My new indiegogo crowdfunding campaign!
Hey there, I just wanted to let you know that I have just initiated a new crowdfunding campaign.
I’d really appreciate it if you could share this with your family & friends + work colleagues, etc.
A Cyclist's Life in Tenerife (Canary Islands)
How can you easily save and invest money for the future?
You might be wondering «How can I save and invest money easily and painlessly?» Well Raiz makes it easy to save and invest money! I’m hopeless at saving but believe me, this makes it just about as painless as humanly possible.
Raiz automatically rounds up any purchases you make to the nearest dollar (well okay, they appear as their own separate transactions).
My favourite function is their “quick invest” button. I use that feature all the time, especially when I have extra money coming in.
You’re still able to to withdraw your money when you have to easy enough. This way is much better than having your savings account and spending accounts linked with the same bank though. I think it’s too easy to withdraw money from the same online bank and so I didn’t even set one up because I already knew this.
It’s not often that I refer any products, but this one is good, trust me. Use the link below to sign up and we’ll each get $5!
app.raizinvest.com.au/invite/EU74VE
FOR SALE: HED TT / triathlon time trial aerobar
Here it is folks, only a couple of days until the auction ends:
20% off all Vertebrae products throughout August, 2016!
Please enter the coupon “20eco” at the checkout, and a 20% discount will automatically be applied to your order.
Bike stuff for sale!
I have a few bike bits for sale here:
Road bike frame sale
We have some alloy road bike frames for sale at some pretty good prices.
These include carbon fork & headset. Complete bikes to follow shortly.
Our very own Outlet.
Generally in the Summer time we have bike bits and other components for sale. Sometimes they have been used, but we often sell brand new things at amazing prices on ebay – when we have too much stock of a particular item or if something was sent to us erroneously for example. Items that we know will be popular usually start with a listing price of only 1¢.
Complete bikes, frames, and wheelsets which are too bulky to post internationally from the Canary Islands are posted on our forum classifieds. The forum is a great place for locals to buy and sell bike parts in Tenerife free of charge (and it’s also a great place to chat about cycling Tenerife of course!).
Klein frameset for sale!
Normally I don’t post items for sale on here. But this is a pretty special frame which is currently for sale on ebay. It’s from a classic era, now considered retro I suppose and is in fantastic condition. No scratches or dents to speak of. Inlcludes an alphaQ fork and token headset. Current bid is only US$81 and I was hoping to get a bit more than that. Granted, the auction hasn’t ended yet -it ends in two days- but I thought I’d give it a bit of a push anyway.
We want to see your photos!
That’s right, if you are a past or future customer of www.Tenerife-Training.net, we’d love to see photos of you cycling in Tenerife! Please send us your photos via e-mail to this address: cycling@tenerife-training.net. All image file formats are acceptable. The bigger the image, the better. If you have many photos, please send them as a zip archive. Once approved, the best photos will be selected & displayed on our guestbook page. We’re thinking about offering free bike days for the best photo submissions. The second prize could be a free T-shirt or something…
Easy ways YOU can help www.Tenerife-Training.net:
- If you have your own blog or website, providing any incoming links is always an enormously big help. Links to the homepage are preffered.
- Give us feedback by completing this online survey.
- Make a comment anywhere on this blog.
- Sign up to the Cycling in the Canary Islands Forum and discuss anything about cycling.
- Watch my cycling in Tenerife videos & share them among your cycling buddies.Â
- Subscribe to my newsletter here!
- Add any of these www.Tenerife-Training.net pages to your list of favourites (internet browser, technorati, etc)
- Your suggestions are welcomed, and your support is much appreciated.
- If you value our bike hire service & webpage, simply tell other people about us! Word of mouth is probably the most important way of promoting a healthy business.
Two more full-carbon road bikes in our fleet!
We were really impressed with the quality of our most recent Planet X bikes. So we’re pleased to announce that we have some brand new framsets on the way from Planet X in a few different sizes. Here’s what Planet X have to say about their latest generation frame:
The RT57 boasts bang up-to-date features like a tapered steerer tube and BB30 bottom bracket. A tapered steerer stiffens up the whole front end of the bike, improving handling at speed and through corners. It also makes for a larger down tube and the BB30 bottom bracket helps at the other end too, improving the torsional rigidity of the frame and increasing its stiffness against pedalling. What it all adds up to is a quick, stiff road frame suited to fast sportives, shorter Audax rides and racing on quick, twisty courses. It eats hills for breakfast and your mates for lunch and dinner!
When is the right time to go solar?
Getting into alternative energy these days has become more feasible than ever before. By that I mean that it is both more affordable (cheaper), you get more value (performance per dollar) and it’s easier to set up (modular construction). Not just have solar cells improved in their efficiency, but there are a whole host of low-power devices (LED lighting the first one that comes to mind) to get the most out of this technology. Of course, photovoltaic cells are improving of all the time by increasing their efficiency – even so, that thought alone shouldn’t postpone you from investing in this wonderful technology now. [Read more →]
New carbon rental bikes from Planet X!
For 2012 we have some new full-carbon road bikes with more on the way! First to arrive is a small Carbon Pro road model and large-sized nanolight.
Off the grid.
It all started when I was in the local hardware store (Leroy Merlin) the other day, feeling rather bored. I love walking in there as it opens up so many possibilities for new projects. I’m the type of guy that always has to be occupied doing something, be it maintaining, modifiying existing components so they perform better than they did in their original state, or inventing something completely new.
Anyway, I walked down a new aisle called «alternative energy». I was quickly impressed by how easy it looked to hook up all the energy & controller modules. I soon walked out of there with a 2W «solar battery charger» – better than nothing I thought, while I do some research on the other systems offered. I got home, promptly connected the solar charger to my motorcycle’s flat battery. My 8 year old neice in law had no idea what this new device was, further solidifying my belief that it was good to be emitting these new green vibes. I had it sitting there in the late afternoon for a few hours and it had still not generated enough juice to start the motor! Just a few turns of the starter motor was all I got. Somewhat disappointed, but thinking: for €24.95, what did I really expect? That’s a pretty lame foray into the world of solar.
Somewhat miffed, I just reminded myself that «more power» is the obvious way to go with solar panels. So I went back to Leroy Merlin the next day and sized up the different options. There were solar panels of all sizes, rigid, flexible, long and short. Even though there wasn’t much there to choose from, I walked away, scared by it all. Not just because of the initial cost, but the stigma attached to it all. Mulling it all over, I wondered: what are people going to think of someone who is paying €360 for a pair of 14W photovoltaic arrays? Aren’t I going to look like a dickhead, when a lot of the appliances I use are well over 500W? I hesitated and procrastinated so much, the security guys were starting to take notice! I looped around the store and got a basket and some other things first.
Then I noticed people wandering around, half of them lost, the remainder buying up all this stuff (with some restraint due to the financial crisis here in Spain). Who knows whether they really needed it or not. Meanwhile, I was facing some kind of reality shock. See, when I was in my early twenties, I decided my goal in life was to have a «minimum impact on the environment». And here I am, a decade later, not doing anything even remotely green. Okay, for sure I turn off all the lights whenever possible (and there are no tungsten bulbs anywhere in my house or car), but so what? That’s the least you can do. Otherwise, you’re a bit of a moron, right?
My aim for this project was to light the back of my new van so that when I deliver a bike in the dark, there is ample light to do any adjustments, change pedals, etc. Street light is pretty feeble and it just doesn’t look like a very professional setup when you can’t even show people the best bike routes on a map because it’s too dark. The plan is to install some flexible solar panels on van’s roof, where there’s plenty of stray light already going to waste (reflections, heat and whatnot). I am also planning to at least recharge my mobile phone, laptop, credit card reader and possibly a few other devices like my cordless drill, etc. At least it’s a start. Because it’s modular, I can always add to the system – I’ve calculated that the roof of the Renault Trafic will fit up to 6 solar panels, giving a total power generation of 84W. That’s something to look forward to. If it all goes well, eventually we’ll get the desktop computer off the grid too.
"In just one hour, the Sun transmits more energy to the surface of the Earth than what humanity consumes in one year"
This was my moment of self truth. A little fatter now than I used to be and about to commit to this new diesel van for work purposes, I felt environmentally obliged to invest in something good for the planet for once. Like someone was watching over me, something akin to the Truman show (how long does it take this member of society to buck the trend; we’ve made it so accesible for him?). Can I really afford four or five hundred Euros? Not really. Can I afford not to do it? No freakin’ way! [Read more →]
Cable housing for campagnolo 11 speed ergolevers? Vertebrae Anubis is now here.
It’s been two years in development and now we can finally release our newest product, Vertebrae Anubis. This is a slimline black ceramic gear housing for campagnolo 11 speed ergolevers. Of course its lighter, sleeker, more expensive than the original Vertebrae and most importantly, no modifications are necessary to the ergolevers. Here’s what it looks like assembled.
Customer Testimonials
Les,
Many thanks for the great service last week. Great place to cycle: the ascent of Teide is one of the great European climbs. Great weather. Lovely roads. Good bike, beautifully presented. Prompt service and fantastic back up during the week.
I’ll be recommending you to cycling friends.
Good luck,
— Crispin Oliver, February 2011.
Hi Leslie,
Just a thankyou for making a very decent bike available to me in Tenerife. As I would expect from somebody of your background the set up fitted me like a glove and the gear change and brakes felt very slick (glad you put the new brakeblocks on).I was Billy No mates on all my 6 outings 3 times up to Arona once to Vilaflor and twice easy cycling to Las Galletas 240k in total and managed to do it without disrupting the wife’s holiday.I have given you a plug on my cycling club forum which is www.hinckleycrc.org which you can read under Cycling Chitchat, «Tenerife Training». Nobody has posted a reply I think they are Jealous.We’ve already booked for next year coming out on 17th of January for 2 weeks so I’ll be in touch.
— David Evans. January 2011.
Leslie,
Thanks again for your usual professional service with the bike hire last week. Don’t understand how anybody would want to bring their own bike, rather than hire, its great being able to give you the bike back at the end of the week, rather than the worry of taking your own bike back.Highlights of the week for me-â—‹ Icod del Alto (worth the climb up for the veiws)
â—‹ Mount Teide (as always,I don’t count kms travelled in Tenerife, only metres climbed)
â—‹ La Matanza (locals thinking I was mad doing a 25% climb as a short cut- there was no way I was going to get off the bike, with them watching!)
Top tip- Always take at least arm warmers up to Teide, even if it is sunny on the way up, it will be cold descending. Above all follow the advise on the TT website- it is there for a reasonMany thanks once again
— Geoff Whitlow – Devon. December 2010.
Les,
Thanks again for meeting me. The larger map turned out to be the most useful to me as the detail came in handy. I absolutely loved the riding on the island and managed ~850 km while I was there. I particularly liked the climb up TF-421 from Garachico to El Tanque. I hope to make it back to do some of the southern climbs or spend more time in the Anaga range. Anage was great, but wet and consequently cut short.Cheers,
— Brian, December 2010.
Thanks for the email, back in dark england now, but will definately recommend you guys to anyone heading over, really appreciate your local knowledge and when I get back I’ll definately look to go out for tour with you guys.Take care,
— jodi – UK. December 2010.
Hi Leslie,
I was very pleased about your service and your bike. You have an excellent business, keep it this way.I was so happy about it that I posted an advice on my FB page. I have lots of solar physicists as friends that may be interested in your services. Enjoy,
— Thierry Appourchaux – France, November 2010.
Leslie,
Very nice to meet you last week mate, a very professional outfit you have set up. Thanks very much for your great service with the bike. It was in great condition and having a working odometer attached saved me having to do anything. I was just reading again your description of the climb up from the north of the island on and it brought back the memories (horrors!!!) of last week.The worst part was riding up from las Americas and turning left at La Camella on the TF51. A short distance along this road there is a sign saying El Teide 42km. That makes the whole climb just short of 48km or 29 miles which is why it took me over 3 hours to complete. The descent on the TF21 back down to Vilaflor was superb though…including overtaking a car at about 70kph. (I thought I’d wait to e-mail you about that one instaed of telling you as I handed the bike back!)The final ride was up to Vilaflor but the legs were too tired to take me up any further…or was it the aftereffects of the previous night’s consumption?!Anyway, great holiday and great bike service. Hope all goes well with your business.
Regards,
— Chris England – Lancashire. June 2010.
Hi Leslie,
We enjoyed our cycling in Tenerife very much, even though we’re not used to the steep terrain. All your advice that you provided by mail, in person and on your web site was extremely valuable to us.The bikes were of very good condition and great, my girlfriend still misses the great brakes that were on her bike! We would highly recommend your website and services for anyone interested in getting some cycling during some winter sun holiday. The views that we saw while cycling in Anaga, Teide and Masca regions were marvelous, the roads were in great condition and we had no issue with cars as some of the areas were indeed very isolated.
— Sarunas Vancevicius – Ireland. March 2010.
Hi Leslie.
We would like to thank you for your great service and assistance during and before our holiday on Tenerife. We plan to cycle again at the end of this year – and be sure, we will be hiring bikes from you again.Thanks and Best Regards,
— André Wachsmann, January 2010.
Leslie, Just to say thanks for the bike you provided and the support you gave me when I came over to Tenerife late December 2009.
The bike was spot-on — good specification and obviously well maintained. Like many cyclists coming to Tenerife, I wondered whether it would be better to bring my own bike, or hire one of yours. Quite frankly, I cannot see any argument in favour of bringing your own, in terms of the UK at least, bringing your own bike is more expensive, a lot more hassle and with the added worry of not knowing what will happen to it during transit. Very few cyclists are that good that bringing your own bike would make that much difference «to your performance». I would recommend that visitors concentrate on bringing their own shoes, gloves, helmet etc , none of which takes up too much baggage allowance.
You also provided great advice on the routes to ride and which roads to avoid, which greatly added to my enjoyment of the five days I rode a bike. Hopefully, the next time I will visit it will be part of a club group, I am still telling them all how wonderful the experience was.
Best wishes for 2010.
— Geoff Whitlow, UK. December 2009.
Leslie
Arrived home safe in Bonnie Scotland. Many thanks for your assistance with the hire of the Merida 880 bike and track pump. It was a great service and I enjoyed my 18 days cycling in Tenerife very much. As I said I had absolutely no problems with the hire and everything worked like a swiss watch. The only thing I needed to do was adjust the saddle height to suit me and change the back tyre (which was my fault) for doing an emergency stop at a crossing. Changing the tyre was very easy as everything was in good mechanical order and a spare cover was provided by you.
Here are the pictures I promised you. If you wish to put any of them on your website then please go ahead and do so.
Many thanks and good luck. I hope to see you again in the future.
— Ian Russell, UK. December 2009.
Les,
Many thanks for the bikes… will recommend you to all cyclists/triathletes coming to Tenerife & send an email to you on return to UK.Thanks again
— Chris & Vicky Morris, November 2009
The most amazing cycling trip ever! Thanks so much.
— Chris Ricketts, Southampton, UK. April 2009.
Your website is GREAT!!! Lots of the information I was looking for was there. Thanks!
— Thomas Källander. February 2009.
For my first ever ride on a road bike I chose to ride up from Puerto to the crater of Volcano Teide! Amazing climb, stunning summit, and unbelievable (and extemely cold!) descent back down. The bike, helmet, pedals, shoes, and much needed water bottle were all excellent and great value. Booking and pick up of the bike was easy and we have already booked flights back at the end of June when we will be renting again.
Many thanks,
— Tim (Birmingham, England). February 2009.
Hallo,
Danke für die Informationen auf der Website.
Genau diese Infos habe ich gesucht.Schöne Grüße
— Johannes Weßling, December 2008.
THANKS
GREAT BIKE
GREAT SERVICE
GREAT RIDESCheers
— Andy Davis, November 2008.
Engine swap operation successful! After six weeks in the mechanics, Molly is finally back on the road.
We’ve become quite fond of our our official delivery van since getting it late last year. It’s a 2004 Ford Transit connect, with a 1.8L turbo diesel engine delivering 75ps. This is an ex-rental van from Molina rentacar. We have since fixed up the interior a bit and added the Pro Bike Hire signwriting and then not long after, the name «Molly» stuck. We’ve tried out a number of similar small vans like the Citroen berlingo and VW caddy, but they are just not as practical as the transit connect.
Unfortunately, about six weeks ago, Molly’s engine exploded. Here’s basically what happened: The day before, we heard an unusual sound coming from the engine bay. We stopped as soon as we could and checked the engine temperature & oil level, both seemingly ok, but the sound grew worse as we came home. The very next day, we had another delivery to do in the South of Tenerife. In hindsight, we shouldn’t have taken the van that day, we should’ve taken it straight to the mechanics. But we assumed it was the fanbelt and that another hundred kilometres or so wouldn’t be detrimental. [Read more →]
Technology powered by alternate energy.
This is just a quick note to say that apart from other green measures we are taking, it’s worth noting that the Tenerife Training website is also hosted by a green server. What the hell does that mean? Well, it means that the people who host all our files use wind energy instead of energy derived from oil or nuclear sources. In simple terms, it means that when other people see our website, the information that we provide 24 hours a day to the world is accessed through the use of green energy.
We’re giving away free stuff on our cycling forum!
In order to encourage further activity on our local cycling forum, we are giving away several free gifts for the following categories:
• most number of posts per month wins a free multitool
• funniest post of the month wins a pair of advanced polymeric PEEK water bottle bolts from our sister company, Vertebrae Components.
• most useful post of the month has a choice of Isostar isotonic sports drink, twin bottle cages from Btwin or one very detailed map of Tenerife (Kompass Teneriffa 233)
New Cycle Sport magazine advert
Here is a new ad we are going to place in the November issue of Cycle Sport magazine:
Categorías
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- Learning Curve (33)
- Lucky Dip (12)
- Mental Anguish (71)
- News Reel (87)
- Ride the Volcano! (58)
- Sales Pitch (50)
- Science Simplified (31)
- Spoke Bed (87)
- That's Business (72)
- The Bike Guru (136)
- Vida Enigmática (40)
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