Riders

Meet the Team :: Sam Hayward

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

Rapid runner Sam is a relative newcomer to triathlon, but her early results show, she’s got the potential to do something pretty special this season. Here’s something about Sam in her own words…

“I’m very new to triathlon, with my addiction only beginning at the end of the tri season in 2009, when I decided I’d become bored of just racing marathons, halves and 10ks and needed a new challenge. After much help and advice I purchased my first road bike and foolishly went straight in at the deep end with spd pedals….I still have the scars from my comedy falls but not deterred I persevered! Swimming was also an alien activity I could barely swim 50m front crawl when I started and was known as “windmill arms” when I joined BADTri but with some great coaching I’m no longer sinking in the pool. 2010 saw my first full season, I think the best parts included representing GB at the ITU World Championships in Budapest and finishing the year with my first Ironman in Western Australia which has provided me with qualification to the ITU Long Course World Championships in Nevada latter this year.

My job as a Obstetrics and Gynaecology trainee leaves me pretty sleep deprived and limited with time, so I find myself fitting in training at some unearthly hours (hence the profile picture with bags under the eyes taken following a 5am training ride). However, I love the challenge and my impatience to succeed in everything I do spurs me on. My race season this year has been pretty empty as work had to take precedence with some post-graduate exams needing to be passed but now that box is ticked I back stronger than last year and extremely excited about my forth coming races as a new member of the Bike Science team. So 2011 sees me racing Challenge Roth, where I’m aiming to improve on my full distance PB, and as a GB age grouper in the World Long Course Championships. This is the most I’ve pushed my body to do and as long as it holds up to the challenge I’ll also be competing in a middle distance race in September, most likely the Full Boar.”

WIN A RETUL BIKE FIT in our Fantasy Tour de France Mini League!

Sunday, June 26th, 2011

Join in with this years Velogames Fantasy Tour de France Bike Science mini league to be in with a chance of winning a Retul Level 2 bike fit worth £185. Sign up online HERE to play “directeur sportif” and create your own ultimate Tour team. Follow your team’s progress throughout the race with daily updates on our FACEBOOK PAGE.

It’s FREE. Here’s how to play…

1. Sign up and create a team on the Velogames Fantasy Tour website.

2. Edit your team roster to create your ultimate tour dream team

3. Join the Bike Science mini league by pressing the “enter a mini league” button and entering our league code : 24090718

4. Follow your teams progress throughout the Tour with daily updates on the Bike Science FACEBOOK PAGE

Check out the super cool Bike Science jersey in the custom team jersey selection section!!

Meet the Team :: Ruth Bradbrook

Sunday, June 26th, 2011


Here’s Ruth. The latest recruit to Team Bike Science – Planet X for 2011. Ruth’s a STRONG biker with eyes on beating as much of the pro field (and all of the age groupers!) at this years Ironman Wales. A few words from Ruth…

“I’ve been doing triathlon for roughly 10 years. Was a swimmer as a child and then started to do some running, then about 10 years ago had a go at triathlon for a few years, had a bit of a gap doing other sports including kayaking when I did an open sea crossing from scotland to ireland and back in a weekend to see my uncle and for a pint or 2 of guiness :-) I then got back into it with more of a focus from 2009

Main achievements to date:
2007 world bog snorkelling triathlon ladies winner and world record holder!
2009 silver at european long distance champs, 3rd in age group at ironman lanzarotte
2010 qualified for hawaii at Ironman UK where I was also fastest ‘non pro’ and beat a couple of the back end of the pro field :-) in a time of 10:38
2010 7th in age group at kona in 10:29! And loved every minute of it
2011 2nd at weymouth middle distance; 1st at west wales 100 mile TT

Aims for 2011:
Win age group at national 100 mile TT champs
Win age group and be fastest ‘non pro’ women at Ironman Wales. Aiming to do a 3.30 marathon run, would love to get close to 10 hrs but I think the bike course might be a bit too hilly for this.

Beyond:
Sub 10hr Ironman”

Meet the Team :: Iron Bar Bending Double Ironman Hywel Davies

Saturday, June 25th, 2011

Known as the “Big Ring King”, Bike Science – Planet X Hardman, Hywel Davies made his name in gym based fitness decathlons, indoor rowing and adventure racing. After doing the Southern Traverse 5 day adventure race in New Zealand in 1999 as well as winning National Fitness titles in the same year, Hywel discovered his missing link was Ironman Triathlon. He did his first in 2000 in Almere, Holland in a time of 10.28 after a 1.18 swim filled with panic attacks and holding on to the rescue boat.

2 more visits to Almere, including a revist after a career threatening leg break in 2002, got the time down to 9.18 and then Ironman UK from 2005 to 2007 put Hywel in the ranks of one of the top Age Group long distance triathletes. Hywel raced in Hawaii in 2006 but suffered from lack of acclimatisation and a jellyfish sting but still battled onto a 9.45 finish.

Hywel won the UK Double Ironman in 2008 in 21 hours and 30 minutes and went on to set an Iron distance PB in Roth with 8.44, in 2009. Hywel has won race at every distance from sprint to Double Iron including rowathlons, duathlons, 3 iron distance wins and 7 middle distance win.

He has promised that in 2011, he will improve his swimming to get out with a group of pros rather than the driftwood.

Meet the Team :: Dan (the fish) Phillips

Thursday, June 23rd, 2011

Meet Dan, Team Bike Science – Planet X’s resident uber swimmer. He’s getting faster on the bike and run every year too. Despite an addiction to cookies and cold beer he’s gunning for a scorching fast time at Ironman Austria in two weekends time.

Here’s Dan’s own take on his tri career to date…

“My route into triathlon was through a swimming background having spent 15 years as a child swimming, both in Bristol and in Cardiff whilst in University. I spent 3 years training under Dave Haller who is one of the best swim coaches in the UK having coached; David Davies, Mark Foster, Duncan Goodhew, Adrian Moorhouse and David Wilkie – not a bad resume! I still use many of the training principles today from my 3 years with him as I always have been and always will be self coached. My best event used to be the 200m Breastroke where my pb used to be 2.25 and my 100m pb 1.07 (These days I struggle to do that frontcrawl which is worrying!)

Having quit swimming in 2003 I had a couple of years in the wilderness, with drinking, partying and playing football my main priorities. As a dare on new years eve in 2005 I entered the London Triathlon and have never looked back. My running was pretty shocking at the start being a typical “fish out of water”, but after teaming up with local run coach Steve Hollier my run splits these days aren’t quite so shocking and my half marathon pb is now down to 1.18 which means I can at least stay with most on the run.

In 2008 I raced for the GB age group team but became disillusioned by it all after racing a Duathlon in Vancouver because the swim was cancelled, pretty frustrating when you are in the shape of your life. After this setback and a pretty low key season in 2009 (didn’t quite break 2 hours for an Olympic but got very close on a number of occasions) I thought I would move up to long distance in 2010.

The main focus this season is IM Austria where I hope to break the pb I set last season in my first Iron Distance race, The Outlaw – I crossing the line in 9.43. This winter has gone well, with a bike science team training camp in France, some injury setbacks (medial plica) but I am in pretty good shape and should be on for a good time if I nail my race plan and don’t get sidetracked! A top 3 for my age would be nice but looking at previous results most of the guys in the 25-29 age are pretty much full time and I would need to cross the line in about 8.45 so that’s out of the question. I won’t be taking a Hawaii slot either if I did get one, I will leave that for another day as I want to tick some other boxes first before I go and race that.

Longer term plans are not set having recently found out I am going to be dad for the first time in spring 2012. Next season will more than likely be some smaller races in the UK, potentially Wimbleball or another 70.3 race along with some local races around Bristol.”

Meet the Team :: Matt Edwards

Monday, June 20th, 2011

Over the next two weeks we’ll be introducing Team Bike Science. First up is Hawaii hopeful it’s Matt Edwards….

“I have been involved in triathlon since 2004, when my rehab from knee surgery and a move to Bristol for work led me to BAD Tri.  Since then I’ve loved racing and training for a whole range of events including all tri distances up to Ironman, multi-day ultra running, bog snorkling, cycling circuit racing and stage races, time trials, mountain biking, adventure racing, quadrathlon and skinny dipping.  I’ve been getting steadily faster over the last few years, and had my first race win at last year’s Eastnor Castle Middle distance.  I’ve raced the World and European Long Course events as part of the GB age group team, and in the last year have taken on some new challenges including the High Peak Marathon, The Green Man Challenge and the European Single Speed Mountain Biking (and cheese eating) Champs.  I have also recently discovered bike touring, having had two epic weeks in the Picos De Europa of Northern Spain in May this year, and am now building a fixation with hefty steel bikes and beardy accessories, to go with my existing penchant for all things carbon and speedy…

For 2011 I am focussing on Ironman Wales on September 11, and with Hawaii qualification slots available I’m hoping to finally nail that run! Preparations are going well with 4th place at the Weymouth Middle Distance my best result so far this year, and my cycling continuing to improve with stronger riding on the Tuesday night Bristol Chain Gang Massacre.   Other races for this season include: the Tri Grand Prix UK, Cotswold 113 and Millfield middle distance triathlons; the Ras de Cymru (5 day cycling stage race); Castle Combe Duathlons and Time Trials.

Outside my own training and racing I am a qualified Development Coach (level 3) for British Triathlon, and I volunteer every week for BAD Tri working with both children and adults.  I also have a number of private clients for triathlon coaching, as well as for Neuro-Linguistic Programming where I am currently training at Master Practitioner level. Inbetween this I work at Bristol University as a Community Sport Development Officer, and also at the Higher Education Funding Council for England.  I am a course tutor for Sports Leaders UK and am in the process of becoming a Coach Education tutor for British Triathlon.”

Cobb Saddles – BACK IN STOCK NOW

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

Our best selling range of Cobb V-Flow saddles are back in stock NOW and ready to order. The original V-Flow, V-Flow plus and V-Flow max back in stock in both black and white. We love the comfort and improved posture that Cobb saddles offer, but don’t take our word for it. Ireland’s most experienced triathlete and recent European Duathlon Champs gold medalist Anne Paul wrote to tell us about her Cobb saddle experience…

“As  a female triathlete and duathlete for many years I have struggled to get a saddle which was comfortable especially with the limited padding in tri-suits during races. Recently I happened to see details on the Cobb saddles and sourced Bike Science as a supplier. With the opportunity to get a Cobb saddle to test I thought this was worth a try as I could get a refund if I  did not like it. Took a chance and put this new saddle on the first day of a 1 week training camp in Lanzarote. On return I immediately ordered a second Cobb saddle for my race bike”.

Find out what all the fuss is about. Order online now.

V-Flow – road bikes and road bikes with clip on tri bars – lighter riders and ladies – £89.99 READ MORE

V-Flow Plus – More supportive memory foam for longer distances and/or heavier riders – £99.99 READ MORE

V-Flow MaxOur Best Selling Saddle! Ideal for dedicated tri/tt bikes. Supportive memory foam, perfect for long distance athletes – £114.99 READ MORE

Phil Richards – Podium Finish at Mallorca 70.3

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

It’s off to Vegas for Bike Science – Planet X team rider Phil Richards after this weekend’s Ironman 70.3 event in Mallorca. Phils reports in…

“Having been woken on Saturday night by howling winds and rain, I was quite relieved it was a Sat race and not Sunday…you don’t go to Mallorca to race in wind and rain!

A wave start saw the pros heading off 10 min before all the girls; with a flat, calm sea and starting in my rightful place towards the middle/back of the group, I stayed out of trouble for once and had a pretty uneventful swim. I even swum past a few girls….that was a real novelty. Was really surprised how many bags were still in transition as I went through T1 but having forgotten to start my watch, I had no idea of my split.

I passed quite a few girls in the 1st 12-15miles on the bike, however I then had a girl in my age group blast past – I wasn’t going to stay with her so let her go hoping she’d either blow up (not literally), or I’d see her on the run. Worked pretty hard throughout the rest of the bike course, the climbs were great, descents great fun and flats into the wind hard work at times but overall really enjoyed it.

Was dreading the run knowing I’ve been off form so didn’t bother with my watch. Came out of T2 and fell into step with Yvette Grice – almost got quite excited as she’d had a 10min head start on me til she said she was finishing her first 5k lap as I was just starting! However I did reckon that only put her approx. 10min ahead overall which gave a me a kick up the backside to keep working – after chatting for 5min or so though (this is what girls do when they race :D ), I decided she had far more spring in her step than I did so dropped back. Held it together with a dodgy achilles and minor stomach cramps for a 1.40 run split, 10min off where I should’ve been, but enough for 3rd place, missing out on a win by less than 2min!

I’ve always been unsure of whether I’d take a roll down slot for the Worlds, but given how close it was and having to make a snap decision when 1st and 2nd girls declined the slot, seems to mean one thing…next stop Vegas…game on!!”


Fitting for Ride the Divide – 2745 Miles by MTB

Thursday, May 12th, 2011

We meet the whole spectrum of cyclists at our Bike Science bike fit studios from first time bike buyers, Ironman and double Ironman competitors to professional athletes. Every now and again though someone taking on a challenge that’s beyond what we normally see comes along.

Yesterday saw endurance mountain biker Greg Phillips visit our Bristol studio for a fitting on his 29er MTB. When we say “endurance” mountain biker, we really mean it. Greg is in the process of preparing for one of the longest, toughest mountain bike challenges on the planet. He’ll be competing in the mind boggling 2,745 mile Tour Divide from Banff in the Canadian Rockies to Antelope Wells in New Mexico. This completely self supported event sees around 80 riders from across the globe taking part with an annual dropout rate of over 40%. Greg aims to complete the challenge in around 27 days. That’s over 100 miles per day average – off road!

Greg from Penarth in South Wales entered the event along with his training partner Simon Harling as the ultimate challenge to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Relief. You can read more about their incredible challenge HERE ON THEIR WEBSITE and make a donation to his fundraising efforts HERE ON THEIR JUST GIVING DONATIONS page.

Pyrenees Bike Camp – Perfect your Position – Price Reduced

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

We’ve dropped the price of our first ever “Perfect Position” training camp in conjunction with Active Vacances! Perfect your position with a week of riding and fitting in the beautiful Pyrenees. The camp begins on Tues 12th of April for seven nights. Places are strictly limited so book early and don’t miss this opportunity to make 2011 your best ever on the bike. This camp offers an ideal opportunity for any prospective “Etape” rider to tune their position and gain some early season fitness in a region offering some of the best cycling in France.

Here’s what’s on offer…

Retul bike fitting support throughout the entire week (worth over£250)
Full Retul fit on day 1 followed by as much adjustment as required across the week as required.
7 nights full board accommodation in 4 star rated luxury gîte
Breakfast, afternoon tea and Evening meals provided
5 days of guided riding in the Béarn des Gaves region of South-West France
Coaching support
Ride with the Team Bike Science – Planet X riders
25m Swimming pool on site
Hi Spec Planet X bikes available to rent (€120 to €150)

The week offers a unique opportunity to work on your riding position and ride with your bike fitter to feedback results over the course of an entire week. So whether you’re aiming at a big summer sportive or a triathlete looking for that performance advantage, BOOK NOW!

Price for the week is now just £699 – bike fitting, luxury accommodation and food included (flights and transfers not included).

Flights in spring are available from Birmingham, Manchester, East Midlands, Southampton, Gatwick & Stansted with Bmi Baby, Flybe, Easyjet & Ryanair. Our closest airports are Pau Pyrénées, Biarritz & Lourdes.

BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT – CONTACT PAUL AT ACTIVE VACANCES HERE