bikesandbuildings.blogspot.com

New Neighbours

2012-01-28T13:01:00.000+08:00

Funny to live somewhere for 4 years and never see it from the street until now!

F*ck Yeah Brutalism

2012-01-25T09:03:00.000+08:00

Thank you Mr P for putting me onto the excellent 'f*ck yeah brutalism' site. Here's a slightly lesser known Kenzo Tange building- the Yamanashi Broadcasting and Press Center. You've got to love the no holds barred expressionism- it reminds me of the sort of place Tintin would have to go and rescue Snowy from a space shuttle attack, or something...

http://fuckyeahbrutalism.tumblr.com

CNY Tour De Lantau

2012-01-23T21:13:00.000+08:00

Kung Hey Fat Choy and all that... Mountain biking and temples- it's the only way.

Steve did emerge from the mist on occasions.

Pierre showing how it's done coming off the Fan Lau plateau.

Lots of impressive statistics- 80km riding, 2000m elevation, 12hrs out of the hoose, 3 degrees at the Buddha etc. But what Chinese New Year ride would be complete without a few men in tracksuits dressed up as a Dragon pulling cabbages from the ceiling?

Tai O

2012-01-23T21:02:00.002+08:00

A bit of stilted Tai O action from today's Tour de Lantau.

Circuito XC de Favelas

2012-01-23T06:27:00.000+08:00

Brazillian style.... (thanks Paulo)

http://www.pedal.com.br/exibe_texto_pagina.asp?id=5557&pagina=1

Chris King's Yeti

2012-01-22T19:36:00.001+08:00

Following on my my Yo Eddy mtb retro mania post the other day, my retrobike musings took me to a post by the new mountain biking sister magazine to the excellent Rouleur magazine- Privateer. I'm yet to acquire a copy of the actual magazine (sadly not distributed in HK), but I'm pretty confident it'd be a good read. One feature they have is a factory visit to Chris King. As per my Quality Quadrant post a year or so ago, I'd put Chris King in that small group of top notch component manufacturers still making things to last.

Proof is in the pudding in this instance, as Chris King's personal bike is on the same hubs, headset and bottom bracket installed in 1993. It's a bit sad that if you buy a Yeti now there's no way it'll last 20 years (mine lasted about 1 year before the rear triangle exploded for the first time), but I very much stand by the concept of investing in a good frame and good bearings that will pay off over their lifetime, rather than chi chi lightweight bling. This may be a bit of an extreme case, but it does prove a point. At some point in the future I'll do a post in praise of the company I consider to be the UK equivalent of Chris King- Hope Technologies, but for now, enjoy this taster of the privateer article:

http://www.privateer.cc/2012/01/chris-kings-yeti-arc.html#more

Hill Street

2012-01-21T19:48:00.000+08:00

A pretty miserable start to the Chinese New Year long weekend here- rain and relative cold. I'm aiming for a riding challenge of 1000m minimum climbing elevation per day for 5 days to pass the time. I kicked this off today with a rather unplanned Tour de HK Island, including a jaunt into town to say hello to the Bike Shop. It's been a long time since I rode down Hill Street, which used to feature on my fixed gear commute when I first moved here, and I think I was always so fearful of trying to stay alive (and keep my speed in check) that I didn't really look up, but today it really did just make me stop (it's nice having 2 brakes) and think 'this is bonkers'. Buildings with fly overs next to your window- that's what the world needs more of!!! Hong Kong urbanism at it's best (so long as you don't have to live in it).

Yo vs. Hard Eddy

2012-01-18T23:17:00.000+08:00

Well now here's a bike Mrs bikesandbuildings would never permit in the flat- the new Intense 'Hard Eddy'. It's a shame the marketing guys didn't think the innuendos through a bit more, as otherwise this is one of the few 29er bikes that I actually think looks proportional and elegant. The name did bring back memories from a classic mountain bike from back in the day when I was poring over purple anodizing in Mountain Biking UK-

Oh yes, the seminal Fat Chance 'Yo Eddy' circa 1994 (image sourced from retrobike). I thought it was quite fun to put these two images side by side. Back in the 90s bikes were photographed against dodgy mottled backgrounds (do school kids still have this background?), whereas now we have concrete. Back in the 90s we had fade paint jobs in lurid colours mixed with anodizing, whereas now we have stealth black. Back in the 90s we had steel made in the USA, whereas now we have carbon made in Asia. Back in the 90s our brakes didn't work, whereas now we have discs to stop on a dime. Back in the 90s we had suspension that didn't do much whereas now we can use a rigid fork with big wheels to gain more compliance than a RockShox..

I could go on, and yes, it is interesting how much has changed in 18 years. I don't think there's much doubt the 'Hard Eddy' is not only more tasteful, but also a faster bike. However, in the unlikely event that I was offered a choice between one of these bikes taken from my name sake I know which one I'd pick. Yo!

Windo Washa

2012-01-18T13:38:00.000+08:00

Just a nice bit of Chinese health and safety from an unknown source...

Stop and Spin [then get a boat]

2012-01-16T21:36:00.000+08:00

It's not often I have a weekend with 2 rides worthy of some blog attention, but this weekend was a bit of an exception. Sunday was a fun bit of Border Exploring on the mountain bikes, whereas Saturday was a great Buddha ride with the legendary cyclocrossing gardener that is Hillary Daniels and her guest from the United States of San Fransico- Chris Johnson.

Chris has just signed for the new Pro Continental Champ Sys team, and was off to training camp in Hainan with them the following day. As a man who has ridden as a climbing domestique for Tour stage winners Chris found Tung Chung road at my threshold keel over in pain pace, well, a nice tempo by which to hold a conversation. I did my best to pretend I could still breathe... Anyhow, a diversion to the Lantau North Shore of Tai O resulted in a very random boat trip to get us un-lost. Not quite as cool as the following video from Chris, but good fun all the same ;-)

A Room for London

2012-01-16T20:56:00.001+08:00

This little hoose propped up on the South Bank is a welcome fun addition to the Big Smoke it would seem...

http://www.dezeen.com/2012/01/13/a-room-for-london-by-david-kohn-and-fiona-banner-2/#more-185619

Border Exploring

2012-01-15T22:26:00.000+08:00

A fun ride this morning exploring some trails up near Plover Cove.

Some cool jetties featured (no we weren't lost- honest)

Not to mention a bit of singletrack with grave yards and Shenzhen tower blocks for a back drop.

But the definite highlight for me was cresting a hill and seeing the mighty Minsk World through the trees. Strange how you can be so near, yet so far from one of only 2 military theme parks in the world.

RIP Isi Metzstein

2012-01-11T19:38:00.000+08:00

Sad news came in last night of Isi Metzstein's death. He was a very influentual German / Scottish guy at 'the Mac', who though officially retired when I was there, still came in to give 'the Isi & Andy show' every now and again to tell us how it's really done and talk with passion about bricks... Or something. Funny that just a couple of hours before receiving the news I was chatting over a curry with friends whose education paths had crossed very close but never quite touched about Glasgow, 'the Mac' and so on, in arguably the most Scottish pub in Hong Kong- the Chapel. Kind of weird but also very fitting in a way. Some nice words here:

http://www.gsa.ac.uk/support-gsa/gsa-alumni/famous-alumni/isi-metzstein/

Retro Milk Racing

2012-01-07T22:46:00.000+08:00

You'd be hard pushed to find a better 2012 cycling calendar than this edition produced by the Glasgow Wheelers, featuring great images from back in the day of the Scottish Milk Race. There is also an excellent image archive worth a browse. Many thanks to Jamie for putting my calendar in the post!

http://www.glasgowwheelers.com/milkRaceCalendar.php

Opera Hoose

2012-01-07T22:34:00.000+08:00

Any trip down under wouldn't be complete without a quick trip to the Sydney Opera Hoose, and without wishing to bore you with lots of holiday photos, here's a quick snap I took from the public deck. It's funny how dated this building seems coming from Asia. Not in it's form or it's massing, which is very still very current, but in the finishes of the landscape and the interior. Asia wasn't really doing Modernism quite so much back in the 70's, when this building was finished and if it is was, then chances are it's been torn down and replaced by now. The 70's thing seems a little alien to me right now when so much of what surrounds me is so 80's (in both looks and spirit) and beyond- perhaps I was the only one in Sydney thinking 'this place needs a re-fit'! No, that this is a truly great building of the modern era is not in doubt. The fact it was actually designed in 1955 is even more remarkable, and the adage "good things come to those who wait" has rarely rung so true given what this building has paid back to Sydney and Australia since. The fact it was 10 years late and 14 times over budget really doesn't matter now. RIP Mr Utzon.

Australia Calling

2011-12-20T20:46:00.000+08:00

Mr & Mrs bikesandbuildings are off to a land down under for XMas / New Year! Should be a nice break from the grind stone! [Image pilfered from some generic site]

SIR Peak TT

2011-12-18T19:30:00.001+08:00

A great turn out for yesterday's annual SIR Peak TT. I was a minute off my personal best, but still pretty happy with 3rd place. Which earned me (and everyone else except the winner) a free coffee. Good times, if a little chilly! http://app.strava.com/rides/2732692

Peak Xmas TT	17-Dec-11
Fred	18.09
Damian B	20.03
Ed	21.25
Rupert	21.28
Aaron	21.32
Mike M	22.46
Nathan	22.47
Peter L	23.22
Jeroen	23.39
Paul Mc	23.40
Dominic	24.00
Henrik	24.10
Jason	24.11
Peter D	24.20
Jon A	24.23
Justin	25.20
Nick L	25.48
Paul T	26.14
Jane	26.14
Graeme	28.49
Jonny C	30.52

SZ Velodrome

2011-12-12T22:59:00.000+08:00

I am super excited about the prospect of getting my wheels on some Shenzhen Siberian pine come January...

http://www.facebook.com/events/339546566061487/

SIR jingoistic TTT

2011-12-11T10:43:00.000+08:00

Kit as bad as this can only mean one thing- the SIR jingoistic Team Time Trial! Our British Lions suffered from the re-scheduling of this one with many of our original team not available, so we didn't roar quite as loud as we'd have liked. And certainly not as loud as the Tonks express from '09...

ANZACS - 1.10.48
GB - 1.12.22
Americas - 1.12.22
Europe - 1.22.11 (1st in Mixed Cat.)
Nedrelands - 1.26.29
Langford - 1.00.28 (1st in Father/Son - 1 loop)

Thanks to Keggy for organising and taking photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/jasonkeg/SIRJingoTTT20111210?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCObn7ubEvpaO7QE&feat=directlink

Mega Tall 2020

2011-12-08T22:34:00.000+08:00

Look at all this 'Mega Tall' junk we (humanity) are building in the next decade. Petronas Towers won't even feature in the top 20 by 2020 according to this article.

http://www.ctbuh.org/TallBuildings/HeightStatistics/TheTallest20in2020/tabid/2926/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Hard Core

2011-12-05T22:25:00.001+08:00

Thanks to Hillary for sending through this photo from yesterday's ride. Hard to the core, Mark & I really know how to drink tea like the rock and roll mountain bikers we are.

Shenzhen Clubhoose

2011-12-04T18:33:00.000+08:00

Interesting to see Richard Meier working in Shenzhen, with a club house due to open shortly. Judging by the render, what I'm most looking forward to seeing (if I'm allowed in) is how the glazed balustrade appears to be supported by thin air. Nice! Image pilfered from:

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/17648/richard-meier-architects-shenzhen-clubhouse.html

Ma On Shan Massif

2011-12-04T18:27:00.000+08:00

There are times when not having a bike can take you to some nice places also. This is yesterday's Maclehose stage 4 re-visit. Mrs bikesandbuildings was less enthusiastic after 5hrs, but this photo marked a high point, in more way than one. Can the weather stay like this all year round please?

Tour de Lantau 2011

2011-11-27T22:02:00.000+08:00

Nice to get back on the mountain bike in style today with an all day epic 'Tour de Lantau'. This ride never fails to disappoint, and on a day like today, it's hard to beat.

New 15mm bolt through 120mm travel Fox ready to roll- today was my first serious test of this fork- it proved stiff, confidence inspriring and has pretty much put the icing on the cake to my Turner.

Hillary & Leeps before the average 30% monster climb.

Hillary & Leeps after the average 30% monster climb.

The gang looking pretty worried about being on some semi-legal trails.

Buddha downhill proved as brutal on man & machine as ever.

A quick beer and burger watching the sun go down wrapped off an excellent day.

Maclehose Post Mortem

2011-11-26T22:39:00.000+08:00

I posted a couple of weeks ago to give some insight into my transition from pure cyclist to someone just about able to stay on their feet long enough to take on Hong Kong's toughest hiking event- the annual Oxfam Trailwalker. Most will know by now that mission was accomplished- we made it! No fast times (28hrs), but we made it.

Firstly, to say a big thank you for any readers who sponsored team 'Full duck or no dinner'. As a team we raised over $110,000HKD for Oxfam and individually I raised over £600 GBP for Marie Curie- a fantastic contribution to charity and something that wouldn't have been possible without all your combined generosity. We are certainly one of the top 10 fundraisers and should get a mention in the South China Morning Post come December.

Secondly, I thought it may be worth adding a few insights into the event itself and how it may equate to similarly arduous cycling challenges. Completing Trailwalker wasn't the hardest pure physical challenge I've set myself (I think a 240km Etape du Tour wins that), but physiologically and from a pain management point of view, it was certainly the toughest. Clambering up muddy wet slopes in the dark with only a head torch for guidance, sleep deprived, cold, wet and miserable is not easy. When 4am hits it's very difficult to stay focused and awake, and to keep on going. This equates with 'Sleepless in the Saddle'- a UK 24hr endurance mountain bike race I've competed in a couple of times, and similarly, as soon as the sun rises the energy of just having daylight around you gives is an amazing boost. But where 'Sleepless' is deliberatly held on a course that isn't too technical, the fact it rained all night on Trailwalker made it very challenging to stay upright on your feet- people were sliding in the mud on a very technically demanding course left, right and center.

As with any endurance test, the key is generally preparation. Getting the right footwear was the most important element of Trailwalker for me. I wouldn't say my feet came off the training or the event scott free, but I did make it around. To put this into perspective, one of my team mates had to quit at 80km, simply unable to walk as his foot was basically one big blister. He had never suffered anything quite like it, and seemed to suffer from the rain and the wet feet even worse than the rest of us. Of course, the training is key, and you need to be fit, but if you get one element wrong (e.g. footwear, chafing, hydration), then it doesn't matter how much training you've done- you can find yourself going home early. Similarly, on the bike, there's nothing worse than showing up in a race with a badly serviced / low end bike and having to quite because something fails. All cyclists have plenty of stories of this happening to them, but one sticks in my head as my biggest learning experience- Back in around '06 I competed in a stage race in Northern Ireland. On the last day, having not bothered with a warm up (it was raining), I rode out of the car park on the neutralised zone to discover that my headset had seized. Unable to steer properly, I ended up having to climb into the broom wagon and quit the race because of a mechanical. When I got home I discovered a bent steerer. Lesson learned- cheap kit is more likely to break, and no matter what you're using, check it over.

Lastly, I just wanted to emphasize the psychological aspect of completing something like this. If your head isn't there then you won't get the most out of yourself. What doesn't kill you makes you harder. So, when times are tough, I'll take solace from the fact I can look back and think they probably aren't as tough as hauling myself up the back side of Tai Mo Shan in the middle of the night.

A+U WKT

2011-11-26T22:06:00.000+08:00

Nice to see something you've worked on in print.

Silk Scarf

2011-11-24T22:45:00.000+08:00

£195. Bargain!

http://www.paulsmith.co.uk/shop/paul-smith-mens-scarves

Estudio Babo

2011-11-15T13:38:00.000+08:00

A nice Argentinian hoose:

http://www.estudiobabo.com.ar/index.php?/obras/clf--casas--houses/

Dugast

2011-11-13T20:39:00.000+08:00

If you have a sad obsession with tubulars you should read Condor cycle's ode to Dugast (scroll down):

http://www.condorcycles.com/november-2011/

Past Present Future

2011-11-09T07:46:00.000+08:00

A nice book on Condor, and a new blog to add to the list.
http://in-the-saddle.com/2011/10/09/condor-past-present-future/

Teshima

2011-11-07T07:33:00.000+08:00

Ahhhh... just dreaming of Japan.

http://www.arcspace.com/architects/sejima_nishizawa/teshima-art-museum/teshima-art-museum.html

Maclehosing

2011-11-06T14:50:00.001+08:00

The Road is Long...

This blog is about bikesandbuildings.... However, please forgive me if I diverge off track a little- it will come back to bikes, but for now a little background:

Back at the start of this year I was due to ride 750km in 3 days for charity. Unfortunately, a mash{ed} palm meant I had to withdraw at the last minute and cancel. At the time I was keen to honour the people who'd sponsored me with an event equally difficult. Pretty soon the rugby 7's came around and whilst under the influence of considerable alcohol I was offered a provisional place on a team for November's annual Oxfam Trailwalker event. I said "yes".

The Profile is Spiky

As someone not famed for my walking ability (people often ask if I'm limping when there is nothing wrong with me, and a masseuse once asked me "what is wrong with your legs?") the idea of attempting to walk 100km from coast to coast in Hong Kong over a course profile that blows apart anything the UK has to offer (4500m cumulative elevation for a start) seemed something beyond a mere challenge, this was (drink induced) madness! To give you an idea of where I'm coming from, if I ran 5km on the flat I would ache for quite a few days when I signed up for this. Clearly I would have to try and rapidly change my physiology and conditioning to adapt for such an event.

The Sky is High

Over the past 6 months I have been incorporating more and more running mileage into what is obviously a bike led routine for me. I've also been getting out on 15-25km hikes in a bid to adapt to hills and toughen my feet. I am on pair of trainers number 5 in a bid to find the perfect pair. But slowly, surely, I think I might have got there. Having hauled my way around 50km of an easier route (only 1100m climbing) last weekend, yesterday I did half of the Maclehose trail over the toughest middle section, including 2850m of climbing, finishing in the dark after being out for just over 11hrs. Having done the last 8km without food or water and with a taped up blister giving me a bit of a hobble I was obviously suffering, but in actual fact my legs felt reasonable and the idea of carrying on into the night was grim, but not beyond comprehension.

The Sun will Set (and we'll be halfway)

So, how does this relate to bikes? Well, on a base training level there are a number of mantras that apply to any sport that I've had to apply to this progression:

If you're coming from nowhere (injury / lay-off / new to the sport) don't expect to get there quickly. Build up slow, add the mileage and don't do too much too soon- this will only lead to injury.
Good kit makes a difference- as with bikes, fit and comfort trump fancy features.
It's hard, but it is rewarding.

Furthermore, there are some observations specific to cyclists that I thought I would share:

We have strong hearts and lungs, with legs that will easily go up hill. You will leave walkers behind going uphill and you will think it is easy compared with climbs when you push it on the bike. What is hard, and what we are rubbish at, is going downhill.
The muscles we have adapted for pushing on pedals are in direct conflict with the muscles required for back-pedaling (obviously) and there is a direct parallel with the uphill / downhill thing. If you've ever ridden a fixed gear you will notice some muscles hurt a lot more than usual the day after. I believe these are the same as those that will hurt for days after a serious hilly hike.

So, will all this make me a stronger biker? As yet I have no idea- I'm usually too busy trying to recover from a hill walking workout to be able to go full out on the bike, and the number of biking training hours has taken a serious hit as I ramp up to the Maclehose event in just 2 weeks time. We shall see- I expect short term probably not, but hopefully long terms I will be stronger and more muscularly balanced as a result. Whatever, the priority right now for me is to try and survive 24hrs of walking hell.

If you would like to contribute you can use the gadget on the top right of this page which I set up for the Thai event, or you can open your wallet for Oxfam and have a look at what this training has done for my feet here: https://www.oxfamtrailwalker.org.hk/opencms.war/opencms/_info_/join/registration/teamPublishPage.jsp?teamId=8326&teamNo=0074&__locale=en

Colossi 5 Ready to go

2011-11-03T07:30:00.004+08:00

Colossi 5 Ready to go, a photo by Colossi Cycling on Flickr.

Great shot of a lovely bike

http://www.flickr.com/photos/colossi/6216666284/in/set-72157627705021639/

28 Story Hoose

2011-10-31T21:04:00.000+08:00

This is quite an amusing article on what is apparently the most expensive house in the world. Surely it is also the most ridiculous, and to top it off the house is unoccupied!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/business/global/this-luxurious-house-is-not-a-home.html

Shanghai Musings

2011-10-28T21:25:00.001+08:00

Shanghai- that curious mixing pot of post-Mao, post-colonial cultural hub meets urban explosion- provided a more than ample location for Mr and Mrs bikesandbuildings to celebrate their first wedding anniversary this weekend past. Blogspot is not the platform to dwell on such matters, but Shanghai is such a striking urban environment I thought i would try to write some reflections and post some photos for those less familiar with quite what this city has to offer.

I would not be the first to make comment on Shanghai as the 21st Century Manhattan, and by now it's Pudong skyline is surely almost as identifiable.

Everyone knows the statistics abound this rapid urbanism on the make- more than 4000 bland curtain wall structures in Shanghai alone being representative enough. What is perhaps less coveted by the China media feeding frenzy, and what I would like to focus on in this post is some of the truly remarkable reinventions of historic structures and industrial areas into adaptive re-uses to accommodate such recent 'Euro' centric / non Mao-ist ideas as thriving commercial arts hubs and boutique hotels.

What is more interesting still is the sense that China is not only doing these things bigger, but also better than their Western counterparts. That is not to deny the Western input to facilitate these transformations, be that through the use of Western Architects, hoteliers, chefs, or art buyers (and there are no shortage of Western faces); but truly the thing that surprised me most about Shanghai was the sheer quality of urban culture on offer.

M50 Art Zone

First up on the list of examples to articulate this point is the M50 art zone, just to the North of the city centre, where a group of warehouses have been turned into artist studio galleries, where the regular Western model of artist sells to gallery dealer who then sells in Gallery or Auction House, has been turned on its head to artists sell direct out of their studio.

When you research this model's phenomenon more (Beijing's 798 district being another case in point), the success of this urban 'art village' model will also become its downfall - rising rents cost emergent artists out of the equation, and less commercial artists are slowly being pushed out by low brow profiteers who will poorly sculpt your face off a photo, or imitation specialists looking to sell you something disappointingly similar to the most famous modern Chinese artists of late.

The phenomena of creatives setting up in the cheap streets of former industrial urban areas that subsequently gentrify is hardly new (witness Hoxton, Brooklyn etc etc) But, despite all this, M50 still provides an incredibly diverse mix of serious Art (with a Capitol 'A') across the 'serious' mediums of painting, sculpture, ink, pencil etc. with less serious mediocre tat. But, in that Chinese manner of 'more is more' there is so much Art on offer, and given the fact it's not difficult to differentiate the wheat from the chaff, M50 still provides a great day out for culture starved Hong Kongites.

More refreshingly still is the fact Mr and Mrs bikesandbuildings were just about able to stretch our finances to actually buy some real Art (with a Capitol 'A'). Such phenomena would most likely not be possible in the galleries of Hoxton or London's West End (or in Hong Kong). On this topic, beyond affordability there is also a refreshing lack of pretension in M50.

Outside of a museum context I can't think of a Western example that can match this area for not only the intense pure volume of artistic produce (as a commercial entity) on offer, but also quality. M50 has probably had its hey day as 'the next big thing', and the next generation have most likely already begun the process of transforming another unlikely area into another Factory, but if you haven't been already I don't think you'll be disappointed.













1933 Abatoir

Offering much less in terms of quality of produce on offer than M50, yet trumping it on the adaptive re-use stakes, is Shanghai's 1933 Abatoir, a remarkable maze of vintage monolithic concrete turned on its head from a former life as an Abatoir into another Arts hub to house everything from design agencies and modernist furniture boutiques to wedding planner shops and a Ducatti cafe. Try putting that one on any Archirecture school curriculum's brief...

What makes this one quite so special is not so much the off the head mix of things in offer for prospective visitors, but the truly bonkers building that forms its framework. No shortage of Internet articles on this place will prepare you for "Escher inspired staircases", but none of them will explain why there are quite so many of the damn things...

From a rationalists point if view I couldn't make any sense of this building from a functional perspective, let alone how it functioned as an Abatoir. Or anything else for that matter. I could only revel in the joy of sheer modernist 'if in doubt use concrete' brutalism, and wonder how on earth this one escaped the bulldozer...

I'm not an expert on emergent Moderism in early 20th Century China (is anyone?) and I thought the 30s was about Japanese occupation, not the social reform that usually provides the context for such structures. However, it's truly refreshing to see something like this in a city (and country) where everything is so new and when dull Neo-classicism is the default plat du jour, this transformation is all the more remarkable. Typically, I assume everything in China to be reproduction 'fake old', tapping columns being a rather sad hobby of mine. So hopefully i can be excused for getting a bit excited about this brutalist beast of a building.

Refreshingly, China appears to have finally started to embrace the 'old', even when that means decaying Modernism. Even more refreshing within the greater context of China, is the fact Shanghai does have some beautiful true remnants of its Colonialst past. These remnants may be few and far between, and I'm really not sure how a seemingly gloriously dysfunctional modernist Abattoir sits inside this context as a piece of history, but I can enjoy it.

The Waterhouse

Last on my list of adaptive re-use examples in Shaghai, is the Waterhouse hotel in the South Bund, and right next to the self proclaimed 'Cool Docks'. This is not a joke- someone has put a sign up and everything. Of course, the cool docks are not 'cool' at all, but undoubtedly what was too cool for school, is the Waterhouse hotel next to it. 

Housing a quite wonderful contemporary Asian fusion restaurant by a Gordon Ramsey protégée on the ground floor, a small selection of achingly hip hotel rooms above, and a Corten steel clad roof bar, all adapted from an old shipping warehouse, this place is a hiphotel dream.

Except, of course, it's so new you won't find it in the guide books yet. 

A quick example of just how fast things move in Shanghai came when we called a restaurant to get a table based on some Internet reviews, got there and found they'd changed the restaurant from being 'Imperial Chinese' cuisine, to bland over-priced Western with a view. 

But back to the Waterhouse. The food here was certainly not average Western, it was some of the most strikingly original I've ever eaten. But again, without the pretension you might expect at such an establishment in Paris or London. And the rest of the hotel was so achingly 'cool' I couldn't quite believe we were in China.

I guess it's symptomatic that they're 'catching up' so fast with the West, that in isolated aspects, they've taken over. And not always in the areas you most expect it. Just don't expect it to still be there when you return.

Colin in Matabunkay

2011-10-25T22:03:00.000+08:00

A nice shot of Colin on his way to winning the Tour of Matabunkay. Great to see Colin put in practice everything he writes about on hi excellent blog:

http://www.biketrainingtips.com/2011/10/tour-of-matabungkay-musings.html

Moonlightin'

2011-10-20T18:35:00.000+08:00

I don't usually like to double post about bike races, but I thought that seeing as I made my first 'journalistic' contribution to cyclingnewsasia.com this week, I should probably post the link. Hopefully it's not obvious that the journalist who wrote the article (me) was also in the winning team. You will note that I am hiding pretty well in 5th wheel on the above photo nice and low out of the wind and out of shot...

http://www.cyclingnewsasia.com/en/road/35-general/1511-hkca-tung-chung-ttt-colossi-cc-takes-it-over-neil-pryde-cyclones

Cipo

2011-10-20T18:26:00.000+08:00

I must admit to taking quite a passing fancy to the new Cipolata sausage bikes out of Italy having seen one in the flesh for the first time on Sunday. Interesting to see they are really playing up the 'Made in Italy' tag, though to my eyes it looks like they could easily have made these in the Far East and offered them up for half the price. But, as far as USP's go, it's not a bad one considering that's what everyone else does, and there is certainly a market for $n+1 thousand dollar bikes.

http://www.rouesartisanales.com/article-53428298.html?lang=en

Spaceport

2011-10-19T18:26:00.000+08:00

This is a cool building, but somehow I doubt I'll ever be visiting at $20G a pop (USD) for a ride into space.

http://www.fosterandpartners.com/News/454/Default.aspx

TTT Top Step

2011-10-16T12:26:00.001+08:00

A win at last for colossi.cc in today's Team Time Trial. A solid 44.1kph average over the 56km course was testimony to the effort put in mainly by Colin & Erich, but a great team performance to get the required riders over the line and nice to finally get the win in this race. A bit of strava data (that may well expose that I didn't come to the front until 80% of the race was over) here: http://app.strava.com/rides/1989314. However, given the ferocious pace and the fact my training has been geared towards running / hiking recently, rather than riding, I was happy just to hold on!

The MET, Bangkok

2011-10-07T10:13:00.000+08:00

RIBA Lubetkin Prize 2011 winner - The Met, Bangkok from RIBA on Vimeo.

I have a lot of respect for WOHA, especially since staying in The Ultimate Hotel Room, also designed by them. One for the list next time I'm in Bangkok.
http://www.architecture.com/Awards/LubetkinPrize/2011/LubetkinPrize2011.aspx

53 Stubbs Rd

2011-10-03T17:10:00.001+08:00

"I care very much about the interior spaces and how they are used. I work very hard with clients to make sure that the building functions in the way that they need it to function." Frank Gehry

So, as Hong Kong prepares for what could well be the most expensive flats to hit the market (think a solid professional annual salary as monthly rent), take a look at this floor plan. Could you imagine a more annoying layout in which to count your cash? Walls all over the shop, columns blocking your million dollar view, and so much space yet you don't even get a proper terrace by which to enjoy that view?!?

The many articles hitting the web about this building seem to be missing not only the above points, but also the disconnect between the vision of this building (i.e. Gehry's nice models) and the fast revealing material reality of this building. Here is a photo taken this morning that shows those columns blocking the view are not painted pistachio green, but are in fact glass clad white columns giving a pistachio effect- Yee Gods! Pistachio should be for gelato, not Gehry. As an aisde, I am reminded of one of my favourite HK houses down the road from this beasty.

http://www.wanderlister.com/post/9793498150/frank-gehry-outside-the-box?a7f10f08

Venizia

2011-10-01T11:36:00.000+08:00

A few photos from a quick dash to Venizia for a friend's wedding last week, as well as some likes and dislikes about Venice:

Like: It's the complete opposite to Hong Kong- everything is super old and as a piece of history it is quite remarkable. No matter how hard the Chinese may try, we just don't do marble & gold bling like they did back then.
Dislike: It's not a functioning modern old city, in the same way that say, Paris, is. Very few people appear to actually live in Venice, although we were lucky to stay in an area where kids still played football in the square and the croissants were home made. Sadly though, the population is in decline and the city feels like tourist town.
Like: Gelato, fresh pasta, espresso etc. etc.
Dislike: Rialto bridge.
Like: No cars
Dislike: Didn't see a single bike.
Like: Taking a water taxi to the airport
Dislike: The cost of water taxis...

4 spoke

2011-09-29T14:29:00.000+08:00

Another couple of weeks of all quiet on the Western Front around here. Reason being a trip back to the UK to pick up some 4 spokes. Oh, and to visit the family, go to a wedding in Venice and other such distractions. But the primary reason for the trip was of course to pick these bad boys up. After my last Reine du Nord post it would seem I am defiantly keeping to the mantra of 'you can never have too many bike wheels'. Now, the only issue with these wheels is that the rear is actually a fixed gear track wheel (these were a bit of a drunk eBay surprise bid win for very little $$$). I had thought I would be able to swap it over to a geared freehub from a spare rear Corima hub I have, but now I've taken them out of the box it seems not. This leaves me with a bit of dilemna- do I convert my TT bike to a fixed TT bike / try to adapt an old school screw on cassette and go 5/6/7 speed at the back / buy a disc wheel?. Or do I ship back my track bike from the UK a try to justify them for that?!? Either way, the wife will probably kill me when she realises how many wheels / bikes I now have in the flat. "But they're good enough for Chris Hoy darling, so they must be good enough for me!"

La Reine Du Nord

2011-09-11T22:43:00.000+08:00

Any readers of this blog who pay any attention to my views on road bike wheels will no doubt have noticed a long burning desire on my part to keep it Paris Roubaix cool and mix it up with some Ambrosio tubbies. Well, after a few sets of wheels that have played somewhat pretender to that crown (Campag Neutron, Easton CX, handbuilt Mavic tubs) I have now taken delivery of the original, the mythical, the even elusive Ambrosio Nemesis- La Reine du Nord... You might sense a degree of excitement and enthusiasm in my adjectives, and you'd be right. Because in 18 years of cycling, I've never actually seen a pair of these rims. I've seen them on photos of the pro's bikes, I've read everything there is to read (not that much) on the interweb, I've talked about them with friends, I've been outbid on eBay, but to actually see them for the first time coming out of the box laced to a pair of Record hubs with my name on it was kind of cool, in a sad bike geek 'I MUST BE DIFFERENT' kind of way. The credit for actually getting these rare as hen's teeth wheels to me must go to Mr Maestro Mike Perry (http://www.maestro-uk.com/) who conversed all his opinions to me over email (here is a man with more opinions on road bike wheels than me) and shipped them across the world so that for now I can surely be the only guy rocking 'La Reine Du Nord' in the Kong.

What is more cool is that at first glance these look like a pretty normal pair of wheels. Anyone who looks closer and knows their bikes will know different. Anyone who really knows their bikes will know that 25mm Continental Competitions are Pro issue only, but then I'd really be bragging... As for how they ride, well at one ride in I'm not going to dwell on that one- I shall save it for a proper review once I've logged a sufficient amount of k's for a wheel that one can expect to last thousands of kilometres, but let's just say I'm not disappointed. It reminds me of when I had my first pair of mtb suspension forks- As a 16year old I used to ride at kurbs just for fun. I guess riding steel with these wheels is about as close you get to suspension on a road bike without any shocks. But in a much more refined way... Think Maserati Quattro Porte, not Mitsubishi Evo.

Paulo TC

2011-09-04T22:49:00.002+08:00

A shot from this morning's crit in Tung Chung- Paulo just missing out on top spot in the 20's. I burned my candles in the 30s and wasn't up there for the sprint, but had a bit more luck in Open Category- I got in a break and scored a few points. Considering how terrible the legs felt after hiking 3hrs yesterday and how hard I've been working recently (straight to the office after the race today) this was a result.

Report up on http://www.colossi.cc/reports

Edit a nice report up with the first time I've been mentioned on this sit: http://www.cyclingnewsasia.com/en/road/35-general/1432-hong-kong-hkca-tung-chung-criterium-dorming-chau-wins

King's X

2011-08-28T20:59:00.000+08:00

A rather stunning site photo from John McAslan's new King's Cross redevelopment in London village.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/aug/12/constructive-criticism-architecture-kings-cross

Drawing: Crosswaters Bridge

2011-08-23T20:54:00.000+08:00

Readers of this site may know I recently visited Nankunshan in Guangzhou province, China, for some quality cycling with some of the colossi guys. Astute readers may know that the title photo I use as a banner was actually taken from my first visit to the area on an mtb in 2009, shortly before I started this blog. In 2009 we stayed at the Crosswaters resort, whereas a couple of months ago Crosswaters was full, so we went for Pattra. Pattra makes more sense for cycling from a logistics point of view, but Crosswaters is that rather unique thing in China- a considered design hotel that embraces landscape and traditional Chinese construction methods but reinterprets in a modern way.

And so I found myself with Mrs bikesandbuldings in Crosswaters last weekend sitting on our villa balcony making this quick sketch of the bridge that marks the entry to the resort. It is predominantly made of bamboo, with a little steel and some concrete where required. Of course, this brings out all sorts of 'fake' cries of derision on tripadvisor, but if you can get over a bit of the grey stuff and appreciate this for what it is, it's a pretty unique piece of architecture set within quite an unlikely landscape.

http://www.thecoolist.com/landscape-architecture-designs-10-modern-masterpieces/crosswaters-ecolodge-guangdong-province-china-3/

W

2011-08-16T19:49:00.000+08:00

Keeping with the pool theme, here's a nice way to spend Sunday afternoon in HK- at the 'W' in West Kowloon. Luckily some friends were staying there this weekend past and I got a swim in on the 76th floor.

http://www.w-hongkong.com/en/wetdeck

Peaking

2011-08-16T09:01:00.000+08:00

It's been radio silence around here for some time for one reason or another (I've been very busy), and I have quite a lot of things to catch up on. But just for the heck of it, here's a quick photo from this morning's Peak ride. I think my heart was probably still beating at around 170bpm at this point, having just hauled myself up Mt. Austin, so I'm pleased with how steady I managed to keep the iBone to take this!

Red Pool

2011-07-28T06:57:00.000+08:00

Continuing on from the green lake on a roof, here's a red swimming pool in Sau Paulo.

http://www.kiwicollection.com/photo-gallery/extraordinary-swims#11

2011-07-26T18:47:00.000+08:00

Pretty soon all this will be mine! Ha ha- no, that's a joke. However, a pair of Record / Nemesis pave specials are brewing...

http://www.belgiumkneewarmers.com/2008/04/tradition-vs-technology.html

TMS Tour Tribute

2011-07-24T20:56:00.000+08:00

Glen, Keggy and I wrestled our way up Hong Kong's hardest climb this morning as a sort of 'tribute to the Tour'. What a great Tour it's been and what a fitting ride to cap it off. All of us seem to have been running off 5hrs or so sleep for the past few nights as we try to catch the late finishes and still ride in the mornings, but today's 960m climb into the clouds at an average of 9.6% (more typically 12) certainly finished me off. I love the Tour but in a way I'm also quite glad it's over! Chapeau cuddles.

Selfridges Roof

2011-07-23T12:25:00.002+08:00

Lakes on roof. Nice.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/travel/news/selfridges-store-in-london-installs-green-lake-on-its-roof/story-e6frg8ro-1226099705162

Batloon

2011-07-15T21:42:00.000+08:00

This looks like it could have been taken in deepest Kowloon...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2011/jul/13/posters-batman-dark-knight-rises

Cats On Tour

2011-07-12T21:31:00.000+08:00

Megi says goodbye to Vino. She didn't seem too fussed either.

Looking at sh*t

2011-07-11T22:38:00.001+08:00

The following made me laugh:

Not that either of these medieval/sculptural analogies seem to have occurred to the carload of lairy local youths who roared past me, windows open, music pounding, as I stood on a nearby road bridge photographing the building. “You’re looking at sh*t, mate!” one of them hollered as they disappeared in a haze of tyre smoke.

http://www.hughpearman.com/2011/04.html

Campag Power

2011-07-09T12:19:00.001+08:00

'Tour Tech' is always good at this time of year. Probably the most interesting bit of Pro kit so far for me is this SRM / Campagnolo crank. Power never looked so good! I just need to win the lottery and wait for it to be released. I'm guessing 3000EUR.

Fast Phil's Canyon

Titanium Foam

2011-07-07T13:40:00.000+08:00

This stuff is pretty cool- bling table tops, aero down tubes, sliding partitions.... Heston eat your heart out!

www.mmc.co.jp/nfac/hpm/okegawa/OHP/english/products/happou/index.html

Epic Rides: Nankunshan

2011-07-04T23:58:00.002+08:00

Day 1 - Putonghua Colada

Some panic to start this trip off when upon arrival at the cross border coach depot I discovered the tickets said 8.05, not 8.25 as the travel agent had told us and the bus had already left! Even better, with non of the rest of our party of 6 present I had managed to lock myself out of the iBone so couldn't show the screaming woman the email from her own colleague...

Luckily at this point Colin turned up with a functioning phone and we all made another coach after some negotiation. What didn't make it was Justin's front wheel, somehow lost on it's journey through border control. Luckily we bought spare wheels. Less fortunate was Ed &

Paulo witnessing a man crapping in the urinal going through immigration! Welcome to China!





Sadly minus Colin, the remaining 4 started the training proper with a nice 1000m elevation ride up the hill and back to soften the legs, but sadly no piña coladas were available for Aron come the evening.







Day 2 - Apocalypse This Afternoon

The big one- a planned 180km with 2300m of climbing out into the unknown. Leaving the hotel at 8am we got off to an auspicious start when we took the wrong turn out of the hotel and inadvertently ended up adding an extra 10km & 150m climbing to what was already a long day. This detour turned out to be a very scenic one at least, and with legs still fresh there were no complaints.

Aron and Ed shared navigation duties herein and adapted to the 500m Chinese gps offset relative to our mapping. Another navigation error 50km in soon threatened to hamper progress when we were left in the position to hope a bridge existed over a river to get us back on track. When we got to the river no bridge was in sight, but what we did see was a ferry!

Aron was forced to pay the 2RMB fee as punishment for leading us over some dodgy pot holes at full pelt a few km's earlier, and we all settled into our little boat ride.

The river was a definate 'Apocolypse Now' moment on what was to be an 'Apocolypse This Afternoon' day.

 The rest of the morning passed smoothly on pretty flat roads with some good water breaks breaking things up as temperatures soared and road surfaces deteriorated.

The highlight was probably our stop for 1kg of lychees and some 'Euro Cool' sunnies for Aron.

Lunch came after 110km, as planned in Longmen, a wild west town where fake mcdonalds is in fact 7-11 and lunch felt like walking into a sort of Chinese saloon bar where a short tumbleweed moment was followed by much Waaaness.

The fake McDonalds did at least offer the chance to stock up on dubious thai redbull in advance of the afternoon's estimated 2000m elevation still to come. The sense of anticipation as we rolled through the valley waiting for the mountains we could see in the distance was palpable.

Hitting the first proper climb moans and groans were heard as the k's started to be felt in the legs.

Ed and Paulo had to wrestle their way up on their standard chainsets, whilst Aron's pace setting on the flat finally took it's toll when the bubble popped. I took the KOM almost as a resultant of my only option being to keep turning the 39-25. What followed was glorious swooping curves rolling up and down as we made our way up to the village where we had turned the previous day. The Thai redbulls were now kicking in and some second winds came into effect as Aron came back to life and Justin gave no hint of a man who broke his daily kilometre record shortly after lunch.

Luckily the anticipated elevation turned out to be a bit of a Chinese GPS whisper and after a puncture break we hit the last climb up to the top of Nankunshan mountain where the only option was to leave it all on the road and see what was left in the tank. Ed and Aron pushed it all the way, while Justin followed shortly after and Paulo arrived with tales of how football was only 90minutes rather than 8hrs...

One last glorious descent back to the hotel and with a solid 190km covered / 1900m elevation climbed at 6.30pm we called it a day. 'Epic' is what best describes days like this and what makes it so hard is what makes it a day to remember. On a personal level I was pleased to get around without any cramps and I think a few experiments with nutrition paid off.

But what makes days like this is the 'in it together' aspect to these sorts of rides and it felt like a great sense of achievement to get back in one peice. Numbers wise (distance, elevation, pace) it didn't break any records for me but it was nice that everyone else broke either a distance or elevation PB. Taking into account navigation, road surface, heat and general day time events / banter it will go down as one of the more enjoyable & memorable 'epics' for me though.

Beer and steak was well deserved come the evening and a fading taurine buzz aside we all slept like babies.

Day 3 - Operating on a Fish

Out of the door once more for one last time Justin again took the brunt of the wheelie bad luck (ouch) with a tire blow out pretty much straight out of the hotel. Down to just 3 Aron, Paulo and I tried to keep it recovery style until a 12% hill got in the way, but such is life.

Time to hit the hotel for a 2nd breakfast then a solid 90min massage to boost the recovery some more...

Coming home on the coach we learned from Justin how to operate on a fish and it got even better on the HK side of the border when a man in Lycra asked Justin if he had lost a wheel. Lo and behold this unlikely man hanging out at the bus stop actually owned the tour company and had the wheel in his office back in Yao Ma Tei! What goes around comes around... All in a great weekend's training with banter and scenery to match.

GPS Software Review

2011-06-27T23:03:00.001+08:00

Anyone who has read my previous posts on 'training' will probably know that I've been a big fan of SportTracks software. However, recent events, such as my ownership of an iBone (Dog and...), a period of the Garmin not recording any rides due to it being full, and some friends recommending I try Strava and Endomondo means that for the past few months I've been on a bit of mix and match training software review. Here are my findings:

SportTracks

Advantages:

- It's free and Open Source. This means geeks develop plug ins, such as the power without power plug in and the TRIMP system- the two most valuable parts of the software that basically try to do the same job as Training Peaks.

- The maps are good, you can edit and manually enter workouts and the software is reliable.

Disadvantages

- No iBone app means that if you want to run without the garmin you would have to record in another software then enter manually. I found this just wasn't happening as I am too lazy / busy to do this and running with just your iBone, rather than separate iPod & GPS does make sense.

- No 'social networking' or motivational bumpf to tell you about pb's or how much faster / slower you are than your buddies.

- PC based software (no good for macs).

Strava

 Advantages

- iBone app means you don't have to take the garmin on your run / ride and it will automatically upload your workout to the website after. Considering mid week I don't usually have time between finishing my ride / run before work and having to leave the flat this is a big bonus and means I've become much better once more at keeping track of my fitness by using Strava.

- The 'social networking' aspect is actually really good. Once uploaded the software automatically detects any climbs and puts your time up the hill against your own PB, as well as within a leaderboard so you can see how much slower / faster you are than other riders. I'm proud to say that I now top one KOM leaderboard in Hong Kong! This can also be used for TT race not races for a little club rivalry... And, handily, you can set up Strava 'clubs', such as http://app.strava.com/clubs/colossi-cc

 Disadvantages

- Whilst the usual charts and graphs are there, I don't think Strava is on a par with TrainingPeaks / Golden Cheetah or even SportTracks for detailed analysis. It's better than Garmin Connect, but for true power junkies you might need more software.

- There is a subscription fee, though there have been plenty of tester deals going around.

Endomondo

Advantages

- Another free iBone app, Endomondo is easy to use, keeps a record of you run / rides, and if you buy their heart rate kit it's a cheap effective way of using your iBone instead of buying / using a Garmin.

- The best bit about Endomondo is the voice over in your ear telling you how fast / slow you just ran the last km. As well as being motivational, this is a great way of pacing yourself if you were to run a 10km / marathon.

Disadvantages

- Social networking is limited to just posting to Facebook you just cycled 25km in 1hr blah blah. No one cares and that and it is boring.

- Detailed analysis not so great.

- Whilst uploading from a garmin is possible I didn't find the interface as intuitive as Strava or SportTracks.

Garmin Connect

Advantages
- The best bit about Garmin Connect is the wealth of other people's data on there. If you are looking for rides in far away places chances are a search will yield something.

- It's easy to post a link for sharing rides with others and yes, you can bore your Facebook friends also.

- It's free.

Disadvantages

- The interface is unreliable, unintuitive and you cannot edit the data or input manually.

- There's no iBone app as this is, unsurprisingly, Garmin only.

Others

Other options i haven't tried, but have researched a little include the golden standard of power based analysis Training Peaks and it's newer cousin Golden Cheetah. Both of these are quite expensive I think but may be worth it if you're really serious / you like to spend as much time analysing as riding. Mac users may also want to try Ascent. Mapmyride used to be a good way of sharing rides before they went all flash based and reduced the functionality. Bikeroutetoaster is probably the easiest way to map rides also, though no good for analysis.

Conclusion

I'm sold on Strava as my new main way of recording my rides & my feeble attempts to run. I will continue to use SportTracks for detailed workout analysis of some rides and Garmin Connect / bikeroutetoaster for lifting other peoples / doing my own mapping. It's a fast moving world out there but here's hoping that one sticks until the next round of technology renders all this useless.

Steven Holl in Shenzhen

2011-06-26T21:13:00.002+08:00

On the list of things to see in Shenzhen for a future visit. Steven Holl does a building as long as the Empire State is tall.

http://www.stevenholl.com/project-detail.php?id=60&type

Hotel Wagram

2011-06-24T22:10:00.000+08:00

The Germans still doing glass best.

http://www.seele.com/unitised-facade/hotel-wagram-paris-2.html

English TT

2011-06-23T22:29:00.000+08:00

Here's a TT bike you have to appreciate for the ingenuity. I don't think there's any way I could flex enough to ride it without becoming some sort of Yoga guru, but fair play if you can.

http://www.englishcycles.com/bikepics/rob/robtt.htm

Wong Nai Chung Gap

2011-06-19T22:22:00.000+08:00

HK summer so far has been a mix of the sublime and the ridiculous- lovely clear hot days mixed up with torrential rain and grimness. Often on the same day. Anyhow, this afternoon was nice- it's not often you can pick out ICC quite so easily from here.

It's in the Head

2011-06-18T15:28:00.000+08:00

The cycling year 2011 so far has not been such a good one for me. A number of crashes and illness have meant whenever I felt like I was approaching some sort of race fitness something would happen and I'd be pegged back another few weeks. The fitness aspect of this is predictable enough and something you have to take on the chin and move forward with. The truth is that even if I hadn't fallen off as much as I have I know work pressures and a (temporary) long commute make training the required hours to be competitive pretty much impossible anyhow for the time being.

What has been harder to deal with in many ways has been the psychology of crashing. I've crashed mountain bikes plenty of times over the years and I take it as part and parcel of the sport, and I've developed a good sense for knowing where the dangers are and not pushing my limits too far beyond what I'm capable of (perhaps this holds me back?). However, on the road bike I've always felt like the only reason I've ever crashed has been extenuating circumstances- i.e. it's someone else's fault (usually a driver). I've always had the utmost confidence in the grip of my tires, my technique, my stability and my ability to descend as fast as road conditions dictate. I might not be Vicenzo Nibali (pictured) down a hill, but I know I'm not bad.

However, after coming off 3 times in 3 months I've developed a fear for any tram tracks and the slightest bit of water on the road. I know that I'm tenser than I should be and this contributes to my chances of coming down. I know that speed and safety comes from being smooth, but somehow what I'm trying to tell my mind and what my body does is not always coming through. I over analyse all situations rather than just letting go, and the thought of doing a crit right now makes me quite nervous! I'm hoping it will pass, and perhaps just writing this will help (?), but I guess it's interesting that practicing what you preach is easier said than done.

Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit

2011-06-17T14:57:00.002+08:00

In a previous life this car was a building showroom. Errr, I mean...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/30/arts/design/30urba.html?pagewanted=1

A New Blog is Born

2011-06-16T21:43:00.000+08:00

ColinR is off the floor and on the web:-

http://www.biketrainingtips.com/

NYC High Line

2011-06-15T07:48:00.002+08:00

Can we have one here please?

http://www.dezeen.com/2011/06/13/the-high-line-section-2-by-diller-scofidio-renfro-and-james-corner-field-operations/

Lantau Tunnels

2011-06-10T07:49:00.000+08:00

Rather you than me...

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=49703&highlight=hong+kong

Bike Shop Barcelona

2011-06-09T07:53:00.000+08:00

If Carlsberg made bike shops...

http://www.pave.cc/gal_shop.php

Pylons

2011-06-08T07:59:00.001+08:00

Just a nice photo I took of a pylon whilst out riding the other week. Can it be reinvented?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/may/23/electricity-pylon-competition-design

Sui Lam > Happy Valley

2011-06-06T20:22:00.000+08:00

A pretty fun Bank Holiday ride today proving that it is possible to ride from Tai Lam Chung reservoir to Hong Kong Island. We managed to avoid the container terminal this time around, though the trip did still involve monkeys and a few too many stairs dropping into On Chit Road. Ahem.

TTT

2011-06-01T21:37:00.000+08:00

An image from the Sunday's Team Time Trial in Tung Chung. Results wise we had a bad day as our team got pretty much blown apart in the first quarter of the race, leaving 4 men to bring it home. Alas, I was probably the weakest of the 4, but I was pleased to at least get pretty much dragged to the finishing line (at 43.5kph) given my recent time off the bike. Report up on http://www.colossi.cc/reports

Kaleidescopin'

2011-05-31T22:13:00.001+08:00

A bit late in posting, but this is my best effort at taking iPhone snaps on the opening night of the Hong Kong Art Fair last week. Not quite as good as last year, but still nice to get a bit of kaleidescope culture.

3D future

2011-05-23T22:17:00.001+08:00

Bartlett Summer Show 2010 3D Scan from ScanLAB on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/17284846

Wheelbuilding

2011-05-21T22:55:00.000+08:00

This week I was unlucky enough to have yet another crash (my third in 3 months), and while the resultant damage to my body was not too bad this time (just some minor road rash), the damage to the bike was, whilst visually small, very tricky to repair. See that hairline crack along the hub body in the above photo? It may not look like much, but it does in fact make the whole wheel loose, as well as rendering one of the spokes useless.

Now, obtaining a replacement hub for a Corima wheel in Hong Kong might sound like a bit of a tough task, but it was in fact quite easy, courtesy of the fact I have a spare Corima Winium rear wheel in the spare room. This is a left over from another crash where I wrote off the front wheel a couple of years ago in a minor collision with a car (the driver paid for the replacements). What proved to be much less easy was the process of getting the actual hub off the old wheel and re-lacing the new.

Given Mrs bikesandbuildings was off for a long yoga session and it was raining outside I thought a solid couple of hours wheelbuilding should do this. Little did I appreciate quite how much longer carbon wheels take to deal with. The all internal spoke nipples mean you can't see what you're doing, the hub requires the removal of the axle to remove the spokes, and the mix of radial and 3 cross lacing took a good 15 minutes of moleskin sketching to work out the lacing pattern and sequence.

Lastly, upon dismantling the existing deep section Corima, I discovered that none of the spokes really want to leave the rim. I managed to get the outer half of the two cross off in order to remove the hub, but in actual fact the re-lacing was a mix of rim to hub with the more conventional hub to rim.

I got there in the end with the lacing, but to use a car analogy, I tend to think of replacing a hub as a bit like replacing an engine, and replacing a Corima would seem a bit like replacing a rotary wankle engine. OK, I should probably stop writing about embedded nipples now...

4 hrs later, I still wasn't there with the tensioning of the spokes, and I must admit I'm not 100% confident I'll be able to produce a well tensioned wheel, as it'll be my first attempt at a 24 spoke carbon wheel, but nothing ventured nothing gained. And, if nothing else, I feel I have a better understanding of my equipment. Of course, there's something quite satisfying about building wheels, and any excuse to take something apart jn the living room and put it back together is always quite welcome in my book, if not the wife's.