Climbs of Alpe d’Huez to Italy Part 1 – Montgenèvre

28 Aug
Phil & me on the Col de Montgenevre

Phil & me on the Col de Montgenevre

Last week on the Alpe d’Huez to Italy tour, I climbed some new cols. I will blog each one of these cols with some pictures from the tour. The ski resort of Montgenèvre forms the border between France and Italy. From Briançon the climb is 11km long and averages 4.5%. It is a lovely climb and is never too taxing. The descent towards the Colle di Sestriere is fast and flowing on a great road surface. However there are some long avalanche tunnels as shown below.

Tunnels on the descent of Montgenevre

Tunnels on the descent of Montgenevre

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Café du Cycliste

27 Aug

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Lucienne Jersey

Last week on the Alpe d’Huez to Italy tour, Café du Cycliste shorts/jerseys were worn by Phil & I everyday. From freezing rain on the Col du Galibier to >30°C on the Colle di Sestriere, the jerseys and shorts performed impeccably. We rode for more than 5 hours each day and so clothing choice was vital. The jerseys are made from the finest quality Italian fabrics and so keep your both warm on descents and cool on the ascents. The bibshorts are understated yet superbly comfortable. They feature a “cytech” pad – renowned as the best on the market. The riding was made so much easier and enjoyable by not having to worry about being too warm or too cold!

Above & below are a few shots and Phil & I in some of the items

Green Violet Jersey & Josephine BibshortsViolet Vin Jersey & Josephine Bibshorts

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Rupert Hartley Prints

25 Aug

Rupert Hartley Prints

Col de Sarenne IV – Rupert Hartley (England)

Leica M6; Tri-X 35mm

How about an Alpe d’Huez summit finish via the eastern ascent of the Col de Sarenne (21.2km at 6%). It is arguably a sterner test than the Alpe and could be made more exciting with a plummet down the 21 bends for a stage finish into Bourg d’Oisans!

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Rupert Hartley Prints

15 Aug

Rupert Hartley Prints

Col de Sarenne III – Rupert Hartley (England)

Leica M6; Tri-X 35mm

Fact 3 – 12,244 people opposed the TdF passing over the Col de Sarenne this year. The Sarenne is home to rare flora and fauna and there were fears that the Tour would devastate the area.

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Lucienne Jersey Review

14 Aug

The Lucienne Jersey has to be one of our favourite jerseys here at PROMPT.CC. Its got to the point now that Theo and myself are coordinating our cycling kit so that we are do not clash on the road.  The material is super smooth and wicks away the sweat fast. The jersey is very fitted so you hardly notice that you are wearing the jersey on the long Alpine climbs in the area. In addition there is generous rear pockets for all your bars, gels etc. Ideal for an epic day out in the mountains or for your local sportive.

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Cafe du Cycliste Caps

13 Aug

Everybody needs a descent cycling cap. They keep the rain off your face when the weather turns bad and the sun off your face when the sun is out. You also need one to wear when you have stopped for your coffee to avoid that bad helmet hair look. If you have slightly less hair than when you were younger it will also stop you getting sun burnt.

 

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Alpe d’Huez Jersey spotted on the Col du Galibier

10 Aug

One of our popular Alpe d’Huez jerseys was seen yesterday on the Col du Galibier

Alpe d’Huez Jersey

 

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Rupert Hartley Prints

8 Aug

Rupert Hartley Prints

Col de Sarenne II – Rupert Hartley (England)

Leica M6; Tri-X 35mm

Fact 2 – The speed limit for the Col de Sarenne is 20km/h. According to Strava, Laurens ten Dam (Belkin) managed the descent at 47.9km/h during stage 18 of the 2013 Tour de France.

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Rupert Hartley Prints

2 Aug

Rupert Hartley Prints

Col de Sarenne I – Rupert Hartley (England)

Leica M6; Tri-X 35mm

Fact 1 – The Col de Sarenne forms part of the longest black ski run in the world at 16km long. La piste de Sarenne connects Le Pic Blanc at 3300m with Alpe d”Huez at 1860m.

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Rupert Hartley Prints

2 Aug

Rupert Hartley is a London based editorial and commercial photographer. His works have featured in publications such as the Sunday Times and Vanity Fair. To celebrate the inclusion of the Col de Sarenne in the 100th edition of the Tour de France, Rupert has produced a series of four individual signed prints. Each prints will be run as a limited edition of 50.

Over the next 4 days, I will post an image of each print along with a snippet about the Sarenne itself. The prints are stunning and really capture the deserted feel of the pass.

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bone-shaker issue #12

31 Jul

The new issue of bone-shaker has arrived. bone-shaker magazine offers a different perspective to the normal cycling magazine/reportage. There are no adverts, no articles about professional cycling and most certainly no “best bike under £XXX…”. The magazine has numerous contributors all detailing the wacky & wonderful things that may be done with bicycles.

Favourite articles in this issue include;

  • Lake-jumping – “Derek enjoys putting on his wetsuit and the feeling of a crash landing in a chilly lake” – need I say more?
  • Roads were not built for cars – a historical outlook on the importance of bicycles throughout the last couple of centuries.
  • Railbiking – another historical look at pedal-powered rail vehicles and concluding with modern-day designs.

This is just my selection of articles from bone-shaker #12. The articles are so numerous and diverse there is surely something for all tastes!!

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Rouleur Issue 40

30 Jul

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The new issue of Rouleur is now in stock.

The issue covers the shocking conditions at Milan-Sanremo with interviews from breakaway riders Lars Bak and Filippo Fortin. The report also notes the pain endured by the neutral service mechanics who spent the whole day helping the riders dress and eat whilst perched on the end of a motorbike.

On a more cheerful note, the issue also reports on the lucrative post-Tour Criterium racing. Stars of the Tour are paid huge appearance fees to race with often suspiciously predictable results. Crowds are numerous and fuelled by copious amounts of beer & frites.

A favourite article of mine was the life of a doping control officer – stories include intimidation, aggressive dogs and barging in on affairs.

There are, of course, plenty more articles, reports and photos to keep you going until the next issue is published in early November.

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Eddy Merckx Toy

29 Jul

Eddy Merckx Toy

Feeling lonely on long rides? Need a partner who will always be there? How about the Rouleur Eddy Merckx Toy…?

Guaranteed never to bonk or ride you into a pothole, he really is the perfect training companion.

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Alpe d’Huez T Shirts

25 Jul

They came and they went pretty quick. We received a delivery of our new Alpe d’Huez t shirts the day before the Tour de France 2013 arrived in Alpe d’Huez. By the next day after the Tour de France had left Bourg d’Oisans they were all gone!

More are on the way and you can order them in our shop now. Fresh stocks are expected at the beginning of August 2013.

ALPE d'HUEZ T SHIRTS

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Tour de France & Birthday

23 Jul

Bourg d’Oisans was spoilt this year by the Tour de France. Not only did it host the double climb of Alpe d’Huez, it was the “village départ” for the next day. My 21st birthday coincided with the Alpe d’Huez stage. I walked to bend 18 and watched the riders come past twice.

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It really is amazing how easy they make it look! Amador & Castroviejo from team Movistar were holding a fairly animated conversation as they came past with no apparent difficulty!

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The départ on the 19th was great as we were able to see all the riders up close. Most were on the home trainers before the start in preparation for the fearsome route north towards Le Grand- Bornand. The route included 5 cols including the Glandon and the Madeleine. 

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Forgotten Climbs of the Oisans: Part 2 – Maronne

22 Jul

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%!!

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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.

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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.

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Strava – http://app.strava.com/segments/4254338 (note the KOM)

Next up – Col du Sabot

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More Orica Greenedge Bus Photos Outside the PROMPT.CC shop

19 Jul

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Orica Greenedge Team bus outside the PROMPT Shop

19 Jul

Orica Greenedge

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PROMPT Customer Diaries – Part 1

12 Jul

Bo Biering & Tonny Nielsen (Denmark)

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Tonny and Bo hired the Prompt bikes for 3 days. For the first day they followed the route planned by the Tour de France 2013 over the Alpe d’Huez and Col de Sarenne. They were amazed that the Tour was going to go down such a small, poorly surfaced road! The second day they had a rest and toured Allemont before having one last go up the Alpe on their final day. They both hope for Contador to win the Tour de France!

 

Forgotten Climbs of the Oisans: Part 1 – Villard Reymond

9 Jul

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.

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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.

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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.

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Strava – http://app.strava.com/segments/1677004

Next up – The climb of Maronne (and hopefully a Strava KOM!!!!)

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Tour de France Cycle Hire Cancellation – Bikes Available

3 Jul

Due to cancellations we now have 4 bikes available for Tour de France – minimum hire is 3 days. Click on link for more details

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Stuck on the Col du Telegraphe

29 Jun

Theo and I took a day off yesterday and tackled La Marmotte route on our PROMPT d211 road bikes. All was going well until we got stuck on the Col du Telegraphe for approximately 20 minutes while a helicopter cleared trees from the road. As you can see from the picture we were not the only ones held up.

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Col du Galibier Cycling Jerseys

24 Jun

With our Alpe d’Huez Jerseys proving to be so popular this summer we have now introduced the Col du Galibier Jersey.

The Col du Galibier is a lung sapping 50KM climb from our shop here in Bourg d’Oisans. We celebrate this climb with our Galibier jersey. On the left sleeve we have the More Than 21 Bends logo. Made from classic cool max lycra this is the ideal jersey to attempt the 2650 metres of the Col du Galibier and to continue to wear once you are back home.

  • Black jersey with white writing
  • White jersey with black writing
  • 100% polyester.
  • Quick drying micro fibre.
  • Wicks moisture from your body.
  • Exceptional soft feel, lightweight, odour and bacteria resistant.

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Customer custom build PROMPT d211 all the way from South Africa

13 Jun

Couple of great photos from some South African customers who bought a couple of PROMPT d211 frames from us last year.

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SANYO DIGITAL CAMERA

 

 

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Clients on PROMPT d211’s

11 Jun

We love getting photos from our clients with their PROMPT d211 Hire bikes. Father and Son from South Africa hired bikes from us last year to ride as many cols as possible. They liked the bikes so much they ended up buying a couple of custom finished frames from us. On top of this they are back again this year and are hiring 2 more bikes from us.

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prompt col d'ornon

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Theo the bike mechanic and he’s pretty quick up Alpe d’Huez

8 Jun

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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.

 

 

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Alpe d’Huzes passes the PROMPT Shop

5 Jun

Day 1 of the 2 day dutch charity Alpe d’Huzes event commenced today at 10 AM and cyclists continued to roll past the shop until 10:45AM! Todays target is to ride Alpe d’Huez 4 times.

Alpe d’Huzes passes the PROMPT.CC shop

Tomorrows start is 4:30AM – I may be up to get some photos !

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Bike Hire Delivery Service

4 Jun

Over the last few weeks we have been trialing our bike hire delivery service. This takes three forms.

  1. We have hooked up with More Than 21 Bends so that your bikes will be delivered for the beginning of your cycle tour, either here in Bourg d’Oisans or further afield such as the Paris Roubaix Sportive
  2. If you are looking for a Self Supported Tour in Bourg d’Oisans then there are a list of properties here where your bikes can be delivered to your property.
  3. For large groups of 5 or more bikes we offer a delivery service to your property to a maximum of 100 km from Bourg d’Oisans. Certain conditions apply so please contact us before making the reservation.

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Busy week for cycle hire in Bourg d’Oisans

30 May

Its been a very busy week for cycle hire in Bourg d’Oisans with all our bikes either hired out to  a cycling tour based in Grenoble or a large contingent of Danish people holidaying here in Bourg d’Oisans. All the bikes were at some point today on Alpe d’Huez

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It has left our custom built bike tree looking a little bare

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Paris Roubaix Challenge Cycle Hire

23 May

We are pleased to announce that we will be exclusively offering PROMPT.CC hire bikes to all guests on their More Than 21 Bends Paris Roubaix weekend.

To secure a hire bike for the weekend please contact us in the first instance or reserve your bike with your Paris Roubaix Cycling Holiday.

The full carbon bikes will be set up with 25mm tyres and super tight bottle cages so your bidons do not go flying as soon as you hit the first Pave section !

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