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In its third year, the UK Klein meet brings together Klein fans, collectors and riders from the UK and Europe. Previous meetings have bought a wide variety of rare bikes, including prototypes, rare paint schemes and NOS builds and we hope this year to be no different. Our plan is to meet in the Surrey Hills, near Guildford and ride in and around Holmbury Hill, Peaslake and Winterfold, taking in some interesting trails, single track, fireroads and view points. The ride will end either at a welcoming pub or a private venue where garage queens can be displayed. Register you interest and confirm details in the Klein Meet thread.

The UK's largest gathering of classic pre-1995 mountain bikes, ‘icon•o•classic’, is taking place at the historic market place in Warwick on September 14th 2014. icon•o•classic will provide a showcase for these bikes – both to the general public, and for all the exhibitors and other like-minded enthusiasts.  We’re sure that like us you will relish the opportunity to show your bikes, and to be able to see so many others all at the same time and in the same location. All up to date details, including registration information can be found at www.iconoclassic.org as well as in the dedicated section on Retrobike – both of which will be regularly updated. The aim for icon•o•classic is to showcase at least 200 pre-1995 mountain bikes, in one...

So, here we go again, another lame Edwards tale that will follow the usual format. I’d echo Micheal Gove with his “yadda, yadda, yadda” from Newsnight (I can’t believe I’ve just repped Gove) but I know that more is expected, desired even. They say never change a winning formula but when your formula ain’t winning you sure as hell make changes. So, if you’re after the usual hackneyed recounting of lack of physical and mechanical preparation, unfortunate bowel evacuation, shoehorned popular culture and your modest scribe bravely saving the day via scarcely creditable heroics then you will be disappointed. But somehow I doubt it. I've ridden l’eroica twice before, taking on the full 205km L'Erocia in 2010 and then the more modest 135km...

Retrobike was lucky enough to attend the 2013 Cycleshow at the NEC on the Thursday Press / Trade day. Having not been to a mainstream bike show for a few years (not since the defunct 'Bike Show') it was good to see such a large show with a diverse number of exhibitors - it would certainly seem that cycling is indeed in the ascendancy. Our overall highlights of the show were as follows *Seeing Daley Thompson (legend!) *Plenty of manufacturers turning out high end steel race frames. Not because it's niche but because it's a fine material for the job. *Depth and breadth of stands, everything from the big corporate displays from the usual suspects down to much smaller companies with some interesting products. *The proliferation of utility...

Last weekend saw the annual retrobike raid on Mountain Mayhem, the UKs largest 24 hour race. For 2013 Mountain Mayhem moved from the iconic Eastnor venue to pastures new at Gatcombe Park. Once again retrobike took what must surely have been the biggest group with at least 40 riders and numerous 'supporters', near enough all on retro machinery. Full retrobike mountain mayhem aftermath thread can be found here. Thanks to ace snapper Gus Farmer for the image, check his thoughts and more images over on his wiggle blog.

What started out as one or two of us meeting up with our Dolomites, seems to have sparked enough interest to open the net wider to other Klein owners / riders. This is the plan: WHO Anyone who owns or has access to a Klein WHAT A ride of about 10-15 miles taking in Richmond Park, maybe Wimbledon Common and the Thames River path. Will include a few refreshment - NOS Polish stop offs, and a post ride beer or two. WHY Excuse to meet up and ride these bikes many are obsessed with. Seems to be plenty of us out there... WHERE Richmond Park. Sheen Gate Car Park, SW14 off Sheen Lane which leads into the park. If the carpark is full, Fife Road just outside the gate. If you are coming via train Richmond for Tubes and Mainline trains or...

To quote Jean-Luc Godard, a story should have a beginning, middle and end but not necessarily in that order. Previous readers will have noticed a distinct theme – enthusiastic amateur cyclist takes on a decent but definitely attainable challenge, fails to prepare bike or body, has an unfortunate toilet related incident, suffers a setback that surely heralds failure but somehow muddles through to the end. But not this time baby, oh no. And not only because I didn’t have cause to utter waar is het toilet alstublieft? once. I really wasn’t having much fun. And I only had myself to blame. The wind was bitter, my shoulders slumped and I’d last seen my cycling companions a couple of hours previously. I also had no idea where I was or how far...

Right, let’s get something straight from the off. I like cycling, enjoy company and love red wine. Put all three together in Tuscany sounded perfect with nothing that could possibly deflect from sheer, unrelenting enjoyment. No matter what follows, I just want to be clear about that before I get started, that’s all. L’Eroica (“the heroic one”) is an annual event in Tuscany that celebrates the great, bygone era of cycling before doping, science and sideburns were so prevalent. Based in Gaiole in Chianti, l’Eroica started in 1997 as a way to celebrate cycling history but also to halt the paving over of the strade bianche, the white dirt roads that cross cross the region. 15 years on, l’Eroica is wildly popular with entry list closing...

I blame Pervy Bob. Or his dad. Or possibly even his beautiful, unobtainable, older sister (she was two years older which meant that at the time she was pretty much Mrs. Robinson. Oh, and she spoke fluent French which only added to the unobtainable mystique). Actually, most of all I blame Pervy Bob, and not only for the effect the following had on me. Back in 1986 I was at college and Pervy Bob invited me for a weekend in Nelson; despite his name this was in no way sinister. Having enjoyed a pleasantly boozy Saturday night I was a bit put out to be raised from my slumber in the attic at some unearthly hour the next morning to go and watch Pervy Bob's dad perform unspeakable acts in public. I must admit that I was a little unnerved to be...

Another year, another outstanding Retrobike raid on Mountain Mayhem. The weather may have made the main event a little flat but the retrobike camp was bigger and better than ever –we’ve almost got our own event within an event :cool: Check the Retrobike MM12 aftermath thread for the full reports. Highlights include- • Camp Retrobike. A ray of sunshine amongst the mud. Or something. • Support from Bikefood and Church End Brewery. • Retrobike Beer, BBQ and tunes. • Some riding. It was muddy. • Supporting / heckling riders. Bring on the sunshine for MM 2013 :)

Mountain Mayhem 2012 is looking to be the biggest and best ever for Retrobike. The weekend's schedule is now finalised. So whether you're racing solo or just coming along to hang out and heckle there will be something for you. Click here for full schedule. Once again we'll be supported in our efforts by Bikefood who will be supplying Sports Nutrition. We're also getting support from Church End Brewery who'll be supplying some Retrobike Beer :D Highlights include • The Retrobike Concours Show • BBQ • Retrobike Beer • International Dual Jenga Knockout • Flea Market • DJ Isosceles • The Blagathon • Trackside heckle tent • The megaphone • The intruder • Some racing (perhaps). See you at MM :D

Retrobike stalwarts EdEdwards and mrkawasaki and a cycle polo player took on the Ronde van Vlaanderen 2012 sportive. Read their Ronde van Vlaanderen 2012 ride report here.

Just 9 months after the first ever UK Handmade Bicycle Show in Bristol, the 2012 edition was upon us. There was a new venue, the pre-show publicity looked like it was going to be bigger, much bigger. John, armed with his 'My First Canon', and I went to find out. What follows is very much a personal perspective. The UK Handmade Bicycle Show 2012 www.bespokedbristol.co.uk was based at Brunel's Old Station, basically part of the Templemeads complex. Waiting for The Guvnor to negotiate the one way system (he was within 10m a good quarter of an hour before he actually pulled up), I lounged outside on a wall in the sun, people watching. It was a battle between pretty girls with their floaty dresses and summer legs and bicycles. Steel...

Bigger and better Bespoked Bristol rides back into town! Bespoked Bristol, The UK Handmade Bicycle Show, returns from March 23rd to 25th 2012. With over 70 leading independent makers from the UK, Italy, France, USA and Germany coming to Brunel’s Old Station to showcase some of the most beautiful and desirable cycles on earth. Now in its second year, the event provides a platform for the public, industry and press to meet artisan bicycle makers and share ideas. Organisers Phil and Tessa Taylor are promising a bigger and better show for 2012: exhibitor numbers have doubled since last June's inaugural event at Paintworks, Bristol, requiring a move to a larger venue. This will allow space for more stands, a dedicated area highlighting...

Congrats to Jeffy Beetham aka Superstong aka the man who rode Mayhem in a wool suit for becoming the Masters (34-39) MTB XC National Champion following the XC Champs in North Yorks, full result here. Third overall in the ever competitive Masters race was enough to see Jeffy take the 34-39 title. Click here to discuss in the forum.

For anyone who rode at the Mountain Mayhem, last Sundays (26th June) British MTB Series race at Margam Park saw familiar conditions. Wet, cold…hot, dry. We arrived on the Saturday with the intention of pre-riding, but day long drizzle washed away all enthusiasm. Sunday saw the temperature rise from 18 to over 30 degs – hot, hot, hot! I went for a bit of a pedal around the course – a combination of hard climbs, muddy chutes and generally pretty tough. Add the sudden heatwave into the mix and it looked set to be pretty damn hard work. Think Mayhem on steroids. In an oven. Or a woollen suit. Or a bear outfit if you’re that way inclined. The Elite race showed just how hard with riders coming past in ones and twos, big gaps in between and...

This just in from the MTB Hall of Fame (or mtbhof). Sadly it looks like Geoff Apps was over looked once again. Still some very deserving inductees nonetheless. Click here to discuss in the forum. The 2011 inductees are: • Bob Allen, Journalism - whose photographic vision and advocacy have contributed to and continue to add to the collective memory and evolution of mountain biking. • Patrice Drouin & Chantal Lachance, Promotion - two Canadian promoters who have fueled much success and fun into mountain bike racing. • The Laguna Rads, Pioneers - 80 or so individuals who have taken the adventure and camaraderie of mountain biking to a new level, while preserving the original spirit of the sport. • Pete Webber, Advocacy - his...