BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
…the BikeBiz.com editor is today (Monday) riding the Etape du Tour.
The Etape du Tour Vélo Magazine is held on the same course as the 16th stage of the Tour de France. This is between Mourenx and Pau, a 179km ride in the magnificent landscape of the Pyrénées, including the climb up the Col de l’Aubisque.
Carlton Reid said:
"I wish I’d got a few more miles into my legs. My last long ride was the Fred Whitton Challenge in the Lake District in May. That’s meant to be tougher than this year’s Etape and I was OK on that so I’m hoping the two miles I cycle each day getting the kids to school will be sufficient to get me up the two and half hour climb of the Aubisque. It’s all down hill from there."
The BikeBiz editor is the guest of Giant. Each year the company sends journalists to the Etape, equipping them with top of the range carbon bikes.
Reid’s bike has also been fitted with the new triple version of Shimano’s Dura Ace chainset.
"If my legs turn to jelly at least I’ll be able to twiddle up the climbs," said Reid, who removed his leg hair for the event.
"Veet, the hair removal brand formerly known as Immac, sent me some extra sticky wax strips made for men. My wife took a great deal of pleasure in sticking the strips on me and ripping them off again. They worked but riding 179kms in the Pyrénées will be a lot less painful."
