ISSUE 3 VOL 2 APRIL 15TH 2014

INSIDERACING AGAINST TIME

SCOTT ASPECT 750 REVIEWED1936 RALEIGH ROADSTER SUPERBE

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04 Racing Against Time

08 Taipei Bike Show

10 Reflections from the Road

12 ProCycle Profiled

13 Scott Aspect 750 Reviewed

16 Firestorm 2014

18 Down Memory Lane

22 Cascade Fluid Trainers

22 A Dream Realised

26 Boys Toys

IN THIS ISSUE

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16

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26

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Hello Readers!

First off, wishing you ladies a wonderful Womens’ Year (since a day just isn’t enough). While it seems to be all about candy and cake, we do believe that more women riding bikes is a sign of empowerment and that is the true foundation of change. To commemorate the issue (and because she is just insanely inspiring) the cover goes to Shusanah Pillinger - Great Britain’s Ladies Ultratriathlon Champion, who made the Deccan Cliffhanger a training run for her attempt to conquer the Race Across America this year. We wish her well.

Speaking of the Deccan Cliffhanger, Divya Tate - a formidable lady in her own right, reports what went down between Pune and Goa.

We turn back the clock and ogle at a stately gentleman from the past. A 1936 Raleigh Roadster Superbe graces our pages and we marvel at the technology that moved nations back then. Back to our age, we review the 2014 Scott Aspect 750 - a hardtail with 27.5” wheels that won’t break the bank. Then we join Arjun Jois as he reflects upon his experiences on the snow-bitten roads of Europe.

All this and more, in this issue of CRANK with ProCycle. Turn the page and read.

Then get out and ride!

Editor

The CRANK with ProCycle Team

Publisher and Managing Editor Vikram Limsay

Editor Rahul K Thomas

Technical Editor Nilesh Dhumal

West Zone Bureau Divya Tate

Bike Testers Ajay Kamble

Ritwik D Burman

Contributions by Subhankar Dey, Arjun Jois, Julien Duval, Arjun

Varma, Anil Uchil, Ridhi Jain, K Guru Prasad Ajay Kamble, Ajit Kumar

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Cover Shusanah Pillinger battling the climb near

Panchgani. Image by Subhankar Dey

Rear Cover The ProCycle car battles through traffic

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HEYA!

2 CRANK with ProCycle APRIL 15TH, 2014

4 CRANK with ProCycle APRIL 15TH, 2014

FEATURE

The Giant-Starkenn Deccan Cliffhanger a 643 km Ultra Race, started early in the morning from the Giant Sprint cycling world at the confluence of 2 rivers in Pune city. In a way the event too, was the coming together of 2 worlds, a nascent Indian Ultra cycling community just learning how long the Road to RAAM (Race Across America) really is, and an elite athlete from UK, representing the degree of preparedness one needs, to be able to achieve RAAM. 10 riders attempted the race which was a RAAM Qualifier for Solo Participants that completed the course within 32 or 34 hrs, depending on age and gender. 3 men in the 50+ age group, 1

woman and 6 men in the open age group started the ride with their crews in support vehicles outfitted with all they will need, for the entire duration of the race.

The route went over 2 small ridges, Katraj and Khambatki before ascending 12 KM to Panchgani, and continuing to roll upwards to Mahabaleshwar. The elevation gain changes the climate just enough to support the growth of Strawberries, and participants found themselves pedalling past heaps of fresh strawberries being sold on the wayside. A refreshing sight to hot and thirsty riders; most signalled to their crew to grab some while they rode on looking forward to the next break.

In addition to the Solos there were 4 teams participating in the RAAM style relay event. 9 men and 3 women raced in mixed and all men teams of 2, 3 and 4 persons, taking turns riding, crewing, driving or relaxing in the support vehicle. Having succumbed to the

temptation of riding as a relay team just days before the event, my team and I gave ourselves the moniker ‘The bald and the Beautiful’ and set out to have fun, ensuring that the all important team t-shirts were ready in time! All teams enjoyed the climb, sharing the climbing, allowing a partner to take over just as one started to burn out, and then sitting back in the support vehicles to enjoy the view.

The Mahabaleshwar Range saw the first 2 casualties of the race. Kunal Gupte of Nasik who had had the misfortune of going off-route in the early part of the race withdrew at Mahableshwar. The other casualty was an unpleasant crash to a strong contender from

RACING AGAINST TIMEby Divya Tate

Shusanah Pillinger hits Panchgani. Image courtesy Subhankar Dey

Dr Mahendra Mahajan starting for uplclimb after a quick bite at satara control point. Image courtesy Subhankar Dey

Pune, Hiren Patel who was going very strong till then, skidded on the slope going down to Satara, right in front of his horrified crew. Taken swiftly down to Satara for treatment by his crew and the Official vehicles he was found to have no broken bones but was definitely unable to continue.

Attending to Hiren put an additional pressure on the Backpack Outdoors teams of officials led by Mayur Khivasara, who had to wrap up at the rear end of the race and chase down the route to stay ahead of Shusanah Pillinger, the UK RAAM 2014 contender. Setting up control points along the route along with Union Bank’s

local networks, both parties spent 6-12 hours at some controls greeting riders and their crews with smiles and refreshments. The route saw rolling terrain after Kolhapur with a few small hill climbs to add to the challenge. The brothers from Nasik Hitendra and Mahendra Mahajan found the rolling terrain set them back with respect to their plans, and it was here in Belgaum that another rider in the 50+ category, Arun Thipsay of Pune, quit.

Late into the night as solo riders and their crew members tired and stopped for breaks they passed each other on the last stretch to Dharwad. Prashant Tidke who broke 2 ribs 2 days before the race

The start point at Giant Store

Strawberries at Mahableshwar. Image courtesy Divya Tate

Ila Patil of team Bald and Beautiful on the last stretch along Mandovi river. Image courtesy Subhankar Dey

but decided valiantly to race anyway was suffering acidity from the pain killers when our team passed him. The last control on NH4 was at Dharwad, where Gyanendra and his crew took a small break in the wee hours of the night before continuing. The teams were faring better, with the 3 Men team of GreenSpeed and the 4 Men team of Wheels of Fire riding well ahead of the bunch by this time.

After this point the route left the highway to turn onto a country road rolling steadily upwards through fields and later dense forest as it headed toward the escarpment between the Deccan and the Konkan. This part of the route had a long stretch of road that was in a terrible condition, having deteriorated to a rock strewn mess, making this race a truly Indian style adventure race. Though these conditions had been factored into the calculation of timing it was perhaps the hardest part of the ride for the solo riders, facing this bone shattering stretch of road after over 500 kms of riding. Fortunately the road conditions became good as the descent started to the second last control at the end of the Forest section on the border of Goa. Here my team finally caught up with Karthik Padmanabhan of Chennai who looked rather displeased at having had to navigate the bad stretch of road, on what must surely have been a very sore bottom!

The riders had to call on their last reserves to overcome the last 50 kms to Gandhi Circle. Rolling terrain, with a few challenging climbs

in the heat of the day made this final stretch gruelling. In spite of this and their exhaustion from 600 kms of riding 4 solo riders Hitendra, Mahendra, Prashant and Gyanendra raced each other in this last segment to finish within minutes of each other, followed almost immediately by the 2 person mixed appropriately named the ‘Finishers’. Only Sundaram Narayanam of Goa followed, finishing an hour later. Racing ended at Gandhi Circle but the route continued from there to Miramar Circle along the Mandovi River giving riders a chance to finally enjoy the ride and the sight of the Indian Ocean!

The team event was thoroughly enjoyable, with teams trying out different tactics to get better timings. With competition, hopefully the next edition will see teams fine tuning their strategy. The solo race saw Shusanah Pillinger finish in under 27 hrs, well ahead of her competition. With her RAAM attempt coming up, her intention

Rakesh Patel blowing past anything slower than 40km/h. Image courtesy Subhankar Dey

Arun Thipsay. Image courtesy Subhankar Dey

at the Deccan Cliffhanger had been to get some heat training and to test a structured nutrition and hydration plan that she will be applying in RAAM. Minimising her off- saddle time to just about 2 hours in the entire race, it was the efficiency with which she and her crew planned her race that made the difference.

Karthik Padmanabhan finished 3 and half hours later to come second overall and first in his category. While another small group of riders have become RAAM Qualified it is important to remember that RAAM qualified is not an indication of RAAM capability. It is just a beginning; becoming RAAM capable will take a lot more time and preparation. The first edition of the Giant Starkenn Deccan Cliffhanger was a great experience for Ultra cyclists in India to interact directly with a RAAM contender. Crew members, who play a crucial role in supporting this activity also got a great opportunity to contribute and learn, some for their own future participation. The event ended with an interactive chat with Shusanah on understanding how to plan and prepare for an event as demanding as Race Across America.

Shusanah Pillinger

Whilst the UK was being swamped with flood water and battered by strong winds, I was looking for a location to see how I would handle riding in the heat, in preparation for my attempt at Race Across America in June. I’d always wanted to travel to India and when the opportunity arose,

after a fortuitous conversation with Divya Tate, I jumped at the chance to combine a training exercise with the experience of seeing India close-up. I had no idea that there was such a strong cycling community across the country and was privileged to have been accepted into their midst. Everyone I met was welcoming, enthusiastic and passionate about their cycling. I won the Deccan Cliffhanger thanks to a very capable crew who I would now call friends. I’d like to extend the welcome to my fellow cyclists, should they find themselves in the UK. I can be contacted through my Facebook page Shusanah Pillinger - The Road to RAAM.

Karthik working out those 105s. Image courtesy Subhankar Dey

Mahendra Mahajan at Mahabaleshwar control point. Image courtesy Subhankar Dey

Kunal Gupte of Nashik a 50+ contender. Image courtesy Subhankar Dey

The Bald and the Beautiful!

WHAT’S HOT

This year the Taipei International Cycle Show (Taipei Cycle) re-united with its mother event the Taipei International Sporting Goods Show (TaiSPO) after nearly 22 years. From the 5th to the 8th of March, all bicycling roads led to the Taipei World Trade Center. 5,000 booths, 1,111 exhibitions and 80,000 square meters means a lot of action indeed.

The highlight of the event was the 3rd Taipei Cycle d&i awards for innovation and design in the cycling industry, presented by Tony Lo, chairman of the TBEA and CEO of Giant.

With nearly 200 entries from 16 countries vying for recognition, only 5 received the prestigious Gold Awards. Ghost took one home for its jaw-droppingly hot AMR RIOT Lector with its innovative suspension design and ‘disconnect’ brake mount. The design ensures that the rear shock compresses from both sides (not just one way) with Ghost claiming this adds a whole new dimension to trail riding. In addition to this, the brake mount is attached directly to the X12 axle ensuring the suspension is active even during braking.

Gigantex took another Gold for its beyoooootiful Equinox Miracle carbon road wheelset. Darfon (yes it is spelt right) Bikes won a gold for their ‘Panther PS1’ e-bike which is a full-suspension carbon-framed bike with smart modes, display and plenty of bells and whistles to prove you’re really eco-friendly. The other two were won by Oyama Bicycles for a ‘360-degree lock folding stem’ and InterLock for an integrated seatpost lock.

2014 TAIPEI INTERNATIONAL CYCLE SHOW

The d&i winners. Darfon’s PS1 on the left and the Ghost AMR RIOT Lector on the right

KTM’s bicycle range. Wonder when India’ll get these.

The coolest apparel in the bike industry!8 CRANK with ProCycle APRIL 15TH, 2014

FAR FROM HOME

10 CRANK with ProCycle APRIL 15TH, 2014

Readers will remember our mate Arjun Jois from a few issues ago. He’s the restless soul who has cycled across continents and now plies his trade as a ‘bike butler’ in Zurich. Well, the restlessness caught up with him again and he set off on a 6-nation tour on his bike. He decided that the usual tour story wasn’t quite in order here. Here are his reflections from the road-less-travelled in a few snapshots.

Duration: 3 Weeks Countries: 6 - Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia & Italy. Route: Vienna (Austria) - Bratislava (Slovakia) - Budapest (Hungary) - Zagreb (Croatia) - Ljubljana (Slovenia) - Trieste (Italy) Distance: 900 km

When you are on a holiday, you want to think that you will enjoy every moment of it, or at least most of it and live as intensely as you can. Well I found the theory to be true during my previous bike rides, but not this time. This time I came to the realisation that one need not enjoy every moment of a ride. In fact, its pretty hard when most days on the bike are cold and icy. Riding through the middle of nowhere, passing through ghost towns, negotiating snow, wind and sleet was pretty much the order of the day. Where is the fun in that?

HE CAME BACK FOR A BAG OF PASTA? Verazdin, Croatia

I was a bit lost finding my way to the old road to Zagreb and at some point spotted a supermarket and stopped to ask for directions. I noticed a man standing outside the supermarket but he did not speak any English. I was still standing with my bike next to me when a man stormed out of the supermarket.

He was dashing for his car when I made eye contact and stopped him. He came next to me and by then I had already flipped out my map. He spoke a little English and directed me to the old road to Zagreb. It seemed as though he was in a hurry as he rushed to his car. I started cycling in the direction I was shown and hoped that the road signs from there on would be clear enough. It must have been 5-10 minutes since I had started from the supermarket when I heard a motorist honk at me from the back. Then I realised that it was the same bloke who had give me the directions at the supermarket. He motioned for me to stop and when I did, he casually picked up a packet of pasta from the back of my bicycle where my tent and sleeping bag were bungeed to the back rack.

I was flabbergasted. I had been cycling the last 10 minutes with a bag of pasta on the back of my bike!

ALL YOU NEED TO SAY IS ‘HELLO’ Zagreb, Croatia

I was about to leave Zagreb and was indulging on my last chocolate pancake, when I was greeted by a cyclist and his kid on bikes. We

REFLECTIONS FROM THE ROADby Arjun Jois

Arjun in Zagreb, Croatia. Image courtesy Julien Duval

had a short conversation about cycling and Max advised me to go to Samobor, a small town outside Zagreb. Max even called his friends in Samobor preparing them to expect me in a few hours. Max had cycled from Zagreb to London a few years ago and he even recommended a bicycle route for me to take in Slovenia all the way to Ljubjana.

Samobor happened to be a pretty exciting stop over as it was a pretty town. Max had recommended the youth hostel and when I arrived, they were even expecting me. I got a royal welcome from them and enjoyed a pleasant stay at the youth hostel.

DRAMA AT THE BORDER CROSSING TO SLOVENIA Croatia-Slovenia Border

I had chosen a traffic free road to cross the border from Croatia to Slovenia at Bregano. I arrived and the official stopped and asked me for my documents. I showed him my Swiss residence permit, but he shook his head and asked for my passport and the moment he saw my Indian passport, he started to shake his head vigorously and by then I gathered that he did not speak even a word of English. Now I knew my rights and was entitled to enter Slovenia with a Swiss residence.

By then 3-4 cars had lined up behind me and I tried asking whether anyone spoke English, but not one driver even lowered a window. That’s human nature for you! By then the official stormed towards me shouted at me and amidst the barrage of words I picked up a few key words - 1km immigration and his gesture indicated a big place. Off I went in search of it.

In about 10 minutes I noticed a massive immigration post but the trouble was that it was on a motorway with no access from where I was. I went into a nearby village hoping for a road that would lead me to the motorway. For more than an hour I tried to find a way out of the village. Another 20 minutes later I was back where I started. Then I saw a police car and pedaled as fast as I could, to catch up. I pulled into a drive behind him and the policeman luckily spoke English. He took my documents and said, “Follow me.”

I showed up and the officials started nodding their heads straightaway. They were intimating that it was a motorway and bicycles were not allowed. By then another official caught up to me and I again explained my story. Then my documents were scrutinized by a series of officials and finally after a lot of deliberation, I was allowed to go.

STRETCHING THE LIMITS Brezice, Slovenia

Until that day my bike ride had been a disaster what with wind, snow and the elements everyday without respite.

I had a late start but quickly made my way on a traffic free road up to a town called Radece. Now I had two choices: either take the busy route 108 along the river ‘Sava’ or take the quiet but hilly route 665. I decided 665 as I did not want to be watching out for every car going past me. The first 10 km was great. A bit of up and down

and then a long uphill climb. It was getting dark though and knew that I had to make a stop soon. But I kept pushing myself as it was a quiet road with hardly any traffic.

As I kept going up, I started to see more and more snow on the side of the road, but nothing alarming. Then I reached a town called ‘Sapota’ and then the bad news: the next road I was to take was not tarmac but a gravel path and was full of snow. This was soft snow which had hardened and was almost like sleet. There was no way to ride on that surface. So I got off and started to push the bike hoping that the snow would clear off in a few 100 metres and that I would get tarmac very soon. But I was mistaken. It was too late to turn back; not a hint of civilization and I continued to push the bike through he snow and ice. It seemed never ending.

This is what makes travel interesting: You never know what situation you are getting into and things change so quickly and suddenly you feel afraid and then panic starts to set in. In a way I thought it was the best thing to have happened. I kept track of the mileage markers on the road. It was 13 km when I started to push and now it was 9 km. So I knew something would happen at the 13 km mark.

I was thrilled for a moment when I noticed a house in the distance, but as I neared the house, I realised that they had dogs and they were not tied up. Their barks were so ferocious that when the owner showed up, I realised that there was no point trying to make conversation amidst the barking. So I continued to push while the owner tried to silence the dogs. After more pushing, I came up to the 6-7 km mark. Suddenly I realised there was no more resistance from the snow. I checked again. It was tarmac!!! I have had never been more thrilled about tarmac in a long time. I jumped on the bike and started to pedal.

I had done a bit of night riding on earlier bike rides before but this was different and it was winter and it was drizzling a bit. But I had no choice, I had to crack on to the next village or town. I had climbed for so long I had forgotten that it was time for a downhill stretch. I saw a marker which said 15 km to the next town. I was determined to get there. Braking in the dark going downhill on 7% incline needs a lot of concentration. As some point I couldn’t see anything as the fog had descended. I had to keep moving my head from one side to the other with my flash light fixed on my head to be able to see anything.

After another hour of negotiating through the dark, I reached a rather small town. I had made it to Litija! I asked a passersby for the nearest hotel or guest house. He spoke a little English fortunately and made some excuses and picked up his phone and made inquiries on my behalf. It was a pizzeria and confirmed that they had rooms. He gave me directions to the place. I had eventually made it in one piece. Later sitting in my guest house with a nice glass of wine, pizza and coffee made all the suffering worthwhile!

Arjun safely and successfully made his way down into the town of Trieste in Italy, by the Adriatic Sea, where he relaxed for a few days before heading back to Zurich.

CRANK with ProCycle APRIL 15TH, 2014 11

PROCYCLE PROFILED

RIDHI JAIN

Ridhi has been a fitness enthusiast forever but hadn’t cycled in years. A cycling-friendly work environment in Texas Instruments goaded her to take the leap and there has been no looking back. She commutes on her KHS hardtail and recently decided to step things up a bit, taking part in the 40km Passion Ride of the Vodafone Cycling Marathon. Pedal on Ridhi!

BIKE REVIEW

SCOTT ASPECT 750Analysis by Nilesh Dhumal, Images by Rahul K Thomas, Rider - Ritwik D Burman

The Scott Aspect 750 is a pretty piece of metal, any which way you look at it. Lime green and black, she’s a looker all right.

If this looks a little different from the average bike, its because it is. This is one of the new-generation wheel size - 27.5, also known as 650B. Sitting squarely between the 26er and 29er, the 27.5 is now all the rage, sweeping across the industry. Scott has adopted this size and is spending a fair bit on R&D this with their

top-end 27.5 range becoming some of their flagship bikes. The trickle-down effect is readily obvious in the pedigree of this bike.

The Aspect 700 (710 through 750) series is positioned as an affordable series of 27.5 hardtails with the 750 being the entry-level offering. They share the same curvaceous frame built from hydroformed tubing making it strong, stiff and eminently responsive.

Suspension duties are performed by a Suntour XCT-MLO. Its an entry-level 100mm fork that’ll just about take the edges off a trail. The mechanical lockout is a nice feature to have at this pricepoint though. It would’ve been even nicer if it allowed the rider to engage it on the fly. As such, you have to stop, unweight the front wheel and then lock the suspension. Not a big deal at all but worth noting.

The groupset is a mixed bag, as you would expect at this level. It comes with a Shimano series crankset, cassette, chain and FD and a slightly better Altus rear derailleur. The square-taper bottom bracket is ‘non-Shimano’ and though it might add to the weight of the bike, won’t inhibit its performance.

The capable Shimano Altus RD with a hyperglide cassette

Shimano series crankset does its job decently

Scott OEM components

Suntour XCT fork takes the edge off the trail. Shimano mechanical discs provide stoppng power

Brake and shifters integrated into one unit. Note the ‘v-brakes’ sticker on it.

Fork lockout

Shifters are Shimano 7-speed, integrated with the brake levers, and herein is the real pity. You see, stopping power is provided by an excellent Shimano mechanical disc brakeset, the callipers of which really provide bite. They are however a little let down by the levers which have been integrated with the shifters. Integrated brake-shifter units such as these are intended for v-brakes (as the badging itself announces) not for discs. In this case, they work but it seems a bit of a wasted opportunity considering the excellent potential of the rest of the kit.

The 750 rolls very well thanks to a decently-specced wheelset. Syncros X-37 rims are laced to a Formula hub in front and Shimano at the back. These are shod with Kenda 50-Fifty 2.1 tyres. The 50-Fifty really is intended as a little-bit-of-this-and-little-bit-of-that piece of kit. The close centre tread makes it roll quickly in tarmac making it excellent for riding around town The side knobs open it up giving it decent cornering traction. For the serious trail rider, these

aren’t the most confidence-inspiring tyres of all time. We found

that they tend to be rather skittish. The low profile and the large wheels ensures it gets up to speed very quickly but, once it does, it doesn’t handle as well as one would like. A drop in tyre pressure does result in improved traction however. But, as most trail riders would attest, this tends to put you at the mercy of every thorn in search of a victim. It is however a useful choice if this is your do-it-all bike.

Finishing kit is non-name OEM stuff but we are guessing its Syncros. Up front, we really like the low, bar. It helps get into an attacking position on trails. The grips have a sort of bump or rise in the centre which isn’t something we usually fancy but they are quite tactile. The nice short-ish stem keeps things compact and makes the bike pretty responsive despite the big 27.5 inch wheels. A nice Ritchey integrated headset completes the package up front.

The bottom line

Priced at INR 35,800, the Scott Aspect 750 is a good-looking bike, smartly specced so as to provide value where a recreational rider would need or look for it. It is aimed squarely at the leisure rider who would like to nip around town during the week while getting a taste of some offroad action come the weekend. If you feel the itch to really blast down the trails, slap on a quality pair of tyres, install independent shifters and brake levers, throw on new grips and this bike will respond in spades.

Kenda 50-Fifty tyres make riding around town a breeze

CRANK with ProCycle APRIL 15TH, 2014 15

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

Sunday, the 23rd of February saw the single and jeep tracks of Manger, near Gurgaon, heat up as more than a hundred and fifty bikers turned up to participate in the third edition of Firestorm. Launched by Firefox bikes a few years ago to drum up interest in the sport of mountain biking, Firestorm has become a fixture in the national calendar and noobs and pros alike, turn up to have their mettle tested.

This year, the course began from a tarred road in Sector 60. Riders would proceed for 8 kms before hitting the beginning of a loop of 6.5 kms. There were separate categories for Enthusiasts and Experts and for men and women within each, making a total of 4 categories.

The terrain wasn’t particularly technical, as one would expect for the sort of target audience for this event. But, what it lacked in technical challenges, it more than made upf or in other ways. Late feb mornings in Delhi have more than a slight bite

and participants in lycra made sure they had warmers to go with. Those who didnt, shivered rather obviously. The thorny kikar trees, endemic to the region are a tyre’s nightmare (let alone the rider’s). For those who ride regularly in these parts, its par for the course and liberal quantities of slime, lots of tyre liners and patch kits were in evidence. The fauna doesn’t hurt either what with the odd Nilgai occasionally spotted across the trail.

The men’s expert category was a total of 35.5 kilometers. Broken rock littered the trail but nothing really slowed the lead pack. In the end, Brit rider Matt Barrett of Specialized won in a time of 1 hour 22 minutes and 10 seconds. Bangalore lad and fellow Specialized team-mate, Kiram Kumar Raju came in second, just a minute and 20 seconds behind him. In third place was journeyman Douglas Smith who finished just another 30 seconds behind. The gulf

FIRESTORM 2014!Images courtesy Ajit Kumar Srivastva

Hike and bike!

between them and the rest of the pack was huge though with the rider who came in 4th a full 8 minutes behind Smith.

The women’s expert category was a total of 29 kilometres. In it, Monika finished first with a time of with 1 hour 32 minutes and 45 seconds. In second was Anita Groser (who we profiled in our 2013 Women’s Edition) who finished in 1 hour 35 minutes and 8 seconds. They were followed by Vamini Sethi.

With both men and women riding 22.5 kms, and the field

comprising a mixed back of noobs and regular recreational riders, the Enthusiast category was more closely contested. The top four places were spread across a single minute with Jitender

coming in first closely followed by Yameen Mir, Sushil Hooda and Vikas Kashyap. In the women’s Reena Katyal took the win.

It was something of a winfall for those on the podium as they shared spoils amounting some 3-odd lakhs. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday riding through dirt we think!

Competitors took protective gear seriously! Pushing the bikes over rocky terrain

DOWN MEMORY LANE

1936 RALEIGH ROADSTER SUPERBE Text and Images by Rahul K Thomas

All of us have heard our fathers and grandfathers proudly talk of the British machines which they rode around town and lasted half a lifetime. A bicycle earned through years of hard toil or won from a proud parent after high achievement. Its usually accompanied by a sniff or a scoff at the flimsy stuff of today. But few of us have had the chance to actually see these machines in the metal so invariably these tales are viewed with some element of suspicion. That the legends are no more than exaggeration, blown out of proportion by time and nostalgia. Well, we finally got to test that theory.

From the bylanes of Bangalore comes this gorgeous page of history. A spectacularly restored 1936 Raleigh Roadster Superbe ‘Gentleman’s’ bicycle. Standing tall and proud in every one of its 24 inches, it positively bristles with technology. Lovingly cared for by K Guru Prasad, its hard to imagine that it rolled off the line more than 7 decades ago.

Today, when it comes to bikes, most manufacturers make a frame and kit it out with parts from a whole list of other brands. Back then, the level of integration was greater but not by a whole lot. Steel tubing was sourced from one supplier, lugs from another, components from another and so on. Raleigh on the other

The beautiful Sturmey-Archer 3-speed internal hub gear. Note the ‘AW’ attesting it is from the 1930’s The thumb shifter. Still working!

The original Miller headlightDyno-powered Miller rear light

The Sturmey-Archer dyno hub which (still) powers the lights

hand was a veritable industry all on its own! Raleigh manufactured its own frame from its own tubing with its own cranks, its own pedals, its own stem, bars and so on. Even Sturmey-Archer hubs were a subsidiary of Raleigh, as was the legendary saddle marquee Brooks. A mind-boggling level of integration. Also, Raleigh was one of the early adopters of steel and to differentiate themselves from the competition (who used cast-iron in some parts), they used the slogan ‘The All Steel Bicycle’. As Sheldon Brown states, “These bikes were built to last a 100 years, with reasonable care.”

And last it has! The specimen we see is decked out in the original ‘Raleigh Green, befitting the Rolls Royce of bikes’. The Superbe was a deluxe touring bike and came with all the bells and whistles befitting a bicycle of its stature.

The front wheel is built around a gleaming Sturmey-Archer dynamo hub which is mated to an imposing Miller headlight and a little Miller tail-light. The rims are what were called ‘balloon’ rims made by Dunlop - wide and solid. The rear wheel boasts a 3-speed Sturmey-Archer internal-gear hub. The ‘AW’ that you can make out refers to a series made

The unusual but very comfortable ‘my-type’ handlebars was the centre of the Spuerbe’s cockpit.

The brakes still bear the ‘Raleigh’ legend

The original chainguard. Also, note the original Raleigh crank arms and even pedals

in the 30s. We place this as a 1936 model as near as can be made out. The shifter for the gears is a beautiful little lever that sits on the handlebar. In order to shift gear in this bike, one has to stop pedaling, pedal backwards (as the bike freewheels) and flick the lever with your thumb while doing so. This engages the shift and you can then continue. Its an incredibly smooth shift, particularly if you consider that this has been doing the job for more than a few decades now. Its also a rather modern system if you think about it, considering later shifters were mounted on the downtube and other places and were considerably larger and clunkier than this. Cockpit duties are taken care of by the large and re-assuring ‘M-type’ handlebar. The brakes are all-steel and shaft-actuated. Like everything else on this, they are built to last a lifetime. Or two.

Rounding off this elegant package are an Apex Bailey’s Super Pump in full working condition, a Remington rack and the original saddle which came with the bike. Cracked and patched the leather might be but this Brooks B66 still going strong.

So for the skeptics among you, take a look at what engineering made possible close to half a century. And perhaps you might revisit those tales with a new sense of awe. We certainly did.

The original Apex Bailey’s ‘Suer Pump’ which still works great!

Remington carrier

The original Brooks B66 saddle - cracked and patched but still going strong after 78 years!

Brass covers for the valves

K Guru Prasad with his pride and joy

GEAR REVIEW

Among the cycling training aids or gadgets that have been hardest to get hold of in the past, trainers have to rank pretty high. While the weather in these parts is conducive to riding outdoors for most of the year, the weekend warrior who juggles multiple things in his life (in pursuit of food, clothing and shelter) always faces a challenge. Hence, the indoor trainer becomes an invaluable aid to the rider seeking to improve his performances given limited time.

In the past we’ve had the occasional Minoura and CycleOps and, more recently, Kinetic by Kurt has entered the market. But, the latest brand in trainers to enter the market is a slightly lesser known brand called Cascade.

An American brand offering seemingly excellent products at competitive prices? One doesn’t hear that every day. So we set out to test the two trainers which could be siblings - the Fluid Pro and Fluid Pro Power.

First off, yes they are fluid trainers as opposed to the old magnetic trainers. Fluid trainers are supposed to have a smoother, more progressive feel than magnetic ones, yet the first generation of fluid trainers suffered from some reliability issues.

No such problems any more. In fact, Cascade is so sure of their product that they offer a 100% Lifetime Warranty on these two products. For a market so concerned about after-sales service this should certainly boost peoples’ confidence in the Cascade fluid trainer.

Setting up the Fluid Pro is as easy as pie. Simply slip off the packing material, put the two rubber stoppers on each leg, fold it out and you’re ready to go.

CASCADE FLUID TRAINERS

The Cascade Fluid Pro Power trainer

Cascade’s ‘Quick Connect’ system - pretty similar to most others

22 CRANK with ProCycle APRIL 15TH, 2014

The ‘Quick Connect’ system makes it very easy to lock in the rear wheel. Cascade also provides a spare QR so that your regular one doesn’t get scuffed up.

Fluid trainers use a resistance unit and a flywheel and in Cascade’s case the flywheel is so heavy-duty that its built to take up to four hundred pounds! While this does make the unit rather heavy, it really is rock solid.

Built to take wheel sizes from 24 to 29 inches, everything from your kid’s mini mountain bike to the new-age 650B to your road bike can be accomodated. The Fluid Pro provides very smooth, linear resistance and there is little to no lag in power transfer. The amazing thing about this trainer is that its as near to silent as makes no difference. This can be crucial to the suffering rider who trains in fear of waking a slumbering better half. The downside to this is that you can hear every little discouraging wheeze and groan of your protesting body.

The Fluid Pro’s big brother is nearly identical except for one little

interesting piece - a power meter! The meter provided with the Fluid Pro Power is reasonably accurate, has a MASSIVE readout and is really convenient to fit and take off. For once, you have a digital readout that doesn’t require you to squint to high heaven. All the numbers are in the right places. And the patented quick release feels very secure. The only quibble you might have is that Cascade’s warranty on the digital readout is for just one year (as opposed to the lifetime of the rest of it). Not the most encouraging thing to hear but thats pretty much the best you can hope for in the electronic world anyway.

You also get cadence and a heart rate monitor in the bargain.

The Cascade Fluid Pro retails at INR 21,500 while the Fluid Pro Power comes in at an almost ridiculous INR 30,500. While you’d be hard pressed to find a cheaper fluid trainer, it’d be unheard of to be able to train with power at such a low price. They also have a mag trainer and a roller in their line-up. Throw in the fact that you also get a riser block with the package (usually an aftermarket part with other brands) and you have a winning combination.

The Cascade Fluid Pro trainer - almost identical in appearance

The riser block which is part of the package The QR mount open The QR mount closed

Large readout with power

CRANK with ProCycle APRIL 15TH, 2014 23

THE LONG ROAD

Helen Upperton, champion bobsledder and Olympic silver medalist from Canada joined Unni on his cycling journey from Bangalore. Unni had a thousand kilometres and the state of Tamil Nadu between him and the finish. His first stop in Tamil Nadu was Vellore, located on the banks of Palar river and home to Christian Medical College. Travelling further south, Unni rode along the coast towards Pondicherry completing 100 days on the road.

From Pondicherry, Unni cycled to Thanjavur and southbound to Madurai and then further south to Tuticorin. He finally arrived at the tip of the country in Kanyakumari after being in the saddle for 111 days.

After covering 5637 km, Unni finally negotiated bad roads and busy traffic to realise a dream in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on the evening of Friday, January 31st.

“I feel I have come full-circle,” says Dr.Unni, “At 18, I left Kerala to go to medical school in Manipal, then after my medical internship, I went on a cycle journey biking from Delhi to Leh to Srinagar, and finishing back in Delhi. I went abroad to do a Masters and PhD then joined MSF’s medical teams in Ethiopia, Azerbaijan, South Sudan, Brazil, Bangladesh and other areas of crisis. I returned to India to follow dream to cycle across India and join my other

passions to raise awareness about health, healthcare, and medical humanitarianism. And, the beginning and ending point is Kerala.”

During his ride, Dr.Unni has had many meaningful conversations and has raised over INR 52,70,000 to support medical teams addressing health needs, such as HIV and tuberculosis in Mumbai or the injured in the fighting in South Sudan.

A DREAM REALISEDImages courtesy Priyanka Kumar and MSF

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BOYS’ TOYS

MUC OFF X-1The Muc Off X-1 isn’t just a pretty piece of kit. Its also incredibly effective. With 6 rotating brushes and 56 contact points, it it designed to reach the deepest grit on your chain. Its super easy to mount and use and will ensure a longer life for your chain. Also, if and when you need it, the brushes are replaceable, so this will do service for years to come.

TOPEAK POCKET ROCKET DXIIPerfect for every roadie out there, the Topeak Pocket Rocket DXII is a beautifully finished little pump which gets up to 160 psi. The head works with Presta, Schrader and Dunlop valves and has a little dust cap included. There is a thumb lock lever to ensure the head seals tight. The alloy barrel is brightly polished and keeps it lgiht while the kraton handle ensures a tight grip. Small enough to carry in your jersey, it also comes with a nice little mount for the bike.

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