Form follows function, follows people

Stonehenge at sunset

Category: Sport

  • A series of unfortunate events …

    A series of unfortunate events …

    A series of unfortunate events …

    May 2018 – A very overweight professor at a “Liberal Arts” college goes to his basement and resurrects his old Bicycle. So far so good …

    Several months and numerous upgrades later and both the professor and the bike are in much better condition. The quest for improved performance continues, did I mention I was a bit obsessive? The mechanical connection between rider and bike is identified as the weakest link.

    New clipless spd pedals are acquired, after all it is what the pros use so why not. Shortly after a new better (lighter and faster) bike is acquired and similarly fitted out.

    Then on a circuit of Haverford college the professor takes a corner too fast and the bike slides away from him. Sadly, not quite all of him as his left foot is still clipped in …

    After suitable recuperation and extensive physiotherapy the pedals are replaced with flat mountain bike pedals and suitable shoes are purchased

    The value of Good (and bad) decisions

    So which was the bad decision?

    Shall we do a Fishbone analysis?

    Well, the proximal bad decision was going too fast round a bend and not unclipping in time. The precursor to this calamity, however, was persisting in using clipless pedals even when I was aware that I really was not terribly good at unclipping.

  • Bikes

    Bikes

    Of bikes and men …

    One of my favorite bikes (Nigel) was a Nigel Dean World Tour. This was a late 1980s British tourer, one of the last of its type. It featured a Reynolds 531 Super Tourer steel frame , thumb shifters and a 3 x 7 Suntour drivetrain and weighed in at a whopping 29lbs.

    The red bike (Odin) – which I still ride – is a 2018 base model Specialized Allez with an alloy frame and a relatively slim 22lbs, Shimano Claris groupset and decent rim brakes.

    My most recent ride (Baldur) is a 2024 Canyon Endurace with a full Shimano 105 groupset, relaxed geometry, carbon seat tube, disc brakes and DT Swiss wheels. Still regarded as an entry level road bike but a world away from old Nigel.

  • UK Ultimate Frisbee (50 years on)

    UK Ultimate Frisbee (50 years on)

    In October 1976 I started a Psychology degree at the relatively new University of Warwick (much nearer to Coventry than Warwick, there is a story there…). In my first year I lodged in a University run student house in Leamington Spa.

    One of my flat mates , Richard Hicks, started the Warwick Bears; the University of Warwick Ultimate Frisbee club.

    Along with fellow flat mate Rob Duffy I thought this would be a pretty cool club to join and did so. The club has been in continuous existence ever since making it the longest running University Ultimate Frisbee club in the UK.

    I did play quite a few 2nd and 3rd team games and even took part in the 1979 British/European Ultimate championships in Richmond (UK). Never good enough to make the 1st team, although a contemporary newspaper clipping reads:

    2nds Hold UJT
    Big Jim Waters had a good day up front, plaguing the Londoners’ endzone and is settling in well in his attacking role.

    After graduating, I worked for the Civil Service in London. In the early and mid 1980s I played spasmodically in a number of London based teams such as “The Hammersmith Flyovers”, “The Cruise Missiles” and “Cruisers 82” if my memory serves me well.

    Though I have not played competitively since the 1986 Warwick 10th anniversary I still take a Frisbee up the park most mornings with the dogs if the weather permits.

    In November 2026 the Warwick University club will celebrate its 50th Anniversary.