An interview with Grant Petersen

Bikescape, a podcast from San Fransisco, recently interviewed Grant Petersen from Rivendell Bicycles, and it is well worth a listen.

I don't know if Grant Petersen has ever met Alex Moulton, but I imagine that they have lots in common. Apart from producing beautiful bicycles to a niche market with a cult following, their attitudes are quite similar in many respects.

To many, both could be viewed as old fashioned and even conservative in their outlook. But both men produce well designed, well built bicycles for the lifetime enjoyment of their owners. Neither uses new materials or technology just for the sake of it, and isn't afraid to take a different tack to the mainstream bike industry.

Grant also has some interesting views on clothing for cycling in the interview.

Oh and check out his Tips for Happy Riding

RSS Feeds Fixed

Recently, the RSS feeds (for use in Thunderbird, Google Reader, Firefox live bookmarks, Internet Explorer, etc) have not been working correcly, causing errors in some programs.

I have figured out the problem, and they should be working ok now.

Anniversary of Tom Simpson's death

Forty years ago today Tom Simpson died on Mont Ventoux, while competing in the Tour De France. Aged 29, he had been an Olympic silver medalist, World Champion, and the first British rider to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour De France.

On the cover of Tony Hadland's excellent book The Moulton Bicycle, Simpson is photographed test riding a Moulton Speed at Herne Hill.

On an external wall of the Hall, Alex Moulton's home in Bradford on Avon, there is a memorial plaque depicting the same scene.

Today, the spot where Mr Tom died on Mont Ventoux is marked by a memorial, where cyclists still leave water bottles, hats, inner tubes or whatever they have spare, as a mark of respect to the legend. The British cyclist David Millar threw his hat to the monument while competing in the Tour a few years back, showing whose wheels he was following.

Does anyone have any further details on Simpson's Moulton connections? If so I'd love to hear them.

Bottle Cages

If you ride a Moulton, you clearly have taste. But the real test of your sense of style is in what you choose to adorn your bike with.

I love Nitto products, and this Bottle Cage made by Nitto, especially for Moulton is pretty elegant in Stainless Steel.

Available from Alex Moulton Bicycles, it's pretty expensive at £45.

Alternatively King Cage makes bottle cages in both titanium and stainless steel, for a much more reasonable $15.