minister of Himachal Pradesh flagged off the Heritage Ride. The ride, which was a 7-km loop around the city, took the participants through some age-old paths that date back to the British Era. The initiative was aimed at encouraging locals to join as well as witness the ride. The Heritage Ride assumes importance as cycling will become an important part of the city’s transportation system, with Shimla being given the status of ‘Smart City’. The ride also saw differently-abled students from Udaan, an NGO that works with low-income communities in the field of education, cheering for the riders. In addition, since the Ministry of Tourism, India has declared 2018 as the ‘Year of Adventure Tourism’, for this
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year’s race, HASTPA took an initiative to promote the sport among masses by encouraging all riders to bring along their friends and families in the form of support. The event culminated in magnificent fashion, with a closing ceremony graced by the presence of Sh. Jai Ram Thakur, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, on April 15th, 2018 at Woodville Palace. In the spirit of promoting cycling, HASTPA also gifted a Hero Sprint Pro, a new range of bikes launched by Hero Cycles that is designed for comfort with superior ergonomics, to the chief minister. To conclude the thrilling 7th edition of MTB Shimla, the chief minister distributed prizes worth Rs 6.5 lakhs, including the new Hero Sprint Pro, to the winners. In the ceremony, HASTPA, the race organiser, proposed to start an MTB Chapter that brings all hill states together to form a body that leads adventure cycling across India. Through this chapter, HASTPA wishes to introduce facilities for parking, homestays and training centres for local youth of Himachal hinterland. This chapter will also aim to promote the mountain trails worldwide through the Incredible India campaign to create a distinct identity for India in the adventure cycling circuit. Hero Cycles, the world’s largest integrated cycle manufacturer, partnered with HASTPA in 2014 to bring about a change in the mountain biking scenario in India. The two pioneering giants of cycling collaborated for the fourth year now to deliver an international level race set in the Himalayas. The event was also supported by Octane, Himachal Tourism, The Times of India; Garmin; Coleman; Scroll; Outdoors; Deyor Camps; Dainik Jagran; Steadfast Nutrition; Thrillophilia; Kefi Outdoors; Toffee; Kingfisher and Round Table India.
Tandem M2K - 2018
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ivyanshu Ganatra, who lost his eyesight to glaucoma when he was nineteen years old, founded the non-profit organization, ‘Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation’ (ABBF) in early 2014. Divyanshu is India’s first solo blind paraglider, trekker, mountaineer, scuba diver, marathoner and first blind pillion cyclist to ride from Manali to Khardung La (M2K). He is also a clinical psychologist, two-time entrepreneur, IT guy and a public speaker. ABBF was set up to initiate enthusiast into Marathons, Mountaineering and Trekking, Tandem Cycling, Scuba Diving and Paragliding. The idea of M2K was born two years ago when Divyanshu decided to embark on a cycling expedition not just because he loves cycling, but also because he wanted to open new avenues for millions of people with and without disability to play together and do what the world said is “impossible”. He became India’s first blind tandem cyclist to cycle from M2K, covering a distance of over 550 km in just eight days. This year, ABBF endeavours will take cyclists with and without disability on an inclusive tandem-cycling expedition from M2K for the third time since the foundation’s accomplishment has made the history. M2K2018 will be held from August 18 to August 30, during which cyclists will push the limits of physical endurance and mental fortitude, forge relationships and build empathy. At its core, #M2K2018 is the chance for people to discover new perspectives, while simultaneously spreading the message of inclusion and accessibility. Being a non-profit organization, the ABBF calls upon the readers to come forward and support their goal of making this expedition a success. By contributing as much as you can, either as a donor or a participating cyclist, you can help truly imbibe the spirit of inclusion while adopting a new world view.
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Procycling
Anniversary On Wheels By Ulhas Joshi
“
So, where do we celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary?” asked my wife Gayatri as part of her annual ritual question in the middle of March.
We have been celebrating our wedding anniversaries by riding on the beaches or in the mountains, but this year we wanted to explore a ‘Historical Monument’ on our cycles. The question kept haunting us till the time we saw someone’s post on the social media about Cambodia Cycling and we knew that we would be celebrating our wedding anniversary at the Angkor Wat (Siem Reap), Cambodia. Without wasting any more time, we booked our flight tickets to Bangkok and planned our cycling trip from Bangkok to Angkor Wat. After arriving in Bangkok, we went for a night ride organized by the Company – GrassHoppers – and visited Buddhist Temples. Riding in the late evening hours with this cycling group was quite a fun. Next morning we reached Siem Reap by Bus. Next day, our cycling trip organizer - Cambodia Cycling - gave us a 3-day cycling trip plan in Siem Reap, which covered most of the sites near Angkor Wat. On Day 1, we visited Angkor Wat, which is the largest religious monument in the world. These beautiful temple ruins were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.
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Thanks to the support provided by the cycling trip organizers and our local guides, we cycled through beautiful forests, waterfronts and on the temple walls all around the main temple region of Siem Reap. It was a fairly easy ride of just about 40km. On Day 2, we cycled approximately 60km and reached Tonle Sap, which is the largest freshwater lake in the Southeast Asia. Besides more temple ruins, en-route we saw housing colonies of fishermen that were built using bamboo pillars and were of above 20 feet of height. On Day 3, we visited the Beng Mealea Temple, situated at 67km from Siem Reap. En-route we came across the village life of Cambodia and got to taste local village food, fresh toddy and the freshly drawn rice wine. We had so much of fun on this day. Gayatri & myself are fun loving cycling enthusiasts. For the past more than 30 years, we have been cycling across the country and abroad. For the past 11 consecutive years we have cycled on the Manali-Leh-Khardung La route and other similar routes in the Himalayan Regions with our likeminded friends and have plans to cycle there for many more years to come. In 2016, we celebrated a decade of consecutive Himalayan Cycling ritual with our 5 ‘Pedal Buddies’ by riding 2,731km from 0 to 18,380ft altitude. So far, we have covered a distance of over 1,00,000km on our cycles, but we really don’t care about the mileage. We always look forward to ride on new unventured routes to make our lives a ‘Grand Journey’ and to make ‘Happy Memories’ to cherish and share in the future. We love cycling with friends and are committed to promote cycling to improve the ‘Quality of Life’ of the future generation – that is ‘LIFECYCLE’.
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When all roads led to Salem By Lokesh Jain
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wenty-four teams comprising a maximum of five members tested their mettle in a fleche organised by Madras Randonneurs on April 21.
A fleche is a team event in which participants converge at a pre-decided place after riding a minimum of 360 km in 24 hours nonstop. All team members ride the distance. Unlike a brevet, which is a self-supported solo ride in which a rider takes a predecided route to cover a fixed distance in a set time, fleches are a team event and are competitive. Brevet riders often ride in groups but they have no obligation to do so. Most brevet rules apply to a fleche, the exception being all team members – strong and weak -- have to reach check points and the end point together. It truly exemplifies the “one for all, all for one” spirit as strong riders help weak ones finish. The teams can be of a minimum three and maximum five riders. Each team has to submit a route in advance. The routes can be different but the end point has to be the one specified by the organizers. Teams can choose to ride more than the minimum 360 km in 24 hours. Called “Madras Arrow”, the April 21 fleche culminated at the base of the hill station Yercaud in Salem district of Tamil Nadu. The teams covered distances ranging from 360 km to 420 km. While most teams were from Chennai, teams from Bangalore, Trichi, Coimbatore and other places also participated. The three Bangalore teams rode the same distance (roughly 380 km) and route starting (as mandated by Audax Club Parisien rules) an hour apart from each other. Starting at Old Madras Road, they rode to Kolar and Palamneru, before turning right towards Gudiyattam, Ambur, Krishnagiri and finishing at Salem. On paper, it looked a pretty straight and flat route. Downhill to start, a gradual climb in the middle and flat approaching Salem. All three
teams had experienced endurance riders with multiple brevets behind them, Super Randonneurs and a few who had completed 1,000-km brevets and it should have been a cakewalk for them. But in cycling distance and terrain do not matter as much, particularly for experienced riders, as weather does. Weather is fickle and can punish even the best of riders. The weather was fair to start with on April 21. A nice, cool breeze was blowing and there were light showers at the beginning. But roughly 90km into the ride the clouds gave way to the blazing April sun. After that it was relentless heat, with temperatures crossing 42 degree. The next six hours tested mental and physical strength of the riders. There was experience to fall back on but the riders also needed to be fit and mentally strong to beat the heat. Some were seen cooling off under borewell taps in villages, while others created a layer of neem leaves under their helmets. Riders were guzzling tender coconut water, sugarcane juice and water. Those who thought drinking water was enough paid the price. Six hours of heat and hot air drained every ounce of energy and teams started dropping out. The tough conditions killed the competitive spirit among the teams. Those who survived and reached Salem using the remaining more than 11 hours after evening set in were seen congratulating each other at the end point. Who did how many km in 24 hours did not matter. They had all gone through hell to finish champions! What is a fleche A fleche is a team cycling competition of randonneurs. The term is derived from “flèche velocio”. The Flèche Vélocio is a French team ride of 24 hours, usually held over the Easter weekend. Flèches in India are governed by Audax India Randonneurs (AIR), which is a representative Audax Club Parisien. The objective of a flèche is to ride the maximum distance in a fixed time, usually 24 hours, finishing at or near a specified location, riding a team-specified route from the start. Teams usually comprise up to five machines, of which three must finish to complete the flèche; the minimum distance is 360 km. Flèches traditionally take place on or about the Easter holiday. A flèche can also be completely noncompetitive, such as the FLÈCHE Northern CALIFORNIA.
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Are You a Breakfast Champion? By Mayank Tripathi
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tarting off your day with a healthy breakfast is most vital for a cyclist and, for that matter, for any other athlete. Your breakfast options should be packed with proteins, healthy fats and unrefined carbohydrates to fill you up for
they can also be used to garnish your oatmeal, muesli or just throw them into your smoothie and turn your breakfast into a nutty treat.
longer.
Nuts and Berries are best friends of a cyclist when it comes to the recovery after a hard ride. They are rich in antioxidants, which aid in quick recovery of those muscles filled with lactic acid.
Rolled/Steel-Cut Oats are a perfect choice for ‘Porridge Purists’, who love the nutty taste in their breakfast. They are definitely a clear contender for being one for the ‘Best Cycling Breakfasts’. They’re rich in goodness like proteins and fibers, which breakdown slowly, thus, providing a constant source of nutrients to your body while keeping you fuller for long.
Honey Shots is an innovation in itself. As the name itself suggests, honey shots are nothing, but shots of pure honey. Next time when you think of buying an energy gel, maybe consider trying honey shots for instant energy before attacking that hill.
Muesli is another cereal option to address your hunger. ‘True Elements’ has recently launched a unique concept of selecting the ingredients to make your own Muesli to satisfy both – the hunger as well as the taste buds. You can choose your own main base, sweetener, dried fruits, seeds and nuts & berries, which makes it a perfect post ride breakfast option. Roasted Seeds. They are also known as the ‘Superfood’. Chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are among those seeds that are increasingly gaining popularity. While they make a perfect mid-day snack to keep those little cravings aside,
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All these and many more options are available with ‘True Elements’, which is pioneering in being 100% whole grain and has been certified by the Wholegrain Council. They’ve become one of the first Indian brands to get the “100% Whole Grain” Certification. What does it mean to have 100% Whole grain? It means that the ingredients of the food are made with whole grains, without removing the outer shell of the grains. These ingredients contain one full serving of whole grain, which is at least 16 grams.
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Profiled
Pedal of Life By: Chetan Shah
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hen life surprises you, surprise her back. Yes that’s exactly what I did when I was diagnosed with the brain tumor, suffered brain strokes, underwent a knee replacement and a massive heart bypass surgery. Yes, you’ve read it right. I have had a disastrous medical history and I DID NOT give up. In fact, I started riding regularly only after my knee replacement surgery as doctors had clearly spelled out that my only options for fitness would be swimming and cycling as these are low-impact exercises. After my heart bypass surgery in 2013, I took control of my life and became a daily rider and increased my fitness levels exponentially. So my bike has not only given me a new lease of life, but has also opened several doors to a completely new segment of the routine life. Now you know the medical reasons behind me taking cycling so seriously, but there is another aspect of it too. Unlike a car / train trip, which allows you just a quick glimpse of the beauty of a place, a bike tour allows you to experience it in a slow motion and at a comfortable pace. During a bike tour you can savour the local food and explore the area. So for me, a bike tour means freedom like a bird, a carefree and adventurous life, which gives me new experiences, and much more. I think that cycling tours are for those, who want to experience the beauty of living life at their own pace. However, it also requires some respectable level of fitness for one to enjoy it. Once you are fit enough to ride, you must invest in a good sturdy bike and a strong
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pannier rack to hold your luggage. Planning your trip itinerary and preparing for taking the required necessities are a must. Take a well-serviced bike with you and be prepared for the weather of the place you are traveling to. Once you are out there on the saddle just forget everything and enjoy. I have had some fantastic experiences on my bike tours in India and abroad. Having ridden in the Indian mountains and having been into very remote and deep interiors of the region, I have found that generally people are very warm and nice to cyclists. I have survived on basic foods out there in the mountains for days. I have done small cycling trips from Mumbai to Gujarat, Mahabaleshwar, Goa, in Malaysia and Australia etc, and long trips to Khardung La, Himalayan Spiti valley, Canadian Rockies. Most of my trips were self-supported and often the weight of my luggage was more than the weight of my bike.
Canada Cycling Expedition Last year, 5 cyclists from Mumbai set off for an incredible journey across some of the most scenic routes in Canada. Mahandra Kumar, who has the experience of riding across 60+ countries over the past 35 years, has planned the expedition in a great detail. He had painstakingly studied and planned the entire trip and the stay across the route was pre-booked. Suresh Gohil, Nihar Mehta & Geeta Ratwani joined us on the expedition. It was a dream tour and we rode 2,500km in 30 days. We cycled across 25 different
towns/cities, rode across breathtakingly beautiful locales and had memorable experiences like eating on the road, riding through amazing scenes, staying in different places including tents and basic hotels. We all flew to Canada with our bikes, pannier bags & carried a lot of essentials, bike tools, spare parts etc. I had proudly stitched the Indian flag to both the sides of my pannier bag. Just two days before the trip, Nihar’s Trek touring bike got stolen from his hostel’s backyard. He had to buy a new bike so that we could start the trip as planned. Our Canada cycling expedition started from Edmonton at around 10:30am with incessant rains, cold and winds. Definitely not a perfect start of the tour, but we had a lovely ride through the State Highways and reached Evansburg after covering 107km. In the entire day, we found just one food joint and we realized that we need to be prepared with emergency food ration and sufficient water at all the time from now onwards. At night we stayed at a motel along the highway. Next morning we had huge portions of American breakfast and started our Day 2 of 108km-long ride from Evansburg to Edson. It was a perfect day with ample of sun and the weather was lovely. A super experience riding through picture perfect highway surrounded by pine trees that till now I had seen only in the photos and movies. I was living every minute of it and riding 100km daily didn’t really matter much. Then we rode from Edson to Hinton and covered 89.9km; Hinton-Jasper 79.1km; Jasper-Beauty creek 92.5km; Beauty creek-Rampart creek 58.8km; Rampart creek-Lake Louise 97km; Lake Louise-Banff 64km; Banff-Castle Junction 38km; Castle Junction-Invermere 126.1km; Invermere-Kimberley 118.7km; Kimberley-Cranbrook 31.5km; Cranbrook-Creston 107.1km; Creston-Kaslo 133km; Kaslo-Nakusp 96.2km; Nakusp-Revelstoke 104.8km; Revelstoke-Canoe 100.1km;
Canoe-Kamloops 121.9km; Kamloops-Merritt 96.4km; MerrittHope (Abandoned) 17.6km; Hope-Abbotsford 95.1km; AbbotsfordVancouver 79.6km; Vancouver-Squamish 75.6km; SquamishWhistler 62.4km and Whistler-Vancouver 126km.
In Conclusion Every bike tour gives me memories of a lifetime and makes me yearn for more. In short, I’ve lived a different life 24x7 by just being on my bike.
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Ultracycling
Crew: The Heart of Ultra Cycling By Rutvik Khare, Crew Chief,Team Srini
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rew is the backbone of every ultra racer. A crew might not win you a race but if not chosen well, it surely can spell disaster. We at Team Srini (Managed by Srinivas Gokulnath, India’s first Race Across America finisher) spend months in training to create an F1-style – quick and precise -- team. Given the fact that crew does most backend work before, during and after a race, a racer should look for people who would bond with him/her and with each other. Crew strength will depend on factors such as duration, distance and place of race, race category and of course, budget. For shorter races with a cut-off of not more than 30 hours, a single shift crew is enough. Races of longer duration and distance would require a stronger crew that can work in shifts of 12 or eight hours. It could be 3 to 6 members per shift depending on crew comfort and efficiency of members. This ensures the rider and crew are safe and performing at their optimum. A racer should simulate a race with his/her crew before actual race. This will establish how many people you actually need. An ideal crew must have a bicycle mechanic, a doctor, a strategist, a person who speaks the language of the race area and a motor vehicle mechanic. You should start working with your bike mechanic well in advance, so that he knows your bike, its components and your preference. This speeds up and perfects bike fix. If you are racing as a team, a member can do the job. But having a dedicated person ensures you spend minimum time off the saddle to fix bikes. A doctor on board will keep you and crew in good health throughout a race but finding one to crew is not easy. The strategist is the most dynamic person in a team. His job is to make a racing plan for you and schedule for crew. It is important that the strategist
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is in sync with you and crew. The strategist has to ensure you are racing as per plan. If you go off schedule, the strategist must make changes to bring you back on track. A person who knows race area language is the gem of your team. Having such a person saves a lot of time, energy and money. This person makes getting directions, finding fuel stations and restaurants and other such jobs easy.
Speaking about a motor mechanic, you do not need a professional vehicle mechanic, a car lover would do the job just fine. A crew should know its cars well. All members should be able to fix flats and other minor breakdowns. Last but not least, it is always great to have as many people as possible who can drive. Driving is by far the most critical and intense crew job. Most people can drive, but they need to be guided and trained well to drive behind a racer and follow race rules. A bad driver should be strictly kept off the steering wheel. You may add to or prune this list but make sure you have all these roles covered. Crewing is a selfless job, as such it is necessary that your crew bonds well. All crew members should have equal urge to see you finish. Your longtime friends are the best pick as they know you well and are interested in your projects. The next part is to bring all these people together. The best thing is to have a crew meeting, if possible. Start to put together your team at least a couple months before a race. This makes crew members familiar with each. Next put a system in place. Every small thing, from passing a bottle to the rider to amending strategy, will decide whether you complete a race or not. Spend a good amount of time discussing this with your crew. Try these systems during training. Crew plays a significant role in a supported ultra race. Make sure you spend good time building a winning team. Happy Racing
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Cycling Federation of India
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Volume 4 Issue 2 March 15th 2016
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INSIDE
SWISS SPECIALIST: Beat Zaugg, CEO SCOTT Sports SA
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Exclusive: Bangalore Mountain Festival Ride to Light
Wheels of Time, Imphal to Shillong in the 70’s
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Published monthly Continuously for 5th year
Featured Passion. Come What May Flag-Off Tour of Nilgiris SHOWCASE The Zaskar LAUNCHED Bergamont by SCOTT Sports
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Cycling Federation of India
IN SEARCH OF THE MIDDLE TRAIL EXCLUSIVE: ONKAR SINGH PAHWA, AVON CYCLES TESTED: STARKENN NEO 5850 D
Cycling Federation of India
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Merida Crossway Urban 20
COMMUTER BACKPACK
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Inside
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Meera Velankar Super Randonneuse
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Giant Rincon LTD, Pocket friendly MTB
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The Impossible Race
Cycling Federation of India
BikeReview
Ridley Cordis 2 Fast and Curious By Aniruddha
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awasaki Ninja H2R is one of the fastest motorbikes on the planet and touches 100 kmph in 2.5 seconds. Ridley Cordis 2 is one of the fastest rigid fork hybrids in India and touches 25 kmph in 5 seconds. No comparison there but we definitely have a super performer in the sub-30k price segment of hybrid bicycles. The Cordis 2 is light in weight, agile and fast! At 28.5k it is by far the best rigid fork hybrid under 30k. Mind you, it is an 8-speed bike!
and Acera at the rear. The chain is KMC Z72. All in all a super package.
We did super-short distance speed trials and long distance as well and the bike stood the test. It looks good in black, safety yellow and cyan and it rides good as well. That’s the frame for you.
Ridley began in 1990, subcontracting custom-made frame construction. It became an individual brand in 1997, with the Belgian spirit at its core. Their journey has been fueled by their passion for speed, design and technology. Their ideology reflects the insight that everyone can experience a moment of glory on Ridley. The result is a brand that is well-recognized among pro-tour teams, and reckoned for innovative solutions and unparalleled craftsmanship.
The second-most important.... See the line-up for wheels. Alex DC19 double-walled 32-hole rims, Shimano TX800 alloy hubs and Kenda Kwik Tendril 700x32C tyres. Speed! The third-most important.... The bottom bracket (BB) and the crank. The BB is Neco B910 and the crank, Shimano Tourney FC-TY701 48/38/28T. For the rider, Neco is a Taiwan-based professional bike parts manufacturer with 30 years experience and the company concentrates on headsets and BB sets. The bike has V-brakes by Promax, Shimano Tourney front derailleur
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We rode the bike and sought feedback from several riders. They agreed with us and we agreed with them. The bike is smooth, light in weight and moves fast. It is a kill for the money. A small issue... the saddle of the Cordis 2 falls apart way too early. Something Ridley must work on.
Though in small measure, the passion for speed, design and technology comes forth through the Cordis 2. The bike is available across the country in small (16 inches), medium (17.3), large (19.6) and XL (20.8).
CrankActive
Hennur Bamboo Ultra
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ith Ironman and triathlons picking up in the country we find that most ultra cyclists are ultra runners and vice versa. The cycling community take whole hearted interest in ultra running events which is what we saw in the Hennur Bamboo Ultra old recently in Bangalore. Bangalore as you would guess, with its weather and multiple terrain options is a great choice to practice and take the leap to the competitive circuit. The Hennur Bamboo Ultra has been the only ultra running event in Bangalore managed by Bhasin Sports, it is held to encourage runners to explore new limits and to encourage Ultra Running. Curated over a distance of 220 KM, the 1st of South India the route is through a beautiful bamboo forest Needless to say this would not have been possible without the forest department and a special thanks goes out to Ms. Dipika Bajpai, IFS and DCF, Bangalore Urban, for the permission. Hennur Bamboo Forest is a 1300 acre forest with beautiful flat trails and afford an opportunity to run long distance without much elevation. It has no wild life except non venomous snakes and peacocks. Hence running in the night with head lamps gave a natural forest running experience. The run had categories of 220KM, the 100 miler (161KM), 100KM, 80KM and 50KM in the ultra sections. To encourage new runners sections of 10k and 30k categories were also added. The response was overwhelming. 160 runners registered in the Ultra categories, making it the largest Ultra Runners gathering in any event in India. With the inclusion of 350 runners in 10k and 30k categories it became a 500 plus gathering of runners.
The event had runners from Mumbai, Pune, Indore, Nagpur, Delhi, Gurgaon, Agra, Kolkatta, Surat, Chennai, Cochin, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Hosur besides Bangalore showcasing its popularity.
There was interest across age groups. 15 Years old Kartik Joshi, participated in 220K category (with his father’s consent and medical scrutiny) and he got a Podium as 2nd Runner Up! National Champion of 24K Run, Vishal Adahu from Pune and Sunny Bhanawala from Surat, who is going to run Hell Ultra from Manali to Leh of 480KM Run, ran the 220KM. LL Meena from Army, Ram Singh from Para 6, Agra, Amit Kumar Yadav from Navy, Mumbai were winners in 220k, 161k and 100k Men categories respectively. The event was successful in a multitude of ways. It encouraged over 75% of runners to run their 1st longest run, making this their dream run. Many ran their 1st Ultras while others made their Trail debut. Like we said at the beginning of the article, many Ultra Cyclists, Ashok T, Shilpee Sanyal, Nirav Patel, RockyVikram, Vija MN, Suresh Reddy and others participated. Ultra Running helps them to train their mind for night cycling when they bike solo and fits in their Bike program as a cross fit training. The word of Hennur Bamboo Ultra has spread across the country and we hope that Bangalore becomes capital of Ultra with more Ultra events.
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Events
ITU World Triathlon Series, Abu Dhabi
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fast and furious race between the world’s best triathletes kicked off at the 4th ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi, which was held from 2nd-3rd March, 2018. In the first leg of the ITU’s World Triathlon Series, presented by Daman’s ActiveLife, 103 elites from 28 nations participated. The elite race, which was the biggest and most decorated elite field in the event’s history, delighted thousands of spectators on the Yas Island. While South African Henri Schoeman won the elite men’s category of the sprint distance, Dutch triathlete Rachel Klamer claimed the women’s title in an action-packed day. Alongside the elite race, 2,500 age group triathletes from 86 countries flocked to Yas Island to take part in the Sprint, Olympic and Middle distance races. For the first time under the aegis of the ITU World Triathlon, a dedicated para-triathlete and Special Olympic waves were held in Abu Dhabi. In addition, there were also family events like – Junior Races and Family 1km Run Fun. The organizers offered those accompanying their triathletes with an abundance of family-friendly entertainment in the Event Village. While those, who were not
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racing, enjoyed the tasty treats from the food trucks and the little ones were entertained at the dedicated kids’ zone. There were viewing platforms to watch the race for those, who were anxious about how their loved ones were doing in their races. Some incredible tourist attractions were also there in close proximity to the race to make sure that the ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi was much more than just a swim, a bike and a run. This year, Anuj Sharedalal was the sole representative of India at the ITU Abu Dhabi in the men’s open category. It was Anuj’s first triathlon and he trained under the Coach Deepak Raj, who is the Founder of the Fitness Services Company called ‘Tri A New Life’, which provides training programs for general fitness, running, cycling, swimming and triathlons. Anuj told that he had trained for 3 months for this event. While talking about his training period, Anuj mentioned being on a strict diet regime. He added that on weekdays he worked out for 2 hours daily and over the weekends 3-4 hours. While elaborating on his workout regime, Anuj noted that
his weekday-training program consisted of 3-4 core workouts and strength training sessions as well as 2 ‘Brick Workouts’. He continued that as part of the ‘Brick Workout’ either he would do a combination of cycling and running, or swimming and running to train the specific muscles. Anuj was thankful that the weather was good with temperature being around 250C, however he recalled that both – the temperature and the humidity – rose in the later part of the day. Having mentioned that the event’s cutoff time was 7.30 hours, he sounded happy to have finished the event in a time of 6hrs and 33mins. Anuj said that he chose ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi due to the convenient travel options and available tourist options around the event venue. Before concluding, Anuj did not forget to mention that his friends Yagnesh and Dharati Ahir and his wife Avishi had supported him to make his dream come true. Earlier, Smita Chakraborty had represented India at the ITU, who lives and trains in the UAE itself.
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TriathlonCorner
Ironman Diary By Dinesh
Flashback
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had been an active sports follower in my school and college days, but sports took a back seat when I started working and it stopped completely after I got married. Several years went by like that and finally in 2005 I participated in the Mumbai Half Marathon. From then on running in the Mumbai Half Marathons became an annual affair for me. The same year, I also started playing tennis on the weekends with a group of friends, who were passionate about learning the sport. In 2010, I got associated with GARMIN, a company that is known for its specialized sport watches. I was basically working with a team to market their range of GPS watches for marathon runners and ever since I’ve been known as the ‘GARMIN MAN’. By 2012, I started signing up for almost every running event and found myself running in almost all the cities across the country. Along the way, I also got most of the marathon organizers connected with the GARMIN. In 2016, after enduring running for 11 years, I bought a cycle and soon after I started cycling, I successfully completed a century ride organized by a local cycling group - ‘Lake City Peddlers’. The following year, I joined a group of experienced cyclists. They were very supportive and riding with them not just helped me to build confidence, but also made me love cycling. The same year, I had two failed attempts of 200km BRMs, which I did on my son’s MTB.
My ‘Tri’ to Get the Colombo IM 70.3 Title In the beginning of this year, I was selected as a 5hr, 15mins pacer at the Mumbai Full Marathon. The following week, my 3rd attempt to finish a 200km BRM was a success. It was on the flat route and this time I rode a hybrid and was accompanied by my cycling buddies. Since I had cycled on this route earlier, I knew the route in and out and had no issues in completing it. These two successes encouraged me to register for the Goa Triathlon as well as for the Colombo 70.3 Ironman. In Goa, I attempted my first triathlon - the Olympic Distance. I was a bit nervous about the swim in the open water. After I finished the 1.5km of swim in less than an hour, I knew it would be fun from there on. I completed the cycling leg (40km) on a rented MTB in 1hr and 30mins and started running with lot of energy and finished the 10k running in an easy 70mins. The cut off time for the Olympic Distance was 4hrs, but I finished easily in approximately 3hours and 35mins. Goa Triathlon gave me the required courage to sign up for the Colombo 70.3 Ironman. Immediately after returning from Goa and thrilled with my achievement, I registered for the Colombo 70.3
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Ironman and requested the organizers for a bike for the event. Ten days after the Goa Triathlon, I was in the flight to Colombo with my family. I did not get much time to train between the two events. The D-Day was here and I was standing at the start point with just one thought in my mind - to get out of the water within the cut off time. When the race started, I waited for everyone to get into the water so that I don’t get kicked during the swim. With almost no thoughts in my mind, I started swimming following a rhythmic breathing pattern and trying to swim straight. I used one of the floating buoys to catch up the breath and then I continued to swim until I saw the finish point. When I walked out of water finishing 1.9km of swim in 57mins, I was satisfied and without rushing I headed for the shower. I was relaxed and happy and took my time to get ready for the cycling. The route was a 30km flat loop and we had to do 3 loops. I finished 90km cycling in 3hrs and 20min. It was hot by the time I started running. Knowing that nothing could stop me now from getting my first IM 70.3 title I started to run/walk. I enjoyed every step of the run with the same thought in my head and not even for a moment I felt the heat. At the finish line I saw my wife and I finished my IM 70.3 journey holding her hand in a total time of 7hrs and 20min. The event cut off time was 8hrs and 30mins.
GET OUT & RIDE!
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