India’s only lifestyle bicycle magazine
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Volume 4 Issue 3 April 15th 2016
INSIDE
SWISS SPECIALIST: Beat Zaugg, CEO SCOTT Sports SA Wheels of Time, Imphal to Shillong in the 70’s
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lusive M e Exc
ar tner aP di
Official a n
Giant Rincon LTD, Pocket friendly MTB
Cycling Federation of India
IN THIS ISSUE
Crank News Route
4 Industry News............................. 6 CFI news.....................................
Race Reports
8 Desert 500................................10 Ride to Raise.............................12 The Ultimate Cycle Ride............14 Goa triathlon................................
Feature
16 Wheels of time...........................18 Profiled, Dr. Amit Samarth........ 20 Swiss Specialist, Beat Zaugg.....
CycTech
22 Shop Talk................................ 24 Boys Toys................................ 26
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EDITOR’S NOTE The CRANK with ProCycle Team Managing Editor and Publisher Vikram K Limsay Invitee editor
Mr. Onkar Singh Bureau Head Joseph Anish
India North Bureau Ashish Sood
Marketing and Distribution Joseph Anish
anish@procycle.in, +91 97415 77884 Test Riders
Ajay Kamble Ritwik D Burman, Joseph Anish Issue contributors
Enduro Sports Goa, Mihir Shah Dr. Chongtham Narendra, Chingkhei Sapam
Hello Readers, The racing season has begun! It is exciting to see the season kickoff with races in Dubai and the legendary Paris-Nice and so many followers taking sides of their favourite riders and teams. The story here at home is no different either. With national races like the Road nationals and events like the MTB Kerala starting off the race calendar in full swing, there are many other localized race events that are newly springing up to help many cyclists start achieve their dreams.
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Speaking of dreams, we bring you an exclusive story from the distant Manupir of a young man who rode from Imphal to Shillong back in 1976 and he did it only because he dreamt it and had the guts to live realize his dream. The cycling industry is changing rapidly in India and has much to do with the consumer’s knowledge and need for better, faster and more sensible bicycles. Crank caught up with Mr. Beat Zaugg ,CEO of SCOTT Sports SA, which is a brand that has carefully attuned to these rising needs of the Indian consumer. Tune in for more next month and keep those letters coming in to feedback@procycle.in. Vikram K Limsay Managing Editor and Publisher
CFI NEWS
South Asian Games
Finish Line, Men’s Elite Criterium © SAG 2016 Sri Lankan Women’s Team © SAG 2016
12TH SOUTH ASIAN GAMES, GUWAHATI Crank CFI Bureau
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he South Asian Games is a multi-sport event. It is the regional games of the Olympic Council of Asia. Cycling events of the 12th South Asian Games were held from 6th Feb to 9th of Feb 2016 at NH 37 near Tikoni Bari on a stretch of 10 Km towards Jagi Road. Cyclists from five South Asian countries, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and India took part in the event. The event was organized in accordance with the UCI regulation under the Chief Commissaire Mr. N. Karunaratne from Sri Lanka and Mr. Amar Singh, International Commissaire from India along with 38 National Technical Officials. The races witnessed one of the biggest extravaganza on NH 37, with huge number of spectators lined up on the whole stretch of the route of 10Kms. Nerve biting finishes at speeds of up to 70 Kms/ hr in mass start events and 47 Km per hour speeds maintained by the Indian Gold medal winner Team were some of the highlights of the event. Indian Elite woman rider was the show runner with Ms. T. Bidyalaxmi Devi of Manipur, winning 03 Gold medals out of total 04 women event and all three victories in Elite Women mass start event was the best moments of cycling events. The Indian Cycling team won 06 Gold, 05 Silver & 03 Bronze
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Medals fetching us the top position amongst the 8 cycling events that took place at the Games. “This is a great sign for Indian cycling which is the result of the continuous efforts of the coaching team headed by Sh. R.K Sharma who is very optimistic of the performance of Deborah in the World Championship as well as other junior cyclists in the years to come.” said by Onkar Singh Secretary General of the CFI. He reiterated that with continuous support from the Sports Authority of India, Cycling is bound to improve upon its standard and will definitely show results in various International events in near future. Crank wishes the Indian team and Deborah all the very best at the World Championships. Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 India 6 5 2 13 2 Sri Lanka 2 2 3 7 3 Pakistan 0 1 3 4 4 Bangladesh 0 0 0 0 5 Nepal 0 0 0 0
FORMATION OF SOUTH ASIAN CYCLING FEDERATION
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South Asian Cycling Federation
uring the South Asian Games recently held at Guwahati, the members of the different Cycling Federations of South Asian countries got together with a vision to develop and share the facilities among themselves and formed the South Asian Cycling Federation. All the member felt the need to create competition among themselves so as to improve the standard of cycling in this region with a vision to create and nurture more athletes who can participate at international platforms. The meeting was held on the 9th Feb’16 at the Dichang Resort to elect the office bearers of the South Asian Cycling Federation. The meeting was attended by the representative of Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India. The representatives of Afghanistan could not make it but expressed full consent to be part of the same. Mr. Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Mr. Onkar Singh and Ms. Bani Ghosh were elected President, Secretary General and Treasurer respectively.
Formation of this Federation will further improve the reputation of the sports amongst the member nations and will deliver better guidance to the representative athletes.
NATIONAL ROAD CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIP
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he 30th road Cycling Championship was hosted by the Kerala Cycling Association in the most picturesque hills of the divine Sabrimala Temple at Pathanamthitta district. The location was carefully mapped out and chosen for presenting one of the most challenging circuit used for the National Cycling Championship. Nearly 600 cyclists from 25 states and boards vied for the top honors in this five day event. It was a nail biting competition in the men section with services claiming the top honor beating the Railways team to the second spot. In an attempt to recreate last year’s performance, in the overall championship, Karnataka was leading the host state of Kerala and proved their dominance with a total of 17 points as against Kerala’s 15 points. Lidiyamol M. Suny of Kerala dominated the individual championship with two golds in Team Time Trial & 80Km Road Race events and one Silver in 40Km Criterium. Mr. Manjit Singh of services beat his competitors to steal the Individual championship with two Gold medals in 120 Km Road Race & 60 Km Criterium events. Mr. George MLA was the Chief guest of the opening ceremony on 24th Feb while Mr. Ajay Tharrayal member of Sabrimala Devasthan Board declared the meet closed on the 27th of Feb.’16.
National Road Cycling Championship Winners Circle
Gold Silver Bronze Total Points Karnataka 8 5 4 17 Kerala 4 6 5 15 Maharashtra 4 2 1 7 SSCB 2 3 2 7 RSPB 2 2 1 5 Rajasthan 1 1 3 5 Haryana 0 2 3 5 Assam 1 0 0 1 Tamil Nadu 0 1 0 1 MP 0 0 2 2
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Ridley Noah SL Team
INDUSTRY NEWS
TI CYCLES INTRODUCES BELGIAN RIDLEY BIKES IN INDIA Crank India South Bureau
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I Cycles of India, one of the country’s largest manufacturer of cycles with brands like BSA, Hercules, Montra and their latest Mach City for commuter segment has launched the Belgium-based bicycle brand Ridley Bikes in the Indian market. The entire range of bicycles from this world-renowned brand, which includes an India-specific product portfolio created by Ridley Bikes, was introduced by Mr. Joachim Aerts, Chief Executive Officer - Ridley Bikes and Mr L Ramkumar, Managing Director Tube Investments of India, in the presence of Mr. Arun Alagappan, President - TI Cycles of India and Mr. Richard Craig Wittenberg, VP Operations - Ridley Bikes. Ridley Bikes, Belgium was established in 1990, and is today considered one of the leading innovators in Bicycle Technology in Carbon and Alloy for key segments of Road, Cyclocross and MTB. Headquartered in Paal-Beringen, Belgian Ridley Bikes is distributed in over 30 countries and is a proud sponsor of the Lotto Soudal, Cult Energy, Telnet Fedia and Sunweb Professional cycling teams. They hold numerous patents for aerodynamic design of frames and forks and have their products tested in wind tunnels and universities throughout the world. It also supports one of the leading UCI World teams Team Lotto Soudal, whose riders won 4 stages at the 2015 edition of Tour de France.
Speaking on the occasion Mr. Joachim Aerts, Chief Executive Officer - Ridley Bikes said “We are very excited to be in India. With the introduction of Ridley Bicycles to India, TI Cycles has helped us take a distinctive and progressive approach to the Indian market. Moving forward our focus will be to grow this segment in line with the needs of the Indian consumers.” Mr Arun Alagappan - President TI Cycles added “Ridley has stood for excellence in product innovation. They have been a natural partner for us to bring to our Indian customers a great new experience in cycling. With its focus on innovation and rider-centric design philosophy, we are confident that this range of cycles from Ridley will give access to Belgium’s most renowned brand to the discerning Indian cyclists.”
A total of 9 Ridley models were launched with the cycles priced upwards of INR 63000/- The India-specific range of Ridley bikes will be available in the market from the month of June 2016. In addition to these, there are 14 other high-end models which will be serviced on request from customers.
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L-R Mr. Richard Craig Wittenberg, VP Operations-Ridley Bikes, Mr. L Ramkumar, Managing Director-Tube Investments of India, Mr. Joachim Aerts, Chief Executive Officer-Ridley Bikes, Mr Arun Alagappan, President-TI Cycles
AVON CYCLES ORGANIZED CYCLOGREEN IN DEHRADUN Crank India North Bureau
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von Cycles Limited is committed to contribute towards green revolution and also to make people of the country health conscious. Cycling is the best exerceise and go places without polluting the environment. As a part of this exercise, the company has planned to organize Avon CycloGreen Rallies in different parts of the country during this year. In continuation to its efforts, this time, the company organized Avon Cyclogreen Rally on 7th February, 2016 in Dehradun, in association with the Times of India. About 1000 cyclists participated in the rally. It was raining during the event but that did not hamper the spirits of the riders.
The rally was flagged off by Major General S. Sabharwal (Indian Army Dehradun Cantonment). While addressing the participants, the major general emphasized the need for cycling. 25 Avon cycles were distributed by Mr. Dinesh Agarwal, Sports Minister, Uttarakhand as prizes to the winners of different categories. Mr. Harish Ahuja, Manager Marketing of Avon Cycles and Mr. Hardeep Singh, asst Sales Manager were present in this rally on behalf of the company. Mr. Ahuja said the efforts would continue and the company has a plan to organize such CycloGreen Rallies in other parts of the country in the near future.
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At the start line
RACE REPORT
GOA TRIATHLON 2016 Crank India West Bureau. Images by: Goa Triathlon
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oa is known for its beautiful beaches, heritage and stunning European architecture. It is a popular destination for revelry amongst Indian and foreign tourists alike. It is not a less known fact that adventure sports activities are also popular here. With a growth in such activities, it was only time until Goa got its own signature multisport event, The Goa Triathlon in affiliation with the Indian Triathlon Federation. The Goa Triathlon is organised annually by Enduro Sports Goa, a company comprising of Mr. Elias Patel a well known radio jockey, swimming instructor & lifeguard, Mr. Joseph Rodriguez 5th Dan karate sensei & vice president of Goa Cycling & Dr. Michelle Gouveia, a young radiologist with a passion for sports. This was the second edition of the event and was held at the Bambolim Beach Resort, 7 kms from Panaji, the capital of Goa. It is one of Goa’s safest & least crowded beaches, making it ideal for sea swimming. The Goa Triathlon is the only Triathlon in India to feature an open water sea swim in complete safety. The cycle and run sections were held at a freshly laid 4 lane divided highway entirely closed off to all vehicular traffic. The race was divided into 3 categories, Olympic Individual, Olympic
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Team Relay and a fresh category, Super Sprint. Each of these categories was further divided into men & women with prizes being the same for both genders. The Olympic Individual had 202 participants of which 21 were women, the Super Sprint had 58 participants of which 17 were women, 35 teams of 3 participants each also took part. The Olympic distances were standard Olympic course distances, 1.5KM Swim, 40KM Cycle & a 10KM Run. The Super Sprint distances were a quarter of the Olympic distances, 400 Meter Swim, 10KM Cycle & a 2.5KM Run. Over 50% of the athletes were serious and seen using road bikes as opposed to recreational bicycles.
In a triathlon situation, safety of the bicycles during the transitions are crucial and therefore, cycle racks were setup a day prior to the race & participants had the option of leaving their bike at the T1 staging area the previous evening, full security was provided for the same. An identical set of cycle racks were provided at Transition 2 participants were able to leave their bikes & continue their run in complete peace of mind. A large & trained volunteer group ensured the smooth functioning of the race. Two dedicated ambulances along with a group of doctors & paramedics from Manipal hospital ensured all participants were safe & looked after at all times and the Indian Army managed the 7 water stations ensuring all participants always had plenty of hydration.
Mr. Gaurav Dutta
This year saw lots of energy especially in the women’s category with star performer & winner of the women’s Individual Olympic category Nisha Madgavkar stealing the women’s race with a timing of 3:06:55. Another memorable mention is Mr. Gaurav Dutta, a leg amputee who took part & completed the Super Sprint with a timing of 1:23:38. With an increase in the number of participants this year and the addition of a new category for newer athletes goes to show that more such events should spring across the nation and until then, Goa will remain a popular destination for revellers and adventure enthusiasts alike. OLYMPIC INDIVIDUAL MEN 1st Place Pablo Erat 2nd Place Ronny Schrijvers 3rd Place Madhurjya Borah OLYMPIC INDIVIDUAL WOMEN 1st Place Nisha Madgaonkar 2nd Place Chitra Nadkarni 3rd Place Shilpa Phadke OLYMPIC TEAM 1st Place Akshay, Ganeshh, Ganesh 2nd Place Marushka, Fredsan, Fransisco 3rd Place Satish, Nikhil, Vikram SUPER SPRINT MEN 1st Place Dhiraj Sawant 2nd Place Raghunath Mali 3rd Place Amit Kadam SUPER SPRINT WOMEN 1st Place Srivani Y V 2nd Place Pritismita Baruah 3rd Place Nadia Dias
2:11:22 2:25:47 2:35:26 3:08:55 3:29:04 3:29:31 2:11:17 2:14:02 2:16:19 0:41:49 0:42:58 0:45:56 0:58:31 1:18:00 1:22:06
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Sprinting across the desert
MONTRA DESERT 500 Crank India North Bureau, Images by Desert 500
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n the foothills of massive Mehrangarh Fort lies the Blue City of Jodhpur. This magical city played host to the 3rd edition of India’s longest cross country cycling event, the Montra Desert 500 held from 26-27th February, 2016 by Velo Sportive in collaboration with Cycleit. Velo Sportive was started by likeminded riders driven by the passion to spread cycling as a serious sport and started its maiden Desert 500 in 2012. The current edition was fought over 500kms across the unhindered desert terrain in and around Jodhpur in Rajasthan, the Montra Desert 500 saw around 150 participants from across India competing in three major competitive categories - 500km, 250 km and 100 km. There was also a 50 km ride to get a taste of the concept of cycling. Montra Desert 500 Challenge, was also sanctioned as a RAAM (Race Across America) qualifier for solo riders who wish to participate in the RAAM on a separate category of an extensive and challenging track of 684kms. The RAAM qualifier race and 500 km race was flagged off on the sunny morning of 26th February. With only a handful managing to make it to the finish time within stipulated time. With the temperature fluctuating from a balmy 37 degrees during the day and a chilling 10 degrees at night and only dunes as sights to strained eyes, the riders endured parched throats and sun burnt skin with the aim to reach finish line. The passionate riders went through a treacherous route of JodhpurOsian-Phalodi-Ramdevra-Pokhran-Dechoo-Phalodi-Nagaur and back. The 684 km RAAM qualifier came with a target to complete in 28 hours whereas the 500 km race came with time challenge of 24 hrs.
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Trail Run Course
Flag Off Organized filling stations
Catching up
“The races is aimed to create awareness that cycling should be the future of the nation but also develop personal milestones in terms of sense of achievement finishing such tough races.” said Colonel Vijay Dhawan, Race Director Montra Desert 500. The event was managed by Cycleit, an organization which conducts bespoke cycling tours across India. The team ensured that riders could refuel at pit stops which were evenly placed at 25 km each and tracked them for safety and replenishment. They also provided support vehicles and ambulances to ensure safety of riders. Montra Desert 500 saw cyclists from clubs like Baroda Cyclers, Jaipur Cycling Comrades and Jodhpur Cycling Club. The event was flagged off from the picturesque Bijolai Palace Hotel at the backdrop of scenic Kaylana lake of Jodhpur.
Cooling Off
While the event saw top riders compete for the challenge, only two riders could complete the RAAM qualifier. Mumbai’s lawyer cum passionate cyclist, Mirza Saaib Beg won the 500 kms as he sprinted across the roads of Rajasthan much to the amazement of officials, fellow riders and locals alike. The 250 km race was conquered by Delhi’s Viju Vargese and Ms. Kavita in women’s category. Puneet Bagga won the challenge of 100 km. The successful run of Montra Desert 500 2016 has firmly placed cycling as a serious passion to be pursued irrespective of age and gender. With lead sponsors like Montra, T10 Sports, Gatorade, Indigo, Bisleri, Whole Foods, etc, the organisers are upbeat about taking the event to the next level in its 2017 edition to ensure some great times for the cycling fanatics across the country.
After Race revelery
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Start line
Convoy Ride
RIDE TO RAISE-FUNDRAISING CYCLING MARATHON Crank India North Bureau
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COTT Sports India, in association with Wurlee 545 & St. Jude’s NGO organized a cycling expedition for philanthropy. Wurlee 545 is a group of individuals from different walks of life consisting of senior level management, officials and doctors took up a 60 hours bicycle marathon challenge from India Gate, Delhi to Gateway of India, Mumbai covering 1492 km distance to raise 1.5cr for under privileged children fighting against Cancer. The riders, Arun Saigal, Jayesh Morvankar, Nikhil Raghavan, Abhay Nene, Neil D’Souza, Prashant Mehta, Abhishek Kini, Jaideep Khanna, Rohit Kapur, Aditya Daftary managed to raise a total of Rs. 2.5 crores at the end of the marathon. They starteed at New Delhi and rode via Jaipur, Mt. Abu, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Bandra , Worli Sea Face, Marine Drive to reach the Gateway Of India.
the cancer affected kids continue living their life normally. It currently runs 18 Centers in India across 5 cities Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Jaipur. Jaymin Shah, Country Manager, SCOTT Sports India said, “NO Shortcuts has been SCOTT’s ideology. With this ride we are doing our bit to make better life of underprivileged cancer affected kids. Throughout the next year Our SCOTT OWNER Club bike rides will help raise funds for St Jude’s. We are extremely supportive of the team at Wurlee545 who gave us the opportunity to partner on this superb initiative.” For more information visit: www.scott-sports.com For more information visit: http://www.stjudechild.org/
SCOTT Sports India was the bike support partner of this charity ride and helped cyclists with premium bicycles for their ride, each costing around 2.0 lakhs. Bicycles used by Wurlee 545 will be later auctioned and the profits will be donated to St. Jude, cancer affected child care NGO that works for the betterment of children suffering from cancer to fight against it and lead a healthy and happy life irrespective of economic status. The nonprofit organization provides hygienic, protective, high quality holistic care for young cancer fighters and ensures that
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Celebrations
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Early start
THE ULTIMATE CYCLE RIDE-2016 Crank India West Bureau, Image credits: The Ultimate Cycle Ride, Mihir Shah
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he fitness capital of India, Mumbai has been known for hosting and creating amny pioneerign sporting events and has since held its helm with many newer events being added for beginners and amateurs to prove their efforts on a platform. The participations at these events have risen in great numbers over the years and can be used to propagate awareness on many social issues. On March 6th 2016 the Humanitarian Welfare and Research Foundation(HWARF) hosted its Annual 44KM Cyclothon “The Ultimate Cycle Ride - 2016” at Carter Road - Bandra, Mumbai. This year, the cyclothon invited participants to drawing attention and spread awareness on Safety & Security for girls and Women.
All the winners were felicitated by the chief guest Respected Mrs. Snehal Ambekar - Mumbai Mayor. Post the award distribution ceremony, 12 extra ordinary Women identified by HWARF were felicitated for their dedication and commitment to the society by respected Mayor Mrs. Ambekar. This year’s edition of The Ultimate Cycle Ride 2016 was made possible by the following sponsors – the hap store™, R1 Radiance Lights Pvt. Ltd, BVG MEMs, Mumbai City Amateur Cycle Association, Bharat Cycle Co., IOX Fashion Club, Baked 4 u & Daily Crayons. Winner’s Circle
This year’s event brought together more than 250 enthusiasts & cyclists from all over the state. The event was flagged off by Christine - Founder & Trustee of HWARF on 6:45am. This year, the Men’s Open category award went to Dhiren who completed the 44KM ride in thumping 49 minutes 51 seconds. Second Prize went to 49 year old Kerman Framna and Third to Meherzad Irani. Ride Category Men’s Open winners were Amar Patel, Sachin Gurav & Ninad Pednekar capitalizing 1, 2, 3 positions respectively. Ride Category Women’s Open winners 1st Prize went to Pritali Shinde, 2nd Prize Madhura Waykar, 3rd Meena Barot. Ride Category Women’s MTB winners were Chaitali Milind Shildankar, Yamini Satendra Khairnar & Pranjali Chandrabhan Patole with 1, 2, 3rd positions respectively. Group riding Enthusiasm Documentation
Prize distribution by Mayor, Mrs. Snehal Ambekar Chuggging along Overjoyed
Pacing away
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Altus 8 speed RD
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1YEAR ` 720 12 ISSUES at 40% OFF the cover price DELIVERED TO YOUR DOORSTEP PLUS some surprise goodies along the way To subscribe, mail a cheque in favour of ‘PROCYCLE AND SPORTS INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED’ to our corporate office (address below) along with your details or drop by one of the ProCycle showrooms (adresses below) and pay cash. For queries, call Joseph Anish on +91 97415 77884 or email anish@procycle.in Showroom: l Indiranagar - #226, 1st Main Road, Service Road, Domlur 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bangalore - 560071. Tel: +91 98802 16064 l 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 l Sanjaynagar - #126, 80ft Road, RMV 2nd Stage, Ashwath Nagar, Bangalore - 560094 Corporate Office: Indiranagar - 226, 1st floor, 1st Main Road, Domlur, 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bengaluru - 560071. Tel: +91 80 41161902
FEATURE
WHEELS OF TIME Chongtham Narendra, Photographs and additional content from Chingkhei Sapam
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s. 1.5/-, 4.5/-, 20/- and 50/-are not amounts of money that four cyclists should be holding on to in their pockets when embarking on a journey from Imphal, Manipur to Shillong, Assam. But that was what presently 63 year old PhD holder in Law, Dr. Chongtham Narendra and his friends had with them back in 1976 when they embarked on their journey on steel frame bicycles. Long distance cycling in India has gained popularity over the last few years and Crank brings you path and sweat breaking stories of such long distance cyclists. Our friend from Manipur, Chingkhei Sapam who runs Noren Cycles and Adventure Gear at Imphal told us about Dr. Narendra’s story, we found it compelling for you to read and understand their struggles and glories from their ride.
At Mao Gate with OC Mr. Chaoba and tourists
Dr. Narendra was born in 1953 to a family of 13 siblings to an athlete father and was a youngster bumbling with dreams and the energy and more importantly, the will to do what it takes to achieve his dreams. He narrates the story of making it a habit out of chasing his dreams. I have always been fascinated about the concept of how two wheels stay upright and how the bicycle is one of the most fascinating inventions of mankind. I learned cycling like any other kid, “scissor style” by putting one leg through the frame triangle on a big cycle like Raleigh or Humber. In my opinion, a boy becomes strong and has lot of energy during the age of 17- 21 years. This led me to try and find out the outlet for the energy that kept me up at night. My other passion was to travel and see the beauty that mother earth has to offer and a cost effective way of achieving that was to use a bicycle as my mode of transport. Since the day I got my first bicycle, an Avon roadster at Rs. 120/- in 1969 I rode it like a mad man in and around Imphal. I had travelled farther than Imphal completing 50kms in under 3 hours and rides up to 150kms on Sundays. Inspiration was easy to come by with stories of other long distance and professional riders and in some occasions mockery from one of them when I expressed a desire to ride out on my Avon bicycle on similar long rides. In our locality there were two bicycle mechanic Thangjam Chandramani and Laishram Khogen. As a way of preparing myself for what I wanted to do, I spent a lot of time with them and learnt enough about bicycle maintenance and repair.
Dr. Chongtham Narendra
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In late 1975, my father’s departure devastated me and his fond memories helped me realize that this is the time I should start my journey. A close friend, Mr. Maisnam Lekhendra and I charted the map from Imphal, Manipur to Shillong via Nagaland and Guwahati in Assam covering more than 800 km with steep climbs. Our sponsorship requests fell to deaf ears of bicycle stores and even the then Sports minister. The only help came from our mechanic who refitted my hubs, freewheels and gave me a new tube and new Goodyear tyre for free even though they had little for themselves. Two other friends joined us Mr. Ch. Rajen and Mr. Y. Meghajit. We decided to leave early so that no one would see us leave and make fun of us or discourage us which had already become a demotivating factor up until now. I had only Rs. 1.5 , Lekhendra had 4.5, Meghajit had 20 and Rajen had 50. Day before the start we soaked channa and packed some 4-5 blocks of jaggery. We also carried some tools and sharp knifes with us since we would be crossing jungles. We set out on a rainy morning of 25th October 1976. From suffering the rains to one of the riders dropping off in 5kms into the ride and breaking freewheels we dared our first day out and stopped for some good lunch while fixing the broken freewheel. Another 80kms later along the ghats of Imphal, another rider Meghajit fainted and decided not to continue along. We found some teachers who helped us by giving food and place to sleep. After a rather adventurous start to our ride, we decided to hit the Mao Gate, the last check point of Manipur state and the border to Nagaland. Mao was not a welcoming location and we
Letter from Nowgong District Assam
had to ride straight to the police station to escape a mob that was attacking us. The Officer In Charge, Mr. Chaoba was excited to learn that two young boys were traveling from Imphal to Shillong. He arranged for lunch, encouraged us to carry on and even offered us security from the mob. A 100kms later, we had entered Nagaland and took rest at my cousin’s home who was a commandant of Nagaland Armed Police, at Sath Mile near Dimapur, Nagaland. The next day’s journey did not start well with Lekhendra’s bicycle breaking a freewheel. The Bengali mechanic who helped us fix it not only guaranteed his work, but also gave us a valuable tip of buying bananas and using it to wade off elephants that we were bound to encounter along the Assam highway. Memories from the ride
Letter from the Maipuri association of Nowgong district
Following his advice and steady pedaling along the hills, we reached Garampani, enjoyed our bath and headed for Numaligarh. This is when the journey turned out to be a spiritual awakening for me. It was Kali puja that day and by evening when we were about to reach Numaligarh, we stopped on a bridge to see a line of boats lit with diyas cross under us. The sight made us want to go with them. The beauty and spirituality that filled us made us consider our journey a blessed one. We stayed at a Manipuri person’s home Mr. Laishram Thambal who was a truck owner. Many of the sections were roads under construction and we were riding on gravel and soft sands, maintaining control was very important as worng moves would have us tumbling along the sides of hills. The fork of my bicycle had developed a crack and since we had no money to set up a new one, we utilized bamboo branches and bandaged the fork to continue our journey. There was no real plan to most of our journey. We would eat what we could and stay wherever we found invite to stay at. Along our journey, places like the Nogaoan polytechic college hostel and Guwahati university are hold find memories for giving us place at their hostels to stay, organizing a seminar to introduce or efforts to the students there and giving our tired souls and minds nourishment and encouragement to carry on
The letter from BC Das of Guwahati University
with our objective. We received letters and certificates of appreciation from the administration here and are really all that we have as records of our epic journey. Our journey would have been futile if we hadn’t met the people we did and the help we received from complete strangers who offered us places to rest, food to eat and great conversations. Our journey is, in a way dedicated to these people, like the students at the Nogaoan polytechic college whom we ensured to meet even on our way back, Mr. Sanajaoba Naurya who was the faculty of Law at the Guwahati University who stayed back to welcome us despite the Puja holidays and even took us to the Assam Tribune’s office to get us interviewed. Dr. B.C Das, Guwahti University’s Director of Students who certified our journey in his letter. And more importantly to officer Chaoba of Mao without whose support and encouragement, we would have abandoned our journey on the second day itself. What I had learned and what I will never forget is that every pedal stroke I made from the day I learned to bicycle till today, is that bicycling has changed my life in manifold. It has given me a way to my discover myself. I have lived my dream to travel and see places, connect with people from different places. And yet, I will always be fascinated about the bicycle, the two wheels that turns a person into an engine Dr. Chongtham Narendra (phd. Law)
CRANK with ProCycle APRIL 15TH, 2016
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At a Scott Dealer’s Showroom
SWISS SPECIALIST, BEAT ZAUGG Crank Exclusive
W
ith international racing and technological accolades under its belt, SCOTT Sports S. A is one of the fastest growing cycling and sporting goods company in the world. During his recent visit to India, we caught up with Mr. Beat Zaugg, CEO, SCOTT Sports S.A for an exclusive interview where he delves into the unique business strategy, making riders, the Made for India series bicycles, growth in India and of course his riding habits. Excerpts below. Scott has established itself as the leading international Cycling brand in India. Your view about the Indian market and SCOTT’s plans for the future. I visited India 5 years ago in 2011 and since then I feel that the Indian market has grown by leaps and bounds. The Bike shops have upgraded themselves in terms of knowledge and the quality of products and services offered to the Indian cyclist have gone up quite a few notches. We at SCOTT follow the Indian market very keenly and are committed to the India for the long term. We have established the infrastructure required to launch our other divisions such as Running and Motorsports in addition to the Cycling Division which is progressing as per plan. Your strategy of a direct entry rather than through distributors. What was the thought behind this decision? Part of the “No Shortcuts” culture?
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No Shortcuts is the SCOTT way of doing things. A Direct Entry was the only way ahead for us as we wanted to be in control of our own future. This was largely made possible by the team in India led by Jaymin executing our plans to the tee. We want to engage with the Indian consumer in a more meaningful manner and the only way to do so is to have our own operations in an important country like India. Two India specific products have been launched recently and well received. The Aspect 655i and the Metrix 20. Is it a global strategy to think local or is it very specific to India? We understand that the needs and demand for every market are very unique. For e.g. in Europe almost 50% of bikes sold today are E Bikes. That might not be the case in emerging markets like India where we need to focus on 1st bike experience for our consumers. Hence Products like Aspect 655i and the Metrix 20 are targeted to the 1st time buyers who want to get introduced to the SCOTT brand without breaking their bank. A very successful future stars program run by Scott in India. What is the key to nurturing more World Champion cyclists like Nino? Yes we believe that if provided the right kind of support Indian cyclists can perform at the top most level of World Cycling. Hence
it is important to nurture talent at a very young age. Nino today has a fantastic support team and that helps him to perform at the highest level consistently. Our endeavour through our Future Stars Program is to provide that kind of support that enables an athlete to perform and give it his best without worrying about equipment and financial resources required to follow his passion. Any manufacturing plans out of India in future? Our Prime Minister is pushing the “Make in India� program aggressively. We are exploring our friendships with a couple of Indian manufacturers to explore the possibility of manufacturing in India for the local market as well as for exports to other countries through such a manufacturing tie up. The Indian government is creating a platform and opportunities that Global companies like ours must surely take advantage of. What is a key trend to watch out for that indicates that the market is maturing?
A very Indian Welcome at one of the Scott Dealers
I think the Indian market has progressed on the right path. Each market is unique in that sense and each market has different milestones that it can achieve towards being a mature market. Hence there is no one master indicator that the market has matured. Lastly, we know you are a busy man, but when you get the time, what do you ride and what are your favourite destinations?
In coversation with the team L-R Vikram Limsay, Managing Editor, Crank, Beat, Jaymin Shah, Country head India, Scott, Ajay Kamble, Operations Head, ProCycle, Sriram, Product speialist
I like riding on weekends but I always like going cycling on uphill routes. I like suffering on the bike as then doing business in multiple markets feels easy. My favourite routes are in the Swiss Alps near my residence and the Italian countryside by the beautiful lakes. Any plans of riding in Indian traffic? I was actually keen to do so this time around but with all the travelling that I have had to do in India in my 3 days here have left me with no time. But I have promised the team at SCOTT India that we will go cycling the next time I am here in India. We wish Mr. Beat Zaugg and the dedicated team at SCOTT Sports a very good luck in their endeavours and hope to see more of him and his team in India.
CRANK with ProCycle APRIL 15TH, 2016
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PROFILED
DR. AMIT SAMARTH Crank India West Bureau
B
eing a health enthusiast is one thing, coaching and inspiring more people to take up the healthy lifestyle is a more noble approach. And that is the goal of Dr. Amit Samarth from
Nagpur.
Amit is a public health professional, endurance athlete and the director and founder of ProHEALTH Foundation. He is a doctor by profession and holds a masters in Public Health from Johns Hopkins School of public health. As an endurance athlete he has finished more than 100 half marathons, 7 full marathons, 8 Ironmans, 2 brevets and is a black belt holder in Taekwondo. Some of his biggest victories include 40th place at the international Phuket Ironman 70.3 in 2012, Ironman 70.3, Chennai in 2014 and 200kms brevet ride in under 7 hours. In his efforts to popularize a healthy lifestyle and give more reasons for people to take it up, Amit has utilized his platform of ProHEALTH to found races and events like the Tanjore Marathon, Nagpur 10k run, Hubbali 10k. Dr. Amit Samarth has his latest endeavour in these efforts, the Nagpur Duathlon scheduled for mid March bringing the first of its kind multisport event to the quaint town of Nagpur. A country like India where the lifestyle changes towards lethargy are more widespread, people like Amit are paving the way to a more healthy living and that is the need of the hour for our country.
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CRANK with ProCycle APRIL 15TH, 2016
At the Phuket Ironman
Giant Rincon LTD 2016
BICYCLE FEATURE
s. MRP R
/24500
GIANT RINCON LTD 2016 Crank Technical Bureau
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hen you are out in the market for a bicycle, you have to consider how much of a hole you are willing to let it burn in your pocket. Fret not for the world’s largest manufacturer of bicycles, Giant Bicycles has launched the most economic MTB from a global brand in the Indian market yet. The Giant Rincon LTD, 2016 Deriving from its older brother, the Rincon LTD (LTD stands for Limited) holds the same frame design, structure and integrity that the Giant Rincon Disc’s pedigree holds. The components however are more beginner friendly. The 6061 Giant proprietary Aluxx frame has been coated with a detailed black and pearl mix paint job with orange highlight decals just like the more featured Rincon Disc. Since this isn’t about the Rincon Disc that already enjoys the high school sweetheart status, let us talk about what the Rincon LTD has to offer. The bicycle is what the Giant Revel 3 was to the Indian market last year, a beginner’s multi terrain bicycle that a lot of new riders preferred for its affordability, product refinement, component selection and the ride comfort it offered but available at a much affordable price tag. About Rs. 2000/- cheaper. Taking into consideration the components used on the Rincon LTD it is also an easy to own bicycle. It has the good old standard
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CRANK with ProCycle APRIL 15TH, 2016
Three Chain Ring MTB Crank
New 7 Speed Shimano Tourney
Comfortable Saddle
Efficient V-Brake set up Frame geometry of the Rincon Disc
Front Suspension
Unique Handle Grip
Multi Terrain Tyres
26” wheels. Spare tyres, tubes and maintenance of which are easily available across any bicycle store. Speaking of tubes, the tubes have a Schrader valve which allows you to fill air anywhere a motorcycle or a car’s tyres can get air at. The Rincon LTD has Giant’s Gravel rolling tyres and a sufficient front suspension manufactured in-house by Giant to keep its control abilities high across the varied terrains one might want to start riding on. The braking is taken care of by linear pull braking system with Tektro brake pads. One of the most compelling factors that influence a new buyer is the appearance of the bicycle and the black and orange theme makes that aspect effortless on the buyer. Aspects like the Giant branded tyres, saddle and seat post add to the bicycle’s blended appearance and colour factor. Another eye catching feature is the Dalmatian patterned Giant branding on the
handle bar grip. Drivetrain set up includes a 42T Prowheel 3 Speed Crankwheel and a 7 speed Shimano freewheel at the rear, both shifting duties taken care of by Shimano derailleurs, the new Shimano Tourney at the rear. The components aside, what really makes this bicycle pocket friendly is the fact that at its price of Rs. 24,500/- the kick stand and a bell are already included and fitted on the bicycle, which in most other close competitors from global brands are accessories that come at an additional cost. Crank gives the Giant Rincon LTD 2016 an AHT (Average Head Turning) Factor of 8 out of 10.
CRANK with ProCycle APRIL 15TH, 2016
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LUMO Bermondsey Backpack
SHOP TALK
LUMO womens Regents Parka
LUMO Illuminated Cycling Clothing
LUMO-CYCLE CLOTHING aniSh, Images by Fred Coppin
W
ith the philosophy that cyclists don’t just dress for their commute on the bicycle but also for their destination. LUMO Clothing from London launches a range of clothing, jackets and backpacks.
Talking on the inspiration for the LUMO range, founder Lucy Bairner says, “Cycling in London is like playing a game of Snakes and Ladders. Whilst riding a bike in a city certainly has its challenges, we believe there is simply no better feeling than the freedom you get from getting around on two wheels. The London Collective is inspired by, and in some cases, made in the capital. The look of the garments has been very much influenced by classic British designs, with cutting edge technology subtly integrated for less snakes, more ladders. The launch video is called ‘#freedomofthecity: London’ and aims to showcase the city as well as our new collection.” Riding through the cities presents visibility as a challenge. Fixing lights on the bicycle solves that issue but has you clamping them on and off every time you park the bicycle. LUMO’s design philosophy was to make cycle clothing non fluorescent. “After I was knocked off my bike yet was still too vain to wear fluorescent clothing came the realisation that city cyclists don’t just dress for
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CRANK with ProCycle APRIL 15TH, 2016
our journey, we dress for our destination too. We gave up our jobs and set out to design garments that would make cyclists more visible on their bike yet allow them to step straight off it into a business meeting or nice restaurant.” Said Doug Bairner, Co founder of LUMO. The jackets and bags contain ultra high brightness LED strips on both the front and back, subtly hidden within the construction of the design. The lights are visible from 400 metres away and their placement has been deliberate to ensure they’re visible regardless of riding position. The LEDs are waterproof and washable and are powered by a removable USB-rechargeable battery unit that is tucked away in a small inside pocket. The jackets use Schoeller® fabrics to deliver water-resistance, dirt repellence and breathability and the waterproof bags are made from a hardy waxed cotton from Halley Stevensons. The jackets are also packed with cycling-friendly features like dropped hems, inner cuffs, stretch shoulder panels and lots of useful zipped and magnet closure pockets, and the bags come with an inner laptop sleeve. What more could the style conscious urban cyclist ask for? Cycling is all about utility and the products from LUMO spell utility in every feature of theirs.
BOYS’ TOYS
CANNONDALE IQ 200, RS. 1820 Wireless, simple design and economically priced and the familiar Cannondale logo on it. This computer is an economic option for wireless computers. It has 11 functions ranging from current, average and maximum speeds as well as speed comparisons, and also provides trip distance as well as a trip and 12 or 24 hour clock. It comes with a calorie consumption estimator. In addition there is an auto on/off function and two power-saving modes.
SYNCROS COMPOSITE BOTTLE CAGE, RS. 620 Meant for people looking out for performance light weight bottle cages. It has a design outlook similar to the professional bottle cages. With the black matte finish It also has a few colour options to match up to your bicycles. The material used is a Nylon and Glass Fiber composite. The long arms positioned higher makes bottle retention simple and strong.
INNOVATION RELIABILITY REDEFINED EUROPE’S LEADING BICYCLE BRAND, NOW HITS INDIAN ROADS!
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Advanced technology & unique designs of CRONUS and pan India network of AVON have come together to take cycling experience to a new level. Adventure now has a brand new route.
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