The Velo Store: Cobbles, Cafes Chain Gangs and Selfies

Cobbles, Cafes, Chain Gangs and Selfies !

Flanders April 2014

So here we go with the first of my Guest Velo Blogs and given its the end of the year I thought I would provide my perspective on the year from a Velo member perspective! Its been quite a year for the club -The start of which included the launch of the very stylish new club kit and a relaunch of the membership scheme by The Management - Jeffers and the Williams Sisters!

Its been a massive success and the club has seen rapid growth! I went on the Sat ride last week and led out a 23 strong group up the Eccleshall Road despite the cold conditions !

But this has got me thinking - what is making us successful ? well the membership scheme is a no brainer given it pays for a service and gets you access to all the rides and member discounts in the shop.

But thats not the sole attraction. For me its the approach, we are not an old school elitist racing led club where non racers are made to feel second class, we are a modernist group of guys who just love riding bikes and everything that goes with it!

Our facebook page is testament to this as it is more likely to be adorned with the latest set of action shots from inside the peleton rather that a list of Time Trial Results from the weekend etc. You are more likely to find the latest picture in a series of members rides framed by a random farm gate or the latest cycling landscape art / selfie from Paul Hollins !

Hollins - Selfie Tastic

All of this is usually backed up by a load of Banta followed by the random suggestion of actually going for a ride some time!

We are not anti racing at all - in fact some of the guys have got into the racing scene this year and that is likely to progress into next season. Watch this space. The Thursday night Chain gang is now pretty established and postings will recommence in Jan time to reignite the burners on those fast pace runs - and remember guys the last lap - its every man for himself ;-)

For me its been a great way of meeting people having returned to live in stone 4 years ago and at that time the only people I knew were - my parents!

Velo is a cycling based community, a developing one, in which everyone brings something to the party !

2014 started for most with the Cheshire Cat Sportive run out in pretty shocking weather !

In April 5 of us went over to ride the Tour of Flanders Sportive. Having suggested this trip, as I rode into the first sector of Pave and the bars came up to meet my hands, my thoughts were a combination of shit this is going to hurt and the guys are going to murder me!

Everyone got around though and we had a great laugh in particular partying on top of the Kwaremont with what seemed like the entire population of Belgium the following day was simply awesome!!

Beers, Bikes and Belgians - The top of the Kwaremont

Another Leg Breaker was the Malvern Hills classic!! Mental amount of climbing !!

Getting my Legs broke By Andy Prince - A theme of the year !

The Annual Dougie Mac charity ride was a real highlight with a massive turn out from the club and we rolled out to Llangollen in a big group and hardly felt I had touched the pedals at half way - not sure Andy Prince did as he was - rather hung over !

Below are a few more photos that sum up my thoughts on Velo and our growing community of crazy mad cyclists ! See you on a Sat ride soon guys and have a fantastic Christmas and heres to a 2015 full of cycling !

Mow Cop - Classic Early season training - Malkin and I went on to ride 100 this day including the length to he Tissington Trail just to mix it up! Epic Day.

Epic Winter Ride out to the Peak - Classic.

Ade Cash - Shortly After Smashing it round flanders ! 2015 is going to be a great year for this guy !

Baggleys Tours are a big feature of the year - Vertical days out involving cafes! Great to see Martin this year after probably 25 years since we were in V.C. Pierre together as kids!