Muddy Hell Tees

We have got some cool tees printed up for tomorrows Muddy Hell cyclo cross. The front graphic is a bit to light in this post but the tees look awesome.

Thanks Niki for the great design (and Wayne for the artwork).

Available in very limited edition for sale tomorrow (or if you win....)

Congratulations Luk

The International Federation of Bike Messenger Associations (IFBMA) is pleased to announce that Zurich messenger Luk Keller has been awarded the 2009 “Markus Cook Memorial Award” (MCA) for Services to the International Messenger Community. The IFBMA has awarded the Markus Cook Award (MCA) since 1998 to the person who has inspired and empowered the wider messenger community, and who put all messengers before themselves.

For over ten years messengers around the world have benefited from Luk’s commitment to community. He was one of the organizers of one the most influential Cycle Messenger World Championships, CMWC 1999, the race that brought “Goldsprint” roller racing to the international messenger community. Luk has also been a driver behind many other major events such as the Swiss Messenger Championships and the X Days Side Show.

But Luk is much more than an ordinary race organizer. Human Powered Rollercoaster champion, Dirk Dijkhuis notes that Luk “organizes races to benefit other people.”

Nothing demonstrates that more than the annual Global Gutz benefit race which was created by Luk and others in 2000. Global Gutz is a race that occurs simultaneously around the world so that messengers can race against the each other without leaving their city. Funds raised from the race are used to send the winners to the current year’s CMWC. The base for Global Gutz organizing has passed around the world over the years, returning to Zurich this year as Luk took the reigns of organization once again in 2009.

After a very successful CMWC 2009 in Tokyo. The Tokyo Bike Messenger Association (TKBMA) found themselves about $34,000 in debt. Luk stepped forward to again to benefit others. He announced the “Tokyo Fundraiser Cup” which challenged messenger communities to organize local fundraisers to help erase the TKBMA’s debt. The city that raises the most money will receive a trophy as the most supportive city and two free registrations for the 2010 Cycle Messenger World Championships in Panajachel Guatemala.

As fellow 2009 Markus Cook Award nominee, Steve Froehlich said, this year has once again shown the world that, Luk “is the spirit of our community.”

Cyclo Cross tips by Niels Alberts

2 days before the Cyclo cross on the Koppenberg, of Tour of Flanders fame, world champion Niels Albert gave some useful cyclo cross tips to Belgian tv station Sporza.

For all the video's click here.

El Capitane and Figo Vengeance

We've published about this exhibition before but no pictures up until now. Here are some great pictures of the bikes that we made up for the show 'Vengeance is mine' by Stevie Gee provided by Stem Agency. Spray work is by Deathspray Customs.

For the whole photo shoot of the show check out this link.

116 to Sea and The Ride Journal Issue #3

Keep your eyes peeled for a new exhibition by photographer Joe McGorty in collaboration with The Ride Journal. It's called '116 to sea' and covers the infamous Dunwich Dynamo ride.

It will take place at Exhibitx, The Pebbledash Gallery from 7-11 / 13-11 and it will coincide with the launch of issue#3 of The Ride Journal (Hooray!)

Ladies who cycle / Velotica

Sounds Saucy.

More information here and here

"An open invitation to all "Ladies Who Cycle" in Greater London to join our club and come down to our first gathering of like-minded ladies who ride.
We are making a calendar in celebration of the freedom the bicycle gave women in the early parts of last century. 1890's-1930's.
This Calendar is a celebration of those two gifts of life adjoined at the groin......A woman and her bicycle.
Backdrop will be Victorian. We will provide vintage ladies bikes. Costume need not be strict, more a recreation of those bygone times, a recycling of the ideals and the aesthetics. The feel is very much a romantic notion of life and the sexual freedom the bicycle gave women.
There will be a dressing up box, although best to bring your own outfit.
Hair and makeup will also be available.
The photo booth is private so you and your friends can have fun within it......The calendars will be printed up before Christmas through www.photobox.com
Please RSVP ladieswhocycle@gmail.com to let us know you are interested and we look forward to seeing you astride your bike!!
PS If you MUST bring a man, have him in appropriate attire.
May you ride Happily Ever After
Milena and Karta
www.TWOnFRO.com

New winter opening hours

Tour de Ville is switching to new opening hours this winter. This coming Sunday and Tuesday we will be closed. After that, normal opening hours are:

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:00 - 19:00
Wednesday: 10:00 - 19:00
Thursday: 10:00 - 19:00
Friday: 10:00 - 19:00
Saturday: 10:00 17:00
Sunday: Closed

New Mags & Fixed Book

We have restocked on some of our magazines. Newly arrived are Cog Mag issue #6 and #7 at £ 5.75 and the new Fixed issue #4 still being distributed for free. Big props for Andy and the boys and on to the next issue.







Also recently released is this new book by Max Leonard and Andrew Edwards. We've borrowed them some bikes for a shoot so we got a preview and it's a really nice reading and good looking book.

All aspects are being covered from the very beginning to the more recent Fixedgear antics.

Check out the website www.fixedgearbook.com for more details. We'll be stocking them asap.

Good Weekend

It's starting to look like a really good Halloween weekend. Of course there is the Rollapaluza 'Muddy Hell' cyclo cross on Saturday, but people can warm up on Friday with this;

Top Gear Flemish style (with bikes)

Wicked little video after some young junior rider got his 15 minutes of fame tailing a truck on the Belgian freeway.

Check it out here.

Tour de Ville rides the ATB Classic 2009

There is a big tradition of sportive cyclo cross rides in Holland and Belgium during the 'winter' off season. Usually these rides are pretty local attracting about 400-500 riders every Sunday.

At the beginning of the season there is the big 'ATB Classic' Scherpenheuvel - Hapert this is both the longest and most epic of all of them. At 90km this is more than double the distance of the standard off road sportives.

The start is traditionally in Scherpenheuvel (Sharp hill), the biggest Catholic Maria pilgrimage in Belgium. This town in the heart of Flemish Brabant yearly attracts more than 1 million pilgrims, many coming to get their bike blessed by the local bishop for prosperity for the coming racing season.





From the cobbled square the 1500 riders start, after being blessed by the Bishop, for the 90km north on their way to the finish in Holland at Cafe 't huuske' in Hapert.



First time we rode this one was in 2002 and we've been waiting to get back and do it again ever since. Located one week before Rollapaluza's Muddy Hell, this should be a perfect preparation. Even though it's not a 'race' a lot of the local amateurs and other fanatics are keen to finish first in the cafe and take the honour of receiving the first medal. Among these guys is always former world cyclo cross champion Henk Baars, still going strong.

Being held on the 25th of this month it should be a great ride so keep posted for more updates.

Cyclo cross update, GVA Namen and SP

The first races in the GVA and the Super prestige cup have been held last weekend and it proved a turning point in the domination so far of current world champion Niels Albert.

The Saturday match of the GVA trophy was described as the hardest cyclo cross course in Belgium and showed, again, a dominant Albert taking the win, 5 out of 5 so far this season.

Sven Nys came in second though and took advantage of his growing form on the Sunday Super Prestige race in Ruddervoorde taking the win in front of Albert. Extra moral came from the fact that Nys had to catch up with Albert first before dropping him and making his way to the finish solo.

For videos check out:

GvA Namen

01. Niels Albert in 1u05'15"
02. Sven Nys op 42"
03. Zdenek Stybar (Tsj) 2'02"
04. Klaas Vantornhout 2'22"
05. Bart Aernouts 2'50"
06. Kevin Pauwels 3'21"
07. Erwin Vervecken 3'45"
08. Gerben de Knegt (Ned) 3'52"
09. Dieter Vanthourenhout 4'10"
10. Radomir Simunek (Tsj) 4'20"

SP Ruddervoorde

1. Sven Nys in 59'23"
2. Niels Albert op 40"
3. Zdenek Stybar (Tsj) 59"
4. Sven Vanthourenhout 1'05"
5. Klaas Vantornout 1'12"
6. Radomir Simunek (Tsj) s.t.
7. Bart Aernouts 1'16"
8. Dieter Vanthourenhout s.t.
9. Enrico Franzoi (Ita) 1'23"
10. Kevin Pauwels 1'32"
11. Gerben de Knegt (Ned) 1'48"
12. Erwin vervecken 2'00"
13. Rob Peeters 2'09"
14. Jan Verstraeten 2'13"
15. Eddy van Ijzendoorn (Ned) 2'24"

More new bikes

Some more new custom bikes recently build for customers.

Hey Buddy !

Awesome.

Big man's Rossin

A big statement of a bike for a big man.

Vintage new old stock Italian Rossin frame with all Italian components.

Cycleshow 2009

It's that time of year again when the pro season is winding down and everybody starts to look forward to the new 2010 season.

If you don't want to miss a thing when it comes to the latest trends and technologies in the cycling world then head down to Earl's court this weekend for the Cycleshow 2009.

In their own words: "Whether you're a commuter, you ride on dirt, track or road, or simply enjoy a bike ride at the weekend with your family and friends, the Cycle Show is not to be missed."

Amen to that. More information can be found at www.cycleshow.co.uk

Heras finally grabs World title

3 times victor of the Vuelta d'Espange and former EPO convict has finally clinched the victory in the World folding bike championships.

After being 'flickt' last year by those darn Brits, this year he managed to leave a field of fully suited riders behind to claim first prize....a Brompton folding bike.

We hope to see him back along side Lance again in the 2010 Tour de France.

Rapha @ L'Eroica 2009

Last week we received a slightly distressed last minute call from the Rapha HQ with the question if we could provide them with 4 bikes for this years L'eroica ride.

Luckily we had bikes / frames / parts in all required sizes. Some last minute changes had to be made to gears and tyres to make them suitable for the strict L'eroica rules and more specifically the white 'strada bianci' with their steep nasty hills.

From what we gathered the delegation had a good time, zero punctures and only minor mechanical difficulties.

The 4 bikes ridden were an all Italian Bianchi, a Dura ace equipped Koga Miyata, a fully panthographed Gazelle and a tiny triple (period correct!) equipped Red Rossin.

These bikes will be auctioned via the Rapha website over the next 2 weeks. We'll keep you posted, for now here's a picture of our brave heroes.

Cyclo cross worldcup Treviso (It)

Last Sunday was the kick off for the new World Cup cyclo cross series with the first race in Treviso, Italy.

The race was dominated from the start by the young world champion Niels Albert who found a course that was perfectly suited for him, hard and fast. Below is a video of the last lap. A recap of the full race can be found here.

Muddy Hell 31 - 10 - 2009

I know we are really late but we just wanted to focus your attention again to the Halloween Muddy Hell cyclo cross organized by members, and with the help of, the Rollapaluza CC. Sponsored by yours truly.

By the looks of it almost all the categories are fully booked already so we hope it's going to be a blast. Find all the race info here

There's even a big crew from Tour de Ville Eindhoven coming over to London. The biggest representation since the ECMC in 2003 so London, brace yourselves...

To keep you in the spirit we're gonna try and update our blog weekly with videos from the latest pro cross racing in Europe.

eBay • Gios 'Torino' Super Record

We currently have our beautiful, almost like new, Gios 'Torino' Super Record for sale on eBay.

Because eBay only allows 12 pictures we have added some additional detail shots on here.

It's a real shame but you can't keep'em all.....

Vengeance is coming pictures

Just 2 quick shots of last weeks Stevie Gee show with our bikes. More to follow soon...