Shutt VR Rides

A fantastic early morning spin in beautiful Wharfedale. Cold and starlit, damp roads and a nice tailwind. Gentle pace, sat alongside the indominatable Mr Milward is a most pleasant way to enter the magnificent Yorkshire Dales. The tailwind meant the usually tough Barden Scale and Plantation climbs were taken with ease. (at last). A speedy tailwind descent into the picturesque Burnsall allowed the following climb of the Thorpe turn off to be taken with the same ease.

The light of the day was now in full stream and seemed to be concentrated into the low slung clouds from the daybreak behind us giving intensely pure colours of barns and the typically rutted steep sided fields.

Deciding to go onto Kettlewell instead of the programmed Arncliffe, the road turned us to the view down the valley with the infamous `Park Rash` seeming to be baring its backside and teasing us with a `come on there`s a tailwind, have a go at up me 1 in 3`. No! Turning around into what was our tailwind wasn`t as bad as it threatened to be. Trundelling along the back lane is a treat that cannot be undersestimated at 8.00am on a Wednesday Morning in Nov. We passed the Kettelwell rush-hour was well past its hiatas and the 4 vehicles were well down the valley. Joy.

Streets of San Fransisco into Grassington is always a breather! Up and through the pretty Market village past the `upside down sculpture` took us into Hebden with the massive 2 children `walking bus` nearly causing us to brake. The ride continues in a similar manner for a further 20 miles so what else is there to say but.... I LIVE IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE ON EARTH !!!!

Same old same old

Not a lot to say really. Bowling along with nice days, well dry anyway, schools started again so peaceand quiet for a few hours anyway, autaum is coming. Just usual I suppose.

Catch 22 or too much to do

Right. I really have to concentrate on this now. everybody says this and then doesnt follow it through. Why not? We ride bikes and run business` that require us to be disciplined, so why cant we write a constant blog? Perhaps because its the above reasons. We are to busy doing other things. Or are we? Family, business, bikes, freinds etc etc. These all contibute to filling our day. However we still manage to sit down infront of the telly to relax, generally a boring and worthless piece of drivell that you wonder why you are watching it! This should be the time whan this kind of thing is written. But its not, no, its halfway through the day at work.

I suspect this will not change as the bike is going to take up a bit more time in the future. We, thats the royal we, have extended the rides on 2 of the days during the week. Instead of doing a sharp (long) climb on a Tuesday and Thursday we now are going to do more miles and include longer and steeper climbers. This is good as fitness will eventually benefit and as a side line so will the home life. ill be more relaxed, more eager to play and spend quality time with the kids and generally a nicer chap to know. Thinking on the downside is Ill have to go to bed earlier, be more tired and as such not be able to spend more waking time doing blogs. Catch 22!!

But If I spend time at work doing blogging then that means less time for designing and organising Shutt VR winter gear, pursuing Shutt VR sales in the southern hemisphere et al! Theres not enough hours in the day. Or am I just being lazy and should I cut down on something in the lists above? Um! One thing is for sure it wont be Family, business, bikes, freinds etc etc, It will have to be telly or/ & blogging.
But which one?

Cycling Heaven

On this mornings damp ride the conversation came round to Heaven and Hell! Yet another of the wide ranging pantheon of topics that crop up awheel. Well, when you die, is the last thing you are thinking about going to be your own heaven or hell?

Say if you are thinking about riding tree lined gently rolling lanes in the sun with shorts and S/S jersey (once again Shutt VR) and there are no cars and you are on top form, this is surely what you are going to be doing, logically, for all eternity? Not saying there is an afterlife but within your own spark that is you.

If however you are thinking (under the same rules) about the time you were stuck on the underground on a summers day with the train crowded with commuters who are all sweating and not talking, then thats what you`ll be doing for all eternity.

This doesnt take into account sudden traumatic death, thats another conversation entirely. The upshot is for the rest of your days you`ll have to think nice cycling thoughts. No change there then!

British Summer, again

I was goiing to discuss the joys of riding in hot weather. Shorts, shorts sleeved jerseys (a Shutt of course), nice white socks and shiny shoes. A bike that gleams, even the black reflects, in the baking sun. Suncream & helmet on, and away we go. But no! Whats this? Rain? in July? Check the 5 weather forecasts on the `favourites`. All different, obviously! Well, the next step is to take of the Helmet, remove the socks, Jersey and shorts. Put the bike away and turn on the telly to watch yesterdays repeat of the TDF stage.
Maybe later. Im not thinking of winter gear, honest!

Shutt VR receive an OBE of the Cycling World

In the British Cycling world Cycling Weekly is know as the `Comic. Sometimes its even known as the `Bible`. Such is its standing, that every Thursday (it used to be Wednesdays) in every Wheelers household the is an air of excitement and anticipation about the new issue. News, Pictures, Comment, Letters and reviews, thse are all skimmed over intially in haste to see every page. At this point small pieces are read to satisfy the craving. Even the Classified are looked at. whats for sale, whos selling what, could I, would I should I? Later on when theres a moment to indulge each page is assidusley read from top to bottom, left to right. Every coloumn, picture and advert is noted where it and on what page.

The `Comic` is put down, left for a few days then picked up again, this time it is studied in even more minute detail. Pictures of Pros, sportive riders, bikes and accessories are poured over until every little detail is burnt into the brain. Colours, shapes and brands all duly noted and stored for later use.

This is what being a cyclist is about, detail bit by bit, second by second. On and off the bike, everything matters, whether its what you want to do, ride or take note of. The cyclist is pedantic in his detail.

Taking part in the toughest sport and riding the toughest roads around the world makes a cyclist aware of everthing they are riding on, looking at and wearing. This is why we make some of the most comfortable jerseys in the world from one of the most comfortable fabrics - Merino wool. this is our boast and we`ve had it confirmed. The `Comic` has pronounced that Shutt VR have recieved the cycling equivelant of an OBE - 9/10!! What better start for a brand new company than to get a top ranking on their first product.

WE ARE SO PROUD!

To make us even more big headed is the announcement by roadcyclinguk.com that they to have bestowed top honours on us to - 9/10. This is like getting awarded the Nobel literature prize for you first novel.

Rythmn or Cadence

Whilst waiting for things to heal ive been thinking about music that goes with a fast bike ride and i think its probably this - Age of Consent

Why? Well I think the rythmn is a good cadence for flat. mountains, big gear efforts. The way instruments come in seem to reflect the breakaways, the pain of pace increase or the breaking of the elastic the connects you to the bike infront. The words are irrelevant as is much of the drivvel that goes through you mind when riding.



Pics of our new model - Harold.

There I was on a beautiful late spring day, halfway round the Sunday ride, after breasting the long climb of Kidstomes at the far end of Wharfedale ithought it was time to test out the new frame on a fast descent. There is a long straightish stretch to start with on which i picked up a serious speed, I dont ride with a computer so I guess was late 40`s. Then comes a little left hander leading into an S bend, at this point the road dips a bit more and cambers flat, the road surface being `rippled` due the sun and traffic. At this point it all started to go wrong. The new frame is really fast, however it doesnt seem like breaking under duress as the backend skips and skitters, as this was happening I was running wide and not being able to get any breaking friction was getting a little concerned. Still picking up speed I applied the front which induced a speed wobble, front off back on still no breaking! What to do? On the righthand side is a drystone wall approx 60cm high and a drop down into the high pasture. I new that it was going to hurt but to avoid as much pain as I could I thought it would be a good idea to sideswipe the wall and that would slow me down enough for the brakes to work. NO! Hitting the wall at a more acute angle that hoped for the front wheel dug in and threw me and the bike left back in to the road. Landing heavily on my left back ribs and shoulder my helmeted head bounced off the road smacking in to my knees. I would say in a Foetal position. I then span round hearing my bike come down with a clatter. I ended up laying in the road looking quite leisurely, legs out and resting up on my right arm. All seemed well, a few cuts, well quite a lot, but noting un-towards. I jumped up collecting the bike as my 2 colleagues for he day skittered to halt. The headtube had come away from the down and top tubes causing a tirade of abuse from me! I was told to sit down which i did sitting on the wall, as I did I heard and felt something click. I stood up and stretched to test it when all of a sudden I couldnt breathe properly. An ambulance was called, my bike was hidden from view and i was whisked off to a local hospital. This is another part of the story, one which I will not bore you with now but ended up with me in Resuscitation having lots of medical staff running around like `ER` trying to save my life. Of which I am eternally grateful and mightily impressed. I was told the HELMET HAD SAVED MY LIFE. 2 broken ribs, one broken Clavicle and a punctured lung re inflated was the outcome of me going too fast and a bike not being able to corner at such speed.
Lessons learnt!

Cycling Truth

The cyclist bible.
Ive stolen it so please excuse the horrific Amricanisms. Sorry America but sometimes being so youthful. well.............

1. Image and style shall be the primary concerns of the Euro Cyclist. When suffering, one must focus first on maintaining a cool, even composure and second on performance. Winning races is an added talent, and only counts if said Euro Cyclist wins with appropriate style.
2. Training shall be based solely on feel, while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct: that is to say, “soul.” The Euro Cyclist will never accept tried or tested scientific training methods.
3. The Euro Cyclist shall NEVER, under any circumstances, wear plain black spandex bibs (shorts, regardless of colour are BANNED) or ANY team kitcontaining non-prominent logos. Shorts will extend approximately 2/3rds of the way down the upper leg and will contain a compression band at the bottom (distinct in colour). In NO CONDITION shall they extend any further!
4. Legs shall be SHAVED year-round. ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS. Certain hair removal creams are endorsed only on a case-by-case basis. One shall never show up to a race (be it large or small) with ANY amount of stubble visible on one’s legs.
5. A prominent line where one’s kit ends and where one’s deep tan begins is essential to one's image. Artificial tanning is BANNED. The tan shall reflect the level of training commitment.
6. The socks of the Euro Cyclist shall extend to within two (2) cm. of the main bulge of the calf muscle, and shall never extend further than one (1) cm. past said primary calf muscle bulge. All socks SHALL BE WHITE in colour with prominent logo placement.
7. Cycling shoes shall contain at least 80% white!The following exceptions apply:i) Colour combinations such as world cup stripes or Olympic gold for which the title has been EARNED.ii) Shoes which are custom-made for specific riders by companies endorsed by this group. These shoes shall be accessible to the particular cyclist only, and shall follow the preceding rules.
8. If white cycling shoes are not available where the Euro Cyclist resides, white booties (or “shoe covers”) with prominent logos shall ALWAYS be worn. When booties are worn, socks shall protrude approximately seven (7) cm. above the ankle, and shall always protrude at a minimum one (1) cm. from any booties worn.
9. One’s bike frame shall contain between two (2) and four (4) colours IN ADDITION TO WHITE. All colours are acceptable as long as they combine tastefully and elegantly. In addition, wheel selection must also match frame and fork.
10. One shall race only on Campagnolo Boras or Lightweights. Fulcrum Racing One, Corima Aero+ or Zipp (404 or 202) wheelsets are considered stylish enough to be used as training wheels ONLY. Irregardless, ceramic bearings shall be used at ALL TIMES on both training and race bikes.
11. ALL wheels shall be equipped with tubulars, regardless of one’s ability in gluing them.
12. Ridiculously stylish eyewear (see endorsed products list) is to be worn AT ALL TIMES without exception. Glasses are to be worn over helmet straps at all times.
13. Hair shall be kept neatly short, and matching helmet shall be worn (again with prominent logo placement). The helmet shall be predominantly white. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES shall a clashing helmet colour be worn with one’s euro kit. Helmets are not to be worn when venturing indoors AT ANY TIME. It is, however, acceptable to wear one’s helmet while outdoors on a patio (see rule 34).
14. In certain RARE cases, it shall be deemed acceptable to have long hair. In this event, hair shall be neatly slicked back in a severely euro style, and helmet SHALL NOT be worn. It is IMPERATIVE that rule 12 is followed in these special instances.
15. When riding, sans helmet (with short hair), a team issue cycling cap (white in colour), shall be worn. The bill shall remain in the downward position at all times. The cycling cap may be worn forwards or backwards to coincide with the specifics of one’s current hairstyle. During spring training, cycling toques shall be worn at all times in place of caps.
16. Kits must always be freshly washed, and one shall ALWAYS have applied a subtle quantity of eau de toilette (or “cologne”). It is, AT ALL TIMES FORBIDDEN to ride in an unwashed kit. This is severely detrimental to one’s image.
17. Saddles shall be white in colour ONLY and shall be manufactured in Italy or France. Exceptions may be made in the following cases:i) Saddles containing World Cup Stripes or Olympic Gold when it is EARNEDii) Italian flag colour combo when rider is ITALIAN (born in Italy)
18. Handlebar tape is required to be cork as well as WHITE IN COLOUR. Bar tape shall be kept in pristine white condition. This state shall be achieved either through daily cleansing or through frequent replacement. These jobs must NEVER be performed by the cyclist as one must maintain one’s image.
19. All stems must be a minimum of 120mm long and of a rise no higher than -10 degrees. Stems shall be positioned no more than 0.5cm above the top of the headtube. ALL stems shall ALWAYS be oversized, made out of ALUMINUM, and airbrushed in kit/frame colours. In certain cases (Mario Cipollini) it is advised that one airbrush a buxom young woman onto the top of one’s stem.
20. The Euro Cyclist shall ALWAYS have liniment applied to his legs before appearing in public.
21. Facial hair shall be restricted to (at a maximum) a goatee, and even this is discouraged. Moustaches, beards, and any combination thereof are EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED in all instances. Stubble is, however, advisable in virtually ALL euro-situations. It is important to note that this DOES NOT apply to the legs.
22. Campagnolo shall be THE ONLY acceptable component and it is hereby deemed superior to ANY Shimano product in ALL circumstances and situations. The Euro Cyclist is expected to have nothing less than an ENTIRE campy grouppo. Crank substitutions are NOT permitted. There is, however, a case by case exception for SRAM Red.
23. One shall NEVER, under any circumstances, acknowledge the presence of a cyclist riding a bike costing less than 2000€ in ANY public place. This may be severely detrimental to one’s image. If such a situation cannot be helped, it is CRITICAL that the Euro Cyclist regard his “acquaintance” with a patrician mixture of disdain and SEVERE condescension.
24. One shall NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, associate with triathletes. This cannot be overemphasized! It is FORBIDDEN to have any number inked onto one’s body before a race.
25. Any physical activity other than cycling is STRONGLY FROWNED UPON. This includes any form of running or swimming and their derivatives (this includes walking). The ONLY TWO other sports with a recognized degree of euro are: cross-country skiing and long track speed skating.
26. Mountain bike gloves are FORBIDDEN in all instances. Cycling gloves shall be slick, white (in accordance with kit), and have minimal padding. Padding will be beige or white in colour. Wearing NO GLOVES is entirely acceptable and encouraged. In the case of a Euro Cyclist wearing a leader’s jersey special gloves shall be made to match the colour of the jersey while simultaneously blending the colours of the team kit.
27. In a circumstance where any cyclist (or TRIATHLETE) ever displays aggression or disrespect towards a Euro Cyclist, he is required to ride up uncomfortably close to his foe and slap them in the face with his team issue gloves.
28. In the event a motorist disturbs one’s ride: one shall proceed to ride up beside the car, form a clenched fist and bang the boot of the car while doing one’s best to sound irritated in Italian. Wild arm and head movements (“Gesticulation”) are strongly encouraged to enhance the apparent rage.
29. One shall NEVER rearrange one’s package while riding. Adjustments regarding seating/hanging comfort are to be done in private in order to preserve image.
30. ABSOLUTELY NO FORM of seatbag, frame pump, mud guard or mirror shall come within two (2) metres of one’s bike.
31. Gearing shall be restricted to a titanium Campy Record 11-23 cassette with a ABSOLUTE MINIMUM of 42-53 up front. One must never be seen pedaling at a cadence greater than 90 rpm in order not to detract from one’s calm/smooth factor, or “Suplesse.” The use of 25-toothed cog is acceptable for severely mountainous training situations.
32. ALL BIKES shall feature personalized nameplates next to one’s home country’s flag, located on the top-tube within ten (10) cm. of the seat-tube ON THE DRIVE SIDE ONLY.
33. Pedals MUST be either Look or Time. No other pedals are to be considered. As always, ANY form of Shimano product is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.
34. Coffee is a NECESSITY and as such it must be consumed STRONG (e.g. espresso) on a patio in Italy in full kit; it shall be drunk BLACK. Sugar is STRONGLY FROWNED UPON. The only milk present shall appear frothed on top (if at all). The euro cyclist shall, if possible, develop a fondness for the triple ristretto.
35. All podium shots (“pictures”) shall be taken while wearing one’s team kit and appropriately matching casual euro shoes (such as Pumas). Socks shall remain within the guidelines above. One is expected to display an appropriate degree of bulge while receiving kisses/trophies. The bulge may vary according to the outlandishness/impracticality of the victory prize (e.g. livestock and/or enormous cheese wheels).
36. All pre- and post-race activity SHALL be conducted under a gazebo (this includes massages, interviews, seductions, and looking fantastic) leaving one in reasonable distance of the Euro-sun to top up one’s enviable tanlines and pose for photos.
37. Post-race, one shall be tied to one's mobile phone, receiving endless calls from:i. One’s attractive girlfriend, orii. Important ad executives concerning modeling contracts. This shall be done under the protection of the post race gazebo.
38. Team bikes will be built up so that they violate the UCI weight limit in order that weights might be attached to the frame to demonstrate its superiority and lightness.
39. Motivational music during training shall consist of late 90s trance or progressive house, hereby known as 'euro beats.' NO EXCEPTIONS.
40. Water Bottles shall be referred to solely as "Bidons" and shall have a volume NOT EXCEEDING 500ml. Bidons shall always match team/kit colours. It is NOT ACCEPTABLE in ANY CIRCUMSTANCE to leave one’s bidons on the bike for more than ten (10) minutes post-ride OR while transporting bikes via bike rack.
41. Naked black ALL CARBON water bottle cages (manufactured by ELITE CAGES) shall be used on ALL BIKES. Exceptions include:i) Special edition 24k gold cages, acceptable in certain cases such as photo shoots, prologues or where colour coordination dictates (e.g. gold cage with Olympic gold/white team kit).
42. A gold pendant on a very long, thin chain bearing some form of religious icon is STRONGLY recommended for mountain races.
43. While soloing in for a victory, one shall ensure that one’s jersey is FULLY ZIPPED and ALIGNED so that all title sponsors are clearly visible. One shall then smile and flex one’s arms while pointing sky-wards. The projection of one’s fatigue is EXPLICITLY FORBIDDEN IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.
44. When appearing in a photo spread for a sponsor’s products, the Euro Cyclist has the option of appearing fully nude, in team kit, or in a full Brioni three-piece suit (nothing else). Smiling is PROHIBITED in these instances.
45. When appearing in documentaries, one must be seen walking around the hotel in one’s kit at all times. It is also recommended that one constantly be eating something in front of the cameras.
46. When asked "how are you?" while riding one must proceed with one of the following...i. Complain about coming off a sicknessii. Explain that one is peaking for bigger races later in the seasoniii. Mention that this is a "recovery ride"iv. Explain that one is at the tail end of one’s daily six (6) hour training ride
47. If one feels the urge to relieve oneself during a race, one shall gracefully meander to the back of the pack, seat oneself sideways on the saddle, and pee into the sunflowers. It is the DUTY of the Euro Cyclist to ensure that no camera crew catches the act, for it could be severely detrimental to one’s image. Under no circumstances shall one dismount from his bike in order to urinate.
48. When climbing anything with a gradient above twenty (20) percent OR lasting greater than four (4) kilometers, the Euro Cyclist shall fully unzip his jersey and let it flutter freely in the wind.
49. When dropping out of a race, one shall avoid the embarrassment of entering the official broomwagon and shall instead wait for the team vehicle. When asked the reason for dropping out, one shall cite mechanical problems or oncoming sickness in order to avoid any negative speculation in regards to one’s fitness.
50. If in doubt, the euro cyclist shall mention in an interview that his pollen allergies are acting up, and that he’s not sure that he’ll win the Giro this year. In this situation he must note that the sensations are otherwise good, and that he will eventually win a beautiful stage.
51. Team-building motivational camps shall be held annually in the off-season. These are to place team members in as ridiculous a setting as possible. Photos shall be widely reproduced to demonstrate team cohesion.
52. During the pre-race medical checks, star riders of each team are strongly advised to play doctor with each other while shirtless. Photos taken must strive to be as HOMO-EROTIC AS POSSIBLE.
53. In order to avoid the harsh European winter, one shall:i. Flee to the warmer climates of Mallorca/South Africa/Canary Islands/etc.ii. “Train the mind, body and soul” with Kreitler-brand rollers
54. In the event of a crash, regardless of the gravity of an injury the Euro Cyclist shall mummify himself in fishnet gauze. The act of gauzing oneself (in order to continue racing while injured) is looked upon with respect by other Euro Cyclists as a statement of commitment and of strength of character. One shall use white gauze to bandage injuries; however, world cup striped gauze and/or national colors may be used in addition to white in select circumstances.
55. No form of large or obtrusive tattoo shall be printed onto the skin anywhere on the body. Small, discreet tattoos of the Virgin Mary or Olympic rings (assuming one has participated in Olympic games) no larger than three (3) cm. by three cm. shall be considered tasteful if AND ONLY IF located out of sight while one wears regular kit.
56. If a rider’s sponsors do not make quality parts, then the rider shall buy better parts and superimpose his sponsor’s stickers over them (e.g. Quickstep's past rebranding of Time products as Specialized).
57. No rider shall wear any shorts with any type of hole showing skin below unless said hole and or opening was from a recent crash DURING that training session and/or race. Wearing ripped shorts is allowed ONLY while one is struggling to the finish and/or to the correct place to wait for the team car to take one out of the race.
58. When cresting the summit of a climb the Euro Cyclist will sit up, zip his jersey, and reach into his pocket for a snack while simultaneously looking back to see who will be accompanying him on the descent. Note that while coasting to allow another rider to catch up (in order to work together on the way down) is allowed, coasting in order to rest is FORBIDDEN.
59. The Euro Cyclist shall own a sizeable parrot and will ensure that he is seen walking around photo shoots with it perched either upon his casually outstretched index finger or upon his shoulder. Hair should be slicked back for maximal effect. The parrot should either be white or it should contain three (3) or more colors found within the World cup stripes. One must always smile when pictured with the parrot. The parrot should speak fluent Italian. In certain cases it is deemed advisable that the Euro Cyclist possess, in place of a parrot, SEVERAL young pumas.
60. The Euro Cyclist shall never ride deep carbon wheels with aluminum braking surfaces, with the exceptions of Mavic wheels and the Ghibli disc. Aluminum braking surfaces detract from the seamless transition of black carbon to black tire that makes the Euro cyclist look so devilish upon his race wheels. Deep carbon wheels shall have prominent decals upon them UNLESS they originate from Carbonsports in Germany.
61. When the Euro Cyclist wins a race or a grand tour he shall stylishly uncork the bottle of champagne and spray it around the podium. If the rider is ravenous, slightly overweight and German he shall place the opening of the champagne bottle close to his mouth and drink (heavily) with puffed out cheeks and a smile. If the rider is truly Euro he will take the ENTIRE bottle of champagne in his arms and parade about the finish area with it. Champagne bottles must be COMICALLY OVERSIZED. One should spray the podium girls. Especially if they are dressed in white.
62. At the finish of a Grand Tour the Euro cyclist shall celebrate by cycling around the finish area decked out in team kit and proper Euro casual footwear. If married, the Euro cyclist shall have his child in his arms. The toddler may rest upon his handlebars, or in the event that the Euro cyclist achieves a podium spot, accompany the rider onto the podium. The child should have its own victory salute that will be used in conjunction with that of his/her father. In some cases the child is permitted to wear an entirely-too-large team jersey. This rule shall be upheld by ALL riders save for Mario Cipollini, who would be unable to comply due to the sheer number of offspring he has fathered courting supermodels over the past two decades.

The Fabulous Cycling Tan

Well the sun is out! Shorts, short sleeved jerseys little white sock! ( No black ones in my world, or knee/calf length). Isnt it just fantastic? Taking on board loads of water, zips undone & sun cream trying its best to stop the deadly UV rays (sweat seems to counter any creams and then we cook in our own sweat). Nice. The cycling tan is coming along nicely, defined lines ofd action shout my sport to others. The wife walks 30m ahead trying not to answer anything said in her direction. Why? Cycling tans are a signal of all the hard work done over winter, skin wrapped up in none anything prenetrating. The hard hills and intervals of early spring and legwarmers. At last we can now show off those shaved and honed/toned muscles we are so proud of.

Why arent others? Do they not see us as the partakers in the worlds hardest sport? Do they not see that they should be proud of us because we are possibly some of the most interesting wildlife seen in not only the country but also urban and indeed city areas. We have the ancient rite of the warrior to be respected in all our guises, cycling armour - DryWool - or civvies. Stand up and show that defined line of the wheeled Ninja, be proud of the CYCLING TAN!



Word!

Merino wool cycling jerseys are Go!

After 2 months trading weve had a good go at the press, both national and local. Weve been on the telly, sold more than our estimation. All well and good, but now its starts to get a bit more serious! We now have to sell in this next month more than we have already done in the last 2.
Its a challenge, but we`re up to it. Shutt VR has some good stock, a great material in Dry-Wool and we are introducing new items. The Ladies Jersey will be with us in 3 weeks and shorts are being manufactured. I have a meeting this week regarding winter fabrics, so its all go on all fronts. Unlike the weather, which is raining as I look out of the window.
Legs still, sore so a steady Earlybird ride in the morning should get things sorted.

Cycling legs! They ache.

Legs ache at the end of the day. No matter what!. Small 20 mile ride, long and hard 120 mile sportive. They are all the same, unless you do both at below 10 mph then its really easy. But we dont do that do we? No, we bleeding well dont. My legs ache!

Team Shutt.CC at The Hampshire Hilly 100

Team Shuttvr.com had its first outing last Sunday inthe Hampshire Hilly 100. I went down to ride with our southern correspondant Peter `The Swan` Swann, in what turned out to be a cracking event. Fast start, puncture after 15 miles, big effort to get back on, blowing at 55, recovering at 65 then massive effort to make up the lost time on `The Swan` Who was instructed to "leave me to my fate". All on suprisingly hilly route, I know its called the Hilly 100 but I`m from Yorkshire and you know what we are like!
A top 10% place was talked of, but due to the puncture 8 mins were lost and this put me top 13% with the `The Swan` 10.5% I think. Minus the 8 mins and wed have been in our desired finishing positions. Still not bad for an old bloke and a bird and Gold standard was acheived.
We rode in team kit, Shutt No 5 White, which made us feel like a team, if nothing else, at least.

Its been busy, as you can tell from the date of the last post. Just the day to day running is more than enough to cope with. Its been a fantastic 2 months, so much so we've actually run out of jerseys and had to sew up more just for stock. The Bespoke service is in overdrive, bulk order designs are waiting to be approved and sewn. We introduced a new colour way, Shutt No 5 Black, Grey band and White shoulders which has already gone into its third run. Shorts are on the way once we get the flocking right, there`s a women's jersey being sewn for testing (ready for sale 3 weeks hopefully) and a new colour way Black with White band another No 5.

Let me find some time to write a blog every other day! Yeah right!!

Cycling Weekly & Beyond Leeds

A couple of points here. after reading Cycling Weekly for 32 years Its suddenly hit me that the UKs No 1 Cycling journal has a double meaning - Cycling every week and Cycling weakly!!! I know, I know but it hit me yesterday and things like that matter to me.
Point 2, Shutt VR are in this weeks Cycling Weekly, Page 46 top left. A nice little piece on the company and what our jerseys are about. Then on page 36 and the contents page a picture of a cyclist having a drink. So whats so good about that? Well he has on a Shutt No 5 Glacier blue on Black, in small. Its a small cause I sent it to CW for a review. So I suppose that during the review, the rider got hot and needed a drink. What a coincidence.
Then we also appear in a magazine called Beyond Leeds, a nice feature on us and the whys and wherefore of the comapany. a splendid gesture by Mark Bowness `Boney` to everyone in town. So Boney will be getting a good night out shortly.

Shutt VR Cycle circle

Grim weather is still with us, especially in the morning, which is when we ride. Early, 6.30 meet up then ride before the day starts. I rode this morning in wet, grimy & gritty conditions, cold wind and rain along side Ged & James, who normally you can trust to keep a conversation going. However today the talking was sparse for a couple of reasons, both to do with the conditions. When the wind howls through the trees and past ones ears, its impossible to hear, so its pointless as the answer to anything said is `what`? After a while this becomes tedious. Then with the rain stinging in the eyes, cheeks and forehead it takes all of the powers to concentrate going in a line that doesnt end up in a collision with an inaminate object! Has this been going on for the last 4 months? I believe so. What is the answer to the above `social cyling problem`? Nothing, just wait til the sun warms up the air and then catch up on 5 months of chat.

Anyway, enough of this drivvel. I have work to do designing jerseys for clubs, groups and Companies to fill the rest of the day. Then pack and post the days orders then write posts then think about the winter gear then make sure the ladies garment samples are fitted right then order some more fabric then make sure its been sent then start to look for further fabric for summer accessories then answer e-mails then see if the press are going to publish the photos of the the new colour way for the stock Shutt VR No5 Calico Jersey. Then..... well im sure something will rear its ugly head and have to be dealt with. Like going out tomorrow in the grimy & gritty conditions, cold wind and rain.

Away from the action.

The rest of the guys, no women in our group unfortunately, are doing a Belgium classic today. The Tour Of Flanders Sportive. Full race distance, 159 miles, and all those cobbled climbs. By now they will be well on their way experiencing a peleton of 17000! This is why Im feeling left out, I was going but circumstances were such that I had to cancel at the last minute. Imagine 17000 cyclists of all shapes and sizes all enjoying themselves going fast along one of the most famous routes there is.
I did get out this morning, up to Grassington halfway up the valley with 2 other stay at homes, but it wasnt the same. I have a not bad fitness, which seems a bit wasted on a `stroll in the Dales`. I know I can carry it through going towards my next event but I really would like to have expended it on the soil of Flanders!
Still, the sun came out on the return section which dried off the Soft Blue No8 after a wetting on the way out.
Dreaming of Flanders.

White Rose Challenge Cycle Sportive

SHUTT VR is to Sponsor the White Rose Challenge Jerseys
We are to line up alongside the organisers of the Superb WHITE ROSE CHALLENGE set in our locale, here in the magnificent Yorkshire Dales! We will be giving away Jerseys to the most successful male, female and junior (under 16) riders, successful being the most sponsorship money raised.We look forward to working alongside WRC and Cancer Research to make the ride the best days sportive in the UK.
For Enties please click
To get our name associated with such a prestigeous event as the WRC is a great honour & an opportunity for us to gain exposure to thousands of cyclists on the day as well as provide jerseys for such a great charity as Cancer Research.

A good Sunday

Punctures on Saturday meant a lonely ride back as I told the Shutt VR Lads to ride on as time scales have to be adhered to for families. It wasnt that bad though, only about 15 miles with 12 of that being helped by the roaring tailwind. Sunday turned from a very cold frost and ice ridden early morning start into the best ride of the year. Well for aesthetics anyway. 6 turned out to start losing one new member after about 18 miles as he wasn’t quite up to keeping up on the hills. Then as the morning wore on an Ill member then decided that it was best to curtail the ride short as the Tour of Flanders is looming and best not spoil that.
So 3 left taking 6-8 miles on the front at a go saw us heading deep into the dales. The sun was up and affording us magnificent views across the valley. Unfortunately, the sun was on the opposite side and we still had to put up with cold hands and feet. Turning up to Kidstones, the sun got higher and started warm us up. Its quite incredible how the body absorbs even the weakest bit of sun and thus gives cheer. Whilst climbing at this point the London-Edinburgh `vintage` car rally came noisily past, big Bentley blowers and smaller MGs gave the impression of how a mid war tour must have been. Noisy cars spuing out rich fumes whilst grinding gears trying to get around hairpin bends. Very atmospheric!
The long swooping descent into another valley not often visited was tremendous fun. A little ice every now and then but nothing too bad. A quick left into a very picturesque village enhanced the `from bygone times` feel to the ride with the distant rumble of the cars further down the valley. Up a steep little bank and over the top saw us drop into Wensleydale and into a head wind which had decided to change its direction, so still being in our faces as so far had been on the ride. The sun was now warming up the day and it was noted there was not a cloud in the sky, all the moisture has dropped as frost and the air was crystal clear. A day for photographs.
Riding into Hawes it was time for a quick bite of energy bar before the `hill of the day` Fleets Moss, the hard way. What a hill, it rises straight in front of you and shows itself in all its glory. Consistent at about 1-8 then rearing up at at least 1-4 for the top 200m, it certainly makes those legs ache. Rewarded with far-reaching views of the fells and tops, deep into North &West Yorkshire to Lancashire from a height of 1869ft. (I believe). The descent down of this monster is fast and technical. Sharp bends, hidden dips and long swoops turning this way & that. The real deal here as the road enters the Langstrothdale and falls gently away in one of the most spectacular valley bottom rides in Yorkshire. Sun shining, clear skies, a meandering road next to a limestone bedded river and most importantly of all, no cars.
Still the wind in our faces, nothing new there, down past Hubberholme and into Buckden the pace was fairly high with the 3 of us all taking our turns, not much conversation now as we looked around at the beautiful steep banked valley walls that bound Kettlewell. The back road is always a treat, no cars and narrow lanes. The rest of the journey is just a visual treat, Hebden with its offset main street curling down into a lost valley rising up over upper fell meadows, to the fabulous view looking down on Burnsall from the North, the fell dark and brooding contrasting with the green of the fields and the blue of the meandering ox-bow river. Only Appletreewick and Barden to go now, legs were getting tired now but onward we pedaled, congratulating and thanking each other for what was a memorable ride. If you weren’t there you missed out on a good 80+ miler. I recommend you do it one day. Oh, and no mention of our Shutt VR jerseys so easily available at http://www.shuttvr.com/ !

The right choice!

Choosing the right bike shop for your needs is part and parcel of the cyclist`s life. Do they do road bikes, Mtb`s only? Do they provide a good service at a reasonable price? Will they kindly let you off the price of a tube until your next visit to get you home after a mishap with a couple of flints? Is the clothing up your street ie, at the right price or the favoured brand?
How do you know unless you visit it a few times? Well the modern way is via the internet, the ubiquitous web site that tells you all about the shop. What a great tool to get inside the shop and its staff. Or is it? Looking for selective retailers to sell our Shutt VR jerseys, Ive spent the day trawling round the bike shops in 3 cities today. Ive visited about 30-40 shops. Some quickly some in depth, all from the comfort(?) of my office chair. I found myself only contemplating the shops that had `decent` websites. the ones without Im sure were more than adequate and provide exactly what I want, but as they were not in the so called `21st century` communications wise, they were immediately discarded.
This is not the right way to decide who we would like to take our goods, surely I should get on my bike, map in hand, jerseys in pannier and visit each and every one. This I would like to do, but do I have the time? Yes! Is it fitting for a `Rep` not to be dressed smartly? I dont know that one, but as we all are cyclists it shouldn`t matter that Im in riding gear & not wearing a suit, should it? I think Ill give it a go to guage it!
Any thoughts on this?

Wind

April has started early. That wind has got up. Some big gusts yesterday and today, riding at about 18mph instantly down to 4mph then struggle to build speed again. still, its what we ride for.
Shutt VR are having a launch day at JD Cycles in Ilkley sometime in May. So look out for dancing girls, helicopters and all the usual paraphernalia for presentation days. Umm! Maybe not just yet. But it will be a fun day with food and drink and Jersey selling as well.
Its early planning stage at the mo but we`ll let you all know what happens.
Til then its still No 8 weather so keep riding and get stuck in.

Ps we have to thank Road.cc for a great write up. Cheers guys.

Cav

Milan san Remo
Cav Cav Cav Cav Cav Cav Cav
Brilliant, absolutely Brilliant. Perfection in timing.

Spring

There is a possibility that we maybe sponsoring a major sportive this year. Lets hope that it comes off as Shutt has a lot to offer with its range of short sleeved Jerseys. Normally the first fantastic day of the year is the same day as this Sportive, but this year its a few weeks later than normal, so Shutt VR Jerseys versions 1, 3, 5 will be the choice of any self respected sportive rider wanting to do a decent ride.

Keep your eyes peeled!


Willy on Langbar

More why?

Riding this morning I was wondering where our designs really came from. It struck me that if lycra had not been invented and was taken out of history, Shutt VR jerseys are essentially what the club racer/ sportive/everyday rider would be wearing. They are from a classic tradition but are up to date. Of course Pros would be wearing jerseys with wavy lines, swirls etc. seamed in and logos flocked on but thats all.
On from that, our Bespoke service can do that any way http://www.shuttvr.com/contact.php
Just a thought.

Legs tired after a morning thrash!

Spring Cycling

Fantastic day at last. After sending off some Shutt jerseys I made my way down to Lincoln to ride with my Brother, the unfortunate model on the website http://www.shuttvr.com/
Looking forward to sun riding I dressed in our short sleeved No 5 Glacier jersey with bibtights & no overshoes - bliss. Stepping out from the house the sun went in and the chill filled in the space. A quick trip back inside to slip on a Long sleeved Shutt No 8 Olive. A really nice ride through the lanes allowed us to see the local wildlife, my first ever Mink! At first I thought it was an Otter but after a Google the pics proved me wrong. A great ` I-spy`. The next local wildlife was Impsports ex boss Dan Ellesmore at last riding instead of working, quite a coincidence. After a a good conversation for about 10 miles he disappered off on his own track. We carried on for a further 35 miles, with the sun trying to get through the thin cloud, at about 19mph. Sedate for a county with no hills. After a cup of tea there was a visit to the local bike shop to promote Shutt VR, I got the feeling that it went down well and that we have a great product and with a shop getting a refurb, soon we shall have a stand showing of our goods in the flatlands.

Shutt and why?

Are we sitting comfortably? Then ill begin.
Once upon a time I was working as a Commercial Interior Designer. Doing bars. pubs, restauarants etc. But all that came to an abrupt end in Oct of 08. `Great what do I do now` was the immediate response, Well being a lifelong cyclist it was time to create the Co. Id been thinking about for a few years.

SHUTT VR www.shuttvr.com
We are a start-up company founded based in Ilkley by two avid cyclists. We noticed a gap in the market for well designed, high quality jerseys that don’t cost a fortune. We also saw that most cycle clothing is manufactured in the far east – even the very top level brands have taken their business to China. We decided that one of the basic principals of our company should be to design, manufacture and source our materials here, in Britain.

Although plans were already being made to launch Shutt VR, the morning after my redundancy notice was issued it seemed like a good time to accelerate the business and get things moving. My business partner, Alex Raistrick & I want to defy the economic gloom and create a good value, high quality stylish brand for riders. We sacrifice some profit margin to retain our ‘Made In Britain’ tag but see this as something we should stick to whilst we’re in fairly bleak economic times to ensure we add value to the local economy.

Our cycling jerseys are made with a fabric called Dri-wool this is of a similar construction to Sportwool and is in fact manufactured by the original manufacturers of that fabric. It keeps you cool when it’s hot, warm when it’s cold and has very high wicking capabilities. Merino wool woven with Polyester for the wools wicking and polyester` dispersal properties.

We’ve created 4 designs in 12 colour ways for our initial launch and will shortly add women specific jerseys , designed with the help of female cyclists – a first we think! Our colours are understated but interesting. We’ve tried to avoid hideous yellows but be more interesting and easier to see than plain black.

A unique feature of ours is our ‘bespoke service’. Because we manufacture locally and have a large selection of colours available, we can create many hundreds of combinations for customers. The turn-around for the bespoke service is expected to be around 7 working days – pretty quick for something a rider can design themselves.

Cycling is about being out in all weathers riding with solo or with your mates having gentle & epic rides, tales of daring do getting stuck in basically and having a ball of a time.

No1

Shutt VR No 1 cycling jerseys are long sleeved and perfect for A spring morning. As proved this Sunday when I rode out to the Addingham 10.
It really was a tremendous start in the the pretty Village of Addingham. Sun shining, locals going for bread viewing strange helmeted Aliens on strange machines. Lovely quiet back lane start , flat for 100m to build speed, small rise then dropping down along tree lined avenue with the lush green of the rolling dales in front. The flatish road built up speed which allowed a false sense of security. Coming off the first rise of the day after a mile or so is a lovely sweeping bend down to the river which gave time to get the first bit breath back. Let the fixed wheel do the job it was intended for! Pleasantness over now, the roundabout turned one into the wind. Getting as low as possible trying to turn the 84" round in a steady but fluid motion whilst powering up a grind soon sapped the bit of energy gained back on the swoop. The sun was forgotten. It could have been snowing for all I knew, all I wanted to do was get on top of the gear, steady the breathing and prepare for the severe drags dips and long dragging climbs of the next 3 miles. "Steady on, stay calm, take deep lungfuls and eventually get on top as required. Right now Im ready for the next bit..."
It wasnt too be, the front started to feel sluggish but not flat. I decided to stop to use the small but super pump in the rear pump pocket to top it up. Thus allowing a breather for 30 secs. Back on and away with renewed vigour, the first real hill of the day was presenting no problems at all. Out of the saddle and things were cool. Until the rim started to bounce along the tarmac. Darn it. Stop, event over. Fix it then brisk back enjoying the sun warming legs exposed to the fresh air for the first time this year. Back in the HQ the local ladies had done a great job providing tea and sarnies. There was a wonderful `niceness` in the air as friendships were renewed after the long winter.
Elsie looked like he does at 2.30 in the morning after a few Pinot Noirs, but 10% more coherant. He was slightly suprised at the very decent ride he did and a good day was had by all. Well, not all! Lesson learnt is dont use last years inner tubes at high pressure without a few days testing first.Still a pretty start to the season anyway!