BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Ten Saracen reps will be there. As will MD Paul Stanforth and sales director Roger Dear. John Moore will no doubt be on a new JCB (bike not the digger). Pete Short from Harrogate bike shop psychloSport will be closing his shop early to be with us. Any punctures will be expertly fixed by Hamish ‘Cure-C-Cure’ Stewart of Weldtite.
There are many others signed up for the ride.
It’s not going to be overly ambitious. Ten miles tops. Mind you, there are one or two hill climbs.
For those who wish to get some miles in rather than beer (Shimano’s Peter Harrison, for instance) there will be ample opportunities for extending the ride.
However, there will be no off-road option. The area chosen for the ride is awash with minor roads but the only bridleways are closed due to FMD.
The route will leave Harrogate via the posh houses of the Duchies and will reach the Joiner’s Arms at Hampsthwaite, north of the A59 and west of town. Keenies can carry on the Niddersdale Way and loop back to the pub via Kettlesing Bottom.
A sag-waggon will be following the ride just in case of emergencies. Maps of the route will be distributed just before the ride starts.
We’ll be led out of town by Gordan Maclay, Harrogate’s cycling officer (that’s him above).
He’s also invited members of the local roadie clubs, and lobbying group. And we should also be joined by two or three tandems, the riders of which normally go out on Tuesday nights (the stokers are blind).
The show closes at 6pm on the Monday night. By the time riding kit has been donned and bikes retrieved from hotels it should be about 6.15pm. We’ll aim to leave by 6.30pm. Congregate by the columns of the new entrance to the Harrogate exhibition halls, opposite the George Hotel.
There will no food available at the Joiner’s Arms so the plan is to ride back to Harrogate after a swift half or two and then repair to restaurants in town.
Register your interest at swifthalf@bikebiz.co.uk
OTHER ICC STUFF:
The show organisers would like exhibitors to bring along promotional banners to the show. These will be draped for free on the perimeter of the Test Track
Olympic bronze medallist Johnny Clay will be attending the show and will give a talk in the seminar room on Sunday at 12.30. It’s called ‘To Oz and Back’.
