La Marmotte Alps 2020 are now available to purchase online now.
As usual we will be providing bike hire for the event from our shop in Bourg d’Oisans that is located just 100 metres from the start line.
Our partners More Than 21 Bends are also providing bed breakfast and optional bike hire again in the centre of town.
To celebrate the Oisans area and the fantastic cycling in the region we have produced three Cycling Tube Maps printed on quality paper representing the cycling possibilities in the area.
First off is all the climbs reachable from our base in Bourg d’Oisans and is available as an A4 print or a larger 70cm x 50cm print.
Celebrate the Tour de France arrival on Alpe d’Huez with our More Than 21 Bends Tube Map representation of Alpe d’Huez. Available in A4
This iconic loop ridden by 7000 cyclist each year as part of the premier cycle sportive in July and also ridden by many others on an individual level throughout the summer months has been reproduced with additional height gain and other information. Available in A4.
Introducing our Climbs of the Oisans tube map
Inspired by a visit to London in 2016 we thought it would be great to come up with a tube map design of the local climbs with Bourg d’Oisans as the hub. What started off as a badly scribbled design by Phil has turned into this beautiful tube map designed by a graphic artist client who hired bikes to cycle Alpe d’Huez from us in 2017.
The design is exclusive to us and we have had 200 copies commissioned on high quality printed paper with a “foiled” PROMPT CYCLE CULTURE logo in the bottom right hand corner.
Cut to a size of 70cm x 50cm they fit perfectly into a Ribba Ikea frame.
Delivery is expected in the first week of June and all pre orders will be posted out in a strong poster tube as soon as we have them.
All orders received before 1st June 2018 will also receive a small collection of exclusive postcards.
We are very pleased to announce that we have upgraded our bespoke bike hire search engine service to include More Than 21 Bends self catered properties available in Bourg d’Oisans.
To use the service simply select the dates you require (minimum of 2 days hire) and the Prompt Cycle Hire Search Engine will provide you with available bikes and optional self catered holiday properties that are available for your dates.
Once you have found the property you require you can simply make a booking through the More Than 21 Bends website and select the bikes that you require at the same time at a reduced rate.
More Than 21 Bends can also offer airport transfers for their customers
So if you are planning a stay in the Bourg d’Oisans area and want to travel as light as possible whilst enjoying modern and well maintained bikes then look no further than PROMPT CYCLE CULTURE and MORE THAN 21 BENDS
The Tour de France 2014 starts today in Leeds. I hope that it will be more exciting than the Team Sky dominated editions of the last two years. Hopefully, the mix of Contador/Valverde/Nibali will be able to derail the News Corp train.
My prediction for the Tour de France podium is as follows;
1. Chris Froome
2. Alberto Contador
3. Alejandro Valverde
The stage I’m most looking forward to is Stage 13 – the summit finish at Chamrousse . Chamrousse was the first HC climb I ever did and is still my favourite. On the way to Chamrousse they will take a detour into the Chartreuse via the Col de Palaquit – another one of my local climbs when I lived in Grenoble. The More than 21 Bends Tour of the Oisans often takes a detour into the Belledonne mountain range to climb Chamrousse via the Col Luitel.
Father and son from Holland were with us last week and hired a couple of bikes. They tackled Alpe d’Huez, Col de Sarenne and also the road out to La Berarde. Apparently the father ( a keen cyclist) at 65 comfortably beat his son up all the climbs in the area.
Win a Col du Galibier Jersey by sending in your PROMPT photos. Check out the rest of the photos from 2014 here
Situated to the east of the Alpe d’Huez, Maronne is a satellite station for the main resort. The ascent is narrow and winding with some steep sections.
The climb starts at the foot of Alpe d’Huez. You climb the first 5 bends until you reach La Garde-en-Oisans. The first few bends of the Alpe are notoriously punishing and must be approached with caution.
At La Garde you turn right and pass over the Sarenne river before continuing climbing to the village of Armentier. The gradients here are misleading; the climb does not appear hard as it is a straight road surrounded by trees and thus there is little perspective of how steep it really is! Looking back at the profile, there are some sections of 14%!!
A left turn in Armentier en Haut leads you on to the Climb to Maronne – 5km at 7%. The climb is covered by pine forest and so offers plenty of shade unlike its more famous neighbour.
The climb is not as hard as the averages suggest with some flatter sections offering some respite. The climb finishes at 1500m altitude with some great views over Huez village and the 21 bends. The climb can be made part of the Traverse d’Oisans or you can just descend back into Bourg via the same route.
Strava – http://app.strava.com/segments/4254338 (note the KOM)
Next up – Col du Sabot
In the week leading up to the Marmotte, riding in the Oisans is hectic. The roads are busy with cars and cyclists. However most ignore the lesser-known ascents in favour of Alpe d’Huez and co. Whilst the smaller climbs may lack the prestige of their neighbours, they provide some of the steepest, most beautiful rides in the area.
The climb to Villard Reymond is hard – 9km at 8.5% from La Pallaud. The climb twists and turns up the side of a ravine under the cover of pine trees until opening onto a mountain plain at 1610m altitude.
The gradient is never constant – short ramps are followed by brief periods of rest. The first 2km offer a nice introduction. You begin climbing straight away however the gradients are not too severe. The middle section is really tough; the hairpins had me prodding at the levers in the faint hope that there was still another gear. The final 1.5km proved easier as I wound through fields towards the village.
Above the fields soar two 3000m peaks – Le Grand Pic d’Ornon and Le Grand Renaud. The village has 37 inhabitants and is famous for its production of Génépi – alpine plants that are used for the production of liqueurs such as Chartreuse and Absinthe. Once at the top you have the option of continuing to Villard Notre-Dame and descending back into the valley through a succession of long unlit tunnels. However the road joining the two villages is poor and is better ridden by mountain bike. I prefer to avoid the tunnels and enjoy the technical ride back down. Below is a picture of Hattie at the top modelling her Alpe d’Huez cycling jersey and waterbottle.
Strava – http://app.strava.com/segments/1677004
Next up – The climb of Maronne (and hopefully a Strava KOM!!!!)
With the cycling season now well upon us and the sun starting to make an appearance we are pleased to welcome Theo Flack to our More Than 21 Bends team. Theo, a student at Bristol University has just finished a year at university in Grenoble and will be with us all summer helping out behind the scenes, at the Prompt shop and joining us for a few rides no doubt.
We have teamed up with Mosquito Bike / Lightweight Wheels and More Than 21 Bends to provide a PROMPT D211 demo weekend here in Bourg d’Oisans.
Holiday Details 2nd – 6th May 2013.
4 nights half board accommodation at More Than 21 Bends B&B in Bourg d’Oisans France, transfer from Grenoble train station to Bourg d’Oisans and Bike transfers from Mosquito Bikes London to MT21B’s or free PROMPT D211 demo bike for the weekend
Between Friday 26th and Tuesday 30th April 2013: Bike drop at Mosquito Bikes, Bike fit service available at a special rate and Servicing option with Mosquito Bikes so your bike is ready to roll on arrival.
Between Tuesday 7th May (pm) and Saturday 11th May : Bike collection from Mosquito Bikes
We are pleased to announce that we are now able to provide female specific saddles (the Selle Italia X1) for your bike hire. Simply let us know at the time of booking and we will make sure that it is on your bike and ready to go.
Bike Upgrades
We are pleased to announce that all our 2013 hire fleet have been upgraded with full carbon handlebars, new carbon/alloy FSA stems and carbon bottle cages. We have 15 bikes in stock for 2013 ranging from 49 to 58cm in size both with compact and triple chainsets. In addition Shimano Ultegra now support a 30 tooth rear cassette. All bikes will be replaced with 30 cassettes when the existing 28 tooth cassette has worn out. Please check each individual bike for more details on our website.
Additional Services for 2013
In addition to the upgrades we are also pleased to announce
The 2013 Alpe d’Huez triathlon will take place on the last week of July. We have a large selection of both triple and compact chainset bikes for the event.
For more information and to book online go to our online booking system
We like bikes here at PROMPT– no surprises there I guess. We also like the poetry and the views that the mountains inspire in us and offer up to us on each ride. Today, after bend 9 on the Alpe, our home town of Bourg d’Oisans was shrouded in the cloud that we had climbed through. The valley was as breathtaking as ever. We also like the technology and the endless debate about the benefits of this or that product, brand and design concept. For instance I love my beautiful hand made Cielo bike. But I also know that the PROMPT bikes ‘out-perform’ it in every possible way around here. They are simply more efficient- up, down and across. Perhaps the most frequent conversation concerns gear ratios and we basically opt for a ‘compact’ and 27/28 rear or a triple up front. There is no doubt that ‘spinning’ up these hills works best for most of our customers. There is also no doubt that the best ‘gear’ available to all of us is our own fitness. If you put the two together some amazing things start to happen in these mountains.
The weather changed direction yesterday after weeks of glorious sunshine. The darker skies and rain signalled a very noticeable cooling off and, sure enough, once the mountain mist cleared there was a dusting of snow on the higher peaks. It magically changes the whole atmosphere of the mountains as well as the clothing that you need to use when riding. I didn’t quite get it right today as I enjoyed the fresh air riding up the Col d’Ornon but suffered a deep chill descending. The PROMPT is a great ‘point and shoot’ frame and that means fast descending and considerable windchill. Next time I will take a full wind jacket!
Here at station PROMPT we get to ride with a different set of fantastic people every week. People come because of the mountains and they come here because of the bikes. Add a person in between these two things and you have a life changing experience. Think that is hyperbole- you should read our feedback sheets! Anyway it means we get to see a lot of bikes- usually bikes from the expensive end of the spectrum from all the big brands. All of them sporting that years shape or technology or design cue and all of them brilliant machines. In our two day Marmotte tour last week one of the eight riders was on a PROMPT that he hired from us. We rode the Telegraphe first. The PROMPT was first up. Then the tough side of the Galibier. First up again. Finally the 21 bends of Alpe d’Huez. You guessed it. Is it about the bike?
Every so often we carve out a few hours of sunshine to ride our bikes on our own between guests here in Bourg d’Oisans. Sometimes we ride up some of the lesser known climbs and valleys- places that the Tour has barely touched- but nonetheless magical and tough. Sometimes we are lucky enough to have company. Phil’s daughter Ella fits a 49cm PROMPT these days and last week we cruised down the valley into Allemond for a coffee shop and family time. We went up over the dam and up over the hill. Ella brought a serene effort to the ride, pedalling easily and impressed on the way down as we advised her to ‘blip blip’ the brakes. She had it dialled immediately. Another successful PROMPT ride
There are many ways to experience the pleasure of a bike and it is often the unexpected or rather, unanticipated, ones that signify the day. Today it is a simple photo of two PROMPT bikes leant up against an old French wall. As I tuned gears and cleaned chains last night I enjoyed turning the simple pleasure that this image was giving me over in my head. Round and round you might say.
The linear composition of the image works courtesy of a new super compact camera that allows me to make panoramic images. And it fits perfectly in a jersey pocket. I am not sure that’ two bikes leaning against a wall’ was the panorama that was envisaged by the Samsung technicians. Of course, wall textures always make interesting images as they convey a sense of weather and history, culture and labour.
Perhaps it is this culture and history that I am imposing onto my enjoyment of the image- as two of only a handful of PROMPT bikes currently in existence makes a little interjection into this millennia. The fact that my brother and I are making our contribution to the cycling community by creating this micro brand is a nice expression of our lifetimes of bike enthusiasm. Like many things you make yourself- it seems so obvious once it exists.
Although you can’t see it in the image you also know that the bikes are leaning against a wall mid ride. They are waiting for the coffee to be drunk and the ride to continue. Hot mountain weather in St Christophe and the Berarde. The always perfect effort of climbing up against an emerging view and the sound of the returning descent.
More Than 21 Bends had 5 Prompt D211 bikes out today on their trip to La Berarde as part of the Marmotte Big Col Tour.
This photo was taken at a coffee stop in St Chrisophe en Oisans
We are pleased to announce that from the end of July 2012 we are going to have a selection of Carbon D211 road hire bikes with full Shimano Ultegra Triple groupset. For more information on availabilty and to book online click here
The new PROMPT cycle hire pick up point in Bourg d’Oisans is now open. The shop is also selling Alpe d’Huez Jerseys, energy bars gels and bottels as well as carbon bottle cages
I have been busily builing up an old 1988 columbus steel road frame in PROMPT colours over the summer months. It got its maiden ride today up the D211 better known as Alpe d’Huez. Thursday will see me try it up the D902 better known as the Col du Galibier. The frame is a one off and will be used to promote our business in Bourg d’Oisans.
Australian national champ Victoria Veitch stayed on More Than 21 Bends Alpe d’Huez to Italy tour and hired a PROMPT D211 from us for the week. For the record she recorded an excellent 54,27 seconds up Alpe d’Huez
We have just had some new hire bikes delivered from our factory. Some 55cm and 53cm frames. They are available to hire now. Full Shimano Ultegra groupset with compact chainsets. Stay on any of Tour d’Oisans cycling tours for the remainder of 2011 and get a 20% discount on the bike hire (one week hire only)
All our PROMPT.CC hire bikes have been successfully hired and finished the La Marmotte sportive and also the Etape du Tour Act 1 2011 sportive. Most of the bikes were hired as part of the La Marmotte week.
Competed in the Cotswold Classic while staying in the UK in April. The D211 handled very well over the 166km long distance course. We have just taken delivery of our next batch for our cycle hire in Bourg d’Oisans
We have also started work on the new Prompt shop. This will be located directly below the Enjoy Oisans Cycling Holidays Head Quarters in Bourg d’Oisans. Not much has happened yet other than smashing down a wall and putting a door in its place. More photos to follow once there is something to look at. The shop will be home to our cycle hire and Prompt shop
PROMPT CYCLE CULTURE 