Crank With ProCycle

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Volume 7 Issue 1

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JANUARY 2018

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SCOTT Racing Around the world on two Brommies Tryst with ultra: Bharat Pannu A case for urban commute

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Cycling Federation of India

InThisIssue CFINews MTB Kerala 2018

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IndustryNews A case of urban commute

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CityTalk Wheels of Mangalore

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UltraCycling Tryst with ultra: Bharat Pannu

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ProCycling Around the world on two BROMMIES !

Tour of Karnataka (TOK) What riders say!!

Tour de Heritage Giant Starkenn MTB Nationals Championships 2018

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CoverStory Scott Racing Development

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ToyCentral KRU Carbon Wheels

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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 Contributors Sathya Sankaran Pedal Pal Creative and Design N. Chandru Contact editdeskcrank@procycle.in subscribecrank@procycle.in advertisecrank@procycle.in All Rights Reserved By ProCycle and Sports India Pvt. Ltd. Corporate Office and Showroom

Wish you a Very Happy Brand New Year from all of us here at team CRANK. As 2018 draws to a close and 2019 beckons, I wanted to ruminate just a bit on some highlights in this non motorised 2 wheeled small world of ours.

For starters, we will be completing our SIXTH YEAR! And what a momentous journey it has been. But more on that later. This year can easily be called the year of stage tours with a multitude of them on offer around the country with different themes. CRANK has been a proud media partner of many. Government involvement. State governments from Himachal to Andhra and From Arunachal to Rajasthan have enthusiastically supported cycling events realising their potential for tourism and other causes. On the professional circuit CFI continues its stellar journey mentoring many more Indian athletes get stripes on the world stage. The year saw another global giant TREK pitching it’s tent in India following in the footsteps of SCOTT Sports. Hopefully we will see direct involvement of other global brands as well. Urban commute got a big filip with bicycle mayors pushing the cause in different cities. We hope each Indian city gets one. We at CRANK have been doing advocacy for infrastructure support...and so much more. Really, many tiny steps have been taken this year which together make it one big leap. But we know we are many a pedal rotation away from where we want to be a cycling nation.

Closing with a big Hurrah again for our team here. You will soon see much more from CRANK next year.

Till then keep riding and reading and a sincere thanks for all your support.

Ciao Vikram K Limsay Managing Editor and Publisher

1st Main Road, 20, 3rd B Cross Rd, Domlur II, nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560071 Tel: 080 41161902, +91 95380 66695

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Cycling Federation of India

CFI News

MTB Kerala 2018

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he 5th edition of International MTB championship was held at Wayanad, Kerala on 7th & 8th Dec. 2018 and was organized

by Kerala Adventure Tourism Department (KATPS) under aegis of Cycling Federation of India. 11 Countries participated in it & about 100 participants including 20 International riders strived for prize money of 6.50 lacs.

The race was held at 4.8 Km circuit Track in the picturous Tea garden of wayanad district for three categories of event i.e Cross Country for Men (International), Cross country for Men (National) & Cross country for Women (National).

The event was successfully conducted by the technical team of Cycling Federation of India. Tourism minister Mr. Kadakampally Surendran, Minister of Port. Mr. Kadannappally Ramachandran & Mr. Onkar Singh, Secretary General , Asian Cycling Confederation & Cycling Federation of India was guest of honour.

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Men Elite International Sl No. Bip No. Name FARAZ SHOKRI 1 82 PARVIZ MARDANI 2 83 ADISAK TAILANGKHA 3 92 PARIWAT TANLEK 4 91 BUDDHI BAHADUR TAMANG 5 86 Men Elite National Sl No. Bip No. 1 93 2 48 3 49 4 56 5 52

Women Elite Sl No. Bip No. 1 47 2 1 3 4 4 2 5 32

Name KIRAN KUMAR RAJU K DEVENDER KUMAR SHIVEN RAMESH ALE ASHISH K

Name

Unit ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN THAILAND THAILAND NEPAL

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Karnataka Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh Army Adventure Wing Army Adventure Wing

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PRANITA SOMAN

Maharashtra

LIDIYA M SUNNY SAI SREE A P ATHULYA K SUDHAKARAN

Kerala Kerala Kerala Andra Pradesh

THEERTHA S NAIR

Timing 1:43:29:000 1:44:42:000 1:49:42:000 1:54:43:000 1:57:59:000

Position I II III IV V

Timing 1:58:23:000 2:01:17:000 2:02:59:000 2:06:20:000 2:08:17:000

Position I II III IV V

Timing 1:02:39:926 1:10:30:469 1:10:30:690 1:10:52:431 1:20:52:081

Position I II III IV V

Chief Commissiare

IndustryNews

A case of urban commute

By Sathya Sankaran - Bicycle Mayor Bengaluru

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oston Consulting Group - Uber conducted a survey in 2018, which puts the total cost of congestion in the 4 metros of India at Rs. 1.5 lakh crore which is bigger than the entire national railway budget for the year. These are alarming numbers and are not going to ease out. In fact, since 1980 the transport demand has increased by 8 times.

A whopping 70% of the respondents of the survey conducted in Delhi & Bengaluru alone choose private transport for their commute.

Private vehicles have become increasingly affordable and 89% of the respondents of the survey were planning to purchase a car within the next 5 years. Once the rubber hits the road they realise the car is comfortable for a reason and they end up spending a lot of time in a car while on the road.

A recent study by MoveInSync concluded that in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai & Bengaluru commuters spend an average of 3 to 4 minutes per km on the road in private vehicles. That’s the same speed as a typical cyclist in the city. In fact, some cyclists reach their destinations faster than if they were in a car.

All these statistics point to one thing. Predictable office commutes can clearly be replaced by bicycle trips. Not only will you get there faster you will even be fitter in the long run and more active at work. But how do we start the shift? While most people would like to point the finger at the government to take the first step, the #CycleToWork challenge has flipped the responsibility. It expects the first step from the commuter. The challenge makes people sign up at the website https://cycleto.work and log their work trips using Strava. The signup process asks for the company that the commuter works in and its location so that only the work trips can be counted. All the rides thus made show up on a leaderboard. This makes the whole effort competitive and you can see companies vying for the top slot. The leaderboard is built at a company level and not an individual level to encourage group work and volumes in commute.

In two months since its launch on the international car-free day on 22 Sep 2018, by the Bengaluru Mayor Sampath Raj and Bicycle Mayor of Bengaluru Sathya Sankaran, employees from 89 companies across 6 cities have clocked more than 20,000 km across more than 2000 rides. The goal of the challenge is to get more people riding bikes so the numbers can make a difference to the traffic on the ground. The ranking reflects this by not accounting for the miles clocked and instead using the number of riders & the rides they make.

This effort is also to help provide data to the government to make logical decisions in prioritizing locations to introduce infrastructure for cycling. The data after 2 months pointed to 46% of the companies in Bengaluru being around the ORR region. This allows for a proposal to put a segregated cycle and pedestrian path along the ring road instead of other places, Data-driven decision making can deliver real value for targeted infrastructure investments. The Netherlands with upwards of 40% of bicycle mode share spends just 3% of its transport budget on cycling infrastructure and facilities. So whichever half of the political ideological aisle you are in, this should be good news. Yet the juggernaut of unintelligent road building based on old habits of asphalting for the car continues to rule the roost in the contractor-corporation circles. Meanwhile, there is a visible paradigm shift in commute for the better with more bicycles hitting the road.

CRANK with ProCycle JANUARY 15TH, 2019

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CityTalk

Wheels of Mangalore Jyoti Cycles

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yoti Cycle was founded by late Shri Raghuveer Nayak in 1945 and has been serving Mangaloreans with their cycling requirements since then. The shop has come a long way over the last 73 years from being just a cycle store to delivering cycling experience to Mangaloreans of modern India driven by advanced digital technology and market trends — a total of 73 years of learning. Through ups and downs of business, it sailed through strong and is the market leader as on date.

Cycle industry and cycling trends have been changing over the last few decades. Migrating from just being a simple bicycle which was primarily used for commutation to the ones now used for fun, fitness, health, networking and to flaunt lifestyle, cycles have changed their status many times. The store owners are happy that they too have adopted the fast moving trends in the industry and have updated offerings with the best in the industry to cater to customers’ ever-changing requirements. Started off dealing with several brand of bicycles, it moved to BSA, Hercules, Hero and Tata, and now hosts a wide array of premium Indian brands like Firefox and Urban Trail and international brands like Trek, Giant and Specialized. The store believes in offering customers the best in the market and are known in the market for its straight and honest offering of products suiting customer requirements.

Jyoti Cycle is leading dealer in south India for Hero and Ti (BSA/ Hercules) products for more than four decades and have won top dealer award in sale of bicycles consistently, year on year. They are the second dealer appointed by Firefox Bikes across India and dealing with their products for over 11 years now. They have received certificate of appreciation from them for contributing immensely in the growth of Firefox brand since its inception. They are also Gold Partners for Giant Starkenn bikes and received certificate of appreciation for their contribution.

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In 2010, its flagship store in Mangalore underwent a transformation to give customers the experience they want. They have added fitness equipment too to their product portfolio. They also reworked the logo and changed the brand name to Jyoti Cycle & Fitness.

Same year, its store got its place in Limca Book of Records for selling the first-ever costliest bicycle in India priced Rs 2.3 lakh.

Its next biggest milestone was when they opened its second showroom at Kadri, Mangalore, a state-of-the-art store, first of its kind with 3,000 sqft display area and state-of-art technical centre in coastal Karnataka.

Their goal is to remain the number one cycle dealer in coastal Karnataka, offering best of products and services to their customers. Their vision is to be the number one bicycle dealer across India offering best in class cycling experience to the riders.

Jyoti Cycle is not only a dealer of bicycles, but also a grooming ground for riders too. They believe in doing things differently. They believe in selling the concept of cycling, not just a bicycle. Their customers are encouraged to take up cycling regularly through morning rides accompanied by its regular members. They have rolled out 100 and 200 km leagues, late evening rides and full night rides emphasising safety of cyclists, Tour De Mountains during monsoon, individual and team-based challenges and also rides supporting various national, social and environmental causes.

Their morning rides include city rides, exploring the unexplored patches of Mangalore, beach rides etc. Favourite routes include the routes to Udupi (approx 50 km one way) which covers around 25 km of beach stretch which is a beautiful ride. Their morning rides always wind up with breakfast at favourite local joints. The idea is to develop a bonding among riders with similar goals and creating a platform for each rider to learn from others in the group. True to this, they have seen customers turning into regular cyclists for their fitness and health goals.

Jyoti Cycle has its customers who are with them since childhood, first-timers, women for health and fitness goals, retired professionals looking for fitness and networking activities, people who are in Mangalore on transferable jobs, outstation customers who insist on Jyoti Cycle products delivered to their homes and even foreigners on vacation in Mangalore. They listen to their customers and ensure that they work consistently and continuously on customer feedbacks to improvise products and service offerings. They also have a dedicated team of sales professionals and technicians working with customers continuously. Jyoti Cycle ensures that they conduct regular workshops and service camps too.

At present, Jyoti Cycle is managed by Badrinath Nayak, Gopinath Nayak, Jyoti Prasad Nayak, Ganesh Nayak, Arun Nayak and Narendra Nayak. Ganesh, who himself is a passionate cyclist, has been working with his customers very closely and also to create awareness and drive environment-friendly mode of transportation reducing carbon footprints. He himself went on a solo cycling expedition of 2,020 km from Mangalore to Indore over a period of 15 days in 2015, which was acknowledged and covered by most of the media houses.

Jyoti Cycle & Fitness has now become a destination for all cyclists in and around Mangalore for all their cycling and fitness needs.

Jyoti Cycle & Fitness, Ground Floor, Anna Vista, Kadri Shivbagh, Mangalore 575002. Contact- 0824 4276377, Email: jyoticycleandfitness@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/Jyoticyclemangalore

Customer testimonials Anand Pai, Bharat Group of Companies “I’ve been a customer since my childhood. Wonderful memories as kid buying my first cycle. Passion for cycling got rekindled and bought a Giant couple of years back. Enjoyed it thoroughly and thought of upgrading. After a lot of discussion and evaluating with Ganesh, took an alternative route of assembling a cycle as per my needs. It was wonderful experience discussing with Ganesh on various possibilities and then zeroing on the parts for the build. Now, finally I have my dream cycle which will be for life. Thank you Ganesh.”

Christian Monke, German Cyclist “Today our Tern bikes got a well-deserved tune-up and some repair after cycling in many ports on our cruise from Athens to Singapore. The guys at Jyoti were more than friendly and helpful, the service was fast and efficient, and we could stock up on some things that got lost in the meantime. We’ll come back whenever we’re around for a service, a repair, a talk or even a new bike, they had some great deals. Thanks guys.”

Vishnuprasad Shastri, IT Professional “My father had purchased all my cycles during my childhood from Jyoti.

So not to break the chain, I decided I to buy first self-earned cycle from Jyoti even though I stay in Bangalore at present. I would say the store is up to date with modern cycling world with lots of international cycles, imported accessories in all price range. The best part is how the owner Ganesh explains you even the smallest details about cycles, by the time you choose one you would be 100 per cent sure that’s the cycle you always wanted to have. For people staying in other cities, transporting your cycle is damn easy especially in Volvo buses. I got mine to Bangalore without even a single scratch.”

CRANK with ProCycle JANUARY 15TH, 2019

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UltraCycling

Bharat Pannu Tryst With Ultra

If we are talking about ultra-cyclists in India, it will be difficult to miss out Lt Col Bharat Pannu who made his mark in this field by winning the 1000 km category in the 1st edition of the Ultra Spice Race 2017. He is on the spin since then and now is on the mark for the ultimate challenge in the world of ultra-cycling RAAM. He is a SCOTT athlete. wonder since the fighter in him accepted the challenge and pushed the limits.

Crank expected a serious interview session with Lt Col Bharat Pannu, by virtue of him being an Army man, since our movies portray soldiers as strict and unexciting people. But the fun loving soul had off-the-cuff and straight forward answers to our questions, with all smiles in the backdrop.

Long distance cycling is not everyone’s cup of tea. It takes more than just physical strength to excel in this field. Tell me something about how you got into long distance cycling.

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hat’s common between a helicopter and a bicycle?

Apart from the rotating wheels and rotors which push both of them ahead, there’s really nothing much. But the cycling fraternity in India knows a personality who puts his heart and soul into both. Lt Col Bharat Pannu is a serving officer in the Indian Army, who is an engineer, specialised in helicopters of the Army. The passion for both choppers and cycles puts him in a rare love-triangle, and so far, this industrious warrior has fared pretty well in creating magic in both facets.

Lt Col Bharat Pannu is from the state of Haryana and has deep attachment with Maharashtra since he gained his engineering degree from Pune and pursued professional cycling from Nashik.

After joining the Army, he travelled all around the countryside as part of his duties. The laurels he brought in various cycling competitions within the country and abroad, especially the coveted feat in Race Around Austria 2017, makes one guess that the individual is a professional ultra-cyclist from teen years. But, to the surprise of many, this gentleman started hitting the pedal hard only in November 2016, after coming on posting to the temple city of Nashik. The endless stretch of hilly roads, pleasant climate and the rich heritage of the cycling community in Nashik gave him the much needed momentum. The cold-start to his cycling career in his early thirties was never a hurdle for the seasoned soldier to do

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My journey of long distance cycling started in November 2016 in Nashik. My move to Nashik in September 2016 was the start point to set the wheels spinning and pedals rolling. The weather here was conducive for any sports activity and the Nashik Cyclists family was ever encouraging to everyone to pursue cycling as a leisure activity or as a sport. It all started with leisure rides and soon it escalated to higher level. I had set my goal to get the Super Randonneur title and become a RAAM Qualified Cyclist during my 2 years of Nashik tenure.

“I keep challenging myself to venture into the territory unexplored.”

I started participating in the unsupported BRM rides organised by Audax India Randonneurs. These rides gave me the confidence to extend to the longer distances. During this journey, I made a good friend Darshan Dubey who encouraged me to participate in the 500 km race in the 1st edition of The Ultra Spice Race organised

by INSPIRE INDIA. At that point of time, the longest distance I had covered was 300 km and I decided to participate in 1000 km category as it was a RAAM Qualifier. Although I had confidence to do 1000 km all of a sudden without much practice, I knew it was more or less a gamble. And with the wonderful support of my novice crew members Darshan Dubey and Sqn Ldr Santosh Dubey, I was successful in completing it and thus became the first Indian to qualify for RAAM in a distance longer than 400 miles.

“We need to breakself-created mental barriers which hamper our progress. We should think big and have untiring attitude to achieve the target despite all odds.

Everyone is gifted; we just need to open the package.”

RACE AROUND AUSTRIA is a popular event which is fancied by the best long distance cyclists of the world. They train for months to achieve the level of fitness to compete in the event. Why did you go for RACE AROUND AUSTRIA with just 100 days of preparation?

While I was enjoying the glory of Ultra Spice success, I didn’t want to stop there and thought of participating in Race Around Austria (RAA) - August 2017. It took us 15 days to come to a decision that we will participate in the event. It was already 29th March when self and Darshan registered for 2200 km race in 2-Person Team category. At that stage, we didn’t have any idea how we will be planning for the logistics, support crew, language barrier, accommodation, vehicles and training for the event. We got mixed response to this; many people guided and motivated us to prepare well but we also encountered criticism that we are going to foreign land with no experience and very less time to prepare for a tough race such as RAA. To our relief, we got the dynamic Divya Tate as crew chief and charismatic Chaitanya Velhal as coach. Both of them had put in their expertise in shaping up the team which was ready to shine at Austria. Their words of wisdom, priceless tips and intimate guidance bestowed us the much needed motivation. The coach Chaitanya Velhal said – “The success of my trainees is a prime example of how the right kind of training and commitment to a goal can help athletes achieve the impossible. I am very proud of having been a part of this successful race.”

“Any ultra-cycling race is a tough one depending upon the number of variables which affect your race. You need the right kind of mindset, strong logistics, understanding crew, regular training and apt strategy.”

as a recreational activity. I was not much into sports and had never represented my school / college at any level. Cycling had been my means of commuting to school and other places. Reaching on time was important and I used to love riding my cycle at good speeds; and thus I had an inclination towards it since childhood. It got neglected during my graduation and army service until I reached Nashik in September 2016.

How did your Army background help you in maintaining your fitness and how it helped you as a cyclist?

The Army, as you know it, is an organization which gives lot of importance for physical fitness, right from basic training period.

The physical training activities, especially running, became a part of daily routine. The sustained physical standards and stamina which I already possessed were bonus points for me to start off with long distance cycling at the age of 33. My take off level was quite high as compared to other amateurs. My body was already toned and seasoned for high intensity cardio activity, and all that was required for cycling were correct guidance, proper training and diet planning.

More than the muscle strength, I owe a lot to the mental strength which has been cultured by the rigorous training sessions in the Army over the years. We are trained to push the limits and to not to give up till we achieve the aim. May be this attitude helped me in achieving the goals or to give my best shot every time.

“The most important thing which keeps me moving is my support crew. I as a rider can`t dare to give up in front of my team who takes so much of hardships / sacrifices to make me achieve the target.”

What games you used to play during childhood?

Your family can be your strength or your weakness. What was in your case?

As a child, I was studious and used to play cricket, table tennis, etc

Whatever I achieved would not have been possible without the

CRANK with ProCycle JANUARY 15TH, 2019

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the simulation rides are the opportunities for testing all the strategies and diet plan. Also, knowing the race you have to attempt is also part of training. I was fortunate to crew for TEAM SEA TO SEE as navigator / driver of follow van in RAAM 2018. TEAM SEA TO SEE is the first blind/VI team to complete RAAM. The training of rider is important but without a good team of crew members he will not be able to perform to his potential. I am blessed to have good team who stands by me in all situation and is my biggest strength. The selfless attitude of each person is worth appreciation and that’s where is my source of motivation comes from.

support of my family. My 57-year-old mother manages my dietary needs. When I have to wake up at 3 am for my training session, she wakes up even before that to make me my glass of juice. She takes an account of my prescribed diet plan and cooks my meal as per it. On the other hand, my father acts as a mini crew member who maintains my bikes and related equipment. He takes care of everything else in the home and helps me to concentrate only on my training when I am back from office. My parents have sacrificed so much for me and are continuing to do so.

“My family is my strength. They never failed to understand my passion and always supported me with best of their efforts.“ What is your next goal? Do you have the complete support from the state / central government and theIndian Army?

I am participating in solo category in Race Across America (RAAM) as TEAM INSPIRE INDIA which is scheduled in June next year. I am training hard to bring home the ARMED FORCES CUP from RAAM. The state / central government did not support me directly in the past events. It was more or less completely on my personal savings and contributions from well-wishers. The Army provided me full support in the training phase by giving me relaxation in my duties and also felicitated my achievement after RAA. This time I have approached the authorities for monetary support and I am hoping for the best.

Divya Tate (Director - Inspire India) says - “It is gratifying to see how riders like Bharat have evolved though the system of international ultra-races to put himself to the test at Race Across America in 2019. Having started at Inspire India’s longest event, the Ultra Spice in Jan 2017, he has quickly built a strong resume of performing well at ultra-races, including Race Around Austria, to be ready for the challenge ahead!”

Tell us something about your training and nutrition you are following in preparation for RAAM? Correct training is the tool which can do wonders to the rider`s performance. I am presently training with Tracy Mckay, Alabama, US. He happens to be the crew chief as well for the Team at RAAM 2019. I will be using SCOTT aero and endurance bikes depending on the terrain at RAAM. My nutrition is mainly based on liquid diet which is a combination on carbohydrates, protein and electrolytes. I utilise my training rides to get accustomed to this diet structure and

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“A good team is like a well-oiled machine where every component is aware of its task and desired results are produced without any friction.”

Have you faced any physical problems in your cycling journey?

A chain is as strong as its weakest link, and the same applies to our body as well. I also had my share of problems which severely hampered my progress but I am happy that I didn’t give up. I had serious balancing issues while using aero-bars and I had to do my 1000 km Ultra Spice without using one. I became comfortable with them over a period of time. The pain in my left knee was a sore point for me since I started using cleats in December 2016. It is hard to believe that it became comfortable to use cleats only after June 2018 when I found the solution to it while crewing at RAAM 2018. I had done all my races except Deccan Cliffhanger 2018 wearing sports shoe instead of cycling shoes to avoid knee pain.

At present, I am facing pain in my low back and I am confident of overcoming this with proper care and physiotherapy sessions.

Pain is an indication to introspect and correction. It isnever a reason to shy away from the target. This quote by Mark Frost had a lasting impression on my thought process “Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and wellpreserved body. But rather, to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming... WOW…What a ride!!!”

It is almost impossible for any individual to balance both professional duties and personal training with equal enthusiasm and relentless dedication. So far, Lt Col Bharat Pannu has done the incrediblein style and he is determined to carry on with the same momentum to do wonders in RAAM. The Nashik cycling fraternity and all his well-wishers are giving him amazing support as he is ready to set all guns ablaze for the upcoming event, Race Across America.

ProCycling

Around the world on two BROMMIES !

BROMPTON WANDERLUST

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ircumnavigating this third rock of ours has its own charm and has been attempted by travelers and explorers alike for centuries. From Zheng He to Marco Polo to many an intrepid other have used a multitude of modes to manifest their passion. Some have done it on foot others on ships and hackney’s and in more recent times in cars and on motorbikes and even in hot air balloons. The reason is always the same though. To test the extreme and to experience and to say “Oh what a wonderful world it is!”

Meet Davide and Gabriella from London whose Italian explorer genes played up and led them to do the same but this time on a bicycle and that too on their foldies the faithful BROMPTON’s. We surely think this is a first. CRANK followed the India leg of their sojourn closely especially since our sister organization ProCycle which represents BROMPTON in India was looking out for the two if they required any assistance while here. More on that later but a pertinent mention that none was required and the Brommies held on smoothly throughout the journey across the country.

While circumnavigating may be a first, it was not the first time the duo have embarked on adventures together that includes a backpacking tour across South America. This trip though took over a decade of dreaming, planning and executing. “Gabriella and I have been together for almost 15 years. We met while we

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were quite young, we went backpacking to South America for few months and since then we were planning to do a round-the-world trip. It did take us more than a decade to realize our dream,” says Davide Arba. David and Gabriella are residents of London and are in the hospitality industry. Being Londoners, the BROMPTON perhaps was the most appropriate bike since its pedigree is inextricably linked to that city. One of the most iconic global brands manufactured solely in London.

Cycling comes naturally to them in beautiful London where they have been based for over a decade. “We had long working hours with a stressful lifestyle. Although we never did any extensive bicycle touring, we dreamt of traveling around the world and we thought to combine it with our passion for cycling,” says Davide We connected with them as they landed in Mumbai after crossing Europe. “We crossed all Europe from UK to Bulgaria going through France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia and Romania. From there, we took a ferry to cross the Black Sea to reach Georgia and Azerbaijan until then we did about 5,000 km. We flew from Baku to India” Their India sojourn took them from Mumbai to Kolkata through Pune, Hyderabad, Bhubaneshwar and many other cities. The onward journey will take them on a short detour to Australia and

then back to Singapore from where they plan to go to Shanghai, South Korea and Japan, crossover to the USA from San Francisco to Miami before embarking on the final leg back to Europe.”

Why on BROMPTONS? “We do have a small collection of bicycles that includes Dolan Track Champion, Cannondale Prophet Lefty, Bianchi C2C aluminum and carbon, Moulton TSR, two Bromptons S-type and the two that we are currently using for the trip. It has been established world over that the Bromptons are the most flexible bikes for daily urban commute. You can take it in the tube, on the bus, in ferries, in the boot of your car or a taxi, on flights, stow it with ease inside your home, hotel room or office. You don’t need to worry about getting caught in bad weather or the bikes being stolen Its really. It offers flexibility at a different level. Add to that the nippy speed and pick up because of convenient gear ratios and the small tyres which afford you easy maneuverability in traffic without losing on cadence “ Yes we agree it’s truly a marvelous piece of design engineering.

“Its precisely because of these qualities that we chose the BROMPTON for this tour. We knew we were going to pass through many an unfamiliar terrain and flexibility was paramount for us. So what better than a Brommie? Agree it was an unorthodox choice, but we knew it was the best. We chose the lowest ratio available, the P model, as it gives a more upright position. I ride a Raw Lacquer and Gabriella chose the Lagoon Blue” says Davide.

The duo landed in Mumbai in October and met with a small but enthusiastic BROMPTON community riders who rode with them to show around the city. “From Mumbai to Kolkata, we followed first

the NH-65 up to Vijayawada and then the NH-16 up to Kolkata. Our e-visa was only for two months but we’re planning to come back in the near future to see other regions of the wonderful country,” Davide says, adding that their trip in India was memorable for various reasons. “We met so many interesting people during our journey. Usually, people were very curious about a small-wheeled bicycle, especially in some rural areas, causing big debates among the crowd gathering around us. We don’t know how many selfies we did, or how many times we been asked where we are from or where we were going, and mainly the purpose of our trip. We always felt welcome and we were overwhelmed by great hospitality Indians showered on us.”

Davide recalls, “Once while having dinner in our hotel’s restaurant where we were staying, the waiter told us that some people were waiting for us in the lobby. It turned out that they were local cycling club members, hearing that we were in town and they wanted to meet us. The next day we arrange to meet in the morning (just after sunrise) and we cycled together for a few kilometres. On another occasion, while we were cycling, we met the owner of a local school, who invited us to have a look of the establishment. We thought this was just for a few minutes, but even after an hour we were talking about our adventure in front of all the kids, and even the local press did an article on us! The whole experience was very inspiring and touching.”

Welcome to India Davide and Gabriella. That’s what India is about.

Fun, food, loads of friends and excitement that you will cherish for your life. All the best for the remaining part of your journey and look forward to you coming again.

CRANK with ProCycle JANUARY 15TH, 2019

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Tour of Karnataka (TOK) What riders say!!

E

ach of the edition of Tour of Karanataka (ToK) has given me the opportunity to see this beautiful state on a bike.

The tour features a diverse set of riders. Routes are always well-planned, and feature a huge amount of countryside riding — free from the buzz and pollution of cities. The routes, food, accommodation and people have always been fantastic. 12/10 would highly recommend this tour to every aspiring rider. By the way, be prepared to ride hard.

Karun travels from US every year to take part in ToK. ToK has been a journey of many firsts for me — my first road bike tour, first-time riding in Karnataka, longest daily mileage and most importantly first opportunity to join a true peloton on the road.

Coming off a long break from cycling due to exams, I did not have the chance to train enough, and so I knew that I was taking a big chance. However, this being my fourth tour in 2018, I knew that I could try as best possible, and had the freedom to stop when I no longer had the legs or was exhausted. Surprisingly, my bike, the conditions, scenery, and lovely group truly collaborated in my favour to make it achievable, despite the difficulty level. The camaraderie within the group, technical expertise, ever-present Cadence90 support and flawless organization, the discipline of the fascinating

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Chape (Kannada word for “mat”) Gang and the constant kudos from fellow riders had me hooked, making it an incredible and unforgettable experience.

- Ahillan M I signed up for ToK with the intention of adding outdoor riding mileage to my triathlon training schedule. The four-day backto-back 100 km rides with 5,000 m climb along scenic routes with a diverse bunch of riders has given me not only a great deal of confidence but also a memorable experience with a newly acquired set of friends. The meticulous planning and flawless execution of travel, food and accommodation arrangements, route markings, rider support, concern for safety and the eco-conscious effort of the organisers is laudable. Every rider was attended personally and encouraged, each individual accomplishment was appreciated making us feel very special especially with our photographs captured professionally. I look forward to being a part of forthcoming editions of TOK adventures, sharing this unique experience with old and new friends.

- Nithya

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We hence set out to give the best bicycle services and products the biking world has ever seen. Our mission is to change the bicycle industry in India by getting more people to ride bicycles by bringing a convenient mobile bicycle shop experience to the customers. Our friendly mechanics work on all types of bikes. We take online booking of various bicycle services through our website and bring service at the customers’ doorstep. We also do overseas guided bicycle tours.

Who started this venture?

Wheelandspoke was founded by Sebastin B Francis along with two other friends.

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Our mobile shop is fully stocked with all parts and accessories you need. For us, customers’ satisfaction is very important and our certified mechanics will work with the customers to ensure the bicycle is functioning cent per cent.

What are the events and area of operation?

Our first mobile service project was launched in Bangalore in August 2018. Apart from this, we conduct overseas guided bicycle tours, custom-made tours and corporate events. At present, our tours are available in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Norway, Himalayas and Assam.

What are the services you offer at present?

We offer four different kinds of services and bike assembly to our customers. Our services include basic to complete strip down service. We believe in being ecofriendly just like the bicycles and hence we don’t use water for cleaning. Instead, we use eco-friendly, high quality solutions for cleaning.

What is the van equipped with?

Our van is equipped with complete range of Park Tool equipment, entire Shimano products (We are the dealers of Shimano products ), refrigerator, coffee vending machine and all kinds of accessories for your bicycle. For security purpose, we have also installed CCTV camera in the van too.

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In 2019, we are planning to launch our project in all cycle-friendly cities in India through franchise system. We are also planning to expand our guided bicycle tours to 20 countries by the end of next year.

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Tour de Heritage

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first-of-its-kind bicycling tour, Tour De Heritage, was flagged off by chief minister Nara Chandra Babu Naidu on November 16 in Vijayawada with 21 cyclists riding across 13 districts and 17 towns covering 2,028 km.

An initiative by Andhra Pradesh Tourism, promoted

by Wizcraft and executed by The Bike Affair (Krish Agrawal and Krish Basu), the tour was to promote tourism and highlight tourist destinations of Andhra Pradesh. It ended in Visakhapatnam on December 7 The tour had all kinds of riders from various backgrounds too. From one double amputee to lady riders, couples, randonneurs, Alpi4000 finisher, Ironman 70.3 finisher, students, retired government officers, super randonneurs — every other person took part in the tour. The riders passed through forests, ghat sections, plains, mountains, beaches, backwater, pilgrimages, hill stations, canyons and countryside. Rain or shine, everyday 100-plus kilometres were done by them to experience Andhra Pradesh’s rich taste, culture, heritage and diversity.

The route was something like this: VijayawadaChirala-Ongole-Nellore-Tirupathi-Horsley Hills-Puttaparthi-Gandikota-Nandayal-GiddalurOngole-Tenali-Bhimavaram-Rajahmundry-KakinadaNarsihpatnam-Araku-Srikakulam-Vishakhapattanam.

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The Impossible Race

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CoverStory

SCOTT RACING DEVELOPMENT SCOTT Sports India launches its first road bike racing team

W

hen we look back at our childhood memories, we often reminisce our firsts, especially gifts from our parents. Our first cricket bat. Or the first football. Our first cycle. Our first racquet.

While a cricket bat or football or even a racquet may be gifted as an initiation into the sport, a cycle is almost always gifted purely for recreation and commute. In fact, Wikipedia’s entry on cycling in India lists it as being unknown as a professional sport in the country, but popular to keep fit.

Panjuani along with Meerut’s Monty Choudhary were selected by Head Coach Nigel Smith, from over 200 participants.

Global cycling brand SCOTT Sports India is looking to change that. After years of supporting individual cyclists, they’ve now launched their first men’s road cycling team in India and believe that this program will truly allow them to be a catalyst of change at the grassroots level of the sport in the country.

The coaching plan developed by Nigel Smith, the only British Cycling Level 3 accredited coach in India, focuses on both physical and tactical aspects. While the physical emphasis would be on effective training as well as improvement of technique, tactical would focus on developing a race strategy and adapting to conditions. In addition, the riders will be guided on understanding performance data to help manage their training and results.

Moreover, the programme would look to maintain a balance between individual and team training, with the latter playing a key role in outlining race strategy. Nigel Smith is keen on establishing a team culture for the sport in India, as the focus currently leans towards an individual approach.

Mumbai’s Sanresh Shedekar and Jehaan

“We’re looking to put in place a structure

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and process that is rider focused but ultimately giving the rider the tools and responsibility to deliver. I believe the team approach has a lot of advantages and our selection process also focused on building a team as opposed to finding individuals.

We felt this group had the right dynamics to work as a team, with each one capable of handling physical responsibilities that maximise each rider’s opportunity to improve. It’s a performance-oriented programme and each year we will look to add to the team by conducting trials and reach out to an ever-wider group of young cyclists. Over time, our goal isn’t only to expand the team, but also to start picking younger talent. In the UK, academy training typically begins at age 14 and that allows them to continually have a pool of talented competitive riders.” added Nigel Smith.

Over the next 12 months, the team has outlined a racing calendar in line with their progressive training programme. They will

participate in at least 8-10 races in India, as well as 2-3 international races. Initially, the international race calendar would primarily include those taking place in the Asian continent, where the team aims to be competitive, and not only be present to participate. While international exposure is seen as being essential, they believe being competitive at international events will help fast-track growth of the team, and possibly even the sport.

Jaymin Shah, Country Head – SCOTT Sports India, who envisioned this programme along with Nigel Smith, believes there is immense growth potential for cycling as a sport in India, since the difference between categories allows for making the sport appealing amongst a broader audience. While the first team is focused on road bicycle racing, he didn’t rule out the possibility of adding a mountain bike racing team in the future.

ToyCentral

“This is the first time a global cycling brand has launched a long-term training programme for cycling in India.

Going ahead, Scott Sports India aims to launch similar programmes for motorsports and running with the aim of growing these niche sports and developing a larger talent pool in the country to allow passionate and talented youngsters to be able to consider it as a full-time job.

“We believe that this program will truly allow us to be a catalyst of change at the

grassroots level of the sport in the country.

Our goal over the next 3-5 years is to build an elite team and expose more cyclists to this culture for it to be a viable career opportunity. Thus, launching a team was the essential step in that direction, as it also allows for building the sport commercially too. Globally, cycling is seen as an attractive sport for brands, both in terms of visibility and reaching a targeted audience. And to make elite cycling sustainable, we’ll also be focusing on that aspect by giving brands the opportunity to partner with a niche, but fast-growing sport,” said Jaymin Shah.

KRU Carbon Wheels

Lightweight, stiff and robust, KRU has managed to create a superb set of carbon wheels. Their 38mm depth gives them a great rollover speed, especially while climbing hills and off the bottom of descents or when turning along the flat they really hold their speed.

The lightest wheels are reserved for those who do a lot of climbing, or live somewhere very hilly. The weight reduction is possible because of carbon fibre builds, and other neat features like self adjusting spokes, EBP hubs. As you might expect, you’ll not need deep pockets to buy these lightweight hoops.

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21

Giant Starkenn MTB Nationals Championships 2018

T

he 15th edition of the Mountain Biking Nationals, the Giant Starkenn MTB National Championships 2018, took place between the 26th and the 28th of October, in Pune this year. The nationals saw a venue change this year to Sunny’s World, on the outskirts of Pune. The primary objective for the venue change was for the search of a new and more challenging circuit. The organisers were looking for harsher and longer climbs, and technical descents littered with natural obstacles. And that is exactly what the they found at Sunny’s World. The circuit started with a 1.5 km climb with an average gradient of 8% and a maximum of 16%, followed by a 700 mtr descent at a -14% gradient (this is the trail built by the Pune DH community, called the Mad Monkey DH Track), and the balance was a mix of undulating single track and tarmac back to the start finish. The hot and dry Pune conditions added to the complexity, as the mercury soared to 38 degrees, making the racing all the more difficult.

Event though the difficulty and the technicality of the MTB Nationals is always being pushed up by the teams at Starkenn, Cycling Association of Maharashtra and the Cycling Federation of India, it is awesome to see the growing participation. This year, the event saw 500 racers from over 26 teams across the country. The Seema Suraksha Bal team was a new entrant this year and Poonam Rana stormed the Women Elites and took Gold in both the XCT as well as the XCO. Maharashtra were defending champions, but Karnataka was looking to regain its lost title. The team from Karnataka arrived at the venue a week ahead of the event to familiarise themselves with the conditions. And that paid off. They walked away with Championship, with 7 Gold, 9 Silver and 4 Bronze medals.

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The Golden Girl of Maharashtra in 2017 MTB Nationals, Pranita Soman, crashed in the Women Junior XCT, and scuffed up a previously injured elbow. She however powered through her four races and ended the 2018 Championships with 2 Golds, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze. Next year she moves out of the Junior category and into only the Elite. Next year a battle between Poonam Rana and Pranita Soman is the one to look out for in the Women Elite.

Its been a long 5 years, but Kiran Kumar Raju finally crossed the finish line of the Men Elite XCO in the first position. He looked strong throughout the 30 kms race, averaging 15mins 52 secs a lap. He maintained the same pace in the XCT, but Mukesh Kumar of the Indian Army snatched gold with an average of 15mins 25secs.

The 2018 Championships was not easy on Ramesh Ale. Plagued with an ankle injury, and multiple crashes (one the in the XCO that caused a DNF), saw him finish his Nationals campaign with 1 silver in the Men Elite XCT. The other stand out performances at the Giant Starkenn MTB National Championships 2018, were Vyshak KV (Men Junior – Karnataka), Adonis K. Tangpu (Sub-junior Boys – Karnataka), Chartihgowda (Youth Boys – Karnataka), Ann Agxa Thomas (Youth Girls – Kerala) and Karen Marshall (Youth Girls – Karnataka). These are the names to look out for in the forthcoming editions of the Giant Starkenn MTB National Championships. They rode well to earn their medals.

For the second consecutive year, the Giant Strakenn MTB National Championships saw an Exhibition DH Race. A total field of 25

racers from across India started and rode the 1km DH track, built by the Gautam Taode (GT Adventures) along-with Starkenn. The podium had a shake up this year, with Slade Gomes (Maharashtra) taking home Gold (last year Bronze), Piyush Chavan (Maharashtra) retaining his Silver, and Ismamul Howk (Assam) taking Bronze.

Seeing the enthusiasm not only from the racers but also the spectators, next year, DH will be an official race in the National Championships, and not just an exhibition race.

When asked about Starkenn’s undertaking and organizing of the Giant Starkenn MTB National Championships, Mr. Pravin V Patil, MD & CEO of Starkenn Sports, said “We need to expose our talent domestically to what they will be faced with in International races.

Starkenn has always looked to up the track and arrangements we make for the National Championships every year. It is fortunate to have the support of Cycling Association of Maharashtra, and most importantly the Cycling Federation of India. There was a debate on whether the Youth category should race on the same track, that

the Elite would ride on, citing age and experience. However, Mr. Onkar Singh, decided that they needed to exposed to the same track, as there is no better teacher than experience. Owing to this support, we will continue to grow the Giant Starkenn MTB National Championships in forthcoming editions as well.”

The Giant Starkenn MTB National Championships have been organized by the team at Starkenn Sports for the last 4 years (2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018). The participation in the MTB Nationals have grown from 250 to 500 racers in the last 4 years. The tracks have evolved from jeep tracks to single tracks with technical lines, and have filtered out the best MTB racers year on year. It has become an event to look forward to and not just another National Race.

Racers train for it because they do not know what the team at Starkenn will throw at them the next year. The goal is simple; give our racers infrastructure that rivals the ones in the international arena, helping them gain experience, and get better and faster.

Eventually growing into level of the international racers.

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Scott Sports India is celebrating its 60th year with a unique ride taking place simultaneously in over 30 separate locations across the country. The Swiss producer of bicycles, winter equipment, motorsports gear, running gear and sportswear is known for many firsts over its 60 year history, including the introduction of possibly one of the most significant innovations in the history of cycling – the aerodynamic handlebar.

Taking place on 6th January, 2019, the #SCOTT60YEARRIDE is a 60 minute bicycle ride taking place in over 25 cities simultaneously, to cumulatively cover a distance of more than 15,000 kilometres.

Registrations for the ride are now open and the first 25 cyclists to register will receive a special edition SCOTT 60 Year jersey. All participants will receive a host of official SCOTT merchandise. Open to all riders, participants must register before 24th December, 2018 to join the ride.

Event Details: • Register at: www.scottownersclub.com

• Ride Date: 6th January, 2019

• Registration Fee: Rs.250/- (all inclusive)

• Time: 6AM – 9AM

• Registration period: 10th December’18 – 24th

• Inclusions: SCOTT Bottle, SCOTT 60 Year merchandise,

December-18

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SCOTT badge, e-certificate and breakfast

GET OUT & RIDE!

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