Evolution...

Pretty much a month's passed without a post.

I've had a birthday, been on holiday to the sun for a couple of weeks then returned to sit back, relax and reflect on the whole blog thing. It's been nice giving myself some space to understand what I'm producing, what I'm not and what I could and perhaps should produce. Sorry if it all seems a little abstract, it's just that I feel that it's time for this blog to evolve into something a lot broader based, in line with my own interests. Maybe in this format or a new version.

There is after all, more to life than cross and cobbles. Take for example the latest Poc Prod film. Seriously makes you want to pin it.

Tired (sic)...

Mid summer I had all the intention to get myself on the cross tubular tyre merry go round. Well, being short of funds it was going to take an ebay trawl to find some donor parts, have them put together then find some cheap tyres to put on.

My enthusiasm pretty much diminished in the process. The donor parts vanished from the bay, cheap tubs don't exist...and if they do they're no better than clinchers anyway, and my funds began to be refocused towards the motorbike.

All's not lost though. All the funds will probably go to the moto as it needs a full set of tyres and a service... and a set of tubs won't probably increase my racing pleasure until I've fully exploited the engine that's moving em... more leg work needed chief.

Anyway Thibaud "TribalT" POULAIN rocks another French supermoto edit. Back wheel in the air anyone.

Alpe d'Huez...

Not some skinny bouncing up and down guy trying to drop everyone, Alpe d'Huez from a different angle... Best thing is, English Whippet Matt Winstanley won the meeting. Go on boy!

Snaking...

I rode the moto over the Snake last weekend and it made me realise how much I really enjoy riding it and want more saddle time, whilst I need to revisit that part of the Peak as I haven't ridden that spot on the bicycle for a while.

In the meantime brand new edit from Thibaud Poulain, class.

Other stuff I'm glued to is Roland's photos (something new every couple of days, the man's an an animal) and Brit Dan Patten. He's smashing it in Belgium and making a pretty good job of it too.

Crossover...

There's just something about supermoto (or supermotard if you're French) that really works for me. The mixture of big capacity offroad machine with semi slick road tyres, giving it berries on both surfaces, magic. Thibaud Poulain's edit's are perfect examples of this an make me pretty envious of the kit and skill on show.

Mix of offroad/road machinery on a bit of both surfaces... sounds a bit like cyclocross. Maybe, maybe not.

On a bicycle front I'm pysched the focus (even if a while away) is turning to cyclocross. The tour of Belgium was a case in point as I managed to catch a few minutes of internet viewing on Saturday. The breakaway was a who's who of Belgian cross, inspirational stuff. CX mag has a better write up than I can manage but good to see the young guns firing as they'll be the ones to watch in the coming years. Good to see Stybar making the transition to road racing too - something more about Stybar in a future post and picture.

Oh yeah, Roland Desmet's photos have gone up another level with images from both the tour of Belgium and Espoirs Paris-Roubaix. Definitely a feast for the greedy Belgian cycling consumer.