Crank with ProCycle September 2015 by CrankMag

India’s only lifestyle bicycle magazine

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Issue 8 Volume 3 September 15th 2015

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INSIDE

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RACE REPORT: TDF 2015 INDIA’S IRONMAN TESTED: TRAIL 4

Cycling Federation of India

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IN THIS ISSUE Around the world Race report, TDF 2015.....

CycTech Crank News Route

6 Pune Baramati............................. 8 CFI News....................................

Cycling is freedom

11 Daredevil queen.........................13 India’s Ironman..........................14 Tour of India...............................16 K2K...........................................18 Bharat Parikrama..................... 20 First Indian RAAM winners..........

22 Shop Talk.... ........................... 24 Boys’ Toys............................... 26 Crank Tested...........................

YO! The CRANK with ProCycle Team Managing Editor and Publisher Vikram K Limsay Invitee editor Mr. Onkar Singh Editorial support Nilesh Dhumal, Rachel Bernard India North Bureau Ashish Sood India South Bureau Joseph Anish Marketing and Distribution Joseph Anish anish@procycle.in, +91 97415 77884 Test Riders Nilesh Dhumal, Ajay Kamble Ritwik D Burman, Joseph Anish Student Editor Aishwarya Palaparthy Issue contributors Team Giant Alpecin, TI Cycles of India All rights reserved by Procycle and Sports India Private Limited Corporate Office 226, 1st Floor, 1st Main Road, Service Road Domlur 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bangalore-560071 ProCycle Showrooms Indiranagar #226, 1st Main Road, Service Road, Domlur 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bangalore - 560071 Tel: +91 98802 16064 Koramangala/HSR Layout New #12, Old #75, Service Road, Jakkasandra Extension, Koramangala 1st Block, Near HSR 5th Sector, Bangalore - 560034 Tel: +91 80 2550 1967 Sanjaynagar 126, 80ft Road, RMV 2nd Stage, Ashwath Nagar Bangalore - 560094 Website www.procycle.in For queries regarding subscription write to subscribecrank@procycle.in To share a stroy, write to feedback@procycle.in Cover India’s Ironman Kaustubh Radkar Image by Ironman Zurich Back Cover Mascot gets walled Printed by Print 2 Last Solutions | info@print2last.in

Hello Riders,

itting in an office was never the dream of any of our team mates and never will be. After the tour concluded though our workshop has become mundane. Yes we still do our tinkering about but that evening action of yelling, “He’s gonna attack now!” at the screen is missing and there is only one fix to it. Getting out an riding ourselves. Riding is all about the freedom. The ability to be your own master. You pedal therefore you get ahead. You don’t want to get any further, you simply stop pedalling. Cycling creates an itch in all of us that keeps us going. This Freedom special edition brings to you a collection of Indian cyclists and their stories to remind us of how great a nation we are and that everything we do reflects upon our community. Whether it is winning laurels at coveted international races or doing trans geographical cycle rides or setting world records, Indian cyclists are not far behind. As a nation, we have miles to go and let us pledge that those miles will be achieved on a non polluting bicycle. Vikram K Limsay Managing Editor and Publisher

Simon Geschke bags biggest career victory

Race Report

Tour de France 2015 Rachel Bernard, Images: Team Giant Alpecin, TI Cycles of India

legendary feat has been achieved once again; day after day of blood, sweat and tears have brought us to the end of the Tour de France 2015. The 102nd edition of the iconic Grand Tour was full of excitement, thrill and display of human endurance. The 3603.3kms course that marked its starting at Utrecht, the Netherlands, concluded customarily at the Champs-Elysees on July 26 with Team Sky’s Chris Froome bagging his overall victory. He was followed by Movistar Team’s Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde, respectively. The start of the race in itself was a historical milestone for the race. One of the 22 teams invited was MTN-Qhubeka, the first ever African team to participate in the race and two of their riders – Daniel Teklehaimanot and Merhawi Kudus (also the youngest contender, at 21) – became the first black Africans to ride the prestigious course.

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TI guests with the kitchen staff

Team TI meets the Cannondale Garmin riders

Team Giant Alpecin missed Marcel Kittel

Race director, Christian Prudhomme, describes the nature of the 2015 route as being untypical, “If you do not climb, you will not win the Tour in 2015”. True enough, the mountain stages were strenuous and draining, Giant-Alpecin’s Simon Geschke grabbing the first summit finish of the Alps. Wind and rain on the slick roads and the high stakes of the game added up to make for a few disastrous crashes in the tour that led to many of the major players having to withdraw: Tony Martin broke a collarbone, est Young Rider Tom Domoulin too was injured to continue and Fabian “Spartacus” Cancellara retired due to 2 broken vertebrae. Chris Froome finished with a time of 84h 46’ 14” and bagged the yellow jersey on the third day and then on from the 8th to the final stage became the first Briton to win the Tour de France twice, following his previous win in 2013. Froome also held the mountain classification’s polka dot jersey for a majority of the course, therefore justifying Prudhomme’s claim about the nature of the route. The Movistar Team claimed the best team category with a time of 255h 24’ 24”

Tech bus with spare wheels and frames

and their rider, Quintana took the Best Young Rider. Of the 198 riders that started off on the grueling journey at Utrecht, only 160 made it through to the finish at Paris. This year’s race proved to be a trial of inhuman proportions battled by very human contenders – each stage pushing the athletes further and harder. The race sees a huge number of supporters. TDF is such a spectacle to witness that invitations to front row seats with the teams is considered a privilege and a TI cycles of India made that experience come true to Mr. Rajagopal Sreenivasan, National Sales Manager, TI cycles of India and Mr. Rajesh Kumar Girdhar, TI Cycles’ Dealer from New Delhi and NCR. They visited the Cannondale-Garmin’s Team Bus, Technical Truck and Kitchen Van, spent time with the riders and followed the stage 07 in ring side seats inside the team cars. A great episode in world tour cycling has passed and sports enthusiasts on the planet eagerly await for the TDF 2016.

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CFI News

A step closer to WCC India Crank CFI Bureau

ince the set up of the Sports Authority of India National Cycling Association (SAINCA) by The Cycling Federation of India and Sports Authority of India, there have been relentless efforts to proceed the Indoor Cycling Velodrome, New Delhi into a World Cycling Centre’s (WCC) satellite centre. Recently, UCI’s WCC in Aigle, Switzerland appointed Mr. Paul Henri Rey, Manager Operations to conduct the inspection for the proposed WCC (satellite centre) at the Velodrome. Preceding this inspection, document exchange and agreements have already taken place between the UCI, SAI and CFI. The Satellite centre will have world class amenities that cater to advanced training of the cyclists of India with scientific and latest training methods. It will also serve as a centre for cyclists from other Asian countries to train at. Mr. Paul, who was on a three day visit from 6th to 9th July 2015 has shown positive indications in his report, which concludes “The facilities provides at IGSC are in overall good condition and will be ready to welcome the first training programs for SAINCA – WCC India”. The set up and operation of this satellite centre should prove a welcome news to the Indian cycling fraternity who can now look forward world class cycling training and coaching.

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Winner, Jetha Ram Gat

Race Report

Pune-Baramati cycling race Crank CFI Bureau

he Maharashtra Cycling Association under the aegis of Cycling Federation of India organized a 128Kms Pune Baramati Cycle event on the 25th July 2015. The event saw a total of over 300 cyclists from various part of the Country competing for a total prize money of Rs. 4.22 lakhs. The number of elite cyclists was probably the highest among the prize money races, which also had 20kms women, national and state category races. The entire route of 128kms was cheered by the school children, local citizens with drums and other musical instruments. The race also saw shower of flower petals on the cyclists.

Results Over All winners National Level Cycle race – Men Elite – 122 Km. Place Rider No. Name State/ Board 1 1 Jeetha Ram Gat Hyderabad 2 54 Vinod Kumar Indian Army 3 45 Om Prakash Indian Army Over All Winners of State level Cycle race – Men Elite – 122 Km. Place Rider No. Name State/ Board 1 221 Dilip Mane Sangli 2 255 Dinesh Kumar Ahmed Nagar 3 256 Dharmbir Ahmed Nagar

The race was flagged off from Shanivar Wada, Pune by Sh. Sharad Pawar, former Minister, Govt. of India. Mr. Bala Saheb Landge, Secretary, Maharashtra Olympic Association and Mr. Onkar Singh, Secretary General, CFI were present along with other dignitaries from CFI.

Over All Winners of National Level Cycling Race – Women Elite – 122 Km. Place Rider No. Name State/ Board 1 508 Shairabanu Lodi Karnataka 2 527 Komal Deshmukh Maharashtra 3 506 Seema Adagal Karnataka

The prize distribution ceremony was organized at the G D Madgulkar auditorium, Baramati where Mr. Jalindar Kamate, President, Nationalist Congress Party, Pune Dist. , Mr. Sunil Tatkare, President, Maharashtra Nationalist Congress Party, Dr. Jay Jadhav, SP, Pune Dist. and Ms. Bhargavee Chirmule, Prominent Maharashtra actress were the guest of honor along with Mr. Onkar Singh, Secretary General, CFI Mr. VN Singh, Asst. Secretary, CFI, Mr. Pratap Jadhav, Secretary, Maharashtra Cycling Association and Mr. Gajen Ganla, Sr. Vice President, Maharashtra Cycling Association.

Over All Winners of State level MTB event – Women Elite – 122 Km. Place Rider No. Name State/ Board 1 544 Anjali

Mr. Jetha Ram Gat from Railways came out with flying colors by winning the King of Ghats and winning two prizes and finally the top prize money winner of the overall category.

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Racers set off

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Cycling across USA

India’s pride

First Indian RAAM winners Crank India West Bureau. Images: RAAM, Team India

Doctors Mahendra and Hitendra Mahajan

ver the many years that the legendary Race Across America has been hosted, it has never seen an Indian individual or a team on the podium and that was changed by a pair of daredevil brothers from Nashik this year. Brothers Hitendra Mahajan(44) and Mahendra Mahajan(38) are doctors and have been active in the cycling circuit for quite some time now. They began by cycling to remote tribal settlements of northern Maharashtra to provide medical aids and in their efforts at promoting a healthy lifestyle and greener environment took to endurance cycling. Hitendra who is an anaesthesiologist has victories at the Enduro race, NEC Pune, Manali-Leh cycling and other endurance cycling races under his belt and Mahendra a dentist has 1000kms brevet and multiple best times at various marathons under his. Both brothers enjoy trekking in the Himalayas while offering their skills and support to the villagers there. They are also the first Indian team to complete the ‘Tour of the Dragon’ conducted by the Bhutan Olympic committee.

Team India-Vision for tribals

Just as in the minds of every endurance cyclist, the idea of competing at the RAAM crept into the brothers’ minds a year ago and there was no looking back for them. Understanding the magnitude of what they were about to do, they laid rest to their professional and to a large extent personal lives and began training under coach Mitten Thakkar. They racked up anywhere between 2-3 hours on weekdays and up to 14 hours of cycling on weekends steadily decreasing the volume

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Flagging off

The coveted RAAM medal Treating injuries

and increasing the intensity achieving a combined average speed of 38kmph. They even sought support from dietician Meghna Surve and yoga instructor Bhishmaraj Bam to achieve wholesome fitness. Apart from the physical training, being logistically prepared by understanding routes and race regulations along with traffic rules and other race formalities also took up their time. Their biggest hurdle was to organize the funds and resources for the race. A two man team needs an approximate Rs. 40-50lakhs including registration fees, 3 support vehicles, 2 carbon bikes each, food and accommodation for a total of 14 people which included 12 crew members. With the brothers’ long standing history of helping tribes folk, they have been closely associated with Kalpataru foundation that works to provide long term health and economic relief to the tribes at Trimbakeshwar, Nashik and Dang district in Gujarat. The doctors at the foundation decided to perform one free operation for every 100kms that the brothers covered and that amounted to more than 320 surgeries to celebrate their victory. This offering led to a horde of micro contributions starting as low as Rs.1000/- and yet the doctors and all their crew members paid their own air fare along with the race registration fees and for the machines that were going to lead them to victory.

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Pacing through the night

Talking about the race itself, Mahendra tell us, “Nothing we had ever done had prepared us for it and all the training really paid off right from the first pedal stroke. We braved crashes that resulted in severe injuries and something that we were not prepared for was the weather. Extreme heat of 50 degree C and non-stop rains along with the cross winds at the plateau sections were ready to throw us off our goals. But determination to win a race that has never been won by an Indian kept us going.” Hitendra reminisces the dreaded third day of the race when he had a fatal crash. “I was lucky to not break any bones and it hurt me to know that my crash meant that my brother had to ride for longer to maintain the average. This was meant to be a team effort and I got back on that saddle as fast as I could and kept pushing. Towards the end of the race, riding in incessant rains led me to develop hypothermia and our team that mostly consisted of doctors from various disciplines helped me recover and finish the race. The brothers’ feat has put the country’s name on international endurance race circuits. And to think of how they have also managed to directly impact over 300 of their countrymen’s lives by giving them sight makes us at Crank particularly proud of these brothers and wish them good luck for their next conquest which in no surprise is cross country paragliding.

Vamini Sethi

Daredevil Queen Rachel Bernard, Images: Crank India North Bureau

n our previous issue, we delved into the deeper meaning of the relationship between a girl and her bike and all that women are able to accomplish with their cycles. Now, we bring you VaminiSethi, India’s very own, newly crowned daredevil queen. Her feat: being the record holding first Indian woman to ride the longest distance across a foreign country. With help from HASTPA, Hero and UT bikes, Vamini rode along the Sri Lankan coast, a total of 1111 km, climbing 12000 ft over a span of 9 days. It was a tough ride, having been coupled with soaring temperatures, unforgiving humidity and punishing cross winds. She set off with Ashish Sood, director HASTPA from Colombo on 14 June 2015, across rolling hills, through wildlife sanctuaries, beside the sapphire blue of the sea and meeting welcoming people, ending the expedition back at Colombo on 23 June, completing a full circle. An energetic and eager mountain biker, trekker, auto rally driver and natural photographer, Vamini set off with not just the objective of covering Sri Lanka but also breaking women stereotypes. Very often, according to her, women’s fantasies and desires are overlooked when the juggle between work and family. This needs to change. While she aims to promote the green sport of cycling, the main aim is to encourage women to go out and seek their dreams.

elephants. The next few days were tough rides, battling humid conditions and exhausting trails. The ride was proving to be a trial but Vamini’s relentless spirit kept them going. Days 7 through 9 had the duo cycling away from the coast and further into the mainland to end back at Colombo, finishing the circle. The ride of a lifetime, in Vamini’s own words – “The journey of Miles and 1000 Smiles: I feel on top of the world. These have been the most beautiful 9 days, unlike anything else I’ve experienced. A sense of fulfilment that cannot be expressed.” Undoubtedly, Vamini is the embodiment of the new age India female cyclist; unafraid to take on challenges and see them to the very end. Mohit Sood, HASTPA’s president stated, “We need to advance the game of mountain biking amongst ladies and Vamini is the ideal representative for that.” So there you have it girls, time to give the boys a run for their money. Or in this case, pedal. Vamini and Ashish on the Sri Lankan coast

Day 1 in the beautiful island country encompassed a rainy and strenuous ride of 150 km to Mirisi/Mirisa. The next day was 100 km and day 3 was a 105 km tough uphill trail but was spell-bindingly rewarding as it wound through Sri Lanka’s largest wildlife sanctuary. Day 4, on their way to Arugum Bay, the surf capital of Sri Lanka, was marked by an encounter with wild

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On his race bike

India’s Ironman

Crank India West Bureau, Images: Ironman Zurich

hile the whole nation was ogling at model and celebrity Milind Soman for completing his first Ironman at Zurich, there was one name that went ignored. Crank beings you a one on one with Dr. Kaustubh Radkar, India’s true Ironman. Kaustubh (33) is a doctor and runs a rehabilitation centre for patients with heart and lung disease and cancer. His institution RadRx also offers sports injuries management and rehabilitation. He has been competing in Ironman races since his first one at Arizona in 2008. He has brought pride to the nation by being the first Asian to finish an Ironman on all 6 continents by placing fastest at the Ironman South Africa 2015. An Ironman triathlon consists of 3.86kms of swimming, 180.25kms of cycling and 42.2kms of running. Kaustubh has dedicated his life to the endurance race pattern and has very little reason to falter from that direction. He tell us, “My biggest aspiration is to finish 25 Ironman competitions and in a spirit of self satisfaction, coach and help 100 Indians to cross the finish line at Ironman races.” Kaustubh is a regular person who’s hobbies include cooking and eating, enjoys reading and listening to music. But out on the race track he derives his success formula and exemplifies dedication, discipline and motivation. That being said, with a multitude of accomplished victories,

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The run leg of Ironman

Kaustubh Radkar at Zurich

he is humble enough to accept that giving your all should be your ultimate goal and that life has the ability to get in the way of your aspirations and all that does is give you a second chance to do better. “Patience is a key element while racing. You have trained hard and doing something out of haste on the race track can spoil the results for you and squander the hard work you put into training. Being an Ironman requires discipline and determination and I’d like to add that motivation is key, you have to stay focused on the task ahead and that is when it will all pay off. Kaustubh has a carefully selected collection of training and racing gear. He uses a Trek TT bicycle with Pearl Izumi shoes, Xterra wetsuit and Speedo swim goggles and Asics running shoes paired with APACE apparel for his races. “My love for pushing the human spirit is such that I am self funded. It has been very challenging to get support. Ironman still isn’t a recognized sport in India which makes it tough to approach sponsors. They don’t understand how someone can do all three things at such a level. We need to organize more triathlon races,

and seek government help in setting up infrastructure and gain sponsors to create good events all over. There aren’t many qualified coaches who can guide athletes about triathlon training in a proper manner right now. A lot of Indians are afraid of swimming, so organizing swim camps will be essential.” Says Kaustubh about being a pioneer and setting out a route plan for more to follow. He finds it disappointing that not many of his fellow citizens even know that he has made our country proud at such a level. “But, I do not race for somebody else, I race for myself, to prove that I can do better and in doing so I learn about what the human body can be capable of and I want more and more people to realize this power of the human body and therefore am setting up a tri club that will coach aspirants.” Kaustubh has his eyes set on the coveted KONA World championship 2017 and has begun his preparations for it. Since our interview with Dr. Kaustubh Radkar, he has managed to bag another completion at the Ironman Boulder in the USA. There is just no stopping this man now.

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Highest road

Tour of India Crank India South Bureau. Images: Naga Raj

earing a jersey that reads â&#x20AC;&#x153;Go Green, Reduce Pollution, Save Earthâ&#x20AC;? Arcot Naga Raj set out to fulfil his childhood dream of including his name in the Guinness book of world records. 135 days and 14,197.55kms later on 25th February, 2014 Raj returned beady eyed like he used to be while watching the TV show that inspired him. Raj had covered this distance across the great expanse of India on a humble TREK 7.3 fx hybrid bicycle and he did it all by himself. Raj is a Manager Estimation and QS at a reputed firm in Dubai and also the holder of the Guinness title: Longest Journey by Bicycle in Single Country. Most people aspire to travel and learn new cultures but have various reasons to present when they realize that they have been putting their plans off for too long now. Raj was also one of those people until he decided to just quit his job, come back to India, get on a bicycle and pedal across the country and set a new world record while he was at it. There was much that needed to be done. One was to get into a mental state where he will be alright with finding himself alone in the middle of nowhere for he was not taking any kind of support vehicle with him which also meant that he had to haul all his supplies too. The second is the obvious increase in his physical fitness. Raj would have to cover close to 140kms everyday to set this record and brought up his average speed from 12kms to 25kms in a matter of 8 months. Since setting the record, Raj has resumed employment in Dubai

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Setting off

Southern tip

but awaits the moment when a light goes on in his head and he will set out for a world tour on a bicycle. And this time, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be quitting his job for good. The days he spent alone on the highways and mountains changed his view on life and has helped him prioritize better. His need for wanderlust isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t something that can be curbed with ease. Raj has met so many people and learnt of so many cultures, but he says that India is essentially the same. It is the cuisine that greatly varies. The people in one region are as caring as the ones in the previous and the people he met in the next region were able to match if not raise the amount of hospitality and humility offered to a tired cyclist who seemed like a crazy person to them. The words of encouragement he got from these micro conversations with strangers are what kept him going and also helped validate his desire of experiencing the country in the manner that Braving elements he was. Raj has managed to make many friends who still keep in touch with him.

Dreams do come true

The places he saw are eternally etched in his mind and he holds the routes from Jammu to Shimla via Leh and from Murudeshwar to Mumbai the closest to his heart. For anyone who wants to visit India, he highly recommends the glaciers and Tibetan plateaus in the Himalayas and the southern tip at Kanyakumari for knowing that three big seas meet at one point is different from seeing it for yourself. His other suggestions are the high tower temples of Tamil Nadu and of course, the Taj Mahal. Raj had turned into an internet sensation among the cycling community of India. He had live updates on social media posting images, videos and titbits of his experiences. Many of his followers even made it a With the record certificate point to meet him when he crossed their city. Raj is much sought after for advice by fellow riders and his entire experience has been documented and he is always happy to share the details. Even the 4 months of itinerary preparation he did that included research on topography, weather patterns, hotel availability and even political situation. Setting a record for Longest Journey by Bicycle in Single Country could have only been possible in India. Our country is just so exciting and yet easy on the eye that being on the bike for days together will never seem taxing. Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beauty called out to Naga Raj all the way from his air conditioned office in Dubai and gave him the opportunity to convert an ordinary childhood dream into a reality of epic proportions. We all have childhood dreams, we create new dreams every day. What is to stop us from realizing those dreams? Nothing! And Guiness book record holder Arcot Naga Raj is testament to just that.

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Ramakrishna

Celebrating the himalayas

Rama and Kiran Chalasani

K2K

Crank Bengaluru Bureau, Images: Kiran Chalasani

engaluru is a hub for thrill seekers. One such thrill nut is Rama Krishna Urugonda. Working as a techie at Sapient, he is popular here at Crank offices for riding across south India on a fixed gear steel frame bike. We have been following his rides since then and he went full wanderlust when he decided to cycle from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in an attempt to break the record for the fastest coverage of this length on a bicycle and spread the message of Run Burn Fit, which is his mantra for a healthy lifestyle and should be one to for everyone to follow.

easy task and his only support was his friend Kiran Chalasani on a motorcycle.

Rama has always been what you might call a fitness addict. He has been running marathons and cycling long distances for some time now. In our last chat with him he had mentioned that he would like to ride from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and ride he did. He set out on 22 June, 2015 from Leh and reached Kanyakumari on 10 July, 2015 covering a total distance of 3933kms in 18days 14 hours while crossing 12 states.

Dealing with punctures can become frustrating especially if you are facing 4-5 everyday. Rama fixed a total of 30 flats, changes 6 tubes and 2 tires in his entire attempt. The little things is where one finds joy in when out on the highways. Day 11, July 2 was Ramaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday and celebrating it with a dear friend on the side of the road can bring joys that cannot be fathomed.

Even though the attempt was mostly on impulse, he put in careful planning into it. He arranged for himself an MTB for the Himalayan region (Leh to Chandigarh) and a road bike for riding flat out on the highways since. Rama is no stranger to the Himalayas and finds himself at home in that terrain. But being on the clock made a few factors amplify their inherent irritability. The bad roads, cold weather and rains that he would have otherwise enjoyed were now slowing him down. Once he shifted onto a road bike in Chandigarh, he picked up pace only to be slowed down by the Delhi heat and traffic. He decided to sleep under a bridge until night when both his problems should have gone. Riding an average of 200kms a day is not an

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When attempting to break a record, signatures from local police stations is important to validate a claim and deviating from the highway to find these stations are also time consuming. To avoid further delays from Day8 in Jhansi onwards, Rama was already riding for over 24 hours without a single wink of sleep starting as early as 4am and finishing late at 11pm.

In spite of being a dedicated sportsperson, Rama managed to lose 6 kilos of weight in the 18 days. He never did manage to break the record as food poisoning and other misfortunes struck him. But when he reached the southern tip of India at Kanyakumari on a flat tire, â&#x20AC;&#x153;All of a sudden, there is a certain silence, emptiness and stillness within me. I feel content, blissful and complete.â&#x20AC;? says Rama. Rama might not have the record for the fastest cyclist from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, but he certainly has the will to do it and with this failed attempt all he has gotten is the freedom to have made mistakes and learn from it and gain experience. His next ride is East to West of India and then come back full circle next year to set the Kashmir to Kanyakumari record again with many shorter rides in between.

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Sachin Gaonkar

Bharat Parikrama Crank India West Bureau. Images: Sachin Gaonkar

here is something about solo adventures that twitches some minds and excites others’. Sometimes it is proof of self worth, sometimes it is the ultimate measure to disconnect and in Sachin’s case it is his way of spreading a message. A message about Mental health for all citizens of India. 38 year old Sachin Gaonkar’s first experience riding a bicycle was not a pleasant one. He had crashed it into a tree and since developed a phobia for cycling. Come 15th August 2015 and Sachin would have covered 14000kms of a solo ride on, you guessed it, a bicycle. Sachin got back on the saddle mainly because of its affordability and his long distance cycling started with 22kms and then 150kms which mostly knocked the mickey out of him. But he did not give up and started going on more solo rides, “I’m a professional sculptor. When I am working in my studio, it is an expression of my own ideas… my creation. It is my space to express. I feel similarly when I ride a cycle on my own, for myself. It is a kind of meditation, to be with myself, a dialogue within. I never feel lonely in that process of being alone. I feel I need it as an artist and a cyclist too. I am very much fond of a solo ride than group ones.”

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Expanding on his latest solo ride called Bharat Parikrama, “There have been cyclists before me who have cycled pan India and some of them have even set record times doing so, but I’m not out there for that. I want people to know that stunted mental health and depression are real ailments too and that most mental disorders can be avoided through exercise. And there is no better form of exercise than a bicycle.” Sachin is not just cycling across 25 Indian states, but also visiting schools, colleges and other institutions along the way and presenting workshops to help spread his message. He is no psychologist, but the Institute for Psychological Health, Thane where he has been volunteering at and to celebrate whose 25th anniversary he is out on the bike for has trained and helped him in making these presentations and conducting the workshops. The Institute for Psychological Health immediately funded Sachin with 1lakh rupees upon hearing his idea, he saved an additional 3 on his own. With his expenses mounting to a total of 7lakhs, he turned to other supporters and one of them was SCOTT Sports India, who convinced of his ideologies provided him with a SCOTT Aspect 740. Sachin nicknames all his bikes and this one’s called SASCO (Sachin’s Scott)

Two wheels and a prayer

Local interaction

Quick meal stops

Undertaking the Bharat Parikrama needed a whole lot of planning and Sachin knew this right away and sought help from many experienced riders and friends and chalked out a plan to start in Mumbai, head south to Tamil Nadu and then back up North via AP then divert due East upto Nagaland and head to the Himalayas via Sikkim reaching Kashmir before heading back home to Thane via Rajasthan and Gujarat.

complications like Asthma and Spondylosis.

Although Sachin did not set timelines and distances to complete Bharat Parikrama, he decided that he will finish it on Independence day as a mark of respect to the diverse nation he was going to see a whole lot of and at a quiet pace and he set off on 7th Jan 2015. Cycling 14000kms even without a deadline isn’t simple. Before setting out he made it a point to achieve a certain level of fitness so he won’t get stranded in the middle of nowhere with his health

When Sachin gets back he may have his pockets empty but he will have the confidence to say that he always chased his dreams and has one less unfulfilled dream on his list. Freedom is best experienced on a bicycle and Sachin is one of the many great Indians to have truly embodied that freedom. And in doing so he has also opened the eyes of every single Indian he met along the way to be aware of a state of happy Mental health.

Cycling has proven to be the right medium for his efforts at every step. “People find it easy to approach a cyclist. Every state welcomed me and gave me love and appreciation for the effort. I will never forget the homes which gave me shelter, food, conversations and care.” says Sachin.

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Crank Tested

Cannondale Trail4 2015 aniSh

ver since I first rode around some secret trails in Kolar on a full suspension MTB borrowed from our editor, I have been contemplating a trail bike for myself. It was my first ever trail ride and I was riding with experts, my goals were not to crash and more importantly not lose sight of the leaders, for I’d be lost in the middle of a jungle surrounded by peacocks to start with and no clue what else. That day I learnt what MTB’s can truly do. Jagged rock edges? No problem. Lose sand? No problem. Caked out muck? No problem. Near 90⁰ berms? No Problem. Fast slopes? No problem. Steep climbs? Little bit of a problem, but that is only because I lacked technique. That ride was and is etched in my memory as what I call, “The best day of work ever!” and it did not require extraordinary efforts. It required a trail and a bike. Since then, I’ve ridden a few trails on a few hardtails (mostly for their simplicity) before I invest in one for myself. I’m still on the hunt for the right trail bike and the Cannondale Trail 4 shows just cause to end that hunt. The Trail 4 in its bright green colour start by grabbing your attention as casually as being bright. Cannondale’s design details is seen in the finishing at the welding areas and makes the bike seem pricier than what it is. It’s handle bar and cockpit have a flowing feel to it and the saddle is to die for. Trail 4 has all the bells and whistles that a beginner needs and then some. It also has a personality that prevents you from letting go of the bike after you have gone over your learning curve with it. Sure, the choice of components and the race inspired engineering helps build this personality. But the fact that all of that put

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Trusty brakes

Grippy platform pedals

Alivio RD

Handy remote lockout

100mm travel suspension

Suspension lock

together increases your ride confidence quite rapidly forms a bond between you and the bike, which is needed when venturing out of your comfort zone. Like any bike, we start at the geometry. I’m 5.7ft and settling for a small size frame has never sat well with me, but the Trail’s geometry puts me at ease with that idea and lets me push my ride style and positioning. The Trail 4 is offered in 27.5 wheel size for frames S through M and in a 29er format for larger frame sizes. I have slight doubts if the 29” wheels will still keep the bike as nimble but am sure it will still be just as fast. Being a learner at trail riding, I stop more often than I’m on the go and the Hayes Hydraulic disc brakes have become my best friends. I have developed an intimate bond with them every time I make minor adjustments in speed to get me out of those right camber sections making me faster. The frame is a double-butted 6061 Alloy with smooth welds. True to Cannondale ingenuity the elemental tubes of the frame are not just round pipes. They have been reshaped for increased strength while keeping weight low. The sloping top tube makes for better seating and varied response positioning of your knees as per the terrains demands.

With 27 speed gearing, the Trail 4 is versatility at its best. It has SunRace 9 speed cassette mated to a Shimano Alivio RD and a Shimano M931 controlled by an Altus FD performing shifting duties, a rider is assured about his shifting requirements being fulfilled. And the minimal design of the new Alivio RD has a lot to add to the overall aesthetics of this bike. The remote suspension lockout on the 100mm SR Suntour XCR-RL suspension proves handy when climbing and also makes the Trail 4 a happy commuter and a great training bike. Priced at Rs. 58,000/- the Cannondale Trail 4 has been successful at two things. Being a bright bike and boosting my ride confidence by a lot. I hardly find a downside to the bike except that it is slightly beyond what I am willing to spend right now. But that is precisely my point, the bike is better than what most beginner trail riders require and therefore will be a worthy investment for when you get better at your techniques and like all good investments, you start early. Crank gives the Cannondale Trail 4 an AHT (Average Head Turning) factor of 7 out of 10.

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Seatylock works on all bikes

SHOP TALK

SEATYLOCK aniSh

Metre long bike lock

here lies a pertinent concern among bicycle commuters in cities. Thievery! And cable locks come pretty close to the perfect solution to it. Although none of us have ever had our saddles stolen separately, saddle theft is not unheard of. It is not as common, mostly because thieves do not know that saddles are easy to remove or can be expensive on their own. With this new prototype bike lock, we are now able to eliminate that concern too. It is called the Seatylock and is made by Ino-vision ltd. from Isreal. Seatylock is a bicycle saddle that quickly transforms into a one meter solid lock in 15 seconds or less. It proves advantageous for those days when you leave home in a hurry and realize that you left your bike lock behind. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concept is pure genius and a double edged sword against bike theft as you would never leave home on your bike without a saddle and it also protects against saddle theft even if you were able to carry and use your old school cable lock. Each Seatylock is equipped with a universal adaptor which enables perfect compatibility with any standard bicycle. It still offers you all the custom adjustments that any other saddle does. The product is available in two designs, one for commuters and a more sleek style for mountain bikes. Proving its ingenuity, the product is currently priced at $129, slightly steep in our opinion. But we wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t judge it until we have played with one ourselves.

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Riding position

BOYSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; TOYS

SYNCROS TOOLS ALLOY 11 The Syncros Alloy 11 is a proper trail trinket. It is handy to do all the little tweaking quickly while outside of the comfort of the workshop. The pivots are forged and plates are alloy making the tool reliable and tough. It is low profile and minds its own business by compactly storing itself in a branded suede pouch that is included.

PARKTOOL I-BEAM MINI Screw driver and hex driver multitools are a boon to fiddlers on the saddle and the Parktool I-Beam Mini puts it all in one compact format. A 9 piece multitool has the perfect assortment of tool sizes required by both MTB riders and roadies. The IB-2 is strong, compact and lightweight even though the handle is solid and not hollow.

GET OUT & RIDE!

RNI No. KARENG04437