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Volume 6 Issue 7
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JULY 2018
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Tested: Bergamont Grandurance 5.0 Arctic to Andes On A Bike Age Busting With LEL Moms On Wheels
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Inside
Cycling Federation of India
InThisIssue IndustryNews The Montra Tour of Aravallis (TOA 3.0)
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Planet Saddle La Digue: Bikers’ Paradise Arctic to the Andes – a journey on a bicycle Moms on wheels: Dream fulfilled
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UltraCycling The Great Himalayan Ultra Coffee with Rutvik Khare
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BikeTested The Bergamont Grandurance 5.0
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Profiled Age busting with the LEL
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CityTalk Bengaluru gets a Bicycle Mayor Royal Patiala Riders
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Editor’sNote
The CRANK with ProCycle Team Dear Readers Managing Editor and Publisher Vikram K Limsay Invitee editor Onkar Singh, Secretary General CFI and ACC Edit Desk Dr. Meera Velankar Trackside Editor - Triathlon - Deepak Raj Track side editor Ultra-cycling Dr. Srinivas Gokulnath
Contributors Mili Sharma, Pedal Pal, Lokesh Jain Creative and Design N. Chandru Contact editdeskcrank@procycle.in subscribecrank@procycle.in advertisecrank@procycle.in All Rights Reserved By ProCycle and Sports India Pvt. Ltd. Corporate Office and Showroom 1st Main Road, 20, 3rd B Cross Rd, Domlur II, nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560071 Tel: 080 41161902, +91 95380 66695 Website www.procycle.in Follow us on Facebook: @CrankwithProCycle https://www.facebook.com/CrankwithProCycle/ Photo Credits
Cover: Dhruv Bogra
Back Cover: Tour of Aravallis Printed By Print 2 Last Solutions
The world cycling day was celebrated this month and the enthusiasm was pedaling around the country. CRANK of course was a part of the celebrations in many cities. It was heartening to see the commuter cyclists turn up in large numbers at these events. With so much pedal power its going to be tough for policy makers to ignore urban cycling infrastructure. Speaking of policy, we hear the New Delhi Meerut expressway has a dedicated cycling lane. We will do a road check and get back to you. In this issue we bring to you stories from people who have accomplished inspirational bucket list journeys around the world on a bike. Dhruv traversed the American continent and brings you his story and there is a set of ladies pedaling in Europe and even a report from a quaint island in the Indian ocean CRANK team tested the Bergamont Grandurance 5.0. A great ride for the price. Read all about it. The tour season is beginning an the people behind these tours are busy doing recce trips. We bring you pre tour insights from Tour of Aravallis and the Great Himalayan Ultra Till we meet again. Take care and keep riding Ciao Vikram K Limsay Managing Editor and Publisher
IndustryNews
The Montra Tour of Aravallis (TOA 3.0)
One of our favourite partner event the Montra Tour of Aravallis is back with a bang in its third edition. Supported by Rajasthan Tourism, A B Jewels and 36 Cycling Netherlands The TOA 3.0 with the motto Cycle, Climb, Cherish
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yclone Cycling Club is back with the third edition of its exclusive multi-day event, Tour of Aravallis (29th August to 2nd September, 2018). After launching the event in the year 2016, TOA has firmly established as a leader in the multi day tour format in India. TOA serves three purposes that every cyclist aims to achieve. • Challenge: “When your legs stop and your lungs scream; that’s when it starts.” True to the statement, the TOA challenges the cyclists to overcome all the challenges that this beautiful terrain throws at them: uphill, downhill, curves, elevation it’s got it all. • Fun: With possibly the best stay arrangements, delicious and healthy cuisine, technical and logistical support by passionate
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volunteers, the participants can just focus on the ride and enjoy the experience of a lifetime. And not to mention the afterparties at the end of the strenuous rides. They will remain forever cherished in your memory
• Tour jersey and goodie bag • Finishers medal and gala ceremony • Price money worth over INR 2 lacs + plus attractive prizes
• Camaraderie: The bonding. You will meet riders from amongst all walks of life making it a unique and enriching experience. From pro riders to 50 year olds from surgeon to interiors designers, from college students to professionals and businessmen the camaraderie is amazing Team TOA promises that, “The tour teaches all the values of discipline and mental persistence even when the body wants to give up. You could extend these to your daily lives also.” Some salient features which makes TOA one of the best cycling tours in western India: • 4 nights accommodation in 3/5 star category hotels. (e.g: Ramada, Bikaner Palace, Mana) • Fully supported rides – 3-4 support stations, petrol vehicles, Ambulance, Physio, Bike Technicians on call • Nutritious meals and hydration on the tour (during the ride) • Best of the class photography team to capture lifetime memories
• Ride through the beautiful Aravalli range of mountains and conquer killer climbs. We call it ride, climb, cherish for lifetime. For the serious and competitive riders, there are daily competitive segments, timed by Race Director. TOA 3.0 would have some supreme warriors, fighters and winners. Participants have different objectives for the tour. It can either be to test ones endurance, or up the fighting spirit, or to challenge others, or just to survive through the tour! But the tour objective is simple and clear. To give the riders a lifetime experience of “Cycle. Climb.Cherish.”... Cyclone Cycling Club adds, “TOA’s tremendous success in first two seasons, has now motivated us to conduct the same at a much larger, much better and more inclusive scale. Our challenge and thrill is to continue making TOA a grand and raise the bar every season.” TOA 3.0 opened registrations on 29th May, within a month of opening registrations the count crossed 50. TOA takes 50 riders considering the nature of the tour and support logistics. Would be a challenging task for selection committee going forward.
CRANK with ProCycle JULY 15TH, 2018
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PlanetSaddle
La Digue: Bikers’ Paradise Island in the Indian Ocean can de-stress one with its pristine beaches and biodiversity-rich nature By Mohan Subramanyam
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ature has given us all the ways to explore it and absorb its beauty, freshness and positivity. As a cyclist, I love to go around and delve into the amazing beauty of nature. I experienced the same when I was on a vacation recently in a beautiful country of sun, sand and pristine beaches — Seychelles. The smallest African country with 115 and odd islands has its own charm that allures you with its crystal clear water, immaculate beaches and magnificent mountains. One such island is La Digue — situated to the east of Praslin and west of Felicite Islands. In terms of size, the northern tip of the island to its southern-most point is hardly 6 km, making it relatively easy to use a bicycle even on holidays. Once you get off the ferry from Praslin at La Passe pier on La Digue island, you’d spot lots of cycle rental shops. Even star hotels have bicycles ready for their guests. Usually, the going rate is 100 Seychellois Rupees or SCR (1 Euro equals to about 16 SCR) for renting a bicycle per day. Biking in this wonderful island helps one delve into and get close to nature; the undulating hills on one side and the sun-kissed beaches on the other will make your cycling trip a lifetime memory.
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On your cycle, you can hit beaches like Anse Source d’Argent and Grand Anse among others. One can also make a trip to Veuve Nature Reserve, which is home to the rare black paradise flycatcher, of which there are only about 100 in existence. La Digue’s tallest peak, Belle Vue (Eagle’s Nest Mountain, 300 metres), from where one can get a panoramic view of the island. To me, La Digue was not just an island with natural charm but a paradise for biking away from the hustle and bustle of cities. Getaway Tips: • International airport is in Mahe, which connects to Praslin from where you can take ferry to La Digue • A 3-night-4-day cycling trip to cost Rs 40,000 and above (accommodation, food and cycling) • Fish cuisine is most popular • Best months to visit are April, May, October and November • Basic geared MTBs and hybrids are available on rent
Arctic to the Andes – a journey on a bicycle Dhruv Bogra
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he wind and the snow swept across my face and pounded my rain jacket, sneaking past my waterproof thermal gloves icing my fingers, trickling down from my neck into my down jacket. Such was the ferocity of the weather that it was already dark in the land of the midnight sun and the temperature dipped to -5 degree Celsius. I was cycling solo and unsupported on the stark and remote Dalton highway and was headed to South America 8000 miles away. Earlier that day, on the 21st of June, 2016, I had started from Deadhorse, the last truck stop in the world lying on the edge of the Beaufort Sea in Alaska, 300 miles above the Arctic Circle. It is a miracle that I survived the night as a violent snowstorm in the remote tundra battered my tent. It was a Hilleberg Allak and it had proven its worth on the first night itself. I was riding completely unsupported so had trained hard for this long expedition including getting the gear together which took a long time. Everything that I needed to be off the grid for weeks was with me, from stove to cooking pots, to tent, bear proof food bag, sleeping bag, a solar panel and satellite messenger.
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The first day on this four hundred day journey literally became a metaphor for the incredible landscape, diversity in weather and terrain, people, wildlife and hardship that I encountered from Alaska to Peru. The barren tundra, home to the indigenous Natives from Alaska and the Yukon and tiny community settlements made way to vast swathes of millions of acres of oak, cedar and fir forests. I cycled deep into the most uninhabited regions of the world like the Yukon, the Cassiar highway in British Columbia, camping by rivers, lakes, streams, glaciers and campgrounds and seeing bears up close on the road almost each day. By my hundredth road day on the road I had reached the Canadian Rockies and was gifted the most magnificent and stunning views of ancient glaciers and mountains. Mount Robson, Jasper and Banff National park and the most beautiful highway in the world - the Icefield Parkway are etched in my mind as pristine wonders.
In late Autumn 2016 after cycling 2000 miles through Western Canada I crossed over from the charming port city of Victoria in Vancouver Island to Port Angeles in the United States, to continue my journey along the West Coast. Winter came to North America four weeks earlier that year and so did the pacific northwest monsoon. As I cycled south along Highway 101, I was hammered by torrential rain almost each day. The next sixty days that I spent cycling the 1500 miles to Mexico were memorable and also the toughest. I learnt to get past my hesitation to ride in the rain in chilly weather because I really had no option. I gained a total elevation of 25000 meters on the rolling and rugged hills of Washington, Oregon and California. The west coast was as incredible as I expected it to be. I cycled past epic places like the Olympic National Park, Astoria, Cannon Beach, the Big Sur, Napa and Sonona valleys and thriving cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. One of the most spiritual moments was cycling through the Avenue of the Giants and the coastal redwood forests on the way to Fort Braggs. These coastal redwood trees are amongst the tallest and oldest in the world as high was 400 feet and over 1500 years old. Lighthouses, the quaint Spanish towns, hostels, elephant seals, Californian pumpkins, strawberries and wine and the foods of LA and SFO come to mind when I think of the West Coast. In the December of 2016, I cycled past the US Border into the city of Tijuana, infamous for its drug wars, prostitution and migrant smuggling. For me this was a completely different world. In one pedal everything changed. From the incredible food to the vibrant language and the super friendly people. Everything teased the senses and made my soul awaken. In the first hour on the streets of Tijuana I knew I was going to love Mexico. I cycled over 2500 miles in Mexico from Tijuana down the 1000 mile long Baja desert on remote roads and mountains to La Paz. I boarded a ferry to take me to Mazatlan from where I continued my exotic but hard journey to the southern state of Chiapas from where I would enter the mountainous state of Guatemala.
Mexico was a visual and cultural feast. Each day, the hard cycling and the dangerous roads, were rewarded by beautiful Spanish colonial architecture, delicious and cheap food and great beer. I stayed mostly in hostels which were also very cheap, except in the mountains where I wild camped. The great UNESCO world heritage cities of Mexico city, Tequila, Guadalajara, Oaxaca and San Cristobal and the ancient archaeological sites and museums of the Maya and Aztec civilizations symbolize much of what is Mexico. I pedaled through each of them in the three months I spent here. The next major segment of my adventure was Central America. Most people still see it as one of the most dangerous places in the world but I had a different experience. Guatemala is a cultural and anthropological extension of Mexico. The Maya built the most incredible structures here at the majestic archaeological sites of Tikal and Peten. The Spanish created beautiful and quaint city of Antigua under the shadow of Mt. Fuego, the explosive volcano. The people here and in the rest of the countries that I cycled through – El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica were very friendly with the exception of Panama. My journey took me past rich rainforests, volcanoes, beautiful lakes and islands and archaeological marvels. My final destination, Peru, turned out to be the most challenging and also the country in which I experienced unbounded happiness. I cycled 1000 miles in Peru overt two months much of in the Andes. My route to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca people, took me from the coast of Peru to dizzying altitudes of 5000 metres ( 16500 ft) with six major passes all over 4000 metres. With a fully loaded bike of 35 kilograms and the bicycle weight of 20 kilograms, it was a huge physical challenge. But I believe crossing the mountains of Mexico and Guatemala conditioned my body to take on hours of grinding on climbs with gradients as steep as 30 degrees on some sections. The Surly Troll fitted with a Rohloff hub played its part in getting me to the Sacred Valley deep in the heart of the Andes. From here I explored Cusco, Machu Pichu and Urubamba. Peru remains embedded in my mind as my favourite not only for its people and fantastic local cuisine but for the art and culture of its Quechua people. My 10,000 mile journey ended at 4000 metres in Cusco in July 2017.
CRANK with ProCycle JULY 15TH, 2018
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Ultracycling
THE GREAT HIMALAYAN ULTRA
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he team that created India’s best known RAAM Qualifier, The Deccan Cliffhanger, and The 1750 km long Ultra Spice Race, is now giving the world a chance to race on the roof of the world.
The Great Himalayan Ultra Race is the World’s highest Ultracycle race happening on 1 st Sept 2018, that starts and finishes in Leh, Ladhak, called the land of high passes. At an elevation of 3500Mts, the start itself is higher than the max elevation of any of the RAAM Qualifying Ultracycling Races in the World. It is a 630km road race, comprising solo and relay team categories, all racers in all categories must have a support vehicle and crew. Solo is a RAAM Qualifier for racers, finishing within the cut-off time. The team category for 2, 3 or 4 person teams is RAAM style Relay race. There is also a shorter distance unsupported solo race that will prepare racers for the RQ distance in the following years.
Race Route The Race route follows NH1 through spectacular Himalayan mountain landscapes of Ladhak and Kargil regions, in Jammu and Kashmir. Starting from Leh the race route goes south for a small taste of green ladhaki valleys along the brilliant turquoise of the Indus (Sindhu) river, before turning around to go past Leh on
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the highway to Srinagar. The route follows high plateaus along the Indus past the point where the Zanskar joins in and changes the color of the Indus at a dramatic sangam that is clearly visible from the route. Continuing through valleys and over mountains the route heads away from the Indus to climb past Lamayuru monastery to the highest point on the race at Fotu la, through the world’s most dramatic landscapes. Descending from there to Kargil the lowest point, the race follows the Suru River through green valleys, to Drass the second coldest inhabited place on earth. This is truly a race of superlatives! Heading back from there the racers will now face the longest ascent climbing from the lowest point on the race 2600Mts at Kargil to Fotu La top at 4100Mts. Race Director Divya Tate conducted a Route Recce, along with RAAM solo finisher Amit Samarth who rode over 500 kms of the race distance, and gave valuable insights and feedback on the route that will help future participants to ride safely and successfully. He confirmed not only that the race will be very tough, but also that such a spectacular landscape as one sees in the Himalayas can’t be seen anywhere else! The scale is so incredible that on one occasion on the way to Fotu La he exclaimed “Baap re, ye khatam hi nahi hota!” ( God. This doesn’t seem to end !!) This from a Racer
who trained in the Rockies and finished RAAM solo on his first attempt. After he returned he said, “This race was a great training for me for the Trans Siberia race in August. More than physical, it was a mental training to face these mountains. These mountains nearly killed me… but now I am more alive than ever!”
headwind getting channeled through the mountain ranges on the way to Drass.
On being asked why she created this race, Divya Tate said, “India has a rich and diverse landscape, and the Himalayas are unbeatable in scale and beauty, especially in Ladhak. We want to create events that will grow into truly international races, showcase the magnificence of our natural and cultural wealth. An extreme race of this kind will certainly attract Ultraracers from all around the world to experience the grandeur of the Himalayas. We are proud to present this extreme challenge to the world.”
The Race may seem expensive for Participants as travel to Leh with crew could stretch budget, but of course nothing compared to travelling abroad. Mandatory acclimatization is essential requiring racers and crew to spend a lot of time pre-race in Ladhak.
The remote and barren landscape indicates that availability of everything from fuel to food is very limited.
MADE FOR CITIES
Made for trains Made for commuters and metros all over the world
Extreme Challenges This is a High Altitude mountainous race, as most of the race route remains above 3000Mts, only briefly descending below that altitude. A total elevation gain of 10350Mts in 630 kms makes it a tough challenge.The climate is extreme, with temperatures reaching both extremes between day and night, in addition to the UV ray exposure making it even more challenging. Wind is another factor with a strong
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Ultracycling
Coffee with Rutvik Khare (Crew Chief for Team Srini, India) CRANK : When did you begin your crewing journey?
CRANK: What are the challenges you face?
I was exposed to ultra cycling at a very young age of 16 when I met Divya Tate at one of the BRMs organised by Pune Randonneurs. After a year or so, I joined inspire India as a race Official and have been since then working there.
Challenges are a plenty in all ultra races. They are an integral part of the race. And accepting challenges and making our way through it is what I believe in. Most challenges are natural barriers like winds, weather, elevation, temperature and so on. All we can do about it is to accept its presence and carry on. On the officiating front, there are quite a lot of challenges as well. I’ve to be alert all times, jump into action whenever needed and take calls at lightening speeds. This has improved my abilities to think fast and with a good presence of mind.
CRANK: Tell us your experience of the various events you’ve been to especially the difference between the Indian and the Interational? I have been to almost all ultra cycling events in India. Other than that I’ve been to RAAM. There is a differences between the Indian events and events abroad. Our events have made provisions in the rules and the format to best suit our conditions. But on infrastructure aspects like road quality, traffic management, navigation there are bigger challenges here than abroad. CRANK: How has crewing benefited you as a person? Personally, I’ve benefited a lot from being around ultra races. It’s made me a more independent and a mature person. At 21 when I say I’m officiating an event or holding the position of the crew chief, people have always questioned if I’m old enough to carry on the duties, and I’ve proven that if you’re here long enough, age is no barrier, neither lower, nor upper!
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CRANK: Your future goals? I don’t think there is any chance in the near future that I’d steer off the track of ultra racing. I’ve always been in the support end of these races and intend to build my own team some day that would master the support systems of these races. This journey has just started for me and let’s see where it take me and all of us. In the growing world of ultra cycling in India, we are still not as serious about safety concerns. I’ve seen at many occasions, we tend to override safety precautions and this lands us in trouble. I want to correct that.
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BikeTested
The Bergamont Grandurance 5.0
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t first look you may wonder and say, “wow, which bike is that, looks pretty slick”. Meet the Bergamont Grandurance 5.0. A bike with its minimalistic yet headturning paint job, that not only looks eye catching, it certainly delivers too. How do we know that? Well, we put it to through a tough test. And when we say tough we mean a 200Kms long ride with smooth roads to loose gravel, steep hills to technical descends and some wet weather. All the conditions you need to really understand how a bike fairs. And truly did the Grandurance came out with flying colors (to be clear, we are not talking about the fork here). The Grandurance started off swiftly on well paved roads. Not as swift as a road bike with 25c tires, but hey, for a gravel bike with 35c Schwalbe g-one tires, this was a pleasant surprise. Blame it on the fact that we are so used to riding a road bike that our muscle memory would almost automatically slow us down the moment see a rough patch of road. And that’s exactly what happened. However, caution was out of the window the moment the Grandurance went
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over some sections of bad roads. It was almost as if the bike was telling us “come on, I am designed for this, don’t slow down!!” There certainly was no slowing down from there. Oh, talking about the design, let’s look into some details, that made that happen. The first three things we noticed were the dropped seat stays, thru-axles and the oversized headtube. To add to these, you have the bladed carbon fork. Yes, that’s the recipe for a smooth and sturdy ride. Some very smart decisions by the manufacturer, Bergamont, here. On to the hills now, with some steep climbs and technical descends. With the Grandurance weighing a little under 10kilos, it was managing the climbs very steadily. And to add to our good luck it rained as soon and we got to descending. The mechanical disc brakes not only made stopping easier it also gave that much more confidence while handling sharp turns. And that’s a big deal. Ok, so everything seems perfect about this bike, right? Well, the Grandurance 5.0 has one little chink in its armor, and that’s the
9speed Shimano Sora cassette. It is not about the Sora group set because that shifted very smoothly and quickly. But in a time where a rider will be challenged with all kinds of climbs long or short, shallow or steep, 9 gears seems basic, 10 speed for a gravel bike is what we would have preferred. It’s not that big a deal through because the rest of the Grandurance with its frame design, thruaxles, disc brakes and the whole package makes up for it. So if you are the kind of rider who is looking for all day riding comfort, the confidence to sail through bad patches of road or even venturing off into some trails that you might come across then the Bergamont Grandurance is what you are looking for.
Specs: Frame: 700c Grandurance Alloy, AL-6061 ultra lite butted tubing, T4/T6 heat treated, 3D-dropout, Through-Axle 12x142mm, internal cable routing, fender mount, integrated headset, tapered Fork:
Grandurance Carbon II, Carbon steerer, tapered, 12x100mm axle, fender mount
Headset:
BGM A-Headset, semi-integrated, tapered
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Sora, RD-R3000, long cage Front Derailleur: Shimano Sora, FD-R3000 Shifters:
Shimano ST-3000, 2x9-speed road STI-shifter
Brakes:
TRP MD-C610, mechanical disc brake, rotor: 160/160 mm
Crankset:
Shimano Sora, FC-R3000, 50/34t
BB-Set:
Shimano Hollowtech II, BSA
Handlebar:
BGM Road, drop: 151mm, reach: 91mm
Seatpost:
BGM Road, 12mm setback
Seat:
Selle Italia X-Base
Cassette:
Shimano CS-HG201-9, 11-32t
Rims:
BGM Road, 28h, disc
Tires:
Schwalbe G-One Allround, folding, Raceguard, gumwall, 35-622
Tubes:
Schwalbe SV17A Light 28/47-622
Approx weights in KG: 9,90 Frame size:
49/53/55/57/61cm
CRANK with ProCycle JULY 15TH, 2018
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Profiled
Age busting with the LEL By Pedal Pal
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n his late fifties, Yogendra Singh could plan post-retirement life but the ultracyclists and marathon runner has always something else in mind
As a manager of Air India, he could well be enjoying his last few years of working life in Delhi with family but Yogendra Singh is a man of steel who follows a very strict regimen that saw him finishing innumerable BRMs and marathons across the country, and abroad. Last year, Singh — popularly known as Yogi Sir in the cycling circuit — turned out to be one of the 10 Indians who finished 1,445 km London-Edinburgh-London last August. At least 1,500 riders from 57 countries attempted LEL, the flagship event by Audax UK, last year. The next LEL will be held in 2021. While sharing his experience, the ace randonneur, who dusted his Super Randonneur (SR) series in just 81 hours, said, “Although Manali-Leh-Khardung La is still the toughest yet beautiful ride for me but LEL is epic, as it tests everything — physical prowess, agility, ability to adapt to different climatic and weather conditions, determination and what not!” What are the major challenges of LEL? “The elevation gain of about 14,000 metres in just 1,445 km, intermittent rains, strong headwinds and day-night temperature variation are the areas to keep in mind. Sometimes the climbs are unending, especially in the Scotland region, where one needs to pedal continuously on 2-2 or 2-1 combination. The sharp descent and steep elevation check your gear changing skills to a large extent,” says Singh, adding any Indian should attempt LEL only after thorough practice in the rolling
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hilly terrain. Singh did the Eastern Ghats ride — not necessarily as another LEL practice though — from Konark Sun Temple to Koraput through Chilika lagoon and Sunki Ghati last winter as part of a social cause. Apart from the terrain, the second hardest hurdle is adverse weather condition. “One should train hard in rains, headwinds and cold conditions. The night temperature goes down to 1-2° Celsius and the added rains, if one is unfortunate, could be a battle for survival. Also, on Indian roads, we get food and shelter after every 5-7 km, but LEL will surprise you as there is no such place except at the control points (CPs). If you cross a town between 11 am and 5 pm, you will get something, else nothing on the otherwise breathtaking route.” LEL, according to Singh, is full of surprises. Preparations for the quadrennial ride should encompass a whole range of issues. “My co-rider’s gear cable snapped while trying to change gear at start of a climb. Without a spare cable, we had to remove derailleur and cut the chain to turn it into a single-speed bike. At the next time station, we got it fixed by a mechanic at a bike shop. Also, one has to be self-motivated to ride the entire route through small villages, hamlets and forests. For this ride, you need to carry clothes for all seasons — winter, rains and summer. Once you need a CP, there’s no need to worry as excellent arrangements are there for all riders,” says Singh, who he did a solo ride to Gangotri and Yamunotri to find out the source of origin of these two great rivers. The other two most important factors for an ultracyclist attempting LEL, Singh advises, are food and rest. “During the ride, one should
be loaded with more protein than carb. At CPs, a balanced diet is given to riders but it’s advisable to carry own energy food stuff also. Also, a three-hour sleep after 350 km is an ideal sleep pattern. Other than the CPs, there’s hardly any place to sleep. Several riders sleep on the roadside too. A small break and stretch after every 50 km is essential to keep moving without much fatigue,” adds the experienced rider, who has been instrumental in organising Air India Cyclathons in Chandigarh, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata.
different countries. At a restaurant midway, we stopped for lunch but the lady owner refused to take a penny from us, saying — how can I take money from riders who are doing LEL? In another situation, when we were approaching St Ives, the penultimate CP, we ran out of hydration and could not get water for the night ride. In search of water, we landed at a pub where the young boys not only gave us water but they also celebrated our ride over a mug of beer for free,” says Singh with a smile while recommending that every passionate ultracyclist must attempt LEL.
“LEL is also about meeting wonderful people and fellow riders from
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CityTalk
Bengaluru gets a Bicycle Mayor
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engaluru, arguably the cycling capital of India, has added another laurel to its bejewelled crown for championing green causes: Bicycle Mayor. And, the city’s maiden Bicycle Mayor is none other than bike-to-office regular Sathya Sankaran, known for his enthusiasm to campaign for solutions around urban planning, urban governance, non-motorised transport and public transport. For the uninitiated, Bicycle Mayor — conceptualised by ByCS, formerly known as Cycle Space, a Dutch organisation based in Amsterdam — is a catalyst to bring together the public and private realms to uncover the massive economic, health and environmental benefits of increased cycling capacity. In Bengaluru, ESAF in association with ByCS, introduced Bicycle Mayor programme. ESAF is a national-level NGO working towards promoting sustainable transport options through their various advocacy programmes across seven cities in India since 2008. On the other
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hand, ByCS set an ambitious goal of a world where 50 per cent of all city trips are by bicycle by 2030. To realise the dream of 50by30, ByCS initiates and coordinates with various cities and supports the Bicycle Mayor network. While calling for applications on April 14, 2018, ESAF chalked out the role of the Bicycle Mayor, who would get an opportunity to work with Government of Karnataka departments, ByCS, and Dutch Embassy in India for realising the dream of 50by30. In fact, 42-year-old Sathya believes in the change in a city, which witnesses huge peak-hour traffic snarl like any other Indian cities. “My office is almost 20 km from my house; I just take my bicycle out and ride to office,” says Sathya, who has been instrumental in Cycle Day and Commuter Rail campaigns and is currently championing policy interventions like Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority and nonmotorised transport (NMT) policy. Sathya tells Crank that he wants to set up a council, which will bring together people working in the
bicycling space doing various initiatives, including 36 Cycle Day Community Partners. “I’m privileged to be honoured Bicycle Mayor, as it will not only add my responsibilities as an aware citizen but also cyclists will get lots of visibility. I will also bring together an advisory group which will guide the council and its members to enable NMT outcomes in the city. I will meet all the shortlisted cyclists for Bicycle Mayor so that the plan can be turned into action,” Sathya adds. Incidentally, all other shortlisted candidates for Bengaluru Bicycle Mayor — Prabhakar Rao, Anil Prabhakar, Maharishi Sanket, Murali H R and Murali Kartik — are ace cyclists on their own; and, everyone has his own ideas to make the city a better place for bikers. In their conversations with Crank, they shared their blueprint what they would have done if they were Bicycle Mayor. Rao, better known as GoGreenRao in the cycling circuit, said, “My quote of saying NO to CO2 by saying yes to C2O (Cycling to Office) is the main theme that I have introduced in September 2008. Bicycle Mayor can be used as a tool through which we can lay down set of policies that can talk about educating and creating awareness, and finally ensuring to convert more people to cycle.” Prabhakar, 32, who quit his corporate job with a hefty paycheck to do a solo pan-India cycling covering 18 states and 10,000 kms for six months and inspiring young minds at various schools by propagating “health benefits of cycling” added, “Citizens should be educated to pay respect to cyclists besides addressing the
problems why people cannot cycle on busy roads.” Fifteen-yearold Sanket, who plans a 1,000 km cycle ride from Bengaluru to Mumbai for raising his “voice against bullying and sexual abuse”, had an out-of-the-box idea too. “Being an artist, I also plan to organise art and cycling events, create short films and songs on the theme of cycling adoption and its benefits. I can involve various artists whom I know in this endeavour,” he quickly adds. Kartik, who has been on a mission mode since June 2016 with the motto, “cycle today for better tomorrow”, feels there is a need for a paradigm shift in commuting. “A robust public transport system and a cycle-friendly infrastructure can ensure Bengaluru transforms into a livable city of the future,” he says. Whether he would seek international support or not, Sathya feels, “I’d like to work with focus groups from other countries to bring expertise and products that can make the modal share outcomes successful.” Incidentally, inputs from Bicycle Mayors in eight cities abroad — Amsterdam (Katelijne Boerma and earlier Anna Luten), Cape Town (Lebogang Mokwena), Beirut (Philippe Dagher), Keene, US (Tiffany Mannion), Rio de Janeiro (Zé Lobo), Sao Paulo (JP Amaral), Mexico City (Areli Carreón) and Sydney (Sarah Imm) — and two in India — Vadodara (Nikita Lalwani) and Guwahati (Arshel Akhter) — can be of help for Sathya while drawing up the six-year road map he is planning. “The first two years will smoothen the path, I believe,” says Sathya, who will have a stint of two years as Bicycle Mayor of Bengaluru.
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CityTalk
Royal Patiala Riders
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Royal Patiala Riders’ is an amateur cycling club, which was founded in March 2016 in Patiala, Punjab. The cycling club, which was formed with a few city cycling enthusiasts to improve health and happiness, now has a total number of 32 active riders. The club’s cyclists ride about 40-50km six days a week on their MTBs at an average speed of 28km/h. Over the weekend, they go for a long ride of 100km. Believing in the mantra of ‘Safety First’, the club makes sure that it’s riders have all the essential gears for a safe ride like helmets, reflective west’s, gloves, tail and front lights. The club’s riders practice on heavy wheels of MTBs, but they nail events on their Carbon Roadies. The club’s riders, who have started cycling for some small fun rides, are now ready to represent the club at the international stage. In a short period of time, the club has produced 18 Randonneurs and 3 multi-times Super Randonneurs, who have international cycling
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events like Paris-Brest-Paris and Race Across America in their ‘Bucket Lists’. The club’s promising riders include its 55-year-old President Bhavjeet Sidhu; its 41-year-old Secretary Puneet Kapoor, Aman Vijay; Himanshu Sharma and Jagjivan Sidhu. The club, which is aimed at contributing to the development of the society, also organizes Blood Donation Camps every six months. At these camps, the club’s riders donate blood and spread the word to promote cycling for a healthy lifestyle. Apart from this, the club also organizes free city rides of 15-30kms for public and kids every 3 months. At these city rides, around 300 to 400 riders from all age groups participate. After the ride, the club also arranges free refreshments for the participants. Way to go Patiala. Keep pedaling.
PlanetSaddle
Moms on wheels: Dream fulfilled
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brief outing on bicycle through Belgium and The Netherlands, taking a break from the mundane life of raising children can be memorable for life.
The relation between a mother and her children is unique — full of love, affection and care. I had always heard from people as children grow, they become independent and tend to go more and more away from their mothers. But I would not agree upon that. My experience has been the opposite. I was just another woman, who had given away her career for her kids. Staying at home for them, doing everything that would benefit my kids. Arranging my schedule to fit theirs. I had become a typical “housewife”. But I had always taught my children never to leave behind their dreams and hobbies however far you go with studies and careers. I had always insisted rather to build their careers aligned to their hobbies as I knew myself that you never get bored of a job if it is what you love the most.
loneliness. That is when my child gave back the same lessons I had taught to him when he was young. He insisted I travel around the world freely, do what I loved most and not bother about him anymore. But he also warned me to do this all by myself, independently, just as I had taught him to be in life. And the best way to do that, he said was to get back on the bike and head in the direction of the unknown. I had to make lots of efforts. Getting back cycling was not going to be an easy task. I had cycled long distances when I was young, but was not in the form anymore. I started off with a few miles at a time and went on without stopping. I made my friends join me in my endeavour, we made new friends together. After a few months of practice, Rutvik was ready with yet another challenge for us. He had looked upon a cycling route that went through Belgium and The Netherlands. Our first reaction was NO. It would be tough, expensive and thus impossible, we thought. But as he briefed us with the detailed plan, we were thinking in our minds — why not!
As my children grew up, I was already starting to get the vibes of
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We planned the tour with my friend Kedar and some of our mutual friends. This “boat and bike” tour was a unique experience by itself. We would stay on the cruise ship at nights, have breakfast in the morning and then de-board the ship. Then we would cycle all through the day, going through small villages and the country-side, enjoying the local cuisine and culture on our way. We had two local residents — Kuss and Iris — who had joined us and would help us formulate the day’s route, just as a local guide would. The literature they provided usually had information of the towns we were going to go through along with its historic significance. Through the day, we would enjoy lush green farms, small villages with pretty houses and best of all extremely sweet people to greet us all along. The cycle tracks would take us sometimes along canals, while other times along rows of houses or beautiful farmlands full of tulips. After coming back to the ship later in the evenings, we would spend time with our friends, many of them travelling from as far as Australia and the US. We had an amazing time hearing their stories at the bar over a drink and sharing our experience over sumptuous five-course dinners! Sometimes we would venture in the town our cruise had halted late at nights as well. The beauty of these towns cannot be put in words and one must be there at the right time to experience it. Those six days, we cycled almost 60-70 km every day, which is
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not very much, but the time we spent, the friends we made and the experience we had could never have achieved had we not went on this tour. And this free atmosphere is what I cherished the most. The sun would burn our skin, the rains and the breeze would give chills, but we would not stop. After a tiring day on the road, we would all gather a new spirit and energy once we all met in the evening on the deck of the ship. All energised to chatter and enjoy drinks and dinner! Through the whole journey, my friend Kedar was there with me throughout. He helped us as an expert, as a guide and would never leave our backs. The journey from Bruges to Amsterdam on this crazy tour would not have been possible without him. We sure did not go through big and busy cities, but the beauty of small towns and the countryside is the true gem of Europe. Coming back from this tour, I have brought with myself many memories, and an urge to go back again and again, and on a bike. I bet you would enjoy travelling more if you went on a bike after all this! Meghana Khare (46) is a commercial artist and a water colour painter. She loves to travel , this ride was with Arti Pandit, Rucha Bhalerao and Deepali Deshmukh.
GET OUT & RIDE!
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