In the last show before Christmas, Jacqui Shannon reports on new opportunities for paid bike mechanic apprenticeships and Matt Sparkes files a report from Italy on L’Eroica, the annual vintage cyclosportive (pictured, left).
Civic hackers Greg Whalin and Richard Pope talk about MyBikeLane.com, Greg’s website for crowd-sourcing bicycle lane violations.
Studio discussion of four great lives in cycling: Kuklos, the prolific journalist who documented British cycling scene in the first half of the twentieth century; Brian Robinson (pictured, above), the first Brit to win stages in the Tour de France; intrepid cycle tourist Anne Mustoe; and Laurent Fignon, perhaps the last truly great French professional bike racer.
Expert guests are Graeme Fife, author of a newly published biography of Brian Robinson, and Tim Dawson, columnist on the Sunday Times and editor of the Cycling Books website. Plus a chance to win a set of Gavin Turk Les Bikes de Bois Rond postcards. Answers by email to bikeshow@resonancefm.com.
Further reading:
Of Wrigging - Kuklos. A 1927 essay taking on John Ruskin’s opposition to cycling.
Brian Robison: A Pioneer – Graeme Fife (Mousehold Press, 2010)
A Bike Ride – Anne Mustoe (Virgin Books, 1991)
We Were Young and Carefree – Autobiography of Laurent Fignon (Yellow Jersey Press, 2010)
Posted in France, History, Italy, Literature, People, Podcast, Sport, Tour de France, Touring
As the Giro d’Italia enters its third week, we discuss Italy’s great stage race with Lionel Birnie of Cycling Weekly, in an experimental live broadcast from Look Mum No Hands, London’s newest and best cycle-cafe. Sam Humpheson shows us around the premises. The show also features a look back at Fausto Coppi, one of the biggest stars of the golden era of cycle racing, with a visit to the exhibition of Coppi-related memorabilia at the Rapha Cycle Club, just down the road and a chat with bicycle collector Kadir Guirey. Simon Rose, who put together Rapha’s new Giro-inspired compilation CD also puts in an appearance.
Listeners may notice slightly sub-optimal audio in parts of this broadcast. These should be fixed in future live broadcasts.
In an off-season podcast-only extended episode, Lionel Birnie of Cycling Weekly joins me to talk about the year ahead in professional road racing. We talk about the season-openers in the Gulf, the Monuments and Cobbled Classics and of course the Grand Tours, where Britain’s Team Sky is hoping to make a big impact in its debut season. We round off the discussion with a look at the explosion of amateur cyclo-sportives. Many of the big sportives are already sold out but there are plenty of others to choose from. Cycling Weekly maintains a very comprehensive sportive calendar.
Photo credit: Team Sky
Posted in Italy, Podcast, Sport, Tour de France
Grant Petersen of Rivendell Bicycle Works urges us to get on our bikes for sub-twenty four hour overnight camping trips. Plus a visit to a fantastic new ‘anti-bike shop’ in Finsbury Park, specialising in classic English and Italian steel road bikes. The shop doesn’t have a name yet, but you can drop in at 74 Mountgrove Road, Finsbury Park, London N5 2LT – MAP. Some photos below, more here:
Play on links below. Other file formats (Ogg Vorbis and 64k MP3) over here.
Posted in Bicycle music, England, Gear, History, Italy, London, People, Podcast, Politics, Rides, Rolling interview, Sport, Style, Touring, United States
The Bike Show this week has a distinctly Mediterranean and gastronomic feel. Kieron Yates reports from northern Italy, the world capital of the Slow Food movement, on a ‘slow bicycle’ ride along the length of the River Po (for more on ABICI bikes, look here) Meanwhile, Jack Thurston is joined by William Greswell in the sunny south of France, relaxing in Aix-en-Provence while considering an imminent attempt at the fearful Mont Ventoux. Plus new statistics on the dangers to cyclists from bendy buses and a heads up for Rolling to the Stones, a night rider to Stonehenge on the night of the Summer Solstice, 20-21 June.
Downloads: MP3 (128 kbs) — MP3 (64kbs) — Ogg Vorbis —
Today’s show is a Giro D’Italia special, recorded from Bar Italia in Soho. Also featuring the second half of my ride with Buffalo Bill Chidley, chair of the London Bicycle Messengers Association.
Music:
Adriatica – Calicanto
Hung Up – Salt
Dwyck – Gangstarr featuring Nice and Smooth
Bartali – Paolo Conte
Posted in Bicycle messengers, Italy, London, Podcast, Politics, Road safety, Rolling interview, Sport
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