Steve Smales Blog

  • A FEW THOUGHTS ON CYCLING...

    Steve Smales shares his thoughts after a life involved with cycling at all levels and in numerous roles

STEVE SMALES BLOG

Just a few thoughts on cycling

Steve Smales is a cyclist: it really is that simple and he rides just about every kind of bike that can be ridden competitively, having competed at a high level in multiple disciplines. These days he enjoys supporting younger riders and mentoring them, as well as his work as an international cycling commissaire, having officiated at the UCI World Championships, Paris-Nice and numerous other events across the globe.

That’s a brief introduction and so it’s time to hand over to Steve and allow you to read his own thoughts on cycling and for Steve to tell you a bit more about his blog. Anyway, one thing that we know is that you’ll find it interesting and at times inspring.

Schwalbe One tubeless tyre 30c

Schwalbe seem to sit in a select group of really sound tyre brands with consistently good products. Hutchinson and Panaracer occupy this space also. Well developed products that perform well. Time then to take a look at this tubeless offering.
June 21, 2022/by Pedalnorth Website

Capoliveri Legend Cup

Yesterday’s journey to my first crack at a UCI Marathon Series started about fifteen years ago, after seeing Miguel Martinez solo to a marathon win on Eurosport, having ditched his punctured back tyre and ‘rimming it’ from about 5km out. I’d been an armchair fan of Cape Epic and loved the footage of the dust covered athletes racing MTB’s in dramatic landscapes. I’m in my fifties. I still want to be that man. Tragic I know.
October 15, 2020/by Pedalnorth Website

Costa Blanca MTB Stage Race

Over the last thirty five years of cycle racing, I’ve often considered my peers and their contentment at riding the same disciplines, indeed the same races, year in year out. Each to their own and all that, but it’s not for me. It’s probably a Myers-Briggs personality thing. Firstly, I like new experiences; secondly, as a very average amateur athlete, I have never really found a discipline that has offered fame and fortune. Riding the same races over and over again holds little appeal.
September 20, 2020/by Pedalnorth Website

The Mature Athlete and The Vicious Circle

Over the last thirty years I’ve raced and trained consistently. From consistent top ten finishes in the CTT British Best All-Rounder competition, through cyclocross and MTB Cross Country. Twenty to thirty starts a year on average. Under normal circumstances, I love my sport and drive home just as euphorically happy after turning myself inside out to hang onto a group in a cross race as I did to score the occasional win against the watch fifteen years ago.
August 12, 2020/by Pedalnorth Website

A few thoughts on bikefitting

Riding a bike seems a simple process. However, it's not until we start to look at the technical aspects, that we can really begin to reap the full benefits. Steve took a reluctant trip for bike fit and came back a changed rider... with lots of bikes to change too 😉
July 9, 2020/by Pedalnorth Website

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