Crank with ProCycle May-2015

Issue 4 Volume 3 May 15th 2015

` 100/-

INSIDE

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lusive M e Exc

ar tner aP di

Official a n

Feature: 14000kms to Self Discovery Shop talk: Giant Seek1, 2014 The Long Road: FLECHE

Cycling Federation of India

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IN THIS ISSUE

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05 Shop talk 06 Trip Pick: Go! Mad 08 CFI State: MTB Kerala 10 Feature: 14000kms to self discovery 12 Feature: The Impossible Race 16 The Long Road: Flesch 18 Bicycle Diary: Episode-02 20 ProCycle Profiled: Pedal Lovers 22 Race Report: Phulgaon Duathlon 24 Young Turk: Jehaan 25 Race Report: Firefox Firestorm 26 Bike tech: Bike packing 30 Boys’ Toys: Lezyne Micro

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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 Aishwarya Palaparthy, Edwin Thomas Sahil Rathod, Kavya Ashok, Varuna J India West Bureau Divya Tate India North Bureau Ashish Sood India South Bureau Joseph Anish Marketing and Distribution Joseph Anish anish@procycle.in, +91 97415 77884 Test Riders Ajay Kamble Nilesh Dhumal Ritwik Burman Issue Contributions Nishita Anand, Chirag Singal, Prateek Singh, Shivam Roy, Nandan Purohit, Tushar, Kamal, Ajit Kumar Srivastava, Divya Tate, Shilpa Phadke, Suman Thakur 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 New BEL Road/ RMV Extension 126, 80ft Road, RMV 2nd Stage, Ashwath Nagar Bangalore - 560094 Website www.procycle.in For queries regarding advertising and subscription mail us at subscribecrank@procycle.in Cover A racer cools off at The Impossible Race Image by Nandan Purohit Back Cover The ProCycle mascot sheltered from the blistering summer sun Printed by Print 2 Last Solutions | info@print2last.in

Hello Riders!

In this issue, we are pleased to announce our milestone achievement. Crank with ProCycle is now the Official and Exclusive Media Partner of Cycling Federation of India. This means that Crank will now bring the latest in Official races, competitions and announcements from CFI. Together we shall endeavour to serve the cause of cycling even better.

The blazing summer is here and seeing so many young ones out and about on their bicycles excites me. I think cycling and summers are the perfect way to connect with youngsters and absolutely recommend elders to take up cycling.

If you are teaching a kid to ride this summer, you are doing one of the noblest thing on the planet. Kudos! I have to however, tip all the riders to hydrate efficiently.

Make sure to check out our latest section, Shop Talk where we banter about our favourite bikes and gear also read through to find out what happens in the second episode of Bicycle Diary.

Read on, ride on and Ciao.

Nilesh N Dhumal Let’s Shred

Tune your bike! Tweak your heart !

Maintain your cycle, so that your cycle maintains you!

Trained Technicians.

State-of-the-art Equipment.

Genuine Parts.

ProCycle Koramangala

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CFI NEWS

Dear Readers,

Dear Reader,

We at Crank with ProCycle are proud of our partnership with CFI, the premiere and preeminent governing body of cycling in India as its exclusive and official media partner. We consider this as a key milestone since our inception.

The cycling federation of India is always committed to the cause of cycling be it competitive or social responsibility of cleaner, greener environment and fitness for all.

Crank with ProCycle is India’s only premium lifestyle bicycle magazine and its objective is to be a catalyst for cycling ignited change in the society and cover everything connected with cycling.

We are a monthly publication in our third year and are privileged to have the support of a loyal and ever-growing number of readers and all stakeholders connected with cycling.

Cycling in all its avatars; competitive sport, recreation, commute and exercise has a seen a significant growth in the recent past. The cycling community is constantly increasing and it is our endeavour to provide quality content to this community and also serve as an advocacy platform for the entire fraternity.

I am confident that together with CFI our combined endeavour of serving the cause of cycling in India will get a synergistic push.

Get out and ride!

Vikram K Limsay Publisher and Managing Editor, Crank with ProCycle Managing Director, ProCycle and Sports India Pvt. Ltd.

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CRANK with ProCycle MAY 15TH, 2015

In its endeavor to spread this message across the country and keeping in mind the importance of print media the federation has partnered with Crank with ProCycle and its effort to take this message to the ground level.

It is a beginning of the new sphere and through this prestigious magazine the federation will be contributing and involving the audience, making them aware of its activities and events held across the country.

I’m sure this partnership will go long way in achieving our goals of improvement in the cycling and creating atmosphere for cycling among the audience and spreading the messaging of fitness and greener atmosphere.

Happy Cycling Onkar Singh Secretary General, Cycling Federation of India

SHOP TALK

Shimano Alfine 8 Speed internal geared hub

Unique white Schwalbe Big Apple tires

Riveted aluminium panel branding

Sloping top tube makes it a perfect unisex bike

Color coordinated white shifters and tires

No derailleur hanger-Unique

Clean Design-Caliper Holder

Urban commute saddle

GIANT SEEK 1 2014, URBAN COMMUTE BIKE By aniSh

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n this section, we try to bring you a flavour of garage discussions on everything to do with cycles that we at Crank routinely indulge in as passionate bikers . Much is said over many mugs of coffee and opinions are as varied and distant as the number of people. Opinions are expressed and points of view are fiercely defended in every discussion but this time the Giant Seek 1, 2014 brought about a surprising consensus.

Hands down, our entire team is in love with everything this bike is.

Not just in terms of ride ergonomics but also in matters of style and how strong a statement the understated blue coloured bike makes.

The white Schwalbe Big Apple 700x50 tires have a huge role to play in driving the consensus.

The bike, apart from being an immediate attention grabber, is one of the most comfortable rigid forks that we have ridden around on city

roads. With its lightweight and seriously rugged ALUXX alloy frameset, it has all the sturdiness of a mountain bike and yet shows surprising nimbleness in handling that a city commuter requires.

The cherry on top has to be the Shimano Alfine internally geared hub with the shifting controlled at the Giant Sport handlebar via Alfine-specific shifters. The gear system, though fascinating is more favoured for its ease of use and maintenance. Add hydraulic disc brakes with well crafted calliper stays that are welded as a part of the frame and we tend to overlook the one shortfall in the entire bike, the need for a slightly more stylish saddle cover.

On the whole we give the Giant Seek 1, 2014 a Crank AHT (Average Head Turning) factor of 8 out of 10!

CRANK with ProCycle MAY 15TH, 2015

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TRIP PICK

GO! MAD CYCLE TOURS Text by Sahil Rathod Images by Go! Mad

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tanding on the Rock Needle viewpoint at Gudalur, one can look straight into the eyes of lingering wisps of clouds and view the beautiful expanse of the small picturesque town of Gudalur.

Settled between the serene green cover of the Nilgiris, Gudalur and its surrounding area is a great destination for cycling. The beauty and rich local culture are carefully preserved by adivasis of the area which makes every ride pristine and peaceful.

Daniel Bent, a British cyclist accomplished a grueling 9000 mile journey from UK to Chembakolli in Gudalur taluk in 2010 with an aim to raise funds to help preserve the adivasi way of life in the region. This was the beginning of ACCORD, an organization that strives to protect the adivasis from exploitation and their identities from vanishing.

Under the aegis of ACCORD, Go! MAD a cycling adventure company conducts Cycling for a Cause tours in and around this region. Over the years, people from around the world participate in these scenic cycling tours.

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This year, the fourth edition of this tour was conducted between February 19 & 22. The 350km journey from Bengaluru to Gudalur was completed in four rigorous days of cycling. The tour started from Kanakpura and after an exhausting first day, the cyclists camped at Kokkarebellur, a fascinating village in Mandya district famous for its bonding with Spot-Billed Pelicans which are considered to be symbolic of prosperity and good luck.

The night in the tents made the entire journey a lot more adventurous and memorable. With the blessings of the Kokkarebellur Pelican, the cyclists braved the last dregs of winter chill as they set out early the next morning. Refusing to give in to exhaustion, they peddled for 7 hours to reach a resort in Chamrajnagar.

The third day marked the end of flat tar roads and the beginning of the much awaited off road adventure. The destination was Chikaylchetti which stands on the edge of the Bandipur Tiger reserve. The terrain was tough and negotiating it was the fun everyone was waiting for.

Serene roads make the trip easier to handle

The rider stop to pose

Interestingly on this ride, the number of lady cyclists outnumbered their male counterparts. Remember, this was a quasi off-roading ride. There were two lady cyclists from Switzerland and three from England in the ladies’ contingent and everybody was happy to share their diverse experiences with each other.

All great journeys have to come to a close. After riding for half a day on the fourth day through the most beautiful scenery, tea plantations, verdant fields, the cyclists finally made it to the visually stunning town of Gudalur. The dust and sweat was all forgotten as everyone soaked in the landscape and wished and hoped it remained as pristine and beautiful as the adivasis had always kept it. The ride is a unique blend of charity, fun and physical challenge. An exhilarating way of doing your bit for the cause.

The next edition of the ride happens in October 2015. It is the perfect opportunity for the cycling community to give back to the forests of India. Write to feedback@procycle.in to get in touch with Go! Mad.

Camping brings you closer to nature

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Young talent at MTB Kerala

CFI STATE NEWS

MTB KERALA 2015

By Crank CFI Bureau

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he state of Kerala is known for its vibrant geography and culture. It has high mountains in the North to numerous beaches in the center drizzled with endless network of backwaters and rivers all the way to the Southern tip of the state. The state has proudly hosted the recent National Games and has shown great capability to support road and track cycling events.

The Northern mountains of Kerala have been a favorite destination of off road enthusiasts of all genres. The Northern district of Wayanad is well known as a tourist and nature enthusiasts’ destination. This makes it the perfect terrain to host the MTB Kerala race. The race is in its third year in succession and is one of the most popular MTB events across Asia. It is organized by the Eco Tourism Dept, Govt. of Kerala in association with the Cycling Federation of India.

MTB Kerala carries a lucrative prize money worth Rs. 5.70 Lakh and attracts a considerable number of foreign teams along with Elite National cyclists from various states of India.

This year 10 foreign teams have confirmed their entries for the event. The race is scheduled for the 18th April 2015 at Waynad Dist and this years’ route is one of the most adventurous and challenging with most spectacular and scenic surroundings yet.

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Mr. Pinaki Bysac an international commissaire, who has been appointed as chief commissaire by the UCI for the World Junior MTB event to be held in mid 2015 will be the chief commissaire for MTB Kerala and will be assisted by number of national commissaires.

The organizers are providing free boarding, lodging and airfare to the foreign teams and Indian participants, no entry fees is being charged. All the technical support required to conduct this event is being extended by Cycling Federation of India and Kerala State Cycling Association.

Race Calendar Date: 18th April, 2015 Venue: Wayanad Registration at www. mtbkerala.com Scenic yet challenging race track

EVENTS CALENDAR MTB Kerala Waynad, Kerala 18th April, 2015 http://mtbkerala.com/

600 BRM Mumbai 18th April, 2015 aniluchil@gmail.com

Road Race 100km Bangalore 19th April, 2015 http://bbch.in

Pune Triathlon Participants in action

Pune 19th April, 2015 http://punetriathlon.com/

MTB Uttarakhand Nainital 6th May, 2015 www.cyclingfederationofindia.org

The Coorg Escapade 02-May-2015 Chelavara Village, Coorg, Karnataka http://thecoorgescapade.com/ Local support along the race track

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Pristine green cover

FAR FROM HOME

14000KMS TO SELF DISCOVERY

By Crank Bangalore Bureau. Images by Chirag Singal

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ycle touring has come a long way in India. At Crank,we are always inspired by the exploits of intrepid riders who have gone far and wide on their bikes within the country and even to distant lands across International borders.

Chirag Singal is a 21-year-old rider from Jaipur. During his university years in Bengaluru he often rode to college on his cycle. The topic of his daily riding distance was a routine matter of discussion amongst friends at the canteen. In one such discussion he was goaded by a friendly professor to try riding a 1000kms and really challenge himself.

It was just a casual conversation but the informal challenge stuck and Chirag decided to go for it. In the following holidays he decided to ride all the way to Mumbai which was close to 1000Kms. On reaching Mumbai, an elated Chirag made the first call to his professor who congratulated him and inspired him to go even farther. Chirag decided that he will infact ride on to his hometown of Jaipur, a full 2300Kms from Bangalore! This was in 2013.

help of his buddies from Jaipur cycling club and receiving blessings from his parents, Chirag set out on a tryst with himself. The date was 6th October 2014.

The first leg to Bharatpur was a distance of 180kms.The longest till he would reach the far away border of Myanmar. The busy pre ride schedule had left no time to even think about the size of the task he was undertaking. The first night’s rest at a cheap lodge in Bharatpur was where the impact of the gargantuan task hit Chirag.

Next morning Chirag continued with renewed vigour. His route would cover the northern states of UP and Bihar, he would then cross over to Bhutan and re enter India to chart his course through the North Eastern states of Assam and Manipur,enter Myanmar continue to Thailand then move into Cambodia and end his trip in Vietnam. This was going to be one long journey and an unforgettable one at that.

A small friendly challenge and a deep desire to achieve ignited the cycling passion in Chirag and now he wanted to ride longer distances.

He intended to skip Delhi and all its traffic and entered the sate of UP and reached Agra directly. After Agra the ride eastward is flat along the famed Indo-Gangetic plain with verdant green fields. The October heat was just waning and the North Indian cold had not yet set in. It was perfect weather to ride.

In 2014 he decided to up the ante and decided to travel eastwards across the Indian subcontinent to the Far East and cover six other countries, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Scott Sports recognized his talent and offered him support to pick up a Scott Sportster X20 known for its easy geometry and smooth response to best suit his tour. After much planning with the

Besides the exhilaration of the journey itself, Chirag says he learnt a lot of life lessons along the way. He shares his most treasured ones with us.“After passing Etawah, I reached Kannauj in the evening and was looking for a place to rest my tired legs.I enquired at a desolate petrol pump for directions to an affordable place. The pump was run by a retired army officer Captain Ranjit Singh. On

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School visits

Bhutan was cold

hearing my plans he was so helpful that he invited me over to stay at his quarters. I was a bit apprehensive at first but then I thought to myself, if I am on a self discovery trip I might as well change my outlook. Let me start by trusting strangers and not have any pre conceived notions about any one. Turns out, this was a life changing moment for me. Captain turned out to be such a great guy and I had made a friend for life with a complete stranger.”

A week after his departure from Bharatpur he reached the Bihar border. “I was heading to the Bihar border when I discovered the town of Kushinagar. Kushinagar is one of the four holiest places for Buddhists. The Buddha delivered his last sermon here and it is considered hisfinal resting place. At Kushinagar there are representative temples of all Buddhist countries including all the East Asian countries I planned to ride in. Kushinagar filled me with spiritual energy and strengthened my belief that there was no looking back now.” says Chirag A fortnight since he started, Chirag was ready to make his first International crossing into Bhutan. “The next 12 days I spent in Bhutan are the dearest to me. Bhutan has simple, happy and pure people filled with warm hospitality. I discovered the concept of Gross Domestic Happiness an old trait of our own country that we seem to have forgotten was so practically implemented that it was infused into their education system.” It was really hard for Chirag to leave Bhutan behind.”

After a month into the trip Chirag had crossed into Assam from Bhutan and discovered a host of new experiences in the North East of India. New languages, beautiful and simple people, the most breathtaking scenery. But it was many days since he had left home.

On a quiet night in Assam he was overwhelmed by how far he had ridden. A bout of homesickness hit him. Strange things happen to you psychologcally when you are on a physically enduring tryst.

Chirag candidly admits that on many occassions he had even broken down in tears. But every time it happened he felt lighter and was able to appreciate the greater glory of experiencing life.

The journey must be complted regardles of obstacles. This thought strengthened his resolve further and brought a smile to his lips and

more strength to his legs.

“People in the North East appreciate adventure and outdoor activity” Chirag tells us. “Many were genuinely impressed by my plans and what I had achieved so far. I made several new friends.

My balding tyres needed some serious attention. I had already fixed two punctures myself. Besides, I needed some basic tweaking and technical assistance. I walked into Noren Cycles in Imphal and met Sapam a passionate cyclist who works hard at transferring his passion to youngsters in the region. Sapam helped me replace my balding tyres and gave the bike some basic overhauling. I offered to pay but he refused. Bicycle brotherhood“ In mid November, Chirag was on the last leg of his journey in India.

He reached Imphal, Manipur, a 100kms away from the IndiaMyanmar border at Moreh. Chirag was the first Indian attempting to cross into Myanmar via Moreh on a bicycle and hence the border officals had no set process for granting an entry Visa. After days of struggle, it was decided that the process can only be completed Delhi and the passport had to be couriered there. In the meanwhile he decided to grow temporary roots close to the border at the local Forest Department office at Borlongfar. The passport finally arrived but the Maynmar border authorities would still not allow entry into country and said it may take some time to sort this issue in their country. It took two long months for paperwork to get cleared during which Chirag backpacked in the northeast.

Finally all was clear. “Bureaucracy is universal” says Chirag. “It is better to do a lot of advance planning especially if you are crossing Inetrnational borders on a bike. This was my first time and perhaps I was short of experience” We are following Chirag and will bring you more from his trip later and meet him when he is back. He has successfully crossed into Myanmar to maintain his course.With his self funded budget of Rs.1lakh fast depleting, he continues on his wild ambition of cycling across South East Asia. We wish him luck, many lessons from the road and a dauntless spirit.

CRANK with ProCycle MAY 15TH, 2015

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FEATURE

THE IMPOSSIBLE RACE

By Sahil Rathod, Crank India West Bureau. Images by Uphill EMG photographer team

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e gave a sneak peek in a previous issue. The Impossible Race was held in March in the mystic forests of Polo. The race was organized by Uphill EMG in association with SCOTT Sports India and supported by the Gujarat Tourism Development Corporation. We caught up with the assistant race director, Prateek Singh soon after the race. This is an exclusive Crank with ProCycle release.

The Polo forest spans the border of Gujarat and Rajasthan. The rolling Aravallis, dense forest and raw terrain and the legendary well maintained Gujarat roads make this region a treat for the off-road and road biking community. Partly the objective of the organizers was to put this unique, old school and uncultured trail in the country on the cycling map.

The race offers both roadies and mountain bikers an equal challenge. The MTB race was spread over three days and the riders

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had to cover 151kms of gnarly unexplored terrain of the forest. The road race was a single day stage covering 222kms on tarmac over flats and rolling gradient to up the difficulty rating. The first 111kms of the road race had to be covered in 4 hours to qualify for points.

The MTB race saw participants who were a mix of serious racers and amateurs. Although the race was supposed to be guided solely

by GPS, the sheer terrain complexity required marshals add trail markers to support with navigation. The dense forest proved to be a worthy challenger to the wits as many lost their way through it. Inability to get permission from the Central Forest Department added to this challenge as alternate tracks were plotted at the last minute.

A few segments were especially demanding physically and there were others which were very technical in nature and required almost professional skills. As expected, exhaustion, scratches

The ups and downs of the Polo forest

Negotiating the tough single tracks

A reminder of the wildlife of Polo At the start line

The ruins at Polo make for interesting technical sections for MTB riders

Long sweeping tarmac, every roadies’ favourite

and bruises were the order of the day. An overcast weather was threatening as even a slight shower would mean a muddy terrain multiplying the complexity. The first day was dry however, the weather gods did not relent on the second day. It poured and the terrain challenged even more.

The hike sections take a serious toll on the riders

The Montra crew provided technical assistance by setting up aid stations. Their expertise came to good use in fixing a few broken derailleur cages. A medical team and ambulance were kept on alert but thankfully there were no serious injuries reported.

The soaring temperatures made hydration imperative and the hydration points were well equipped with water, energy bars, nutrition from British Nutrition and ORS. Special care was taken to avoid littering during the course of the race so that we don’t spoil the environment. This was well received and appreciated by the villagers.

Their cooperation in guiding the riders on the correct path was in any case a great help.

It would not be out of place to say that the race would not have been a success without their cooperation.

Naorem Jayenta from Imphal bagged the first place in the MTB race followed by Premchand Singh also from Imphal the second. Ajay Padval who managed to shave some time on the fast track on day 3 came in third.

The road race saw an even larger participation and were held for both ladies and gents categories.

The Polo forest though harsh can get enjoyable Curios onlookers

The route was riddled with challenging hike sections

Rekha Rani Monica Joshi Hemal Shah ranked first second and third in the former with a timing of 04:13:10, 04:35:48 and 04:46:53 respectively. Dhiren Bontra Michael Lehnig and DilipMane ranked first, second and third with a timing of 03:13:01, 03:13:03 and 03:13:05 respectively.

The organizers of The Impossible Race hope to come up with something even bigger and challenging next time. The plans are to introduce a new track layout, more broken tarmac sections and steep climbs and descends and of course more technical sections. GPS guiding system need an obvious improvement, but the next race is definitely going to get even bigger better and closer to impossible say the organizers.

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All 3 teams and officials at Ellora Caves

The Long Road

Fleche Aurangabad – Arrow to Aurangabad Text by Divya Tate

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n the 7th of March 2015, 3 teams started from Pune and Mumbai on a 24 hour ride to finish at Ellora Caves near Aurangabad. A total of 14 riders came together from Pune, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore to attempt the Fleche. Fleche (pronounced ‘flesh’) is a French word that means Arrow, and is the only Audax event which is a team event.

Historically it has been conducted in France since 1947 over the Easter weekend, and is held now in many countries. Randonneuring clubs from all over the country converge at a common meeting place to enjoy a breakfast and celebrate the joy of Randonneuring.

This was the second time a Fleche was organised in India, the first one being Fleche Hampi in 2013.

In a Fleche, teams consisting of 3 to 5 members ride together for a duration of 24 hours. Each team chooses its own start point and start time, and plans its own route. A minimum of 360kms must be covered in 24 hours, but the goal is to ride the longest distance possible. While all brevets encourage camaraderie between riders, the ethic of Fleche encourages a stronger spirit of friendship between team members. They learn to share the pace and a common goal. Also as the event brings together clubs from all over the country it is a good opportunity to strengthen relationships between clubs.

Kiran Patel, Kiran Kotian, Pranaya Mohanty and Rohit Hariharan of Team MumbARROW from Mumbai started first from Mira

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Rd at 1:30 am heading via Nashik towards Aurangabad. TNC CycloExpress, a team mixed with Randonneurs from Pune, Chennai and Bangalore had Abhishek Kulkarni, Gagandeep Singh, Arjun Murali, Sathish Kumar and Yuvaraj in it and started next from Pune University at 5 am. To flag them off, I was joined by Sanjay Karandikar the only Indian to have completed 5 Super Randonneurs (SR) series in 1 year. Ashish Joshi, Durgaprasad Pawar, Dinesh Marathe, Baban Dolas and Manohar Tanpure who formed Team Brevet Hearts were flagged off an hour later.

Things were not looking up for team MumbARROW when in the wee hours of the morning at around 6am, Rohit had quit riding due to a twisted ankle. A few hours later, owing to cramps, Kiran Kotian also dropped out. An official finish requires at least 3 team members to finish. With only Kiran P. and Pranaya continuing to ride, it would not be an official finish for Team MumbARROW and yet they continue. A couple of hours from the start, Gagandeep of Team CycloExpress also dropped out and returned to Pune, and the remaining team members carried on.

Being the experienced riders that they are, team Brevet Hearts were caught up to by the officials only late in the afternoon. Their longer route had taken them in the opposite direction from Aurangabad, before they turned around and rode through Ahmednagar, and onward to the finish at Ellora. The team spent an hour recovering at dusk at the Smilestone Restaurant in Supa. Long distance riding

Team Brevet Hearts - Enroute at Kamshet

Three teams meeting up at the finish, Hotel Kailas near Ellora Caves, Aurangabad

Team Brevet Hearts - at start from Pune University

Team Brevet Hearts - Map

Team TNP CycloExpress - Enroute

Team MumbARROW - Map

can always test a riders abilities. Ashish was under the weather, dehydrated from the afternoon heat. He was reluctant to continue thinking that he would slow his team. Dinesh’s experience in riding such long distances helped calm Ashish down and he agreed to continue after the cool air revive him and all five from Team Brevet Hearts headed out into the night. The two remaining members from MumbaARROW had reached a very bad patch of road. They decided to quit riding altogether and drive to the finish and meet the rest for breakfast.

Team CycloExpress planned to ride past Aurangabad to Badnapur before turning back to Ellora. The Official car rushed ahead to catch them near Badnapur from where they continued on to reach the finish line at 5am, 24hours from their start. Fleche Rules do not allow a team to stop for longer than 2 hours at any time, this means riders have to be prepared to ride for 24 hours with small naps.

Team TNP CycloExpress - Map

The rules also require that teams cover a minimum 25kms in the last 2 hours. As the terrain in the last 25 km to Ellora was hilly, both finishing teams suffered a little anxiety in that last stretch just after Daulatabad Fort.

Pulling each other through the last bit, Team CycloExpress completed 367.5 Km at the end of 24 hours and Team Brevet Hearts rode 390kms. After the last team had rolled in all of us convened for a buffet breakfast at Hotel Kailas exchanging stories of the previous day’s ride and other Brevet stories. As many of the riders plan to attempt the Audax Club Parisien event, Paris Brest Paris (PBP 2015) in August, the talk turned to discussing the conditions and route there. The Fleche Event wound up with a stroll to Ellora Caves, where the cool stone steps provided just the kind of comfort Randonneurs need to take a well deserved nap!

CRANK with ProCycle MAY 15TH, 2015

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BICYCLE DIARY, EPISODE-2

COFFEE AND CONVERSATION By aniSh. This is the second 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!

A

persistent ‘Hello?’ snapped me out of my fond childhood rumination. She repeated her request for a spanner and I invited her in, knowing well that I will be disappointing her while I rummaged through the slothful bachelor lifestyle that is my house.

We searched in the shelves, looked in the drawers, under the cot, and pretty much everywhere. The search brought out embarrassing reminders. Beer caps, empty bottles and bottle openers of every possible character but not what we were looking for.

Just as I was coming to terms with disappointing her, I thought of looking through a few boxes kept in storage and giving it one last hunt. In a box not so cleverly labelled ‘STUFF’, I found pictures from my college days. Which weren’t from very far ago. Spotting the huge difference between the way I looked then and now became a source of amusement to my new neighbour. Seeing that smile on her face I realized that I was never going to find the spanner she had asked for. I offered her some coffee and a drive to the hardware store instead.

We sat out in the balcony sipping on coffee, with me feeling equally nervous about how beautiful she is and how I was at a shortage of topics to talk to her about.

Maya, however, never seems to shut up about her bike and her adventures.

Do you know what is the farthest I have ever cycled?

No, but I have a feeling you are about to boast some and tell me about it.

Don’t make fun of me. In my last trip, I covered almost 500kms.

Someday I want to just take the cycle and keep going.

I’d like to do that too, will you take me along?

Of course, cycling is a lot more fun when you have somebody to share it with. Do you pedal?

Nope, I was hoping you’d take me on the carrier.

Haha, you’re funny!

The number of refills we had showed me how fast time had sped away during our conversation. There just seems to be something about bikes that does this to a person. I decided to relive this feeling from my childhood. I have seen a lot of people at work who use a cycle. I’m going to start talking to them and find out more about bicycles. At least, that way, I won’t be at the listening end of my next coffee and conversation with Maya.

Liked what you read? Write to feedback@procycle.in to let us know.

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CRANK with ProCycle MAY 15TH, 2015

ProCycle PROFILED A section where we show off some of our most valued cyclists.

PEDAL LOVERS

By Crank Bangalore Bureau

G

erman-born Hans Schatz and his better half, Pamela Wong are on the second year of their two year stay in India and are a source of inspiration for anyone to take up cycling. Hans works at a German semi-conductor company while Pamela is a homemaker. They are one of the most passionate cycling couple that Crank has come across. You can get an idea of their passion from the number of bikes they possess. Between the two of them, Hans and Pamela own a treasure trove of 7 beauties which include a variety of hard tails and full suspension bicycles bought over the last ten years, enough to occupy the entire lawn in their front yard! Their fleet also includes a Time RXRS Ulteam road bike and one of Hans’ favourite, and even ours, a Giant Anyroad.

Currently living in Whitefield, the couple are complete outdoor junkies. Along with cycling their passion includes hiking, camping white-water sports and skiing. Add to this, their love for the camera brings about breathtaking photography.

Before coming to Bengaluru, the couple was based in South Korea for six years which gave them great opportunities to take on multi-day cycling trips in the countryside. Pamela, a native of Hong Kong, fuelled her passion for mountain biking during her time in South Korea. In India she has supplemented her many passions by picking up Yoga and Indian cooking additionally.

In India they plan to go on such trips a lot more despite the constrains on camping. Right now, they are looking forward to their trip to Leh-Ladakh.

Passionate biker that Hans is, we got a typical laconic reply when we asked him how does he get to work every day?

“Who cares. Some car!”

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CRANK with ProCycle MAY 15TH, 2015

Touring across South Korea

The couple with their fleet

Leaving the beaten path behind

Eager racers are flagged off

RACE REPORT

PHULGAON DUATHLON

By Crank India West Bureau with Shilpa Phadke, Images by Suma Thakur

P

hulgaon is a little known village 30kms away from the city of Pune in Maharashtra. It is also the latest addition to the list of pioneering race tracks created by the organizers of the Phulgaon Duathlon, Explore Adventures. They tell us that the venue was chosen for its quaint seclusion from the city and scenic trails that included sights of unending stretches of sugarcane fields surrounded by the Sahyadri hills.

On 15th March 2015, Lokaseva Pratishthan’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Boys Military School became the epicenter of the first edition of the Phulgaon Duathlon. The race comprised of a running leg of 8.5kms followed by a cycling leg of 32kms and finished off with another running leg of 4.25kms. Being a brand new race location, the 127 participants who came from 10 different cities poured in to the holding area at the school grounds as early as 5 am for a 7am flag off. In true Duathlon style, the race had both solo and relay categories. The organizers also added an open and masters 40+ category to vary the mix of participants.

The vast expanse of the military school campus had a 4.25kms stretch well marked out for the runners. The stretch was also dotted with well stocked hydration points. The runners had to lap the track twice to complete their first running leg of 8.5kms. Since the entire track was within the school campus, they ran with no reason to stress about traffic. The track was mapped such that most of the distances had a steady flat terrain

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CRANK with ProCycle MAY 15TH, 2015

Siddharth Gadekar, Winner of open Men Road

One of the young participants at the race

Kailas Kasar, winner of the Open Men, Non Road bike

Anjali Bhalinge, Winner of 40+ Women, Road bike

The handful of women participants that showed up

and the approach to finish line had a challenging incline added to give the runners an opportunity to sprint and finish on a high.

The first relay team clocking 1 hour 48 minutes to complete the race. They showed excellent coordination and planning that put them at the top place.

The cycling legs were categorized separately for road cyclists and otherwise. The racers showed up with all kinds of bicycles and the rolling terrain of the track gave an advantage to the MTB riders.

Covering 32kms on cycles was done across both tarmac and mild amounts of broken tarmac roads. The early morning breeze let the racers get a quick breather in during the cycling phase and then powering on once their energies and spirits had been rejuvenated.

In a city like Pune where there are a large number of running clubs, cyclists and sports enthusiasts including young triathletes, an overall turnout of 127 racers is commendable. The organizers are however curios about only 14 of them being women participants and are eager to reach out to a larger number of women athletes through their various other endurance races.

The entire race was electronically timed with RFID timing solutions that was indigenously developed by the race organizers in association with Alpha ICT Pune.

With endurance races like the Phulgaon Duathlon showing up at newer locales on the country’s map, athletes at professional and enthusiast levels are getting more training and proving grounds. To get in touch with the organizers and for updates on their next race do write in to feedback@procycle.in

The athletes representing College of Military Engineering and from the Armed Forces Medical College dominated the relay category.

Categorical results: Men Category

First

Second

Third

Open Men (Road)

Siddharth Gadekar

Prashant Tidke

Mihir Deo

Open Men (Non Road)

Kailas Kasar

Chaitanya Velhal

Harshadeep

40+ Men (Road)

Sandesh Joshi

-

-

40+ Men (Non Road)

Sachin Kelkar

Hrushikesh Sabnis

Manoj Thakur

Relay Race

Sanjay Dhaka & Swapnil More

Lalit Sharma & Rahul

Parmesh Kumar & Paramveer Bainsla

Open Women (Road)

Dr. Avanti Binivale

-

-

Open Women (Non Road)

Chaitrali Pavanaskar

Archana Oak

Bhagyashree Sawant

40+ Women (Road)

Anjali Bhalinge

Shilpa Phadke

Deepal Joshi

40+ Women (Non Road)

Kavitha Reddy

-

-

Women

CRANK with ProCycle MAY 15TH, 2015

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YOUNG TURK

JEHAAN BIMAL PANJUANI

By Kavya Ashok, Crank Bangalore Bureau

I

n our continuing series on the rising stars of the competitive cycling, we bring to you Jehaan Bimal Panjuani from Mumbai.

Jehaa’s journey began in 2005 from school competitions with his biggest achievement being the State Level tournament in Gondia, 2013 where he represented Mumbai. This gave him the encouragement to take the sport seriously and he went on to compete in various State level races conducted in Pune, Mumbai and Guwahati.

When asked what his favorite bike is, he says, “If I could have all the money in the world and could buy a bike, I would definitely pick up the Pinarello Dogma F8 over any other bike.”

With such passion for racing and strong discipline for training, Jehaan is sure to leave a strong mark in the world of competitive cycling.

Jehaan has competed in over 40 races and some of his victories include, Open category at Nandanvan Tarun Mandal, U18 Bangalore Bicycle Championship, State Level and U18 SGFI 59th School National in Guwahati.

Currently pursuing his first year Bachelors in Mass Media from Jai Hind College, Mumbai, Jehaan does not give up any opportunity to get on his two wheels and train specifically for his next target race.

His training method pays a lot of attention in dividing distance and speed work equally. His favorite training grounds include the sharp curves on Lavasa road in Pune, the Mumbai-Pune highway and the Mumbai–Nasik highway. He trains to fulfill his biggest aspiration of riding for an international professional team.

He spares no measure in his pursuit to compete at the road nationals in 2015. He trains at the gym when not on the road to maintain his strength levels.

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CRANK with ProCycle MAY 15TH, 2015

Jehaan at the Vodafone Cycle marathon-2015

Persistent rains made the race that much more extreme

The mud and slush track challenged many racers

RACE REPORT

FIREFOX FIRESTORM

By Crank India North Bureau, Image credits: Ajit Kumar Srivastava

T

he Mangar forest located off the Gurgaon-Faridabad highway is a popular destination for bird watchers and nature enthusiasts. Sadly, it is one of the last patches in a rapidly urbanizing neighbourhood that requires serious conservation focus. The broken dirt paths dotted with loose rocks of the forest terrain make it perfect for mountain biking. Increasing such ecologically sustainable activities in the region is one way to aid awareness and ultimately conserve this region.

One such activity in March, 2015 was the fourth edition of Firefox Firestorm. The race saw a total of 105 participants spread across 2 race categories, Expert (42kms) and Enthusiasts (30kms) Both categories had separate races for ladies and men.

Dealing with the terrain and the occasional wildlife spotting in the Mangar forest is a challenge on its own. Adding to it, the entire duration of the race saw steady rainfall making the tracks harder to negotiate and yet enjoyable at the same time. The multi lap track that was clearly mapped out for an MTB race, owing to the rains it managed to skew the race towards an Enduro like feel. The participants, although somewhat unprepared for the unexpected turn of the weather managed to grit it out and gun it to the finish line. Managing falls and route guidance turned into a gargantuan task for the race marshals.

The Firefox Firestorm has always had the vision of giving racers an experience that is true to the sport. The fourth edition offered a much refined experience with the mud and cold slushy tracks.

All participants across different categories had up to 3 lakh rupees to be won in cash and gifts. The 42kms Expert Men category was won by Punay Pratap Singh completing the course at 02:42:43 followed by Johan Bentinck and Douglas Smith at second and third respectively.

The 30kms Expert Women category was won by Anita Groser completing the course at 2:45:06 followed by Vamini Sethi and Monika at second and third place respectively.

The 30kms Enthusiasts Men category was won by Gurpreet Singh completing the course at 2:13:56 followed by Tarun Wadhwa and Takahashi at second and third place.

Having seen the success of the event, the organizers are now considering other cities like Pune and Bengaluru for similar editions of the race. Crank knows the perfect track for this around its headquarters and is excited to see the race come down to Bengaluru.

An enthusiastic flag off despite the rains

CRANK with ProCycle MAY 15TH, 2015

25

PACKING YOUR BIKE

BIKE TECH

Text and Images by aniSh

W

ith the onset of summer, a lot of our rider friends are heading out on cycling holidays. Crank gives you a few tips on packing your bike for the

journey.

All you are going to need is a set of allen keys, a 15mm wrench and a bike box. If you haven’t carefully kept away your box, try and find one at your neighbourhood bike shop. Request for a standard 4’x3’x7” size. Once you have the box, it is a matter of dismantling a few parts of the bike and arranging them into the box.

Before you start dismantling, shift the gears to the lowest gear ratio. This will place the chain on the largest cog on the cassette of the rear wheel. This protects the derailleur from bending or breaking.

Once done you can start by removing the front wheel, the seat post and the pedals. While the wheel and seat post will have a quick release, a 15mm wrench is required to remove the pedals. Note that the left pedal has a reverse thread and can only be opened by unscrewing it clockwise. Both pedals have L & R marked on them, use this for reference when reinstalling.

Dismantle the handlebar from the stem by removing the stem clamp (use a 4/5 mm allen key on the bolts.) Replace the stem clamp and tighten the bolts after the handle is removed.

Shift the chain to rest at the lowest gear in the cassettte Pack all additional components separately

Wrap foam around all parts of the frame

Next step is to wrap the frame in good quality foam sheets available at most hardware or stationery stores. Wrap all the tubes of the frame carefully and Your bike should look like this after the foam has been wrapped

secure the foam with zip ties or tape. Be sure to also wrap the crank arms with foam.

To arrange the bike into the box, rotate the stem by 180 degree and align it with the top tube of the frame. Intertwine the spokes of the front wheel into the left crank arm and lower the bike in this arrangement into the box. The handlebar, with its controls still attached is tucked into the box on the right side of the frame. The seat post along with the saddle goes in the empty space near the back wheel.

All the loose components like pedals, quick releases, bottle cages etc should be packed in a separate box and placed at the bottom.

Any sharp points like the axle bolts that protrude and threaten to punch a hole in the box need to be protected with additional cardboard padding.

Intertwine the spokes with the crank arm The box with the additional components fits in perfectly

Give it a final check to see if any of the parts are rattling around inside the box.

Close the cardboard box and secure the flaps with adhesive tape.

Make sure you secure all the edges and corners with the tape. All bicycle boxes come with a slit on their sides for carrying. While carrying a loaded box, make sure you use these slits at opposite sides of the box to distribute the weight evenly.

You are now all packed and ready to go and your bike will be secure during transportation

Use additional padding on sharp edges

The seat post fits snug in its packing next to the rear wheel

Use these slots for carrying the box Remove the stem clamp

One hand at each side of the box Position the stem in line with the frame

CRANK with ProCycle MAY 15TH, 2015

27

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BOYS’ TOYS

LEZYNE MICRO DRIVE LED FRONT LIGHT There are two key things to avoiding ditches on the road. One is technique and other is a bright light. While we can teach you much about technique we want to shed 200 lumens worth of light on front lights. The Lezyne Micro Drive! It comes in a well crafted aluminium case and offers a side visibility design that allows for 180 degrees of visibility. It comes with a silicon rubber strap that allows it to fit on a variety of handle bar sizes. The Micro Drive charges quickly via USB port and is tucked in to its back. Right off the bat, it is simply bright and has three modes it offers this brightness in including a flash mode. The on-off switch doubles up as a charge indicator. The downside however is the Li-ion battery that powers the Micro Drive is not replaceable. With the light lasting almost hours on one single charge, we are sure that is no reason for concern.

SYNCROSS MULTI TOOL MATCH BOX 12 In the trail riders’ checklist lies an important item, the multi-tool. Everyone who’s ridden the trails knows that there are but a few sets out there that are the perfect all in one multi tool. Syncross puts an end to your quest with the Match box 12. The tool has 12 essential trailside tools that help you fix most mechanicals and get back on your bike. What we like is its compact design and its bright green sleeve that makes it easy to spot in an overcrowded back pack. However, the sleeve once taken off during repairs can become prone to misplacement.

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