Action Asia V-Dub Fest

Sadly the days of MTB races every month or so are gone in HK. So when the now annual Action Asia MTB race came up as a 2 day VW sponsored event on the two main cross country courses in HK, I, along with at least 100 other riders, wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to race.

Saturday was 2 laps of the classic Chi Ma Wan peninsula, with a lot of testosterone and fresh legs ready to roll from the gun. The usual mad cap start had one guy on the deck before he'd even started, but heading into the single track I was comfortable enough just outside the top 5, mindful of the fact it was a long race and Chi Ma Wan is such a brutal course that there are always some who fall by the wayside for mechanical, strategy or luck reasons.

And so the margin for error proved to be rather small. I found myself leading a group of three down some wooded singletrack when my own little bout of bad luck kicked in- my bars got caught on a vine I hadn't seen and catapulted me sideways into the bushes! No harm done I brushed myself down and got back to the chase, even if my rhythm was gone somewhat. One of the local riders in my group I would never see again, as he powered his way to 4th on the day, whilst my friend Lewis, who'd clearly been riding too many road bikes and not enough trails, retired. Another casualty from the front of the race was Pierre (pictured above), who had been leading, but rolled his tire off the rim and also retired. My only real age category contender, Ed Cork, who'd flown in from Shanghai the night before, also retired with a mechanical, leaving the front end of the race a little lighter than usual.

At the real business end of the race Keung (pictured above leading) and Cosmo (just behind) fought it out for the win, quite literally, with Keung using all his elbows to make sure Cosmo couldn't pass. It would have been an interesting battle- Keung is the faster rider in a straight line, but Cosmo is so good technically and knows this course like the back of his hand. The above picture was taken about 50m before the finishing line.

Meanwhile, having still posted a 51 minute opening lap I was feeling good on lap 2, confident I would hold onto a solid Top 10 position for the day. Until about 2km to go when the dreaded leg cramp started to creep in! Whilst I was still lapping riders, I could hear someone quite fast starting to make some inroads onto my time. Pedalling with one leg I tried to relax and stretch out on the bike. Easier said than done, the last descent came just in time and I held on for what would turn out to be 5th position on the day, and 1st in my age group. Not bad for a day of crashes and cramps!

Sunday was a new day with a few pairs of fresh legs arriving from those who'd either retired or not ridden yesterday's event. Still, the turnout was even bigger, with around 150 riders estimated to have turned up in Tai Lam Chung for the day. Off the start line there wasn't too much evidence of tired legs though as we hit the initial few km's of tarmac climbs. Keung did his usual trick of attacking like a mountain biking Vinokourov, immediately splitting the field and making a selection. I just missed the cut in this elite group, but still hit the singletrack safely in the Top 10.

With no Cosmo today, Pierre (above) took up the mantle for chasing Keung. Again, Pierre is the better technical rider, but on a course where leg power counts more than most, Pierre was destined for a still admirable 2nd place on the day.

I managed to get my wheel in the air for the photographer on my way to what I thought was a smoking 41.47 first lap. And in years gone by that sort of lap time would possibly have won you the race. But as years go on, speeds go up and times come down. Luckily for me, I had no cramp or crashing issues like on Chi Ma Wan, and I rode a solid 2nd lap for what turned out to be another age category win (My Shanghai man really lost out on not knowing the course...) and 6th on the day. Slightly frustratingly, this put me in 4th overall for the two days, which I always think is the worst place to be- give me 3rd or 5th any day!!!

Leeps (above) rode his way to another 2nd place in Cat behind Lantau rut rider Aldo. The G force from those stairs must be pretty extreme Mark!!!

Meanwhile our track coach Christopher rode his mate's bike to a solid Top 10 position. Can I be 55kg for the hills also please?

And then of course we have the ever smiling Nora, who got a superb 2nd place behind the wonderfully named Philipino Ladies category winner, Baby Bit Bit. And that, I think, is the icing on the cake of  pretty fun weekend's mountain bike racing.

http://www.actionasiaevents.com

ICC

I'm due a proper post on the who what where and why's of commuting in HK by bike, but mornings on the star ferry like this make it worth it.

AFGC 2012

The annual Asian Fixed Gear Championship (AFGC) is now an annual event attracting more and more global attention, from the like of hipster heavyweights, such as Prolly and, of course, HK's own flwrider.  You can expect a lot of neon, leopard print, heavy rimmed glasses and hipster / gangnam style.























(My gwuilo in lycra style was a little out of place)






















Luckily Sander was on hand to normalise my riding gear a little...


















But, style pointers aside, you can also expect a whole lot of fun! I missed the tricks competition, but looking at the above photo it must have been a sight to behold.

I didn't miss Asia's first fixed gear cyclo-cross on a random construction site using a borrowed bike with 20" wheels and about a 20" gear!  Funnily enough, I was bobbin' at this, but it was a seriously fun event that brought the best out of everyone.

I was less useless at the event I'd pinpointed as the one I wanted to win- the fixed gear criterium. This sort of racing is right up my street- fast and hard with a bit of tactical nouse required, but hard enough that you can't just sit in and jump for the sprint at the end. I set out to make the race fast from the start, but found myself on the back foot over the first few laps as those with a better knowledge of the corners on this very short course hit them hard, gaining a few lengths on me and opening up gaps.























However, pretty soon we were down to a select group of riders- Sander, a couple of Chinese guys (one working, one happy to sit in) and myself. After a few digs the guy who'd been working got blown out the back and the race was on. After about 20 laps I started putting more attacks in on the straights from the front, trying to snap the elastic. Eventually this worked, and I was then off the front in solo TT mode, trying to stay upright with no pedal strikes in the corners- with about 20km to ride out for the win.


















However, mid flight, I got called in at the pits to pull over- the race was finished. It turns out we had a few administrative difficulties with the boys in blue and that was that- race over. Still, a proper Shenzhen Sunday day out. Thanks to Jan, Sander, Eric & Brian- here's to AFGC 2013!


Check http://vimeo.com/52008072 

Gold Fingers

'Skyfall' may be in cinemas now and entertaining us in the best of Bond fashion. But where are the new Bond villains based on evil Architects? Even if Erno was apparently rather peeved about Auric Goldfinger being based upon him, I'm sure there's no such thing as bad publicity in cases such as these. So, Mr Mendes, how about it for next time? But which baddie to base him on from today's Starchitects??? Anthony Hopkins could play a good role pulling down some listed buildings in a 3 piece suit with aplomb on his way to world domination, I'm quite sure. Or maybe it's time for a plump Iranian female dominatrix? No names now of course... Well, whatever, in case you don't know the Goldfinger history lesson, it's here:

http://blackcablondon.wordpress.com/tag/erno-goldfinger/

Heyaun to Nankunshan Epic

It doesn't seem so long since the last 'Tour de Wiggo' excursion to Nankunshan, and perhaps another blog entry is unwarranted.

However, hitting the hallowed reservoir roads out of Heyuan, you're reminded pretty quick just why we came back so quick. Think the Ardennes, then add some more climbs. This is interval training at it's most brutal- climb a few hundred metres, descend, repeat until dead. The profile of this ride has more spikes than your average cardiogram.

And more opportunities for a fresh chicken than you might expect also.

But we don't come for the chicken, the fish, or the Blazing nightclubs. We come to ride, and ride we did.

The tales might be limited to a kitchen stake-out protest in a bid to secure some breakfast coffee, the usual hanging out in Chinese make shift huts necking Coke and Coconut milk to keep us going...

And I guess there's the ubiquitous Chinese men inspect bicycles with quick releases that weigh less than a horse cart, though I guess we're pretty used to that by now.

But what we lost in 'adventure' we gained in actually nailing a top quality route on great roads with almost no traffic. The sort of route planning in China that only comes from a bit of experience, some mistakes, some extra Google Maps research (thanks Aron!) and a bit of luck. If you want a couple of days of road riding out of Hong Kong without getting on a plane I think you'd be hard pressed to be beat the below:



 

Shard

Having been pretty much off-line from here of late, I thought I'd do a quick post on having actually seen the Shard close up, albeit briefly, during my UK visit a few weeks back. Coming from Hong Kong, the immediate height is not quite so startling as it might be to those less used to living with these sorts of buildings. But what I did find interesting, and what got me thinking a bit, was the whole way in which the tower touches the ground.

If you take a typical Hong Kong skyscraper, they tend to be quite public at their lower levels- typically linking into a very public podium, containing shops, restaurants, the MTR etc. The way they meet the actual street is another issue, typically less important (or in the case of the Bank of China, just disappointing), and more alienating to the pedestrian than all important podium level. Obviously this links into a greater podium / raised walkway urban strategy, that isn't how I believe cities as a whole should be designed, but it does have it's merits. The buildings may be tall monuments to capitalism that prey to the Gods of Mall culture, but they are accessible and they do tend to contribute to very efficient dense city living where cars are superfluous and public transport rules. Cyclists- well, you're just weird.

By contrast, the Shard has all the same adjacent components to say, IFC or ICC. It has London Bridge next door, shops and restaurants all around, and it houses, or will house, big financial institutions and a hotel at the top. But somehow, at street level, it is a very alienating building with security guards keeping you out of the lobby. You pass by to the Underground on a wind swept plaza, before battling your way past pigeons and crisp packets trying to reach the South Bank. A lot of change has happened all around, but somehow that European ideal of 'street' seems to have met it's match when confronted with such a tall building. It's impressive, but it doesn't seem to 'contribute'. It'll be interesting to see how it fares once at full operational capacity, and if that perspective changes if and when the hotel opens itself up to the public to order a Blackberry Mojito looking over London.

I'm not so sure there is such a thing as a touchy feely all encompassing mega tall skyscraper that will please everyone. The UK as a society is more used to preaching globally than to be preached at, and I'll be the first to defend the importance of street. But perhaps there are lessons to be learned from how other cities do these things- be that Hong Kong, New York, Dubai or Shanghai. I'm not saying London Bridge missed an opportunity to become the new Shibuya, but somehow it feels like it missed the opportunity to either embrace that streetscape ideal, or shunt it all together and provide an urban link away from the pigeons.

Speed of Sound

The world needs more men willing to jump out of a plane at 120,000 feet. Tentative link is he is more used to jumping off skyscrapers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19860249

Sheung Shui'ing

A nice shot or two from this weekend's inaugural Hong Kong Mountain Bike Festival. Organised solely through facebook, I was amazed at the support given to this event- around 200 riders at the Sheung Shui MX Club, all keen to beat themselves up in the extreme heat and clamour for the endless lucky dip prize drawer.  

I had a good race (thankfully it was only 40 minutes) moving my way up from around 8th place on the first climb to 2nd by the finish. It got very confusing to know if you were overtaking or lapping on such a short course, but all good fun and a pleasant surprise to find out such a result at the finish. Kudos to Mr Leeper for finishing 2nd in his Cat also. I realised that is the first MTB race I've done in over a year, and the first on my Turner- proof there is a little more life left in the old dog, and 26" wheels still go round.

http://www.facebook.com/HongKongMTBfestival

The Hill

In just over a week's time, I'll be back in Edinburgh for the first time since leaving back in December '07. As a bit of a contrast to my last post on the view from a burnt tree in Kowloon, I thought I'd dig up some old photos from another city with a pretty solid hill (OK, it's a volcano) in the middle. Granted I should be using the Peak to compare with Arthur's Seat, but a hill above buildings is pretty much where the similarities with Hong Kong end. Looking at these old photos again, I'm struck by not just the beauty, but how clear the air (and how freaking cold) it looks! It also reminds me of an Irish comedian I saw at the Festival:

"Edinburgh's an amazing place, but I've been trying to work out where all the poor people are. THEY'RE BEHIND THE HILL"

No such luck in Hong Kong- the South Side isn't far off the Peak in real estate prices. A parking space in Stanley should be worth more than a 4 bed in Niddrie. Anyhow, I'm looking forward to going back, even if the prospect of lugging furniture in and out of sheds / safe stores is not so appealing as walking up volcanos.

Kowloon Tree

Missing some leaves. I think this means it is hot.

Single Speeding

I know I'm due for a proper write up of my Colossi CX Max, but here's a sneek peek of the single speed set up using a freecycled Corima rim built on an eBay special Royce hub with BMX 18 tooth sprocket and hack-sawed XTR 960 cranks.. I'll be the first to admit this rather unusual set up has had one or two teething problems, but I'm almost there now, and have since been rewarded with some new PBs on my commuting climb times. And yea, there's just something quite right about steel bikes with one gear.

Neutra

I've been rather enjoying my Neutra monograph of late, and the Kaufmann house is of course the show stopper. I'd never realised it was curated by the same client as Falling Water. Yours for only $16 million it seems.

http://kimandkristine.wordpress.com/2008/05/24/neutras-kaufmann-house-sold/

HK Man Cave Mk.II

I might have a little way to go to reach The Ultimate Man Cave, but I'm getting a little closer. This weekend was a good weekend for me to get the bike room sorted a bit tighter.

I'm quite a stickler for keeping my nuts and bolts nice and tidy (ahem), but the bigger job of getting my bikes off the floor a little and arrange the random bits of furniture has taken a little time. Not least because getting a hole drilled in these walls has proved just about impossible.

And so I had to improvise a little. Using some sawn off benches turned on their side, adapted with some shelf brackets and a few bits of wood cut / glued / sawn into the right shapes, I managed to get the track bike up and high with a few wheels on the side- stable enough that even the most adventurous cat won't be able to dislodge. Happily, this also provided a nice little spot for that crucial man cave component- some workshop tunes.
























Every man needs a vice. And I have two. Someday I'll look to upgrade to a nice full blown workshop affair, but in the meantime these are very handy.


















And yea, this is the best workbench I'm ever likely to have here in Hong Kong. I remember one of the hardest things about moving here was going back to just the basics tool wise, and the frustration of always relying on bike shops for stuff I knew I could fix myself with the right tools. And working on the floor, rather than with a bench. But slowly, surely, I've built up a decent collection once more. Sure, I'm missing a headset press, but it's not bad. Happily, the friends dining table turned work bench has now acquired the hue of WD40 and Finish Line, which somehow makes a man cave seem that bit more genuine.

A man cave should adapt and evolve- just like a man's bike collection.  I'm also not sure if it should ever really be 'planned'. Every action should have a reaction- be that making room for the a stablemate, or re-arranging the boxes on the shelf to store more Campagnolo.

But at some point it is nice to take stock and reflect on things a little. 3 months into our new flat, I feel this set up is pretty much sorted, and pleasingly, I've done it with freecycled wood, the odd old bit of furniture and a bit of graft here and there to saw sh*t up. I won't have this man cave forever, but with each set up you learn a little and bring it forward to your next man cave. Until, one day, you have the Ultimate. Which might just look very different to how you originally envisage. And then you probably move house, and start it all again anyway.

Chemicaldrome

Whoever designed the London 2012 logo clearly needs to be shot. But where committee designed graphic naffness has failed, the UK has still found ways to show the world it can do sh*t the Chinese really can't, like dance music. Here, The Chemical Brothers have picked up where Kraftwerk left off and delivered with this awesome video celebrating all things track and cycling, that played before each event. Somewhat sadly, the graphic animation in this case IS done by the Chinese- Crystal.

http://www.archdaily.com/261990/video-chemical-brothers-velodrome-london-2012-by-crystal/

Inside the Pringle

Even the Daily Mail thinks it's the bee's knees. While the Guardian lets you spin 360. And best of all are the Brit trackies riding the Pringle who kill every French / Ozzie / German / Trinidad & Tobasco rider who stands in their way!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2182923/Inside-Pringle-A-stifling-82F-airless-cauldron-sound-fury-ultimate-sporting-venue.html

Flames

The world could do with some more Olympic cauldron experts- step forward Constantino Manias. Stepping up the artistic tree a little, Thomas Picklewickle did not disappoint for Danny Boy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PON7VJtJ4g