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Issue 6 Volume 3 July 15th 2015
INSIDE
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EXCLUSIVE FEATURE: SANTOSH CS, DAKAR MONARCH YOUNG TURK: PIYUSH CHAVAN CEO ON WHEELS
Cycling Federation of India
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IN THIS ISSUE
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Sufferest 2015 CFI News Race Report: MTB Uttarakhand CEO on Wheels Exclusive Feature-Santosh CS Inner Turmoil Piyush Chavan Intern V/S Editor ProCycle Tested: Cannondale Bad Boy Shop Talk: Riding gloves Super B tool box Compression Socks
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YO! The CRANK with ProCycle Team Managing Editor Vikram K Limsay Editor Nilesh Dhumal Invitee editor Mr. Onkar Singh Editorial support Kavya Ashok, Shrushti Bhaskar, Kirtana Divakar India North Bureau Ashish Sood India South Bureau Joseph Anish Marketing and Distribution Joseph Anish anish@procycle.in, +91 97415 77884 Test Riders Nilesh Dhumal, Ajay Kamble Ritwik D Burman, Joseph Anish Student Editor Aishwarya Palaparthy Issue contributors Lokesh Achar, Red Bull All rights reserved by Procycle and Sports India Private Limited Corporate Office 226, 1st Floor, 1st Main Road, Service Road Domlur 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bangalore-560071 ProCycle Showrooms Indiranagar #226, 1st Main Road, Service Road, Domlur 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bangalore - 560071 Tel: +91 98802 16064 Koramangala/HSR Layout New #12, Old #75, Service Road, Jakkasandra Extension, Koramangala 1st Block, Near HSR 5th Sector, Bangalore - 560034 Tel: +91 80 2550 1967 Sanjaynagar 126, 80ft Road, RMV 2nd Stage, Ashwath Nagar Bangalore - 560094 Website www.procycle.in For queries regarding subscription write to subscribecrank@procycle.in To share a stroy, write to feedback@procycle.in Cover Santosh CS, Dakar Monarch Back Cover Logging a steed Printed by Print 2 Last Solutions | info@print2last.in
Hello Riders, Riding in the rains has always been a favourite activity of mine. Hitting the trails and playing in the muck has become second nature over time. The joy I get in cleaning my bike and carefully picking dirt out of the nooks and corners is simply unfathomable. I was recently asked by a friend, ‘What is my second favourite activity?’ and I had no answer for her. There was no second favourite activity of mine. There were no degrees with which I could measure my love for cycling. Cycling is all I have and I’m proud of it! On all my journeys exploring new trails I’ve met so any riders who share the same passion and staying connected with them gives me the confidence to keep doing what I love. Crank plays an integral part in maintaining that connection. We at Crank with ProCycle are expanding and invite you to join us in this journey. If you have a cycling story or an undiscovered cycling trail or route write in to us and let the world know of your story too. Read on, Ride on, Ciao Nilesh N Dhumal Let’s Shred
Enroute Kodanadu
THE LONG ROAD
SUFFEREST 2015 Crank India South Bureau, Images by Lokesh Achar
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he hills of Ooty have been a respite during summers for many years. Cyclopedia, a bike shop from Mysore has been organizing the Sufferest ride to the hills of Ooty since 2013. The ride originally started with a humble number of 11 riders and grew to 29 this year.
we pedalled on to face more weekend traffic and to overcome the gruelling 36 hair pin bends that lead us into the town of Ooty. Upon reaching, we replenished our bodies with a heavy meal and our minds with conversations about the different aspects of cycle touring.
This year’s riders saw a mix of beginners and professional riders. Since Sufferest isn’t treated as a race but as a personal challenge, the riders were allowed to follow their own pace based on their individual fitness levels. Professionals who joined the ride were focussed on testing their endurance on the popular climb of the Kalahatty ghat.
Tired from the previous day and owing to the cold weather coupled with spells of drizzling rain, we started late on day 2. A comparatively short ride of 74kms took us through the Mukurthi National park which is covered in lowland evergreen forests and cut across by the Billithadahalla, Pykara and Kundah rivers. The shorter ride distance and the beauty of Mukurthi let us take it easy and soak the beauty around us.
We left Mysore on the 1st of May at 0430hrs and headed straight to Ooty covering 132kms. Weekend traffic made riding on the single lanes to Nanjangud and Gundulpet hard but not impossible. With a quick stop for breakfast at the entrance to the Bandipur forest,
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Waking up to the crackle of last night’s camp fire dying out in the mist, we decided to mix things up a little on Day 3 and instead of heading to Upper Bhavani as planned, we rode to Kodanad
New riders join every year
view point at a distance of 97kms from our temporary base at Ooty. The view from up here is simply breathtaking with the vast expanse of undulating valleys and hills and a clear view of the eastern ghats merging with its western counterpart. Kodanad view point is popular for being clean in comparison to other Nilgiri hills. The entire experience strengthened our belief that Nilgiri hills are the right place to be one with nature and experience the peace and quiet that most city dwellers crave for.
Resting enroute Bandipur A mix of riders
With the views from Kodanad imprinted in our minds, we began our ride back to Mysore on Day 4. The same route of 132kms that we braved against traffic and steep climbs in excitement of reaching Ooty became harder on us due to head winds and the fact that we were leaving behind the glorious sights and sounds, our camping experiences, unrelenting conversations on cycling and the lifelong bonds of friendship created during Sufferest 2015 behind until the next time.
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SAINCA inauguration, 2014
CFI NEWS
SAI NATIONAL CYCLING ACADEMY Crank CFI Bureau
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very year young cyclists await an opportunity to train under the Sports Authority of India National Cycling Academy (SAINCA) and compete at national and even international platforms. This year the wish came true for 23 Boys & 10 Girls from across the country when they began their training on the 20th April at the Indira Gandhi Cycling Velodrome, New Delhi. It is not easy to get selected for the SAINCA training. The eligibility is limited to students in the age group of 14-16 who have shown promising performance and potential in Road and Track cycling events over the last year. The selection process is strict and comprises of both physical and behavioral tests. To facilitate a national reach, the selection process happens in nine zones across the country and is closely monitored by the SAINCA.
IN OTHER NEWS
Once selected, the coaching program includes full support in terms of equipment, gear, boarding, lodging and course study material. The young athletes are nurtured under the guidance of 4 UCI trained coaches. The Indira Gandhi sports complex has all the required facilities for scientific training and strengthening along with an integrated administrative structure making it the right location for the training program. The SAINCA also functions as a satellite centre for the UCI and this helps the selected probable athletes to get a global exposure. Peter Sagan of the Tinkoff-Saxo team bags first at the Tour of California 2015 leaving favoured Mark Cavendish in second place.
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Merida claims world’s lightest production bike with 680g Scultura 9000 LTD
US Secretary of state, John Kerry fractures right femur in a bicycle accident at France.
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Spaniard Alberto Contador of Tinkoff-Saxo team wins the 98th Giro d’Italia.
SCOTT Odlo rider Nino Schurter crashes in the last lap. Julien Absalon of France from the BMC Mountainbike Racing Team scoops his 30th World Cup at the XC championship, UCI Mountain Bike World Cup held at Albstadt, Germany.
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Martin Maes of GT Factory racing bags first place in the Downhill race at UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.
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Giant Starkenn opens its new outlet in Mumbai.
SCOTT Sports India takes its community outreach program to Hyderabad, Delhi and Nagpur.
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We wish the young athletes good luck to shine in this year’s races nationally and internationally.
EVENTS CALENDAR 600 BRM
Tour De France
200 BRM
MKCC-2015
Mumbai - 20/06/2015 Anil Uchil aniluchil@gmail.com Delhi - 20/06/2015 Chiro Mitra chiromitra@gmail.com
Netherlands 04/07/2015 www.steephill.tv
Manali - 25/07/2015 Gaurav info@northernescapes.in
Rugged sections
RACE REPORT
Scenic terrain
MTB UTTARAKHAND-2015 Crank CFI Bureau
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he Himalayas are a popular mountain biking destination. The Himalayan state of Uttarakhand has a strong connection with the sport of cycling. Bollywood’s popular cycling movie, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander was set in its capital, Dehradun and inspired by the stories of the students in that region. Dehradun has also hosted its first cyclothon recently introducing competitive cycling to a larger audience. Uttarakhand offers a variety of terrain options across its hills. Having monitored a steady increase in mountain biking in these hills, the Cycling Federation of India in association with Department of Tourism, Govt. of Uttarakhand organized The Ultimate MTB Himalayan Challenge 2015 from 6th to 14th May 2015 covering a total distance of 625kms from Nainital to Dehradun. The race was spread over 6 stages averaging a distance of around 100kms every day covering scenic locations like Almorah, Gwaldam, Rudraprayag, New Tehri, Chinyalisaur and Mussoorie. Being the first MTB race in Uttarakhand, it was widely received and supported by the locals. The villagers showed their support by cheering for the racers along the track. In many cases entire schools and their marching bands were present at different stage checkpoints. Conducting an MTB race in the difficult terrain was challenging and was well planned and executed by the team of race marshals from Cycling Federation of India. Secretary General, Cycling Federation
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of India quoted this as one of the toughest event organized by them, whereby the Government of Uttarakhand extended full support to make this event a grand success. The entire distance of 625kms was finished in 26 hours, a pioneering timing for a Himalayan race. The race saw a total of 66 participants from various states. They were provided free lodging, boarding & local transportation by the organizers. A grand closing ceremony & prize distribution was held at Dehradun graced by Sh. Harish Rawat, Honourable Chief Minister, Govt. of Uttarakhand. 36 Elite Cyclists out of 66 riders have finished in General Classification and facilitated with a total prize money of Rs. 7.6 Lakh. Rider
Place
State/Unit
Prize money
PB Pradhan
First
Indian Army
2,20,000
Devendar Kumar
Second
Himachal
1,45,000
Mukesh Kumar
Third
Indian Army
80,000
CM Harish Rawat at the prize distribution
BANGALORE’S FAVOURITE BICYCLE SUPERSTORE INDIRANAGAR | KORAMANGALA/HSR | SANJAYNAGAR Discover a world of premium bikes from global brands, genuine spares, impeccable service and expert advice at ProCycle, Bangalore’s bike superstore. Great rental plans too. WIDEST RANGE OF BICYCLES, ACCESSORIES & SPARES AVAILABLE UNDER ONE ROOF
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ProCycle PROFILED A section where we show off some of our valued cyclists
CEO ON WHEELS Crank Bengaluru Bureau
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I
t is one thing to preach and a whole other to practise. Mr. CK Venkataraman, CEO Titan Jewellery is one to go the extra mile dressed in shorts and a t-shirt and on a cycle to prove that nothing can hinder a healthy lifestyle. Affectionately called Venkat, he has a humble and warm personality which reflects in the decor of his quaint home in central Bengaluru where he lives with his loving wife and two daughters. Venkat is one of the many bicycle riders you see commuting to office. You can tell that he does it regularly when you see his confidence and instincts while riding. His trek 4300 has faithfully accompanied him for many years and has got some serious mileage on it. About riding through traffic Venkat tells us, “There is a definite pecking order out there on the streets, a cyclist is at the bottom of that order and it becomes important for a cyclist to practise additional vigilance while out there. It helps to increase visibility by means of lights and reflectors and no matter what, there hardly is a reason strong enough for you to leave the left side of the road. I made a great choice in the Trek 4300, it makes the riding easy and takes quite a beating. Starting earlier than the rush can help avoid frustration on the street. In the evenings, the traffic may get particularly annoying, but the endorphin release associated with the exercise of cycling helps you cope or better yet, ignore them. I love riding in the rains, especially through the city. The rains bring traffic to a halt and leave the roads for us cyclists. I gather many kinds of looks when I am out on the bike. Some express commend, some surprise, others inspiration.” Venkat makes commuting to work on a bicycle seem simple which in reality it truly is. He has been responsible for initiating various facilities for bicycle commuters at the Titan campus in Yamalur,
Bengaluru. These include parking spots, shower and locker rooms and a sense of community support among cyclists. “I wear shorts and a t-shirt while on the bike and carry a set of work clothes in my back pack. I work in an environment where wearing jeans is completely acceptable. I even go to star hotels for meetings on a bicycle and seeing me has inspired some of the hotel staff to take up cycling themselves.” Venkat tell us that like the start of any change in your life, it starts with the will for it, followed by doing it once and then repeating it sufficient number of times until it becomes a habit. Consistent practise therefore becomes his mantra to get on the saddle day after day. The kitchen is his favourite part of the home. On weekends, Venkat takes over it to cook up his favourite dishes for the family. His expertise lies in South Indian vegetarian dishes and just like his skills of cycling, practise has made his cooking skills perfect still. Upon seeing our staff photographers’ equipment, he reminiscences about his days of photography, using black and white film and super telephoto lenses to shoot portraits. He utilizes every opportunity to try his hand at documenting emotions through portrait photography. In his efforts to give back to the world, he contributes to various charities, provides shelter to street dogs and more importantly pedals to do his bit in reducing pollution. A multi faceted CEO that Mr. CK Venkataraman is, he is also one of the most inspiring people you will see on a cycle. He brings the idea of cycle commuting to reality and in his own ways perhaps provokes other cyclists to take up commuting as well. Crank thanks Venkat for the opportunity to bring his story and riding tips to our readers.
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EXCLUSIVE FEATURE
CRANKING CYCLES AND MOTORCYCLES ALIKE Crank India South Bureau
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rowing up, many Indian boys have a common dream of jumping about on motorcycles. Braving the many obstacles of organized and unorganized motorsports in India, a few grow into motorsport athletes. Crank brings you the story of one such boy and how he grew up to become the very idol he looked out for as a child. Bengaluru boy, Santosh CS is a popular name in the field of motocross and rallying. His recent shot to international fame as the first Indian to participate in the Dakar rally has crowned him as the official monarch of Indian motorsports. In a candid interview at his training ground, Big Rock Motor park in Kolar, Santosh shares his
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inspiration and mantra for success, cycling. As a child, Santosh was enthusiastic and grew up playing badminton, tennis, football and golf. He had an early affection towards cycles. His awe at watching stunts and jumps on TV inspired him to learn and practise some himself. He formed a conglomerate of daredevil friends who would practise mountain biking and trail riding along with a healthy mix of mild stunting whenever and where ever they found an opportunity. “I always knew I was pretty good at it, and when I got myself a motorcycle, it felt natural and like we were made for each other.� says Santosh about his transition.
Dakar monarch
Strength training
Talking about his childhood
“Neither have I, nor will I ever abandon cycling.” In the early days of his motorsports career when Santosh was training for his first Supercross championship with Daniel McCoy in Australia, they spent a lot of time road biking across loops of rolling hilly terrain. Using cycling for training also helped him get fit for his next victory at the Asian motocross championship. Validating his love for training on the cycle, Santosh tells us. “For an endurance athlete, hitting the gym does very little, being out on the terrain on a bicycle helps me mix it up and increase my strength.” Santosh has a lot of respect for road cyclists. He himself prefers to be on a road bike for his training because there is a lot of pain and suffering and digging deep that becomes essential to reach your goals. Training on a road bike is good for monitoring his vitals
Jonty hits the trail hard
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With his toys
and helps him quantify the training. Defending his original love for mountain biking, he tells us, “I think mountain biking hones a different set of skills in you. It is quite tough because of the technical riding style. But I’m guaranteed to have more fun on a mountain bike.” “As you can see, my motorcycles are essentially mountain bikes with an engine in them. A lot of the technical knowledge I gain while riding a mountain bike translates into my motorcycle riding. I get a lot of essential skills on terrain specific reactions from the mountain bike. Nothing tires you more than repeating an activity and yet being alert at it. Being on a bicycle helps me hone my senses and remain sharp.” And this alertness has gotten him coveted titles like two times National Supercross Champion, highest placed Indian in Asian Motocross, Winner of 14th Raid de Himalaya and finishing 10th at the World Cross Country Rallies at Abu Dhabi in 2014 which got him an invitation to compete at the coveted Dakar rally in 2015. Santosh gives us a sneak peak in to his future plans. “It is hard to top off being the first Indian to compete at Dakar. I am hounded by the amount of effort and practise it will take for me to get a better placing at the Dakar and I am also confident that the experience I will gain from other races along the way will help me at it. I have my mind set on competing at other big races and the Isle of Man TT is on that list.” Trophy Bike ©Red Bull
Santosh aims to grow in the field of motorsports and become the hero that this sport lacks. As a child he had failed in seeking out idols who were from India. With his achievements he has become that idol himself. There may be a lot of weight on his shoulders but in his humility he is glad that he can play a crucial role for this generation. Santosh concentrates on his motorcycle discipline to live up to the expectations he has set and signs off saying “Cycling is always going to be my path breaker and I hold it in high regard.”
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1YEAR ` 720 12 ISSUES at 40% OFF the cover price DELIVERED TO YOUR DOORSTEP PLUS some surprise goodies along the way To subscribe, mail a cheque in favour of ‘PROCYCLE AND SPORTS INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED’ to our corporate office (address below) along with your details or drop by one of the ProCycle showrooms (adresses below) and pay cash. For queries, call Joseph Anish on +91 97415 77884 or email anish@procycle.in Showroom: l Indiranagar - #226, 1st Main Road, Service Road, Domlur 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bangalore - 560071. Tel: +91 98802 16064 l Koramangala / HSR Layout - New #12, Old #75, Service Road, Jakkasandra Extension, Koramangala 1st Block, Near HSR 5th Sector, Bangalore - 560034 Tel: +91 80 2550 1967 l Sanjaynagar - #126, 80ft Road, RMV 2nd Stage, Ashwath Nagar, Bangalore - 560094 Corporate Office: Indiranagar - 226, 1st floor, 1st Main Road, Domlur, 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bengaluru - 560071. Tel: +91 80 41161902
BICYCLE DIARY, EPISODE-4
INNER TURMOIL
aniSh. This is the fourth part of a short novel. Catch a fresh episode of this multipart series in the following issues. Get involved. Write to us. Maybe you could impact the course of the story!
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n all the days of missing Maya, I took two bold steps. One, I borrowed my friend’s bicycle and rode to a quick destination just outside the city. Two, I sent Maya my first text and it read, ‘You’re cute, I’m shy. Forgive this intrusion. I hope you are doing fine.’
I repented the first bold step for almost a week with a completely sore body. The second one, I’m repenting still. I never did get a reply for my text and a week into Maya coming back from her trip, we just exchange glances when we pass. We are never alone, she is always in a hurry and I’m embarrassed to ask her about that dreaded text. As I finish my Saturday whisky and go to sleep, I only think of two things, going on a cycle trip with Maya to prove my stamina that is based on one short trip and how I could possibly gather the courage to talk to her at all. I overslept and it is almost noon now. I find myself at Maya’s door waiting for her approaching footsteps to open the door. I point the jar of coffee powder in my hand and ask her, “Coffee? I ran out of gas.” She smiles and welcomes me in. In moments we are back to our old selves again. Bonding over coffee, with the change that I finally have a cycling story of my own. She tells me all about her ride across the hills, braving the rains, reaching the coast and how Kiran and his wife were stuck in the middle of a village road waiting for a herd of buffaloes to pass. I was relieved to know that she wasn’t upset at the text and that she found it sweet and that she regrets the lack of network coverage. My relief grew exponentially when I learned that Kiran is her married brother. These realizations boosted my confidence. Mustering courage I slid closer to her on the couch, carefully kept the coffee cup down. She had a beautiful smile on her face. I have to tell her how I feel about her. The way she looked in my eyes, I could tell that she feels the same way about me. I’m just not sure if this is the right time to do it. My heart paced like it did when I climbed the hills on the bicycle. Have we grown sufficiently fond of each other yet? I guess we have! I open my mouth and in my commitment phobia, tell her. “Will you come with me to check out some bikes this evening?” We love cliffhangers like this. Write to us at feedback@procycle.in if you want to steer this story from now on.
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Playgrounds
YOUNG TURK
PIYUSH CHAVAN Crank India West Bureau
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ownhill riding has been known for getting cyclists’ adrenaline pumping. With improved suspension and ergonomics technology, the sport has been achieving new milestones across the globe. While the sport is not entirely new in India, it is yet to gain sufficient stature as a recognized sport. Amongst the Indian athletes who pursue downhill MTB, 18 year old Piyush Chavan recently created history by being the first Indian to participate in the British Downhill Series held at the legendary Fort Williams track. Amongst the many aspirations he had when he left to Britain, one of them was to introduce the Indian mountain bikers to the possibilities of professional racing.
“What is the point of waking up to a day that does not challenge you? And that’s the main reason why I ride a bike.” Piyush is now supported by SCOTT Sports India under their SCOTT Future stars program and now rides a no compromise DH weapon, SCOTT Gambler 730. Piyush is training for podium finishes in both the national and international races he has scheduled. Crank will be on a close watch of this future star bringing you stories of his accolades. Piyush Chavan
Piyush has pursued downhill mountain biking for the past seven years and raced professionally for the last four. He is favoured for being a quick learner. His early achievements include two consecutive podium finishes at the BBCh nationals in 2012 and 2013. His win at the Himachal DH trophy in Manali against international competition has strengthened his belief in his abilities at the sport and pushes him to constantly improve and learn newer, faster techniques. Validating his passion, he tells us
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Shake off
ROAD TEST
INTERN VS. EDITOR Misty Bhaskar
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angalore is known for its green cover, global IT establishments and its traffic. Owing to this very traffic, I reached 6 minutes late to work in my new job as a photography intern at Crank. The chilled out guys that they are, everybody just made fun of me saying I need to come up with a new excuse and that cycles are in fact faster than any other mode of transport. It irked me some, but I knew it was all in good humour and with the confidence I have in Bengaluru Metro, challenged the Editor, national 4X champion Nilesh Dhumal to a race from MG road to Indiranagar. With me on the Metro and him on the newbie test bike, Cannondale Bad boy. The route from MG road to Indiranagar has 7 signals with significant amount of traffic at each stop. So when Nilesh and I set the stopwatches on our phones, I was positive of my win. Just before starting our stopwatches, Nilesh asked me, “How long do you think you’ll take,” and to that I chuckled and replied, “Not as long as you.” With this, we started our stopwatches and set off. The metro station wasn’t as crowded as it usually is, a great advantage to me; I quickly went through security check, bought my ticket and rushed up the stairs to the line. The waiting time was 5 minutes, which was not all that bad. While waiting, I chatted up with the watchman and a skateboarder who suggested that I was in for a loss.
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We depart at MG road
11:57:00
Waiting for the train Sneaking in traffic
I lose, cycle wins
Following the metro above
12:03:00 When the train arrived, my stopwatch was at 09:30. I got on and found a seat. The journey was peaceful with beautiful views of Bangalore. The whole time, I laughed to myself thinking of Nilesh stuck in traffic trying to maneuver through the sea of vehicles. Before I knew it, I was at Indiranagar and at a comfortable pace I made my way out to the station. Once I was out, to my shock I saw Nilesh standing proud next to the Bad Boy. As I approached him with awe and disappointment, he snickered and said, “I’ve waited long enough.” I said nothing but just showed him my stopwatch, which was at 17:05 and he showed me his and to my absolute disbelief, he had arrived here almost 6 minutes before me and this is what he had to say. “I was sure that I will get to Indiranagar before you. I only had one thing worrying me, the traffic signals. I had 4 signals more than
Making friends
Nilesh’s time
My time
you had metro stops. Unlike metro stops which are short and time bound, signals have a high concentration of traffic and difficult to time. Since the rule was to follow the same route as the metro and not jump any signals I had to rely on the inherent advantage of a cycle to slip through bumper to bumper traffic. Must say I am myself pleasantly surprised to beat you by a full 6 minutes. It is fair to conclude then that in a short distance the cycle indeed returns a faster time. But honestly for longer distances I am sure it is all about the lungs. “ My first assignment as a photojournalist involved taking selfies and challenging my boss. How much more fun can work get? If you want to find out, write to feedback@procycle.in
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CRANK TESTED
CANNONDALE BAD BOY 4, 2015 aniSh
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ood girls like bad boys they say. But the Bad Boy that we are talking about has everyone drooling. And when we got a factory made Bad Boy we took it for a nauseatingly fast spin across the city. Yes, we are talking about the Cannondale Bad Boy 4, 2015. Right off the bat, (no pun intended) we have fiddled about with this bike earlier and declared it as the perfect bike for Batman to ride across his urban battlefields. The thing is fast and everything about it, starting with the stealth black colour scheme helps it blend into the (k)night. The Bad Boy is one of the fastest commuters we have ridden. Its optimized 6061 Alloy frame with clean internal cable routing has
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more straight lines than curves and reminds me of stealth planes that have one purpose in life, do their job effectively and not get detected. The Bad Boy does just that, it draws minimal attention when parked, making it less vulnerable to theft. But when we got on it to beat rush hour traffic, it quickly became every car or motorcycle commuter’s envy. Its aggressive frame geometry gives it the ability to quickly change direction. It is the perfect bike to have the traffic wondering, “how’d he get here so fast?” For the sake of consistency of design and the stealth theme, the Bad Boy’s integral components like the handlebar, stem, brake levers, pedals, hubs, brakes, saddle and seat post are designed and manufactured by OEM’s with the complete theme in mind. Power transmission happens over a Shimano M171 3-speed
Creature of the night
Black stealth graphic
Crank and Shimano Altus derailleur in the front and a Shimano Acera mated to a Sunrace CSM558 8-speed at the rear. All very impressive in their own league but insufficient for a bike with such an aggressive geometry and high quality frame structure. We would not mind spending the 47,000 odd rupees this bike is, and then spend some more on giving it a drive train upgrade that it needs and not just deserves. While we are at it, the stock pedals go out the window too. The Promax braking system with theme based brake levers for the mechanical disc brakes are a show stealer in rush hour traffic. It makes the bike such a delight to maneuvre around the backs of cars in traffic and gives you the guarantee of stopping. This effective mechanical disk braking is transferred onto the road via WTB
Freedom Thickslick tires. At a glance, the lack of any tread pattern on them plays a number on your ride confidence until the first time you hit the brake and are surprised at the stopping distance and you are relieved of any worries about their grip. If you are easily bothered by slicks, the Cannondale Fatty fork gives you the ability to swap out to slightly wider knobby tires. To truly test its urban capabilities, we rode it out on a race against the Bengaluru Metro and then again used it to get around the economic hub of the city in evening traffic dressed in complete formal attire including polished black leather shoes. The sleek urban saddle offers good grip even when clad in silky formal pants. The easy ride ergonomics reduces the exertion levels and leaves you feeling quite fresh after riding for about 20kms at quite a fast pace.
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8 Speed rear transmisson
front disc
Responsive mechanical discs
Wide fatty forks
The bike delivers best results when used in its minimalistic design. Addition of accessories like a kick stand turn out to be a slight bit of an inconvenience if you have a large shoe size. One has to choose the accessories wisely. We at Crank have a belief that all hybrid designs should skew towards a mountain bike to take the beating of Indian roads and the Cannondale Bad Boy has got this balance just right. With a definite drive train upgrade, maybe the slightest dash of colour and we will have the perfect city rider in the Bad Boy.
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CRANK with ProCycle JULY 15TH, 2015
Promax brake levers
Internal cable routing
Branded Urban components
Uraban commute saddle
The Cannondale Bad Boy has lived up to every bit of hype it created at the workshop and Crank gives it an AHT (Average Head Turning) Factor of 7.5 out of 10.
CRANK with ProCycle JULY 15TH, 2015
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SHOP TALK
RIDING GLOVES Kavya Ashok
T
hrough shop talk we have brought you bikes and accessories that elude our desire. On a request from a reader, we bring you our opinion on the different qualities of riding gloves. Whether cheap riding gloves will just do the trick or are the expensive ones really that good? This is what came out of our workshop banter over coffee. The participants were expert riders, bruised newbies, price conscious early jobbers and others with silver spoons. Thankfully there was initial consensus about wearing gloves. Cheap or expensive, it was agreed never to get on a saddle without a glove. We compared three popular gloves. One priced Rs. 410 (X) the other for Rs. 1360 (Y) and a super premium for Rs. 1600 (Z). Broadly speaking, we found that as we climbed up the price ladder the differences go from look and feel to the soul of the product. A glove’s purpose is to make the ride less tasking on your palms and wrist while providing you with adequate grip. Gloves X, Y and Z are all capable of performing this basic task. Our questions were how well, how effortlessly and for how long. X is the only glove in this test that has padding made of foam. Both Y and Z have gel padding. Foam padding makes the fit of the glove bulky. Gel padding helps maintain the minimalistic design. Foam won’t serve its purpose if it’s not cut and shaped accurately to fit the palm. This is a downside when palms of different people are not
Rs. 410
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CRANK with ProCycle JULY 15TH, 2015
Rs.1360
entirely identical. Gel however has the ability to provide cushioning to a wider area without the concentrated cushion pattern that foam provides and enjoys a preference over foam. It is a human habit to use the wrist to wipe off sweat from the forehead. Glove Y and Z double up as a mini towel owing to the absorbent material used in making their outer surfaces. Glove X’s rubber knuckle pads will get in the way if you attempt the same. It is important to have good stitching and finishing for the longevity of a glove. Glove X has a few loose ends at the finger tips and needs to be removed carefully to avoid pulling off the stitches. Glove Y has better stitching and can endure some bit of yanking and biting while trying to take them off. Glove Z steals the show with the hemmed stitching and the added provision of removal loops. Ingenuity trumps price point and the neon green glove Y is now our favourite. To conclude, choosing among the three depends on your riding pattern and duration. As with anything, you need to start somewhere and then build up to a optimum solution along the way. What works for one may not always work for the other. Choose wisely and ride safe. Want to buy an accessory, but aren’t sure about it? Write to us at feedback@procycle.in and we will get you sorted.
Rs.1600
BOYS’ TOYS
SUPER-B CLASSIC TBA600 The passion for riding goes hand in hand with the passion for maintaining your ride. All DIY enthusiasts are bound to have a basic set of tools. For a cyclist who wants to start maintaining and fixing bikes on their own, the Super-B Classic TBA 600 25 piece tool kit is the perfect place to start. In addition to a few basic beginner tools like a set of allen keys and screw drivers, it includes chain rivet extractor for 8, 9 and 10 speed chains, hub cone spanner, headset wrench and a bottom bracket wrench for both Shimano and Truvativ. Additions of 2 in 1 cottorless crank tool, Freewheel turner and Freewheel remover among others allow for professional pit like maintenance of your ride.
COMPRESSPORT 3D.DOT FULL SOCK Whether you are a runner or a cyclist, a lot is being done by your legs constantly and investing in a good pair of compression socks is never a bad idea. If you are in the market for a multipurpose compression sock, the Compressport 3D.DOT full sock is your best bet. It benefits both runners and cyclists alike. Apart from being good as a compression sock that stimulates blood flow at strategic parts of your feet, its multidirectional 3D.DOTs allow for absorption and dampening of impact. Additionally, it has great grip features, protects your Achilles tendon, has a mesh type ventilation system and also retains very little water.
GET OUT & RIDE!
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