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Platinum Plus – At least 15% off all products including 2010 bikes!

Until Midnight GMT Monday 8th March all customers of Wiggle have Platinum Plus discount – which is at least 15% off all products at Wiggle!

There has never been a better time to shop from Wiggle with huge savings on every product! We have to be a bit sensible so we have excluded vouchers, memberships and events entry, but all standard products are included – even brand new bikes!!

Click here to start shopping!

The striking Verenti Kilmeston is without a doubt the most versatile and probably the best value of all bikes accross the new Verenti Sportive range. A well thought out frame coupled with price-point beating componentry set the Kilmeston apart from the rest.

Built with the excellent SRAM Rival groupset and featuring a hill-friendly Truvativ compact chainset, a hand-built carbon fork and a power saving 7005 alloy frame; the Kilmeston is the ideal sportive ride: comfortable, lightweight and robust. Factor in fitted mudguards and provision for mounting a rack and you have what is truly a ‘bike for all seasons’.

We have used a 7005 triple butted alloy which is strong, lightweight and ideal for frames such as the Kilmeston. The ‘Triple butting’ refers to the three tube wall thicknesses in each main tube, the ends are thicker than the centre section, allowing for perfect welding whilst still giving a comfy and lightweight ride-feel.

This bike is fast, light and comfortable with a great selection of features and components.

We are confident the Verenti Sportive range and the specially designed ‘Me’ components will garner enthusiastic interest from riders of all ages and abilities – whether an experienced sportive veteran or novice looking to enter their first event.

We want you to have the same confidence in our products as we do; so we have made sure that our bicycles conform to and exceed all the latest European standards (Road standard: EN147810) which involves rigorous testing by the worlds leading testing facilities:

Wiggle offer a Thirty-day ‘ride and return’ policy on bikes – so if you order a Verenti and are not happy with it you can return it for a full refund.

View The Verenti Kilmeston

Cold, rain, mud, cobbles – not the sort of environment most cyclists look forward to.

On a cold and windy Wednesday morning, nine riders of the Cervélo TestTeam spent a couple of hours training on the parcours of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

They were trying out the new Aero Rain Jacket for cold and wet racing, based on some ideas that came out from a focus group with the Cervélo TestTeam “Wet & Cold” Spring classic riders last summer.

“Luckily”, the weather cooperated by swinging from beautiful to nasty and back with regularity.

The Aero Jacket is a prototype which may go into production for Winter 2011. It’s great to see that Castelli are working with the Cervelo Test Team and are continually working to produce better products through feedback.

All the current team clothing is available and already has had very extensive testing. These can be found below

Cervelo Team Clothing

Read the rest and see the images in the attached Cervelo-Castelli Test-Day file.

Video from the Test Day.

52

Dedication Is Paying Off

Nothing much has happened this week just training hard, sleeping and eating. I have seen some improvements on the track and in the pool so the dedication is paying off.

This year we have been doing more swimming. Last year I was missing the lead pack in some of the races so this year I’m hoping that wont be the case. Its been raining here for the last couple of days but it hasn’t stopped our group from going out on the road and getting the miles in.

I don’t mind the rain because its still warm 22C but I hate cleaning my Focus Cayo Lightweight when I get back. If you want to keep the baby running smoothly then the grease monkey work has to be done. I have plans to run the Runaway Bay Sports Super centre 5k in two weeks, I ran it last year so it will be interesting to see how things compare to last time

I told a friend of mine how we had two glass bottles thrown at us when out riding the other day. He said he would rather dodge glass bottle’s than train in the UK at the moment. I’m sorry to hear about how tough the winter has been this year, Keep your head down and train hard then the good things will happen this summer.

Stu.

18

No Rest For The Wicked!.

Not that I’ve been wicked this week… I’ve just returned back from a hard weeks training camp in the (very snowy!) Gloucester countryside. Training with the German team was great! They gave the British team some great competition, although we kicked ass in the swimming and running events. I enjoyed a great track session running in the freezing snow, I felt really strong throughout, must be all the tough winter training! Then it was back to the hotel for a nice hot shower, ahh heaven!

It’s been a tough few weeks getting over a fluey-bug but I’m healthy at the moment, lets hope it stays that way. I had a couple of days off but I am continuing to train hard despite this, and looking forward to my updated Focus bike arriving any day now, and a training trip on the horizon to a Spanish training centre near Barcelona!

I have been increasing the amount of endurance runs I do and as I live near the beach I run a lot on the sand and along the sea front. It’s great to get out in the fresh sea air! Some Thursdays my club do a great session running up and down the zig-zag slopes on the seafront cliffs – which is a killer. The new puppy is also proving to be a fantastic new training partner apart from when he cuts me up!

Lately I’ve had a non stop schedule with the National cross country in Leeds and Birmingham and soon the Biathle and Triathlon season will start too. I’m really looking forward to getting back into some open water training again. It’s up to Leeds for XC this weekend, bound to be cold and muddy – my favourite: come on Team Dorset!

Apologies.

That’s my first line. I have been pretty damn busy and hectic of late. And have thought about all the Wiggle blog fans missing out on my tales of adventure and life. Where do I start? How about the news of training? OK. As for nearly everyone in the UK, the bad weather has disrupted training plans and the thought of smashing the km’s indoors is really quite hard. I spoke to a friend of triathlete friend of mine last week, he had done an obscenely high amount of turbo trainer sessions, I had a lump in my throat upon hearing the news!

However, I’ve tried to fit in as much as possible when I can/could. I had a week in Fuerteventura training. It was fantastic to leave the really cold spell of weather in England and head over there. The roads are generally in pretty good shape and the island is very similar to the neighboring island of Lanzarote, my former home of two years. Managed to get some long rides in with the added benefit of being in shorts and short sleeved jerseys everyday! A day I will not remember in a hurry was a 170km ride, with an 85km headwind, before i turned to head home, and the wind also turned, giving me another 85km headwind all the way back! Wind-burnt, not sun-burnt.

I also met some nice cyclists from Denmark whilst out on the roads, did part of one of my rides with them. Before I decided to do some more hill efforts on a suitable climb that I discovered. I must also mention the weather again, it was between 25-30 degrees Celsius. This was ideal to test out my new Catlike Whisper Plus Helmet. I’ve been interested in these helmets for some time, and the stand out from the crowd design of them certainly appeals to me. It’s very lightweight and the fit is very comfortable. In the heat it performed brilliantly and never did I feel “hot-headed”, as I have done with some other helmets in the past. Visits to the Gym at the sports resort every day to increase core strength/stability too. I slept very well every night! And the

Then onto personal news, I decided to leave London, departing Rouleur magazine, and joining the staff at Wiggle! I start on the 1st of March and cannot wait to be part of the strong and enthusiastic workforce. This should also hopefully be better for my training as it’s much more accessible to the countryside, where I love to train and enjoy riding my bikes. I shall be lodging with a mad keen cyclist, he shall remain anonymous for the time being, but let me tell you, he does more miles than a space shuttle.

Until next time, “tot straks”.

11

41 Days Left

41 days left. As I write this blog I have just 41 days until I hit the big four zero. It seemed such a long way off when I arrived at the top of Mont Ventoux at the end of the 2009 etape du tour, but now it’s just over a month away. I’m not usually one to get “hung up” about my age. I barely noticed turning 30, but for some reason 40 just seems really old to me! Luckily for me cycling is one sport where age is not much of a barrier.

On the start line of last year’s etape there were a large number of over 60 year olds (well that’s what I judged them to be). Many of them appeared to have no problem in producing a faster time than I managed. This makes me feel a whole lot happier. I still want to be completing these challenges for many years to come and I’d like to think that I could continue to improve on my performances for a few more years yet.

The good thing about predominantly being a sportive rider is that I can just challenge my own ability on any given event. I have set myself some tough targets as far as finishing times are concerned, but at the end of the day, if I don’t achieve these targets, I’m the only person who will be disappointed. I think that this is what makes sportive riding so popular. The pressure is largely “off” and relaxed and this encourages a pleasant and cordial atmosphere between competitors. The detractors of this type of event will argue that the lack of competitive edge means that riding sportives is a bit of a “cop out” but I disagree.

I love competing in road races. The thrill of riding in a fast moving bunch (assuming I’ve managed to not get dropped) is exhilarating. If I’ve summoned the energy for an attack, or even better get into a break then the feeling is fantastic, but there is never any time to enjoy the moment. It’s pure adrenaline. The more relaxed atmosphere of a well organised sportive is a real treat. Couple that with the sense of achievement upon the completion of the event and often the stunning scenery on the way round and it’s Good Times AL!

Whatever your level of ability from elite professional to complete novice I recommend that you ride a sportive this season. I’ll guarantee, at the very least, you’ll have a cracking day out!

Until next time, when I’ll be considerably closer to 40, ride safe

Rich

51

Training Improvements

Things seem to be ticking along quite nicely at the moment. The improvement in weather and noticeably longer days are really making a difference. My motivation is high as I have my eyes on the UK 24hr Solo Championships, being held in May. It is a really big race for me as not only is it a chance to prove myself against the very best in the country it is also the best means of getting a ranking spot for the World Championships in Australia later in the year.

This year I have given myself several training goals, such as improving power and efficiency but also to reduce my body weight. I can’t say that I have been particularly heavy over the last few years, but there is some excess weight that could be shifted. This showed up on a DEXA body fat scan I had done last September at Aberystwyth University, who have state of the art Sports Science facilities. Back then I was at a peak weight and from then up until Christmas I just tried to maintain my weight and not gain too much over the holiday season.

Since the New Year I have made a real effort to bring my weight down and it is working well. I have done simple things like cutting a few foods out of my diet; alcohol, ice cream and little things like not adding sugar to hot drinks. I have also starting taking Torq raw L-Carnitine which is supposed to help burn extra fat when exercising. Everything is working well as I returned to Aberystwyth University this week to get another DEXA scan and retest my power output. The major news is that I have dropped 3.8kg and 4% body fat. The DEXA scan is really the ultimate when it comes to body analysis; a series of very low dose x-rays to measure bone, muscle and fat densities on the body.

The benefit is that you can see exactly where the weight is on the body and also make sure that no muscle loss is happening. I also had a ramp test with full breathe analysis and I have also seen an increase in my relative VO2 max, so its all good news. I’m now lighter and powerful than I was at Mountain Mayhem last year – a good sign of what is to come I hope.

This time of year is also very exiting as the new season products start coming through. This year I am extremely lucky as I have a number of companies who are supporting me. To help my training I have been provided with a Cyclops Powertap SL wheel system and PT300 indoor bike. Moving to train by power was a big learning curve but it has had a very positive impact and I really would not want to train any other way. Time will tell if it is making me quicker, but I think I know what the answer will be!

I have been using Crank Brothers eggbeater pedals for a number of years and really love the way they work predictably in all conditions. During 2010 I will be using Crank Brothers Eggbeater 4ti pedals on my Focus First Extreme race bike, Eggbeater SL on my Focus Raven training bike and Candy SL on my Verenti road bike.

Nutritional products are very important to me, especially at this time of year when the training loads are at their highest. I am very lucky to have support from both High5 and Torq. Certain products such as energy drink are very personal, so I am pleased that I can stick with something that really works well for me; High5 Energy Source 4:1.

Over the next few weeks the events season starts for me, although the early races will be used as training for the UK 24hr Champs. First up is a road sportive called the Daffodil Classic and the following weekend I will be entering the Mawddach Gold Rush, which is the first MTB race. Later in March I will be undertaking a charity ride for Sport relief, riding from Holyhead to Cardiff.

Anyone wanting to keep up to date on my day to day training and racing can follow me on Twitter.

Wiggle have teamed up with Garmin to offer a superb competition where you and a friend can win an exclusive trip to watch the exciting one day Paris-Roubaix stage. The Paris–Roubaix is a one-day professional bicycle road race in northern France near the Belgian frontier. Since its beginning in 1896 until 1967 it started in Paris and ended in Roubaix (hence the name); since 1968 the start city is Compiègne (about 60 kilometres (37 mi) north-east from Paris center), whilst the finish is still in Roubaix.

Famous for rough terrain and cobblestones, first run in 1896, Paris–Roubaix is one of cycling’s oldest races. It is well known for the many ‘cobbled sectors’ over which it runs, being considered, along with the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Gent-Wevelgem to be one of the cobbled classics. Despite the high esteem with which the race is seen, some notable cyclists throughout history have regarded the race as a joke because of its difficult conditions. The race has also seen several controversies over the years, with many seeming winners of the race disqualified for various reasons.

Your travel and accommodation will all be paid for so all you have to do is enjoy the day and take a few photos! This ‘once in a lifetime’ competition closes on the 28th March 2010 so you’ll have to act fast!!

The prizes
We are offering one lucky winner and a friend the chance to watch the exciting one day Paris Roubaix stage in Northern France courtesy of Garmin. All travel and accommodation included. As part of this prize you will also be having dinner with Team Garmin, you will be able to watch the race from start, and travel in the Team Car to watch the stage from various points.

Travel Itinerary

• Travel out Saturday 10th April am from St Pancras Station to Paris.
• You will be picked up from the Station.
• Dropped off at the hotel.
• You will have dinner with Team Garmin.
• Sun 11th April am you will be taken to the race start to watch the race from various points in the team car.
• Back to the hotel.
• Travel arranged on Sunday evening from Lille back to St Pancras London.

How to enter

To be entered in our prize draw all you have to do is buy any Garmin GPS computer from Wiggle between now and the 28th March 2010. Good luck!

For Terms & Conditions please click here.

46

The Big 3-Oh

Growing up in the ’80s, if you’d have told me I’d spend part of my 30th birthday hunting through charity shops looking for a Margaret Thatcher outfit, I’d have told you to take the loopy juice out of your cuppa. However, last Friday, that’s exactly what I found myself doing. The reason? I was staging an 80s themed fancy dress party to celebrate my 30th birthday and the Boy Wonder and I had decided – for pure comedy kicks – that we’d go as Maggie T and Ronald Reagan.

The masks arrived, we promptly put them on (terrifying the cat and our next door neighbour in the process) and I soon realised the mask alone was never going to do Mrs T justice…hence the reason I found myself dodging mothballs in some of Oxford’s finest charity shops until finding the little beauty of a suit you see here…

The party was great fun – thanks to all who came and made such a top effort with costumes – we had a truly entertaining evening.

After the madness of my birthday weekend, I’m now settling into my 30s – time to let it all go now, right?! Errr, nope, not quite… Training is going really well at the mo, I’m even Tweeting about it ;-) I’m doing exactly what I wanted to do this winter: consistent quality training with fire in my belly and a head full of hopes for the season ahead.

A visit to Wiggle HQ earlier this week meant picking up some superb goodies. I was blown away by Exposure giving all of the Team Wiggle athletes their own personalised Exposure Toro Light and Exposure Joystick.

These will come in extremely useful and I know for a fact there was one Ironman triathlete at my party on Saturday night who would not have made it home without his Exposure lights (Hanno biked from Oxford to the party in Swindon and back home again – all in one night – and still came in fancy dress!). That certainly qualifies as a top effort in my book!

Happy training
EK

More 30th Birthday Photos