Tour de Yorkshire, Cambridge...and oh yes France as well!!

[Panwearsjaune]

T minus 35 days and counting, to the Grand Depart from Leeds 5th July, with two stages in the White County, and then a third from Cambridge to the Mall in London. It's just soo exciting! It's the biggest biking event in the world, with approx 190 professional riders in about 20 teams racing across tarmac and cobbles, up mountains and down Dales and ending on 27th July on the Champs Elysee, Paris in the now traditional sprint finish there. So here's the thread to share in it all, swop info about accommodation for Tour watchers, road closures, the parcours (courses), peloton gossip, potential meet ups, tv coverage, who's got the nicest legs etc.. and everything to do with the thrills and occasional spills with the event that is a game of poker played out every day on 380 wheels. OF course if you are a newbie to all of this and are curious about the whys and hows of racing then ask and someone will pop up to answer questions. Hopefully.

So I'll depart here next with the routes of the UK 3 stages being taken so no-one gets lost and ends up in the dreaded broom wagon.

ooh. ooh. I'll be going the the Bicycle Hospital in Manchester shortly. To bring home a new delivery........

_

Ooh, has the bicycle stork been?

It's home and asleep.

It is indeed a thing of beauty and thereby a joy forever. (Keats?) Charcoal, sliver and white, beautiful profile, as light as a feather (well, quite a heavy feather as feathers go..) and looks like it just demands to be ridden fast! Which is obv a shame since I can't ever take it outside in case it gets wet. OR dusty.

Just remember - they grow up so fast! These innocent, soft new-born days and broken nights will soon be a distant memory as your baby turns into a teenager, romping round the countryside with all their friends, no matter what the weather is doing. There may be punctures, and even grazes to mar that perfect paint job skin.

Make the most of these first precious days together. Have you considered baby bike-wearing? And later, BLW (bike-led weaning wheeling)?

Too true. SDTG! bike led wheeling, very good!

I suspect I'll drop this broody stuff once I'm on the saddle getting used to the SPD clip ins and the cursing and oaths start being uttered.

Another word about Harry Hall and other independents. Yep, it was sweet and exciting and the lad I dealt with just 'got it' about buying a new bike.

Congratulations on the new arrival, Pan

Thanks DA!
Off out for a delayed Fathers' Day thing with dd and her mum. So a Spesh day all told.

and I hear some riders are going round Switzerland currently, of which know nothing.

Tony Martin still in yellow as he managed to get up the mountain today. Only one more day to go!

I'm on annual leave next week. Going cycling in the Peak District for the week and then go and see the tour on the Sunday. I just need to work out the best spot to go to. I have no idea. Roads will be closed, etc.

Pan if you love your beautiful new bike with it's pristine paint job so much had you considered learning to use your clip on pedals on someone else's bike? Otherwise I fear there will be tears before bedtime

Good idea!

I've still got toe clips. I need to borrow dh's bike and shoes (he's only a size larger than I take he's got small feet ) to try out clipless pedals before spending £60 on shoes for me.

We already have a "spare"(ish) set of SPD pedals that belong to ds. He started out on SPDs but now only uses them for cyclocross or when he does MBT training (which he hates) with his club.

I'm a bit concerned we haven't heard from him do you think he's skinned his knees and is sulking somewhere? You would never get me using clip ons, I am clumsy like a baby elephant as it is, I'd probably kill someone.

Nope, just been doing everything in life other than actually sitting on my bike. Saw a teeny bit of Tde Suiss. Hard cheese for Tony, shame but good for the superstar Costa.

erm...it isn't easy in clip-ins is it? Bloodied hand, grazed and swollen knee. Two rides, two falls.. But ensured Spesh landed on me. And what's with these paddle things? Just worked them out.
I think we call it a 'learning curve'. And 'learning road gravel'.

Really, what a surprise . You want me to go raid Cancellara's gauze supplies for you?

But riding in the drops in the pedals for those v brief times was just wow. Every movement turned the crank, and no messing. It was just stopping like Del Boy leaning against the absent bar in Only Fools and Horses that was a bit depleting of the experience. Silvain C. would looked away in horror.

Lost, thanks but no....I just needed water and a flannel. Spartacus with his Savlon and gauze is just an attention-seeking softie.

I've only tried clipless pedals on the velodrome. The fixie meant that the only way of slowing down was to slow down your pedaling and then wrench your shoulder out its joint hold on to the side wall, which gave you plenty of time to try to get your feet out the cleats.

Are you dissing Spartacus?

Nearest I've got to clip ins is in spin classes at the gym and it is very satisfying to pull up as well as push down but a bit alarming when you go very fast! I would be scared stupid using them on a bike that could fall over if I didn't get my feet down in time. Was the velodrome awesome fun though?

Velodrome was great fun: been twice, both as "birthday parties" as that was the only way that the group of mums from ds' cycling club could get time on the track.

First time I managed to get nearly to the top of the banking - the only thing that stopped me was the fact that I had a chest infection at the time and didn't trust my ability to maintain the momentum to go all the way to the top. 2nd time I got to the same height but ran out of time to go "higher".

At some point I might try and do the formal accreditation just for the challenge. :)

At least the bike is unharmed, Pan. Right priorities - I has 'em!

I saved my first cleated prat-fall for display in front of the cafe where most of the cyclists in Yorkshire congregate on a Sunday morning. THe group I was riding with helped bring it to everyone's attention by standing round me in a circle, laughing and pointing.

IF it helps, Pan, I fell off three times whilst getting used to cleats so you only have one to go.

I may now change my name to NotHannahBarnesButWishIWas

Ooops

Some pictures of the next generation of British cyclists at this year's North West Youth Tour. Ds is in there (but only I think SDTG will be able to pick him out - not sure if ivykate has been on this thread). These are the U14s - they go fast - and the U16s (which is what ds will have to race as from 1 January) go even faster

....and people wonder why I'm more concerned about his cycling than his rugby. I don't breathe a sigh of relief at the end o a rugby game in the way that I breathe a sigh of relief at the end of a cycle race that he hasn't been injured a in a crash. In fact, he was in a crash in the 3rd of the three photos and they had to restart the race. He was lucky - only had a bit of a bruise/cut to his face from his glasses - there were a few kids who had to withdraw.

S'all dangerous really, no point staying in wrapped in cotton wool though eh? Might as well do a bit of living.

This image has been making me smile today. TdF organisers, I don't think she's pushing .