Will 'WVW' - London Baroudeurs

WVW on his way to Edinburgh and back!

Cycling name?

WVW.

Why do you ride your bike?

To stay fit and have fun. I tried a lot of different ways of keeping healthy but found them all too boring (running is the worst), riding a bike is not only fun, it’s social and challenging. What more could you want?

Favourite place to ride?

Riding across the Penine’s and up to Scotland was an amazing experience, but favourite ride out of London has to be the Long Box route. It’s the first one I ever did with the B’s.

Up or down mountains?

Always down. I prefer speed over suffering.

Favourite climb?

The Devil’s Beef Tub, out of Moffat and towards Edinburgh. It’s a beautiful climb, especially when I rode it which was as dawn was breaking. I started out in pitch black, with only other cyclist’s lights strung out across the mountain showing the climb ahead, and the dawn slowly revealed the amazing Scottish landscape.

What song/tune/music goes through your head when riding?

Ideally it’d be some Hendric, but when I’m in the pain cave, it’s anything I can think of to distract me.

Best moments on a bike?

When the ride suggestion was for a fifty mile loop round Hertfordshire, I had no idea what I was in for. There were two groups going and I optimistically went with the later fast group, who would be chasing the earlier, slower group.

Ollie and Ben were my only companions. We started out going up Swain’s Lane and I immediately put myself into the red. I was just trying to keep up with Ollie and Ben as they chatted away up the severe climb. When we got to the top I felt like throwing up but they drilled it down the road.

I assumed that there would be some point where I could recover. But no. Ollie and Ben were intent on catching the slow group.

Twenty miles in, I was wondering if my heart would explode when Ben shouted “Team Time Trial”. Ollie and Ben upped the pace and I realised that they hadn’t even been trying that hard while I was dying in the back. I tried to keep up but after a couple of seconds they were disappearing down the road.

They kindly waited for me at each junction, and then we caught the slow group at the top of the next hill. They’d been delayed repairing a puncture (for over 30 minutes). I’ve never been so happy to see anyone in my life.

WVW, first from the left, is also the happiest man in the world

How long does it take you to change a flat?

Too long. Fifteen minutes maybe? Luckily I haven’t had to change that many.

space

Advice to a new cyclist

Don’t break the bank buying expensive kit before you know what you’re doing. A cheap bike that won’t cost you the earth to replace is a great place to learn how to do maintenance.

SPACE

Steel, Carbon or Ti?

I’ve only ridden aluminium to day, but I dream of Ti.

Grand Tours or Classics?

Classics all the way. Short and brutal over long and meandering.

Gels or Potatoes?

Potatoes. Gels are too much like baby food.

Headwind or rain?

Rain every time.

Arriba, WVW and Captain Brutalis keeping the winter at bay

I wish I had been told that…

Buying a bike that fit’s is better than buying a bike that looks cool.

SPACE

What’s it like being a Baroudeur?

London Baroudeurs is a club for individuals. After all, a baroudeur is the solo breakaway specialist.

We ride as a group, but there are no rules as to how many rides you have to do a year, average speed or number of races. Anyone can suggest a ride (but then they have to organise it). Everyone has their own goals, and is supported by each other to attain these goals.

If you like riding fast in the company of great cyclists and friends, then the Baroudeurs are the club for you.

Leading the way with WVW

1 advice to someone wanting to join the Baroudeurs?

Just turn up and don’t be afraid to ask questions. It can be quite intimidating getting into cycling as there’s so much to learn, but the Bs are a friendly bunch and people are happy to share tips.

Where do you want to take your cycling?

I’d like to be more consistent, turn some fat into muscle and start taking some KOMs on Strava.

:: Meet more of the Baroudeurs

Will ‘WVW’