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
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.
PROMPT CYCLE CULTURE 