The deal makes Wiggle the UK’s only distributor of Lightweight Wheels, which are renowned for their high build quality and seemingly impossible balance of stiffness, lightness, aerodynamics and toughness.

If you fancy a pair, you’ll be in good company. Having always proven popular with the pro peloton – and ridden by several Tour de France champions – the Focus Milram team will be riding Lightweights in 2009 (find out more about which pros enjoy the Lightweight ride). There will be five different wheelsets on sale at Wiggle, including Standards, Obermayers, Lightweight Clinchers, Ventoux 190 and 240’s.

A recent test in German cycling magazine RoadBike saw the Lightweight Standards go head to head with seven other carbon wheelsets. After being put through their paces by World Championship time triallists, the results were clear: the pro riders voted the Lightweights “top dog on the block”, praising their lightness, stiffness and acceleration, labelling them “exceptional” and “willing and direct at every move”. Aware it has often been difficult in the past to get hold of Lightweight wheelsets, Wiggle is also boasting plentiful stock levels so that availability should no longer be an issue.

To find out more, visit www.wiggle.co.uk/m/Cycle/7/Lightweight for the ultimate upgrade!

Name: Matthew Page
Age: 23
Role: Endurance MTB racer
Miles a Week: Normally 200-300 (split roughly 70/30 in favour of road miles)

The Gifts I’m buying

Girlfriend: dhb Buff. Although she already has several Buff’s, she wants another one! Really versatile, warm and comfy. Such a good product. £10.99
Mum: dhb Merston tights. My personal favourites. With all the races my mum has attended with me, she has got the bug and these will be great for her so she can ride through the winter. £39.99
Best mate: Powerbreathe. Perfect for someone who takes their training seriously and loves gadgets! from £29.99
Gifts I’d like to receive:
Stocking filler: Knog Frog lights: Small and highly visible £6.39
Happy Days: dhb Finchdean long sleeve windproof jersey: The perfect jersey for the chilly winter days. £84.99
I’d be lucky: Garmin Edge 705: Perhaps the ultimate training tool? £287.99

Name: Shane Banks
Age: 34
Role: Customer services advisor
Type of rider: MTB
Miles a Week: 75-100

The Gifts I’m buying

For my brother in law: LifeLine Workshop Tool Kit. A great set of tools that’ll have everything that he needs to keep his new bike in fine order particularly through the grimey winter months. (Great value price of £33.69 too!)
For my brother: Gore ALP X Windstopper Winter Gloves. Some nice cosy warm gloves to keep his fingers warm for the training miles he’s putting in ready for the 2009 race season. From £35.99
For my good friend Steve: SockGuy Dummy Socks. Firstly he definitely needs some new socks. Secondly, these crash test dummy SockGuy socks are ideal in honour of his recent real live crash test. (He’s fine now!) From £8.09
For my girlfriend: Nike Ladies Tech Therma-Fit Full Zip Top: Classy running top from Nike. Perfect as a layered top for chillier weather running or gym sessions. From £36
Gifts I’d like to receive:
Stocking filler: dhb Runcton Elite Gel Long Finger Gloves: Cool full finger gloves in red and black to match my new bike (see below Santa!). At £8.99 these are super for my stocking.
Happy Days: Exposure Joystick MaXx 2: Fantastic little light that’d be just perfect for next years foray into 24/12 hour enduro races. The wiggle version would be great as it’s in our wiggle colours and comes with helmet and bar mounts too! £162
I’d be (very) lucky: Focus Raven Expert 2009: It’s light, has fantastic kit, a lovely all carbon frame and it looks gorgeous. I really, really want one! £1,699

dhb products, renowned for their high quality and high value, have been making waves in the MTB press lately, scoring high and winning lots of awards. ‘What Mountain Bike’ reviewed the dhb Compton Long Sleeve Base Layer, dhb Nyton Women’s Jersey and the dhb Hunston Windproof Glove. Here is a sneak peak with the full reviews included on the Wiggle site.

Also ‘Mountain Biking UK’ fell in love with the dhb Pro Triple Lens Sunglasses giving them the ‘Big Value’ seal of approval and a hefty 10/10 score. Have a read for yourself:

‘A great looking eye-wear set up – they’re as good as it gets in the budget sector’
Winning the MBUK ‘Big Value’ Award

The 3 gadgets on test were:

Bicygnals

Garmin Edge 705

The Cy-Fi wireless iPod speaker

We had a quick drive up to Brum and met up with the rest of the Focus Group around the coffee shop. It was a real eclectic group of riders including a couple of BMXers, a vast array of roadies including most of the Birmingham Uni Cycle Club and the two of us flying the flag for the MTBers! We were given a briefing from the produces about the gadgets on show which were each strapped to a shiny new bike. We then had a couple of hours to ride around Cannon Hill Park testing out the kit and avoid ruining the afternoon of people enjoying a leisurely Wednesday afternoon stroll… which isn’t easy when your trying to get the best out of a set of wireless speakers!

Soon the presenters arrived with a camera crew and we had a good bit of banter as everyone introduced themselves. Jason was amusing us with his tales of pain from his previous day’s trip out wakeboarding, John made a b-line for the Garmin and got straight to work on the feature packed device and Suzy was giving the camera crew a bit of an ear bashing as she wanted to get started as it was Freezing!

We then recorded a few links and took part in a couple of features talking about the gadgets. I helped John with a some of the technical pointers with the Garmin and after a couple of minutes with his sponge-like memory he soon talking about it far more confidentially then I ever could… and I own one!

To be on honest all the gadgets were pretty cool. The Garmin Edge 705 is the ultimate bike computer and has so many features we only touched the surface of it on the show - GPS navigation, Heart rate monitor, POIs, plugs into Google Earth, shares routes, altitude and elevation and more! The Cy-Fi speakers surprisingly worked really well - both clear and loud. Definitely more of an off-road gadget though as although they are ideal for road use to keep your ears open you’d quite simply look like a fool riding around, blasting tunes with your system up. Lastly the Bicyignals which are alright and do a good safe job for not a lot of money but they felt a bit tacky and rattle around all over the place. Eventually when it came round to the vote the Garmin Edge 705 GPS was the clear winner and rightly so.

It was then a case of heading home and spending the next couple of weeks nervously waiting to see how much of a fool we made ourselves on national TV! You can see the episode on the Channel Five website, it’s episode 7 and the bike gadget test is about half way through!

Just a quick post to let everyone know we have added FOUR new categories to our already amazing NOVEMBER GOLDEN CATEGORIES! This a great chance to save some cash before Christmas, either on gifts for your friends and family, or a cheeky pre-chrimbo gift for yourself!

You can now get at least 20% off Lights under £100, Shoes - both Running and Cycling, Helmets and Selected Trainers.

And that is as well as the existing Golden Categories - GPS Systems, Power Training, Computers & Watches, Heart Rate Monitors and Frames and Forks!

There are some real gems in there… 20% off Garmin + SatMap GPS systems, 20% off new 2009 Marzocchi & Magura Forks, 20% off new 2009 Shimano shoes and more! Find a bargain, Check out the site now!

Only 3 weeks and I will be in the sun enjoying my winter miles. I don’t mind the English winter but over the years I have been spoilt with the Aussie sun and I feel if I don’t go back each year I will be missing out on a real summer. Over the last couple of weeks I have been spending a lot of time in the gym working on my core stability and getting lots of massage due to the fact that when you have a rest and then start up again its easiest time to get injured so I’m taking no chances.
My training is just long and slow at the moment so its a good time for me to meet up with friends when doing this type of training.

Eliman Jammeh, Captain of Gambia Cycling Team
By Sarah Burl and Martin Holland
November 2008

Cycling in The Gambia is not well supported or recognised by the government departments responsible for sport or is it popular with the general public. It is an alien concept that you would ride a bike for pleasure, recreation or sport; the main reason to ride being because you can’t afford a car. To ride our bikes for several hours when we actually own a car has given us the reputation as ‘odd toubabs (white people)’. However there are group of men who have taken to racing bikes on the roads for fun. This loose association of cyclists make up The Gambian Cycle Team that consists of, on average, 15 cyclists that take to the roads whenever they are not working and have a working bike to ride.

Eliman Jammeh has a story typical of Gambian life, struggling to survive, making efforts to better himself only to be brought down with the reality of a culture that supports communities but at a cost of individual success. Often the scenario reminds me of Trainspotting where Renton desperately tries to make something of his life only to realise that in order to do this he must escape his previous life which is hard when the people he turns his back on are those he cares about.

Eliman was born in 1969 in Banjul, The Gambia. His father was a business man who sold fruit but died in 1992 and Eliman became head of the household. One of his sisters died during labour and left 7 children. His other sister has 5 children. Eliman’s mother now lives in Senegal and so he rents a property in his aunty’s compound in Banjul (who he also calls his mother). He has 11 years of schooling in total where he learnt to read and write English but then his father was unable to pay for any further education.

At 19 years old, Eliman gained his interest in cycling in 1988 watching a cycle race that was sponsored by OB Konateh FISCO (a fish company). Excitably talking to the leader of this race (Alieu Bah), Eliman ended up buying a road bike, which, although an ugly cheap bike, allowed him to beat Alieu the following year in the same race. This was a sign of Eliman’s obvious talent in cycling and he rode as much as he could enter every race he could both in The Gambia and Senegal. By 1995 Eliman had won 25 races and had a placing in every race in The Gambia, he even entered the Tour De Burkina Faso where he placed 3rd and 7th on two stages. The quality of bikes were, and continue to be, a problem and Eliman says, ‘I don’t think I have ever had a bike for longer than 1- 2 years, I have probably bought and sold my own bike 5 - 10 times’. One race that Eliman speaks of as one of the most enjoyable races was an elimination race that was sponsored by Gamstar Insurance (The Gambia). Competitors ride laps around the stadium and after a set number of laps the last person is eliminated until only one person remains. The prize for winning was a new bike, which Eliman won.

For the Commonwealth Games in 2002, held in Manchester, The Gambia was invited to attend as a wild card entry. Two cyclists, 6 runners, 2 wrestlers and 8-9 officials travelled to the UK for the event. The Gambian National Olympic Committee (GNOC) officials told the cyclists that their bikes would be waiting for them in the UK, but the new bikes did not materialise and so it was down to a generous Yorkshire cycling company which donated bikes meaning he could compete. Eliman then made a decision that would change his life quite dramatically.

An opportunity lay ahead that could break the pattern of poverty and constant dependency from others. He had a chance to make it on his own and earn real money to help his family’s situation and so he left the stadium in Manchester on his last lap and never returned to the Gambia. Previous discussions amongst all the Gambian athletes had taken place and it was agreed that they would all have to do this, for it to be successful. Eliman admits now that this was probably not the best decision he has made in his life but it felt like a way out at the time. Although only on a 6 month VISA, Eliman managed to work in the UK for a total of 1.5 years, living with several other Gambians and transferring money home. Eliman saved over £3,000 during this time and, organised though his mother, to buy a plot of land in The Gambia and build a house. His plan was that once the house was finished he would go back and be in a much better position than before he left. It was at this time that Eliman was contacted by another member of the family that explained to Eliman that his mother had not bought anything for him and had spent all the money he had sent back for the house and land and therefore he had nothing at all. At least he had found out now and could make sure he kept the money he earned and start again. Eliman remains very accepting of the situation and says ‘These things happen I just had to get on with it and try again.’ Unfortunately for Eliman, it was at this exact time that UK immigration arrested him as an illegal immigrant and placed him in a refugee camp. Although he was well looked after in the camp, after three days he volunteered to be repatriated back to The Gambia. Since he had been very co-operative he was told he would not be banned from applying for entry into the UK in the future.

By 2004 Eliman was back in the The Gambia with no money, no job and no place to stay. Gradually through his old contacts he obtained a bike and started riding again and was allowed to rejoin the team. In his usual way Eliman started winning again and was in the best position for being chosen to go to the Commonwealth games in 2006, however with his history of the previous games he was not chosen to go to Australia.

During 2005, my husband Martin and I met with the cycling team and spent our Sundays cycling the few tarred roads of The Gambia. We had a repertoire of three possible routes from 86 km to 120 km within The Gambia and some across to Senegal although usually containing sections of sand or water that require negotiating. There are about 2-3 organised long distance races a year in The Gambia sponsored by various charities and companies and we sponsor a 18 and 36km time trial every two months. Recently a Belgium sponsor has offered to help train and finance 6 of the cyclists increasing their potential to participate and succeed in other races in Africa.

Most of the cyclists rely on containers arriving at the port which are shipping bikes donated or obtained from Europe. Occasionally it is possible to find a good road bike but mostly these bikes are from those wanting to get rid of a bike and therefore not in good condition. Eliman has trained himself to be a good mechanic and manages to repair and build up bikes for the team. Cheap spares are available in The Gambia but better quality parts are usually found from other bikes. Parts for newer or more complex bikes are impossible to find at a reasonable cost so the life span of ‘top quality’ bikes can be very short simply because they cannot be repaired. Up until now Eliman has been working from a shelter with no permanent place to store tools and parts which restricts what he can do.

When I heard I had won £500 worth of Shimano components in a Wiggle competition to be given to Eliman and the team, I was concerned that mountain bike components would not be used on the teams’ racing bikes and therefore would be sold probably making a maximum of about £50 - £100. After discussions with Wiggle, I bought the parts from Eliman in order for him to buy a shop and a few spares totalling £500. This would then be of long term value to Eliman and the team and give them the opportunity to start a proper business. It has been 2 months since the metal structure has been completed and located in the busy suburban town of Serrekunda and Eliman told me, ‘I used to earn about 700 Dalasi (£14) a month now I can earn that in a week. People are coming to my shop that I have never seen before and I have had many business offers to sell other goods at the shop. I have many toubabs (white people) visit the store as they recognise the Wiggle name written on the shop. I am so grateful for the support of Wiggle and will never be able to repay them for the difference it has made to my life, I can only say thank you’.

We would also like to thank Steve Francis from Belgium who responded to our last Wiggle blog and donated so many bike things to the Gambian cyclists, we are most grateful!

Many thanks to Sarah for sending through all those great photos. We are delighted to help and really make a difference to Eliman and we will continue to support him and cycling in The Gambia with a delivery of tools and some more kit over the next few months!

I just received an email from Mitch Preston who won our Vittoria Golden Ticket competition to follow the Giro Di Lombardio in Italy courtesy of Vittoria. Mitch was randomly selected as a winner after buying a Vittoria Corsa Evo CX tubular tyre from Wiggle. Mitch has provided us with his account of the day and video.

“You’re a winner with Wiggle” the email said.
At first I thought it was another piece of slick marketing,
but it transpired I really was a winner, and what a prize
and what a weekend. It started with me and my bike flying
out of Stansted for Milan, where we (me and my co-winner
Simon) being met by Luca, our ever-attentive host from
Vittoria, who took us to our hotel in Varese where we headed
out for dinner with Paul and Amy from Wiggle. We had an
excellent night in their company, but I had had a long day,
Saturday was going to be exciting, and I was looking
forward to my bed.

Saturday was the day of the Giro Di Lombardia, a 242km one
day race around Lake Como. All the major teams were
represented, and, after watching some of the riders sign on,
I followed the whole of the race from the passenger seat of
one of the team cars of the CSF Group-Navigare Professional
Cycling Team. What an experience this was. At times
terrifying it was never less than hugely exciting, as the DS
moved his car up and down from the front of the race to the
back of the peloton to support his riders. He was rewarded
for his efforts with a 6th place, I am sure he felt it was
worthwhile, though I felt sure I was going to die!

That night we moved to a second hotel to be handy for the
start of “our” ride - The Grand Fondo Lombardia.
This is a 143km Sportive following some of the route of the
Giro the day before, though I opted to ride the shorter
“Medio Fondo” at 114k. Either way the ride
included climbing the Madonna del Ghisallo - a beautiful
climb which had been the scene of some attacks the day
before. I didn’t do any attaching of my own, but I did
enjoy the climb at my own pace, but was amazed at the speed
of some of the riders who had chosen the longer ride , who
came speeding past me in small groups.

While I felt decidedly outclassed by the other riders I
finished in a (I think, anyway) respectable 999th place out
of 2500 riders.

Once back at the finish in Como we enjoyed some more
fantastic Wiggle hospitality with a meal on the lakeside,
before Luca took us back to the airport for our flight home.

I enjoyed absolutely top notch weekend, which could not
have been bought at any price, and the people at Wiggle and
Vittoria deserve a big thank you for making such an effort.
Many thanks Guys.

Mitch Preston

After the race in France I found extra enthusiasm for training and put in some decent sessions for the last World Cup in Mexico. My preparation wasn’t perfect though as I still couldn’t run as much as I would like, hadn’t done my usual SRM sessions and I couldn’t heat acclimatise. I wasn’t too worried about the weather as I always perform in hot conditions and do not suffer badly with jetlag.

I assumed the bike course would be flat as I haven’t come across a hilly one in Mexico. However I had a bit of a shock when I almost rode the course the day before the race and found it had a steep hill in it and it was to be 8 laps. I say almost rode the course as on the Saturday afternoon it was still being built and !! The run was a tough one too and add to that the temperature of 37 degrees and humidity, it wasn’t going to be easy.

I was chuffed to finish third in the race with the fastest run split but ended up wondering if I could have won if I hadn’t fumbled with my helmet in transition and lost the lead pack. To finish the World Cup season ranked 6th in the world with 2 podium finishes was satisfying.

After the race in Huatulco the plan was to fly directly back to London, stay with my parents for a couple of days and then fly out to Bermuda for a low key race and a holiday. Unfortunately it didn’t go to plan as my British Airways flight was cancelled and I ended up spending a day and half in Mexico City airport. I am scared of flying and after finding out there was a mechanical fault with the plane I didn’t want to board it anyway! I returned home the night before my next flight minus my bike which didn’t arrive. It eventually turned up the day before my race which was a huge relief as I didn’t rate my chances without it!

I finished 5th in Bermuda which was a non-drafting race from one end of the islands to the other. I found the race tough as I was tired and probably hadn’t done enough cycling. I also don’t think I benefited from the race being started with the men as the lead women got sucked along and I ended up isolated. It was a fantastic event and racing in Bermuda was a great place to end my season. Now catching up on all the tv programmes I taped…..!…