Cycle log 13/04/09: Shakedown

I have never seen so many motorbilkes. That's a lie, I have never sen so many motorbikes since last year when the Easter bank holiday Shakedown rally came to Southend last. It's a yearly event, but this year they seem to have upped the ante, with stalls and closed roads and things like that.

Now I know cyclists (as in pedal cyclists) are often tarred with the nutty stick - riding out in all weathers, skin tight lycra and glow in the dark reflectors, not to mention the mushroom helmets. But motorcyclists, specifically the sort who attend Shakedown events, are something else.

I saw blokes dressed identically in camo gear riding black bikes with camo netting draped over them, all sorts of leather jackets with dodgy skulls and crossbones on them. The pillion passenger of a three-wheeler was even wearing a children's halloween skull mask. What if he'd crashed? The emergency services wouldn't have known if his appearance was a horrific result of his accident or a child's plastic mask.

Through these thousands of gathered Hell's Angel types and motorbike nuts, revving and wheelying, came the altogether more reserved and certainly more stylish stream of cyclists.

It was a bank holiday and we were out in force, too - albeit a bit outnumbered.

Note: The image was taken at the 06 Shakedown event, which goes to prove it doesn't change much from one year to the next.

Time: 1hr 22 minutes
Distance: 23.77m
Average: 17.2mph
Max: 34.5mph

Rapha clobber
Racing cap
Short sleeved jersey
Fixed shorts
Arm warmers
Grand tour gloves
Merino socks

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